Celebrity Guests Get Inside Access

Celebrity Cruises are offering their passengers the opportunity to take an exclusive look into how cruise ships work.

A new and much welcomed addition to the activities on board a Celebrity ship, this programme – aptly named ‘Celebrity Inside Access’- will take passengers behind the scenes of a Celebrity cruise. It is a fascinating way of discovering how cruise ships work, the program will includes two exclusive activities, the ‘See How It’s Done Tour’ and the ‘Bridge Sail Away Experience’.

The See How It’s Done Tour is where a small, intimate crowd are taken through non-public areas of the ship, including the bridge, mooring deck, crew gym, theatre and the engine control room. Guests will also have the chance to intermingle with skilled members of the Celebrity crew. And, after each tour, guests can look forward to a wine-paired lunch – which will be held by an officer in the main dining room.

The other activity, the Bridge Sail Away Experience, makes it possible for cruisers to be part of the navigational team on the bridge. This will begin half an hour before and after departing. A tour and an overview of the bridge will be given by a senior bridge officer.

Mal Barritt, director of cruises.com – the world’s largest cruise company says - “this interesting programme is sure to be a hit with Celebrity guests. After all, who wouldn’t want the opportunity to have exclusive access to a behind the scenes tour of one of their favourite ships? It’s the perfect chance for them to satisfy their curiosity. It will certainly be a fascinating and enriching program for all who participate.”

This Inside Access program is offered on all celebrity ships – and is available for purchase on board. 

River Cruising On the Mekong River

In recent years there has been a meteoric rise in the popularity of river cruising as holiday makers search for a more intimate and personal experience than larger sea cruises. River cruises are also an extremely relaxing and time efficient way of experiencing a range of cities, landmarks and countryside. One of most popular river cruises is along the Mekong River, the world’s twelfth largest river, which flows through China, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam and is dotted with historic landmarks and stunning scenery. Below, I have listed some of my top tips for river cruising along the Mekong from Cambodia to Vietnam.

When to Go

The best time to experience a river cruise along the Mekong is from June to September when the land is lush, the water is calm and there is a great variety of tropical fruit available. Between October and November, flooding can be expected, particularly in remote areas.

What To Do

The Mekong River is lined with unique and spectacular historical landmarks and no Mekong River cruise would be complete without a visit to the ancient city of Angkor. Begin the day by watching the sunrise over the majestic temple of Angkor Watt, and then spend the rest of the day exploring the numerous temples of this truly astonishing place. 

As you continue your cruise towards Vietnam, ensure that you take some time to explore Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia. One of the best ways to experience Phnom Penh is by rickshaw and must see sites include the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda. Furthermore, I recommend visiting the Tuol Slong Genocide museum and the Killing Fields. Although immensely harrowing, they give an excellent insight into the horrors that the Cambodian people endured during the Khmer Rouge regime.  

As you enter arrive in Vietnam make sure you take some time to visit the famous Cu Chi tunnels. This vast, underground network of tunnels stretches for 200 miles and provided a base for the Vietcong army to attack the US army. The tour includes a trip down the tunnels, examples of the deadly mantraps and pits used to protect the tunnels and even the opportunity to fire some of the weapons used in the Vietnam War.

Finally, I recommend spending half a day at the famous Ben Thanh market in Saigon which gives a unique insight into every day Vietnamese life and will give you the opportunity to pick up some souvenirs at great prices.