Can You use Your Phone on a Cruise Ship?

Can You Use Your Phone at Sea?

Like Christmas Eve, everything is packed and ready to go, the house is walking a fine line between show-home and organised chaos, and you're ready for an early night before the big day. But while you're getting ready to board your cruise ship, you might be wondering how to keep in touch with friends and family throughout your trip. It's common knowledge that cruise ship wifi packages are tantamount to daylight robbery - so can you just use your phone on board instead? The short answer is yes. You will be able to get a mobile phone signal while at sea but, before you breathe a sigh of relief, keep reading for the full story. If you don't, you could be liable for a phone bill worth several hundred pounds! 

Moxy Hotels Southampton Review - The Perfect Pre-Cruise Stay?

Moxy Southampton - The Ideal Pre Cruise Stay?

Southampton isn’t just a student city - it’s the busiest cruise ship port in the UK, and one of the busiest in Europe. With this in mind, you won’t be surprised to learn that you’ll be spoilt for choice when trying to find a hotel in Southampton. Whether you’re looking for a pre-cruise say or a weekend getaway, Southampton is the perfect base for your adventures. In my never-ending pursuit to find the best hotel in Southampton for your money, I stayed at Moxy in Southampton city centre for a night to put it to the test.

After first experiencing Moxy during a mini-break, the quirky hotel chain has been a go-to for me. Full of personality without being style-over-substance, Moxy always manages to cover the basics and sprinkle some fun and luxurious touches on top. Each Moxy hotel is decorated to reflect the local area - in Chester the communal spaces features thoughtful touches that gave a nod to the city’s horse racing heritage, so you can imagine the nautical theme running through the chain’s Southampton offering.

What to Pack for Northern Norway & The Arctic Circle

Visiting the Arctic Circle, whether in Norway or another country, is a magical once in a lifetime experience, but preparing for your trip is a level of overwhelm that I've not experienced since moving house. For someone that resides in a fairly temperate climate all year round, the concept of battling -30ºC doesn't even begin to compute. I found myself in this exact position at the end of November. Having fallen down a rabbit hole of frantic Googling, asked many people more knowledgable than myself for advice and with the benefit of hindsight after living with my mistakes, I'm fairly confident that I can offer you a foolproof guide to getting ready for your trip to the Arctic Circle.

What to Expect on a Winter Cruise

Is Cruising in Winter a Good Idea?

As cruising from the UK continues to skyrocket in popularity, an increasing number of cruise lines are choosing to keep some of their fleet sailing from the UK throughout the year. Considering that, until the last few years, almost every cruise line would do a summer season out of the UK before sending their ships to warmer climbs in October, you'd be sensible to ask if it's worth booking a winter cruise. Personally, winter is one of my favourite times to cruise so I'm here to set your expectations before you book!

How To Pack For Your First Cruise

Hey Owlets,

Cruising is an entirely new way to travel - there are so many differences between cruise holidays and land holiday. If you’re planning your first cruise it’s understandable that you might feel a little overwhelmed and not know where to start when it comes to packing for a cruise. When I went on my first cruise I didn’t have a clue - I was a fully paid up member of the “pack everything and hope for the best” brigade. Now I’ve been cruising for a few years I wanted to share a few some of my tips on how to choose what to pack for your first cruise, what to leave at home and suggest a few things that you may not have thought to bring! 

Rotterdam in One Day - The Best Itinerary for 24 Hours in Rotterdam, Netherlands

How to Spend the Perfect Day in Rotterdam

It's no secret that Rotterdam is one of my favourite cities in Europe. As a port day on a cruise ship, you're presented with a wealth of opportunities to explore either Rotterdam or further afield. One of the most popular choices for a port day usually involves a day trip to Amsterdam, but I've known someone be left behind on more than one occasion because of traffic or trains, so I prefer to spend the day exploring Rotterdam instead. Rotterdam is a city packed full of arts and culture - it's got a huge foodie scene, a wealth of different museums and galleries, and more independent shops than you could possibly hope to visit in a single day. If you're not sure where to start, try this itinerary for a day spent in Rotterdam - perfect for a port day on a cruise ship or a mini break where you've flown into the city. 

Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas - A Very Honest Review

Hey Owlets,

It feels so odd to be writing about Royal Caribbean again, but here we are. If you’re a long time reader of The Owlet you’ll remember me saying that you shouldn’t go back to the same ship twice, after my magical first cruise on Independence of the Seas was overshadowed by a trip that was equally memorable for all the wrong reasons. I’ve spent a few years exploring other cruise lines, but post-pandemic my parents are no longer able to sail with any Carnival lines due to the stricter health requirements, so we looked into giving Royal Caribbean another chance and found a deal for a week on board Anthem of the Seas that we just couldn’t say no to! I’ll be honest with you, I was very apprehensive about it after my previous RCCL experience but I was drawn in my remembering the magic of my first trip, and you know what? I’m really glad I gave it another go. 

5 Must See European Destinations to Visit This Summer

European summer is just around the corner, parents are gearing up for sunny half term breaks, and with the long days and warm nights on the horizon, I've found myself looking ahead to sunny weekend city breaks or beach trips. 

Having just had to cancel our cruise this year, I've got absolutely nothing booked and a bit of "blank page" syndrome. There are so many places I would love to re-visit from previous cruises, because one day in port just isn't enough! At the same time, it's a big world out there with lots to explore! If you're in the same boat and looking to book some summer trips, allow me to share a few of my all time favourite destinations to inspire you.

5 Things You Forgot to Pack for Your Cruise

Hey Owlets,

Packing for a holiday can be one of the most stressful parts of the trip, but when you’re getting ready to go on your first cruise that stress is amplified because it’s a step into the unknown. What do you need for formal night? Have you remembered to pack everything? And what do you even need for a cruise? I’m assuming that you’ve hopefully covered all the basics - maybe even remembered to pack your toothbrush rather than buying a new one at the start of every trip when you realise you’ve forgotten. When you’re going on a cruise there are a few specific things that you may not have thought about - here’s what you’ve missed.

How to Spend a Day in Funchal, Madeira

*This post is in collaboration with Voyage Prive*

Hey Owlets,

Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago of islands in the Atlantic Ocean, off the North West coast of the African continent. There's a lot to do on Madeira island and it's known for many things, including wine (obviously!), beautiful scenery, incredible weather and stunning little towns. On the main island is the capital city of Funchal. Over the last few years Funchal has become popular with tourists, although it still doesn’t feel overcrowded. It’s a particularly popular destination on cruises, with ships calling at the island all year round. The other thing that Funchal is most well known for is it’s New Year’s Eve fireworks display, which until recently was in the Guinness Book of World Records as being the biggest fireworks display in the world. On New Year’s Eve you’ll be lucky to find a hotel, and even cruise ships race to get into port early to secure a berth! However, Funchal is a beautiful city in its own right and absolutely worth exploring at any time of the year. Here’s just a few things you absolutely must do during your visit.