Cruise destination - Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

We spent a day at Ho Chi Minh City in South Vietnam during our recent weeklong cruise onboard Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas.



This bustling city is quickly growing in popularity as a cruise stop, partly due to the reduction of passenger visa cost. These used to cost US$50.00 and have now been reduced to US$7.00 which the cruise company charges direct to your onboard account..



Market shopping in the city was great, but our tour guide warned us to beware of pickpockets in crowded spaces, so we walked around the central market compound with hands on pocket and handbags firmly secured.



This video is the result of our daytime wanderings in the downtown area of this interesting city. We would gladly return for another visit sometime in the future.

Cruise destination: Vigo, Spain

My partner Donna and I recently enjoyed an 11 night cruise from Southampton (UK) to destinations in Spain, Portugal, Gran Canarie and Canary Islands on Royal Caribbean's super-sized ship 'Independence of the Seas'. I had my trusty camcorder on hand to record the many colourful scenes in ports enroute. This is the first episode of my cruise destination video series: featuring the western Spanish port of Vigo. The next destination, Lisbon, Portugal will be 'in the can' in the near future!

Return from halfway around the world

Posing for a snapshot in front of a Paris landmark.

I’ve covered a lot of kilometres (or nautical miles, in some cases) over the past month visiting some great destinations in Europe. The highlight of the epic journey was an 11-night voyage on the huge Independence of the Seas, until recently the world’s biggest cruise ship boasting a full complement of almost 4000 passengers.

Royal Caribbean International treated us to a return cruise from/to Southampton visiting many Spanish and Portugese ports along the way. Our stops included Vigo, Lisbon, Las Palmas, Tenerife and Funchal and La Coruna.

I have always been very impressed with the quality of service delivered by Royal Caribbean aboard its ships and this cruise did not disappoint. Along with great service, good quality food and reasonably priced drinks, the cruise was a memorable event.

Not surprisingly, most of the passengers were British. I’m pleased to say, overall the term of endearment ‘whinging poms’ we often lavish upon Britons here in Australia did not apply. Sure there were a few obnoxious passengers onboard, but their nationality was not identified, they could have been Aussies for all I know!

All jokes aside, it was a very pleasant cruise and we will definitely return for more before we get much older. Thank you Royal Caribbean for providing us with a great time.

Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas moored at Funchal, Madeira.

Praise should also go to Etihad Airways for getting us everywhere on time and safely, although that last leg from Abu Dhabi to Sydney in Economy Class was a task I’m not keen to repeat in a hurry. 

However, if you live in Australia and want to visit Europe, there is no choice but to endure about 25 hours upwards of laborious travel.

And now I’m back at my desk – almost ready to record another podcast in the Travel Radio Australia series. Keep an ear and an eye out for the next show! 

Luckily on the outward route from Abu Dhabi to London Heathrow we paid a small fee to upgrade to vacant Business Class seats which also included entry to the Etihad lounge in AD…well worth the money! Unfortunately the finances did not permit another upgrade on the return leg, even though they phoned several times to offer the opportunity to upgrade.

-Ren Zwiers

It's travelling time!

The regular Travel Radio Australia podcasts will take a break for a few weeks as I'll be hitting the 'road' (well, actually 'the air', 'the road', 'the train' and 'the ship').

I'll be visiting 'exotic' destinations like Luton and Southampton in the UK, Amsterdam (Netherlands), Paris (yep, the one in France) followed by an 11-night cruise on Royal Caribbean's mighty Independence of the Seas to ports in Spain, Portugal and almost near Africa - the Canaries.

No doubt this trip will provide me with plenty of fodder for both my youtube travel video channel and Travelradio Australia podcast upon my return.

Meanwhile, I'll enjoy some time away from my computer! We'll renew acquaintance late next month!