Ritzy Travel Guide

Ritzy Travel Guide Ritzy Travel Guide: Content Creator for Cruises, Luxury Travel, Resorts, and Exotic Vacations

UPDATE: THIS GROUP CRUISE IS NOW FULLY BOOKEDWe’ve been quite overwhelmed by the response to our very first Ritzy Travel...
13/08/2026

UPDATE: THIS GROUP CRUISE IS NOW FULLY BOOKED

We’ve been quite overwhelmed by the response to our very first Ritzy Travel Guide Group Cruise.

Unfortunately it was substantially over subscribed. We know that means some of you who wanted to join us weren’t able to secure a cabin, and we’re genuinely sorry about that.

Demand was considerably greater than we anticipated, particularly in the first few days.

Thank you so much to all who contacted us.

INTERESTED IN A FUTURE RITZY GROUP CRUISE?

We heard you, that you would like more Group Cruises and we are already working on future sailings. In response to this one, we’d like to make sure those who are interested have the opportunity to hear about them as early as possible.

If you’d like to receive advance announcements, dates and booking information for future Ritzy Travel Guide Group Cruises, please email me at:

[email protected]

with “Future Group Cruises” in the subject line, and we’ll add you to our advance notification list.

And finally, a huge thank you to everyone who has booked. We’re very much looking forward to meeting you aboard Oceania Sonata!

Special Announcement: ... after many months of planning, we're absolutely delighted to announce the first ever Ritzy Tra...
08/08/2026

Special Announcement: ... after many months of planning, we're absolutely delighted to announce the first ever Ritzy Travel Guide Group Cruise!

Yes! We'll all be sailing together aboard Oceania Sonata, the upcoming NEW flagship from Oceania Cruises, on a spectacular 10-night voyage starting in the Mediterranean, from Barcelona to Southampton. 30th August 2027.

🎥 Our full announcement video is now live on YouTube. Please watch it for the full information and prices.

It would be fabulous to see you on it! It's a fabulous price and we've been given a free drinks package from Oceania for everyone in our group!

Highlights:

🛳 Oceania Sonata's inaugural season

📅 30 August – 9 September 2027

🌍 Europe

🥂 FREE upgrade to Oceania's All Inclusive Beverage Package (worth approximately US$1,599 per couple)

🍸 Exclusive Cocktail Party

🍽 Dining with Bill & Mrs Ritzy

🎤 Meet & Greets and Q&A Sessions

Important:

👥 ⚓ Very Limited Availability. so we can keep the cruise friendly, relaxed and genuinely personal.

How to Book:

Send an email to the following with your details and they will revert to you:

[email protected]

Here is the link for the website to get all the information:

https://www.sixstarcruises.co.uk/cruise/OCEANIASON270830-3?variant4=1&utm_medium=ritzy&utm_campaign=ritzy

Bookings are being handled by SixStar Cruises. The contact link is in the Youtube description.

Please note this email goes directly to SixStar Cruises, who will be happy to answer booking enquiries. If you'd like to chat with us instead, simply leave a comment here.

📞 UK Telephone for Six Star: 0808 239 3659

If you've ever fancied cruising on the latest from Oceania, with us, meeting fellow viewers and sharing a wonderful holiday with like-minded travellers, we'd absolutely love to welcome you aboard our inaugural group cruise!

01/08/2026

Is THIS The BEST New Cruise Ship of 2026?
Watch the full video now

Available on the Ritzy Travel Guide YouTube channel

Out Now : our brutally honest, but extremely surprising review of the new Legend of the Seas from Royal Caribbean!You'll...
01/08/2026

Out Now : our brutally honest, but extremely surprising review of the new Legend of the Seas from Royal Caribbean!

You'll never guess what we thought!

Watch it on our YouTube channel!




Royal Caribbean

Would you retire, to live full time on a cruise ship, permanently circling the globe? A couple of companies offer this,...
28/07/2026

Would you retire, to live full time on a cruise ship, permanently circling the globe?

A couple of companies offer this, but one one of the best known is Villa Vie Residences.

Two years ago, it launched its first residential cruise ship, Villa Vie Odyssey, offering people the chance to buy, or lease a cabin and simply... stay aboard as the ship travels continuously around the world.

Now the company has announced it has "signed for" a second residential cruise ship, to be named Legacy, with a planned launch in early 2029.

But here's where the story becomes rather intriguing... The company has been very careful with its wording.

It hasn't revealed which ship it is, not whether a deal has been actually signed. I assume they bought a 2nd hand ship off someone else, that was being retired? Which ship is it.

Also, is it a binding purchase agreement, or subject to conditions? They haven't fully indicated

Instead, it has launched what it's calling "The Road to Legacy." A series of teasers, behind the scenes updates, and clues.

They indicate that Legacy is a big quality step up from Odyssey. Villa Vie says the residences will be around 50% larger, with bigger public spaces, additional dining venues, enhanced wellness facilities and more luxury features.

Prices and monthly maintenance costs are also expected to be around 30% higher.

So this mark II version is clearly going to be more upmarket.

The announcement also reveals how much interest there has been in their 1st ship. Villa Vie says 85% of Odyssey's residences have been sold.

It's an interesting concept, retiring to sea. Once bought, you pay monthly dues, and live your life on a ship.

Imagine waking up in a different country every few days, never unpacking again. The concept of living permanently at sea is clearly gathering momentum.

Would you buy one of these? Would you be tempted? Or would you rather just buy loads of different cruises on a variety of different cruise lines? Would you go bonkers staying on the same ship?

Straight from the Ritzy Travel Desk:Would You Choose A Cruise Totally For The Food?I see that Silversea has just announc...
25/07/2026

Straight from the Ritzy Travel Desk:

Would You Choose A Cruise Totally For The Food?

I see that Silversea has just announced its first series of S.A.L.T. Culinary Voyages.

Where food and drink will not simply be part of the holiday...they are the whole point!

Seven sailings aboard Silver Dawn and Silver Spirit will travel through Portugal, Spain, France and England during harvest season.

Their S.A.L.T. concept stands for Sea And Land Taste, which uses local cuisine as a way of understanding the places being visited.

Apparently these 7 dedicated cruises are not simply a slightly improved buffet and a chef waving a spoon from the stage!

Rather, they are a dedicated experience, promising: a private port blending session in Portugal’s Douro Valley, a Michelin chef led lunch at a château near Bordeaux, truffle hunting at the historic Château Royal de Cazeneuve, wine tastings, local cooking experiences and regional food programmes both ashore and aboard.

(We just went truffle hunting in Tuscany, great fun!)

The voyages will follow four themes:
Gather. Craft. Celebrate. Indulge.

(I like the last one)

Indeed it may require elasticated clothing by day four!

Food is increasingly becoming the reason people choose a cruise, rather than simply something they expect to be good once aboard.

Many European itineraries visit the same ports.
Bordeaux, Bilbao, Porto, Lisbon and Southampton appear on countless cruise schedules.
But experiencing Bordeaux during the grape harvest, meeting local producers and exploring the region through its food and wine creates a rather different cruise!

Silversea has run its S.A.L.T. programme for a while, but his gourmet Cruise series takes that idea much further.

The cuisine is no longer supporting the itinerary.
The cuisine is the itinerary!

Of course, there is always the danger of reaching day nine and quietly dreaming about beans on toast!

2 Sailings in 2027

Would you go on a food based cruise such as this? If so, where? Let us know!

Remember to follow along, and subscribe for more weekly travel inspiration!

Bill, Ritzy Travel Guide
Silversea



Is there a growing appetite for smaller cruising?While much of the attention goes to giant new ocean ships, the river cr...
22/07/2026

Is there a growing appetite for smaller cruising?

While much of the attention goes to giant new ocean ships, the river cruise sector is quietly enjoying a remarkable period of growth.

I notice that luxury river cruise line Uniworld has just announced three new ships for 2028, following another four vessels due to join the fleet in 2027.

That's an impressive seven new ships in just two years! Highlighting the confidence in the future of river cruising. It's a pace faster than any ocean going cruise company, that's for sure.

The new ships will sail some of Europe's most iconic waterways, including the Rhine and Danube, while another will explore Southeast Asia's Mekong River.

Each day they have been designed to reflect the culture, history and character of the region it sails through.

It got me thinking... For years, the cruise industry has been obsessed with building bigger ships, carrying more passengers and packing in ever more attractions.

Meanwhile, river cruising has been quietly growing by offering almost the exact opposite experience. Smaller ships. Fewer guests. Slower journeys. And a strong connection to the destinations themselves.

Neither approach is right or wrong. They simply appeal to different travellers.

But as more investment pours into river cruising, perhaps it's a sign that plenty of people are looking for something a little more intimate and destination focused.

If money were no object, which would you choose?

🚢 A giant ocean cruise ship with endless entertainment and activities?
🌊 Or a luxury river cruise, where the scenery and destinations take centre stage?

I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments.


Uniworld River Cruises

🍫 Chocolate lovers... listen up! You may just have found your next cruise! MSC Cruises has just announced what it claim...
21/07/2026

🍫 Chocolate lovers... listen up! You may just have found your next cruise!

MSC Cruises has just announced what it claims will be the largest chocolate experience ever built at sea... and it's not just a chocolate shop, it's by Venchi.

When their newest, latest ship MSC World Asia debuts in December 2026, she'll be home to a 3,200 square foot chocolate wonderland, created in partnership with the famous Italian chocolatier Venchi, whose history stretches all the way back to 1878.

Venchi first appeared aboard MSC Seaside in 2017, but this takes things to an entirely new level.
So, what can you expect?

* Live chocolate making demonstrations
* A hands on Chocolate Lab, where guests can make their own chocolates
* Crêpes, pastries and premium coffee
* Chocolate inspired cocktails once the sun goes down. Chocolate Margarita anyone? Chocolate on the Rocks? Chocolate Cosmopolitan?

You can also take on the role of chocolatier yourself and design your own bespoke creations in the “chocolate lab” with ingredients such as Piedmont hazelnuts and Venchi’s signature chocolate caviar ?!

Now, I know what some of you are thinking...
Three thousand two hundred square feet dedicated to chocolate?

That's almost enough to lose me for the afternoon!

Cruise ships are increasingly becoming destinations in their own right. It's no longer just about another café or another ice cream counter.

They're creating immersive experiences that give people another reason to explore the ship.

The only question is...
Would this be your first stop after boarding... or would you be showing remarkable self restraint? 🍫🚢

If you enjoy discovering the stories everyone else misses, FOLLOW us here, on Ritzy Travel Guide News. We bring you the fascinating, the unexpected... and everything in between.

Just announced : Big news for Cunard fans... Queen Victoria is getting a major makeover this autumn! The ship will head ...
20/07/2026

Just announced : Big news for Cunard fans... Queen Victoria is getting a major makeover this autumn!

The ship will head into dry dock in Rotterdam for a three week transformation, and some of the changes sound rather significant.

Among the highlights are:
✨ A completely refreshed Grand Lobby.
✨ The Queens Room will be, in Cunard's words "Re-imagined.' Does that put the fear of God in you? Or are you delighted? It's the heart of afternoon tea, ballroom dancing and gala evenings. ✨ Upgraded Princess and Queens Grill Suites.
✨ The addition of the Pavilion Wellness Café, which has proved popular on Queen Anne and Queen Elizabeth.
✨ Refreshed outdoor spaces
✨ Eight additional Britannia staterooms will also be introduced, including three from a new premium category, called Britannia Deluxe Oceanview. Featuring floor-to-ceiling windows for panoramic ocean views.

Victoria will enter dry dock in Rotterdam from 17 October to 5 November 2026.

Interestingly, we'll be sailing on Queen Victoria next month, just before she heads into dry dock. That means we'll have the opportunity to experience her exactly as she is now, before all these changes take place.

It also raises an interesting question:
Should Cunard preserve Queen Victoria exactly as she is, with her wonderfully traditional character?

Or is it right to keep modernising the fleet, provided they don't lose the elegance and atmosphere that make Cunard... well, Cunard?

I'm genuinely curious where you stand on this one. If you were in charge: what would you change... and just as importantly, what would you refuse to let Cunard touch?

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