TikToker who lives on cruise ship debunks common myths about life at sea
She describes the experience as a 'constant vacation' and debunks common myths, asserting that cruising is safe, and the water is drinkable.
Kesteloo's main complaint is passengers not washing their hands before using the buffet after the gym.
Perks of her lifestyle include visiting 109 countries and not having to pay for essentials like food or laundry.
Due to her husband's position, she is not permitted to gamble in the ship's casino and prioritizes guests' comfort, such as giving up her seat by the pool.
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The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Kids' ‘dream holidays' revealed from zoos with every animal in the world to slides from their room into the pool
KIDS have revealed what they'd really expect on a 'dream' holiday – including zoos that have every animal in the world and slides from their room straight to the pool. A poll of 600 6–12-year-olds and their parents revealed what youngsters are really dreaming of doing when they go travelling, with having ice cream for every meal also high on the list. 1 Others long for magic-themed theme parks, beaches home to every type of fish and sea creature, and visits to a museum – dedicated to their favourite fictional characters. The study also found 98 per cent of parents let their little ones have at least some input in their holiday planning. And 82 per cent claimed this makes their trips more fun. The research was commissioned by Crayola, which partnered with Jet2holidays to launch a competition asking kids to draw what their dream holiday looks like. A spokesperson said: 'We can finally see how fun it could be if you let the kids plan the whole holiday and unleash the full scope of their imaginations. 'It's also really lovely to know how much parents appreciate their little one's ideas when it comes to choosing where to go and what to do. 'If only all the magical and wonderful things kids can imagine could come true and make their trips even more unforgettable.' The study also revealed kids' imaginations in this department definitely can't be limited to the realistic – with 51 per cent wishing for a unicorn or a dragon (45 per cent) as their mode of transport on holiday. While others said a trip to meet dinosaurs (42 per cent) or knights (35 per cent) also wouldn't go amiss. But with 81 per cent wishing the world was a more magical place in general, 67 per cent claimed that going on holidays does make them feel this way, even if temporarily. It also emerged 86 per cent of children want a real say in where they go, while 88 per cent would like input into what they do on their holidays. Although 68 per cent of parents insist their child does get a say in the activities (68 per cent), excursions (48 per cent), and destination (29 per cent) when planning a trip. With 69 per cent prioritising what their children want to do on holiday more than themselves – 48 per cent of the average trip specifically catered to the whims of little ones. The research, carried out via also found six in 10 in parents said their children's creativity inspires them to be more creative themselves, and 51 percent saying the same about their imagination. While 59 percent believe everyone could benefit from seeing the world through a child's eyes. The winner of the competition will get to see their drawing come to life and £1,000 worth of vouchers towards a holiday with the UK's largest tour operator. Crayola's spokesperson added: 'We want to harness the imagination in every child and celebrate their creativity to inspire them to dream big. 'So, we encourage anyone interested to sign up to our competition and make your dream holiday ideas come to life. 'And when you pick up one of our products to help unleash your creativity, you can also get money off towards a holiday so you can continue exploring the world.'
Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Telegraph
Thousands of passengers are abandoning British Airways. These are the best alternative carriers
A few weeks ago Telegraph Travel asked readers for their verdict on changes to the British Airways loyalty programme, the BA Club, which make it harder and more expensive to earn coveted silver and gold status. Many of you said you felt that the near £7,500 spend required to earn silver status or the near £20,000 spend to make gold was so far out of reach that you would no longer prioritise BA when booking flights. Michael Crooks, 60, a translator from Oxford, told us: 'Travelling with BA used to be a 'must' to earn status but now, like many, I'll be on Skyscanner to do a general search for all airlines.' Mr Crooks certainly isn't alone. Thousands of previously loyal customers will be turning their backs on BA. So how should these refuseniks use their new-found freedom? Which carriers should they choose, for which routes? I've flown on almost all of the airlines that operate to and from the UK over the past 20 years and here are my recommendations. Short-haul to Europe and North Africa Air France and KLM will suit those who will in future choose Virgin Atlantic for long-haul routes, since those three carriers are members of the Skyteam airline alliance. You earn Virgin Atlantic Flying Club air miles and tier points when you fly Air France or KLM. Sir Richard Branson's airline is tempting disgruntled BA Club members to shift to its Flying Club by offering to match their BA status, giving them the chance to advance up the membership tiers more swiftly than at BA, and making more reward seats available on all flights at lower redemption rates. Air France has the advantage that it flies from Terminal Four at Heathrow which is the smallest and easiest terminal to use. Air France also flies from Manchester, Edinburgh, Birmingham and Newcastle. To that list, KLM adds London City, Inverness, Belfast, Teesside, Humberside, Leeds, Norwich, Bristol, Exeter, Southampton, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Cardiff. But be aware that flying Air France and KLM to destinations outside France and the Netherlands means changing planes in Paris Charles de Gaulle or Amsterdam Schiphol. If you want to fly direct and/or don't care about earning loyalty points in an airline alliance, it's best to choose whatever airline offers you the best fare on a non-stop service from an airport near you. For those living in London or the south-east, this may well be easyJet at Gatwick. It offers 419 flights a day to and from the Sussex airport during summer to 113 destinations. Pay to choose a premium seat and for speedy boarding, and the service is on par with British Airways' Euro Traveller economy class. I've found Jet2's service from all major airports across the country to be consistently solid and reliable. Cabin bags are included and families are almost always seated together, without having to pay for seat selection. Long haul to the Americas and the Caribbean When it comes to ditching BA on long-haul flights heading west, there is a clear winner: Virgin Atlantic. If you are on a budget but can't face cattle class, it has created up to 14 rows of Economy Delight at the front of the economy cabin on its new jets. The 28 seats on its A330s have a 34-inch pitch, the most generous legroom of any carrier in economy. All are window and aisle pairs, which makes them great for couples. There are 45 Economy Delight seats on Virgin's Airbus A350s, arranged in sets of three across the cabin. I always choose the window seat in the second row of Economy Delight in the rear cabin because it has no seat in front of it. By contrast, BA just has a single bog standard economy seat on all its long-haul jets with meagre legroom of just 31 inches. Virgin Atlantic Premium (premium economy) is broadly on par with BA's World Traveller Plus. But I find Upper Class (Virgin's business class) better than BA's Club World because Virgin's Clubhouses are more exclusive and luxurious than BA's lounges and have better food and service and the suite and service on board are superior – even without the trademark bar which Virgin announced earlier this month is being phased out. Virgin's code share alliance with America's leading carrier, Delta, ensures easy onward connections to destinations across North America. I should note, however, that BA does offer more direct flights from the UK to US destinations – 25 – and BA is the only carrier to offer first class across the Atlantic. Upper Class is half way between business and first class. American Airlines, which codeshares with BA on US routes, has improved some of its services but, overall, is outgunned by the Virgin/Delta combo. United is upgrading its cabins but does not codeshare with a UK airline which makes it unattractive. If you are on a budget, Norse from Gatwick to New York, Orlando, Los Angeles, and Miami has rock-bottom fares, especially in premium economy. When flying to Latin America, I often find the best route networks and timings are with Iberia, via Madrid. Long-haul to Asia, Australia and Africa Flying long-haul east or south, I recommend Emirates and Qatar in economy class, largely because there are a lot of extra legroom seats on their A380s which you can snag / pay extra for. Qatar also has a small – 48-seat – economy-class section on the upper deck of the A380 with two bathrooms. I've flown it on day flights to and from Doha and it is more akin to a premium economy experience than economy. (Perhaps one reason why Qatar Airways does not offer premium economy). Emirates and Cathay Pacific lead by miles in premium economy largely because the seats are so comfortable and on Cathay the headrests guarantee a little more privacy than rivals. Emirates' food and wine is best in class. If you are going to Australia, Qantas is worth considering since it flies nonstop from London to Perth and has a well-designed premium economy cabin. I've done the 17 hours in premium economy and, with the aid of melatonin (and red wine), I managed to get some good kip. Qatar Airways is the clear winner in business class with its vast Q Suite, which is better than first class on some carriers. Cathay, Singapore, and Emirates also offer excellent suites, lounges and service. I flew Cathay Pacific's new Aria business-class suite to Hong Kong last month and it is way ahead of BA's Club Suite both in terms of the suite and the service and lounges. (Side note for BA refuseniks: my tier point reward for my flight from Heathrow to Hong Kong was only one third of what it was under BA's old rules). Iberia via Madrid or Turkish Airlines via Istanbul are also worth a look, especially for cheap business-class fares. Those who fancy a bit of old-school nostalgia should choose Lufthansa and transfer on to an iconic Boeing 747 at its Frankfurt hub. The German flag carrier still operates 27 jumbo jets, many of which fly to Asia. The Abu Dhabi-based Etihad should be your first choice if you only make one trip a year east or south in any class. Its combination of new aircraft, new airport – Abu Dhabi Zayed International is the best-designed, most hi-tech and comfortable hub in the world – plus free hotel during layover so you can visit the Louvre, is unbeatable.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
World's most powerful passport revealed - as UK drops even further down the rankings
The world's most powerful passport has been revealed and the UK's has plummeted down in rankings. The travel document that gives passengers the most hassle-free international trip according to Henley Passport Index is Singapore 's passport. With visa-free access to a whopping 193 countries across the world, the little red identity document placed at the top. The Henley Passport Index analyses data from the International Air Transport Authority (IATA) and looks at 199 different passports and 227 destinations. Japan and South Korea followed closely in second place, with the travel documents offering easy access to 190 different places. While Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy and Spain placed joint third. All of the seven countries' passports allow travellers to visit 189 destinations. Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and Sweden came fourth, jointly, with access to 188 different places. In fifth, Greece, New Zealand and Switzerland passports all offer access to 187 destinations. However, the United Kingdom's blue travel document placed sixth, with easy visiting rights to 186 countries. Though it may seem high, the passport ranked as the most powerful between 2013 to 2015. But since Brexit, the UK's document has continued to fall down the list. Following the UK, Australia, Czechia, Hungary, Malta and Poland all place seventh, with visa-free access to 185 countries. Canada, Estonia and United Arab Emirates ranked eighth, giving easy visits to 184 destinations. While Croatia, Latvia, Slovakia and Slovenia all placed ninth. Passports from those countries have access to 183 places. In tenth place, Iceland, Lithuania and the United States drew with 182 countries. Out of the 199 passports analysed, Afghanistan placed last, with the passport offering visa-free access to just 25 countries. Visa-free travel passport rankings Singapore, 193 destinations Japan and South Korea, 190 destinations Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy and Spain, 189 destinations Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and Sweden, 188 destinations Greece, New Zealand and Switzerland, 187 destinations United Kingdom, 186 destinations Australia, Czechia, Hungary, Malta and Poland, 185 destinations Canada, Estonia, United Arab Emirates, 184 destinations Croatia, Latvia, Slovakia and Slovenia, 183 destinations Iceland, Lithuania and United States, 182 destinations It comes as Chris Harrington, managing director at transfer company Hoppa, warned those going away this summer to check their passports. The travel expert emphasised the importance of making sure your passport isn't too damaged. He explained: 'If your passport is damaged to the extent that it impacts its ability to function or verify who you are, this can lead to it being declared invalid.' Chris advises checking the condition of your passport after booking a trip to avoid problems.
