Kelly Ranson

Q&A: Expedition guide in the Antarctic

From submarine dives to meeting penguins, director of expeditions Jason Flesher leads Scenic Eclipse passengers on once-in-a-lifetime excursions. Kelly Ranson reports...

Live From Ambience in the Norwegian Fjords

The first sailing on Ambience cruise ship was a maiden voyage to Hamburg, followed by a seven-night "Springtime Fjordland" sailing -- which we joined.

How to sell no-fly cruises

Cruises that don’t require a flight are growing in popularity. Here’s how to make the most of this growing trend...

5 of the best ports in the British Isles

Kelly Ranson rounds up the most popular ports of call for cruise ships docking around the UK...

All of the Incredible New Cruise Ships for 2022

From the world's largest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas, to MSC Cruises' trailblazing MSC World Europa, this is what you can expect from some of the best new cruise ships that will set sail in 2022.

How cruise ships are helping to build the Saudi tourism industry

As it opens up to international travellers, Kelly Ranson is among the first tourists to sail to Saudi on superyacht Scenic Eclipse...

5 things you need for a stress-free holiday

Are you dreaming of taking a holiday abroad but worried about the hassle? After a summer of traffic-light systems, cancelled vacations and last-minute staycations, feeling apprehensive is to be expected. But as we head into 2022, why not make the dream a reality and finally book that overseas trip?

How to Sell... Repositioning Cruises

Transatlantic & repositioning cruises offer great value, unusual itineraries and lots of lazy days at sea

6 unique experiences you must try in Canada

With the Canadian borders now open to UK visitors, it's time to start planning a trip to a country made for exploring. From its unparalleled landscapes and a rich cultural history, to majestic wildlife viewings and cosmopolitan cities packing a punch when it comes to food and hospitality, Canada really does have something for all.

Exploring Florida's quieter side in New Smyrna Beach

It's 6am (a perk of jetlag), the air is warm, the sun is slowly rising through varying hues of orangey-pink skies, and the only sound I can hear is the water lapping against the wooden jetty on the banks of the Indian River...

Sailing the Rhine on a Tui River Cruise

Once passengers try it, they will love it." Those were the confident words of Tui Cruises UK managing director Chris Hackney at the launch of the company's brand-new river cruise fleet...

Ancient ruins & unspoilt jungle in Belize & Guatemala

Pair Belize and Guatemala to get the very best of Central America...

How to Sell... the Ganges

India's most iconic river lures visitors wanting to see this frenetic country at a slower pace

Q&A with Tiago Monteiro

Kelly Ranson speaks to Tiago Monteiro, wellness host on board AmaWaterways’ AmaMagna...

Discovering the Danube on an AmaWaterways river cruise

Delve into the treasures of one of Europe’s finest rivers on new AmaWaterways ship AmaMagna...

Ship Review: AmaWaterways' AmaMagna

AmaWaterways launched its largest and most innovative river ship in May this year...

Finnish Lapland for Adults

Forget Father Christmas – Finnish Lapland isn’t just for families...

What not to miss in Stockholm, Sweden

Kelly Ranson gets the measure of one of Scandinavia’s most sophisticated cities...

Culture in Kotor

From old-town charm to new high-end hotels, Kotor is coming up in the world...

Behind the scenes with Cirque du Soleil

Arriving at Cirque du Soleil’s headquarters in Montreal, you know you’re in for something special.There’s a giant shoe sculpture outside, a cinema-style popcorn vendor serving staff snacks, and a conference room with floor-to-ceiling glass windows looking onto a practice area full of acrobats...

Leading Lights

Tick off five countries in the heart of eastern Europe on a Danube River cruise...

Cape Town: Captivating and cosmopolitan

Cape Town takes the crown as South Africa’s most alluring city. Not only is it perfectly placed – on South Africa’s Atlantic coastline, dotted with rugged headlands and long stretches of beaches, all sitting in the shadow of the majestic Table Mountain – but it’s also cosmopolitan, crammed with culture, and the ideal gateway to the rest of the country. No wonder it’s a must for first-timers.

Tried & Tested: Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya, Mexico

Staying at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya, it’s a given to live like a rock star, but now guests can amplify their skills and add ‘skateboard legend’ or ‘BMX prodigy’ to the holiday mix. The 1,264-room music memorabilia hotel is renowned for offering the ultimate in all-inclusive holidays, so it seems the perfect fit to open an activity-laden sports centre at the resort.

Booming Baku

The capital of Azerbaijan blends bling with its rich history...

Finnish Flavour

From head-banging to high design, Kelly Ranson explores multi-faceted Finland...

My First Cruise to the Norwegian Fjords

Norway, so far north that I always imagined the landscape to be dominated by ice, fjords and glaciers, has always seemed like a mystical place to me...

Hurricane Season Cruising

Is it worth the risk to plan a cruise to the Caribbean, Bahamas, Bermuda, Mexican Riviera or even Canada/New England during hurricane season?

Hurtigruten Norway aims to have Emission Free Ship by 2030

Hurtigruten Norway has partnered with SINTEF, a leading research organisation to create zero-emission ships to sail the Norwegian coast by 2030...

Cruise Baltic network commits to further sustainability initiatives

Cruise Baltic, a B2B network of 32 ports and destinations in the Baltic Sea Region, has produced its Sustainability Report 2021 and is continuing to commit to greener cruising...

Scaling up Sustainable Practices: Sustainability in the Cruise Industry

As cruise ships return to the seas after a long hiatus, cruise lines must continue to prioritise sustainability and the impact that cruise travel has on the world's oceans. The good news is that with technological advances both on and off the ship, cruise lines are addressing environmental concerns.

Five of the Craziest Cruise Ship Conversions

The cruise industry is great at innovating and bringing 'firsts' to sea. Many newbuild cruise ships are designed to inspire the wow factor. However, refurbished ships and cruise ship conversions are not to be overlooked.

4 Modern Cruise Ships with Sails

The sail away on a cruise is always a special moment. But, setting off on a voyage on a tall cruise ship with the sails rippling in the warm breeze against a backdrop of blue skies and crystal waters evokes a sense of romance and adventure at sea.

How to find your zen in the Caribbean

Perfecting your plank and push-ups on the water and sketching a beach scene aren't the usual activities which spring to mind when you think of a holiday to the Caribbean. Most of us use our holidays to escape the rat race and take some time out.

Five reasons why I love British Columbia

A visit to British Columbia has been on my wish-list for years. I adore the great outdoors and the appeal of the wilderness, amazing wildlife and city-living of the BC region ticks every box...

Things to do in the water in Bermuda

Dotted pretty much in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, Bermuda is home to many things; beautiful pink-tinged beaches, immaculate golf resorts and a wonderfully British charm from years gone by.

Three Vietnamese recipes you have to try

Vietnam is a country that begs to be explored. The stunning scenery is captivating; from lush mountains and peaceful waterways, to charming ancient towns where lanterns adorn every shop and café, and right through to the high-paced, buzzing city life of Ho Chi Minh City.

Beyond the Beaches

"We like to eat with our hands, so give it a go if you can." These were the words of my new friend Vish, the bar manager at the new Zilwa Attitude in Mauritius, who had welcomed myself and three others into his home to enjoy his mother's homemade fish curry, pumpkin salad and chilli cakes...

LMS - What You Need to Know Before Investing

If you’re thinking of taking the plunge to use a Learning Management System (LMS), there are some key factors you should think about as a business before making that initial investment...

Tips to Being a Sustainable Landlord

While in your own home you may take efforts to being more eco-conscious and sustainable, but is this something you consider as a landlord?

What are the Benefits of Using a Learning Management System?

As a business, it’s quite likely that over the past year you have had to move more of your communications online – be that meetings, interviews or general updates for staff...

Tips for Creating Engaging Learning Content

Learning Management Systems (LMS) have evolved since their inception in the 90s...

Tips for Selling or Letting Your Home in Winter

As the clocks go back, the darker nights are drawing in and Christmas treats are filling the supermarket shelves. But alongside the gingerbread lattes and cosy evenings in, comes the shorter, colder, wetter days...

Develop Technical Skills

In the third in our series of blog posts, we are exploring the work we do at the School of Automation (SOA) to achieve the four key pillars set out in our vision statement..

School of Automation: One Year On...

Starting up a business in the middle of a global pandemic is a challenge in itself, but that's exactly what the team at School of Automation (SOA) did in 2020. One year on, SOA has gone from strength to strength; not only building the business up and expanding but ensuring young apprentices are successfully starting their careers in the ever-growing and exciting world of process automation.

In Conversation with a SOA Apprentice

It's always great to hear how our apprentices are getting along, and this week we sat down with Fraser, 17, from Glasgow, who started his 18-month apprenticeship with School of Automation (SOA) in August 2020, to chat about all things robotic and why he chose to embark on this path...

Cloud-based Account Payable Systems Deliver Results

Accounts payable (AP) processes includes receiving, processing, and the paying of invoices. The finance team behind these actions spend a large amount of time ensuring that payments are made - largely through manual, labour-heavy processes from beginning to end. But are things changing?

A Business Case for Hybrid Events

An event professionals guide to promoting digital / hybrid events to the senior leadership team

Suppliers - Are you Committed to Sustainability? - 52eight3.

This year the inaugural Sustainable Event Awards are taking place to celebrate the events, venues and suppliers who are putting sustainability front and centre.

Working your way through COVID-19 in the events industry - 52eight3.

It's not often the events industry isn't running 100 miles an hour, working 14 hour plus days and making sure the next event goes off without a hitch. But it's where we are right now, and here's a starter-for-ten from the 52eight3 team on how to make use of this slightly quieter time.

Why use a PR company - 52eight3.

"PR worked in two ways. It worked in terms of traffic and sales. Also worked in terms of creditability." Julian Hearn, Founder and CMO, Huel If you think hiring a PR company is just a case of writing a few press releases think again.

How to maximise your downtime

Summer is here! Clients are off on their holidays and the events season is taking a (slight) break. If you have a little more breathing space day-to-day, then it's the perfect time to really use it to your benefit and give both yourself and your business a boost.

Why You Should Speak at Event Tech Live 2019

Is speaking at an event on your to-do-list? Have you tasked yourself with a new challenge this year (yes, we know it's July, but there's still six months to play with)?

How can I support Women in Event Tech?

It's all about Girl Power (sorry we are still on a bit of a Spice Girls hype!). Yes, there are plenty of women working in the event industry in many roles from organisers through to managing directors and we salute them! However...

52eight3's Top Tips for Entering Awards

Have you been tasked with entering your company into awards this year? Haven't a clue where to start and worry it's too much of an effort? This year's Event Technology Awards opened this week and here at 52eight3 we thought it would be the ideal time to share some top tips on awards submissions.

Expert Views: Where will the industry be in five years?

What will have the biggest impact on the event tech industry in the next five years? We asked some of industry friends (and also chimed in ourselves) to take out their crystal ball and tell us what changes or challenges the event world will face.

International Confex - 52eight3's Top Seven Takeaways

With the sun shining and temperatures rising, it was a great week to get out of the office! We headed to a balmy Olympia for this year's instalment of International Confex.

Doing the basics better

Can you believe it's February already! For those event marketers with events in the Autumn, you're probably in the midst of setting your 2019 visitor acquisition strategy. If your event is imminent, you're probably looking at a to-do list longer than a Fyre Festival's Logistics Manager.

The Brexit Effect: Is it Good or Bad for Business?

So, just what is happening with Brexit and how will it affect our industry? It's the question that we cannot escape - and probably won't for the foreseeable future - so we might as well face it head on. There is an element of uncertainty in the industry right now, that's something we do know.

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