Matthew Lonsdale

The Romans said “Carpe Diem”; the Ramones sang “Hey, ho, let’s go”. Irrespective of the source, it’s the same great advice.

My favourite destination

Because Venice is so often the beginning or the end of a cruise voyage, it has become perhaps the Clapham Junction of the maritime world; all about interchange and travel logistics (as well as ludicrously over-priced coffee).

And yet, only a few minutes' walk away from the carnival hurly-burly of St Mark's, there is a fantastic world of possibility and wonder that never fails to delight. (Not to mention some of the best art in the Western world only a short train ride away).

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My top cruising tip

It is a truth universally acknowledged that few things are grimmer than disembarkation.

Trudging off a ship in the early hours you may feel you're being expelled from Eden, especially if your next stop is the hell of an international airport. My tip is to add a day to your holiday and go straight to the luxury hotel that Mundy wisely booked for you (you did speak to us about booking a day/overnight room, now didn't you?), and then, with your suitcases safely stowed and forgotten about, you can forget that you have come off a ship and straightaway start behaving like a luxury cruiser again.

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