Mike Pickup
As seen in:
HolidayMag,
Daily Mail,
The Telegraph,
ABC News,
The Sunday Post,
Great British LIFE,
East Anglian Daily Times,
NationalWorld,
France Today,
The Enquirer,
Silver Travel Advisor
and
Covers:
All travel destinations including ocean and river cruising
Doesn't Cover:
Extreme sports
Award-winning journalist and photographer writing for national newspapers and magazines covering worldwide destinations plus ocean & river cruising
Articles by Mike Pickup
Henry Moore at Kew Gardens Makes for a Remarkable Day Out in London
Travel journalism has taken me around the world, and not always in the most comfortable circumstances, so it was a pleasant surprise to be invited to the press preview of Henry Moore’s work at Kew Gardens, just a few stops away on London’s recently renamed Mildmay line. There is something particularly fitting about seeing Moore’s sculpture here. His work was deeply influenced by the natural world, and Kew Gardens provides an ideal setting in which to encounter it.
Open air theatres across the UK offer summer productions from London parks to coastal stages
Open air theatres UK, from London to the coast, combine outdoor fun with entertainment and culture, and most offer food and drink or the option to bring your own. From nights out to week-ends away, and with productions ranging from Shakespeare’s classics to modern plays, musicals and concerts, there’s something to suit every taste this summer.
Island Passage from Madeira to Cape Verde
Canaries and Cape Verde Cruise Famous for its cake, fortified wine, Cristiano Ronaldo and hazardous airport, the island of Madeira was where I was meeting my cruise ship. On the approach to Funchal airport we were flying so low between the mountains that we could see into people’s homes perched on the nearby hillsides. Later, I enjoyed the great views from ground level on my twenty-minute drive from the airport to the picturesque port where Spirit of Adventure was waiting.
Tying the Knot at Sea
Organising a wedding can be very stressful, so why not combine a hassle-free wedding and luxury honeymoon and get married on a cruise. Here’s all you need to know, says Mike Pickup. Getting married at sea is surprisingly popular, especially for ‘second time arounders’ and others wanting a small, intimate ceremony. One cruise line organises over one thousand weddings a year, and with staff both on shore and aboard the ship to oversee arrangements, all the details will be taken care of for you.
Europe without the fingerprints
europe without the fingerprints By Mike Pickup, Mike writes about travel for numerous newspapers and magazines, both consumer and trade, and is also the Editor of Holiday Magazine and a professionally trained photographer. For more information click here Just in time for the holiday season the new European regulations requiring all visitors from over 150 countries to register their facial scans and fingerprints will be fully operational.
Macao: where old Europe meets new China
Portuguese for four hundred years, the autonomous Chinese region of Macao is a heady mixture of old Europe and new China. The world’s longest sea bridge links Hong Kong to Macao. However, the six-lane, 36-mile highway, which spans the Pearl River delta, can be used by just a few permitted vehicles and is almost devoid of traffic. Like most people, I took the fast ferry.
Europe without fingerprints: why cruise passengers avoid new border checks
Europe without fingerprints becomes a real possibility next year. New European regulations requiring all visitors from over 150 countries to register their facial scans and fingerprints will be fully operational by the start of the holiday season in April 2026. Airport passenger congestion and delays seem likely on incoming flights with the knock-on effect of uncollected luggage being off-loaded from carousels in preparation for the next arrival. But there’s a get-out.
Learn a new skill on holiday with these unique trips
For some, a holiday is a chance to relax, put their feet up and unwind. For others it is an opportunity to learn a new skill while meeting like-minded people and exploring somewhere new. Here are some examples of what is on offer. With a maximum group size of fifteen, what better way to learn salsa than on a fifteen-night holiday in Santiago de Cuba, the home of Bacardi rum.
Royal Princess
Updated features in Royal Princess’ staterooms mean larger showers, hand held showerheads, mirrors with built-in vanity lighting, pillow top mattresses and bigger, wall mounted televisions. Decorative wall sconces provide enhanced lighting and contemporary finishes place the accent on soft, soothing colours and 80% of the ship’s outside cabins, have balconies.
EES & ETIAS
ETIAS The ETIAS system is, like the US ESTA, a visa waiver program. Currently scheduled to start in Q4 2026, applications will be made online and it is expected that most will be approved within minutes. The ETIAS will be valid for three years or until your passport expires. There is a fee of twenty euros per person for an ETIAS but those under 18 and over 70 will not pay the fee. There is no need to print out your approval as the system is totally electronic, but some will do so for peace of mind.
Kazakhstan Travel Surprises
Kazakhstan is nothing like the other ‘stans’. A modern country but unknown to most western tourists, first-time visitors are in for some great surprises. Kazakhstan is where apples, garlic and tulips come from, it boasts the world’s newest capital city and it’s the home of space travel. Its huge cosmodrome in Baikonur is where the first satellite, Sputnik, was launched and the first man in space, Yuri Gagarin, who orbited the earth in a two-hour flight almost sixty-five years ago.
Extreme Day Trips: One Day, One Passport, Endless Possibilities
Often a day out in a totally different environment feels like a much longer break, so welcome to Extreme Day Trips. The idea behind EDTs is to spend as much of the day as possible in a different country and still make it home in time for bed, so here are a few examples of what you can do. There’s loads to see and do in the twin cities of Buda and Pest. Hilly Buda and flat Pest are separated by the Danube and are linked by a number of bridges, the most famous being the Chain Bridge.
Warsaw
I enjoyed dinner at U Wieniawy, at the other end of the Royal Way from the hotel. The restaurant was inspired by General Wieniawa and the elegance and style of pre-war Warsaw. Guests are advised “In the event that a dispute-of-honour has occurred, the involved Gentlemen are requested to duel outside the premises.” The ambience was lovely and the food and service top class. On the subject of food, Poland’s national dish is Pierogi.
Borealis
The drive round the M25 towards Dover was easier than expected. I turned off the motorway at Folkestone where Holiday Extras had arranged parking for my cruise. The simplest of check-ins was followed by a ten-minute shuttle to Dover and saved the long queue for port-side parking. Fred Olsen’s Borealis is an attractive, friendly ship holding around 1400 guests and I quickly settled in to my balcony cabin.
Rhone cruise
One river I hadn't cruises on was the Rhone in southern France, so I was keen to give it a try. The ship After Holiday Extras’ usual efficient meet & greet parking at Heathrow I was soon on my afternoon flight to Marseilles and from there a coach transfer took me to Avignon where I boarded Riviera Travel’s MS William Shakespeare in time for dinner. My compact cabin was well equipped, with good wardrobe space and tea and coffee making facilities.
P&O Britannia
Last of the five is the inimitable Marco Pierre White, the youngest chef ever to receive three Michelin stars. Food is served in three main dining rooms, the Peninsular, Oriental and Meridian, plus the Horizon Buffet. This is sensibly arranged around a number of food stations rather than one long line of dishes that inevitable leads to queues at busy times.
Murrayshall & Scone Palace
Murrayshall And SCONE PALACE By Mike Pickup, Mike writes about travel for national newspapers and magazines, both consumer and trade. He is also the Editor of Holiday Magazine and a professionally trained photographer. For more information click here An invitation to spend a couple of nights at a hotel in Perth, Scotland, seemed like a long trek from London. However, Loganair’s two return flights a day between Dundee and Heathrow made light work of the journey.
Saga Spirit of Adventure
I quickly settled in to my cabin and was pleasantly surprised that I had been upgraded from a standard to a deluxe room. The greater width allowed for a tub in the bathroom and a walk-in wardrobe with more clothes hangers than I have ever seen! There was a tea and coffee making facility with fresh long-life milk in the fridge and bottles of water were topped up daily. A large comfortable bed and plenty of extra storage space made for an easy life and, of course, all cabins have balconies.
Rhone cruise
cruising the Rhone in France By Mike Pickup, Mike writes about travel for numerous newspapers and magazines, both consumer and trade, about all forms of travel, including ocean and river cruisinf. He is also the Editor of Holiday Magazine and a professionally trained photographer. For more information click here River cruising is an increasingly popular sector of the cruise market.
MSC Euribia review
During the voyage I had an opportunity to sit down with Antonio Paradiso, MSC Cruises UK & Ireland Managing Director. The son of British and Italian parents, he was aware how much we Brits liked a kettle in our hotel rooms and cabins and he was successful in campaigning for this. Naturally I asked him why there was no Yorkshire Tea in my cabin but he assured me that when Euribia came to Southampton In October all will be well.
MSC Euribia review
During the voyage I had an opportunity to sit down with Antonio Paradiso, MSC Cruises UK & Ireland Managing Director. The son of British and Italian parents, he was aware how much we Brits liked a kettle in our hotel rooms and cabins and he was successful in campaigning for this. Naturally I asked him why there was no Yorkshire Tea in my cabin but he assured me that when Euribia came to Southampton In October all will be well.
Stolen Time
Activities The hotel is one of the most relaxing and peaceful places I have stayed in, perhaps helped by the fact that there are no TVs in the bedrooms or public rooms. The only TV is in the gym. The staff also generate a relaxed but efficient atmosphere. They seem genuinely happy to be working there, an impression we were able to confirm when speaking to them. However, relaxed doesn’t mean bored.
CAMBRIDGE EXHIBITION OF ANCIENT KAZAKH GOLD
By Mike Pickup Kazakhstan, the world’s largest landlocked country, is little known in the UK, yet it’s where tulips, garlic and apples come from, and it’s an amazing mix of ancient and modern Nur Sultan, the world’s newest capital city, is full of stunning architecture, some designed by our own Norman Foster. Baikonur, the largest and busiest space launch platform, is where the first satellite, Sputnik, was launched, as well as the first man in space, Yuri Gagarin.
Weddings at sea
Not all cruise lines offer legally recognised weddings and to do so the cruise line must want to to it and the ship must be registered in a country that recognises onboard weddings, including single sex weddings where required. Cruise lines that offer legal weddings include Princess, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Norwegian, Cunard and P&O Cruises. Other cruise lines offer renewals of vows and wedding-style events, but they have no legal or religious significance.
Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady
As for entertainment, Scarlet Lady bucks the trend for full-scale Broadway productions of well-loved shows and instead provides a number of specially-made productions. Drag items are also a feature. After-hours activities focus on The Manor, a two-tiered nightclub with DJs pumping up the volume until the early hours. Those booking ‘Rock Star’ suites can enjoy Richard’s Rooftop, a lounge and bar area with eye-catching furnishings. Prices include gratuities, soft drinks and internet access.
Windjammer Landing, St Lucia
Windjammer Landing - St Lucia By Mike Pickup, Mike writes about travel for numerous newspapers and magazines, both consumer and trade, and has over a hundred features published each year. He is also the Editor of Holiday Magazine and a professionally trained photographer. For more information click here Windjammer Landing is a lovely mix of hotel rooms plus villas built up a steep hill that leads down to a sheltered sandy beach.
Anthem of the Seas
Of course, with all this going on you may forget you are on a cruise, but you are, so on top of all this the ship will be in a different port on many days, offering lots of fascinating places to explore. Fitting in shore excursions with the things you want to do on board may take some planning. Anthem of the Seas really is like no other cruise ship.
TrossachsTour
The wheel is part of a regeneration area known as the Helix. Another spectacular construction here is The Kelpies. The sculpture is of two horses heads, some 30m high. They are based on the heads of two working Clydesdale horses, Duke and Baron, who attended the opening ceremony in April 2014. Of course, whisky always features in tours of Scotland and we were not disappointed in our visit to Deanston Distillery. In part this is a tribute to social re-engineering.
LAKE CONSTANCE, ONE LAKE – FOUR COUNTRIES -
By Mike Pickup I wonder if Lake Constance suffers from an identity crisis? Ask where it is and the answer is Germany, Austria, Switzerland and, at a stretch, Liechtenstein. It’s a fascinating scenario and I was keen to explore this area known as Bodensee. Efficient Meet & Greet parking at Heathrow meant that I was soon on my flight to Zurich from where a short train ride took me to the city of Konstanz in Germany.
ATOL & Refund Credit Notes
Date published: 23 Jul 20 3 people found this feature helpful The Civil Aviation Authority has announced that it is extending ATOL cover to Refund Credit Notes, offered by Tour Operators in response to holidays cancelled because of covid-19. So what does this mean? The Scheme Whenever you book a holiday that is ATOL protected, you receive an ATOL certificate with a unique reference number.
Cape Verde
Date published: 06 Jul 20 1 person found this feature helpful Robinson Club Cabo Verde I had earlier visited Cape Verde when, in 2007, TUI (then Thomson) commenced the first direct flights from the UK to the under-developed island of Sal. The destination was something of a well-kept secret at that time. Today they have two flights a week from Gatwick and Manchester and have added the island of Boa Vista to the destination, so perhaps the secret is getting out.
Travel the World on lockdown
Date published: 02 Apr 20 1 person found this feature helpful Virtual visits from around the world The current health situation has put a stop to all leisure travel and the industry will take some time to recover. In the meantime, destinations and attractions around the world are offering those confined to their homes an opportunity to pay them a visit without leaving the comfort of their armchair. So settle down and explore some of the amazing places the world has to offer.
Scarlet Lady
Date published: 12 Mar 20 Hello Sailor! Kenneth Williams’ well-known phrase was frequently used by the crew on board Virgin Voyages’ first cruise ship Scarlet Lady. I suppose you have to expect that a ship claiming the only tattoo parlour at sea is going to be different, and Scarlet Lady doesn’t disappoint. Apparently, none of the ten-person design team had ever worked on a cruise ship before, so things just feel different from the start. Nowhere is this more evident than in the cabins.
Golf in Kazakhstan
There's an art gallery shaped like a doggy bowl, the pyramid Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, also a Norman Foster design, and the national museum. The best bit of the museum is the gold room containing thousands of gold items and a suit of armour dating back around six thousand years, and they are all in perfect condition.
Sal, Cape Verde
The main activities for visitors to the island are based upon what their hotel has to offer, although a trip to the salt pans is of interest and there are a number of fascinating birds including the black winged Stilt with its long red legs that trail behind it as it flies. The island also has a breeding ground for turtles. My destination was the newly-opened Robinson Club hotel, the latest in a chain of twenty-five hotels from the successful German holiday company.
Saga Sapphire
BING BONG! The sound of the captain’s voice woke us from our slumber. We'd had a late night and it was nine in the morning. Both restaurants stopped serving breakfast at nine-thirty prompt and did not re-open until mid-day. Must remember to set the alarm in future! Our trip had started out with Saga’s customary door-to-door service. The average age of passengers on our cruise was 77 so this is a great boon to those who can’t or don’t want to drive to and from Dover.
Casa de Campo
“In fourteen hundred and ninety two Columbus sailed the ocean blue”, so says the traditional rhyme. It was in December of that year that Christopher Columbus landed on a Caribbean island subsequently named Hispaniola, an island now shared by two nations – Haiti and the Dominican Republic. It was Christopher's son Bartholomew who, six years later, founded Santo Domingo, the first city in the Americas and the capital of the Dominican Republic.
Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic
Date published: 23 Dec 19 1 person found this feature helpful Perhaps one of the most recognisable ‘Silver Travellers’ is former US President Bill Clinton who left Casa de Campo just before we arrived. I’m sure that was merely coincidental! We were fascinated to see what attracted the rich and famous. The Dominican Republic occupies just over half of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola which it shares with Haiti.
St Lucia
st lucia The only country named after a woman By Mike Pickup, Mike writes about travel for numerous newspapers and magazines, both consumer and trade, and has over a hundred features published each year. He is also the Editor of Holiday Magazine and a professionally trained photographer. For more information click here Click on any image to enlarge “Glass of Champagne?” asked the British Airways cabin crew as I settled into my seat in World Traveller Plus.
Iceland with Saga - a hot destination
Date published: 10 Sep 19 3 people found this feature helpful “Hello, squawk, hello” The unmistakable voice of Perla the parrot came over the ship’s loudspeakers. Perla’s owner, Captain Kim Tanner, is Master of the cruise ship Saga Sapphire. When not standing on his shoulder greeting passengers, Perla’s home is the bridge. Popular with both guests and crew, she loves being the centre of attention. My destination on Saga Sapphire was Iceland.
Hebridean Princess
Date published: 29 May 19 24 people found this feature helpful A cruise ship fit for a Queen When thinking about what a luxury cruise ship looks like, perhaps the image of a converted Cal Mac car ferry is not what springs to mind. But looks deceive, and I’m reminded of the old adage “Don’t judge a book by its cover”.
Iceland
Iceland A Hot Destination By Mike Pickup, Mike writes about travel for numerous newspapers and magazines, both consumer and trade, and has over a hundred features published each year. He is also the Editor of Holiday Magazine and a professionally trained photographer.
Danube river cruise
The following day we were moored in sleepy Krems in the Wachau valley which, during the 12th Century, was an important centre for iron, grain salt and wine. Today its vines produce grapes for some of the best Riesling wines. Our morning was spent visiting a nearby hilltop Benedictine monastery. After lunch back on board Freya, we hopped off and wandering round the small peaceful town just a minute’s walk away.
Weddings at Sea by Mike Pickup
FED up with the hassle and expense of organising a traditional wedding? Then why not combine a stress-free, affordable wedding and luxury honeymoon and get married at sea. It’s getting more and more popular.
Overwhelming Hospitality in Tbilisi Georgia
Mike Pickup travels to Tbilisi Georgia to discover a place rich in history with the world’s oldest viniculture and a ridiculous amount of food. “I’m off to Georgia” I told the neighbours, before explaining I meant the country, not the American state of the same name. My destination was the capital, Tbilisi. Whilst there are direct flights from the UK I went via Astana, capital of Kazakhstan.
Macao review
Originally leased by Portugal from China in 1557, Macao was handed back in 1999 and is now a Special Administrative Region, able to determine many of its own affairs. The major industries are gambling and tourism and it’s often referred to as the Las Vegas of the East. Indeed, its gambling revenues are higher than Las Vegas. However, much of its Portuguese heritage remains, in architecture, culture and cuisine.
A journey of discovery with AmaWaterways
Date published: 24 May 17 The lower Danube After the usual efficient parking service from ‘I Love Meet & Greet’ at Heathrow’s terminal three, I was soon on my way to Budapest, the Siamese-twin capital city of Hungary, to board AmaSerena, my home for the following week. This was my third visit to Budapest but it never fails to impress. AmaSerena treated its guests to a river tour of the city to admire the beautifully lit buildings before returning to base to pick up the last of our passengers.
Bodensee review
Next morning, after breakfast on the terrace overlooking the lake, I headed out by road and ferry to Tettnang. On the way I went past the small airport at Friedrichshafen, now best known as the home of the current Zeppelins. A mere quarter of the length of the pre-war models, the current airships are 75m long and are powered by electric motors. There’s room for twelve passengers and two pilots and flights range from thirty minutes to two hours, the longest flight circumnavigating the lake.
Macao
Date published: 08 Jan 19 Where China collides with Portugal Macao, a close neighbour of Hong Kong in more ways than one, is a mesmerising mix of old Portugal and new China; even the signs are in two and sometimes three languages. It was a busy international trading port and Portuguese territory from 1557 to 1999 and is now a Special Administrative Region of China, able to determine many of its own affairs.
Luxembourg, a country in miniature
Another building worth seeing is the Grand Ducal Palace, a modest chateau and official residence of Grand Duke Henri, the reigning monarch. It is guarded by a single soldier, a reflection perhaps that this city is renowned for its safety. It is also a great place for some retail therapy but ladies would do well to forget the heels and wear flat shoes, the cobblestones can be hard to negotiate otherwise. Luxembourg is well known as a world banking centre and home to the European Court of Justice.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Mike
Contact Mike, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack