Chris Stead

Sydney

Freelance Journalist, Editor and Publisher at Freelance

Entertainment, Technology and Travel Editor at Finder

Founder of Old Mate Media - Please follow @grabitmagazine & @oldmatemedia for my latest tweets and activity.

Featured in: Favicon

finder.com.au Favicon

krash.com.au Favicon

fandom.com Favicon

ign.com

finder.com Favicon

nzherald.co.nz Favicon

mja.com.au Favicon

outandaboutwithkids.com.au Favicon

msn.com

theaureview.com

Articles

Cruise Review: Is Disney Wonder “the happiest place on Earth”?

1 week ago | theaureview.com | Chris Stead

The Disney Wonder cruise ship experience may be designed with kids in mind, but it delivers for all ages. Admit it, you want to go to Disneyland! We all do. No matter how old you get, there’s a place inside all of us where some Disney story, or character, or song, has burrowed into our hearts and refuses to let go. As such, the thought of a Disneyland at sea can even get the most cynical excited.
What’s in store for cruise ships? Experts reveal what the future looks like

1 month ago | nzherald.co.nz | Chris Stead

The cruise industry is growing fast, with a future focused on bigger ships, small-ship luxury and more sustainable travel. Photo / Royal CaribbeanWhat does the future of the cruise industry look like? Chris Stead asked some of the world’s biggest cruise lines to give us a peek into their crystal ballIt’s hard to believe that only a few years ago, nobody was cruising. But a forced absence has made the hearts of cruisers grow fonder. The industry is booming, experiencing growth of 6.7% year on year.
Does everyone get a holiday on a Disney Wonder cruise, or is it just for kids?

2 months ago | nzherald.co.nz | Chris Stead

Chris and Donald. Photo / Chris SteadWhen Chris Stead took his family on a Disney cruise, he knew the kids would have a good time; but what about the parents? It’ll come as no surprise that there’s plenty for kids to do on Disney Wonder, the Mouse House vessel Captain Minnie sails to New Zealand shores each summer. For the best part of 100 years, the company has been the soundtrack to every child’s life, after all.
A guide to eating street food without risk in Southeast Asia

2 months ago | nzherald.co.nz | Chris Stead

Here's how to not have a tummy ache while eating in Southeast Asia. Photo / Chris SteadOne of the highlight experiences of any trip into the bustling streets and humid jungles of Southeast Asia is food and, as Chris Stead discovered, you can eat with confidence. A sea of scents swirls across the crowd like a taste tornado, causing many a lip to be licked in anticipation.
Why Tasmania's Saffire Freycinet is one of the best places I’ve ever stayed

Jan 6, 2025 | theaureview.com | Chris Stead

Barefoot luxury meets active adventure and education in a resort experience that almost eclipses the incredible landscape on Tasmania’s east coast. I’m sitting on a comfortable couch, the heat from a distant fire running its warm fingers down my neck. In front of me is a large glass wall: floor to ultra-high ceiling and curving for the best part of 60-metres to the left and right. It perfectly frames the stunning view beyond, down over the frigid water of Coles Bay towards Freycinet National Park.
All-Inclusive Maldives luxury at Club Med Kani is

Dec 19, 2024 | theaureview.com | Chris Stead

If you’re looking for an active Maldivian adventure with all-inclusive benefits, then it’s hard to go past Club Med Kani. I think I’ve fallen in love with Club Med. Only a year ago, I’d never been to one. Almost by chance my family and I stayed at Club Med Bintan Island and we had such a wondrous time we were clamouring for more. Now that I’ve stayed at Club Med Kani Maldives, I can see how the ethos and spirit of the brand transcends its locations, but also, how unique each experience can be.
A dream holiday in the Maldives – is it all it's cracked up to be?

Dec 9, 2024 | nzherald.co.nz | Chris Stead

Luxury, wildlife and natural wonders collide in the Maldives, but is it worth the hype? Photo / Getty ImagesLuxury, wildlife and natural wonders collide in the marvellous Maldives, where Chris Stead and his family lived the good life for a month – but does it live up to the hype? Few places look as good in real life as they do on Instagram, but photos can’t do the Maldives justice. It’s as spectacularly beautiful as you’d expect.
It's criminal you haven't heard of Nuanu, Bali's little-known hot spot

Oct 29, 2024 | nzherald.co.nz | Chris Stead

Nuanu Creative City combines Balinese culture, arts, and cutting-edge design in an idyllic beachside location. Photo / Old Mate MediaChris Stead takes a tour of Bali’s latest destination for culture, the arts and relaxation - the Nuanu Creative City. There’s a lot more to Bali than Bintang and bargains. It’s also a land steeped in a storied, rich, cultural heritage. A place where art thrives in valleys hidden within stark mountainous relief.
November is NSW Wine Month

Oct 29, 2024 | theaureview.com | Chris Stead

Do you love a good drop? I certainly do, so I was shocked to hear during the recent launch event for NSW Wine Month how little local produce us Sydneysiders drink. Steve Cox, the CEO of Destination NSW, was on hand for the event and revealed to the gathered press that only 12% of the wine found on menus across the city originates in NSW. A figure made only more alarming when you consider there are 16 wine making regions across the state.
What it’s like to stay at Soneva Jani, the most insanely luxurious resort in the Maldives

Oct 29, 2024 | nzherald.co.nz | Chris Stead

Soneva Jani redefines luxury in the Maldives, offering stunning villas, family fun, and sustainability in a pristine tropical paradise. Photo / SuppliedChris Stead discovers why the most iconic resort in the Maldives delivers on the dream. We all have a unique bucket list, but the Maldives likely gets a run in the majority of people’s dream destinations. The deep, rich aqua of its oceans, teeming with exotic wildlife. Long tall palm trees reaching out from unblemished white sands.