Hi.

celebrating a special birthday and looking for holiday location so Im away for first week November.

fancy longish/long haul destination preferably, but want dry weather.

any recommendations please ?

Dubai, Thailand, Malaysia.
Mexico, Cuba or any of the Caribbean islands, though at the beginning of November there is always a small chance of catching the tail end of the hurricane season.
My personal favourite to somewhere a bit different would be Oman, it's medium haul, has fabulous hotels, empty beaches and interesting scenery. Much more laid back than it's overbuilt neighbour Dubai and in November the temperature would be hot.

Think Thomsons woould suit you they dont have mega ships also how about a river cruise with land on either side.

If you are sailing the sea, as a rule the bigger the ship, the more stable it is likely to be in rough seas. If you want a small ship, I wouldn't recommend crossing The Bay of Biscay on your first cruise.

I recently joined a small ship cruise to Croatia and it was the best experience I have ever had! The staff were attentive, food tasted amazing and the company I booked it with (Unforgettable Croatia) planned the whole trip perfectly. I have not been to the Caribbean before but would like to visit.