Katherine England-Travel Counsellor

23/03/2022

It’s great news that the Passenger locator form has been scrapped when ‘Returning’ back to the UK .

HOWEVER…Most destinations still require pre travel forms to travel to that destination. Do not get confused thinking these have stopped too, they haven’t! It’s important to keep upto date on the entry requirements to the destination you are travelling to!

16/03/2022

With the surge of people booking to get on that well awaited holiday this year, it’s understandable that the passport office now have a longer wait time. They are currently advising to allow upto 10 weeks for your passport to come back. This link will show you current wait times as of the 6th March. If you need to renew or apply for a new passport, Do Not delay and start the process asap!

If you believe you have still time on your passport, please check the issue date to be sure. Since January 2020 when we parted with the EU, we no longer get any extra time what was maybe on our passports, so the expiry date is now irrelevant. It’s valid 10 years from the issue date, minus 6 months you need left on it by the date of return. Look at your issue date, not expiry, this is very important to check! Some countries don’t need 6 months so it’s important to check the passport validity requirement for the destination you are travelling to.

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-passport-office/about-our-services

15/03/2022

🙌🏻🎉😁 ✈️

28/02/2022

After almost 2 years of cancellations and rebooking,some ,2 or 3 times …this past month has been a cause for celebration , seeing these wonderful photos sent from my lovely clients that ALL travelled …finally .. Life feels like it’s getting back to some normality ..✈️✈️❤️🙏🏼☀️🥰🥰 Thankyou for your wonderful support xx

28/11/2021

Top tips to flying long haul with children

Flying long haul brings with it a whole set of new questions for parents, doesn’t it? And travelling with babies and toddlers on a long flight can feel really daunting. To help you with your travels, I found the top tips for surviving a long haul flight with toddlers and babies from the Travel Counsellors community.

From gift wrapped activity packs to snacks, find out our Travel Counsellors' top 15 tips for flying long haul with babies and toddlers!

22/11/2021

20/11/2021

Any Marvel fans out there? (grown ups or kids!?)

The 4* Hotel New York, Art of Marvel, at Disneyland Paris is a MUST stay!

Not only is it a stone's throw from the park gates, it has been completely renovated to be Manhattan styled with 561 rooms & suites themed on all your Marvel characters!

With 3 restaurants, 2 bars (watch out for superheroes flying by) , a super cool Superhero Station where you can pose with all your favourites, it also has its own signature fragrance!!

Bookings now being taken for Christmas and into 2022. DO NOT WAIT! This hotel will sell out!

☎️ 02920 004320
📧 [email protected]

19/11/2021

So excited for all my skiers and Lapland clients.... It's started to snow over there already. Eeeekkk!!❄️

Plenty of last minute availability…

18/11/2021

Fantastic Virgin Voyages UK Departure Offers

🛑 VALID FROM 15th to 29th November 🛑
😲 Fares from only £409pp 😯

Option 1
Mer-Maiden Voyage
3 Nights
Departing Portsmouth
Visit Zeebrugge (for Bruges)
18th March 2022
Fr. £409pp

Option 2
Long Weekender
3 Nights
Departing Portsmouth
Visit Zeebrugge (for Bruges)
1st, 15th (Easter) OR 29th April 2022
Fr. £409pp

Option 3
Canary Island Voyage
11 Nights
Departing Portsmouth
Visit La Coruna, Funchal, Tenerife, Gran Canaria & Lisbon.
4th OR 18th April 2022
Fr. £1297pp (less than £118pppn!)
🤑 OVER $600 IN ADDED VALUE INCLUDED:

20+ Eateries & Restaurants
All Tips & Gratuities
WiFi
Soft Drinks
Group Fitness Classes
PLUS add a $300 BAR TAB and receive $400 to spend onboard!
Must be booked by the 29th of November ..

02920 004320

[email protected]

16/11/2021

The brand new TRS Ibiza Hotel training last night with agents being treated to dinner by the brand, found out loads of great things about this amazing 5* Adults only hotel!

Situated along the beach of San Antonio with the 2 beautiful coves of Cala Gracio & Cala Gracioneta , amazing sunsets from the Rooftop bar…

This is absolutely perfect for a hen do, groups of friends and couples. I now know all the fab benefits and little hints and tips of making the most of a holiday staying here.

Did you know…All rooms are Butler rooms!!! All have wines, soft drinks and a spirit bottle in the room which is replenished and you can have interconnecting rooms which is perfect if going as a group of you.

Get in touch for a quote or if you have any questions, I can’t wait to start booking customers here

15/11/2021

Head to the Finnish part of Lapland this winter to meet Santa and spend three nights in a cosy fell house at the Davvi Arctic Lodge..

Flying from Bristol 3 Nights Departing 27th of December per family of 5 from £5145…❄️☃️🎅🏼

Head to the Finnish part of Lapland and spend three nights in a cosy fell house at the Davvi Arctic Lodge, enjoying independent accommodation a short walk from this charming little hotel. From this comfortable base on the official Northern Lights route, enjoy the crowd-free once-in-a-lifetime Arctic...

14/11/2021

A great Christmas present idea …🎄🎁
The Opulent Northern Belle for a South Wales Coast Lunch departing from
Cardiff on Friday the 2nd of September £265pp

Gather friends and family together to enjoy a wonderfully indulgent lunch aboard the Northern Belle Luxury train as it travels along the South Wales Coast.

INCLUDES
Round-trip travel aboard the Northern Belle luxury train

Welcome champagne reception on board

Fine-dining
Seven-course lunch: seasonal table d’hôte menu including Great Welsh cheeseboard, biscuits and chutneys

Bottle of wine per couple
Tea, coffee and petits fours
Strolling musicians and a table magician

Other dates /trips available

☎️ 02920004320

📧[email protected]

12/11/2021

❗PASSPORT/TRAVEL UPDATE❗

FCDO travel advice is currently being updated for visitors heading to the 26 countries in the border-free European Schengen zone.

Check your passport is stamped if you enter or exit the Schengen area as a visitor.

Border guards will use passport stamps to check you’re complying with the 90-day visa-free limit for short stays in the Schengen area. If relevant entry or exit stamps are not in your passport, border guards will presume that you have overstayed your visa-free limit.

You can show evidence of when and where you entered or exited the Schengen area and ask the border guards to add this date and location in your passport.

The FCDO also warns travellers to Schengen countries that they may also have to show border officials a return or onward ticket, as well as to illustrate you have “enough money for your stay”.

The new advice is another example of how Brexit is changing the travel requirements for UK passport holders.

Last week, the FCDO advised Brits travelling to several European destinations to ensure any printed proof of Covid-19 vaccination status is dated from 1 November 2021.

The 26 Schengen countries are: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

UK nationals who are resident in a Schengen country should not have their passport stamped.

12/11/2021

How amazing! Our supplier has sent us these fabulous shots of the northern lights in Reykjavik!

18/10/2021

Finally …🙌🏻🇺🇸✈️

19/09/2021

🌟ARE YOU READY FOR THE NEXT WONDER OF THE WORLD?!🌟

This Beaut is coming for you – and homeporting in EUROPE FOR SUMMER 2022!!🛳️🤩

That’s right – Royal Caribbean’s newest addition to their incredible fleet ✨WONDER OF THE SEAS✨ will be sailing from Barcelona and Rome for Summer 2022!

This is going to be THE biggest, THE brightest and THE boldest ship at sea, even beating our ✨Symphony of the Seas✨ for title of largest ship🤯

🌟Eight unique neighbourhoods, including the all-new Suite Neighborhood

🌟A totally redesigned pool deck with more ways to soak up the sun — or shade — than ever before

🌟The most immersive AquaTheater ever, with a game-changing surround-stage that makes you feel like part of the action

🌟The all-new Playscape, an underwater world studded with slides, climbing walls and games, where imaginations can soar

🌟Plus returning fan-favorites like the FlowRider® and Ultimate Abyss℠

There is going to be nothing else like her and we’ll get to see her from May 2022 and sailing throughout the Western Med☀️

📱02920 004320
📧[email protected]

17/09/2021

Finally The government has made changes in the right direct for the travel industry and making it more simple for travellers to travel 😆🎉

So what’s changed….

🚦 The traffic light system is being scrapped from 4th October! Finally!!

🔴 Red list countries/rules still remain in place

🟢 Everywhere else is classed as Green

From 4am 22nd September eight countries are being removed from the Red list and will be added to the green list:
🟢 Maldives
🟢Turkey
🟢 Egypt
🟢Sri Lanka
🟢Pakistan
🟢Oman
🟢Bangladesh
🟢Kenya

💉 From 4th October pre departure tests will no longer be required for fully vaccinated travellers arriving into England from non red countries.

💉 From end of October the Day 2 tests after arriving back in the UK will be lateral flow tests rather than PCR for fully vaccinated

If you are not fully vaccinated, you’ll still need to follow the current rules and testing in place.

I’m trying to get clarification on what it means for children over 12 with the no testing as they won’t be fully vaccinated or many not vaccinated at all. As soon as I know I’ll update it on here.

I will update this status if I need to with any further understanding that needs identified.

Moving in the right direction finally!!! 😆

17/09/2021

The latest Travel update should be announced today and it is expected to have major changes to the traffic light system and also changes with the testing to travel for those fully vaccinated 🤞

15/09/2021

I am getting an increasing number of messages and questions regarding requirements for travel, many are from people that haven’t booked with me and booked themselves online. Usually I would help everyone all I can, but the issue I have is the constantly changing situation and requirements. So what I advise you one day, could be different the next and some change more than once in a very short space of time! I can’t be held responsible for advising you on a holiday that I didn’t book.

As you can appreciate I can’t be messaging everyone who has contacted me to update on new requirements when you may of chosen to arrange your holiday yourself. My own clients are my absolute priority. It’s hard to keep up to date with it all for them let alone to help those who haven’t booked with me. It’s not just the traffic light system, it’s the changes that other countries are making for UK citizens entering their countries. I have to check constantly to keep on top of things and unless I have a customer physically booked to go, I’m not actively watching all updates to everywhere now. It’s exhausting and mind blowing just doing that alone. I am sent updates constantly with any affected bookings when things change, so I don’t miss anyone.

If you have booked elsewhere, I would suggest you keep a constant check on the FCDO website on requirements to enter a country, it’s where I have to get my info from too! also check requirements to come back to the UK. If you have a question contact the company you booked it with.

Remember..When you book it yourself you are choosing to deal with everything else that goes with it yourself too. There’s no hand holding along the way, no reassurance and no immediate help if you find yourself needing it!

It’s just a gentle reminder as to why I can’t help if you’ve chosen to arrange your holiday elsewhere. The reason I choose to go abroad this summer was also to help those that I book, if I’ve done it myself I’m in a better position to know exactly what to do and what it’s like, to help my customers xx

26/08/2021

⚠️𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐒⚠️

Lots of people getting caught out by this. Please check yours!

Due to changes in validity since Brexit, your passport is now only valid for 10 years from the ISSUE date on your passport.

If you applied for your passport early the extra unused months from your previous passport were added to the passport. These extra months are no longer valid.

𝐄𝐗𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄:
Passport issue date 21st Jun 2012
Passport expiry date 21st Dec 2022
Your passport expiry date is now the 21st Jun 2022

Most countries in the EU require that your passport is valid for 6 months on the date of return from your holiday , some countries it’s 3 months, meaning the last date you could return on the above example would be the 21st Dec 2021

I have seen lots of stories on the news of people losing thousands of pounds as they did not know about this new rule.

👇You can check if your passport is valid on the below link👇

https://www.gov.uk/check-a-passport-travel-europe

25/08/2021

What a brilliant offer !!

**** 5* Cornish Walking Break ****

Stay 2 Nights Bed and Cornish Breakfast at the stunning 5* Lugger Hotel in Portloe.
Dinner on both nights in the award winning AA Rosette Restaurant with magnificent sea views. Packed Lunch and walking maps for your day out and a hot drink on your return from an amazing £233pp

Stunningly located on the water's edge of the tranquil fishing port of Portloe, The Lugger Hotel is at the centre of scenic Cornish trails and dining delights; a perfect base for a rambling retreat.

Your Break includes:

• Two nights accommodation

• Full Cornish breakfast daily

• Dinner both evenings in the two AA-Rosette awarded restaurant

• Packed lunch for your day out

• Walking maps of the area

• Hot drink on your return to the hotel

• Late check-out

Can be booked for 2, 4 or 6 nights

£233pp Based on November Stays

£237pp Based on December Stays

£263pp Based on October Stays

£292pp for stays in 2022

Contact me with the dates you’d like snd how long for and I can get this super little break booked for you

23/08/2021

It was only a matter of time before Disney had a rethink of their fast pass scheme to queue jump.
Introducing Disney Genie and Genie+ for DisneyWorld Florida and Disneyland California.
Watch the video for all the information.

Join Gary Daniels, VP, Digital Experience, Disney Parks, as he shares more details and answers questions from planDisney panelists about the new Disney Genie...

23/08/2021

GREAT NEWS! Mauritius is open!!
After closing its borders since the start of the pandemic, Mauritius is back open as an Amber country. They literally have had no tourism business coming into the country over the last 18 months so they do really need people going back enjoying this stunning island 🏝

They opened things in phases, so phase one is certain hotels open and everything resort based, so means people can’t go and explore the island on excursions. This is some people’s ideal holiday anyway, staying at the resort and not venturing out. This is until 30th September!

Phase two, from arrivals from 1st October all hotels open and all as normal.

There are lots of lovely deals to Mauritius so please get in touch if you’d like me to arrange your holiday here 🙌

06/08/2021

From 4am on Sunday 8th August the United Arab Emirates and Slovenia will move to the amber list for entering England. There are other scheduled changes to the traffic light lists also but these were the most notable for potential holidays.

06/08/2021

Picture the USA. Are you relaxing on the palm-fringed beaches of Florida? Discovering the iconic sights of New York? Soaking up the atmosphere and charm of the Deep South? Perhaps you’re taking a spin on a roulette wheel in Las Vegas or being inspire…

https://www.travelcounsellors.co.uk/gb/leisure/explore/a-guide-to-the-usa?selecteduser=katherine.england

04/08/2021

It's not too late to grab a UK sail-cation this summer!

Plenty to do on board, or find a quiet corner and just look out to sea! With amazing food choices on board, Broadway style shows and cabins to suit all budgets and tastes, why not give it a go?

Call for more details 02920 004320

04/08/2021

We’ve got great news! Travel Counsellors has been rated ‘Green’ for Covid flexibility on the new Which? Holiday Checker!

After taking part in several surveys with the leading UK consumer champion Which? this year, today the company launched a consumer-focussed online tool that rates companies green, amber or red based on their refund and amendment policies in relation to Covid-19 travel disruption. It is designed to makes it easy for people to check which travel companies have provided the best service to their customers, offering flexible booking options and refunds, and which ones could leave them out of pocket if circumstances change.

This accolade further highlights how we have looked after our customers throughout the pandemic and strengthened our brand as a result, building on our consistent 5-star Trustpilot rating and three-times been voted ‘number one’ in MoneySavingExpert’s consumer poll, which ranks how well travel companies are looking after their customers during COVID-19.

03/08/2021

🍾The Ultimate Henley Royal Regatta Experience🍾

11, 12, 13 August

Book 2 to 10 people

Enjoy the luxuries of a bygone era and drink in one of the most iconic rowing events in the world on this unique, quintessentially British day at the Henley Royal Regatta.

ALL this INCLUDED

🍾Champagne & Pimm's reception
🍾4 course lunch incl cheese & fine wines
🍾High tea snacks and cocktails
🍾Complimentary bar incl beers, wines during lunch & high tea
🍾Branded drink tasting sessions
🍾Official race programme
🍾 Invitation Only departure goody bag
🍾 Access to after race garden party

The Henley Regatta is, without doubt, the most famous rowing regatta in the world, attracting thousands of spectators every year and marking the highlight of the summer for anyone keen on rowing, and tradition in England.

First held in 1839, the regatta has been held every year (other than an interruption during the two world wars and a very recent pandemic), and this is your opportunity to experience one of the oldest surviving English traditions as it returns from a historic hiatus.

Spend your day overlooking the Thames, in a beautiful period house with stunning gardens. This experience affords a rare chance to enjoy the luxuries of a bygone era, drinking in all the comforts, gastronomy and hospitality afforded to the high society of the early 20th century.

As well as a chance to enjoy a truly traditional day out and free reign of the house and gardens, you’ll also make the most of some truly stunning traditional English cuisine at champagne receptions, drinks tastings, high tea, and a four-course lunch with wine pairings.

Of course, you will also thrill at some of the best rowers in the world putting each other to the test, and come away having had a unique day in typically English settings, and having made memories that will last a lifetime.

Price from £425 per person

Call me for more information

28/07/2021

❗️IMPORTANT INFORMATION❗️Since Brexit, you need at least 6 months validity for most European destinations, some are 3 months…HOWEVER, Here’s the really important part! ‼️
Normally we’d look at the expiry date when we check our passports, since Brexit, we need to look at the Issue date as no additional months can be included when working out if you have 6 months left on your passport. Theoretically, passports are now valid for 9 years 6 months, not 10 years!
You need to be looking at the Issue date now NOT the expiry date! If they are the same, then it’s fine! However many will be different dates and this is where you could be turned away for having an expired passport if travelling to a European country!
Before travelling, Look at your issue date and work out if you have 6 months validity left on your passport from this date, NOT the expiry date! This all came into effect in January 2021, but as many haven’t been travelling it’s not been noticed much yet. With more travelling now, it’s been coming apparent that this is an issue!
With anyone travelling this summer, this information could be vital, so please check your passports ✈️