Cruise Hub Independent Travel Agent - Boutique, ultra luxury & river cruise

I love travelling. I love my job. They go hand in hand. My job enables me to travel. While I travel to learn more about my job. There is a quote; “To travel is to live”, and this really resonates with me. As much as I love being at home, I am always on the lookout for my next holiday. I love meeting new people, learning their culture, history, a little bit of their language (well, I try to without butchering it) and I always give the local food & wine a try.

I have worked as a travel agent for 30 years, including the last 12 years as a cruise specialist. It all started back in the fifth year of secondary school (in 1990!) when I applied to do a weeks work experience at Lunn Poly in Ascot. Following this, I knew a travel career was the career for me.

Upon leaving school, I attended a years Travel & Tourism course, which was, quite frankly, awful. But in doing this I entered into a Travel Agency to do 4 weeks work experience and was offered a job on completion. The Agency was Alec Bristow Travel, just one of five across Surrey, and sadly, now gone. I enjoyed 5 wonderful years there and then went to the multiple chains of Going Places, Thomas Cook & Lunn Poly, and even did a spell working from home for Teletext Holidays.

In 2007 my family and I moved to Nova Scotia, Canada where I was able to pursue my dream career with a company called Cruise Holidays - selling cruises and nothing but cruises. In 2013 we returned home and I continue to work for Cruise Holidays as a franchisee. I have a vast experience in arranging all cruises, from the very small - to the very large, and I love them all.

In January 2019, I rebranded my business to focus on small ocean ships and river cruise, as thats where my expertise lies, and I truly believe these offer the best value and holiday experience, but that’s not to say that I do not book the larger ships, because I definitely do, and I enjoy them. I also created my website at this time as my ‘shop window’ to the luxury cruise market and my cruise boutique, to offer valuable cruise advice and the best service.

In December 2019 I fulfilled my ultimate dream of opening my own Cruise Travel Agency shop. Unfortunately, in March 2020 with the spread of the Corona outbreak, I temporarily closed for 3 months. During this time, as well as cancelling and re-booking cruises for my clients, I worked so hard on my social media and website, building a great online presence. Once I opened again in June, and with the cruise ships still on extended temporary hold, I felt that having a retail space was no longer viable, or really required, as I had been doing so well at home. So, in July, I closed my little shop, but not with sorrow, with hope and much enthusiasm for the future.

I am passionate about providing a travel service that offers a personal approach with impartial advice, out of hours contact, and a level of service you cannot obtain from a call centre or online.

Let me personally manage your travel experience from start to finish. Cruise Boutique offers a full service, which means you don’t need to worry about a thing, as I can book all the additional elements of your holiday for you: Your ocean or river cruise, airport hotel, airport parking, flights, private or group transfers, car hire, private or group shore excursions, city break or beach break pre-cruise or post-cruise.

As an independent travel consultant, I have complete flexibility to choose which cruise lines I can work with, which means greater variety and better value options for you. I also have connections with all the major cruise lines and I can give you exclusive prices and create wonderful tailor-made itineraries that can’t be booked online or on the high street.

So, whichever cruise you are planning, on the seven seas or on one of the many rivers of the world - I would be delighted to discuss your travel requirements and ideas at a time to suit you. Give me a local call on 0118 317 7070, send me a message, or check out my website www.luxurycruiseboutique.co.uk

Cruise Boutique and Cruise Holidays are fully accredited and licensed, for your complete financial protection and peace of mind - ABTA, ATOL, IATA & CLIA

Which ships have I been on?:

Here are the ships I have been fortunate to enjoy my holidays on, and also, some of the ships I have visited as a travel agent. The agent ship tours are taken while the ship is docked at port and the guests are out enjoying excursions, or just doing their own thing. We have the opportunity to visit any empty staterooms & public areas and to experience the ships fine dining with a 3 course meal…and free flowing wine.

River ships:

Uniworld Beatrice - Sailing 8 days along the Danube Budapest to Passau

Uniworld Antoinette - Overnight Amsterdam

Emerald Liberte - Sailing 8 days along the Rhone Arles to Lyon

European waterways Panache - Ship visit

AMA Certo - Ship visit

Emerald waterways Sky - Ship visit

CroisiEurope Lafayette - Ship visit

Ocean ships:

Cunard Queen Mary 2 - Sailing 8 days transatlantic New York to Southampton

Celebrity Eclipse - Sailing 3 days Southampton to Le Havre/Paris weekend getaway

Celebrity Summit - Sailing 8 days New Jersey to Bermuda

Royal Caribbean Adventure of the seas - Sailing 8 days San Diego to Mexican Riviera

Crystal Symphony - Ship visit

Seabourn Ovation - Ship visit

Windstar Star Breeze - Ship visit

Silversea Silver Spirit - Ship visit

Oceania Regatta - Ship visit

Oceania Marina - Ship visit

Cunard Queen Victoria - Ship visit

Holland America Eurodam - Ship visit

Princess Royal - Ship visit

Hurtigruten Fram - expedition ship -Ship visit

Royal Caribbean Symphony of the seas - Ship visit

MSC Poesia - Ship visit

Disney Magic - Ship visit

See why I love river cruise here: https://www.facebook.com/notes/lorraines-cruise-boutique/river-cruise/521035225081910/

See about luxurious European barging here: https://www.facebook.com/notes/lorraines-cruise-boutique/hotel-barge-cruise/521183468400419/

Cruise Holidays Head Office

Customer service and administration departments

Located at: 8 Woolrige Way, Plympton, Plymouth, PL7 2RU.

Call: 01752 682004

Lorraine's Cruise Boutique and Cruise Holidays are trading names of The Co-op Consortium which is part of The Midcounties Co-operative Limited We are a member of ABTA with ABTA number P6503. The air holiday packages shown are ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority as we act as agent for licensed cruise operators. The names and ATOL numbers of these cruise operators are dispayed with each holiday shown. We also offer our own air holidays and our ATOL number is 6053. ATOL protection does not apply to all holidays shown on this website. Please ask us to confirm what protection may apply to your booking. Cruise Holidays UK head office address: 8 Woolrige Way, Plympton, Plymouth, PL7 2RU.