Amanda Holidays

Travel around Europe often means capital cities, history and culture. But venture to the northern extremities of this extraordinary continent and a very different world awaits. I joined the Ocean Explorer, operated by Quark Expeditions, for an eight-day expedition cruise around Svalbard - departing and returning to Longyearbyen - with a remarkable route taking in some of the most remote and dramatic landscapes on earth. The ship itself looked nothing like the river cruisers o

The April edition of Behind The Scenes from Designer Travel has arrived - and this one is all about river cruising! I'm really proud to feature in this issue, sharing my experience of the CLIA River Cruise Conference in Amsterdam - three incredible days with nine river cruise operators and some of the best in the business. River cruising is one of my absolute passions. Smaller ships, stunning scenery, docking right in the heart of beautiful cities - it really is one of the mo

I’ve always loved the idea of cruising: unpack once, see somewhere new every day. But ocean cruises? Big ships, crowds and choppy seas? Maybe not for me. River cruising, though, is a whole different experience. Calm waters, smaller ships, beautiful scenery just beyond your window and a relaxed pace that lets you truly enjoy the journey. I was hooked from day one. From the moment my colleagues and I boarded Riviera Rose, I knew this was something special. Elegant yet welcoming

Time to cosy up with the October edition of Behind The Scenes from Designer Travel - and this one's particularly special as it features a wonderful review from my client Chris about his Arctic expedition cruise to Svalbard! If you're looking for winter inspiration, this issue has it all: chasing the Northern Lights, exploring Christmas markets on river cruises, Lapland adventures for families (and grown-ups!), skiing with little ones and Chris' incredible travellers' tale fro

I'll be honest - Croatia isn't somewhere I've been yet, but after sending many clients there and hearing their incredible feedback, it's at the top of my travel wishlist. My lovely client, Abbie, celebrated her 30th birthday there and came back absolutely raving about it. Click here to read all about her adventure. What strikes me most is how many of my clients choose multi-centre trips when visiting Croatia, and it makes complete sense. With flights into both the north and s

I’ve always loved being near the water - whether it’s riverside walks or getting out on the water itself – but I’ve never actually been on a river cruise. So, this next chapter is something completely new for me… and I’m excited to take you along for the journey. I’ve recently signed up to become a Designer Travel River Cruise Expert, which means I’ll be doing training with lots of different river cruise lines over the coming months. Even better – I’ll be heading off on my ve

As this was my first ever cruise, I wanted to tick something off my bucket list - and the Norwegian fjords delivered. At the time, nowhere else really appealed to me, but now I’ve experienced my first solo cruise... who knows where I’ll go next? I arrived at Southampton docks (Berth 46) around 2pm and, by 3pm, I was in my cabin and unpacked. The check-in and security process were an absolute breeze compared to Manchester Airport, where I usually travel from - simple, efficien

I was delighted to hear that on 11 January, Designer Travel was named as a winner at the Celebrity Cruises 2024 Travel Agent Appreciation Awards. We won our 'Above and Beyond' award for executing a robust training plan and immersing ourselves in Celebrity’s in-house training programme, Celebrity Cruises for Beginners winners. Big thanks to Celebrity Cruises for their support and these lovely words: “We love working with your brand and have no hesitation in encouraging our c

Amanda takes time to get to know your requirements and this makes for very special holidays. We had three excellent nights in Cairo with two full-day excursions and enjoyed our stay at the Mena House Hotel - the photo above is our breakfast view with the pyramid reflected in the pool. We then flew to Luxor where our seven-day Nile Cruise on the Jaz Regent was awe-inspiring - wondrous sights, lovely boat, friendly staff and knowledgeable guides - Amanda paid particular attent

Hi Amanda, We had a fantastic time on The Blue Danube Cruise for our special wedding anniversary. It lived up to our expectations, despite the awful weather. Unfortunately, it rained non-stop every day of the journey through Hungary, Slovakia and Austria, so we just bought Pac-a-Macs and got on with it. And, of course, there was always the onboard bar. The MS Thomas Hardy was wonderful - very luxurious - and the service was first class. The excursions were well thought ou

A sparkling new cruise ship is always an exciting addition to the seas but when I learned that Silversea had 'a new moon' coming this year, it immediately grabbed my attention. Silver Moon is the ninth ship in Silversea’s fleet and maintains the small-ship intimacy and spacious all-suite accommodations that are hallmarks of the Silversea experience while bringing elements of innovation and an array of enhancements. Built by cruise lovers, for cruise lovers and incorporating