Catherine Mackey
My expertise
I'm based in
Manchester
Looking for help with your business travel? Find out how I can help here
It's Nice To Meet You
Thank you for visiting my personal Travel Counsellors profile.
I specialise in touring, adventure and multi-centre journeys, creating tailor-made leisure travel for clients who want more than an off-the-shelf holiday.
Think bucket-list ticking road trips, safaris, cruises, honeymoons, skiing, group and private touring, special interests, multi-centre, multi-country adventures. Or if relaxing on a beautiful beach is what you need I can plan the perfect escape for that too :)
Your time is valuable. Your travel should feel effortless, enriching and completely aligned with your style. Whether you are planning a milestone celebration, a bucket-list itinerary across several destinations, an immersive touring experience or a refined cruise, every detail is carefully designed around you.
Whether you are a large group, family, couple or travelling solo I'll be with you on every step of your journey. From the initial spark of an idea through to your return home, everything is managed seamlessly personally by me every step of the way - research, reservations, logistics and preparation - so you can focus on the anticipation, not the administration. And should plans shift while you are away, you have calm, experienced support on hand 24/7.
Through trusted global partnerships and carefully selected suppliers you gain access to distinctive experiences, knowledgeable guides and thoughtfully curated accommodation that elevates your journey beyond the expected.
Your journey begins with a personal consultation, arranged at a time that suits you.
To start planning you can book your personal consultation appointment or get in touch via email or enquiry form.
📋 https://bit.ly/NewEnquiryForm
📅 https://bit.ly/BookAnAppointmentWithMe
📧 catherine.mackey@MyTC.com
☎️ 0161 826 4970
I look forward to speaking to you about your travel plans soon.
Catherine Xx
Travel guides
Explore my guides and blogs
Best Way To See The Northern Lights
Are seeing the Northern Lights on your bucket list?
23 Feb 2026 5 min read
So Many Reasons To Book A Group Tour Of Italy!
There are so many reasons to book on a group tour of Italy! Italy is renowned for its rich history, stunning landscapes, delicious cuisine, and vibrant culture, and what better way to see Italy than on an escorted tour so that you don’t miss a thing! A touring holiday is an ideal way to explore Italy’s wonders if you want to experience as much as possible in your 1-2 week holiday window from wor
08 Jul 2023 5 min read
Escape to Sunny Cyprus
In October I was invited by Constantinou Bros hotels to visit Cyprus and spend some time getting to know their hotels better, which of course I jumped at the chance of - very happy to be able to enjoy a late escape and some hot weather and sunshine to end the summer holiday season. This trip was the 5th time I’ve flown from Manchester Airport this year and the 3rd time since March. All flights ar
01 Nov 2020 5 min read
Greek Villa Bliss
Villa holidays have been more in demand than ever this year because once there you quickly forget any worries you may have about being in contact with too many other people and really chill out and relax in peace and quiet away from all the troubles in the world. After weeks and weeks of helping my customers navigate their way through the complexities of travel at the moment, as soon as travel to
01 Sept 2020 5 min read
Travel now...what to expect
I have a duty of care to my clients as their trusted advisor, to provide honest, accurate, and up to date guidance across all stages of the planning, booking and travel experience. This includes everything from the latest advice from governments around the world, changes in travel insurance requirements, new entry procedures, airport and in-flight protocols, information about accommodation health
29 Jul 2020 5 min read
Best UK Beaches
Lockdown may have you dreaming of distant sandy shores, but the UK has some spectacular beaches of its own. Here are my seven ideas for a sandy staycation in our own beautiful country... Mwnt, Wales Perfectly cut-out from the Ceredigion cliffs, the secluded cove of Mwnt is owned by the National Trust. The sheltered bay is a favourite for dolphins and seals, which are often spotted playing in th
15 May 2020 5 min read
MAY 2020 UPDATE
I hope this finds you well. The past two months have without question been a challenging time for all of us at home and at work, and I wanted to take this opportunity to get in touch to let you know what’s been going on in my office during this time. By the end of February the impact of Coronavirus was starting to affect travel on a global scale. As March progressed more and more countries close
03 May 2020 5 min read
My Peru Adventure
I was lucky to be invited to be part of one of G Adventures biggest ever educational trips, which involved over 100 travel professionals and G staff from all over the world, coming together to learn more about G Adventures, how they run their trips, and how they work within the areas visited to ensure that tourism is a huge force for good, ethical and sustainable for future generations of travelle
19 Jun 2019 5 min read
What is Family Cruising and is it for me?
Absolutely GONE are the days of a cruise being an ‘old’ person’s holiday. If you love a land-based resort holiday packed with loads of activities for the children, kids’ clubs and great entertainment, then you will love a family cruise. Everything is included in your cruise fare, often even your ice creams, very much like an all-inclusive land-based holiday, but way better value for money, as no
25 May 2019 5 min read
What is Expedition Cruising and is it for me?
There is most definitely a cruise out there for everyone. If you are an adventurous traveller who is interested in exploring the world, enjoy nature, embracing new cultures, love expanding your knowledge, and sharing your experiences with like-minded people, then expedition cruising could be for you. Where expedition cruises differ from classic cruises is that they are all about the destination a
27 Apr 2019 5 min read
MSC Bellissima - Beauty At Sea
The brand new MSC cruise ship Bellissima has just set sail on her maiden voyage from the UK. To celebrate the launch, I was invited on board to explore the ship’s wide range of wonderful facilities. This ship is big, accommodating over 5.5 thousand passengers – the advantage of this being the amount of space on board creatively designed to keep every single passenger happy on their cruise. From
07 Mar 2019 5 min read
My Year in Travel 2018
In 2018 I’ve created some wonderful trips – including tailor-made adventures, cruises, safaris, road trips, luxury beach getaways, city breaks, honeymoons, school trips, business travel, and ending the year with lots of families enjoying the magic of Lapland. I’ve also been lucky to visit some exciting destinations - seven of these being places I’ve never been to before and one new continent – Sou
02 Jan 2019 5 min read
My Year in Travel 2017
Here’s a brief run-down of what I’ve been up to in 2017. I’ve had a brilliant year in my first year as a Travel Counsellor getting to know some lovely new customers and I’ve had amazing opportunities to myself too – visiting 10 new countries - the most in one year since my back-packing days! January I was excited to start my Travel Counsellors journey with intensive induction training and lo
01 Jan 2019 5 min read
Lapland Packing & Travel Tips
I’ve got lots of families booked and getting excited for their Lapland adventures this year – and early bookings in for 2024 too! A trip to Lapland is a magical experience and not a trip that families do over and over again, unlike holidays to sunshine destinations, so I’m asked a lot about what to pack. Here are my top tips to ensure that your trip goes smoothly… • It’s essential that you have
26 Nov 2018 5 min read
Our Family Cruise from Liverpool
I’ve just returned from a family cruise with Cruise & Maritime Voyages where we spent 12 nights sailing the ocean waves down to Gibraltar with plenty of food, drink, pool action, beach fun, jacuzzis, ice creams, family card games, entertainment and sightseeing to keep every member of the family happy. Getting to our ship was really easy as we just hopped on the train to Liverpool. Urmston, where
21 Aug 2018 5 min read
Kenya Wildlife Safari Adventure
In June this year I set off on an adventure of a lifetime with my favourite supplier of small group adventure travel, Intrepid, to explore Kenya, meet the people of Kenya, and get up close and personal with the abundant wildlife! It was a wonderful experience in so many ways. On arrival in Nairobi we started off by visiting a village where Intrepid’s charity foundation are funding projects to h
16 Jul 2018 5 min read
Top 10 Reasons To Cruise From Liverpool
Here are my top ten reasons to start your cruise from my local cruise port of Liverpool! 1. You don’t have to spend 5 hours+ on the train, or 7 hours+ on the coach down to Southampton. From anywhere in the North West you can leave home and be sunbathing by the pool (weather permitting of course!) and sipping on your first cocktail in under 2 hours. 2. If you don’t like flying or don’t want t
12 Jul 2018 5 min read
Sun, Sea & Surfing in Morocco
With the cold weather starting to bite in the UK I was delighted to have the opportunity to visit Agadir, Morocco, at the end of October - where the weather is still sunny and warm and the beach resort of Agadir perfect for an alternative half term family getaway, some great value 5* luxury, or as a base for a more active holiday. I flew with Air Arabia who have just launched their twice weekly
08 Nov 2017 5 min read
Amazing Abu Dhabi
I had a great few hours yesterday at Travel Counsellors HQ getting up to date on the latest developments happening in the largest of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi is home to one of the best airlines in the world, Etihad, the national airline of the UAE, who offer direct flights twice daily from Manchester and three times daily from Heathrow – with a brand-new space age airport
21 Sept 2017 5 min read
A Sunny Day on Holland America’s Ms Zuiderdam
In August I was invited to Liverpool to visit Holland America’s ship, Ms Zuiderdam, which is one of their Vista Class cruise ships, so called because of the amount of glass used around the ship which means the majority of the staterooms on board have ocean views or balconies. There are four ships in this class which are all named after points of the compass (in Dutch) – the others being Noordam
31 Aug 2017 5 min read
Fred Olsen Ship Visit - Boudicca
I recently visited visit Fred Olsen’s ship Boudicca in Liverpool, where she sets off on many of her summer voyages from this handy port - perfect for North West based cruise lovers, or a great place from which to give ocean cruising a try without the hassle of a long flight or drive. Fred Olsen is a family owned cruise company with 4 ships that sail the world – Boudicca, Black Watch, Braemar an
22 Aug 2017 5 min read
Cruise & Maritime Ms Magellan Ship Visit
This week I’ve been lucky to have the opportunity to visit the Ms Magellan ship while she was docked in Liverpool prior to departure on an 11-night voyage to Spain, Portugal, France and Gibraltar. The Ms Magellan and sister ship the Marco Polo often sail from Liverpool to these and various other destinations including Canada, Ireland, Fjordland, Iceland, the Scottish Isles and the British Isles.
21 Jul 2017 5 min read
Girls' Night Away in Historic Chester
It’s hard to organise a group of busy mums for a night away, so this trip has been a long time coming. Finally my friends and I managed to block out a weekend in our diaries for a girls-only night away in Chester. We picked the perfect weekend for it as the weather was lovely for March so we were able to stroll between shops, bars, along the walls, and along the river bank during our short time a
04 Apr 2017 5 min read
Reviews
What my customers say
Videos
Discover the world with me
Additional offers
More destinations to enjoy
Why use a Travel Counsellor
Let's plan your dream trip together
Tailor-made for you
Your holiday isn’t just a trip away. It’s a longed-for escape, time to reconnect with loved ones, or a dream adventure you never thought possible. That’s why I take the time to truly get to know you and understand your hopes and expectations, then use my experience, connections and passion for the destination to create a trip that makes those dreams a reality.
Personalised service. Always
When you plan a holiday with me, you’ll be given my personal mobile number from the very first call. I’ll listen to your thoughts and ideas like I would a friend and arrange accommodation, activities, and flights that are all personalised to you. And I’ll share my personal tips and recommendations, so you can experience the true beauty of each destination.
Stress-free travel, and more time for what matters most
I believe your time away should be stress-free, easy, and seamless from start to finish. So, I take care of all the details for you - from ATOL protection, insurance, and flexible payments to access to the myTC app, which keeps everything in one place.
Support when it matters most
If the unexpected happens, you can rest easy, knowing that I’ll handle any last-minute changes, flight cancellations, or disruptions before you even pick up the phone. So you always feel happy, carefree, and ready to make the most of every moment.
Get in touch