Catherine Mackey

My expertise

Adventure Travel
Private Tours
Expedition Cruise
Ocean Cruise
River Cruise
Safari
Touring
Lapland

I'm based in

Manchester

Available for new enquiries

Looking for help with your business travel? Find out how I can help here

Your Next Adventure, Expertly Planned

Hello and welcome to my Travel Counsellors web page. I'm Catherine and my passion and speciality is 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.

I have an extensive range of personal contacts with suppliers, hotels and tourist boards around the world meaning I can always provide the VIP treatment for my clients, and special touches to make your trip truly memorable.

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

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Explore my guides and blogs

Viking Saturn: Small-Ship Cruising with Scandinavian Style

Wellness

Yachts

Couples

Expedition Cruise

Ocean Cruise

River Cruise

Adults-only

Senior Travellers

Viking Saturn: Small-Ship Cruising with Scandinavian Style

I recently spent the day in Liverpool visiting Viking Saturn, and came away seriously impressed by this beautifully designed small ship. With its understated Scandinavian style, excellent food, gorgeous spa and strong focus on the destinations it visits, Viking offers a refreshingly different approach to ocean cruising.

26 Aug 2026 6   min read

Polar Latitudes: Putting the Expedition Back into Expedition Cruising

Antarctica

Greenland

Adventure Travel

Sustainability

Norway

Active Holidays

Expedition Cruise

Ocean Cruise

Polar Latitudes: Putting the Expedition Back into Expedition Cruising

After meeting the Polar Latitudes team during the CLIA Expedition Showcase in Svalbard, I was keen to discover more about their approach to polar exploration. From small ships and experienced expedition teams to Citizen Science and immersive adventures, here's what caught my attention about this specialist polar expedition cruise company. Polar Latitudes focuses on exactly what its name suggests,

25 Aug 2026 4   min read

Beyond Antarctica: 16 Expedition Cruise Destinations to Discover

Antarctica

Indonesia

French Polynesia

Galapagos

Adventure Travel

Norway

Active Holidays

Expedition Cruise

Beyond Antarctica: 16 Expedition Cruise Destinations to Discover

Did you know? Expedition cruising is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the cruise industry, with itineraries now reaching every continent and some of the most remote destinations on Earth.

04 Aug 2026 5   min read

Ship Visit: Fred. Olsen’s Bolette in Liverpool

Couples

Groups

Multi-Generational Travel

Solo Travellers

River Cruise

Touring

Ship Visit: Fred. Olsen’s Bolette in Liverpool

I recently had the pleasure of spending the day aboard Fred. Olsen’s beautiful ship, Bolette, during her visit to Liverpool on a gorgeous sunny day!

28 May 2026 2   min read

Best Way To See The Northern Lights in Europe

Adventure Travel

Private Tours

Families

Finland

Norway

Active Holidays

Touring

Best Way To See The Northern Lights in Europe

Few travel experiences compare to witnessing the Northern Lights dancing across the Arctic sky. Having both arranged unforgettable Aurora trips for clients and experienced the magic myself in Finnish Lapland last year, I know just how much difference the right destination, timing and accommodation can make. In this guide, I’m sharing the best times to travel and what makes Finland, Norway and Icel

23 Feb 2026 2   min read

Get the most from your trip to Italy on a small group tour!

Italy

Adventure Travel

Couples

Multi-Generational Travel

Solo Travellers

Active Holidays

City Break

Touring

Get the most from your trip to Italy on a small group tour!

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 3   min read

Escape to Sunny Cyprus

Cyprus

Adventure Travel

Couples

Families

Beach

Touring

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 3   min read

Greek Villa Bliss

Greece

Adventure Travel

Couples

Families

Multi-Generational Travel

Beach

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 4   min read

Travel now...what to expect

Spain

Adventure Travel

Couples

Families

Multi-Generational Travel

Solo Travellers

Touring

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 6   min read

Best UK Beaches

England

Scotland

Wales

Couples

Families

Multi-Generational Travel

Solo Travellers

Beach

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 4   min read

MAY 2020 UPDATE

Adventure Travel

Couples

Families

Groups

LGBTQ+ Friendly

Multi-Generational Travel

Solo Travellers

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

Adventure Travel

Private Tours

Train Travel

Peru

Active Holidays

Touring

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 4   min read

What is Family Cruising and is it for me?

Families

Groups

Multi-Generational Travel

Expedition Cruise

Ocean Cruise

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 3   min read

What is Expedition Cruising and is it for me?

Antarctica

Costa Rica

Ecuador

Expedition Cruise

River Cruise

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 3   min read

MSC Bellissima - Beauty At Sea

Adventure Travel

Expedition Cruise

Ocean Cruise

River Cruise

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 3   min read

My Year in Travel 2018

Kenya

Families

Poland

City Break

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 6   min read

My Year in Travel 2017

Spain

Belgium

Germany

Mexico

Morocco

Ocean Cruise

River Cruise

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 loved

01 Jan 2019 6   min read

Lapland Packing & Travel Tips

Adventure Travel

Private Tours

Families

Finland

Sweden

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 3   min read

Our Family Cruise from Liverpool

Couples

Multi-Generational Travel

Expedition Cruise

Ocean Cruise

River Cruise

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

Kenya

Adventure Travel

Sustainability

Safari

Touring

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

Couples

Families

Expedition Cruise

Ocean Cruise

River Cruise

Touring

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 3   min read

Sun, Sea & Surfing in Morocco

Adventure Travel

Private Tours

Morocco

Active Holidays

City Break

Touring

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 4   min read

Amazing Abu Dhabi

Couples

Families

Groups

Multi-Generational Travel

Solo Travellers

Abu Dhabi

City Break

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 4   min read

A Sunny Day on Holland America’s Ms Zuiderdam

Couples

Families

Solo Travellers

Expedition Cruise

Ocean Cruise

River Cruise

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

Couples

Families

Solo Travellers

Expedition Cruise

Ocean Cruise

River Cruise

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 4   min read

Cruise & Maritime Ms Magellan Ship Visit

Couples

Families

Solo Travellers

Expedition Cruise

Ocean Cruise

River Cruise

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

England

Train Travel

Couples

Groups

Multi-Generational Travel

Solo Travellers

City Break

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 3   min read

What my customers say

Catherine relishes the challenge of finding a holiday which is just right for you - even if you have a whole host of different requirements. She's always delivered for me and my family. We've had a few unusual and very special holidays, where her sensitivity to exactly what we wanted, made all the difference. A most exceptional personal service, which I have already recommended to several friends.

R Hicks

Stockport

Catherine always has great patience and such a very pleasant personality and professionalism.

J Sheil

Urmston, Manchester

Catherine booked us the perfect trip. I think this was our 5th booking with Catherine. We wanted somewhere short haul, flat walking, sea view, good weather, easy walking to restaurants, private transfers and only gave her 2 days notice! As always, she pulled it out of the bag and we had a fabulous trip to Mallorca. I hurt my knee whilst away and ended up needing last minute airport assistance on the way home, but by booking through a Travel Counsellor, this was all sorted by making a quick call. I can't recommend Catherine enough. Looking forward to her booking our future trips.

J Middleton

Urmston, Manchester

Would give Catherine an 11 easily. She does so much to help that my travel arrangements go without a hitch. My first go to person - keep up the good work Catherine!

B Talbot

Urmston, Manchester

Catherine has been fantastic and very patient with us changing our minds and giving us different options for holiday needs. I have already recommended her to friends.

L Livesey

Urmston, Manchester

Catherine has been brilliant for us. We messaged her over the Christmas break to help with a family trip for next December. To our surprise she responded almost immediately and her service level was exceptional. Needless to say after Catherine found us the perfect fit we immediately booked. Family of 13.

N Humphries

Tadley, Hampsire

Utterly lovely, Catherine listened and produced the goods. When initial proposed holidays were not quite what we wanted, I refined the brief and then Catherine delivered! Stopped the overwhelm of endless searching, and cross referencing comparison sites and for that alone I recommend.

M Yates

Tamworth, Staffordshire

It's so lovely to decide where you want to go and your preferences for accommodation, travel etc. , contact Catherine and she sorts everything for you perfectly. We have used Catherine for 6 or 7 trips now and it has been superb.

F Youlton

Olney, Buckinghashire

I was impressed that Catherine Mackey had so much knowledge about the Viking Ships and all the facilities, cabins and very useful information of what to expect on arrival and so much more. And, what she didn't know, she found out and got back to us in under 24 hours. She respectfully waited for me to contact her. Which I did and booked a fab cruise.

J Standley

Lymington, Hampshire

Catherine was fantastic helping me to book our holiday for a large group, with many differing needs. She was patient and informative, particularly as it has been some time since we have booked any travel. Thank you Catherine!

L Grindley

Shropshire

Very impressed with understanding our needs and responsiveness. Looking forward to our holiday!

A Dagg

Urmston, Manchester

Great service.

M Guerin

Macclesfield, Cheshire

Wonderful efficient service yet again from Catherine. Holidays are meant to be relaxing and that should start from the booking stage. The only stress we've had is choosing which of the cruise options was the best!

Stuart McNeill

Sale, Cheshire

Very efficient service.

A Comerford

Lymm, Cheshire

I would be very likely to recommend Catherine to my family and friends. She is one in a million, really goes out of her way to make sure you have the best holiday ever, nothing is too much trouble!

B Talbot

Urmston, Manchester

Catherine is always helpful and knowledgeable about where to stay. She has sorted out a train trip for the third time for us. She always finds us great places to stay. I would definitely recommend using Catherine for any holiday needs.

C Nettleton

Knutsford, Cheshire

Catherine offered an excellent zero pressure bespoke service guiding us through the process of booking our dream honeymoon.

L Livesey

Urmston, Manchester

Catherine was fantastic - great knowledge and offered options on hotels and excursions - would definitely recommend using her to friends and family xx

J Thornton

Bolton, Lancashire

Catherine is always our go to travel consultant. She knows our preferences and our “no gos”. Never disappoints.

W Dove

Warrington

Catherine is great at really understanding her clients and their requirements, co-designing itineraries and delivering a highly personalised, bespoke service.

R Laming

Urmston, Manchester

Amazing service! Really excited for our holiday that Catherine helped us plan.

S Hardy

Stretford, Manchester

Catherine takes the stress out of any holiday. She responds promptly, is super organised and solution focussed and keeps you updated throughout. I have absolute confidence in Catherine and her personal touches remembering everything that is important to you makes her like a best friend built over years even though we've never met in person. Thanks Catherine for all you do and making our holidays special and stress free xx

T Lee

Glossop, Derbyshire

Catherine Mackey is lovely, professional and friendly great service.

J Sheil

Urmston, Manchester

Made everything so simple and easy. Very helpful in the process from planning to finalising the booking.

M Chidgey

Sale, Cheshire

So helpful and fantastic to have a personalised service. Booking specific trips can be so challenging so it was awesome that Catherine could take the stress out of and make our holiday anticipation all the more exciting! Thank you x

P Lewis

Belgium

Catherine was brilliant. So helpful, knowledgeable and happy to look at lots of options for us! Thank you!

C Stewart

London

Catherine is always helpful, efficient and friendly.

P Goddard

Sale, Cheshire

Catherine was really good at finding a holiday for me which ticked all the boxes I was looking for. Catherine was quick at responding to my emails and I never felt pressured into booking my holiday.

L Perkins

Sale, Cheshire

Catherine was brilliant she knew exactly what we were looking for in a holiday and put together our dream trip, everything we asked for was included. Catherine exceeded our expectations and I would certainly recommend Catherine’s services to friends and family.

T Tipton

Holmes Chapel, Cheshire

Very easy to use and excellent service.

J Guerin

Macclesfield, Cheshire

Discover the world with me

Escorted & Effortless Tours

Escorted & Effortless Tours

Escorted & Effortless Tours

20 Feb 2026

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Let's plan your dream trip together

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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0161 826 4970

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Finding your match...

Every unforgettable journey starts with the right person by your side.