Sent by Lesley Carpenter
Surrey 15/03/2026
Based In Guernsey
Hello and welcome, I am Fiona, your personal Travel Counsellor.
I have lived in Guernsey for most of my life, with a chapter spent in London before I took time out in 2003 to travel the world. That trip cemented what I had always known: travel is my true passion.
Before becoming a Travel Counsellor I worked as an Accountant for 22 years. The numbers were important, but my heart was always in holiday planning. In 2019 I decided to follow my dreams and joined Travel Counsellors through their Academy, bringing my eye for detail and organisation into a career that genuinely excites me.
I have been fortunate to visit many wonderful destinations, but my favourite place in the world is Walt Disney World in Florida. I am a complete Disney fanatic and my mission is to visit every Disney theme park worldwide. I also have a real love of cruising and have enjoyed Caribbean, Norwegian Fjords and Mediterranean cruises with my family.
I am married with two daughters, Chloe and Holly, who are now 16 and 14. Many of my happiest memories have been made while travelling together, and that is exactly what I want to create for you and your loved ones.
The best thing about being a Travel Counsellor is that every new enquiry gives me the same buzz I feel when I am booking my own holiday. I care deeply about finding the right trip for you, and I put the same time, thought and attention into your plans as I do into my own. It does not cost you anything extra to book through me, but you gain my knowledge, my support and the benefit of having someone who does all the hard work for you. I know how precious your time is, so I save you the hassle of trawling the internet and bring everything together for you instead.
I am also proud to be a Travel Counsellors Disney Ambassador. This recognises my passion and expertise for all things Disney and means I support other Travel Counsellors in creating magical Disney holidays for their customers too.
Whether you are dreaming of Disney, setting sail on a cruise or planning a relaxing beach escape or family adventure, I would be delighted to help.
Get in touch and let us start planning your perfect trip together.
Surrey 15/03/2026
Guernsey 14/03/2026
Guernsey 01/03/2026
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Guernsey 31/01/2026
Guernsey 17/10/2025
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Guernsey 26/09/2025
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Guernsey 28/05/2025
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United Kingdom 10/09/2024
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West Sussex 04/05/2023
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UK 08/09/2022
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England 30/04/2022
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Guernsey 14/02/2022
Guernsey 04/11/2021
Guernsey 05/10/2021
Guernsey 22/02/2020
Guernsey 19/02/2020
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Guernsey 30/01/2020
Guernsey 23/01/2020
Guernsey 17/01/2020
I absolutely live and breathe travel and I love to write about my experiences! Please take a look through my posts - you might find your own holiday inspiration.
17 October 2023
This is a ‘Premier’ hotel at Universal Orlando Resort, which basically means it is one of the top 3 hotels on site, and when you stay here you receive the Express Pass for free which allows you to skip the lines in the Universal Parks. This was our 2nd stay here (with the first being 2017) and there had been a few changes. The lobby had moved around a bit and the grab and go marketplace had also
19 September 2023
Disney’s Port Orleans Resort French Quarter – review Port Orleans French Quarter is one of the smallest resorts on Walt Disney World property and is classed as a Moderate resort. The theming is based on the romance and pageantry of New Orleans historic French Quarter with cobblestone streets, gas lamps, wrought-iron balconies and mardi-gras characters. This resort is very relaxing and laid-back
20 June 2023
I was fortunate enough to be invited to spend 7 nights on board Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 on a Norwegian Fjords itinerary to experience the Cunard brand, the ship, and the shore experiences that are on offer. I was pleased when I received this invitation because after cruising a lot with Royal Caribbean with my family, I wanted to see for myself how different Cunard is, in terms of service, ship facil
15 May 2022
Following on from Part 2, after eating all the food and drinking all the cocktails... We ate our dinner tonight in the Windjammer, on the basis of we’d had a large lunch, so we could just have a small amount to eat up here… I still had to be rolled out! I opted for the freshly made stir-fry with noodles which they made in front of me. I chose what I wanted in my stir-fry - chicken, baby corn, bea
15 May 2022
Following on from part 1... We ate in the main dining room this evening. I was not hungry after a rather large, late lunch in the Windjammer! But I forced myself to eat a 3 course meal in here purely for research purposes ?? It did not disappoint. I had the French Onion soup for starter, which was one of the nicest I have ever had, with so much flavour and of course the delicious cheesy topped c
12 May 2022
Let me introduce you to Royal Caribbean’s latest ship – Wonder of the Seas. The new largest cruise ship in the world. Just taking the record from their previous ship, Symphony of the Seas. Fortunately I have already spent a week on sister ship Symphony of the Seas back in 2018 – her first season in service – so I kind of knew what to expect when I met Wonder, given that they are the same class in
07 December 2021
After 5 nights at the Moon Palace Grand we checked out and headed up the coast right to the top of the hotel strip, to the Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Resort. As we approached this part of the coastline, we were met with the most stunning turquoise blue sea that I have ever seen. This area of Cancun is definitely different to where we had just spent the previous 5 days. For a start there a
07 December 2021
In November 2021 I had the opportunity to travel to Mexico and stay in two different resorts in Cancun – The Moon Palace Grand, located about 10 minutes drive south of Cancun International Airport, and The Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach, located right at the very top of the hotel strip. Both resorts are very different, and the areas that they are located are also very different too. Firstly
17 August 2021
Waking up on day 2, we hadn't been told where we were sailing to on this 2 night trip, all we knew was that we weren't stopping anywhere to get off during this time. We just so happened to be moored just off Weymouth, alongside two other P&O ships. We got up and went to Horizon, which in non-Covid times, would be the buffet restaurant. We were shown to our table, and then went straight to the foo
13 August 2021
Arriving at the port of Southampton I did feel a little emotional. After cruises being cancelled for 16 or so months, dropping our cases off at the bag drop point made what had previously felt very surreal, feel very real! I couldn't believe I was actually going on a cruise after all this time! It has been 2 years for me since I last went on a cruise ship, and after having several holidays cancell
06 January 2021
Have you always been wanting to try a cruise, but been overwhelmed by the amount of cruise lines there are and don’t know which one is for you? Well here is my guide! Are you worried about getting seasick? Out of all of the cruises I’ve taken, I’ve only felt seasick once, and that was on the way back to New York from the Caribbean we had to take a detour due to a storm and so we were skirting ar
12 October 2020
A holiday to Orlando is expensive when you factor in park tickets, food, merchandise etc. Some people think your hotel is just a place to sleep. I disagree. Visiting the theme parks is exhausting, and we like to factor in rest days, so for us, a nice hotel with decent facilities and a great pool, is very important. Personally we like to stay in a moderate resort (see yesterday’s blog for ideas of
09 October 2020
Orlando is on a lot of people’s bucket list, especially if you have children, and often it is a once in a lifetime experience. My last post was all about where to stay if you are visiting Orlando on a tight budget, so this blog is going to be all about where to stay if you want something a little bit more medium budget. There are so many options, and it comes down to personal choice, and whether
08 October 2020
Over the next few days I’m going to focus on Orlando (as that is my favourite place to go!). I understand different people have different budgets, so I’m going to choose different options for different wallets. All will be based on a family of 4, but I can tailor make these holidays to suit any family, whether you are a family of 5, 6 or even if you are a multigenerational family looking for tha
10 July 2020
With so many accommodation options to choose from in Orlando, I have put together this helpful factsheet which should hopefully help you to choose the best option for you and your family. Option 1 - stay in a villa Advantages: • Private pool • Freedom and privacy • Your own transport (hire car) • Cheapest option • Great option for large, multi-generational families and groups of friends Disadva
29 January 2020
Are you planning a holiday to Walt Disney World in Orlando? Are you having the dilemma of where to stay? Onsite on Disney property? Or offsite in a villa or hotel? I have come up with the pros and cons of each option, in order to help you make your decision. Benefits of staying onsite 1. Transportation When you are staying in the Disney bubble, you have access to numerous methods of transporta
23 January 2020
Walt Disney World, Orlando – Onsite V Offsite Are you planning a holiday to Walt Disney World in Orlando? Are you having the dilemma of where to stay? Onsite on Disney property? Or offsite in a villa or hotel? I have come up with the pros and cons of each option, in order to help you make your decision. Benefits of staying onsite 1. Transportation – When you are staying in the Disney bubble, you
08 January 2020
Walt Disney World – with children or without? Disney isn’t just for children; it is for the child within you too. I took my children (then aged 6 and 8) to Disney World, Florida, in 2017. We had an amazing time, came back with some fantastic memories. But it left me wanting to go back without them! Not because I hate them! But because I wanted to take my time and absorb the details. That is what
22 December 2019
1. The service From the minute you arrive at the port to the minute you return to the port. When you arrive at the port the porters take your luggage either from your car if you are driving, or from your taxi where you are dropped off. As you enter the port terminal the staff there greet you and are so welcoming. They make you feel special as soon as they meet you from the staff in the terminal b
06 November 2019
Having experienced 3 cruise holidays previously, one Caribbean and two Mediterranean, I was keen to test out sailing from Southampton. With no flights to take to meet the ship, and travelling with two children, I couldn’t wait to see how convenient this was (not to mention how much extra luggage I could take!) It turned out to be a dream. We stayed in an apartment near to the port the night befor
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