Karen Dormady
My expertise
I'm based in
Ashford
It's Nice To Meet You
Hello, my name is Karen and I live in Ashford, Kent with my husband, and would like to thank you for taking the time to visit my webpage.
Ever since my first school trip to Paris aged 10, I have had a passion for travel. I have enjoyed seeing new places, cultures, sharing experiences and making many wonderful memories along the way.
I have been fortunate enough to visit many destinations in the Caribbean, Baltic, Mediterranean, Africa, Europe and Japan. I have been lucky enough to see the Northern Lights in Lapland, go on safari in Africa, but have been equally fulfilled relaxing on a beach!
I have been on numerous skiing holidays and love cruising, which opened up a whole new world of seeing cities around Europe, North America, Canada, Japan and Russia as well as completing the transatlantic crossing to the Caribbean and back from New York.
My most memorable destination will have to be Chateau Lake Louise in the Rocky Mountains, Canada because I got married here in the ice castle on the frozen lake!
I know how precious time is to everyone! That is where I can assist in organising every aspect of your travel arrangements for you, whether it is a short haul flight, a UK break or a bespoke holiday of a lifetime. You can also be confident in the knowledge that you will be 100% financially protected through Travel Counsellors Financial Trust and ATOL.
I am available anytime when convenient to you, to discuss your travel arrangements, nothing will be too much trouble. With over 30 years of experience in customer service, I pride myself on meticulous attention to detail and the highest level of professional and personal service.
I look forward to hearing from soon and to discuss your travel plans!
Travel guides
Explore my guides and blogs
Tales of the Unexpected
Ever wondered about a Warner’s Leisure break? Coach loads of retirees looking for a quiet location, lots of food, an afternoon tea dance with tunes from days gone by. Well that’s what I thought it would be anyway! My parents wanted to go to celebrate their 75th birthdays, so we booked a four-day trip to Hayling Island on the south coast near Portsmouth for one of their Turkey and Tinsel weekend
23 Dec 2019 5 min read
Rocky Rails and Fishy Tails part 3
Meanwhile back on the ship, the rest of the family happily carried on cruising. Here are the tales from the family: All of the family went to The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show in Ketchikan and said it is a must see. The history of the logging towns bought to life with real lumberjacks, Axe throwing, Pole climbing, Log running and speed cutting with chainsaws. There are many wonderful excursio
23 Dec 2019 4 min read
Rocky Rails and Fishy Tails part 2
As we got all the bags packed into two taxis to pick up the BC Ferries Connector coach to head back to Vancouver to the Cruise Terminal, memories of the past few days were discussed and the excitement of what was to come was evident. The expression of wonder on the children’s faces as we approached The Royal Princess, was another memory to cherish. 142,229 Tonnes, 1,083 feet long, 217 feet tall,
23 Dec 2019 3 min read
Rocky Rails and Fishy Tails part 1
A trip of a lifetime to celebrate a 50th wedding anniversary With family across two continents, not knowing where the party should be, the grey skies of the UK or the sun scorched African plains. I spoke to my sister and she said “just ask mum” so that I did! The decision was Canada and Alaska! Organising Mum and Dad - easy, getting my sister and family from Zambia to Alaska - a little more effo
21 Dec 2019 4 min read
The Maldives - Paradise part 2
Once in Male the seaplane check in desks are right outside the arrivals area. We were met and taken there to check in our luggage and then taken on a 10-minute bus ride to the seaplane terminal. The seaplane experience itself was amazing. It only seats 13 people, is a little cosy and noisy, but the views were absolutely stunning. Niyama Private Island is spread over 2 islands, Play and Chill conn
05 Nov 2019 4 min read
The Maldives - Paradise part 1
You can either fly direct from London, which is a 10-hour flight, alternatively, if you wish to break the journey up you could opt for an indirect flight. We took an indirect flight via Dubai with only a 1 ½ hours layover. You arrive in Male where you either pick up your speedboat or seaplane transfer or a domestic flight. The first destination we stayed at was Anantara Dhigu. After being warmly
05 Nov 2019 3 min read
Danube River Cruise
We had an early flight from Heathrow to Vienna on Austrian Airlines, whom I had never flown with before, but was very impressed with. The plane was spacious, and the staff were very friendly. On arrival in Vienna we had a short transfer to the ship, The Amadeus Queen. A few minutes to drop our luggage into our cabins and then we were off into the centre of Vienna for a couple of hours walking tour
03 Nov 2019 4 min read
Cruise Lines International Association Annual Conference 2019
For me, the excitement and anticipation of the new Celebrity Cruises ship ‘Edge’ at the Travel Counsellors annual conference back in November 2018. Despite being launched around the same time, it wasn’t until May that she reached the UK – six months later - and I was one of the lucky ones to get the chance to go on-board to have a look round. It was an early pick up on the Wednesday morning to g
30 May 2019 4 min read
Stunning Sicily
For my husband's birthday we spent a few days with lovely friends who live in the south east of Sicily, in the hills between Siracusa and Noto. Sicily is a fascinating island, the largest in the Mediterranean, with a mild climate, colourful history and a wealth of visitor attractions. The first couple of days we spent relaxing at their house, enjoying the beautiful scenery and walking the dogs.
13 Apr 2019 4 min read
Family Fun in Zambia
Our first task was to create costumes for my niece and nephew for their show jumping show which took place during our first weekend. The theme was movies. My nephew decided that he wanted to be Maverick from Top Gun and my niece wanted to be one of the pink ladies from Grease. It was a team effort, my sister, my mother in law and my husband set to work to transform a horse into a fighter jet and t
06 Mar 2019 5 min read
A few days in Doha, Qatar
A few days in Doha, Qatar - Karen Dormady An early start, arriving at Heathrow at 5.30am to catch a flight to Doha for a busy but amazing few days. It was my first flight with Qatar Airways, and I can honestly say that it was the best experience in economy class that I have ever had. I was very lucky to be staying at the Grand Hyatt hotel which is on the shoreline of the West Bay Lagoon dist
20 Feb 2019 3 min read
Celebrity Cruises Seminar at Sea
A beautifully calm evening sailing out of Southampton on board Celebrity Silhouette. On our first evening we were treated to a delicious meal in the main restaurant. We then all headed to the Karaoke bar for a fun evening. Our first day was at sea, spent ‘in the classroom’ learning everything there was to know about Celebrity Cruises and what it has to offer. The different classes of ship, amen
03 Jan 2019 3 min read
Lapland
The summer holidays are over and soon everyone will be talking about C……..! Which for me is a great reminder of one of our fantastic trips to Lapland. On this occasion there were 24 of us on our annual group skiing holiday! We had two cosy, adjoining catered chalets in the woods, each with a log fire and a sauna. It wasn’t until we had the meet and greet with our reps, that we realised that the
02 Sept 2018 4 min read
City Break to Baltimore
After a very comfortable flight in Business Class we arrived in Baltimore, where we were met by our host and taken to our hotel, The Lord Baltimore. This is an historic hotel in the downtown area. The rooms are spacious, with a good-sized bathroom, plenty of storage space and very comfortable beds! After a quick change we headed up to its Sky Bar on the top of the building for a cheeky cocktail an
14 Jul 2018 4 min read
Norwegian Bliss Inaugural Cruise
After an early flight from Stanstead to Hamburg, where I met one of my colleagues, and then a couple of hours on a coach through the beautiful German countryside, we arrived in Bremerhaven early afternoon, where The Beautiful Norwegian Bliss was waiting for us. Norwegian Cruise Lines had only taken delivery of her at 9.30am that very morning! We stepped on board and the first thing that I notic
01 Jun 2018 3 min read
Flotilla Holiday around the Greek Islands
Our friends have progressed from kayak to dingy to a small touring sailing boat and now they are lucky enough to have a 30-foot sailing yacht. Having been out with them for a couple of exciting trips around the north Kent coast and across the Thames to Essex, although the Kent coast is a beautiful area to sail, there was a certain appeal of a flotilla holiday in the Mediterranean around the Greek
23 Mar 2018 4 min read
Snowmageddon
The winter snows may be melting away, but the fond memories of snow-capped mountains are never far from my mind. For many years I have always wondered if I can still fit into my stylish ski wear and every year I manage it, just! Some of the best holidays have been with our close friends whether it has been a small family group with the niece and nephew or to the epic group holidays of 24+. Ther
15 Feb 2018 3 min read
Mediterranean Cruise
How time flies – it only seems a couple of months ago that we were enjoying cruising around the Med. We flew out to beautiful Malta to meet our P&O ship Oceana, where glorious warm sunny weather greeted us. We were soon on board, unpacked and it wasn’t too long before we were enjoying our first drink out on deck admiring the beautiful port of Valletta. My husband was soon reminiscing about his ‘la
02 Feb 2018 3 min read
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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.
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.
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