Mandy Oldknow
My expertise
I'm based in
Alfreton
Cruise specialist & creator of memory making holidays
Hi, I’m Mandy: cruise specialist, Disney lover, professional holiday planner, and someone who still genuinely gets excited helping people book trips they have been dreaming about.
If you are here, you are probably thinking about your next adventure… but also discovering that planning it can go from exciting to “why are there 42 cabin categories?” surprisingly quickly.
Do not worry: that is exactly what I am here for.
Travel has been my world since I was 17, when I started on a YTS scheme and quickly realised this industry was exactly where I was meant to be.
Since then, I have spent my career turning travel ideas into real experiences: from cruise clubs and group sailings to Alaska and the Caribbean, to helping people discover just how brilliant cruising can be.
Why I love cruise holidays
For me, cruising has never just been about the ship.
It is about waking up somewhere new: glacier‑carved fjords one day, turquoise Caribbean waters the next. It is uninterrupted family time, proper switch‑off moments, and wildlife you previously only saw in documentaries.
One of my favourite parts of the job is seeing someone go from “cruises are not for me” to completely hooked after finding the right ship and itinerary for them.
My personal happy place: sitting at the back of the ship at sunset watching the wake trail behind us, or enjoying a lazy sea day in the sunshine between adventures ashore.
How I plan holidays
I have always believed the best holidays are not about ticking sights off a list.
They are about moments and memories:
Seeing glaciers in Alaska for the first time
Sailing quietly into a Norwegian fjord early in the morning
Watching your child experience somewhere completely new
Or simply having uninterrupted time together away from everyday life
When I am planning a trip, I take time to understand what matters most to you. That might be wildlife, family time, sunshine, food, sea days or adventure.
From there, I help match you with the right ship, destination, hotel, cabin and pace of itinerary so everything feels right from the start.
And yes: I handle the logistics and little details too, so you can focus on the excitement rather than the admin.
A few things about me
My slightly unusual travel essential is a rubber portable diffuser that fits hotel hairdryers. Glamorous? No. Essential? Absolutely.
I love a sunshine Caribbean sea day just as much as a dramatic fjord sail‑in.
I am far more interested in how somewhere feels than how many “must see” sights we can tick off.
Connor would happily rate destinations purely on the availability of American‑style food.
What is on my own bucket list?
Returning to Alaska, Antarctica for whales and penguins, Borneo for rainforest wildlife, and another visit to Singapore so Connor can finally experience all the zoos after our far‑too‑short stop there years ago.
And if I won the lottery tomorrow, I would like to pretend I would quietly visit every Disney park in the world…
Realistically, though, there would definitely be signs. Probably ears too.
Why clients choose to work with me
The thing I value most is not sales figures: it is people.
It is the conversations, the trust, and the messages saying:
“We booked because of you.”
I think that is why clients choose to work with me. Not just because I know cruises and travel inside out, but because I genuinely care about finding the right holiday for the right person.
Whether you are looking for a cruise, a Disney holiday, a wildlife adventure or simply a trip that feels effortless and completely right for you, I would love to help you plan it.
Ready to start planning?
If you are thinking about your next holiday or have a dream trip in mind, I would love to hear from you.
Get in touch to arrange a no‑obligation chat and let us create something unforgettable together.
Travel guides
Explore my guides and blogs
My First Trip as a Dairy Free Traveller
Travelling Dairy Free for the First Time
26 May 2026 5 min read
Douro Valley & Salamanca River Cruise – My First-Hand Experience
On 22nd July, I set off on a fam trip to discover one of the most scenic and culturally rich cruise itineraries out there – the Douro Valley & Salamanca river cruise. It wasn’t a holiday (although it often felt like one), but a chance to experience the trip first-hand so I can share it confidently with you. Getting There – Easy Start to Porto I caught the train from Alfreton to Manchester Airpor
01 Sept 2025 5 min read
Fridtjof Nansen
As promised, here’s a little bit about the incredible man behind the name Fridtjof Nansen – the inspiration for the beautiful HX expedition ship I visited recently. Nansen was a true pioneer. He was the first person to cross Greenland on skis, led daring Arctic expeditions, and even tried to reach the North Pole back in the 1890s. But he wasn’t just an explorer—he was also a scientist, a diplomat
29 May 2025 5 min read
A Two Day Adventure in Hamburg: Exploring the Fridtjof Nansen with HX Hurtigruten Expeditions
Recently, I had the opportunity to spend two exciting days in Hamburg for a very special reason—an exclusive visit to the HX expedition ship Fridtjof Nansen. From start to finish, it was a fantastic trip filled with culture, camaraderie, and a deep dive into one of the most innovative expedition cruise experiences on the water today. Day 1: Arrival and Exploring Hamburg. Our journey began at He
29 May 2025 5 min read
A Surprising Day Onboard Ambassador Ambition in Liverpool
I’ll be honest – when I first heard about Ambassador Cruise Line, I wasn’t entirely convinced. A newer name on the UK cruise scene, offering traditional cruising at what seemed like too-good-to-be-true prices... I wondered if it would live up to the standard I’ve come to expect from other cruise lines. But after stepping onboard Ambition in Liverpool, I’m holding my hands up – I was wrong. Very
25 Apr 2025 5 min read
A Day in Ghent – Shore Excursion from Zeebrugge with NCL
While sailing on the beautiful Norwegian Aqua, we docked in Zeebrugge and opted for a shore excursion to the charming Belgian city of Ghent. Having all visited Bruges several times (I was only there last September on a Disney cruise!), we decided to try something different—and I’m so glad we did! We booked the organised tour through NCL at $61.00 per person. It was a five-hour trip in total, with
22 Apr 2025 5 min read
Solo Travel: Why You Shouldn’t Be Afraid to Explore Alone
Travelling alone can seem daunting, especially if you’ve never done it before. The idea of navigating unfamiliar places without a companion might feel overwhelming, but solo travel can be one of the most rewarding and liberating experiences of your life. With the right approach, you can enjoy all the benefits of travel without the worries. One concern many solo travellers face is the cost. It oft
01 Mar 2025 5 min read
Less than 24 hours in Amsterdam
I started the trip on a morning flight out of Leeds Bradford with KLM. The flight only took only 50 minutes and was so efficient, by the time the crew had served the free drink and snack, it was time for your tray tables to be stowed away again for landing. The direct train from Schiphol airport to Amsterdam Centraal takes around 16 minutes and is 5.90 Euros. The best thing about it is you can bu
08 Apr 2024 5 min read
We saw the pandas on our first visit.
If you follow me on Facebook it’s likely you will know that Connor wants to be a zoo keeper. It’s great that he knows what he wants to do, and it also means we get to visit lots of places, so he can gain as much experience as possible. This week we were in Edinburgh in the sunshine. We have East Midlands on our doorstep and as we can fly to Edinburgh in only 55 minutes it was the obvious way to
18 Jun 2018 5 min read
My visit to Reubens Retreat
Today I made the journey from Alfreton along the beautiful Derbyshire roads to Glossop to visit Reubens Retreat. Reubens Retreat is not just a building, it’s an amazing charity that came out of tragedy and is close to the hearts of myself and all my fellow Travel Counsellors. I have been wanting to visit for a long time, but you know how it is, life sometimes gets in the way. This time nothing
18 Jun 2018 5 min read
Remastered Queen Mary 2
Queen Mary 2, Cunard’s flagship is a fabulous cruise liner, like nothing else at sea, she isn’t just a cruise ship. I was lucky enough to sail transatlantic from Southampton to New York when QM2 was a very new ship. I was so excited, and I have to say the trip was everything I hoped it would be. Room service hot chocolate every morning on my balcony before eggs benedict for breakfast in the res
29 Jan 2018 5 min read
It's all about the coffee
For Christmas my brother bought me a coffee machine, one of those with the pods you pop in. A lovely present you say, well yes, it is, but until then I didn’t drink coffee. I have now got a collection of different coffees that I have been trying out and after buzzing and a few late nights due to caffeine overload, I have worked out my favourite is the ‘skinny latte macchiato’ So, why am I tell
29 Jan 2018 5 min read
We walked the Walk
After 5 nights chilling at the JA Palm Tree Court it was time to move on and see more of Dubai. JA Ocean View is modern sleek 4 star hotel on the The Walk at JBR minutes from the beach, shops and many restaurants. I did look at the hotel on the website before we travelled and I honestly can’t believe it looks exactly like the pictures in real life. The bright white reception is just immacula
14 Sept 2017 5 min read
Yes it's hot, but we would do it all again
Who in their right mind goes to Dubai in July? I heard that a lot leading up to our trip. I was even saying it myself as we sat on the plane at Birmingham before take-off. I soon forgot about it as we sat in our row of two seats on the Emirates flight watching movies and chilling out. The flight was great and the staff attentive, and we were in Dubai in no time or so it seemed. We were met a
25 Aug 2017 5 min read
Princess Family Visit
Well it’s only 12 months since the last time I visited Caribbean Princess in Liverpool and I’m back here again, but this time it’s different for two reasons. 1. Caribbean Princess has had a refit 2. I’ve brought Connor with me. This is Princess Cruises first Family ship visit, so how could we not come along? The format of a normal agent visit it to see the cabins to show us the differenc
25 Aug 2017 5 min read
Scarborough, Whitby and the Seagulls
It’s no secret that I’m not into self-catering, I’m not a fan of cooking at home, so why would I do it on my holidays. This summer though we have been on not one cottage break, but two. The first one was a prize via a Cunard Cruise Line competition. It said win a luxury family break, so the last thing I was expecting was a cottage, well would you? I was asked when and where in the UK I wante
07 Aug 2017 5 min read
The new look Oriana
The first time I saw Oriana she was brand new, that was back in 1994, so it was great to visit after her latest refit. I make no secret that I love a traditional cruise ship, so although I can’t travel on Oriana on my holidays asConnor isn’t old enough yet, I really do think she is a beautiful ship. It’s good to see that tradition hasn’t been lost in the refit, she has just been enhanced for
01 May 2017 5 min read
Kotor, Montenegro
Kotor is a place I have seen on many cruise itineraries I have booked for clients, but that is really all I knew about, so I was eager to explore on my recent visit. We set our alarm, ordered room service for breakfast and made sure we were on the first tender of the day. The tender was actually local boats rather then lifeboats, so it meant that everyone had a great view of the ship. I must ha
01 May 2017 5 min read
Majestic Princess lives up to her name
When I was asked if I would like to be one of the first passengers to sail onboard Princess Cruises' brand new flag ship Majestic Princess, I didn’t hesitate - I was already mentally picking out my evening dress and shoes. On Friday 31st March Captain Dino Sagani took the helm of his brand new ship and we sailed out of his home town of Trieste with what looked like the whole of the town coming
01 May 2017 5 min read
MS Amsterdam in Singapore
When I usually go to visit a ship it’s somewhere in the UK, so I was very happy to get the chance to visit Holland America Lines flagship MS Amsterdam in Singapore while she was visiting as part of her 2017 World cruise. MS Amsterdam is a mid-sized ship carrying 1380 passengers, but while we were on-board most of them were enjoying the sights of Singapore. We had a tour of the ship, visiting
18 Mar 2017 5 min read
I'm not a golfer, but are you?
Whether for business or for pleasure a round of golf brings a smile to the faces of many people young or old. It’s a game I’ve never tried, but always thought I should. The weather in the UK doesn’t make me want to rush out onto the fairway, but maybe somewhere with a little bit more sunshine could tempt me. The Algarve, Portugal has long been a golfer's favourite destination, especially the
02 Mar 2017 5 min read
Theatre snob
Yes, as the title suggests I am a terrible theatre snob, not about the show itself as I'm open to seeing anything and everything, but for me it's all about the seat I'm sitting in. Our local theatre is Nottingham Theatre Royal and I have my favourite seats. I'm not going to tell you the exact numbers as they are mine, but they are front or second row, centre dress circle. It's not just my l
06 Dec 2016 5 min read
Oceania Nautica with a side order of Versace
I have waited a long time to see an Oceania ship, I’m glad to say it was worth the wait. When I got my joining instructions I did smile to myself, this is what it said. The day will consist of a tour of Oceania Nautica, followed by a six-course gourmet lunch comprising of dishes from our various dining venues. What’s not to love? Now, you have to note at this point that Oceania Cruises are n
30 Nov 2016 5 min read
CLIA Cruise Conference
I have just spent a great few days at the 10th annual Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) conference in Southampton. CLIA is an independent organisation that bring together cruise lines, travel agents and associated travel partners and are dedicated to the expansion of ocean and river cruise holidays. My first cruise was on board a school cruise trip around Greece and Egypt when I
16 Nov 2016 5 min read
Jersey Boys and an open top bus
It’s 24th August at 7:45am and we have just boarded the train from Alfreton to London. I’m looking forward to these three days because it’s not just me and Connor, we are bringing along my mum and my niece Danielle. This will be Danielle’s first visit, so Connor is eager to show her all his favourite places. It’s a non-stop first day. We went straight to our hotel. Thistle Royal Trafalgar is
19 Oct 2016 5 min read
Aladdin the musical & chasing Pokemon
It’s hard not to love everything Disney, so when I heard on the radio they were bringing Aladdin the Musical from Broadway to the West End, I knew we had to see it. I got our tickets booked within an hour of them going on sale and was very excited to get a forward facing box in the dress circle. Connor has always wanted to sit in a box. We set off early from our hotel in Elstree on a mission to
23 Aug 2016 5 min read
Seabourn Quest in Dover
After a very long drive and an overnight stay in Dover, I opened my curtains this morning and saw what I have waited years to see. Today was the day I was visiting a Seabourn ship. I have to admit to being a little excited. Seabourn Quest was built in 2011, but she could be a brand new ship, as soon as you step on board you feel the stresses of everyday life just melt away. The beauty of this
23 Aug 2016 5 min read
Cruise & Maritimes Magellan in Tilbury
Another day another cruise terminal, this time Tilbury or to give its full title ‘The London International Cruise Terminal’. A beautiful building somewhere in Essex. I was here to visit Cruise and Maritimes latest addition to the fleet, Magellan. This was my first time on board a C&M ship and I came with an open mind. I had no idea what to expect as the cruise fares are sometimes so cheap, it
21 Aug 2016 5 min read
MS Koningsdam at the Port of Tyne
My first visit to the Port of Tyne was, I’m happy to say, in glorious sunshine. To make sure I made it on time I decided on an overnight stay at the Premier Inn, which was so close to the port I could almost walk to the ship, but I didn’t. Holland America’s newest ship MS Koningsdam was the reason to my trip up north. I have seen other HAL ships old and new, but was especially looking forward t
21 Aug 2016 5 min read
Caribbean Princess in Liverpool
Liverpool Cruise Terminal is maybe not what I expected, but the welcome was superb. The terminal is really just a big tent and it’s within walking distance to everything the city has to offer. No expensive excursions for those lucky passengers arriving on board Caribbean Princess today. Over the years I have seen and sailed on many Princess ships, but it has been a while, so I thought it would
21 Aug 2016 5 min read
Blackpool in the sunshine
Who would have thought a week in Blackpool wouldn't be long enough? Whatever the weather it’s a great place to be, with so many things to see and do for all the family. The whole point of the trip was for Connor to spend the day at Blackpool Zoo being a sea lion trainer (yes, really) but we wanted to see the sights. I decided to go the whole hog and get the big ticket giving us access to
18 Aug 2016 5 min read
In complete Harmony
Harmony of the Seas is the largest and most expensive cruise liner in the world and I was lucky enough to be invited on-board for the weekend by Royal Caribbean, WOW. I hope you enjoy reading my notes and seeing my photos. It has been described as the ‘ultimate ship’ and at 227,000 gross tones carrying up to 5,497 guests with 2,300 international crew members it has 18 decks and 24 elevators, 20 r
23 May 2016 5 min read
What destinations are on your holiday bucket list?
Have you ever written down or even told anyone else what is on your holiday bucket list? I haven’t, but since Connors leg surgery I have had lots of sleepless nights, so I decided to write my top 5 down and share them. 1. New York. I’ve been a couple of times before, I’ve sailed in on-board Queen Mary 2, which was amazing, I’ve stood on top of the twin towers and I’ve done the helicopte
04 Sept 2015 5 min read
Holidays as a single working mum
Planning a holiday with a child can seem a little daunting when you’re a single parent. I understand this as I am a single working mum to Connor who’s 12. I plan and book all our escapes but also offer lots of insights and advice to other parents in a similar position to me. It’s a case of getting creative and after many years in the travel industry I have loads of ideas and little tips which c
03 Sept 2013 5 min read
West End Calling
Well it’s August again and time for our now annual trip to London for a West End show. It’s the third year that my son Connor and I have headed to the capital for a few days of fun. I know it’s not a relaxing trip and it makes your feet ache, but there is nothing better than taking in the sights and sounds of London. We stayed at our favourite hotel, The Cumberland at Marble Arch. You just can’t b
22 Aug 2013 5 min read
Legoland Windsor
Well what can I say about Legoland? My son Connor thinks it's the best place on Earth and that’s why this was our eighth visit. This year it was different as we went on the Star Wars weekend. These are his two favourite things in the world and for them to be happening together meant he was a very happy child and he wasn't the only one. Legoland is a great family theme park for the young chil
14 Sept 2011 5 min read
Videos
Discover the world with me
There's a lot of world out there.
Let me put together your perfect trip
01 Jan 2024
South America- Colombia
Take a look at some of the sights in Columbia. Is it on your 'to do' list?
10 Sept 2022
My BBC TV debut
Thank you to BBC East Midlands Today for my 22 seconds on fame.
05 Aug 2021
I'll be there for you
I hope you enjoy reliving your travel memories with us as you watch our film, and when you’re ready to travel again I’ll be here for you,
07 Apr 2021
A World of Good
Let me take you somewhere good, somewhere you can enjoy while helping the local people who depend on travellers.
27 Dec 2020
5 reasons to trust me with your travel plans.
Now more than ever, when booking travel, you need to make sure you have a trusted travel professional.
24 Dec 2020
Beyond the Horizon
It's time to start dreaming of holidays for next year and the years to come.
08 Oct 2020
Trusted Travel
Trust me to be with you every step of the way from the first step in planning until you are back home from your amazing holiday. I have you covered.
07 Oct 2020
20 years as a Travel Counsellor
It's hard to believe, but today is my 20th Travel Counsellor anniversary.
21 Sept 2020
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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.
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