Most travel agents take your requirements and search for something that matches. We work the other way around.
Our concierge service begins with a proper conversation — about where you want to go, how you like to travel, what matters most to you, and what you'd rather avoid. From that, we design a cruise holiday specifically for you. Not adapted from a template. Not a best fit. Something built around exactly what you've told us.
Once you're happy with the plan, we manage everything — from flights and pre-cruise hotels through to transfers, on-board arrangements and getting you safely home.
We start with a conversation — by phone, video call or email, whichever suits you. We want to understand your travel style, the destinations you're drawn to, your preferred pace of travel, budget range, and anything that would make the trip particularly special. Nothing is too vague at this stage.
Your concierge researches options across cruise lines, itineraries, cabin categories, flights and pre-cruise arrangements — putting together a plan that genuinely fits what you've described. We check timings, connections and logistics before anything reaches you. You receive a considered proposal, not a list of options to work through yourself.
You review the proposal at your own pace. If anything needs adjusting — different dates, different cabin grade, a change of itinerary — we refine it. We only proceed when you're completely happy with the plan and the price.
Once booked, your concierge remains your single point of contact. We monitor schedule changes, liaise with cruise lines and airlines, send timely reminders and are there throughout your trip should anything need attention. You travel. We manage.
Access to your personal concierge
One-off, non-refundable planning fee
The £149 fee gives you dedicated access to your own Distinctive Journeys concierge — a named member of our team who takes personal responsibility for designing and managing your holiday.
It covers the research, design and coordination work that goes into building a holiday properly. This is not a deposit and is not offset against the cost of your cruise.
The fee is non-refundable. It's a commitment from both sides — you're asking us to invest real time in your trip, and we take that seriously. We'll only suggest this service if we're confident we can offer you something genuinely better than booking independently.
Our clients tend to be busy people. We don't expect you to call us between 9 and 5 on a Tuesday. We're flexible — and we'll find a way to talk that actually suits your schedule.
We're based in Plymouth. If you're nearby — or happy to make the trip — we'd love to meet properly over a coffee and talk through what you have in mind. Some conversations are just better in person.
Wherever you are in the UK, we're happy to arrange a Microsoft Teams call at a time that works for you. Early morning, lunchtime, evenings — we'll fit around your diary, not ours.
Prefer to keep things simple? A phone call works just as well, and we're responsive by email too. However you're most comfortable communicating, we'll match it.
We understand that time is often the most valuable thing you have. Once you're a concierge client, your named contact will always aim to respond the same day — including evenings and weekends where possible.
You know roughly what you want but not exactly how to put it together — or whether the pieces will actually connect.
Fly-cruises, back-to-back sailings, extended pre or post-cruise stays — itineraries where timing really matters.
You'd rather speak to one person who already knows you than explain everything fresh to a call centre each time.
Anniversary, milestone birthday, family reunion — trips where getting it right matters more than saving a few pounds.
Reassurance that the whole journey works — not just the cruise itself, but everything around it.
We're a small team who have worked together for over twenty years. We've travelled together, supported each other through life, and looked after the same clients year after year. Many people book with us simply because they know who they're speaking to.
When you contact us, you won't reach a department or be put in a queue. You'll reach someone who already knows your trip, understands your preferences, and remembers your last journey.
You won't need to explain everything again — we already know.
Start the conversationThere's no commitment at the first conversation — just tell us what you're thinking and we'll let you know honestly whether this service is right for you.