Star Clippers vs Windstar Cruises: Which to choose?
Whether it's the six intimate yachts of Windstar Cruises or the majestic sailing ships of Star Clippers that appeal, we... Read more
Claire Benktander
Marketing Manager
My favourite thing about travel is the people, rituals and customs of somewhere new; I find it fascinating and like to explore as much as possible, whether it's a tiny village or big city.
My favourite destination
My favourite destination is Sweden.
I may be biased as I am half-Swedish, but I truly believe it's an undiscovered gem. You have the beautiful snow-covered Lapland and Northern Lights in the north during winter, but it's summer when the country comes alive - evident in their obsession with Midsummer, the longest day of the year (a magical time to head north to the Midnight Sun).
If you love laid-back cities, medieval towns, seafood, coastal living, swimming and boat trips, then it's perfect choice - Visby on Gotland in Sweden is a real jewel, while Stockholm and Gothenburg offer charming city life with easy access to their outlying archipelagos. And, it's so easy to cruise to other Baltic cities like beautiful Oslo for the gateway to the fjords, lesser-explored Tallin and Riga and stylish Copenhagen, another favourite city of mine.
My top cruising tip
Look for cruises that offer overnights in port or late-night departures to really make the most of the region you're in - and plan ahead!
Fact File
Years in travel: 8 years
Years working at Mundy Cruising: I recently joined the Marketing team.
First job in travel: I worked at Hostelworld, a hostel booking platform for backpackers.
Best cruise dining experience: Up there with the best dining experience I've ever had is dining on board Regent's Seven Seas Splendor and their Pacific Rim pan-Asian fusion restaurant; I still think about the tuna tartare!
Best non-cruise holiday: A month travelling around Thailand and Vietnam. For me, there's not many places that can compare to the culture, history, architecture, cuisine, kindness of the people, beaches - and occasional chaos - of Southeast Asia. I'd go back in a heartbeat!
Interesting fact about yourself: I am bilingual and fluent in Swedish. Sort of a useless language, but interesting nonetheless!
Ocean cruise lines sailed: Seabourn, Ponant
Areas you've cruised: Galapagos, Mediterranean, Caribbean, Northern Europe
My latest articles
7 of the best art cruises & onboard art collections
"Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life," so the saying goes - and even if you're... Read more
The best small ship cruises around the British Isles for 2024/2025 to book now
In the olden days, when explorers would cross vast oceans in search of new lands to plunder, huge swathes of... Read more
