Louise Harmer

My favourite aspects of travelling are: exploring the natural environment, discovering unique wildlife, and of course sampling the local cuisine!

My favourite destination

My favourite destination is New Zealand.

I lived there for three years so it holds a special place in my heart. As it is two long thin islands, many of the incredible sights are on the coast so it's a perfect place to cruise!

There is such a variety in this little country so if you love wildlife, wine, coffee, beaches, mountains, history, culture or any one of the above, then you're in for a treat. There's compact and quirky Wellington, Scottish flair in Dunedin, majestic Milford Sound, historic Bay of Islands, and the breathtaking landscapes of, well, everywhere!

Explore New Zealand

My top cruising tip

The key to a great cruise, and indeed any holiday, is planning ahead. Most cruise lines have an online system that you can use to plan each day of your trip.

As soon as you are able to, log into the cruise personaliser and see what's on offer - often you can pre-book excursions, speciality dining and even spa treatments, and if there is something you don't want to miss out on, it pays to book in advance. Even if you don't wish to take the ship's excursions, it can give you some valuable inspiration for what to do in each port of call!

Fact File

Years in travel: 8 years

Years working at Mundy Cruising: I recently joined the Marketing team after being in reservations for 8 years at The Cruise Portfolio.

First cruise: My first cruise was onboard Crystal Serenity in 2012 sailing from Istanbul - I started at the top!

Best cruise dining experience: There have been many outstanding fine dining experiences, but up there with the best is my embarkation day ritual of stepping onboard Crystal, heading to the Trident Bar & Grill and sitting on deck with a casual lunch in the warm air. It means the holiday has begun!

Best non-cruise holiday: A two-week road trip in California. I didn't realise quite how large and varied that state was and we did so much including hiking in the snow in King's Canyon National Park, sweltering in Palm Desert, whale watching in Monterey, driving Big Sur, eating incredible food in San Diego and so much more.

Interesting fact about yourself: Did I mention that I lived in New Zealand for 3 years? My forever fun fact now!

Ocean cruise lines sailed: Crystal Cruises, Paul Gauguin Cruises

Areas you've cruised: Mediterranean, Pacific Islands, Norwegian Fjords, Indian Ocean, South Africa

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