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About Catherine

Hi, my name is Catherine. I have worked in the travel sector now for just over 20 years, specialising in both luxury land-based holidays and luxury cruise.

My passion for travel began at a very young age when I travelled to both India and Pakistan with my family. I lived in Lahore for a while, attending a school with the local children. Being immersed in different cultures and visiting some amazing places along the way started my lifelong love of travel. This childhood experience provided me with the motivation and desire to explore the world in any way that I could! After studying Fashion and Design at University, I realised that my passion in life was travel, so I decided to take the plunge and apply for my first travel job!

While working for the UK’s largest tour operator I gained significant expertise in selling worldwide travel experiences, specifically in the luxury tailor-made travel. This provided me with opportunities to visit destinations where I have previously sold holidays to. I then went on to specialise in luxury cruise, where I have built up over 13 years of experience. This has enabled to me combine both my love of land-based holidays and cruising; the perfect combination!

Working at Panache Cruises

We have a great team here at Panache Cruises and strive to offer the customer the very best service possible. James is a great boss, and a great believer in the customer journey.  This allows us to spend time putting together the perfect package and servicing that booking from beginning to end. Having that one-to-one relationship and ensuring the customer is happy with every part of the process is extremely important. Our main aim is to have a customer for life. If all our customers come away happy and wish to return to book with us again then we have done our job well!

Expert Knowledge

I specialise in Elite Ocean and Yacht-Style cruising, with a particular focus on Silversea, Oceania, Crystal, and Windstar Cruises. I love the feel of smaller ships, and the more tranquil ambience you get on board. For this reason I love intimate yacht-style cruises, such as the Scenic Eclipse, the epitome of ultra-modern luxury, or the more authentic Tradewind Voyages sailing ship. Recently I have been hosting a number of Panache webinars (which you can find on our YouTube channel) focusing on upcoming luxury cruise itineraries all around the world.

Favourite Destination

I love anything off the beaten track, so somewhere remote is my idea of heaven. I have travelled extensively around the Greek Islands and would love to go on a real sailing ship around the smaller islands. This way I can explore all the amazing places I would not get to see on a bigger cruise ship.

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Windstar Star Pride

Star Pride: what a treat!

Well, what a treat this was! I have just returned from a fantastic voyage with Windstar Cruises on the newly refurbished luxury yacht, the Star Pride. It was the Star Pride’s Inaugural voyage, since having had a major facelift, and it certainly delivered on all levels! We sailed from Athens through to Barcelona, stopping off at various ports throughout Greece and Italy. It was such a lovely experience, and one the most intimate cruises I have been lucky enough to have sailed on so far, carrying just 312 guests!

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Compass Rose

Exquisite Cuisine on Seven Seas Voyager

"Nothing can elevate travel quite like cuisine."

We really enjoyed our time on board Seven Sea Voyager, especially with the variety of restaurants on offer and overall dining experience. The food was exceptional and mealtimes on the ship were made easy with flexible sitting times and a range of formal and informal restaurants, including dining in your suite which was a firm favourite for myself in the mornings. My butler soon became used to my regular order of Eggs Benedict, followed by the most delicious Brioche French Toast!

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Regent Seven Seas Splendor

10 Reasons to Cruise with Regent

Having just returned from a cruise on board Regent Seven Seas Voyager, I thought it would be a great opportunity to share the highlights of this fantastic ultra-luxury cruise line. It really was the epitome of all-inclusive luxury cruising and I can't wait to get back on board one day! Keep an eye out on our social media channels for more updates from my trip. But for now, here's my top 10 reasons to go on a cruise with Regent...

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Silver Nova

Brand New Sustainable Silver Nova

It's official! Silversea Cruises are debuting their first ever 100% sustainable cruise ship, and the first in their 'Nova' fleet, in summer 2023!

Ultra-luxury travel brand Silversea Cruises® has announced the name of its first ship, Silver NovaSM, developed as part of its innovative newbuild project known as Project Evolution. The revolutionary vessel, set for delivery in summer 2023, will be the first hybrid, luxury cruise ship free of local emissions at port, positioning Silversea at the forefront of sustainable cruising for years to come.

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Miami USA

Spotlight on the USA

From sunny California beaches and the craggy Arizona desert to the bright lights of NYC and the national parks of New England, the USA has it all. We have had a look at some of our favourite cruise ports around the USA and want to share with you, our readers, why we think you should visit on your next Elite Ocean or Expedition Cruise!

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Dolce Vita Canapes

Culinary Delights on the Silver Moon

Can I just start by saying how nice it was to resume travelling again! Olivia and I were extremely fortunate to be one of the first to sail on-board the brand-new Silver Moon as she embarked on a summer season of Greek Itineraries. What a magnificent ship she is!

In this blog, I am going to talk more about our food experience on-board, and all the different styles of restaurants on offer!

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SHIP REVIEW: Scenic Amber

If you haven’t tried a River cruise before, why not give it a go? I would highly recommend this to anybody of any age. There are so many options of itineraries, ranging from magical Christmas Markets, to the beautiful Danube or The Rhine, or one of my personal favourites the stunning Douro!

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Greece

A Quick Guide to Yacht-Style Cruises

With svelte yachts offering a glimpse into the elusive cosmos inhabited by A-listers and fashionistas, suddenly cruising has dropped anchor in a new realm. Boutique-style offers a unique insight into the wunderkinds of cruising. Unlike gin palaces where bohemians rub shoulders with billionaires and rock stars mingle with royals; our collection is less ostentation, more sophistication.

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Top 5 Mediterranean cruising destinations

I have pulled together a few favourites, including some which are often overlooked in favour of their bigger and more famous neighbours.

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Quote

My ultimate trip would be to experience the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park, before taking in one of our Luxury River cruises along the famous Zambezi River on the beautiful Zambezi Queen.

Video Tours

Here's a selection of some Catherine Divan's fantastic video guides.
Crystal Cruises: Elite Ocean
All You Need to Know About Yacht-Style Cruising
SeaDream Yacht Club Webinar