This week’s edition comes with an invitation to think out of the box when finalising cruises that start or finish here in the UK.  The easy option and often your client’s choice, is to get to and from Southampton, Dover, Tilbury or Harwich as quickly as possible or to add a night or two in London.

That’s fine but some of your clients know London well and may respond differently when offered extensions that can include Downton Abbey, Doc Martin, the Cotswolds, internationally renowned music and arts festivals, jousting and other living history experiences that are all in the south of England. 

My 40 years of hard-earned product knowledge, operational experience and a UK-wide network of contacts who can deliver the required bells and whistles, will make things very easy for you.  All I need is an email confirming where your customers’ interests lie and then stand by for a quick and imaginative response.

Read on, apply your imagination and generate some more profit.

Poldark and Doc Martin

Travelling through the New Forest, pausing to see the Jurassic Coast, magnificent 11th century Exeter Cathedral and crossing Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor, visit locations used in the filming of Poldark and Doc Martin with a dash of King Arthur and Merlin thrown in for good measure.  Returning to London by train, this 4 nighter also works well in reverse.

The Chipping Campden Experience

Having lived in Chipping Campden for over 5 years, I’d love to put together an itinerary for a couple of your clients with my personal selection of picturesque villages, privately owned gardens, treasure filled stately homes, ancient pubs and cosy tearooms.  I can set this up before or after a cruise, based in one of the Cotswolds’ most idyllic spots.

Upstairs Downstairs on Location with Downton Abbey

Fans may not know that Highclere Castle, the key location for this TV series is just 45 minutes north of their arrival/embarkation port of Southampton.  Other filming sites are just a bit further north and near Oxford where they can discover the treasure-filled Blenheim Palace.  Let’s explore the idea of putting this together as a private, customised On Location tour.

Midsomer, Morse and Grantchester

If your clients have been following any of these TV detective series, this 3 nighter is a trail of picture postcard locations used in the filming of Midsomer Murders, Endeavour, Lewis and Morse in Oxford and the Reverend Sidney Chambers in Grantchester near Cambridge.  If you have one more day to spare, I can add Father Brown and Agatha Raisin in the Cotswolds.

For the More Cultivated Traveller

Anglophile clients will be interested to know that 3 of our longest established and best celebrations of music, theatre, dance, theatre and literature take place in May/June in the south of England.  Dover arrivals/departures should consider the Brighton Festival (4^th-26^th May) and for Southampton, let’s combine the Salisbury International Arts Festival (24^th May-9^th June) with the Bath Festival (also 24^th-9^th June).

Living History Experiences

Castle-based jousting tournaments at Arundel, Hever and Leeds, Portsmouth’s D Day 75^th anniversary re-enactments and WWII experiences at Dover Castle, you have a vast range of living history experiences to work with.  You can then add Butser Ancient Village, the 17^th century village at Little Woodham and the 1000-year story of English rural life at the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum.