Meet Bernadette: Your Personal Cruise & Travel Specialist
I’m Bernadette, a dedicated travel professional based in North Lakes, Brisbane, where I live with my husband Quentin and our much-adored dog Fergus. When I’m not curating journeys for my clients, you’ll probably find me out bushwalking, at the beach, doing weekly Pilates & Zumba, camping, writing, or enjoying a slow morning coffee, or an afternoon cheese platter. Sharing stories and practical travel insights is a true passion. I’m also a regular travel writer for Travel Monitor and Cruise Monitor, where I explore what really matters to modern travellers.
My lifelong passion for travel began at 19, straight out of my Diploma in Travel & Tourism, with early days at Topdeck (Australia/NZ) and APT Tours. I honed my skills managing high-stakes corporate and event travel for iconic Australian brands like Supercheap Auto, BCF, and Rebel Sport, even organising logistics for the legendary Bathurst 1000 V8 Supercars and national conferences. Later, I supported a global Fortune 500 engineering company, orchestrating business travel across Australia, New Zealand, and worldwide.
Today, as a Personal Travel Manager with TravelManagers, I bring all that experience directly to you, with a special focus on river cruises, expedition adventures, and ocean cruises. I specialise in crafting journeys designed for comfort, discovery, and those “you had to be there” moments, whether you’re travelling solo, with family, as part of a group, or simply hungry for new horizons.
My role is more than just bookings, it’s about being your trusted advisor at every step. From your first travel wish-list conversation to tailored recommendations, bookings, and those all-important ‘what if’ moments. I handle everything: detailed itineraries, special requests, travel insurance (including pre-existing medical), special occasion celebration trips, and if things don’t go to plan, I’m your safety net and point of contact.
I know first-hand how important this is. On a Christmas holiday in Canada, my husband suffered a knee fracture on day three of a three week holiday at Whistler. Our travel insurance made all the difference, covering emergency transfers and letting us return home in business class comfort, a gift that let us enjoy the rest of the trip, crutches and all.
These experiences shape the care I put into every journey I create, from fully escorted land tours to river, ocean, expedition and world cruises, and all the little details that turn a holiday into a memory that lasts. I’m passionate about making travel enjoyable and meaningful for everyone: newly retired solos or couples, empty nesters ready to turn that big wish list dream trip into reality, senior adventurers and explorers, women travelling together, and the young at heart.
If you have a dream destination or just need someone to help bring your travel ideas to life, I’d love to chat. Let’s start planning a journey you’ll remember, for all the right reasons.
If you’re ready to start building your next travel story, I’d love to chat.
Happy Travels,
Bernadette
Personal Travel Manager & Travel Writer for Travel Monitor
Traveller Safety & Wellbeing, Travel Insurance, Medical Insurance, Travel Protection.
