About

I'm Rich Rochester, an independent cruise and travel specialist based in Hedge End, Hampshire, operating as part of GoCruise & Travel within the Fred. Olsen Travel group.

I returned to travel in February 2025 after leaving financial services, picking the business back up from scratch after nearly 18 years away from the industry. I first joined GoCruise & Travel back in 2006 but stepped back after a few years for family reasons, so this is very much a second chapter, one built on the buying power and financial protection of an established travel brand, combined with the kind of genuinely personal, local service a call centre or comparison site can't offer.

My two specialisms are expedition cruising and the Norwegian Fjords. Expedition cruising takes you to places a normal ship simply can't reach, remote landscapes, wildlife and destinations like Antarctica and the Arctic, while the Fjords are some of the most dramatic scenery you can see from a ship's deck, and both are experiences I know first-hand rather than from a brochure. I also help with river cruising, family holidays that need to work across generations, and all the more conventional cruise and travel planning in between.

I'm CLIA Master accredited and hold the CLIA Expedition Cruise Champion designation. I've personally sailed on more than 40 ships across 15+ cruise lines since 1997, which means when I talk you through the difference between two ships or two itineraries, it's based on having actually been there.

While cruising is where my own experience runs deepest, I help with all types of travel, including flights, hotels, tours and package holidays. As an ABTA (J5035) and ATOL (0944) protected specialist, your money and your holiday are properly safeguarded, the same protection you'd expect from a big-name agency, without losing the personal touch.

If you'd like to talk about your next trip, whether that's a first cruise, a specialist expedition, or anything in between, get in touch. It's a free, no-obligation conversation about what you actually want from the holiday.

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