I jumped into my travel career relatively late, having dedicated my life previously to the roles of parent supervisor on school trips, parent driver to school sporting events, and other joyful duties of a stay-at-home Mom to two boys. I was raised in Sault Ste Marie and my father loved to travel, believing strongly in the life enrichment it offered. His family was scattered throughout England and we often travelled there via ocean liner but it was a honeymoon voyage on Carnival Mardi Gras that clinched my love affair with cruising. It took awhile to return to the sea but – as Jacques Cousteau said – “The Sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever”. The sea draws me to it – be it from a cruise ship balcony, a seashell dotted sandy beach, or from a rocky cliff on a wave-pummelled jagged coast. And if I can capture the perfect photograph at the same time, all the better!

In what feels like a blink of an eye, I am entering my 20th year with Cruise Holidays Plus! I remain passionately and tirelessly dedicated to the “craft of cruising” – constantly attending webinars, training seminars, travel trade conferences, and most importantly, travelling and experiencing. I am enrolled in numerous cruise line and destination specialist accreditation programs, and have earned both Master Cruise Counsellor and Luxury Cruise Specialist accreditation through CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association). I want to put all of it to the best possible use:  matching the priorities, personalities and preferences of my clients to the destination, cruise line, ship & stateroom, and shoreside activities that best fits them.

I have a reputation for being overly thorough. I admit, I agonize over the smallest details, and on one cruise I escorted, I was referred to as a mother hen, but my clients will never doubt that I care about them and their travel experiences!

My goal is to travel on as many different cruise lines as I can. I would say I’m making good progress, as I’ve taken over 30 voyages on 20 different cruise lines but the list keeps growing! I’ve cruised in the Caribbean 15+ times but it felt new every time because of the ships, ranging from the largest (at that time) Allure of the Seas to the newest (at that time) Celebrity Edge, to the small and luxurious Silver Cloud (now an expedition ship), and even smaller 5-masted 100-sail tall ship Royal Clipper.  In the same way that I can’t decide on a favourite cruise line – and believe me, I’ve been asked plenty of times – I can’t decide on my favourite destination, but Norway, South America/Antarctica, and Greenland are all right up there at the top of the list.  Other destinations I’ve explored by cruise ship are the Mediterranean, Alaska, Bermuda, Hawaii, and Canada/New England.

I also love river cruising. My first was as a teenager, and I know I didn’t appreciate it the way I should have, but I made up for it cruising through France and on an authentic paddlewheeler in the upper Midwest of the USA. 

As a member of the Travel Leaders Network of agents, I am honoured to have the opportunity to be a host on select cruises across a number of cruise lines that participate in the Distinctive Voyages program. Amongst my host experiences were an Alaska cruise on Holland America, a France-intensive cruise and a Greece-intensive cruise with Azamara, an Adriatic cruise with Oceania, a Greece & Croatia cruise with Windstar (Windsurf was a bucket-list ship!), a Spain & Portugal with both Celebrity Cruises and Seabourn, and a Canary Islands with Explora Journeys.  In July 2025 I added to my bucket list experience with Adventure Canada when I hosted an expedition cruise in Greenland. Coming up in 2026 are hostings with Cunard (Northern Lights) and with Silversea in the Mediterranean. Can you tell I love small ships?

I should add that I’ve taken advantage of cruise travel opportunities to push my boundaries a little. Among the improbable experiences I’ve joyfully conquered while travelling are ziplining, white-water rafting, Jet Skiing, crewing an America’s Cup yacht and snorkelling (I’m afraid of fish!). You won’t, however, see “swam with sharks” on any updated versions of this list!The valuable insights I’ve gained through education and experience – coupled with my attention to detail – enable me to create life-enriching (and anxiety-free) vacations for my clients.

Where does your sense of adventure take you? What boundary-pushing experiences are on your bucket list? Where is the sea calling you to explore? I am ready to help when you are ready to travel. Please refer to my Secondary Bio regarding the Distinctive Voyages sailings I'll be hosting, and contact me for more information about other hosted sailings through this complimentary program. 

Vivian Warren