fred olsen travel agents colchester

Fred. Olsen Travel Agents

Information about Fred. Olsen Travel Agents

Opening hours

• Monday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Saturday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Sunday: Closed

Why not visit our Colchester shop? We have specialists in ski travel, cruises, weddings abroad and honeymoons.

Our Fred. Olsen Travel Agents shops regularly host events aimed at helping you find your perfect holiday. Find out which events are coming up in your local store.

Fred. Olsen Travel Agents: Reviews

Fantastic experience: Very helpful staff, nothing is too much trouble and if they can’t answer the question straight away they will check it out and report back to you.

Fantastic experience: Very helpful today, in re booking a cruise with Fred Olsen.

Fantastic experience: Friendly knowledgeable staff. Nothing is ever too much trouble and they always try to find the best prices for your holiday

Fantastic experience: Excellent service at a reasonable price, thank you lisa

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In the directory

Fred. Olsen Travel offers worldwide holidays, cruises, city breaks, weddings & honeymoons, exhilarating adventures and much, much more. With a range of different specialisms providing online inspiration and high street travel agencies across East Anglia, East Sussex and the south coast, all areas are covered when it comes to how and when you would like to book your trip. Many of our options are tailor-made to your needs so that you can be sure the holiday includes everything you want to see and do.

Established in 1988, the business gathered pace with a series of high-street retail shops in East Anglia, which were later joined by agencies in Dorset and Hampshire. More recently, it has diversified online with the introduction of websites focusing on river cruising, city breaks and even expeditions to Antarctica and the North Pole. This is all provided by the Fred.\ Holidays brand, which continues to expand its online portfolio with authentic offerings all over the world.

Business Information

Opening hours.

Monday // 9AM-5PM

Tuesday // 9AM-5PM

Wednesday // 9AM-5PM

Thursday // 9AM-5PM

Friday // 9AM-5PM

Saturday // 9AM-5PM

Sunday // CLOSED

Customer Services

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Fred. Olsen Travel.

fredolsentravel.co.uk

Fred. Olsen Travel – more than just a travel agent!

Established in 1987, Fred.Olsen Travel is one the UK’s premier travel agencies. With over 10 brands underneath its umbrella, many of which are award winning, it is easy to see why this area of the business continues to grow year after year.

Fred. Olsen Travel Agents – ‘Fred. Olsen Travel’ are LOCAL independent travel agents offering worldwide holidays, cruises, city breaks, weddings & honeymoons, worldwide adventures and much, much more. They have over 25 years of selling dream holidays to the people of East Anglia and more recently on the south coast. www.travelwithfredolsen.co.uk

Fred. Olsen Business Travel – Fred. Olsen Business Travel, has a team of highly qualified business travel specialists with a combined 60 years of experience. They strive to be a world class provider of travel products and services with a reputation for outstanding customer service, unrivalled choice, exceptional quality and value for money. www.fredolsenbusinesstravel.co.uk

Go Cruise – Cruise franchise business: GoCruise is a cruise franchise business which offers potential prospects the ability to run a cruise business their own way, part time or full time. With a network of over 50 franchisees and the backing of Fred. Olsen Travel, GoCruise is one of the premier cruise agents in the UK. www.gocruise.co.uk

Fred. Olsen Travel also acts as a General Sales Agent (GSA) for Star Clippers;

Star Clippers – Star Clippers operates three of the world’s largest and tallest sailing vessels. Visiting ports often untouched by larger cruise ships and offering passengers the activities, amenities and atmosphere of a private yacht, Star Clippers is recognised as one of the premier speciality cruise lines. www.starclippers.co.uk

A day with… Fred Olsen Travel

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In the first of a new series, Hollie-Rae Merrick spends a day with manager Lisa Robinson and staff of Fred Olsen Travel’s best-performing shop, in Colchester “I love making people’s dreams come true”, says Lisa. “A lot of our customers will have saved a long time for the holidays they’re booking with us, and if they’re excited, we get excited for them. I love the satisfaction you get when someone leaves the shop and you’ve sold them the right thing.” Having worked as an agent for more than 30 years, and at Fred Olsen for the past nine, Lisa’s enthusiasm for the job is as strong as ever. And it’s easy to see why. Her store is Fred Olsen’s best-performing and has reported record sales since 2014. Lisa puts the shop’s success down to a dedicated team that has been there a long time. “People recognise you and get comfortable with the faces in the shop,” she says. “I believe that most of our recommendations are down to our customer service.” Customer base Most of the shop’s customers are in their 50s or 60s, retired and with income to spend. “We have great repeat business,” says Lisa. “We have one customer who has booked 43 holidays with us since 2007.” By chance, that customer called to book two Tauck holidays on the day Travel Weekly visited the store. But Lisa adds that it has been a sad couple of years, as many customers have passed away. The shop receives a lot of recommendations. People come in to book special-occasion holidays, as well as holidays for family members from as far away as Canada and Australia. Tailor-made specialist Lisa says Fred Olsen is “very different” from Colchester’s Thomson and Thomas Cook shops, which get a lot of business from young people. The store specialises in tailor-made and long-haul holidays, with a huge proportion of enquiries and bookings for Australia, New Zealand and the US. It also takes plenty of short-haul and domestic bookings, such as Butlin’s or theatre breaks in London through SuperBreak. Lisa says cruising accounts for 32% of business, although other Fred Olsen branches have a higher proportion. “We’re switched on to cruise because our name is associated with the cruise line,” she adds. “Sometimes it’s a good thing and sometimes it’s a hindrance because customers have the idea that we sell only cruise. We work hard at marketing other holidays.” Operator relationships Lisa says the branch works with lots of operators, but has the strongest relationships with If Only, Pure Luxury, Classic Collection, Premier Holidays, USAirtours, SuperBreak, First Class Holidays and Prestige Holidays. “Interaction goes a long way,” she says. “We have a contact at USAirtours who Claire [assistant manager] went on an educational with, so since then, we have a good relationship. “People such as Stacy Caunce at Pure Luxury are brilliant because we can ring her and nothing is ever too much trouble. “We get reps coming out to see us quite often. Some shops might see that as a bit of a hindrance, but we think it’s really important, and make time for everyone that comes in.” Selling challenges Like most agencies, the Colchester store hasn’t been immune to the impact recent events around the world have had on travel. “We have people coming in concerned about terrorist attacks,” says Lisa. “Recently, we had people come in who hadn’t booked with us, but wanted our advice on Turkey. “Places like Egypt and Turkey aren’t selling, but because we sell such a wide range of destinations, we can recommend other options.” But one bugbear that doesn’t go away is customers that come in and ask us for advice, then book direct online, Lisa adds. “It happens more frequently than we’d like it to,” she says. “An example of that is after I did an amazing fam trip to South Africa with Premier Holidays. I came back buzzing and eager to sell the destination. Within a couple of months, I did two quotes for people – and both of them went elsewhere and booked. “We’ve thought about introducing a service charge. If it’s a genuine quote or enquiry, it would work. But then a lot of people would be willing to pay the fee, take the advice and then save money booking elsewhere. It’s a hard one.” Up close and personal Lisa Robinson, branch manager I’ve worked at Fred Olsen for… Nine years, but before that I worked at the multiples. I love the freedom you get working at an independent agency because there is no pressure to sell certain products and you can just fit the right customer to the right holiday. When I was younger I wanted to be… In the army. I went to a careers office with my dad to look for advice, and ended up seeing someone advertising an apprenticeship at Thomas Cook. I started there when I was 17. I love booking… Honeymoons and weddings. I also love selling Australia and New Zealand, as well as New York because that’s where I got married. Claire Bradford, assistant manager I’ve worked at Fred Olsen for…12 years. I’ve worked for multiples and started as an apprentice. When I was younger I wanted to be… An airline pilot or to go into hotel management. I love booking… Cruise and Las Vegas, as it is often for a special occasion. Hollie’s day I’ve met many agents during my three years at Travel Weekly and I’ve come to know the importance of customer service. But it wasn’t until I spent time at Fred Olsen Travel that I realised the importance of personalised customer service. The ladies working in this branch can reel off their clients’ names quicker than I can name Barbra Streisand songs (and that’s saying something). It was clear how important it is for them to build a rapport with their clients. They don’t just want to book their holidays, they genuinely care about their customers. Assistant manager Claire even spent three months putting together a tailor-made itinerary to Madagascar – a new destination for the branch. Lisa said how sad it was when older customers pass away, but she remembers each of them by name. The same applies to customers that have moved away from Colchester. A little selfie action with @FredOlsenTravel Colchester @Claire5568 #TWontheroad pic.twitter.com/lFc6Swr4Id — Hollie-Rae Merrick (@Hollierae_tw) April 25, 2016

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View comments, a day with: we visit the hays travel branch run by ‘girl band’, cover stars: kieran marshall celebrated idle travel’s 40th anniversary on vip trip, cover stars: why premier travel’s bethany leach was wowed by montenegro and the globe travel awards, your stories: how travel counsellors’ grant bowles overcame health issues to turn over £1m in three years, jacobs media is honoured to be the recipient of the 2020 queen's award for enterprise..

The highest official awards for UK businesses since being established by royal warrant in 1965. Read more .

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Wall of Fame

Carnival Cruise UK - WINNER - Innovative Marketing Campaign

Carnival Cruise UK - Highly Commended - Cunard’s Partnership Achievement Award

Travel Weekly Agent Achievement Awards – FINALIST - Leisure Manager of the Year - Gemma Hopkins

Travel Weekly Agent Achievement Awards – FINALIST - Young Leisure Agent of the Year - Ellie Suttle

Travel Weekly Agent Achievement Awards – FINALIST - Best Large Agency in London & South East England

Cruise Awards by Cruise Advisor - Best Travel Agency (over 10 shops)

Travel Weekly Agent Achievement Awards – WINNER East of England large agency

Travel Weekly Agent Achievement Awards – FINALIST South East large agency

WAVE Awards Favourite Travel Agent – WINNER

WAVE Awards Favourite Travel Agent – Finalist

TTG Top 50 Travel Agency Finalist – Lymington

TTG Top 50 Travel Agency Finalist – Felixstowe

TTG Top 50 Best River Cruise Agent Finalist

Advantage Leisure Travel Agent of the Year

CLIA Cruise Advocate of the Year – Paul Hardwick

CLIA River Cruise Excellence Award – WINNER South of England

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Pictured left to right outside the new store are: Paul Hardwick, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents Director of Retail; Emma Bailey, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents; Tutti Taylor, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents; Councillor Candy Vaughan, Mayor of Eastbourne; Trevor Ridler, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents Business Development Manager; and Shirley Waters, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents..

Meet P&O Cruises Food Heroes

Embark on a gastronomic journey with P&O Cruises as we introduce you to their remarkable Food Heroes. From culinary legends to rising stars, our lineup is sure to tantalize your taste buds and awaken your senses.

Marco Pierre White: The Godfather of British Cooking

Marco Pierre White needs no introduction. His culinary prowess has captivated the world for over three decades. From humble beginnings to becoming the youngest chef to earn three Michelin stars, Marco's influence on the British culinary scene is immeasurable. Now, he brings his passion for exceptional cuisine to P&O Cruises, curating Celebration Night menus and hosting masterclasses aboard Britannia where he promises to satisfy all your culinary curiosities.

Marco will be on board Britannia for the following sailings:

Northern Europe And Scandinavia - 14 Nights - 10 May 2024

Spain Portugal And Canary Islands - 14 Nights - 5 July 2024

Mediterranean - 14 Nights - 16 August 2024

Spain Portugal And Canary Islands - 14 Nights - 4 October 2024

Olly Smith: The Wine Connoisseur Extraordinaire

Meet Olly Smith, the charismatic wine expert whose infectious enthusiasm has made him a household name. With numerous accolades to his name, including International Wine and Spirits Communicator of the Year, Olly is the ultimate authority on all things wine. As P&O Cruises' resident wine expert, he oversees The Glass House, crafting exquisite wine pairings and tasting experiences for guests to savour. Join Olly on selected cruises for tasting masterclasses, book signings, and engaging Q&A sessions.

Olly will be on board Arvia for the following sailing:

Mediterranean - 14 nights - 12th May 2024

Mediterranean - 14 Nights - 7th July 2024

Belgium And France - 4 Nights - 21 October 2024

Shivi Ramoutar: The Queen of Contemporary Caribbean Cooking

Hailing from Trinidad, Shivi Ramoutar brings the vibrant flavours of the Caribbean to the table. Dubbed the 'Caribbean food supremo' by The Guardian, Shivi's culinary creations are a fusion of tradition and innovation. Celebrate the zesty flavours of this sun-drenched region by tasting her exclusive range of dishes in Taste 360 and The Beach House on Arvia and Britannia.

Shivi will be on board Arvia for the following sailing:

Caribbean - 7 Nights - 23rd November 2024

Kjartan Skjelde: Championing Nordic Fine Dining

Born and raised in Stavanger, Norway, Kjartan Skjelde is on a mission to showcase Nordic cuisine to the world. As the founder of Tango and Fish & Cow brasserie, Kjartan's culinary philosophy revolves around quality ingredients and cooking from scratch. Join him on Iona for a bespoke six-course taster menu at Epicurean, where he celebrates the bounties of Norway's wilderness.

Kjartan will be on board Iona for the following sailing:

Norwegian Fjords - 7 Nights - 1 June 2024

José Pizarro: The Maestro of Spanish Cuisine

Hailing from Cáceres, Spain, José Pizarro's culinary journey began on his family farm. With a passion for fresh, seasonal ingredients, José has conquered the Spanish culinary scene with his simple yet exquisite dishes. Experience his bespoke tapas menus at The Glass House, or delight in street-food-style delights at Taste 360 aboard Arvia and Iona.

José will be on board for the following sailings:

Mediterranean - Arvia - 14 Nights - 1 September 2024

Spain Portugal And Canary Islands - Iona - 14 Nights - 21 Sep 2024

Join us as we set sail onboard P&O Cruises with these culinary luminaries, where every meal is an adventure and every bite is a revelation.

As one of the UK’s most established travel companies, Fred. Olsen Travel provides outstanding customer service, choice and value for money through our six distinct specialisms. Bonded by the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) and by the Civil Aviation Authority’s Air Travel Organisers Licensing (ATOL) scheme, you can look forward to your next adventure with the peace of mind that your booking is financially protected in the event of unforeseen circumstances.