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GoCruise and Travel with Rich Rochester

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GoCruise and Travel with Rich Rochester

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Rich (Richard) Rochester: Independent cruise & travel specialist, Hedge End, Hampshire, serving the UK. Expedition & Norwegian Fjords specialist. CLIA Master.

TTG Awards 2026 finalist. ABTA & ATOL protected. No call centre, no script, just me, every time.

29/10/2026

Ever wondered what a luxury cruise actually looks like? Come aboard with me 🛳️

A few days on Regent Seven Seas Voyager, sailing from Barcelona to Toulon. An all-suite ship, ch*****ne on arrival, French fine dining, a gala BBQ under the stars and, of course, afternoon tea.

With Regent, your drinks, speciality dining, shore excursions and gratuities are all included, so there are no surprises on your final bill.

I’ve seen it first-hand, so I can tell you exactly what to expect. If you’d like to sail like this, call 01489 661199 or message 07778 712524.

28/10/2026

Messages like this are why I love what I do 💛

Alex has now travelled with me twice, most recently a week in Cyprus. Cruises, beach holidays, city breaks, I look after the lot, from first idea to welcome home.

Thinking about your next trip? Call 01489 661199 or message 07778 712524.

28/10/2026

A lovely surprise this morning. Alex left a recommendation on my page after his second holiday with me, saying it was "easy and stress free". Thank you Alex, always great to receive positive feedback! 🍻

It also made me realise I only have a couple of reviews here on Facebook. Lots of you have very kindly reviewed me on Google and Find a Travel Agent, and I'm so grateful for every one.

Facebook only shows a star rating once a page has 5 recommendations, so I’m just 3 away. If you've travelled with me and wouldn't mind adding a few words here too, I'd really appreciate it. Copying what you wrote elsewhere is absolutely fine. No pressure at all though.

👉 https://www.facebook.com/GoCruiseAndTravelRichRochester/reviews

Thank you to everyone who has trusted me with their holidays

28/10/2026

Want to turn 28 days of annual leave into 63 days off in 2027? 🙌

Book your leave around the bank holidays and it goes a lot further. Easter is the big one: 8 days of leave gets you 16 days off. That’s time for a long-haul adventure, a cruise or a twin-centre trip.

Ski trips, beach breaks, city breaks, cruises and all-inclusive holidays: I can sort the lot. The best dates and prices go first, so now’s the time to plan.

📞 01489 661199
📧 [email protected]

Save this post and tag whoever you’re going away with 👇

21/10/2026

Today was a trip to Cahors 🇫🇷

Cahors is the capital of the Lot, wrapped almost entirely in a loop of the River Lot and famous for the deep, inky Malbec that has been made here since Roman times.

First stop was the Halle de Cahors, the covered market dating from 1865. Cheese, sourdough, macarons and the freshest fish, all under one roof. This is how the French shop!

Then the real highlight: the Pont Valentré. Built in the 14th century, its three towers have guarded the river for over 650 years, and it is UNESCO listed as part of the pilgrim routes to Santiago de Compostela. Local legend says the architect made a pact with the devil to get it finished. If you visit, look up at the central tower and you'll spot a little carved devil still clinging to the stonework.

Lunch was at Le Bordeaux, one of our usual haunts and a proper French brasserie with typical green leather booths, dark wood and a busy bar. Totally different to yesterday's meal but just as delicious.

Have you been to Cahors, or is the Lot still on your list?

20/10/2026

Tuesday lunch in our home village of Saint Matré, and that can only mean one thing. Steak frites day at Chez Nadine. 🇫🇷

Five courses for €20 a head:

🥣 A proper country vegetable soup with bread
🥗 Green bean salad, egg and jambon cru
🥩 The star of the show: grilled steak, salted just right, with a mountain of golden frites
🧀 A cheese plate with local honey and jam
🍰 Baked cheesecake with a red fruit coulis

W**e is included and there's café to finish.

At this time of year the room is full of locals, the service is warm and nobody is in a hurry. You leave feeling welcomed, well fed and genuinely relaxed.

This is what I love about travelling away from the big towns and cities. Some of the best food, the friendliest service and the best value you'll ever find are in places like this, where the regulars have been coming for years.

Whether it's rural France, a fjord village in Norway or a small port on an expedition voyage, it's the local experiences that stay with you long after the trip.

Where's your favourite hidden-gem lunch spot? Tell me below 👇

20/10/2026

This is a cruise deal too good not to post!

Southampton to New York for under £1,000pp in a balcony cabin. Including your flight home. 🇺🇸

9 nights across the Atlantic. Then an overnight onboard in New York, so you wake up in Manhattan with the ship as your hotel.

✅ 9 night transatlantic crossing
✅ Overnight onboard in New York
✅ Return flight included, under £1,000pp
✅ Cruise only option from £579pp

Want to know more details? Message me or call 01489 661199.

19/10/2026

A short drive today to our neighbouring village, Tournon-d'Agenais.

Founded in 1271, it's one of the hilltop bastides of the Lot-et-Garonne, built around a central square lined with stone arcades. From the ramparts the views over the valley go on for miles, even under October cloud.

The town hall and the old well were dressed in pink ribbons for Octobre Rose, France's breast cancer awareness month. We've seen it everywhere this week, with villages across the region decorating in pink and raising money for research. A lovely thing to see a whole country get behind.

Southwest France rewards slow travel. Fly into Bergerac or Toulouse, or take the train. Eurostar to Paris and onward French rail to Agen or Cahors is a relaxed way to arrive, and with a hire car waiting you can explore a different bastide village every day.

Rail, flights and car hire are all things I can arrange for you.

Have you visited the bastides of southwest France? Which is your favourite?

18/10/2026

Half term in France with the family this week. The office has moved remote for a few days, so I'm still working and still on hand, just with a better view. 🇫🇷

Today being Sunday we took a trip to Montcuq.

Sunday market morning in this little Quercy Blanc village in the Lot. In summer it's packed with visitors. In October it belongs to the locals. Fresh bread, local produce, a busker in the square, pink umbrellas strung over the streets and a proper café crème in the sunshine at Café du Centre.

Then something I've somehow never done in over 30 years of coming here: the walk up to the Tour de Montcuq.

The tower is a 12th-century keep and all that's left of the old castle. Montcuq was caught up in the Albigensian Crusade, and when the fighting ended in 1229 the castle was dismantled. The keep was left standing, and it's been watching over the village ever since.

The views from the top over the Quercy countryside were worth every step.

It's also a reminder that my business goes wherever I go. Whether I'm at home in Hampshire or halfway up a medieval tower in the Lot, I'm still here to plan and book your next holiday or cruise.

Is there a spot you keep meaning to visit, even though it's right on your doorstep? 👇

17/10/2026

On Monday, the daughter of one of my long-standing clients got in touch. She’d seen a family Christmas cruise in the Caribbean and wanted to book it.

In the short time it took the family to decide, the child capacity on the sailing filled up. I couldn’t confirm the booking, and that’s a conversation I really don’t like having to have.

Tuesday and Wednesday were spent working with the cruise line to see if anything could be done, while also looking at other options for Christmas in the sun. Nothing came close to what they wanted, and the kids’ spaces still weren’t there.

Thursday evening at 21:30, the perseverance paid off. I was able to confirm the booking on the exact cruise they wanted, with the kids’ spaces secured.

Making that phone call to tell them that they’d be flying to Barbados for a Caribbean cruise this Christmas was an amazing feeling.

This is what you get when you book with me. I’ll do everything I can to get you the holiday you actually want, not just the closest alternative. Travel is my passion, and because this is my own business, every client matters. Going the extra mile isn’t a a turn of phrase, it’s how I work.

If you’re thinking about your next holiday, message me or call 01489 661199. I’d love to help.

Address

Hedge End
Southampton

Opening Hours

Monday	8:30am - 8pm
Tuesday	8:30am - 8pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 8pm
Thursday	8:30am - 8pm
Friday	8:30am - 8pm
Saturday	9am - 5pm
Sunday	10am - 5pm

Website

http://www.gocruisewithrich.co.uk/, https://fjordscruise.co.uk/, http://goexpeditioncruises.co.uk/

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