Our Story

Phil is the co-founder and Director of Bicton Travel and is an expert in creating bespoke travel experiences for the luxury traveller. He has cruised extensively on most of the major cruise lines but prefers small ship and expedition cruising. Phil has immense knowledge of the world’s airlines, luxury cruise ships and exotic destinations. While he cannot choose one favourite city he ranks Amsterdam, Berlin, Milan, Rome, Singapore and Sydney as some of his favourites. For a relaxing vacation, his go-to destination is the Amalfi Coast, and he has enjoyed fabulous beach breaks in the Seychelles and Maldives. For the adventurous, he recommends an African Safari and has himself travelled in Botswana, Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe. He has also travelled to the Patagonia region of Chile –an adventurous experience he would highly recommend.

Carole is the founder and Managing Director of Bicton Travel. She moved to Australia from the UK in 1986 and established Bicton Travel after working as a consultant with Traveland. She specialised in cruising and is recognised as one of the foremost cruise experts in Australia. She has cruised the world extensively and in 2010 established Cruisefinder.com.au as an online cruise agency. In June 2016, Carole was honoured to be Australia’s first travel agent to christen a new river ship and is the proud godmother to APT’s luxury, 158 passenger Amastella. Also in 2016 Carole was inducted into the Cruise Line Industry Association (CLIA) Hall of Fame. This formal recognition honours her efforts and accomplishments as a significant contribution to the development of the cruise industry.

With over 20 years’ experience in the travel industry, Nadia has established herself as a luxury travel advisor. Her love of discovery and adventure has led her to travel the globe extensively. Specialising in Europe, with Italy as her number one destination, she shares a great love for this country where her family comes from. Having cruised on several ships, Nadia enjoys sailing on small, boutique vessels on the likes of Ponant, Silversea and Regent Seven Seas.

Byron has been in the travel industry for over 26 years and is an expert cruise specialist. He has spent over 200 nights at sea on more than 30 cruises across all major cruise lines. This includes Holland America, Viking, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Cunard and Princess just to name a few. Byron is familiar with cruising on ultra-luxury cruise lines such as Regent Seven Seas, Crystal Cruises and Silversea expeditions. As one of Bicton Travel’s most experienced advisors, he is passionate about helping all clients find the perfect ship for them.

Lee has been in the travel industry since 2009. He has extensive knowledge of cruising and has travelled with many of the major lines, both in Australia and internationally. He has cruised on P&O, Princess, Cunard, Holland America, Carnival, Royal Caribbean International, Avalon, U River Cruises, Viking, Oceania, Dream Cruises and MSC, just to name a few. Lee once took a year’s sabbatical from work and used the time to travel throughout Europe. He explored the Mediterranean, as well as visited the UK, Spain, south of France and has extensively travelled through Italy, Eastern and Central Europe.

He has travelled to Asia, many destinations in Australia and the South Pacific, South America and parts of the USA. His favourite destination is Chicago, and his favourite cruise lines are Oceania, Cunard and Viking Cruises.

Since Hollie started in the travel industry in 2004, she has been lucky enough to travel to many parts of the world including Australia, India, throughout Europe, Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Canada, Alaska, UK, USA, South East Asia, Japan, Hong Kong, UAE, South Pacific, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Hollie has cruised with many different cruise lines in various destinations including a Danube river cruise with Evergreen, the Rhine with Avalon, a Canadian Rockies tour with APT including the Rocky Mountaineer, a Globus Tour of Croatia & Poland and Greece with Insight Vacations. She is an expert in Iceland and loves advising clients wishing to visit this incredible country.

Ben has recently joined the Bicton Travel team and has been working in travel since finishing his Diploma of Travel and Tourism. When he’s not off travelling the world, he’s playing footy or supporting his team Essendon.

One of his favourite countries to explore is Canada, in particular the spectacular scenery and snowboarding in Banff and Whistler. He’s travelled through Mexico and Belize taking in the sun, going snorkelling and enjoying plenty of nightlife.

He loves any destination that has great views, particularly if there’s a cold drink in his hand. He’s looking forward to exploring Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Scandinavia, Sri Lanka, the USA, South America and one day sailing in Croatia.

Karen has been in the travel industry for over 30 years and has extensive knowledge of some of the world’s most popular destinations.

One her favourite holidays is a winter trip to Canada where she embraced the full winter experience including dog sledding, snow shoeing and cosying up with a hot chocolate in the forest. She also loved spending time touring Croatia with Scenic and took a coach tour exploring picturesque cities such as Zagreb, plus the natural beauty of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In 2009 she christened the AmaWaterways river ship AmaDolce in Durnstein, Austria during the ships inaugural launch. Over the years she has cultivated an impressive knowledge of river cruising in Europe and has travelled throughout the UK, plus taken iconic train journeys such as the Eurostar.
She even once did a month long self-driving trip of New Zealand. Her expertise extends to Asia, particularly southeast Asia, as she has spent time in Thailand, Malaysia, Bali and Singapore.

Her passion for travel includes cruising and she has sailed with many of the top lines, including the Pacific Sun in Australia and the Scenic Spirit through Vietnam and Cambodia.

Karen is a wealth of knowledge and has great recommendations for all her clients.

David began his career over 15 years ago in an online travel agency specialising in flights all over the world. He now works behind the scenes looking after our product and technology. David has travelled extensively throughout Asia, Europe, Kenya, North and South America. His most memorable trip was travelling by luxury train through India the Deccan Odyssey. One of David’s most epic trips would have to be when he visited the ancient ruins of Machu Pichu.

Fiona began her career in travel as a Reservations Consultant with a major Australian wholesaler. Her people skills led her to Bicton Travel in 2002. She now works behind the scenes handling the company accounts. She has travelled to the USA, Mexico, Hawaii, Tahiti, New Zealand, Mauritius, Maldives, Europe and extensively throughout Asia. Fiona has cruised from Fremantle onboard Superstar Virgo, Sun Princess to Asia, Rhapsody of the Seas from Honolulu to Sydney, around New Zealand onboard mv Discovery, in Asia onboard Cunard QE2, the Mexican Riviera onboard Sapphire Princess, cruised Europe on Carnival Magic and the South Pacific onboard Pacific Princess and P&O Pacific Star. She cruised the Kimberly with Silversea onboard Silver Discoverer, which is her highlight to date and thinks it should be on everyone’s bucket list. As well as cruising, she enjoys family adventures with her young kids and husband.

With a Bachelor in Tourism, Katie is passionate about building a career in the travel industry, especially when it comes to skiing and snow adventures. Her favourite ski destinations are Niseko in Japan, Queenstown in New Zealand, and various resorts across Australia. Recently, Katie enjoyed a sailing experience on the Enchanted Princess around the Mediterranean. She has a strong enthusiasm for group travel, with upcoming plans for a Collette tour to Portugal and a Christmas market river cruise with Viking. Her dream destinations include the Maldives, skiing in Canada, sailing the coast of Croatia, exploring Prague, and experiencing a voyage on the world’s largest ship, the Icon of the Seas. Outside of work, Katie is a devoted fan of the Essendon Bombers and cherishes time with her two Australian Shepherds, Remi and Kyoto.

Having started her career in the cruise industry over 15 years ago, Alisha has built her career in travel and tourism marketing for some of Australia’s most recognisable travel brands. As a former brand executive at Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, she has extensive experience cruising in Australia and New Zealand, however enjoys long cruises in the Mediterranean, stopping off at exciting European cities along the way. She was lucky enough to be one of the first to step onboard RCI’s Oasis of the Seas, a game-changing new design of ship when it debuted. She has also cruised on Azamara and Celebrity Cruises. One of her unexpectedly favourite cruises was Alaska in 2019. She recently returned from Europe, where she took her young family throughout the UK, Germany and France.

Originally from the UK, Julie has been in the travel industry for 32 years and is a highly experienced and knowledgeable advisor. Her favourite destinations to holiday are Europe, Japan, Canada and New York. She also enjoys cruising and has cruised with most of the major cruise lines including on both ocean and river cruises. She is an expert in family cruising (especially as she has two daughters), is a Club Med top agent and an expert on ski holidays in Japan, where she has travelled several times with her family.

Originally from Northern Ireland, Shannon has recently joined the team at Bicton Travel. A fervent traveller, she has a special fondness for Canada, Alaska, New Zealand, Ireland, and the UK. One of her most cherished travel experiences was a remarkable voyage through Alaska’s Inside Passage on the stunning Holland America Line ship, the Koningsdam.

For Shannon, cruising offers the perfect blend of adventure and luxury, enabling her to discover the world’s most remote destinations while enjoying world-class amenities, endless dining options, and captivating entertainment. In her leisure time, Shannon enjoys camping in Margaret River, relaxing at the beach, and spending time with her family, which includes their horses and her beloved dachshund, Frank.

With more than 35 years of experience in the travel industry, Alison has distinguished herself as a seasoned Product Manager. Her passion for travel has taken her on extensive journeys around the world. Alison specialises in crafting unforgettable experiences in the Maldives, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka—destinations she holds dear to her heart. She prefers cruising as her mode of exploration, relishing the opportunity to delve into local markets and historic landmarks during port calls. Beyond her travel adventures, Alison finds joy in boating, fishing, nature walks, and exploring new dining experiences.

Sophie recently joined the Bicton Travel team, bringing with her over a decade of experience in marketing. Despite being new to the travel industry, Sophie boasts extensive travel across Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific. An enthusiastic cruiser, she has enjoyed voyages with P&O, Princess, Celebrity, and Royal Caribbean. Sophie’s favourite holiday destinations include Italy, Scotland, and Japan.

Aimee has been a valued member of the Bicton Travel team for 12 years. Her top travel destinations include Paris, Switzerland, Tasmania, London, Bali, and Italy. Among her favourite experiences are sailing the stunning Amalfi Coast, exploring Switzerland’s picturesque rail routes, and immersing herself in the festive spirit of the Christmas markets and the majestic Matterhorn in Zermatt. Aimee is particularly impressed by the Swiss rail system, renowned for its precision and efficiency. Additionally, she has a passion for cruising, with the Azamara Quest, Queen Mary 2, and Silver Muse being her preferred ships.

Jessica brings 18 years of expertise to the travel industry, with the last 12 years spent at Bicton Travel. She is a specialist in ocean cruising, with a keen focus on the Asia and Europe regions. Her favourite travel destinations include the idyllic shores of Hawaii, the enchanting Greek Islands, and any tropical retreat. Outside of work, she loves spending quality time with her husband and two sons, and she eagerly seeks out opportunities for family adventures and travel.

Elena brings over 40 years of diverse experience in the travel industry, having excelled as a tour guide, collaborated with express coach operators, worked in hotels, and served as a travel agent. Her passion for travel shines through in her love for driving and rail holidays, with Canada, Tasmania, New Zealand, and Japan standing out as her favourite destinations. Among her many adventures, her most memorable journey was with Aurora Expeditions, traveling from New Zealand to Antarctica. Elena is also a devoted animal lover and has dedicated time volunteering at an animal sanctuary.

Rachel recently joined Bicton Travel, bringing with her over five years of experience in the travel industry. She has a passion for exploring Europe, with Greece standing out as a personal favourite. Rachel also adores ocean cruising, particularly in Asia and the Mediterranean. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys quality time with family and friends and runs a successful oyster shucking business.