Cruise Options is a business consisting of a dedicated, passionate group of people, where our clients come first and are treated as individuals, with their unique qualities and dreams. Our mission is to provide you with personalised service at the highest possible level, taking into account your unique requirements and creating a special experience, specifically for you.
First point of contact is Jann and Kauthar, both vastly experienced in the world of cruising, both in an excellent position to advise and help you make the best decision, to help you make your dreams come true. Kauthar also handles the operational side of bookings including documentation, destination information and payments.
Sharé follows with the operational side of your booking and is on hand to assist with documentation, destination advice and information as well as payments. Having spent 7 years working on cruise ships, she has immense knowledge and experience.
Cruise Options is known in the industry for its unrivalled experience in cruising, coupled with intimate knowledge of ships and itineraries. Our strength is our knowledge, our commitment and our passion in finding the best cruise for you.
Jann Porter
I’m the owner of Cruise Options and passionate about travelling. In my 20’s, I back-packed around the world for 3 years exploring many interesting places as well as sailing on a 34 foot yacht from Cape Town to Brazil, with a week on St Helena.
Out of this was born my love of travel, my passion for the sea and ultimately, the thrill of cruising. I worked for a few travel companies but being entrepreneurial by nature and wishing to deal directly with clients, I ventured out on my own and in January 1999, Cruise Options was born; the first cruise specialist in the country.
Notwithstanding my thousands of hours on ships and at sea, I’m still so excited when boarding a ship and over 25 years later, I’m never ready to disembark at the end of a voyage. Through cruising I have experienced the magic of polar bears on ice, the sound of silence in Antarctica, the fascinating North West Passage, the splendour of the Baltic, the majesty of London Tower Bridge, the spectacular Norwegian Fjords and the elegance of Japan. So much already seen and so much more to come.
Cruising is my passion – I have a love of the sea – the gentle motion, the sound, the expectation of what lies ahead.
Come and join me, experience your dream, share the passion.
+27(0)21 434 9394
KAUTHAR KAMALIE
I’m very adventurous and I love exploring new places. When I experienced cruising, it changed my whole perspective on travel as there’s something really magical about being out on the open sea.
The convenience of only unpacking once, coupled with the luxury and excellent service experienced onboard, makes cruising a wonderful holiday. Nothing beats waking up in a new place every morning and it’s great to see so many cities (and sometimes countries) on just one cruise.
If you don’t feel like going ashore, there are so many choices of things to do onboard or you can just relax. I love meeting people from all over the world and hearing about their travels. There is a wonderful choice of restaurants with delicious food and wonderful views. I love walking around the jogging track and playing a few games of shuffleboard or bocce ball. I also love the shows, the entertainment onboard is phenomenal. There is always a wonderful library with an extensive selection of books; it’s so relaxing to find a good book to read after having afternoon tea.
I’ve heard countless times that there is no better way to experience the view of Table Mountain than by cruising into Cape Town, the most beautiful city in the world and I wholeheartedly agree. I can’t wait to tick off the next destination from my bucket list, cruising the beautiful Adriatic Sea.
+27(0)21 434 9394
BERYL KLEINHANS
Cruising can be addictive. The first time I stepped onto a cruise ship, I was enthralled. Over 15 years working on ships, each voyage became a chapter of my life, cementing my belief that the rhythm of the ocean echoes the heartbeat of our souls.
Each cruise is as relaxing or as adventurous as you choose, from the serenity of the waves to the thrill of embarking on a new adventure. My journeys have allowed me to taste diverse delicacies, from Borscht in Russia to Hotteoks in Korea. Daring to zip-line in Jamaica, swimming alongside stingrays in the Cayman Islands, and marvelling at the awe-inspiring stratovolcanoes of Costa Rica.
Between the excitement, returning aboard always felt like coming home, a sanctuary. I savour those moments of indulging in a mani-pedi with the vast horizon as my view or diving into a gripping novel with the comforting lap of the waves in the background.
Yet, with all these beautiful memories, the horizon still beckons with new tales to be written and shores to be explored. Every voyage holds the promise of new adventures and cherished moments. In the words of Hans Christian Andersen, “To travel is to live,” and I wholeheartedly agree.
+27(0)21 434 9394
SHARÉ TIDBURY
Henry David Thoreau wrote, “live the life you have imagined”. I used to joke I am still imagining hard, but travel made me realise dreams and goals I didn’t even know I had. I learnt that we travel not to escape life but for life not to escape us.
In my experience, there are many things in life that will give you a short burst of fulfilment, but travel memories will last a lifetime. The beauty of architecture, history, nature and the many diverse cultures out there have the power to change you. At 23, I joined the cruise ship industry and spent seven years travelling the world at sea.
I could explain how it feels walking on a glacier of thousand-year-old ice, trekking up the Great Wall of China in its unfathomable reach, or marvelling at the Hermitage in St Petersburg. I could tell you how warm the ocean is in French Polynesia or how beautiful the penguins are in the Falklands; I could say to you, but you’ll never really know until you decide to go and live the life you have imagined.
+27(0)21 434 9394
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