Small-ship cruise line specialist Unforgettable Croatia is growing its team in Australia off the back of growing interest from local travellers who now account for 15 per cent of the guests onboard the luxury operator’s small ship Croatia cruises.  

Business development manager Sarah Whitty has been based in Melbourne for the past six years and has been joined by Aurore Bertomeu this year.

Aurore is a European Travel Specialist for the broader Unforgettable Travel Company and has relocated to Melbourne to support Sarah as demand grows down under.  

Unforgettable Croatia has been selling seven-day sailings in Croatia to the Australian market since its inception in 2015.  

“We’ve seen big growth in bookings from Australia over the past two years and want to better support travel agents by having a stronger local presence,” co-founder and chief commercial officer at Unforgettable Croatia, Graham Carter, said. 

“With the addition of Aurore, we are doubling our efforts in the Australian market and making it easier for agents to reach out with enquiries during normal business hours and making our team more readily available for store visits and training at convenient times. 

“Aurore comes from a strong travel and hospitality background and is really engaging with clients. I’m confident she will do a great job in Australia promoting our cruises and also assisting agents with building pre and post cruise stays in Europe with her extensive travel knowledge.  

“We operate the newest and most sought-after fleet of small ships in Croatia, with six luxury ships offering unbeatable choice for travellers wanting to visit the most popular destinations in Croatia, as well as undiscovered hideaways only accessible via smaller vessels. Australians have really taken to our luxury seven-night small-ship cruises navigating the Dalmatian coast between May and October, and now account for around 15 per cent of our business and growing.” 

Aurore said she was enjoying working with Australian travel agents. 

“I have settled in well in Melbourne and am looking forward to working with our travel agent partners to spread the word about our unforgettable Croatian experiences and support them when booking guests on our exceptional small-ship sailings,” Aurore said. 

Aurore and Sarah will hit the road in early 2025 as part of Unforgettable Croatia’s fifth Australian roadshow, with plans to visit agents in Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide.  

Unforgettable Croatia, established in 2015, operates the newest fleet of small ships in the country, with seven-night cruises navigating the Dalmatian coast on departures from May to October annually. The luxury ships are up to 50m long and house a maximum of 19 cabins, many with private balconies. 

Feature image: Aurore Bertomeu in Croatia.