Sounds too fanciful to be true? Apparently more and more people are opting for the carefree comfort and luxury of an ocean cruise when it comes to planning a holiday and here in South Africa cruise holidays are fast gaining ground - or perhaps one should say sea - as an exciting vacation option.

It would be safe to say few people in this country know as much about the business as Paul Braun of Blouberg Ridge, one of only two travel agents in Cape Town specialising in cruises only.

Working from home, Paul is able to provide a personalised service, which he believes is very important in this industry.

"There are a lot of ships to choose from and you can easily make the wrong choice, especially if you've never done a cruise before. I go out to see the clients, do the research for them and take great care in booking them on the right cruise. It all depends on what sort of people they are -- the kind of things they enjoy."

According to Paul the various cruise lines have different profiles and personalities: "Some are glitzy and glamorous, others are more stately and conservative. Sometimes people find the bigger ships too overwhelming. Many ships cater for families, with endless entertainment and everything from computer cafés to an ice-rink on board."

Spending a few weeks on board a ship can seem like a very long time if you are not enjoying yourself. With over 200 cruise vessels to choose from, the guidance of a specialist like Paul can be invaluable. He has been a tour operator for over 30 years, starting his career in travel back in 1972 when a consortium of businessmen chartered a Portuguese passenger ship, the Principe Perfeito, for regular cruises to Mauritius, the Seychelles and also Madagascar until that island severed connections with South Africa due to political reasons.

Those were pioneering days and quite adventurous, recalls Paul. "We chartered the ship with the crew and then arranged all the entertainment and excursions. At the time we couldn't even dock properly at the Seychelles. We had to use tenders to get ashore."

In more recent times he has been involved in outbound incentive travel as travel director for Travel Awards. He has served on several boards, including SATSA, the Tourism Board, Captour and SITE, and has been rewarded for his efforts with such plaudits as SITE Personality of the Year and the Argus Business Personality of the Month.

Paul, who has cruised the oceans of the world on many a ship himself - including the splendid vessel Deutschland and the luxurious Norwegian Dawn - says that cruise holidays attract over 12 million people annually from all over the world. Americans are particularly keen on cruises.

"Cruise ships are floating reasorts, they're safe and very comfortable. An ocean cruise is the best holiday in the world," he enthuses.

Call Paul on 021 557 5871.