The Australian operator, a specialist in all-inclusive luxury group travel since 1994, believes certain “misconceptions” still persist regarding its brand proposition.
“I think some people think we’re their competition, but we want to work with agents – not against them,” Cait Gargett, manager at Captain’s Choice, told TTG Luxury. “We will never try to poach agents’ clients. And if a client wants to rebook with us after booking through an agent, we will maintain that relationship with the agent.”
Gargett also reassured advisors that, despite the group nature of its journeys, Captain’s Choice clients socialise entirely on their own terms.
“You are never walking around en masse or in a herd,” Gargett explained. “Everything in the destination is done as you wish. You’re given a list of options for activities and a choice of five restaurants. With the exception of our gala dinners, everything is done at the client’s leisure.”
The operator uses only five-star accommodations, partnering with prestigious brands such as the St. Regis Cairo and the Waldorf Astoria to meet the standards of their high-end guests. Itineraries frequently feature exclusive, sole-use residencies at properties like Kangaroo Island’s Southern Ocean Lodge, alongside private charters of legendary sleeper trains including Rovos Rail and Belmond’s Royal Scotsman.
Arguably the most elite pillar of the Captain’s Choice portfolio is its bespoke private jet offering. The company charters a fleet of specialised aircraft to operate five of its flagship itineraries, including a 14-day re-imagining of the historic Qantas route from Sydney to London and a 16-day expedition across Australia’s remote outback and coastal treasures.
“The fact that we’ve got our own private jets to take us from location to location is an absolute must [for visiting so many places in the time frame],” said Bas Bosschieter, chief executive of Captain’s Choice. “These trips aren’t really possible on an individual basis.”
While itineraries are meticulously pre-planned, they remain adaptable through the ‘Your World’ program, allowing agents to personalise the journey for clients with specific preferences.
“We’re very flexible, especially if people have visited a place on the itinerary before,” Bosschieter noted. “We’re also open to suggestions. For example, we’ve currently got a client in the US who’d like to see a Tesla factory in China. We can look into that.”
The operator clarifies, however, that the logistics of high-end group travel mean they cannot tailor a trip entirely to a single guest.
“We once had a gentleman who wanted his butler to join, but that doesn’t work in the group environment,” Bosschieter said. “You’d be ostracised by the rest of the group, and you can’t enjoy yourself if you’re ostracised.”
In terms of trade incentives, Captain’s Choice currently offers a 10% commission on every booking. The operator is also exploring further fam trip opportunities, having recently hosted two agents on the inaugural segment of the Remote Reaches of Scandinavia expedition.
Captain’s Choice has now unveiled its collection of 2026/27 journeys, including a 16-day private jet tour of Australia and an 18-day luxury business jet tour called the “Ancient & Remote Wonders of China.”
It is also running a 19-day North African expedition travelling to Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria, featuring stays at La Mamounia and the edge of the Sahara Desert, as well as a 13-day journey around Southeast Asia via a private Mekong river charter and Belmond’s Eastern and Oriental Express train.
