By Rob Kelly
“We try and make each story as cinematic as possible because with luxury cruising, it’s the details that matter and we believe they matter to the viewer too.
“Also, every second of video on our channel is our own material. We never use stock footage or third-party clips. If we don’t experience it with our own eyes, it simply doesn’t go into the video. That way, everything you watch can be relied upon.”
The couple go on an average of 10 cruises a year – often being invited on board by the cruise lines directly – and create enough content to produce a 30 or 60-minute video every 10 days or so.
A COUPLE WITH INFLUENCE
Husband and wife team Richard and Helen Chalu are cruising through life.
The influencer couple have taken to the sea to generate more than £2m of sales for a Lancashire luxury travel business.
The couple were both 49 years old when they gave up their day jobs in 2020 to become full- time cruise and travel content creators.
Richard and Helen, who have three grown-up children, have now clocked up 85 cruises and share their vlogs with 71,000 subscribers to their YouTube channel ‘Visit With Us’.
They also act as ambassadors for luxury cruise retailer Panache Cruises and have just hit the £2m sales mark for the Chorley- based company.
We try and make
each story as cinematic as possible because with luxury cruising, it’s the details that matter
James Cole, chief executive of Panache, said: “It’s an amazing achievement to have generated more than £2m in sales.
“When I started Panache in 2020, I wanted to find an influencer who shared our values and culture.
“We spoke to a number of influencers but Richard and Helen were head and shoulders above everyone else.
“They specialise in producing high quality content and share our love of luxury and ultra luxury cruises.
“They’re brilliant at capturing experiences and I couldn’t think of better ambassadors for the Panache brand.”
Helen and Richard primarily earn money through YouTube ad revenue with added sales commission coming from Panache.
Richard, who is a former finance director, said: “Panache is the only travel agent that we have a partnership with. We have a very simple business model. We don’t over complicate it with merchandise.
Frankly Speaking
WILL REFORM SELF DESTRUCT? By Frank McKenna,
Downtown Lancashire in Business
By common consent, both the Prime Minister and the leader of the opposition delivered very good speeches at their respective party conferences.
That has certainly bought Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch time within their own political parties – but in terms of shifting the dial on the national opinion polls and denting a lead that Reform UK have held for some time – both Labour and the Conservatives have been frustrated.
Indeed, the best hope the mainstream parties may have in winning back from Nigel Farage’s insurgents is Reform itself.
Whilst here in Lancashire we are fortunate to have an experienced politician at the helm of the now Reform-led Lancashire County Council in Stephen Atkinson, elsewhere, the good ship Reform is, if not sinking, leaking fairly seriously in parts.
Its former leader in Wales, Nathan Gill, pleaded guilty to eight counts of bribery to intervene on Russia’s behalf when he was a Member of the European Parliament.
The mayor of Greater Lincolnshire, Andrea Jenkyns, who treated Reform’s conference to a bizarre sing-along to a tune she herself had penned entitled Insomnia, has increased her own office allowance by over 200 per cent, having promised huge savings.
In Kent, four Reform councillors have been suspended after a video of their leader telling colleagues to “suck it up” was leaked to the press. And of the many former Tories that have defected, surely Nadine Dorries was not on anyone’s target list at Reform’s HQ?
We are almost four years away from the next General Election. But it will be a sad state of affairs if neither of the two political parties who have dominated British politics for a century don’t sufficiently recover to see off a political newcomer on their own merits.
However, as it stands, the best the government and the official opposition can hope for is that Reform self-destructs – and that may just happen.
LANCASHIREBUSINES SV
IEW.CO.UK
Richard said: “We really enjoy what we do and we’re left to our own devices. I think Panache Cruises are a fabulous company and they share our vision.
“When we left our jobs at the age of 49 our initial plan was to do this for five years but we enjoy it so much we can’t wait to see what the next five years will bring.”
He added: “Each voyage tells a story and that’s something we’re keen to capture. It’s something we believe really helps potential guests make their minds up about which ships and voyages would be best for them.”
YouTube content creators contributed £2.2bn to the UK economy in 2024 and supported 45,000 jobs, according to a new impact report by Oxford Economics.
2026 CATEGORIES
AI and Tech Innovation Award NEW Built Environment Award Commitment to Skills Award
Creative Business Award NEW Customer Service Award
Deal of the Year Award NEW Design Award Digital Award
Employer of the Year Award
Environmental, Social and Governance Award Export Award
Family Business Award Large Business Award Made in Lancashire Award Medium Business Award Micro Business Award New Business Award Not-for-profit Award
Professional Services Award Scale-Up Award Small Business Award
Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality Award Transformation Award
Transport and Logistics Award
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