Imagine Holidays Australia
Imagine Holidays Australia is a privately held Australian travel agency packaging cruise holidays with rail, tours, events, and hotel stays. Founded in 2011 in Milton, Queensland, the ATIA-protected company serves Australian consumers via website, phone, and a travel agent network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersMilton, Brisbane, Australia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Imagine Holidays Australia does
Imagine Holidays Australia (trading as Imagine Cruising) is a privately held Australian travel agency founded in 2011 and headquartered in Milton, Queensland. The company specializes in packaging cruise holidays with complementary travel elements — rail journeys, land-based tours, exclusive events, and hotel stays — and sells these curated packages to Australian consumers. Two legal entities operate under the brand: Imagine Cruising Pty Ltd (Queensland) and Imagine Cruising (WA) Pty Ltd (Western Australia). The company employs approximately 42 staff, holds ATIA (Australian Travel Industry Association) Protected status, and operates as both a direct-to-consumer retailer and a wholesaler to a travel agent network spanning destinations across seven continents.
The product portfolio centers on five package types — Cruise & Touring, Cruise & Event, Cruise & Stay, Cruise & Rail, and River Cruising — plus standalone rail journeys and cruise-only bookings. Packages are assembled from third-party inventory including 12+ cruise lines (Azamara, Celebrity Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, Hurtigruten, Oceania Cruises, Princess Cruises, Seabourn, Silversea, Royal Caribbean International, and others) and 13+ rail operators (The Ghan, Indian Pacific, Rocky Mountaineer, Rovos Rail, Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, Maharajas' Express, The Blue Train, and others). Per-person pricing ranges from approximately $2,899 (domestic) to $13,999 (Europe). The company operates a transactional website (imaginecruising.com.au) and phone-based sales but does not disclose its core technology stack; no mobile app, public API, or developer platform is maintained.
Revenue is generated through transaction fees on package sales, cruise-only and rail-only bookings, and ancillary service charges (credit card processing fees of 1.5%–2.5%, late payment fees of $130, and amendment fees of $100 per person plus supplier charges). The travel agent channel operates on an affiliate commission model — Base Commission on Eligible Revenue plus Post-Sale Commission on upsells. Pricing is publicly disclosed with per-person pricing in AUD, including GST where applicable; deposits are taken at booking and full payment is due 150 days prior to departure. Customer segmentation is horizontal, targeting individual travelers and couples seeking premium cruise experiences; no enterprise customer concentration is evident. Marketing is digital-first (website, email newsletter, Trustpilot) with the agent network serving as a parallel bottom-of-funnel distribution channel.
Imagine Holidays Australia firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Imagine Holidays Australia
- Legal name
- Imagine Cruising Pty Ltd ABN 48 614 987 718
- Website
- https://imagineholidays.com.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Imagine Holidays Australia is a privately held Australian travel agency packaging cruise holidays with rail, tours, events, and hotel stays. Founded in 2011 in Milton, Queensland, the ATIA-protected company serves Australian consumers via website, phone, and a travel agent network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Imagine Holidays Australia industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cruise Holiday Packaging
- NAICS
- Tour Operators (561520), Tour Operators (56152), Deep Sea Passenger Transportation (483112)
- SIC
- Water Transportation (4400)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cruise + Guided Land Tour Packages (THAEAHAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Hotel + Pre/Post-Cruise Land Stays (Cruisetours) (THAEAHAC), Theme & Specialty River Cruises (Culinary/Wellness/Music/etc.) (THAEACAL)
Keywords
Where Imagine Holidays Australia is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Milton, Brisbane
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Imagine Holidays Australia business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Package Holiday Sales: Revenue generated from selling cruise and touring holiday packages combining flights, hotels, cruise, and rail elements. Full payment due 150 days prior to departure, deposits vary by booking type.
- Agent Booking Sales: Revenue from cruise or rail-only bookings (may include flights) sold through the travel agent channel.
- Service Charges: Credit card processing fees (1.5% for most cards, 2.5% for American Express), late payment fees ($130), and amendment fees ($100 per person plus supplier charges).
- Agent Commission: Base Commission (% of Eligible Revenue) and Post-Sale Commission (% of Additional Revenue from upsells) paid to travel agents for concluded sales excluding 'Cruise only' and 'travelzoo' packages.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Package holiday pricing varies by destination, duration, and cruise line |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Imagine Holidays Australia product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Imagine Holidays Australia (trading as Imagine Cruising) is a cruise holiday packager that bundles ocean and river cruises with complementary components such as escorted touring, ticketed events, rail journeys, hotel stays, and luxury upgrades into single packaged itineraries. Products are sold directly to Australian consumers via its website, phone sales, and brochures, and indirectly through a network of registered travel agents using a dedicated trade booking portal.
Product overview
Imagine Cruising operates as a cruise holiday packaging platform that creates comprehensive travel packages by combining cruise bookings with complementary experiences. The core offering consists of multi-element package holidays (3+ types of elements including flights, hotels, and cruises) as well as cruise-only and rail-only bookings. The product portfolio centers around five primary package types: Cruise & Touring, Cruise & Event, Cruise & Stay, Cruise & Rail, and River Cruising, each bundling specific cruise line bookings with associated experiences. The company acts as a retailer and packager of travel products sourced from cruise lines (Azamara, Celebrity Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, Hurtigruten, Murray Princess, Oceania Cruises, Princess Cruises, Seabourn, Silversea) and rail operators (Indian Pacific, The Ghan, Rocky Mountaineer, Rovos Rail, Venice Simplon-Orient-Express), combining these supplier products into curated holiday experiences with pricing, flights, and land components added.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cruise & Touring
Companies that use Imagine Holidays Australia
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Imagine Holidays Australia technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Imagine Holidays Australia partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
26 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Indian PacificcoreRail journey partner offering transcontinental Australian rail experiences. Part of the curated rail journey portfolio including iconic routes across Australia and internationally.
- The GhancoreFlagship Australian rail journey partner providing luxury experiences through the Australian outback. One of the most recognized rail journeys in the world.
- The Blue TrainminorLuxury South African rail journey partner offering premium train experiences between Pretoria and Cape Town.
- Rovos RailminorPremium African rail journey partner known for luxury train experiences across South Africa and beyond.
- Rocky MountaineerminorCanadian rail journey partner offering spectacular mountain scenery experiences through the Canadian Rockies.
- Andean ExplorerminorPeruvian rail journey partner offering luxury experiences through the Andes, including routes to Machu Picchu.
- Bernina Red TrainminorSwiss alpine rail journey partner offering scenic routes through the Bernina Pass connecting Switzerland and Italy.
- Maharajas' ExpressminorLuxury Indian rail journey partner offering royal train experiences across India's iconic destinations.
- Spirit of QueenslandminorQueensland rail partner featured in domestic holiday packages combining rail journeys with Queensland experiences.
- Venice Simplon-Orient-ExpressminorLuxury European rail partner offering iconic experiences aboard the legendary Venice Simplon-Orient-Express train.
- Centovalli ExpressminorSwiss-Italian rail partner offering scenic journeys through the Centovalli (hundred valleys) region.
- SavannahlanderminorQueensland heritage rail journey partner offering vintage train experiences through the Savannah region.
- Great SouthernminorAustralian rail journey partner offering experiences along Australia's southern coastline.
- Cunard LinecorePremium cruise line partner offering Grand Voyages, World Voyage sectors, and Full World Voyages visiting Asia, Australasia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. Featured across multiple holiday packages.
- Princess CruisescoreMajor cruise line partner featured in multiple package holidays. Includes 'Book on Plus & Spend on Us' promotions with up to $1,000 per stateroom value.
- Holland America LinecorePremium cruise line partner featured in Asia, Americas, and Europe holiday packages.
- AzamaracoreLuxury cruise line partner offering all-inclusive voyages featured in Europe and Asia packages.
- Celebrity CruisescorePremium cruise line partner featured in Asia packages, particularly Japan voyages.
- SilverseaminorLuxury expedition cruise line partner offering ultra-luxury experiences.
- Oceania CruisesminorPremium cruise line partner known for culinary-focused voyages.
- SeabournminorUltra-luxury cruise line partner offering intimate yacht-style experiences.
- Hurtigruten Coastal ExpressminorNorwegian expedition cruise partner featured in Northern Lights and Norway itineraries.
- Murray PrincessminorAustralian paddlewheeler cruise partner featured in domestic Murray River and Kangaroo Island holiday packages.
- Lotus CruisesminorRiver cruise partner featured in Mekong River cruise packages combining Cambodia and Vietnam experiences.
- Royal Caribbean InternationalminorMajor cruise line partner featured in Asia packages, specifically Japan coastal voyages.
- ATIA (Australian Travel Industry Association)coreIndustry body membership providing consumer protection and industry standards compliance. Company displays ATIA Protected status.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Imagine Holidays Australia competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Iglu Cruise: UK-headquartered cruise specialist retailer offering packaged cruise holidays across multiple cruise lines. Comparable as a multi-cruise-line retailer targeting similar demographics, though with a UK-centric customer base and broader (not rail-anchored) packaging approach.
- Trailfinders: UK-based privately-held travel agency offering tailor-made holidays, cruises, and rail journeys through a mix of direct and consultant-led sales. Comparable in privately-held premium positioning, multi-element package holidays, and reliance on expert curation rather than algorithmic booking.
- Scenic / Emerald Cruises: Australian-founded luxury river cruise and touring operator with owned river cruise fleet. Comparable in offering bundled cruise + rail + touring experiences to affluent travelers, particularly in the river cruise and rail journey categories where Imagine Cruising also competes (e.g., Mekong, Murray River).
- APT Travel Group: Australian-headquartered premium touring and cruise operator offering river cruises, rail journeys (including The Ghan), and escorted tours. Comparable in customer demographic, premium positioning, and Australia-centric base, though APT owns its own cruise/river fleet giving it a structural supply advantage over Imagine Cruising.
- Audley Travel: UK-based tailor-made travel specialist creating bespoke multi-country holidays. Comparable in high-touch curation, premium customer segment, and complex multi-element trip planning — though Audley focuses on tailor-made itineraries rather than fixed cruise-anchored packages.
- Luxury Escapes: Australian premium travel package retailer offering curated holiday bundles with flights, hotels, and extras. Highly comparable to Imagine Cruising in customer segment (affluent Australian travelers), package-first GTM, and direct-to-consumer + agent model — but with a broader (not cruise-centric) product range.
Emerging players
- TourRadar: Online marketplace for multi-day guided tours and river cruises. Comparable as a digital distribution channel for packaged guided travel experiences, though TourRadar operates as a marketplace rather than a curated retailer like Imagine Cruising.
- Concierge.com / Smithsonian Journeys (luxury tour brands): Specialty cultural and luxury tour operators offering themed escorted tours and small-ship expeditions. Comparable in targeting affluent, experience-led travelers on curated multi-element journeys; partial overlap in the cruise + touring category Imagine Cruising operates in.
Broad incumbents
- Travelzoo: Global travel deals publisher and packager offering curated premium travel offers. Mentioned in Imagine Cruising's own agent terms (with 'travelzoo' packages excluded from agent commissions), indicating direct product overlap in publishing and packaging discounted premium holidays.
- Flight Centre Travel Group: Australia's largest retail travel agency group with broad leisure and corporate travel offerings. Comparable as an Australian omni-channel travel retailer, but operates at vastly greater scale across flights, hotels, cruises, and tours — making it an incumbent competitor rather than a direct peer in the premium cruise + extras niche.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Imagine Holidays Australia social profiles
Digital presenceImagine Holidays Australia compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Imagine Holidays Australia financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Imagine Holidays Australia leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Imagine Holidays Australia funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Imagine Holidays Australia M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Imagine Holidays Australia
What does Imagine Holidays Australia do?
Imagine Holidays Australia (trading as Imagine Cruising) is a cruise holiday packager that bundles ocean and river cruises with complementary components such as escorted touring, ticketed events, rail journeys, hotel stays, and luxury upgrades into single packaged itineraries. Products are sold directly to Australian consumers via its website, phone sales, and brochures, and indirectly through a network of registered travel agents using a dedicated trade booking portal.
Is Imagine Holidays Australia a public or private company?
Imagine Holidays Australia is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Imagine Holidays Australia founded?
Imagine Holidays Australia was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Imagine Holidays Australia based?
Imagine Holidays Australia is headquartered in Milton, Brisbane, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Imagine Holidays Australia make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Package Holiday Sales are the primary driver. The others are agent Booking Sales, service Charges and agent Commission.
Who are Imagine Holidays Australia's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Iglu Cruise, Trailfinders, Scenic / Emerald Cruises, APT Travel Group, Audley Travel and Luxury Escapes. Emerging players are TourRadar and Concierge.com / Smithsonian Journeys (luxury tour brands). Broad incumbents are Travelzoo and Flight Centre Travel Group.
Does Imagine Holidays Australia have an API?
No public API is recorded for Imagine Holidays Australia.
What industry is Imagine Holidays Australia in?
Imagine Holidays Australia's product category is Cruise Holiday Packaging. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAEAHAJ, Cruise + Guided Land Tour Packages, with a secondary code of THAEAHAC, Hotel + Pre/Post-Cruise Land Stays (Cruisetours). Its NAICS code is 561520 and its SIC code is 4400.