She remembers the crystal clear waters of Vanuatu, the serenity of the Isle of Pines and the beauty of New Caledonia.

A lucky chance will see her retrace her steps early in the new year.

Mrs Lovell is the winner of the Bendigo Advertiser’s win-a-cruise competition.

Her prize, valued at $6000, is 13-nights cruising the South Pacific aboard the Golden Princess, for two adults.

The cruise ship begins its journey in Melbourne and is scheduled to call in to ports at Noumea, Isle of Pines, Mystery Island, Luganville, Champagne Bay, Vila, Lifou and Mare. 

Mrs Lovell could scarcely believe her good fortune.

“I thought maybe someone was tricking me, to be honest,” she said. 

Once convinced she would, indeed, be boarding the Golden Princess in February, the Bendigo Bank employee she felt she had to tell somebody.

“I just yelled it through the window to everyone I work with,” Mrs Lovell said. 

She initially attempted to phone her husband, to no avail.

Mrs Lovell had thought the chances of her name being drawn, at random, for the coveted prize unlikely.

But she decided to enter all the same.

“I’ve been on a cruise before and I loved it,” she said.

“Not only do you get to see new places, there is so much to do on the cruise itself.”

She is looking forward to all the activities, and the opportunities to make new friends. 

Bendigo Travel and Cruise Centre co-owner Angela Meek was overjoyed the prize, which the business provided, was going to such an enthusiastic recipient. 

“We just love being part of anything that benefits members of the community,” she said. 

“We love all things travel, but we are excited to be able to be heavily involved in cruising as well.

“I’m the only qualified cruise master in town, which means our agency has the highest level of knowledge and commitment to the cruise industry.”

The Independent Travel Group recognised Bendigo Travel and Cruise Centre as Agent of the Year in Victoria at its recent national conference in San Francisco.

The award recognises high sales, customer service and business growth and acknowledges innovation and marketing achievements.

“John and I have owned the agency for four-and-a-half years,” Ms Meek said. 

“We have a team of six highly skilled and people-focused experts who have combined experience in excess of 130 years.”