Cruise blogger Chris Hughes has joined Brilliant Travel after launching a website to sell holidays for the first time.

His Nottingham-based start-up, Simplycruises.com, has become a Managed Service Travel Partner of Brilliant Travel, part of Barrhead.

It will focus only on selling MSC cruises.

Chris, described by Brilliant as a ‘prominent blogger’ says he is opening offices in Southampton.

Presently, he has a portfolio of Facebook forums dedicated to MSC cruises, including MSC Virtuosa and MSC Cruises UK, which have over 150,000 members in total.

Chris also owns and operates BeyondCruise.com, a blog which integrates with his Facebook communities.

Brilliant said he has ‘over a decade’ of experience working with cruise brands on promotional and marketing activities.

True to his brand, he launched Simplycruises.com while on an MSC Preziosa cruise.

“My proposition is very niche; I’m committed to solely selling MSC cruises,” he said. “People ask me why and the reason is simple: I believe in offering a service that is genuinely based on authentic expertise with in-depth knowledge on one subject.

“I am a true MSC Cruises expert, and I see a real value in that. Having a niche is powerful: ask me anything about MSC ships, packages or itineraries, and I’ll know the answer. I can’t say the same for other cruise lines, which means the same level of service wouldn’t be guaranteed.”

The SimplyCruises.com website will include custom-built drinks calculators, 360-video footage of cabins and first-looks at new ship launches or features.

Brilliant Travel Director Linda Pyle said: “We’re very pleased to have Chris on board as part of the Brilliant Travel team. He’s a disruptor in the market but completely laser-focused on client service which is essential for any cruise business.

“Chris has a global presence with a highly engaged and evolving audience. We’re excited to be supporting Chris in his venture and wish him the best of luck with the brand launch.”