On a personal note, I’m incredibly honoured (and a little starstruck!) to share some exciting news:
I was named one of PAXnews’ “10 Most Fascinating Travel Advisors of 2025” — and the announcement was made on Global Travel Advisor Day, no less!
This recognition, from journalist Michael Pihach and the editorial team at PAXnews, truly means the world to me. It’s a celebration not just of my work in luxury travel, but of the incredible clients, colleagues, and partners who make it possible.
To my clients: thank you for trusting me to help create your most meaningful journeys. It’s your stories, dreams, and memories that keep me inspired every day.
💬 Want to read the full feature?
You can check it out here: Read the Article
Here’s to continuing the adventure — and to making travel more thoughtful, luxurious, and life-enhancing for years to come.
— Sheila
Founder, Lush Life Travel
#VirtuosoCruiseIcon | #LuxuryTravelAdvisor | #PAXMostFascinating2025
Sheila Gallant-Halloran (Lush Life Travel) – The Wellness Whisperer
How does someone go from calculating mortality rates to curating luxury safaris and Antarctic cruises? Meet Sheila Gallant-Halloran, founder of Lush Life Travel, a former actuary who swapped spreadsheets for ship decks and never looked back.
In 2006, after years working in financial risk management, she realized that life was too short to spend it forecasting loss. “I didn’t want to spend my life calculating the cost of death,” she says. “I wanted to help people focus on what makes life rich.”
That’s when she pivoted careers, founding a boutique travel business focused on high-touch, high-value journeys. Her goal? To help busy professionals and well-traveled couples make the most of their most precious resource: time.
Gallant-Halloran’s specialty is as refined as her itineraries: small ship cruising, river voyages, expedition travel, and custom wellness escapes.
“I bring the same precision I once used in actuarial modelling to designing unforgettable experiences,” she explains. And that she does—whether it’s organizing a women-focused Normandy river cruise timed for Remembrance Day, planning expeditions to Antarctica or Greenland, designing a safari across South Africa and Botswana, or building a bike-themed cruise for cycling enthusiasts.
She’s not just an expert from behind a desk. In 2025 alone, she’s already sailed on two European river cruises, cruised to Antarctica, and toured a luxury icebreaker in Quebec. She regularly attends industry events, like the ASTA River Cruise Expo, ILTM and Virtuoso Travel Week. Not for show, but to maintain links with the suppliers and ships she recommends.
“I don’t just book trips,” says Gallant-Halloran. “I manage complexity, mitigate risk, and design unforgettable experiences. Luxury travel isn’t powered by algorithms—it’s powered by relationships.”
It’s no surprise Gallant-Halloran has earned accolades like Virtuoso Cruise Icon (2024 and 2025), placing her among the top one per cent of cruise sellers worldwide. She’s also been recognized with the Virtuoso’s Wellness Travel award and nominated for her leadership in sustainable travel. For clients, this means exclusive access, deep product knowledge, and insider connections that turn good trips into exceptional ones.
And while some rely on Google or AI to plan vacations, she’s quick to point out their limits. For example: AI doesn’t know that a 40-minute layover in Miami is a disaster waiting to happen, she says.
“AI can offer options—but it can’t flag what even a new travel advisor would know is a bad connection. I’m not competing with Google. I’m offering peace of mind, global support, and advocacy when it counts most,” she says.
How does she do it all? Gallant-Halloran batches her work, blocks her calendar, and breathes. She’s supported by a team who handles invoicing and itinerary-building, while she focuses on the client experience. Tools like Zoom and WhatsApp keep her connected across time zones, and she’s selective about new clients to protect her high-touch service.
“Balance is part of the luxury I sell, and I believe in modelling it myself,” she says.
Even her dog, a mini Goldendoodle, Tobi, is part of the brand, often stealing the spotlight in Instagram reels.
Originally from Newfoundland and now based in Ottawa, she’s equal parts spreadsheet and soul-searcher—someone who loves deck plans, stationery, and travel logistics as much as she loves the transformative power of a great trip.
A former softball star with a .747 batting average and a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do, she brings that same discipline and passion to every journey she plans.
Her motto? “Luxury is what you don’t have to worry about.”
It’s not just a tagline—it’s a way of life. And for Gallant-Halloran’s clients, it’s the reason they keep coming back. Because she doesn’t just send them places. She helps them live better, travel deeper, and create the kind of memories that make a life rich.
Where will your Lush Life take you next?
✨ #AskSheila | sheila@lushlife.ca
If you’re ready to experience stress-free, first-class travel, let’s chat!
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sheila@lushlife.ca