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Meet Our Team

At Black Pearl we are more than simply a luxury travel company; here excellence of service and elegance of style are the guiding values for every trip we design. Together with an unrivaled team of passionate travel and destination experts, we design journeys which live on far longer than the end of a trip.

Expert Advisors

World Travelers
Trust in the best

Our Black Pearl Specialists

Kathy

Kathy Hirst

I have always loved travel! Even as a little girl, I would plan imaginary trips to places I found in National Geographic. I have realized my dream and have been in the travel industry for over 26 years. I love being creative for my clients.
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Murielle

Murielle Blanchard

I am native of France, born in Germany and was raised in exotic places which exposed me to different cultures and environments. This has given me respect for travel and the wealth it can bring to our lives.
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Lara

Lara Maxfield

I caught the travel bug after traveling to France in high school, and I’ve been discovering the world one country at a time ever since. I love the thrill of visiting somewhere new, and the comfort of returning to my favorite locations.
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Laura

Laura Murdoch

Since 1993, I’ve helped clients plan big vacations and small getaways on every continent. I love to help identify what they’re looking to do and then architect their perfect experience.
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Kathy Hirst

 (801) 483-6537
 kathy@blackpearlservices.com

 M, T, W, Th, F
 8:00am–5:00pm

 Salt Lake City–Black Pearl
101 South 200 East Ste. 100
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111

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Murielle Blanchard

 (801) 483-6533
 murielle@blackpearlservices.com

 M, T, W, Th, F
 8:00am–5:00pm

 Salt Lake City–Black Pearl
101 South 200 East Ste. 100
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111

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Lara Maxfield

 (801) 483-6436
 lara@blackpearlservices.com

 M, T, W, Th, F
 8:00am–5:00pm

 Salt Lake City–Black Pearl
101 South 200 East Ste. 100
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111

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Laura Murdoch

 (801) 483-6484
 laura@blackpearlservices.com

 M, T, W, Th, F
 8:00am–5:00pm

 Salt Lake City–Black Pearl
101 South 200 East Ste. 100
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111

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pictures from our travels

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My Society Island French Polynesia Cruise With Paul Gaugin

Kathy Hirst October 24, 2025

Antarctica had always been on my dream list of destinations. Over the years, I had helped clients plan their journeys to this remote continent, diving into extensive research along the way. When I finally embarked on the trip myself, I found it every bit as awe-inspiring as I had imagined.

This journey is no small feat—it takes at least two days to cross the Drake Passage from Ushuaia, the southernmost city in Argentina, to the Antarctic continent. But don’t let the distance discourage you; it is absolutely worth the effort.

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A Sea Cloud Sailing Ship Adventure​

Murielle Blanchard October 23, 2025

In the world of ocean cruising, there are several types of ships: mega cruise ships, small luxury cruise ships, expedition ships and sailing ships. Four companies offer sailing ships in their fleet: Windstar, Star Clipper, Ponant and Sea Cloud. The key difference between Windstar and Star Clipper is the way they operate the sails: Windstar’s automated, “push-button” sails versus Star Clippers’ hand-operated sails. Ponant and Sea Cloud are in the luxury category and they both hand-operate sails.

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My Croatian Adventure on Silversea Cruises

Laura Murdoch February 6, 2025

As a travel agent that loves to find unique experiences for clients as well as explore new destinations, I was excited to be able to host a group of clients on board the new Silversea ship the Silver Ray to Croatia. Even though I’ve been on almost 30 different cruises and over 50 countries, both Silversea and Croatia were new to me, and I loved both!

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My Journey to the End of the Earth: Antarctica

Kathy Hirst January 3, 2025

Antarctica had always been on my dream list of destinations. Over the years, I had helped clients plan their journeys to this remote continent, diving into extensive research along the way. When I finally embarked on the trip myself, I found it every bit as awe-inspiring as I had imagined.

This journey is no small feat—it takes at least two days to cross the Drake Passage from Ushuaia, the southernmost city in Argentina, to the Antarctic continent. But don’t let the distance discourage you; it is absolutely worth the effort.

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A Bavarian Winter Wonderland: Exploring Christmas Markets, History, and Charm

Lara Maxfield December 26, 2024

Nestled in the heart of southern Germany, Bavaria transforms into a magical wonderland during the winter season. With shimmering lakes, snow-dusted mountains, medieval towns, and the glow of festive Christmas Markets, this region offers an unforgettable holiday experience. My recent journey through Bavaria took me to Lake Tegernsee, Munich, Nuremberg, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, and Augsburg, blending serene nature, history, and yuletide charm.

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In Search of Uncrowded Greek Isles

Murielle Blanchard October 9, 2024

I had the wonderful opportunity to experience Ponant’s ice breaker ship called Le Commandant Charcot. It was a short sailing of 4 days at sea between Brest in France and Reykjavik in Iceland. 4 days at sea gave me the chance to explore every aspect of the ship and above all to learn all about the construction of the ship and what it can achieve on the ice…

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