FAQ’s
Why should I hire you as my travel advisor?
Because travel planning has become more complicated than ever, and the stakes are too high to gamble a milestone trip on review sites and guesswork. I simplify the process by tailoring each trip to how you actually travel, handling the details, and being there when the unexpected comes up: a flight change, a port swap, a hotel issue at 9pm. My expertise and industry connections save you time, reduce stress, and often add value you can't get booking on your own. You get one experienced person who knows your entire trip, not a chatbot and a hold queue.
How do you get paid as a travel advisor?
Most of my compensation comes from the travel suppliers themselves. Cruise lines, tour operators, and resorts pay me a commission when you book through me, so in most cases my expertise costs you nothing extra. For certain trip types, like custom international itineraries with multiple destinations, rail, and private transfers, I charge a planning fee that reflects the research and design time involved. Those fees are always discussed upfront before any work begins, and they're outlined on my website. No surprises, ever.
Will I pay more if I book through you instead of booking online?
In most cases, no. My commission is built into the price you'd pay anyway, so booking direct online doesn't save you money. It just means no one is watching your booking. I often find added value you won't see on a booking site: onboard credit, group rates, room upgrades, or perks through my agency affiliation. Where a planning fee applies, I'm clear about it before we start, and my clients consistently tell me the time saved and stress avoided is worth far more.
What does your planning fee cover when one applies?
The time and expertise that go into building a personalized trip. That includes research, tailored recommendations, preparing quotes and itineraries, securing travel insurance quotes, making reservations, and managing your booking from deposit through departure. For complex trips, it covers coordinating flights, hotels, rail, and private transfers across multiple destinations so everything connects the way it should. You get a full proposal for the destinations we agree on, plus a limited number of adjustments to get it booking-ready.
Do you charge for the first consultation?
No. Your initial consultation is complimentary. It's a conversation about where you want to go, how you like to travel, and whether we're a good fit to work together. If your trip is one where a planning fee applies, like a custom multi-destination itinerary, I'll explain that clearly during our consultation and we agree on it before any planning work begins. You'll never be surprised by a fee after the fact.
What makes working with you different from booking online?
Online booking sites give you transactions. I give you judgment. A booking engine will happily sell you a cabin over the nightclub, a resort that doesn't match how you travel, or a connection that's technically legal but miserable in practice. I've sailed the ships, walked the ports, and planned these trips for clients for years, so my recommendations come from experience, not an algorithm. And when something goes sideways mid-trip, you have one person to call who already knows your entire booking. That's the difference between booking a trip and having an advisor.
What does the planning process look like from first call to departure?
We start with your complimentary consultation, where I learn how you want to travel, your timing, and your budget. From there I research and build a proposal for the destinations we agree on, with a limited number of adjustments to get it booking-ready. Once you approve, I handle the reservations, monitor your booking, and manage details like travel insurance options, payments, and final documents. Before departure you get everything organized and ready, and while you're traveling, I'm reachable if anything needs attention.
How far ahead should I book a trip?
Further ahead than most people think. For popular cruise itineraries and peak season Europe, 12 to 18 months out gets you the best cabin selection, air options, and pricing. Big milestone trips and small group departures need even more lead time because the best rooms and dates go first. Booking early isn't just about price, it's about choice. It also gives you more flexibility on how you handle payments between deposit and final due date. I break down the timing by trip type in my guide to how far ahead to book any trip.
How do payments work when I book with you?
Most trips start with a deposit that secures your price and space, with the balance due closer to departure on the supplier's schedule. I track every due date and send reminders before each one, so nothing sneaks up on you. If you'd prefer to spread the balance out in smaller payments along the way, I'm happy to set that up, as long as everything is paid before the final due date. Either way, you'll always know exactly what's due and when.
Do I need travel insurance?
The choice is always yours, but I strongly recommend it. I never travel without it myself, and I've seen too many situations where it made all the difference: a medical issue before departure, a flight disruption, a family emergency mid-trip. A cruise or international itinerary represents thousands of dollars and months of planning, and coverage can also help with medical care abroad, where your regular health insurance often doesn't apply. I'm not an insurance broker, but I provide quotes and policy information as part of my planning process, along with resources if you want to dig into the details before deciding.
Should I take a Caribbean cruise or book an all-inclusive resort?
It depends on how you want to travel, and that's exactly the question I help clients work through. A cruise gives you multiple islands, one unpack, and built-in variety: new port, new scenery, new experience every day or two. An all-inclusive gives you depth in one place, no set schedule, and a stay-put pace. Cost comparisons surprise people in both directions once you factor in what's actually included. I break down the real differences, including where each option saves or costs you money, in my Caribbean cruise vs. all-inclusive resort comparison.
What's the difference between river cruising and ocean cruising?
Scale changes everything. Ocean ships carry a few thousand guests with big-production entertainment, multiple restaurants, and sea days built in. River ships carry 100 to 190, dock in the center of town, and put you somewhere new every morning with shore time built into nearly every day. River cruising is destination-first: the scenery goes by at eye level and excursions are typically included. Ocean cruising is ship-first: the vessel itself is part of the vacation. Neither is better. They suit different trips, and plenty of my clients love both for different reasons.
Is a small group trip right for me?
If you want the connection of traveling with like-minded people without giving up comfort or breathing room, probably yes. Small group travel means roughly 10 to 24 travelers instead of a 50-person motorcoach, which changes the whole experience: better hotels, restaurants that can actually seat you, guides you can hear, and a pace that doesn't feel like a cattle call. It's especially good for solo travelers who want built-in company and friend groups celebrating a milestone. If you've done the big bus tour and thought "never again," small group is what you were hoping that trip would be.
Do you book group travel?
Yes, and it's one of my specialties. Milestone birthdays, anniversary trips, friends' getaways, multigenerational family vacations, I handle the logistics that make group travel actually enjoyable: coordinating cabins or rooms, managing everyone's payments separately, and keeping the details straight so no one person carries the whole load. Groups often unlock added value like special rates or amenities that aren't available booking individually. If you've ever tried to organize six people over a group text, you know exactly what I'm saving you from.
What's your favorite type of trip to plan?
The ones where someone finally takes the trip they've been talking about for years. That might be a British Isles itinerary through Scotland's highlands and historic castles, a Caribbean cruise where the hardest decision is pool or beach (my last Holland America sailing was equal parts fun and pure relaxation), a river cruise that docks in the center of a new town every morning, or an all-inclusive escape where nobody cooks for a week. Lately my heart is in the UK and Ireland, where I've traveled and planned trips myself. And I still love a good multigenerational theme park trip... grandkids' faces at the castle, or watching them meet a favorite character in person for the first time. Personally, Universal Orlando won me over, especially the Wizarding World and the Isle of Berk. If it creates the memories you've been putting off, it's my favorite.
