FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF WORKING WITH A TRAVEL ADVISOR?

Travel advisors still play a crucial role in the travel industry, and their expertise and services continue to be highly valuable to clients. While technology has made it easier for travelers to book certain aspects of their trips online, travel advisors bring first-hand knowledge, a high touch experience, unmatched connections around the world, and many times in-destination support.

DO YOU GET BETTER RATES THAN IF I BOOKED MYSELF?

Our goal is to ensure that you have the best experience possible that is perfectly matched to your vision and interests. There are many times that we do have access to negotiated rates and/or added amenities you can get anywhere else, but the real value we offer is in how we can save you time, stress and frustration either prior to traveling or while actually in the destination. If you’re looking for a custom-made seamless planning and travel experience, we’d love a chance to show you the difference that working with a travel advisor provides!

HOW CAN I GET ONE OF YOUR AMAZING, EXCLUSIVE CRUISE RATES?

Flexibility is key to finding our exclusive cruise rates that typically have much lower rates than you could get booking directly with the cruise line (even though that’s how we book your trip) and added amenities like extra onboard credit, exclusive shore excursions and more.

I LOVE PLANNING! CAN WE STILL WORK TOGETHER?

A lot of the fun is researching and creating anticipation for the destination before traveling. As travel advisors, our goal is to enhance your travel experience and provide you with expert advice, personalized recommendations, and insider knowledge that you may not find on your own. We consider this a collaborative experience; however, we do offer consultation calls at a rate of $100/hr to "pick our brains"!

DO YOU BOOK OTHER TYPES OF TRIPS other than to Alaska, the Caribbean, Europe, Hawaii, and Mexico on land or the waterways (river & ocean cruises)?

Potentially. IF we have the bandwidth to do so we are more than happy to discuss where you want to go and what your needs are to see if we can assist you. While our goal is ALWAYS to assist you we want to make sure we give your trip the attention and time it will need but definitely reach out to inquire if we can.

WHY DO YOU PROVIDE BUNDLED PACKAGE RATES?

Our focus is on curating comprehensive travel experiences rather than just providing individual component prices. We take a holistic approach to trip planning, considering various factors such as accommodations, transportation, activities, and additional services to create a seamless itinerary tailored to your preferences. By bundling these components together, we can leverage our industry relationships to secure the best overall value for your trip.

HOW ARE YOUR PLANNING FEES CALCULATED AND WHY DO YOU CHARGE THEM?

Our planning fees are calculated based on a myriad of factors including the complexity of the trip, number of destinations, number of travelers, number of nights, vicinity of time to departure and more. By charging a planning fee, we can dedicate the necessary time and attention to detail to curate a personalized itinerary tailored to your preferences. As the travel industry’s policies have shifted to being less travel advisor friendly, we have had to implement fees to cover our time to make sure we are using the partners who will give you the BEST EXPERIENCE and not be tied to ones that won’t. Charging fees is the only way to do this now. Many times we are simply passing on the supplier fees as well.

CAN YOU BOOK MY FLIGHTS IF I HAVE REWARD POINTS TO USE?

Maybe. As more and more clients are using rewards miles our suppliers have risen to the occasion to allow us to book...SOMETIMES. Make sure to tell us about your reward points prior to booking so we can see if our supplier works with your airline and allows us to apply your points to your booking.

CAN YOU BOOK JUST FLIGHTS FOR ME?

We COULD but we don't think you'll want us to do that. We wish we could book flights alone but the airlines stopped paying travel agents years ago so we would need to charge you a booking fee. Since most people today can easily book flights for themselves online and considering you get the most flexibility booking directly with the airline itself, we know avoiding a fee is more than likely your best option. In order for us to use our bulk air rates we must have your package include either a rental car or at 3 nights hotel.

DO YOU WORK WITH VRBO AND/OR AIRBNB?

We do not work with properties that are individually managed. We are unable to stand behind the quality of individually owned properties. If you are looking for options with shared space (like a living room), we will work with our partners to find vetted villas, apartments, and/or hotels that meet your needs.

Plan Your Trip Now!