Crafting a travel experience tailored to your desires involves dedicated research and meticulous planning. We invest over 30 hours on average, from the initial consultation to your safe return home, to create a customized itinerary that exceeds your expectations. Every moment is precious to us as we strive to ensure an unforgettable and seamless journey. By taking the hassle and stress out of vacation planning, we can leave the fun part to you, experiencing a destination the way it should be!
What To Expect When Working With Us
- Our process begins with a complimentary consultation call
so that we can get to know you, as well as your travel style, wish list, "must-haves", and ideal price point.
- After our call, you will receive via email a recap of our call, including all the highlights we chatted about. This gives you one more chance to look at your request on "paper" to make sure we have accurate and the most up-to-date information to start with, along with a link for you to fill out that will help us gather all the important traveler data we will need to proceed. We ask that you keep an eye on your inbox and check your spam folders, as email is our primary method of communication. We require all trip communications to be kept in writing via email.
- Then you'll receive an invoice for the planning retainers associated with your adventure. This invoice will also include our terms and conditions to review. Once we receive the signed agreement & payment, we'll get to work to design a vacation that fits your vision and preferences, tweaking as needed based on your feedback until it's just right! Your feedback is paramount to the planning process, and we encourage honesty! We are happy to make adjustments before reservations are confirmed, but we can only do so with specific, timely, and thorough feedback.
- Once the vacation is booked, we remain available all along the way to answer questions, add additional arrangements, navigate the various entry protocols and requirements, and provide you with electronic travel documents, tips, reminders, and more. Unlike online booking sites, we're with you every step of the way.
As an Independent Franchise of Cruise Planners, the largest home-based travel franchise in the country, we have established ourselves as a leading contributor and preferred collaborator for renowned cruise lines, hotels, resorts, tour operators, and destination management companies worldwide. Through our extensive network, we have direct connections with top decision-makers, allowing us to advocate for your preferences at the highest level.
Our Planning Services
Always Included
- Complementary Consultation: Unlock the gateway to your perfect adventure through our exclusive and complimentary travel consultation. We'll gather your specific wants and must-haves, allowing us to recommend detailed itineraries from cruises on the high seas to thrilling adventures and tranquil retreats.
- Travel Protection Recommendations for Peace of Mind: We understand the importance of safeguarding your travel investment. That's why we provide valuable travel protection recommendations and benefits, ensuring you have peace of mind throughout your journey.
- User-Friendly Cruise Planners App: Access your comprehensive digital itinerary and travel documents conveniently at your fingertips through our user-friendly app or from our website.
- Step-by-Step Dedicated Support: We're here to assist you every step of the way. If you require any help or have questions before, during, or after your travel, simply reach out to us. Our team is ready to provide the support you need, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience.
- Access to Cruise Planners Exclusives: As a valued client of Cruise Planners, you'll receive exclusive perks to enhance your adventures, such as complimentary breakfast, dining credits, Wi-Fi, flexible check-in/out, upgrades, VIP status, prepaid gratuities, shipboard credits, hosted sailings, group rates, private events, and more. Please note that these perks are subject to availability as we prioritize delivering exceptional value to you.
- Expertise and Peace of Mind: Perhaps one of the most significant advantages of using a travel advisor is the peace of mind it offers. We have the expertise and experience to handle the intricate details of modern-day travel. Working with us means you have a dedicated point of contact throughout the entire planning process during your trip, and even after. We will help address any concerns and assist with emergencies. Saving you time, effort, stress, and in many cases, saving you money!
$0 - Planning Retainer Currently Waived!
- Vacation Matchmaker: Fun fact, on average there are roughly 25,000 sailings per year and growing! After our initial consultation, we will match you with a few options for the perfect cruise line and sailings based on a multitude of factors, including personal preferences, budget, trends, wishlist destinations, experience types, composition of traveling party, and much more.
- Apple to Apples: The cruise industry is rapidly evolving and now many lines offer much more in their rates than in previous times. With our extensive training, industry contacts, and first-hand experience, we help navigate you through the tricky minefield of rate codes, promotions, and sales. Along with helping navigate their inclusions and sneaky terms and conditions to ensure you get the best value for your money across the numerous cruise lines, classes of service, cabin categories, promotions, sales, and offers.
- Exclusive Amenities & Rates: As a longstanding powerhouse in the cruise industry, we have close relationships with all of your favorite cruise lines, helping to secure you extra onboard amenities or upgrades, such as complimentary dining packages, complimentary gratuities, beverage packages, spa credits, or cabin upgrades, when available.
- Personalized Recommendations: By request, you will receive personalized recommendations for exciting shore excursions and activities to enhance your cruise experience. Along with coordinating and assisting with special requests such as dietary restrictions, special needs, room preferences, onboard celebrations, and more.
- Value Tracking: Our award-winning systems check our clients' cruise rates daily and alert us if a lower price is found! We review the details and have it automatically applied if applicable.
- Group Bookings: If you're traveling with a group of friends, family, or colleagues, we can help you organize the group booking, manage the individual reservations, arrange onboard surprises, and coordinate group dining, activities, and events during the sailing if needed.
1st Destination - $150
Additional Destinations - $100
- Cruise Pre/Post Stays
- Independent Travel/Custom Trips
- All-Inclusive Resorts
1. Carefully Curated Accommodations: Enjoy the comfort of 2-3 handpicked 3-5 star hotels/resorts per destination that perfectly match your interests, preferences, and budget. Our personalized approach ensures that your stay is tailored to your unique needs. This includes private villas if applicable.
2. Seamless Transportation Arrangements: Leave the hassle of organizing transportation to us. We will take care of all your needs, including convenient airport, cruise port, and activity transfers. Sit back, relax, and enjoy a stress-free journey from start to finish.
3. Personalized Vacation Activities: Enhance your experience with our thoughtful activity and experience recommendations. Whether you're interested in captivating tours, immersive museum visits, skip-the-line access, or other exciting adventures, we will assist you in reserving activities that align with your preferences. Explore your destination in the most fulfilling and memorable way.
4. Trip Summary: We take pride in providing you with a hand-crafted, comprehensive trip summary that captures every component and detail of your adventure. With this detailed summary as your single point of reference, you can effortlessly access and review all the necessary information for a seamless and organized travel experience. Enjoy peace of mind knowing that everything you need is conveniently consolidated in one place.
*Destination Services are based per household of up to 4 travelers.
Independent Flight Reservations - $50
- Economy, Business, or First Class flights booked independently of a package to and/or from your destination. Booking airport transfers are not included in this single-component booking service.
- If you're looking for a more encompassing option, our Destination Services option includes the booking of 2 or more components like flights, transfers, accommodations, sightseeing activities/tours, and any additional adventure enhancements (see below).
Important Details:
- Please note we do not book budget airlines (Southwest, Spirit, Frontier, RyanAir, etc.) or Basic Economy tickets. Basic Economy tickets are the cheapest tickets airlines offer, but come with drawbacks. They often do not include seat selections, carry-on baggage, offer no mile accumulation, and are the last group to board the plane, and typically do not offer any change options, if needed.
- We cannot utilize points as a payment method for flights. You will need to secure flights on your own to use points.
- Depending on the ticket class booked, seat selection & baggage fees may be additional, please refer to your Trip Summary and airline confirmation for more details.
- For Flights before a cruise, we will not book flights that arrive on the day the cruise departs. One delay by the airline or weather and you will miss the ship! That's not a good way to start a vacation!
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Ask us about ways to enhance your adventure!
- Exclusive Hotel/Resort Amenities
- Alternative Shore Excursions
- City Tours & Sightseeing Activities
- Private Tours & Drivers
- VIP/Early Access to Attractions
- Cooking Classes & Food & Wine Tours
- Concert/Theater/Sports/Event Tickets
- Destination Photoshoots
- VIP Airport/Customs Services
- Airport Meet & Greet Services
- GPS Destination Audio Guides
- Resort Day Passes
- Hotel Day Rooms
- Spas Appointments
- Special Needs Equipment
- Luggage Storage/Shipment
- Boat Rentals or Yacht Charters
- Security Detail/Bodyguards
- Executive & Armored Transportation
- Private Aircraft Charters
- Exotic Car Rentals
- Visa Application Services
- Currency Conversion (Click Here)
All enhancements are subject to availability.
- Rush/Holiday Planning $200:
For any Destination Services 90 days or less from the adventure start date or if travel falls over a major holiday. - Reservation Revisions $20 per revision:
A revision is considered any major update or change that affects a component's cost or incurs a fee from the vendor for the change after confirmation. (Vendor fee not included). - Physical Travel Documents $25:
Printed, highlighted, packaged, and shipped to you prior to departure. - Additional Household Members $25 per person:
4 members per household are included in the main retainer. Used for additional research and confirmation time that is required when needing multiple rooms, either connecting or near each other. Please note that connecting rooms are not always guaranteed. - Additional Households $50 per household:
Used to add additional households (of up to 4 people) to an adventure, or if needed, to book an identical trip, financially independent of the original. - Hotel Only Recommendations $50 per destination:
Recommendations and rates for 2-3 (3-5 star) hotels per destination, no other planning services rendered. The planning retainer is waived for hotel-only bookings that do not require additional travel planning assistance. In such cases, we simply need the city, hotel name, and reservation dates. - Planning Retainer Reactivation $100:
Used when planning takes longer than 45 days due to a lack of engagement or if the client self-elects to postpone travel plans more than 90 days from the original planning retainer dates.
Important Details
- Please note that all non-emergency calls are by appointment only, during office hours. To allow for the proper documentation of requests and to provide the best service to our clients, we operate primarily by email and scheduled calls. We do not use social media or texting as methods of communication.
- In-travel clients on a land-based adventure will have our after-hours WhatsApp information to connect with us and any associated in-travel vendor hotlines in their trip summary.
- In-travel clients on a land-based adventure will have our after-hours WhatsApp information to connect with us and any associated in-travel vendor hotlines in their trip summary.
- We believe in providing a seamless and exceptional travel experience by overseeing all aspects of your journey. Instead of focusing on individual "a la carte" components like rental cars or airport transfers alone, our holistic approach allows us to address any issues promptly and dedicate our expertise to crafting and refining your adventure in its entirety.
- Planning retainers are invoiced and must be paid in advance of any planning or researching to cover our time and expertise in researching, planning, procuring, and confirming your travel arrangements. All planning retainers are nonrefundable, nontransferable, and are paid separately from any travel component costs.
- Our services do not include the utilization of points as a payment method, or Airbnb/Virbo-type accommodations. For more information on these, please see the FAQs below.
Ready For You're Next Adventure?
FAQ's
What is the benefit of working with you rather than just booking a cruise or resort online?
While the actual booking of a cruise or resort reservation online is fairly easy, the benefit and value of working with a Travel Advisor go far beyond hitting a "Book Now" button.
Our knowledge, training, and the insights we've gained through experiences allows us to find the right cruise or other vacation experience for you so you don't have to spend hours scouring the internet trying to figure out what might be a good fit. Then we make sure to get you the best value for that vacation that we can. Sometimes this means an exclusive discount or an added amenity. As your vacation gets closer, we make sure you have everything you need to make it a complete vacation picture, and we're here to answer all the questions you have along the way and to make sure everything goes smoothly. When you book online, you have no one to reach out to add the finishing touches or to ask about the little details - unless you want to be on hold with a call center for a while!
These days, the COVID-related protocols and requirements can be a challenge to navigate. So we are here to help you through it all. We'll make sure you're informed about what's needed and when, and know where to find the most recent updates, so you can feel confident in this strange new landscape. Of course, if you need to change or cancel your trip, we're here to help you with that process. And if you end up in a tricky situation during your travel, we're here to help you through that too! We are your advocate throughout the whole process.
Can you get the best deals?
Most of the time, yes! If your primary focus when planning your vacation is to get it for the absolute lowest possible price and bare bones, we will not be a good fit. The lowest price doesn't tend to lend itself to the best experiences, and we put our clients' experiences as a top priority! The discount websites out there may sometimes have lower prices on vacation packages, but they also have zero support, expertise, or customer service to assist you after booking, and your travel plans might not live up to your expectations.
With our Cruise Planners promotions and industry connections, we're often able to secure exclusive perks or amenities, but this isn't the case for every situation. We will always do our best to find the best value for your vacation from our preferred partners. But we only work with reputable travel vendors that we know and trust, so we can't promise that our price will always be the absolute lowest. Please make sure you are comparing apples to apples.
What if I don't like the proposal you send?
Sometimes we nail the perfect fit for you right off the bat, and sometimes our proposal serves as a starting point that we tweak until we get to that point. Either way, this is YOUR trip, so we'll work with you to make it fit what you're looking for! Please keep in mind our planning retainers are nonrefundable and nontransferable, the value of the retainer does not get applied to the cost of your actual adventure. We invest over 30 hours on average on each adventure from the initial consultation all the way to your safe return home. Our planning retainers help ensure we are fairly compensated for our time, knowledge, and expertise.
Why do you provide bundled/package rates?
Our focus is on curating a comprehensive travel experience rather than al a carte experience. Our approach to planning takes into consideration the multitude of factors for each individual travel component (accommodations, transportation, activities, tickets etc. ) and each item's terms and conditions to create a seamless itinerary tailored to your travel style and preference. By bundling these components together, we can utilize our industry-exclusive contracts and partnerships to deliver the most streamlined experience and best overall value for your adventure.
Why do you not work with Airbnb or VRBO home rentals?
To ensure your trip is seamless, we utilize only 3 to 5-star accommodations from reputable suppliers and sources. We do not work with properties that are privately owned/managed. We are unable to stand behind or verify the quality or volatility of privately owned/managed properties. If you are looking for options with shared spaces we do have partners with vetted villas or specific hotels that might meet your needs.
Can I book using my points?
We do not utilize points as a payment method for accommodations, flights, etc. You are responsible for vetting and securing those reservations on your own and will need to send us the details so we can include them on your Trip Summary and ensure your investment is fully protected as part of your travel protection policy. Cruise Planners is not responsible for any terms and conditions, ancillary fees, cancelation/penalty charges, etc. resulting from "points" reservations.
Click here to read our Terms & Conditions
Travel Planning Guide and Terms & Conditions are subject to change at any time without notice.
