PLANNING SERVICES • THE FULL STORY
What Does a Travel Advisor Actually Cost?
The short answer? Often nothing extra. The longer answer depends on what you’re asking us to plan — and what it takes to plan it well.
DON’T NEED ALL THE DETAILS?
Just Want the 30-Second Answer?
No problem. We made a short version for exactly that reason.
LET’S START WITH THE GOOD NEWS
Most of the Time? Nothing Extra.
For most cruises, resorts and vacation packages, our standard planning and booking services are provided at no additional cost to you.
Travel suppliers such as cruise lines, resorts and vacation companies generally compensate professional travel advisors when their clients book through them.
That means you can often have a real person helping you research the possibilities, compare options, make the reservation and stay involved with your trip — without receiving a separate planning bill from us.
It’s one of the best-kept non-secrets in travel.
WHEN DOES THAT CHANGE?
Some Trips Need More Than the Basics.
Not every journey fits neatly into a booking engine.
A customized independent itinerary may involve multiple destinations, hotels, transportation arrangements, tours, special requirements and hours of research.
Groups and retreats can require another level of coordination.
And occasionally someone walks through our virtual door with a travel puzzle we’ve never seen before.
That’s when a professional planning fee may apply.
But the fee isn’t a surprise at the end.
We’ll discuss it with you before the planning work begins.
HOW IT GENERALLY WORKS
Three Kinds of Planning.
The trip matters more than the label, but here’s the simple version.
A
Cruises, Resorts & Vacation Packages
Usually Complimentary
For most traditional vacations, our standard research, recommendations and booking assistance are provided at no additional cost to you.
Typical planning fee: $0
B
Custom & Complex Journeys
A Planning Fee May Apply
Multiple destinations, independent arrangements or extensive research can require considerably more professional planning time.
If a fee applies, we’ll explain it before we start.
C
Something More Unusual?
Let’s Talk.
A large group, special requirements, a complicated journey — or something a little outside the ordinary?
Tell us what you’re imagining. We’ll tell you what it takes.
WHAT ARE YOU ACTUALLY GETTING?
Sometimes the Value Isn’t in Making the Reservation.
Booking a hotel room isn’t particularly difficult.
Choosing the right hotel, in the right location, for the right traveler — while understanding how it fits with everything else in the journey — can be a very different matter.
Professional travel planning can mean researching destinations, comparing suppliers, evaluating itineraries, coordinating transportation, communicating special requirements and keeping track of dozens of little details.
But there’s something else you’re getting, too.
A human being who knows your trip.
✦
THE BBB NO-SURPRISES PROMISE
If There’s a Fee, You’ll Know Before We Begin.
We don’t believe a planning fee should suddenly appear after we’ve started working together.
If your journey requires professional planning services beyond those we normally provide at no additional cost, we’ll explain:
What we’re going to do.
Why a planning fee applies.
What it will cost.
Then you decide whether you’d like us to proceed.
CLEAR UP FRONT • NO MYSTERY CHARGES • YOU DECIDE
WE’RE NOT HERE TO UPSELL YOUR VACATION
More Expensive Doesn’t Always Mean Better.
Our job isn’t to make your vacation cost more.
It’s to help you spend your travel dollars well.
Sometimes that means recommending something special.
Sometimes it means telling you the expensive option isn’t worth it.
And sometimes it means saying:
“You don’t need to spend that much to get what you’re looking for.”
That’s part of having a real travel advisor in your corner.
YOU BRING THE DREAM
Start With a Conversation.
You don’t need to know whether your vacation is “simple,” “custom” or “complex.”
Tell us what you’re imagining. We’ll tell you how we can help — including whether there’s any cost for our planning services — before you commit to anything.
LET’S START SOMEWHERE
What Kind of Journey Are You Dreaming About?
Cruise. Resort. Group. International adventure. Something completely different.
There’s no wrong place to begin.
NO PRESSURE
•
NO MYSTERY
•
REAL PEOPLE
•
NO MYSTERY
•
REAL PEOPLE
