Frequently Asked Questions
what questions do you have?
No worries, we’ve got answers! Hopefully you can find the answers below or elsewhere on our site. If not, we’re always here to help! Just click the “Contact Us” below and send it right to our inbox.
General questions
WHat is the best way to communicate with you?
Which mode of communication do you prefer? We use pretty much every way- phone, email, messenger, Zoom- and sometimes multiple means of communicating with our clients throughout the process- it really just depends on what works best for you and the specific situation. The only time we insist on a specific type of communication is for our proposal review with you. We do them via Zoom, so that we can actually show you what we’ve made!
How do you get paid?
People are always intrigued by this! It’s the number one question TA’s get for some reason. We want to start our answer by making it known that we work for our clients, not for any supplier! That means we can show our commitment to you, as well as allows us to personalize our service to you and your ideas, which booking online will never give you.
With that, our main source of income comes from commissions, direct from the vendors. It’s like this. Let’s say you book your own trip on one of those online sites that say they offer great deals. The hotel you choose has to pay that site usually 30% to advertise, and chances are you’ll get terrible service, because you’re just a number at that point. But when we book for you? We utilize our connections, and book with people and places we know- it costs them less money to pay us for bringing them better clients (usually 8-15%) and you’ll get better service. Best of all, it won’t raise your rate, just your experience!
Is it more expensive to work with you than to just book myself?
Short answer? No. The main reason for that is because we add incredible value to your trip in ways you can’t even begin to imagine. Once you use a great TA (like us) to book, you’ll never go back to booking on your own! Also, we are all about the value of time. While the average traveler spends about 40 hours planning and booking, we do that for you and gift you back that time. Let us prove it to you!
What is a "Vacation Consult"?
This is an intense, 2 hour meeting with a exam at the end… just kidding! Think of it like grabbing coffee with a friend. It just a chance for us (you and your consultant) to get to know each other and see if we’re a good fit to create your vacation. We usually book our consults in 30-minute increments, but if you have extra questions, we won’t cut you off. We can do consults either via Zoom or phone- your choice. Please grab your consult time on our Calendly link or appointment request on our site.
Is my info secure?
We value safety about as much as we value time! And thank goodness for technology. We have a state-of-the-art CRM where we store all your info that is password protected, and any sensitive information like credit card numbers are encrypted. There’s a lot more technical jargon we could add here, but just know we take this very seriously!
Do you work with groups OR SPECIAL INTEREST?
Kind of! This is situational. We can and have booked groups before, so just reach out to us with your ideas and we’ll chat to see if we can take care of it for you.
Special interest? Again, sort of! It really just depends. We are happy to chat with you and hear your ideas. If it’s something beyond our means, either manpower or simply not our strong suit, we are not too proud to refer you to a different, trusted advisor or agency who we trust to take care of you as well as we would!
DO you work with clients outside of the us?
At this time, we are limited to US residents only.
What destinations do you sell?
Well, there aren’t really trips to the moon or Mars just yet, so we’re pretty limited to the Earth. Now- there are places we specialize in and have more training for, BUT we have connections all over the world. Again, if it’s something beyond our manpower or ability, we can refer you to a different and trusted advisor.
Is there anything you don't do?
Of course there are things we don’t, or won’t do. We like to think we’re pretty upfront with such things, and are always very communicative. Please ask any and all questions and don’t hide anything. We wouldn’t do it to you, so please return that kindness.
wHAT SERVICES DO YOU PROVIDE?
Check out our “Services” page to see our complete list of services, but essentially we assist you with as much/little travel planning as you want. Full service, concierge treatment? We do that. Just itinerary building? We can do that too. Our job is to use our expertise and creativity to make your vacation dreams come to life.
Are there destinations you don't send clients to?
Sort of like the ones we DO sell, it just depends. We will always take your safety to heart, so if there is ever any concern that we can see, we will simply advise against it. We’re very protective of our clients- we take the mindset that every one of you are like a little sister or brother, and ask ourselves “would we send our own brother/sister there?” If we ever hesitate, we don’t send clients there. Capishe?
WhAT IS THE PROCESS OF WORKING WITH YOU?
You can learn more about our process on our “Process” page (crazy, huh?), but basically we chat during the initial consult, sign a contract and then create proposals. We then meet a second time to go over the proposals together. Then we book, and create you itinerary and any other documents you need. Last, you travel!
hOW DO I RECIEVE CONFIRMATION, INVOICES, DOCUMENTS, ETC?
Thanks to technology, we take care of this for you. We send pretty much everything electronically. If you need physical copies of anything, just let us know. If it’s something we can’t do for you, we’ll help walk you through it, things like passports, COVID tests, etc.
During Planning
cAN i BOOK MY OWN AIR?
Yes, of course! This is a common question we get, because so many people like to use miles/points. If that’s you, we’re totally cool with that, just please make sure to stay in communication with us so that your flights fit into your itinerary, and be sure to send us the info.
Want us to book your air? We certainly can, but we usually charge a ticketing fee.
No, we do NOT book air only.
cAN i MAKE CHANGES TO THE PROPOSAL?
Of course! This is why it’s a proposal. This is YOUR trip, not ours, so if something isn’t quite to your liking, just let us know, You won’t hurt our feelings, we want to make sure everything is perfect before we begin booking. Communication is key during this step!
hOW FAR IN ADVANCE SHOULD i START PLANNING?
It’s never too early to start planning. NEVER! Even if something can’t be booked per se, we can still start making plans together, and then we will handle the booking as soon as it’s available to do so. Also, we LOVE to send pretty pictures and teasers to our clients in the planning phase!
dO i NEED TRAVEL INSURANCE?
If Covid taught us anything, it’s that everyone who is traveling needs insurance. In fact, many suppliers require it now- don’t be put off by that though. We call that a CYA (“cover your butt”), it just makes sure you and the vendors are covered in unfortunate situations.
Now. We are NOT travel insurance agents. We can sell you the right plan, but we cannot advise on it. Essentially we connect you with the Travel Insurance company, and will direct you to them with any/all questions with your policy information.
wHAT IF i DON'T KNOW WHERE i WANT TO GO?
Then you’d be like the majority of people! If you aren’t sure or are weighing different options, one of our jobs is to help you figure that out. Even if you think you have a destination in mind, we still like to chat about it. It’s pretty common for people to want a destination to be something, but it may not meet their expectations. We’ll help you, so don’t stress! Our goal is to always accomplish the “why” of your trip, so we fit the destination to that, not the other way around.
What is included with your fees?
So, so much. In fact, we have an entire page dedicated to our services. Our fees reflect the level of service we provide to each and every client, to ensure that you receive an incredible level of pre-departure and in-destination support from us. You can dream of and plan your next vacation with us full of confidence! Head over to our Services page, or send us a message to find out more.
after Booking
wHAT TRAVEL DOCS DO i NEED?
This will depend on many variants, and will be unique to every situation. But, rest assured: we got you! Part of our services are what we call “pre-departure document prep and final checks”, will include either digital or hard copies of what is in our control to supply to you. For the things we cannot take care of for you (like passports), we will help guide you and walk you through what you need and when.
wHAT IF I CHANGE MY MIND/CAN'T TRAVEL?
This can be two different scenarios- if something “unforeseen” or “uncontrollable” happens, your Travel Insurance (which we ALWAYS recommend and include in proposals) will cover such things. IF this is something by choice that doesn’t qualify under insurance, then we will do what we can to cancel each piece of your trip and get it taken care of for you. While we do not charge an additional fee for this, there is always a chance that hotels/air/etc. may not be willing to fully refund such instances.
hOW dO i PAY FOR MY TRIP?
Another one of those highly misunderstood things we come across all the time! Thanks to technology, we have a great CRM system that we store all sensitive information in, like credit card numbers. We send you a credit card authorization form, which puts it right into your digital file, and encrypts it. After we get the green light to book things (on your behalf), we access your information and make the agreed-upon reservations. We immediately invoice and send you any/all confirmations. IF there is ever a discrepancy between the proposed amount and final amount, we will contact you first before anything is purchased.
wHAT IF I NEED TO CANCEL OR POSTPONE MY TRIP?
This is very similar to “What if I change my mind/can’t travel”. If it’s covered by your travel insurance policy, we will assist with those changes. If it is not a covered cause, we will also assist you however we can to accommodate you and get the matter settled.
aM i ALLOWED TO MAKE CHANGES AFTER MY TRIP IS BOOKED?
We really hope to make any and all changes during the proposal phase, before things are booked, because it can create difficulty and potentially loss of money. Just make sure to keep the communication open with your advisor and voice any questions or concerns immediately, so they can address it. Depending on the complexity of the change/s, additional fees may apply, because this means investing even more of their time and energy.
wHAT CAN I EXPECT AFTER MY TRIP IS BOOKED, BEFORE i TRAVEL?
Our service doesn’t end when your trip gets booked… even though you may hear from us a little less, that doesn’t mean we aren’t hard at work. We like to use this time to create and send fun things your way, like packing lists, or just pretty pictures. We also stay on top of your reservations by keeping an eye out in case anything changes or needs attention.
During travel
WHAT IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG WHILE I'M TRAVELING?
We include 24/7 in-destination support, that extends from the time you leave your door, to arriving back home safely. We are available by text, phone or email, to answer questions and assist with any issue if one should arise. We include our contact information in your pre-departure prep and final checks.
CAN i ACCESS MY ITINERARY AND TRAVEL DOCS?
This is apart of something we like to call “pre-departure document prep and final checks”. Technology allows us to virtually send you e-documents (physical copies upon request). Plus, we keep copies of everything in your digital file, so if you can’t find something, just let us know and we’ll get it to you.
Contact Us
How can we help? Feel free to reach out to us with any questions or thoughts you have. Being a fully-online business, we can connect in multiple ways and are usually pretty easy to reach, even while we’re traveling.
Interested in a different destination than what we’ve showcased? Or maybe you aren’t even sure where you want to go yet? No worries, we’ve sent people all over the world. We use our connections and resources to help you, no matter where you’re off to next.
Feel free to click the button below to find a contact method you’re most comfortable with. We think we’re pretty chill and easy to talk to. We LOVE to talk travel and can’t wait to hear all about your travel vision!
Contact Form
Because we’re a boutique agency, we actually answer every email in a timely fashion. We may be on vacation ourselves, but we promise to always be here- a real person from our office, every time.