FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Well, perhaps you should book online, let’s consider a few things. Some folks are very savvy and prefer to have complete control of how, when and where they book their personal vacations, and if that’s you, then it’s perfectly ok. You may be one for surfing the web for the “cheapest rate” or the “deal of the day”. If that is your most comfortable way of travel, we sincerely wish you a great adventure! We specialize in international group travel and that requires expertise just like any other profession. Our clients hire us because we work for you and take all the burden and pressure of planning, pricing and scheduling off your shoulders. We protect your precious time and make the most of your travel investment dollars! Your group will be so impressed they will think you are a travel professional! Behind the scenes, as your professional travel advisors, we have valuable relationships with our suppliers and can often get amenities, upgrades, and other special VIP touches you couldn’t access on your own. We are a constant through the entire process; is Google?

First, we find out more about your group by do a little brainstorming about your vision and goals for the trip. We take this information and use our travel expertise and supplier relationships to get some fabulous options to present and discuss with you. Once we have the destination(s) and high-level experience(s) selected, we plan each day in great detail so you can feel confident that the end result will be an amazing adventure. Our job doesn’t stop when the trip is booked; we prepare travelers by checking passports, sending packing advice, remain available to add on extra activities and excursions to name a few things. While traveling, if ‘life happens’ and an unwelcomed surprise occurs, you have a dedicated resource to call upon to resolve the problem, ensuring that you have the best vacation ever. Please see Travel Planning the Journeys That Fit Way for more information on each step of our planning process.

We get you more. In addition to using our expertise in custom tailoring your vacation and saving you time, we have insider access to additional amenities through our travel consortia, Virtuoso. This luxury network is invitation-only and represents the collective bargaining power of the best hotels, cruise lines, tour operators, and luxury travel advisors in the world. As a result, Virtuoso clients have access to unparalleled service and amenities at some of the world’s best resorts and hotels, plus unique behind-the-scenes experiences and adventures you can’t get on your own.

There are two main revenue streams for travel advisors: professional planning fees and commission. We do charge an upfront planning fee which recognizes the value you will receive when we deliver your expertly tailored itinerary. Just like any professional our time, our knowledge, and our skill set are valuable. This is our only direct fee to our client, and we can quote that amount to you on your first inquiry. Also, the travel supplier partners may pay us commission, typically after your travel has been completed, as a thank you for bringing your valuable business to them. The suppliers know you have a lot of choices on where to spend your travel dollars, so they appreciate our service to you and them.

We specialize in active/wellness group travel with people who like to raise a glass to toast their experience! Journeys That Fit group travel could be a spa retreat in Greece, a full-throttle active adventure in South America or a wine-tasting & hiking/biking river cruise through the Bordeaux region of France. Really, connecting your travel group with our creative travel planning means the sky’s the limit on what our active/wellness travel specialty could mean to you and your travel companions.

Yes, we focus on group travel; but not with a group of strangers, but YOUR group of girlfriends, extended family, yogis, golfers, hikers, wine drinkers, etc. You get it, right? We design the trip to fit your goals and make you excited to spend time with your selected group. So, no, tour buses with strangers won’t be on the itinerary unless that’s what you request.

Are you a small business owner? Traveling with your clients/customers is another revenue stream to grow your business. Yes, you read that right, you can actually make money traveling with your group AND build brand loyalty and friendships. It’s so powerful in this disconnected world. Are you a leader of a not-for-profit? You can make money for your organization and create a stronger bond with your supporters, volunteers and donors by traveling with them. Are you someone with friends, family or belong to a club/team/association? Of course, you are! Then you could deepen your relationships and have wonderful experiences together all the while traveling for a reduce price, free or even make money! Download our Free Offer on our website to find out more!

A group size is typically 10 or more travelers. If you have less than 10, we will discuss your needs and make sure the perfect travel advisor supports you during your trip whether it be us or another trusted advisor.

While we focus on international trips, we do also plan domestic trips. We enjoy planning domestic trips to destination wellness resorts, ski resort towns (year-round), golf courses, active water sport vacations, and more. Most group trips work best 7 to 10 days in length due to work constraints. If your group is made up of people with more flexible schedules, then consider a longer trip of 14 to 21 days to allow for more time at your destination while maximizing the travel budget.

Life happens. It’s that simple. Travel insurance plans are also referred to as trip protection plans – there is a lot to be understood in that name. We will offer you trip protection for domestic trips, but we require it on international trips. Did you know your medical insurance policy probably only covers medical emergencies in the contiguous 48 states? Having trip protection helps safeguard your hard-earned financial travel investment, but almost more importantly it can protect you from the untold amount of expense if medical assistance is needed while traveling internationally. We will provide you a quote with various options from a leading travel insurance provider in business for over 20 years. However, you may purchase your plan from any supplier or company you choose. With certain policies, trip protection can assist you if you have to cancel for any reason. Now that’s peace of mind! However, there are many other policy options offering robust benefits including trip cancellation and delay, medical emergency and evacuation, lost baggage, pre-existing condition waiver and much, much more. Also, we provide excellent, specially-priced protection plans for groups on itineraries with 10 or more travelers. The value of a trip protection policy and the support it gives when you need it most cannot be overstated, and it really is a must.

No problem, you need a plan and we can help you with that dilemma. Remember Virtuoso that we mentioned above, they provide an amazing multiple year planning tool to help us start prioritizing your travel wanderlust dream locations over the next several years and significantly reduce your ‘FOMO’!

The earlier the better! We recommend inviting your group 9 - 15 months in advance for domestic trips and 12 – 18 months for international trips. Again, the earlier the better!

Passports and visas, if needed, will be discussed with you in advance of your trip to make sure your documents contain all the necessary requirements. To travel outside the United States, you usually need a passport valid for 6 months after your ticketed return date. When you book with us, we actually gather your passport information in the beginning to ensure your expiration date fall within the travel parameters. If not, we advise you, so you have time to renew. Better earlier than too late! You can apply for or renew your passport here.

We recommend obtaining Global Entry which allows expedited clearance for pre-approved travelers through customs in many countries and includes TSA pre-check for domestic flights. Plus if you are fortunate to live near or use an airport frequently with Clear airport clearance technology, it's a huge time saver. Sign up!

There are countries that do require a Tourist Visa. If you are traveling to a country that requires a Tourist Visa, we will advise and guide you on next steps. More often than not, suppliers we are using offers the Tourist Visa for a small processing fee.

What to pack is determined by several factors such as destination, time of year and type of travel (adventure, relaxation…). Before you begin your journey, we will provide you with a list of suggested items to pack.