Since 1974, Cruise Planners has been trusted to turn travel dreams into reality. With over 30 hours dedicated to each client—from the initial consultation to your safe return—we craft personalized itineraries designed to exceed expectations. By taking the stress and hassle out of vacation planning, we leave the fun part to you—just the way it should be. Let us make your next adventure unforgettable.
What to Expect when working with us.
- We start with a complimentary consultation call or in-person meeting to get to know you, your travel style, wishlist, non-negotiables, and ideal price point.
- Following our conversation, you’ll receive an email recap highlighting key points we discussed, along with a link to a form that gathers the essential details, we need to move forward—be sure to keep an eye out for it.
- Once we receive your completed form, we'll begin crafting your dream vacation, making any necessary adjustments based on your feedback until everything is perfect. No reservations are confirmed until you're completely satisfied.
- After your trip is booked, we remain available every step of the way to answer questions, add extra arrangements, help navigate entry protocols and requirements, and provide digital travel documents for a seamless experience—unlike typical online booking sites.
As an independent franchise of Cruise Planners—the largest home-based travel franchise in the country—we have earned a reputation as a trusted contributor and preferred collaborator with the world’s leading cruise lines, hotels, resorts, tour operators, and destination management companies. Our extensive global network provides us with direct access to key decision-makers, empowering us to advocate for your travel preferences and deliver exceptional, personalized experiences at the highest level.
Our Planning Services
Core Services
Always included
- Complimentary consultation to discuss and plan your ideal vacation
- Personalized travel protection recommendations for added peace of mind
- Access to a user-friendly Cruise Planners mobile app for seamless trip management
- Step-by-step dedicated support throughout the entire travel planning process
- Exclusive offers and perks available only through Cruise Planners
- Expert guidance to ensure a smooth and worry-free travel experience
CRUISE SERVICES
- Cruise Matchmaker – Did you know there are approximately 25,000 cruise sailings each year and counting? With so many options, finding the perfect one can be overwhelming—but that’s where we come in. After a personalized consultation, we’ll handpick the cruise line and sailing options tailored precisely to your preferences, budget, dream destinations, travel style, and group composition. Let us simplify the search and guide you to your ideal voyage.
- The cruise industry is evolving fast, with many lines now offering far more value in their rates than ever before. But not all deals are created equal. With our expert training, insider connections, and firsthand experience, we help you compare apples to apples—navigating the maze of rate codes, limited-time promotions, and fine print. From inclusions to exclusions across cruise lines, service classes, cabin categories, and sales, we make sure you get the best value for your money without the guesswork.
- As a longstanding powerhouse in the cruise industry, our close relationships with all your favorite cruise lines allow us to secure exclusive onboard amenities and exceptional value just for you. Enjoy added perks such as complimentary dining packages, beverage packages, gratuities, spa credits, or even cabin upgrades—available only through our trusted partnerships. Your dream cruise comes with more when you book with us.
- Enhance your cruise experience with personalized recommendations tailored just for you. Upon request, receive expert suggestions for exciting shore excursions and onboard activities, plus dedicated support for any special needs—including dietary restrictions, mobility assistance, room preferences, and celebrations—ensuring every detail is taken care of for a seamless and memorable journey.
- Value Tracking: Our award-winning system monitors cruise fares daily, automatically alerting us to price drops and securing the lower rate for you—complete with all the details—so you never miss out on savings.
- Planning a trip with friends, family, or colleagues? Let us take the stress out of organizing your group booking. From managing individual reservations to coordinating group dining, onboard activities, and even special surprises, we’ll handle the details so you can focus on enjoying the journey together.
Destination Services
- Cruise Pre and/or Post Stays
- Independent Travel and Custom Trips
- All-Inclusive Resorts
- Carefully curated accommodations: We’ll thoughtfully handpick 2–3 top-rated, 3–5 star hotels—or private villas where applicable—at each destination to perfectly match your interests, preferences, and budget. Our personalized approach ensures your stay is tailored to your unique needs, offering both comfort and style throughout your journey.
- Seamless Transportation Arrangements – Leave the hassle of coordinating travel to us. From convenient airport and cruise port pickups to smooth transfers for all your activities, we handle it all. Sit back, relax, and enjoy a stress-free journey from start to finish.
- Enhance your getaway with personalized vacation activities tailored to your interests. Whether you’re drawn to captivating tours, immersive museum visits, skip-the-line access, or unique local adventures, we provide thoughtful recommendations and seamless booking support. Discover your destination in the most fulfilling and memorable way.
- Trip Summary: We take pride in providing a hand-crafted, comprehensive trip summary that captures every component and detail of your adventure. This detailed document serves as your single point of reference, allowing you to effortlessly access and review all the essential information for a seamless and organized travel experience. Enjoy peace of mind knowing that everything you need is conveniently consolidated in one place.
Adventure Enhancements
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.
Important Details
- Please note that all non-emergency calls after hours are by appointment only. 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.
- 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.
- 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 Your Next Travel Dream?
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!
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 advocates 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! We invest over 30 hours on average on each adventure from the initial consultation all the way to your safe return home.
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.
Travel Planning Guide and Terms & Conditions are subject to change at any time without notice.
