Customized Travel Planning

Are you the type of person who just doesn’t have time to do all the research, planning and booking that a trip to Europe entails?

You want this dream vacation to Europe to be perfect, but you are simply overwhelmed with all the information.

Why leave this trip of a lifetime to chance?

That’s where my customized travel planning services come in.

This is everything including the kitchen sink!

And it’s created just for you!!

Customized Travel Planning includes:

  • Consultations with me to determine the flow of your trip, your style of travel, your budget and your wants and needs. I want to get to know you!
  • Booking any and all aspects of your trip — from air to accommodation to tours to ground transportation to specialty experiences such as cooking classes, whisky tastings, sporting events or guided hikes. I will book whatever aspects of your trip you want me to.
  • Recommendations on restaurants, cafes and pubs.
  • Tips for outdoor activities that fit your skill level.
  • Suggestions on off the beaten path destinations.
  • Advice on must see sites.
  • Ideas on experiences that pertain to your particular interests.
  • Recommendations on scenic drives (if you are driving).
  • A detailed itinerary with all supporting documents plus any maps you might need.
  • Answers to any and all of your questions.
  • 24/7 support when you travel.

Here’s how it works.

 

  • You contact me via the contact form on this website or via email — or you can even call me if you prefer.
  • If you use the contact form, please put “customized travel planning” in the subject line.
  • Please be as detailed as possible so I know where you want to travel, when you want to go, what your budget is and any other details that might help me in determining your “style” of travel.
  • Once we have that initial consultation, we’ll decide if we want to work together.
  • As we begin to work together, I’ll ask more questions. We can do this via email, phone or video calls. It’s up to you. But I really believe the more I get to know you, the more I can really tailor-make your vacation to you — so you can wander your way.
  • I’ll plan out a basic itinerary first. Some of my clients are very clear about where they want to travel to. And some are not. We’ll work on the itinerary together until it’s exactly how you want it.
  • Once we have the itinerary set (which destinations and how many days at each), I’ll send you the agreement which you’ll sign and return to me via email.
  • You will also pay the initial deposit equal to 2 trip days (see below) at the time of signing the agreement.

Then the real fun begins!

 

  • We’ll begin to fill in the blanks on your itinerary — accommodation, transportation, tours/sites, activities, events, special experiences — anything we want to plan in advance we will. I believe in leaving open time so you have free time. You will always make the final decision on where to stay, what tour to take, what mode of transportation you want to use and what sites you want to see. I just narrow down the options.
  • We’ll be in constant contact throughout the planning and booking of each aspect of your itinerary. I’ll always be available to answer questions. And I’ll be in contact to ask you questions so I create the perfect vacation for you.
  • You will receive a folder (in print) of all of your information approximately 2 weeks prior to departure. In this you’ll find:
    • The itinerary with all your accommodation plus any tours, classes or experiences that we have booked in advance.
    • Supporting documents such as train and/or tour and site tickets.
    • All suggestions and recommendations for things to do, see and experience in each destination along your journey.
    • Recommendations on places to eat and drink.
    • Any maps you’ll need to find your way.
  • And, of course, I’ll be available 24/7 during your trip. If you need anything at all, I’ll be ready to help you out.

Costs:

Customized travel planning starts at $150 per trip day and will go upwards to $350 per trip day.

Price will vary depending on:

  • how many travelers and the number of destinations
  • how much time we have for planning (it’s recommended to begin planning at least 6 months in advance)
  • the complexity of your trip
  • any specialized requests that require additional time and research

For flights I add a $60 fee per international ticket and $40 for any internal flights (i.e., a flight from London to Munich).

Please note that groups larger than 6 will be charged a higher cost per trip day than the range mentioned above. Contact me for more information.

Also, note that if you are planning your trip 3 months or less in advance, the cost per trip day will be subject to a surcharge of 25-50% depending on time of travel (high season, off season or shoulder season).