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My goal has always been for you to never pay more just because you booked through me. I compare pricing and incentives across multiple suppliers to find the best available value for your trip.

As part of the Travel Leaders network, I also have access to group rates, agency offers, amenities and other benefits that aren’t always available when booking on your own.

If you find a lower price somewhere else, send it to me. I’ll always check to see if I can match or beat it. It’s rare that I can’t, and it costs you nothing to have me compare the options.

For almost every trip, no. In more than five years in business, I’ve never charged a client a planning or booking fee.

Cruises, resorts, tours, group travel and straightforward vacation packages are typically fee-free because the travel suppliers I book compensate me for my work.

I only reserve the option to charge a planning fee in rare situations involving an unusually complex custom trip or exceptionally involved group where the suppliers may not compensate me for the amount of planning required.

If that ever applies to your trip, I’ll tell you before I start planning. No surprise fees.

Most people don’t realize that when they book through sites like Expedia or Booking.com, they’re actually using an online travel agency. Those companies are paid commissions by travel suppliers.

The difference when you book with me is that you get a real person who knows you and your trip.

I’m paid a commission by the cruise line, resort, hotel, tour company, or other supplier.

You get my direct contact information, including my cell number. No call center. No AI bot. No automated system. No explaining your trip to a different person every time you need help.

Well, I’m not going to tell you why you should book with a travel advisor instead of booking online yourself, but I will tell you why you should book with me.

Odds are, you’re on my website because you already know how complicated travel planning gets.

“Did I choose the right resort? Does it look anything like the pictures? Why didn’t the website mention my cruise cabin is right below the noisy kids club? The resort website said “ocean view,” but apparently that means leaning around the corner of the balcony to see the ocean.“

Those are the details I pay attention to.

Travel is a huge part of my life, not just my job.

I travel often, cruise, tour ships and resorts, experience destinations firsthand, and spend a lot of time keeping up with what’s happening in travel.

When I recommend something, I’m looking beyond the pretty pictures and the price on the screen. I’m comparing locations, room and cabin categories, current conditions, promotions, cancellation terms, what’s included, and whether the trip is actually a good fit for you.

AI is a great tool, but when you’re spending thousands of dollars, ‘Oops, you’re right. This resort isn’t actually on the ocean,’ isn’t very helpful.

Once you book, you still have me. I’m a one-person agency, so you work directly with the same person from planning through travel. You have my direct contact information and my cell number when you need me.

You still make the decisions. My job is to make sure you have better information before you make them.

I’m part of the Travel Leaders network, which gives me access to preferred rates, agency promotions, group pricing, onboard credits, resort amenities and other benefits that aren’t always available to the general public. I also compare multiple suppliers because the same trip is not always priced the same way everywhere.

I won’t tell you I have a secret cheaper rate for every vacation, because that isn’t true. Depending on what we are booking, my rates may be the same as what you see through another online booking site or supplier website. What I will do is check the options available to me and look for the best combination of price, flexibility and benefits for your trip.

If you find something cheaper somewhere else, send it to me. I’ll check it and see if I can match it, beat it or find a better overall value.

I’ll review everything you send and reach out if I need a little more information before I start researching, typically within 48 hours. If it’s an urgent request, please email me. From there, I’ll compare options based on your dates, budget, preferences and what matters most to you.

I’m not going to send you 20 random choices and make you sort through them. I narrow things down and send you the options I think make the most sense, along with my thoughts on the differences and anything I think you should know. You and I will customize from there.

Once you choose the trip you want, I’ll handle the booking and help keep track of the travel arrangements I’ve booked for you. You’ll also have me to come back to with questions, changes or anything else that comes up along the way.

Once you’ve chosen the elements of your trip, I’ll take care of the bookings and send you your confirmations and invoice. You’ll also receive an online itinerary you can access from your phone, including while you’re traveling, with your reservations, important trip details, helpful guidance, tips and anything I think you should know before you go.

You’ll also have the option to access everything through an easy-to-use travel app.

Payments are handled electronically through secure payment authorizations. I never collect or hold your money myself. When you authorize a payment, it is processed directly by the cruise line, resort, tour company or other travel supplier associated with your booking. Your payment goes directly to the travel supplier.

As your trip gets closer, I’ll continue adding the information you need so you’re not left wondering what happens next. If you have questions along the way, you still have me.

No. Sometimes you know exactly what you want, and sometimes you just know you need a vacation.

If you have your dates, approximate budget, who is traveling, and an idea of what kind of trip you want, that gives me plenty to start with.

Maybe you want a relaxing beach trip, Europe with plenty of sightseeing, a warm-weather cruise, an adults-only resort, or a family trip with lots for the kids to do.

If you’re stuck between a few places, that’s fine too. Send me your list and I’ll help you sort through the pros, cons, travel time, pricing and overall fit so you’re not choosing based on pretty pictures alone.

Usually, not if it’s just airfare alone. Airlines generally offer the same published fares you see online, and they don’t compensate travel advisors for the time involved in researching, booking and managing standalone airfare. For airfare alone, there usually isn’t an added advantage to having me book it.

Unfortunately, the airlines don’t have hidden discounts these days.

I’m happy to help with flights when I’m also planning the rest of your trip, such as a cruise, resort, tour or vacation package.

If you only need airfare and nothing else, booking directly with the airline is usually the better option.

No. I have clients who live all over the United States.

Most of the planning process is handled online through email, secure forms, and your digital itinerary, with phone calls when we need them. You don’t have to live near me to work together.

I work from home, so if you’re local to Gig Harbor, I’m happy to meet you at a local coffee shop or cafe to discuss your trip. Any excuse to get out of the house is good with me!

If you book early, you can often reserve your trip with a deposit instead of paying for the whole thing upfront. A lot of the cruise lines, resorts, tour companies and vacation suppliers I work with let you put down a deposit, then pay the remaining balance closer to travel.

You can make additional payments along the way in whatever amounts work for you, as long as the balance is paid in full by the final payment date.

The exact deposit, final payment date and cancellation terms depend on the supplier and type of trip. Airfare, certain hotel rates and some special offers may require full payment when they’re booked. I’ll let you know what’s due, when it’s due and what the cancellation terms are before you commit.