Answers
Straight answers.
The questions clients actually ask, answered without spin.
What is life-stage travel?
Life-stage travel means planning the trip around the season of life you're in, not just a destination on a map. The empty nest, the big anniversary, the retirement, the last stretch of years when the whole family can still gather. I start with what's going on in your life, then bring you the trip that answers it. It's the difference between booking a vacation and marking a chapter.
Do you cost more than booking online?
In almost every case, no. The cruise lines and suppliers I work with pay me directly when you book through me, so the trip price is the same or better than what you would find on your own. Where a custom land trip warrants a modest planning fee, we discuss it upfront. You are getting an advisor working for you at no added cost to the trip.
Do you only book cruises?
Cruises are a specialty, especially Alaska and sailings from Galveston, but I plan custom land trips as well. Milestone travel, multigenerational trips, resort stays, and cruise-plus-land combinations are all in my lane. If it is a trip built around a moment in your life, it is something I plan.
Do you plan trips that don't leave from Louisiana or Texas?
Absolutely. My clients sail out of ports across the country and travel worldwide. Being based in DeRidder just means Galveston is a convenient home port for a lot of us. It does not limit where I plan.
What if something goes wrong while I'm traveling?
You call me. Not an 800 number, not a chatbot. When flights cancel or itineraries shift, I am the one working the phones on your behalf while you are still figuring out what happened. That access is one of the biggest reasons clients tell me the relationship is worth it.
How far in advance should I plan?
For Alaska, twelve to eighteen months out is normal for the best cabins on the best ships. For Caribbean and Galveston sailings, six to twelve months gives you real choice on rooms and pricing. Peak-season family travel books earlier than most people expect. That said, I take last-minute clients when the fit is right, so it is always worth a conversation.
Do you work with families traveling with adult children?
Yes, and it is one of my favorite kinds of trip to plan. The window when everyone is old enough to enjoy it and still willing to travel together is shorter than it feels. I know how to handle staterooms that keep families near each other, dining setups that work for mixed groups, and shore days that give different ages options without splitting the group.
Do I have to know exactly what I want before we talk?
Not even a little. Most clients come to me with a rough idea and a lot of half-formed questions. That is exactly the right place to start. The conversation is where the trip gets shaped.
Do you work with clients outside Louisiana?
Yes. Louisiana is home, and a lot of my clients are here, but I work with clients across the country. Everything happens by phone, text, and email, so location has never been the constraint people expect it to be.