Book It Yourself, With an Advisor Behind You
Not every trip begins with a spreadsheet, a detailed wish list, and a long planning call.
Sometimes you’re up at midnight looking at a hotel you suddenly cannot stop thinking about. Sometimes you already know the exact cruise, resort, or tour you want—and you simply want to grab the room, cabin, or date before it disappears. And sometimes you enjoy the research and the booking process yourself, but still want a real person on your side once the confirmation email lands.
That is exactly what these booking options are for.
You are always welcome to hand me the entire trip and let me take it from there—from hotel research and room comparisons to restaurant reservations, transfers, touring, and the small details that make a trip feel seamless. But if you prefer to make the initial booking yourself, you can still work with me afterward and receive the support of a travel advisor.
The Best of Both Worlds
Think of these links as a self-service starting point, not a goodbye.
When you book through my preferred links—and are officially a client of record with me—you still have someone looking out for you. I can help make sure the booking is properly connected to your trip, monitor eligible reservations for better pricing, communicate special requests, and be available if plans change or something goes sideways while you are away.
It is a particularly good fit if you:
Know exactly where you want to go and what you want to book.
Prefer browsing and making decisions on your own schedule.
Want to lock something in quickly before availability or a great rate disappears.
Love doing your own research but value having an advisor to call on.
Want to support a small business or a friend while still retaining control of the booking process.
Are planning a simple trip now, but may want more hands-on help with the rest of the itinerary later.
Hotels: Search and Book When Inspiration Strikes
If you already have a hotel in mind, you can use my Fora hotel-booking link to search rates and reserve directly.
Once you are connected with me as a client, I can be the advisor behind the reservation. That may include monitoring for eligible price drops, helping communicate preferences or special requests, and—when the hotel and rate qualify—adding VIP amenities through my travel partners. Depending on the property and booking, those benefits can include perks such as breakfast, a property credit, priority consideration for an upgrade, or a welcome amenity.
And, of course, you still have me as a resource before and during your trip. Whether you need help understanding a room category, want to add an airport transfer, have a special occasion to note, or run into an issue on the road, you do not have to navigate it alone.
Important note: To provide ongoing support and connect your reservation to my advisory services, you will need to be a client of record with me. If we have not worked together before, please begin with my quick client intake form before—or immediately after—booking so I can properly connect the dots.
Search and book hotels through my Fora link
Complete my client intake form
Tours and Experiences: Book the Fun Part
Sometimes the trip is already mapped out; you simply need the cooking class in Florence, the private transfer in Paris, the snorkeling excursion, the museum ticket, or the family-friendly afternoon that makes everyone happy.
You can browse and book experiences through my preferred partners, including Viator and GetYourGuide. These are useful when you want to compare dates, timing, inclusions, reviews, and availability in real time—especially if you see something you want and do not want to lose the spot.
If you are cruising, Venture Ashore is a wonderful option for shore excursions. You can search for experiences by ship and port, from city tours and food-focused outings to beach days, private guides, and more active adventures. It is an easy way to find something beyond the cruise line’s standard excursion offerings while still ensuring you have a plan for making the most of your time ashore.
I am still happy to help you make sense of your options, recommend which experience is worth the splurge, or advise on how an activity fits into the rhythm of your day. And if you would rather skip the scrolling entirely, I can always handle the research and booking for you.
Browse tours and experiences with Viator
Browse tours and experiences with GetYourGuide
Browse cruise excursions with VentureAshore
Cruises: You Can Book Online—Then Bring Me In
Cruise lines make it very easy to book online, and sometimes it makes perfect sense to do just that. You may have found the exact sailing, cabin category, and promotion you want, and you are ready to secure it immediately.
In many cases, I can take over an eligible cruise reservation after you book directly with the cruise line and become your travel advisor of record. Once the booking is transferred, I can monitor for price changes and work to reprice the cruise if a lower eligible fare becomes available. Depending on the cruise line, sailing, fare, and timing, I may also be able to add amenities or onboard credit through my travel partners.
There are deadlines and booking rules that vary by cruise line, so please reach out as soon as you book—or ideally before you do—if you would like me to take over the reservation. The earlier I am involved, the more options we may have.
Start a cruise conversation / Submit my cruise intake form
Travel Insurance: Protect the Investment
Travel insurance is not the glamorous part of planning a trip, but it can be one of the most valuable decisions you make.
Coverage can help with eligible trip cancellations or interruptions, medical needs while traveling, delayed or lost baggage, and other unexpected disruptions. Policies differ significantly, so it is important to review the coverage details, exclusions, deadlines, and any requirements related to pre-existing medical conditions before purchasing.
You can use my travel-insurance links to compare options and purchase coverage directly. If you would like help thinking through timing or the type of coverage that may be appropriate for your trip, I am happy to point you in the right direction. I cannot make the coverage decision for you, but I can make sure you know the questions worth asking.
Compare travel-insurance options: Faye ArchRoam
What Self-Booking Can—and Cannot—Do
Booking through these links gives you speed, flexibility, and the satisfaction of securing your own plans. It can be ideal for straightforward reservations, familiar destinations, and those “I have already decided; I just need to book it” moments.
There are, however, a few trade-offs.
The Upside
You can search and book at any hour, from any device.
You see availability and pricing in real time.
You retain control over the selection and the moment of purchase.
You can still support my small business and keep an advisor connected to your trip.
For eligible bookings, I may be able to provide post-booking support, price monitoring, partner perks, or assistance if plans change.
A Few Things to Know
Not every rate, hotel, cruise fare, tour, or supplier is eligible for advisor support, upgrades, price monitoring, or added amenities.
Perks are never guaranteed and depend on the property, partner program, room or rate type, availability, and other supplier rules.
Booking directly through a supplier or a third-party site can sometimes limit what can be changed, transferred, repriced, or serviced afterward.
Self-booking is best for travelers who are comfortable reviewing cancellation terms, room categories, inclusions, supplier policies, and fine print before confirming.
Complex trips—with multiple destinations, tight connections, special celebrations, family logistics, unusual room needs, or a long list of “what should we do?” questions—are often better handled from the beginning as a fully planned trip.
Prefer to Hand It All Over? I Love That, Too.
These links are here because travel planning is not one-size-fits-all.
Some travelers want a fully designed journey, with thoughtful hotel options, logistical support, restaurant and experience recommendations, and every moving piece considered from the first conversation through the return home. That is work I love to do.
Others want to chase inspiration in the moment, make a quick decision themselves, and know there is an experienced advisor in their corner afterward. That works, too.
Whether you want to book in the middle of the night, need to move quickly before a room or sailing sells out, enjoy doing some of the work yourself, or simply want your reservation to support a small business, I am happy to meet you where you are.
Search hotels
Book experiences: Viator GetYourGuide Venture Ashore
Explore travel insurance: Faye ArchRoam
Start planning a fully custom trip
Complete my client intake form
