Wake up somewhere new. Every single morning.
A ship can take you to Antarctica, across the Mediterranean, or up a river through wine country — one cabin, a new view outside it every day. I make sure it's the right ship, the right line, and the right cabin before you book.
The Mediterranean in a week. Antarctica by ship. A river through wine country.
A cruise is one of the best ways to wake up somewhere new every day without living out of a rental car and a suitcase. And sometimes, the only practical way to reach of places at the end of the world.
The excitement is real. So is the amount there is to get right: which region, which ship, which season, which cabin. Together, we work out what is best so you can be confident in your choice.
Every cruise is not the same trip
Ocean
The biggest ships and the widest choice of itinerary. Typically multiple port stops and enough onboard activity to fill a day at sea. All without unpacking.
River
Small ships that dock in the middle of town instead of an hour outside it. You walk off into the old city itself and you're back aboard for dinner. Basically a floating hotel to the heart of some of the world's best cities.
Expedition
Built for places you can't reach any other way - Antarctica, the Arctic, the Galápagos. Smaller ships, Zodiac landings standing in for a port day, and a route that bends to the ice and the weather.
Luxury small-ship
All-suite ships under 500 guests, most fares all-inclusive, and service that knows your name by day two. A five-star hotel experience with a changing view outside the window.
Transatlantic crossing
A multi-day sea passage with no ports at all - the crossing itself is the trip. A throwback to the golden age of cruising and perfect for those who want to travel slow, with intention.
Photo: Virtual-Pano, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Antarctica, aboard Silver Endeavour
220 guests, an 18-Zodiac fleet, and a crew that very nearly outnumbers the passengers. Mornings among penguin colonies and icebergs; evenings a recap in the lounge from a camera that pulls in wildlife from three miles out. This is a milestone trip. For when you're crossing the seventh continent off the list, not a first cruise.
The cruise that's best for you
Not all cruise lines are created equal. Not all destinations are created equal. And not all ships, even on the same line, are created equal.
With you, we'll work out what fits you best. Whether it's date you have to travel or a destination that's been on the bucket list, I'll work with you to find the best departure for you.
Two lines can sell the same seven days in the same sea and hand you very different weeks. One dresses for dinner and one does not. One carries three thousand people and one carries six hundred. One stays late in port and one is back at sea by five. With access to hundreds of lines, their full calendar, and detailed deck plans, I'll help you move past marketing speak to lock in on what's important.
Lines I recommend and have booked
Five lines I come back to, across every kind of cruise above.
Photo: Cavernia, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Barcelona to Rome on Viking's Iconic Western Mediterranean
Eight days, starting with an overnight in Barcelona and ending in Rome, with a complimentary shore excursion built into every stop along the way - Sète, Marseille, Monte Carlo, and an overnight in Florence and Pisa's gateway of Livorno. Five guided tours are included, several at UNESCO sites, plus the ship's own Nordic-style spa whenever you want a break from the ports.
The same price, with someone doing the comparison for you
Booking a cruise yourself means reading half a dozen ships' brochures and guessing which one is actually right for your week. Most travelers who use an advisor say it made the trip better.
None of that changes what you pay. A cruise line's price is the same whether you book direct or through me.
Photo: Marc-Lautenbacher, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Seven nights across the Atlantic on Queen Mary 2
The only ocean liner still in regular service, built for the North Atlantic rather than a resort. Seven nights of open ocean, a planetarium, the largest library at sea, and formal nights that are still genuinely black tie. No ports, no bags to repack - the crossing is the whole trip.
Dubrovnik Old Town, Croatia. Photo: Akira Takiguchi, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
More than the days at sea
A cruise booking covers the ship. On some cruises, excursions are included. On others, excursions are up to you. Some lines offer pre and post extensions to give you more time to see a city. And on others, you're on your own.
Either way, you'll have my research behind you to decide if you should opt-in for the provided coach bus tour of the sights or pay extra for a one of a kind experience. I bring the same skills I bring to custom trip planning to when you disembark.
Which excursions are worth the day
The ship shows you a list of options at each port, but not everything is worth the time (or money). Sometimes the mass-market tour bus is worth it. Other times, it's just as easy to book a custom excursion you'll actually treasure. I'll advise and book, when necessary, so your trip isn't ruined by an overcrowded stop two-hours away from port.
The port everyone skips, and the one they shouldn't
Some scheduled stops are better spent onboard. Cruise lines often choose a port not because it's the most interesting or worthwhile, but because they have no other option. Sometimes, it's better to relax and take advantage of the empty ship while others tire themselves out ashore.
How rough the transfer actually is
An excursion's description might mention a two-hour bus, but not all travel is created equal. A windy switchback up a mountain, a migraine inducing traffic jam, and a wide open highway are not created equal. Know which transfer is worth it. On many cruises, booking with me gets you a private transfer.
When the line's own extension isn't enough
Most lines sell a pre- or post-cruise add-on - usually a hotel night and a transfer. Typically these are mainly an additional hotel and airport transfer. If you want more than that, I plan a real trip around it. A mini-version of my custom trip planning, included as part of your cruise booking.
Which room, and why that one
As a travel advisor, I have access to the most up-to-date deck plans, so you get the cabin you want. Sometimes the reason is the view. Sometimes it is being midship and low, where the ship moves least, or being a deck away from the music, or knowing which balconies on that side are overlooked from above.
What booking through me adds
There is no separate planning fee for a cruise. The cruise line pays a commission on the booking, so you book as normal. You pay the cruise line's own price. What comes with me is everything else: the comparison, the knowledge, the time spent on hold. Plus, the benefits below on top of whichever sailing you choose.
- Shipboard credit on many sailings
- Private transfers at port instead of a shared shuttle
- A car and driver on select sailings
- A briefing on every port before you sail
The lines, ships, and routes compared before you commit to one
Photo: Ein Dahmer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A week on the Douro with AmaWaterways
Round trip from Porto on a ship built small enough for the river's locks, with terraced vineyards climbing the valley on both sides for the entire week - not just at the ports. Seven excursions are already built in, from port-wine quintas to a day trip across the Spanish border to Salamanca.
As Easy as 1, 2, 3 (and 4)
Tell me the line, the ship, or the region.
If you have a sailing in mind, I book it. If not, I help you narrow one down: a region, a length, a ship size, a cabin category.
I book it and add the benefits.
You pay the cruise line's own price. Onboard credit, private transfers at port, and on select sailings a car and driver.
I brief you on each port before you sail.
So a sea day is time you planned for, not time you lose deciding what to do once you are aboard.
You cruise, and I stay reachable.
If an itinerary changes or a port gets swapped mid-sailing, I sort it out, even if all you have is ship wifi.
Questions about cruises
Why work with a travel advisor?
The hours it takes to compare hotels, routes, and logistics are hours I already spend for a living. The commission that pays for that time is built into what hotels, cruise lines, and resorts charge, whether you book direct or through me. You get the research without doing it.
How much does this cost?
Custom trip planning carries a $150 fee. Cruises and resort-only bookings don't carry that fee — the supplier's commission covers the work. And if a cruise is part of a larger custom trip, the $150 fee is waived.
Do you book everything?
Almost everything, with two exceptions worth naming. I generally steer clear of Airbnbs, though I'll book one when it's genuinely the right fit for a trip. Flights, yes, in most cases — depending on the trip's tier and destination, I may identify the right flight and have you book it directly with the airline, which protects your recourse if something changes.
Can I talk to you before I fill out the form?
Yes. Email me and we'll talk it through first — the form is there to make things easier, not to be a gate you have to get past.
Are you limited to what companies or cruise lines you can book?
No. I can book effectively any cruise line or supplier, which is what lets me compare across them instead of being limited to one company's lineup.
How do you get paid?
Two ways, depending on the trip. Custom itineraries carry a $150 planning fee. Cruises and resort-only bookings pay a commission instead, already built into the price you'd pay direct.
What if something goes wrong while I’m traveling?
I stay reachable while you're away. If a flight changes, a hotel falls through, or a cruise itinerary gets swapped mid-sailing, I work the problem so you don't have to.
How far ahead should I reach out?
Depends on the trip. Cruises are worth booking early. Custom trips can come together closer in, though the options narrow the later you start. If you want to use points, plan on at least nine months out to get good rates.
Will I pay more by booking through you than directly with the cruise line?
No. You pay the cruise line's own price either way. Booking through me adds benefits the cruise line doesn't give direct bookings.
Ready to book?
Tell me the destination, dates, or just the dream trip you've never been able to figure out. We'll make your travel dreams come true.