came up again and again with a client I will call Sarah, who booked her first trip to Europe with me last year.
Sarah reached out with a simple message. She and her husband wanted to celebrate their anniversary in Italy, but they had never traveled internationally together and had no idea where to start.
Over the next several months, Sarah asked me almost every question I hear on a regular basis. Her trip ended up being a two week journey through Rome, Florence, and the Amalfi Coast, and by the end, she told me she could not imagine having planned it alone.
Her questions were good ones. Here are the answers, for anyone standing exactly where she was a year ago.
Why Not Just Book It Myself
This was Sarah’s very first question, and it is fair one.
You absolutely can book flights, hotels, and tours on your own. What you cannot easily replicate is the relationships. I have real connections with hotels, guides, and suppliers built over years, which means better rooms, upgrades, and access that is simply not available through a booking website.
There is also the time factor. Sarah works full time. Researching and coordinating a two week international trip on her own would have taken dozens of hours. I did it in a fraction of that time, because I already knew where to look.
How Far in Advance Should I Book
Sarah reached out about eight months before her trip. That timing worked well, especially for a summer departure to popular destinations.
For peak season travel to Italy, France, or Greece, six to nine months out is ideal. It gives us time to secure the right hotels, the best guides, and dinner reservations at places that book up fast. For once-in-a-lifetime trips or milestone celebrations, earlier is always better. I have planned trips with far less notice, but more lead time simply means more options.
What Does This Actually Cost
Sarah was nervous to ask this one, and I understand why. People often assume a travel advisor adds cost on top of what they would pay booking directly.
In most cases, that is not true. I am compensated by the hotels, tour operators, and suppliers I work with, which means my planning fee reflects the time and expertise involved, not a markup on your trip. And because of the relationships I mentioned earlier, clients frequently save money or receive value in upgrades and amenities that offset the fee entirely.
What If Something Goes Wrong
This question came up right before Sarah left, and it is one of the most important ones anyone can ask.
Things do occasionally go wrong. Flights get delayed. Trains get cancelled. Weather interferes with plans. When that happens to my clients, they call or text me, not an anonymous customer service line. I have handled cancelled trains, missed connections, and unexpected changes for clients while they were still standing in the station. That peace of mind is, for many clients, the most valuable part of working with me.
Will This Actually Feel Like My Trip
Sarah asked this near the beginning, worried that working with an advisor meant losing control over her own vacation.
The opposite is true. Every itinerary I build starts with a real conversation about what you want, what excites you, and what you would rather skip. I do not hand clients a template. I build around their pace, their interests, and their budget. Sarah’s trip included exactly the things she cared about and none of the things she did not.
How This One Ended
Sarah came home from Italy with the trip she had hoped for and a few moments she never expected. A private cooking class that turned into one of her favorite memories. A hotel upgrade that put them in a room with a view she still mentions.
A cancelled train on the way to a connection that could have derailed the whole day, handled with one phone call while she stood on the platform.
If any of Sarah’s questions sound like your own, I would love to help you find your answers too.
Have your own questions?
Visit amoretraveldesigns.com/contact-me or reach me at cathy@amoretraveldesigns.com. I would love to help you plan your first trip, or your next one.
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