Whether you have a basic idea of what you want to do and where you want to go, or you have no idea where to start, I am here to help. As of October 2026, I have helped book more than 400 cruises, 75 hotels, 30 insurance plans, and 60 destination experiences. On top of that, I’ve taken more than 60 cruises personally, and have traveled to Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, many destinations across the Caribbean, Italy, and Spain.
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Why Use a Travel Advisor | The Booking Process | Payments on Your Terms | FAQs
Why Use a Travel Advisor?
In today’s landscape, you’re busy! You have the vision of your perfect dream getaway but not the time or the resources to be able to make it happen. Using a Certified Travel Advisor puts you in the hands of a professional who has access to a network of other people who have traveled the globe.
We’ve put together our “Top 4” list for why we recommend booking through a certified Travel Advisor:
- No Cost To You – Travel Advisors make a small commission from hotel operators, cruise lines, and tour operators, for helping them find clients and take the burden off their own contact centers.
- Someone That Works For You – Let someone who has experience and shares a passion for travel take care of the headache of researching and booking.
- Peace Of Mind – If something happens during your travels, your advisor can reach out to the company and seek resolution whether in the form of compensation or a change to your itinerary.
- Added Perks – When booking through a Travel Advisor, there are often perks available that you don’t have access to when booking directly with the facility.
Speaking of Perks
If you’re a fan of Virtuoso offerings, I am also a member of this exclusive program and can help you with your Virtuoso benefits. Feel free to browse the list of perks and benefits that come with the Virtuoso Consortium!
When booking through me, I can add your loyalty numbers to your booking from Marriott Bonvoy to Virgin Voyages Sailing Club and many other companies between. It will feel like you’re doing the booking on your own, only there’s no stress, playing phone tag with the travel operator, or worries that you might have forgotten a big part of the planning process.
Plus, you get the added bonus of booking with someone who knows the industry from experience and will review your booking for the best room location, look for the best excursion options, and so much more!
The Booking Process
Here’s a simple step-by-step guide of what to expect as you work on securing that dream vacation:
- Tell me what you’re dreaming of – start by communicating what you’d like to do, whether it’s a cruise, all-inclusive, shore excursion, etc. with me. I’ll begin sourcing suggestions based on the conversation and will then present you with some options within 24-48 hours.
- Review your options – Take some time to review the options presented and come prepared with follow-up questions. Don’t be afraid to ask what might feel like a dumb question; I have worked with all levels of experiences and I am patiently able to assist you as I take the stresses away from you.
- Share your details securely – Once you’ve both agreed on the plan, I will send you a secure link (if you haven’t provided your information already) so I can build out the finalized itineraries. Details found on that link will include legal names and dates of birth for each person in your group, contact information, loyalty program details, known allergies, and, most importantly, a secure credit card portal. Never send your credit card details to me via text or email. These are unsecure methods and could expose your data.
- Confirm with a courtesy hold – Assuming everything has been agreed upon, I will send you a courtesy hold for the reservation with all of the details. Each hold will have a different timespan, so it is important that you respond to me in a timely manner with regards to any changes, and/or the deposit payment.
- Pay on your schedule – In the months leading up to your travel, you may reach out to me with any questions you may have. Additionally, you may hear from me regarding the payment status on your reservation. If you’d prefer to set up a payment plan, you can work those details out with me directly – I also have the ability to set you up with FlexPay (details about this program are below).
- Watch your final payment date – If your reservation is not paid in full, you will receive communications from me ahead of the final payment due date. Please be aware that I will make every effort to ensure your payment is received by the operator, however if the final payment deadline is missed without completing the required payment, your reservation will be automatically cancelled by the operator and you will be subject to the prevailing rates if you re-book it.
- Get ready to sail – As you get closer to your voyage, be sure to check out the This Cruise Life YouTube channel to see if there’s any content about your ship, cruise line, destination, etc. that can help you get prepared for your trip! You may receive some additional communications from me as well.
Payments on your terms
I work with FlexPay by Uplift. Are you excited to book you big trip, but aren’t ready to pay for the entire experience right now? FlexPay gives you the option to make smaller payments over time, sometimes even extending into while you’re on your trip! Once all of the costs have been determined for your trip, I will work with you and FlexPay to determine the amount of money that you require to finance. Many cruise lines have a direct offer with FlexPay that comes with zero interest; if financing the full trip interest may apply depending on the offer. There will be a soft credit pull to determine how much money you’ll be able to spend on your FlexPay account. It’s quick. It’s easy. It lets you enjoy your vacation without having to worry about the cost – thought, approval is not guaranteed. Email me today for more details!
FAQs
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How much money will it cost to book through me?
I do not charge any planning fees on cruise bookings. Land-based itineraries may include a planning fee, which will be disclosed to you prior to me providing any options.. The price that’s visible online through the consumer website is usually similar to the prices that I see. There are no extra service or transaction fees when working with me (unless booking airfare – those fees will be disclosed when discussing air travel, or otherwise stated). Using my knowledge and experience, I will do my best to book the best room type and location based on current availability and budget.
How is my credit card information protected?
It is important that you never share your credit card information with me via text or email. I take many precautions to protect your personal information. I can receive your credit card information via phone call or through my Secure Credit Card Portal. Credit Card Portal is a secure link that is tied to your profile in my customer relations management system. This is a very safe spot and I will only ever access your credit card numbers when you have provided me with advance approval. Whenever I do charge your credit card, I will always send you a confirmation email showing the payment that was made. If you prefer to not store your credit card with me, I can also accept your information over the phone each time you wish to make a payment.
What happens if you have a question during travel?
You are welcome to reach out to me directly via text (623) 335-0996 or email rocky@thiscruiselife.com. In many cases, the tour operator (cruise line/all-inclusive/hotel guest services, shore excursion customer service team, etc.) will be able to answer most of your questions.
What if you need to cancel your booking?
Each brand has their own policies when it comes to cancelations. I will do my best to inform you of the cancellation policy at the time of booking. You should always review the terms and conditions of the reservation prior to paying a deposit (when required).
What if you need to make a change to your reservation?
Some reservations will allow you to make changes up until 48-hours prior to your experience. Other operators will allow changes until final payment. And other operators lock everything down once your booking is deposited. If you have any questions about the change-policy associated with your reservation, please ask me.
What happens if a price drops after booking?
Some cruise lines and hotels will notify me of a price drop based on your currently booked category. In other instances, you may need to reach out to me to inquire about a possible price drop. Don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you suspect a price drop. Some operators allow me to make the adjustment directly on your reservation, while others will require an entirely new booking. Once the reservation is within the final payment period, limits and restrictions may apply, including, but not limited to, a one-time courtesy adjustment in the form of a future-use credit with the operator.
Can you bring over a booking that was made elsewhere?
There are different variables that can impact my ability to manage your reservation for you. In most cases, the reservation cannot be paid in full and it will depend on how recently the reservation was created. Bookings created with a different travel advisor will require a coordinating effort between them and myself. Please provide me with the details about the reservation as soon as possible so I can look at the options for the transfer.
Is cruise line insurance enough?
While it is convenient to book your travel insurance through the cruise line, it only covers the costs associated with the cruise. If you’re flying to your cruise, staying in a hotel, or doing excursions with a non-cruise line operator, any accidents or delays will not be covered by cruise line insurance. For the best peace of mind, I encourage you to review the options available on the Travel Insurance page.
Still have questions?
Contact me! Email: rocky@thiscruiselife.com; Text/Call: 623-335-0996
Ready for me to get started on building out the perfect trip for you? Click the button below to create an account and share all of the details for your plans.