Our customers expect exceptional service and worry-free vacations. We deliver that to each and everyone who books their travel through us as part of our “Ultimate Dream Vacation Package.” 

Below are our fees for the various types of vacations. 

Professional Services Fees
Aircraft Air Research Domestic: $150/passenger

International:
$200/passenger
Cruise ship Cruises $150/stateroom
Custom travel Custom Itinerary Research (starts at)………….. $250
Cancellation fee $150/reservation

And you get our “Ultimate Dream Vacation Package” included for added peace of mind.

*Your travel planning fees includes up to 4 hours of work by your travel specialist. Should the scope of work exceed 4 hours, due to multiple modifications to the itinerary, you will be notified of the overage in advance and charged $100 per hour after that.
*Travel assistance and questions are available during normal business hours is complimentary. After-hours assistance is available for $50 per hour with a one-hour minimum

Our 20 point “Ultimate Dream Vacation Package,” exclusively from Sophisticated Travel

Trip Plans - our smartphone app

“Trip Plans” smartphone app

1) Knowledge and expertise

I bring to you over 4 years of experience and knowledge to help build the perfect vacation. I know what to look out for and help you avoid pitfalls that can run a vacation. Plus I have a network of thousands of agents and in-country representatives to get answers and options for any type of vacation need.

2) Our Initial Phone Chat to Understand Your Needs – VERY VALUABLE

Our service begins with a personal phone consultation, typically lasting about 30 minutes, where we take the time to truly understand your travel needs, preferences, history, and past experiences. With over 90% of our business coming from repeat clients, we’ve built our reputation on deep, personalized planning that goes beyond just booking a trip. We don’t just ask where you want to go—we uncover what you’re really looking for in a vacation, whether that’s relaxation, adventure, cultural immersion, or something you haven’t even considered yet. Many times, the perfect trip isn’t what you originally envisioned, and that’s where our expertise comes in. We take pride in crafting tailored experiences that align with what you truly want, ensuring every journey is more than just a trip—it’s an experience designed just for you.

3) “Trip Plans” smartphone app

This iPhone or Android app gives you your complete itinerary at your fingertips. It can be viewed online or offline. Your complete itinerary is listed by day for all reservations including airline, ground transfers, hotels, port stops for cruises, excursions, local activities, etc. In addition, you’ll receive automated flight notifications delivered to your smartphone including gate changes and delays on the day of your flights. The app has a documents folder where we’ll store copies of all your reservations and travel insurance documents. Watch the set-up video for Trip Plans on YouTube.

4) When problems arise our close relationship with suppliers means more clout for you

We’ve saved our clients thousands of dollars when problems araised. We are part of the largest travel consortium, with over $29 billion in annual travel sales, giving us more clout which translates into direct access to the top management of cruise lines, travel and tour operators, and hotels. Because we book more vacations & cruises in a day than you book in a year, we are able to resolve many issues that an individual, regardless of their status, cannot. This is vital when a problem arises as we saw during the Covid-19 and the closing of the Suez Canal in 2024. You don’t get this service from the cruise lines, Costco or online booking sites.

5) We are YOUR ADVOCATE. We work for you – not the cruise lines, hotels or tour operators

A cruise line reservation agent’s job is to fill their ships. This means selling every room, even those under the gym or above the theater or dance club. Online travel sites only want to sell you their vacation packages. Our job is to work with you to find the ideal vacation or cruise for you. Our goal is to deliver the best service and experience so that you become a life-long client.

6) Hotel selection

We’ll offer hotel recommendations based on your personal preferences, which part of town you want to stay in, and the level of service and accommodation you prefer.

7) Continuously monitor cruise fares for price drops

Once you book a cruise with Sophisticated Travel, we continuously monitor the cruise fare for a price drop. We’ve been able to save our clients hundreds of dollars as an on-board credit, in additional amenities, or a reduction in the cruise fare. Costco, Expedia and the cruise lines don’t do this for you.

8) Excursion & sight-seeing selection assistance

We will offer excursions and sight-seeing recommendations based on what we’ve learned through our consultation process. We offer VIP customized excursions and experiences for those seeking the most luxurious, private and/or highly tailored experiences.

9) Flight arrangements

We can make or assist you with flight arrangements including those using frequent flyer miles. Whether we book it for you or you book it yourself, we’ll include it in your “Trip Plans” smartphone app so you’ll have your entire itinerary and travel documents at your fingertips.

10) Quarterly or monthly payment options

If you wish, we can set up a quarterly or monthly payment schedule before the final payment at zero interest and no extra cost.

11) 12-month financing option

If you’d like to finance your balance at final payment, we offer 12-month financing through our Uplift partner. Finance charges are typically significantly lower than credit card rates depending on your credit score. We can check your APR, payments, and all other terms with a soft credit check. A hard check isn’t added to your credit history unless you elect to proceed with the loan.

12) Manage final payments

We’ll notify you in advance and process your final cruise payments.

13) Printable PDF itineraries for your luggage

We’ll prepare a printable PDF of your itinerary to be placed in each piece of checked luggage. That way, if your bags become separated from you (temporarily lost by the airline), this itinerary will assist the airline in getting your luggage to you and your ship or travel destination.

14) Country guides

Shortly after booking your vacation or cruise, we’ll send you a country guide for each country you’ll visit. This guide will have information about visa requirements to enter the country, health, and safety information (including vaccination requirements), electrical voltage and currency information, as well as some general information about the country. See a sample here.

15) Local destination guides

Around 90 days before your vacation, we’ll send you a detailed local guide for each city you’ll visit (for major cities). These guides are personalized based on what we’ve learned during our initial consultation, plus our years of working with you. The guides can run 30 – 50 pages depending on the city. Guides include city facts, points-of-interest, things-to-do, shopping, restaurants, and nightlife. These guides will be accessible in our “Trip Plans” smartphone app.

16) Re-verify hotel reservations

No one wants to arrive at a hotel and be told there is no reservation. To prevent this, 1 week before your vacation begins we’ll re-contact your hotel to re-confirm your reservation to avoid problems.
Country Guides provided by Sophisticated Travel

Country Guide

17) Track cruise loyalty, airline frequent flyer, and hotel loyalty program numbers

We’ll keep track of your loyalty numbers for your favorite cruise lines, hotels, and airlines and add them to your reservations for you.

18) Track your preferences

We’ll keep track of your preferences and automatically apply them to future vacation plans.

19) Arrangements for special needs

We are here for you to assist with any special needs you might have. Whether these are medical or mobility needs, or arrangements for special events, we have the contacts to make it happen.

20) Support, assistance, and advice

We will be there for you before, during, and after your trip. Please don’t hesitate to ask any questions. We enjoy chatting with you and answering anything that crosses your mind.
All of this is included in our “Ultimate Dream Vacation Program.” We also offer VIP services at an additional charge for those wanting extra services such as tickets, golf outings, VIP meet-and-greet at airports, special pillows, pre-stocked mini-bar with preferred brands, luggage handling, and highly detailed d/or structured vacation requests.
Plus, I’m just a phone call or email away should you have any questions or needs. So sit back and enjoy your dream vacation.

So how to choose the right vacation for you?

Vacations are an investment! With literally thousands of options, choosing the right vacation and the best value is difficult to sort through. That’s where I bring my 12 years of travel experience and expertise to do this right, and get you the best value for your money. With the backing of the largest travel consortium behind me, we have options you can’t find online. Plus our work just gets started once we book your dream vacation. Chat with us to learn more.

The world awaits you and we look forward to assisting you in choosing the exact right adventure on the waters or land for you and your companions!

Let’s chat and find the right vacation for you.

Let's schedule a chat to talk about your next vacation