What is vacation planning?
I meet new people every day that have 'planned' their own vacation and booked it all online themselves that now have questions or concerns about what they have booked. This is the case, every single time, when talking to the traveler who has gone the DIY route. When you go the DIY route you are limited to what the booking platform is presenting to you for your options. Sure, in some cases you may have a wide range of options presented to you but that doesn't mean that they will give you that desired experience, or even still be available. The list of options presented to you are based on simply meeting the parameters of your search terms, nothing more. Another side of the DIY route is that you will only be presented with the general 'public market' versions of everything, there are no special amenities, pricing, upgrades, or anything else that create a value-added benefit for you and there are many things that you will miss that would create the type of experience that you really want. When you go the DIY route, you are getting the same vacation experience as everyone else, regardless of how much 'add-on' products and services you include; it is still all the same for everyone who books themselves. If the COVID pandemic taught us anything, it was that every traveler who had booked their own vacations, whether with an online platform or a supplier direct, was now on their own trying to navigate the shutdowns, cancellations, and all of the other chaos that resulted from it. Travelers were stranded across the globe with no way to get home, nobody to help guide them to available resources, and inadequate support trying to negotiate refunds or other compensation for their lost travel. When you book alone, you stand alone! This is what hundreds of thousands of people learned, the hard way, and it didn't need to be that way.
Vacation planning is much more than just point and click on a website that is loaded with beautiful images of far away places and mesmerizing stories, it is a full process in which you break down each aspect of your perfect vacation and then find each element that will make it the vacation experience that you desire. I can show you thousands of images from my travels and they would have you wanting that travel, but that is my travel style or preference and it may not be right for you. My process brings you, and those traveling with you, into the conversation to learn what everyone is looking for during your trip so that, when we get to the point of committing to it, I can properly research and recommend only those elements that meet your needs and desires, not what the computer spit out or what I personally prefer. This is your vacation, not mine nor anyone else's, and it needs to fit you. Now there are some in the travel industry who think that you can only apply this level of planning to a fully customized land-based vacation or some whirlwind tour package that has you seeing 7 sites in 7 days; this could not be further from the truth. For example: if your preferred vacation is a 7-day ocean cruise up and down the West Coast of the U.S. you might think that the itinerary presented to you from the supplier is perfect. It might be very nice, sometimes even great, but it isn't perfect because it is the plain version that everyone is going to be getting when they book it as is. There are many elements to every vacation, even those that seem so simple as a cruise vacation or theme park resort destination but, as professional travel advisors, we know how each supplier we work with designs their public offerings and we also know about all of their added-value options and how they apply to the overall experience and package. We also have the advantage of having access to special pricing, offers, amenities, and much more that you will never find on your own, no matter how hard you try, and, in many cases, is only available through select travel professionals. Even those travel agencies/agents that specialize in popular theme-park resort destinations, don't always have access to offer you everything that could make that magical experience that much more magical. And of course, there is the issue that online booking platforms, and even supplier booking sites, don't typically explain all of the other things that you will need to expect when booking your travel with them such as: beverage packages, dining packages, gratuities/tips, etc. and these all have charges associated with them that catch the traveler by surprise when they show up on their travel spending account.
If you truly want to enjoy your vacation, to its fullest, and are not a fan of the surprise fees and charges programs, you need to put your travel planning and arrangement in the hands of a trained, certified, and experienced travel professional who is willing to spend the time necessary with you to get all of the details of what you want and desire from your trip and then apply that to the process of researching all options and evaluating everything to ensure that your final travel program is everything that is should be, and everything that it can be, to deliver that perfect vacation for you. This is how I work with each traveler when it comes to their vacations and I just can't see any other method out there that can provide the level of expertise, experience, knowledge, access to top suppliers, and the range of enhancements that bring it all together, not to mention, that I will be with you throughout the entire process, even while you are traveling, and afterwards to ensure that your needs and desires and protected and taken care of so you can have the best vacation ever.
Vacation planning is much more than just point and click on a website that is loaded with beautiful images of far away places and mesmerizing stories, it is a full process in which you break down each aspect of your perfect vacation and then find each element that will make it the vacation experience that you desire. I can show you thousands of images from my travels and they would have you wanting that travel, but that is my travel style or preference and it may not be right for you. My process brings you, and those traveling with you, into the conversation to learn what everyone is looking for during your trip so that, when we get to the point of committing to it, I can properly research and recommend only those elements that meet your needs and desires, not what the computer spit out or what I personally prefer. This is your vacation, not mine nor anyone else's, and it needs to fit you. Now there are some in the travel industry who think that you can only apply this level of planning to a fully customized land-based vacation or some whirlwind tour package that has you seeing 7 sites in 7 days; this could not be further from the truth. For example: if your preferred vacation is a 7-day ocean cruise up and down the West Coast of the U.S. you might think that the itinerary presented to you from the supplier is perfect. It might be very nice, sometimes even great, but it isn't perfect because it is the plain version that everyone is going to be getting when they book it as is. There are many elements to every vacation, even those that seem so simple as a cruise vacation or theme park resort destination but, as professional travel advisors, we know how each supplier we work with designs their public offerings and we also know about all of their added-value options and how they apply to the overall experience and package. We also have the advantage of having access to special pricing, offers, amenities, and much more that you will never find on your own, no matter how hard you try, and, in many cases, is only available through select travel professionals. Even those travel agencies/agents that specialize in popular theme-park resort destinations, don't always have access to offer you everything that could make that magical experience that much more magical. And of course, there is the issue that online booking platforms, and even supplier booking sites, don't typically explain all of the other things that you will need to expect when booking your travel with them such as: beverage packages, dining packages, gratuities/tips, etc. and these all have charges associated with them that catch the traveler by surprise when they show up on their travel spending account.
If you truly want to enjoy your vacation, to its fullest, and are not a fan of the surprise fees and charges programs, you need to put your travel planning and arrangement in the hands of a trained, certified, and experienced travel professional who is willing to spend the time necessary with you to get all of the details of what you want and desire from your trip and then apply that to the process of researching all options and evaluating everything to ensure that your final travel program is everything that is should be, and everything that it can be, to deliver that perfect vacation for you. This is how I work with each traveler when it comes to their vacations and I just can't see any other method out there that can provide the level of expertise, experience, knowledge, access to top suppliers, and the range of enhancements that bring it all together, not to mention, that I will be with you throughout the entire process, even while you are traveling, and afterwards to ensure that your needs and desires and protected and taken care of so you can have the best vacation ever.
Our hotel program offers premier accommodations at more than 600 four- and five-star properties in the most popular resort and city destinations. Enhancing the experience are exclusive complimentary perks and services including customized encounters, resorts credits, and dining discounts.
Complimentary, customized enrichment available only when you book an Ensemble Hosted Cruise. Hosted Cruises include the services of an Ensemble Host, a customized, complimentary Ensemble Experience shore event and/or other amenities plus a private on board reception.
River Cruises
See a destination from a different perspective. River cruises offer a unique insight into your destination by navigating inland waterways.
River cruise ships are smaller ships designed to give you personalized experience into your destination. No big crowds. Smaller ships also allow for docking in ports where larger ocean liners can not. |
Ocean Cruises
Find your adventure on the ocean.
Destinations typically include multiple countries and offer a broader view of your destination. Ocean cruises typically accommodate up to 6,000 passengers. However, the larger the ship, the more there is to do! With the onboard experience as the main focus, ocean cruises offer varying activities for adults and children. |
Ensemble member agencies will help you plan extensive itineraries with destination information; rich, clear destination images & virtual tours; and detailed pricing displays.
Magic & Adventure |
Thrills & Adventure |
Excursions |
Relaxation |
Draw inspiration for your next sojourn from Ensemble's Monthly E-Zine. A different destination featured every month.
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