Frequently Asked Questions
Additional details for each of the travel planning services can be found here.
Custom Door-to-Door Itineraries
Start by asking yourself these questions:
– Is it hard for you to take a vacation because you don’t have time to plan your vacation?
– Are you overwhelmed by the amount of travel information available on the internet?
– Do you want to arrive with an organized plan (with some built-in flexibility) in order to maximize your time each travel day?
– Are you afraid you’ll miss something on your trip that was a “must-see?”
– Is this your first trip to Europe, but you’d like to arrive feeling the same confidence as a return visitor?
– Have you been before but want to discover new sites and experiences off the beaten tourist track?
– Do you enjoy traveling independently but want the same time efficiency a group tour offers?
– Would you like to just arrive in Europe and have it all figured out already?
If you answered “yes” to any – or all – of these questions, then yes, this service was MEANT for you!
Begin your journey by scheduling your one-on-one phone consultation. Share your vision for your vacation, and we’ll discuss how I can help transform your dream trip into a reality.
Upon deciding to engage my services and paying a 50% deposit, you’ll receive an exclusive Traveler Questionnaire. These thoughtfully crafted questions reveal your passions and preferences, which serve as the foundation for your custom travel itinerary.
Travel confidently, knowing that your Custom Itinerary includes unlimited travel advice and itinerary revisions. Unlimited itinerary revisions are included up to 90 days before departure (with tiered revision fees offered within 90 days and while in destination).
By hiring me, a Certified Travel Expert℠ & Itinerary Planner, you benefit from the knowledge and experience that I have collected over a decade in both my own travels and planning trips for my clients. I like to describe what I provide for you as similar to the familiarity you feel when you visit a location twice – when you know exactly the route to take, the sights to see, and the best restaurant for dinner. My goal with every itinerary that I plan is that you feel that kind of low-stress confidence from Day 1.
I also love this statistic: Did you know that traveling with an itinerary can help you see approximately 30% more than you would have without one? We’ve all been there: All of that time spent standing around wondering where to go next…or, the wasted time standing in the ticket line because we didn’t realize we could order tickets online. I want to help you avoid losing that precious vacation time and instead use it more efficiently.
This is not to say I don’t believe in downtime. Most of us are not going to enjoy our vacations very much if we are running from place to place without a break. It’s a magical thing when you can “plan” your breaks…using what might have been a wasted 30 minutes standing in a line instead to sip on a cappuccino while enjoying a scenic view.
Custom Itineraries are meticulously crafted and develop over time.
The best window to reach out for a Custom Itinerary is 6-9 months prior to your departure date. This timeframe is ideal for starting work on your Itinerary Outline and securing your flights and accommodations. See the Itinerary Planning Process page for details.
Last-Minute: Need an itinerary for a trip coming up within the next 3 months? Contact me to inquire. A streamlined service that ensures you receive an expedited itinerary may be offered.
I can only accept so many trips per year. The sooner you can contact me and reserve a spot on my schedule, the better. Don’t delay!
Montage Travel’s Custom Itineraries are handcrafted and evolve over time. The personalized nature of your itinerary means there is no pre-determined amount of time that it takes.
As we proceed through the steps of the Itinerary Planning Process, I will provide timeline estimates.
As no two travelers are alike, neither are the itineraries that I create. They are 100% customized around you: your interests, preferences, style, budget, and travel pace.
I’ll ask specific questions and also count on you to share your questions and concerns with me. I aim to learn what would make your next trip to Europe your dream trip. Based on these conversations, I’ll present options and make suggestions.
You will decide what makes it onto the itinerary and what doesn’t. And with itinerary revisions included – unlimited up to 90 days prior to travel and with nominal revision fees within 90 days – you always have the freedom to change your mind!
Yes, it is! Bring me all of your questions! I’ll get you the answer.
Yes, the Custom Itinerary service covers everything! And that also means taking this tedious and sometimes stressful booking process off your plate.
While I specialize in travel planning, I am also a Travel Advisor affiliated with Travel Leaders, the largest professional travel advisor network in North America. Through this network, I have cultivated relationships with many hotels and tour companies (both large and small). Thanks to the buying power of the Travel Leaders network, I am able to access the lowest available rates – the same price or lower than you would find online – and can sometimes provide you with special perks.
Air Travel: In many cases, it is in your best interest if I don’t book your flights (we will discuss). Advice and consultation for your flights are included.
As a fee-based advisor, anything I book for you will be at the best price available (the same price or lower than you might find online). I do not add a mark-up. All pricing is transparent and itemized, and my suggestions are not limited to a set portfolio of commissionable tours, hotels, etc, (as they may be for a commission-based travel agent).
I will book the best option for YOU at the best price available, period.
I specialize in crafting itineraries for three of Europe’s greatest cities: Paris, London, and Rome.
While the core of most itineraries I design includes at least one of my principal cities, there are a handful of additional destinations that I can also expertly plan.
Including:
ITALY: Venice, Florence, the Amalfi Coast, Capri, and along the Bay of Naples/ Pompeii FRANCE: Normandy, Loire Valley, and the Champagne region UNITED KINGDOM: Edinburgh and York
And day trips from Paris (ie. Giverny, Disneyland Paris), London (ie. Stonehenge, Bath), and Rome (ie. Tivoli, Orvieto), among others!
Adding on another destination that you don’t see listed above? Contact me to inquire.
Yes, I offer itinerary design services for select regions in Italy, France, and the United Kingdom.
Including, but not limited to: ITALY: Venice, Florence, the Amalfi Coast, Capri, and along the Bay of Naples/ Pompeii FRANCE: Normandy, Loire Valley, and the Champagne region UNITED KINGDOM: Edinburgh and York
And day trips from Paris (ie. Giverny, Disneyland Paris), London (ie. Stonehenge, Bath), and Rome (ie. Tivoli, Orvieto), among others!
Adding on another destination in these three countries that you don’t see listed above? Contact me to inquire.
Traveling outside of Italy, France, or the UK? I am a charter member at Travel Beyond the Obvious. We are a group of Certified Travel Experts℠, each specializing in different destinations. We are a unique bunch – it is not at all mainstream to plan itineraries the way we do. You can find an expert for your destination at www.thetravelexpertnetwork.com. Or, send me a message, and I will personally refer you to a destination expert.
Yes, cruise on over to my Tour & Cruise Matchmaking service description. The $200 “Matchmaking Fee” includes matching you with your ideal tour/cruise operator, unlimited travel advice, booking management, and everything in between.
The Custom Itinerary service can be added for the days before and after your tour or cruise at the daily itinerary rate.
1. Please fill out the contact form or proceed directly to schedule your free 20-minute trip consultation call.
2. We will discuss your goals and determine together which of my travel services will be the best fit for your needs (if you have not already decided).
3. Upon choosing to proceed, I will send our Service Agreement, an invoice for a 50% deposit on my itinerary design fees (as listed on the Custom Itineraries page), and a Traveler Questionnaire.
In the questionnaire, you will share with me your preferences in regard to travel pace, accommodations, sight and activity priorities, budget, and more. The questionnaire is vital to the process as I use it as a basis for crafting your itinerary and providing travel advice.
4. Following the receipt of the above, we will begin the Itinerary Planning Process and craft your dream trip!
Travel Consulting
Tour & Cruise Matchmaking
Not sure which is the best solution for you?
Check out the Service Comparison Chart or simply contact me to schedule your 20-minute no-obligation trip consultation and we’ll figure it out together.