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Every little girl dreams of her wedding. Visions of the church, the dress, the first dance. Then we grow up, and maybe the church image gives way to swaying palms; the veil becomes a crown of wildflowers. Nowhere in those dreams do we imagine planning a honeymoon. In one dream, a bride sees her handsome new husband whisking her off on a romantic journey after saying “I do.”
Reality check — someone has to make all those plans: Driving or flying, tickets, where to go, where to stay, what to do, and even where to eat. Let two New River Valley travel agents help ease that planning burden.
The Path to Travel Agent
Kimberly Bates is starting her second year as an independent agent with Bella’s Travel. She is affiliated with Archer Travel, a firm with 70 years of industry experience. Her winsome, outgoing daughter, Hannah Houston, helps with making connections at trade shows.
Kimberly completed a certification program through Archer and continues to finish up vendor training in areas such as cruise specialist. Luxury travel is her favorite niche, serving clients who want high-end luxury trips. To serve them, Kimberly launched a Facebook group for luxury cruisers. Search for The Elite Cruise Circle. “It is a private group where I hold destination showcases and provide travel tips.”
Under the umbrella of luxury travel, she particularly likes to plan cruises on Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Line and Viking River Cruises. “These companies offer smaller, more intimate groups on each ship,” Kimberly explains. “Travelers get more individual attention and high-end, luxurious trips. The level of service and food is outstanding.”
DeAnn Shields, another New River Valley travel expert, is in her 5th year working with travelers from her home. She uses Facebook and her email list to share a newsletter and stay connected.
DeAnn’s training included in-person and online training. Her specializes in cruise packages through cruise lines like Disney and Carnival. Packages provide air travel, lodging and cruises in places like Punta Cana, the Dominican Republic, Cancún, the Caribbean Islands and other tropical locales.
Planning a Honeymoon
For honeymooners who want to enjoy a cruise, Kimberly gathers information during the first conversation about the dates, budget and dream location. Then, she reviews potential vendors to find the best fit and provides several options with a range of prices.
DeAnn and Kimberly advise couples to plan six months or more before the big day and, when possible, even up to two years in advance. However, they can’t always book flights that far out.
Prices for honeymoon cruise packages can range from $2,000 to $10,000 and more for two. Agents can add flights and lodging for extra days before or after the cruise. Kimberly works directly with cruise lines and high-end hotels and can find special pricing from many luxury cruise lines and hotels. DeAnn recommends a package for honeymooners based on the couple’s interests and desires.
Benefits of Using an Agent for Honeymoon Plans
Wedding Planners get you down the aisle but are not versed in travel management. Kimberly says that using a travel agent saves time and worry. Another bonus of using a local agent is that online scams are rampant. Frequently, people post on social media about paying for a trip or lodging package that, in the end, doesn’t exist.
DeAnn says that the most significant benefit of using an agent for honeymoon planning is their direct connection to the booking agent. She also recommends travel insurance. Agents can add insurance to the cruise or trip purchase or set up a policy through an insurance carrier. She also has access to car rentals and concert tickets.
Trip Planning by Agent
For general vacation planning, an agent is better than aspirin. Consulting a bona fide travel agent costs nothing. They get the best deals, onboard credits and other insider discounts available only to agents. Many people have an agent investigate possibilities but then go the DIY route. The drawback to that is that they often pay more.
Kimberly points out that she is available 24/7 during your travels, only a phone call away. She has direct lines to vendors to say: “You better get this right for my client.” She is proud to be able to offer personalized services, working to make your priorities her priorities: price, location, sights and culinary expectations.
DeAnn says: “Using a travel agent can save you time. The agent is more knowledgeable and can cut out the middleman. When you book online, you still pay a middleman; you just don’t know who.”
Both DeAnn and Kimberly mention personalized trips and little gifts they provide to clients. For example, DeAnn said she could arrange for the cruise line to decorate a room. How cool would that be? These women stand ready with the experience and connections to assist anyone, not only for a honeymoon, but also for business travel or a vacation.
Text by Jo Clark
Jo Clark is a travel writer and photographer who loves to highlight the best spots to visit. She offers articles on RecipesTravelCulture.com and hosts a podcast at:
JoGoesEverywhere.podbean.com
Kimberly Bates, Independent Travel Agent
Bella’s Travel
(704) 231-1513
kimberlybates220@gmail.com
www.bellas-travel.com
DeAnn Shields, Travel Expert
Intel Travel Affiliate
(540) 580-4557
Deannbrandise@gmail.com
www.Notwtravels.inteletravel.com
