These are actual questions that we’ve received from clients, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to answer them and share them with you in hopes of providing clarity and transparency for how we work and what we can do for you and your special vacation.
What exactly is a Research & Design fee?
Basically, this is the cost to hire us as your vacation "architect.” Like any professional service, our time, knowledge and resources are valuable. Each vacation we design involves hours and hours of planning but in addition to designing your trip, we also build (book) each component. From flights to hotels, ground transfers, and trains, tours, and excursions, we handle as much or as little as you require. We research, we design, we build and we advise.
Does this fee go towards the cost of my vacation?
No. This is the professional service fee that pays for our time and it does not get applied to the trip cost.
Does Vacations To Remember do anything but research and design my vacation?
Absolutely! As mentioned above, we handle all of the details of your trip so you can fully relax and enjoy the experience to the fullest. Check our the blog on our website that explains what "travel management" includes. You will be shocked!
If I decide to hire Vacations To Remember, how long do I have to decide on my vacation plans?
We have a strict 30 day window of time that you have us on retainer for planning. Of course, it is always best to confirm your travel plans as quickly as possible since pricing does fluctuate by the day based on availability, but we know life is busy and often it takes time to get your travel partners on the same page. The 30-day “clock” begins the day you receive your first proposal from us.
How many options will you give me for this fee?
After we send the first proposal, you can give us feedback on what you liked or didn’t like about it and what you might want to change. Typically we offer 3-5 options within the planning process but we can be flexible until you fall in love with something. We have never had to offer more than 10 but the average number of options our clients request is 4. And after seeing all of our recommendations, most select the first or second option we sent!
What if I don’t like any of the vacation options within my budget?
If budget is a concern, we always try to offer destinations where you get the most bang for your buck. There are certain hotels/resorts that we don’t often recommend because we know the guest experience won’t be the best it can be. If you can not increase your travel budget, be sure to let us know and we will send you what works in that range. If we don’t think we can offer anything of quality, we will either ask if you can raise the budget or decline the request. We would never accept a fee from someone who wants to travel to Fiji with a $1000 budget as we know that is impossible.
If I change my mind about the destination, will I have to pay another fee?
That depends. If you hire us to plan a trip to Jamaica and don’t find a resort that fits your needs, we are certainly happy to offer other islands in the Caribbean or even something in Mexico/Central America that might work. If you hire us to plan a trip to Italy and after seeing several proposals, you decide you want to go to Hawaii, we would have to start the process over and another fee would need to be collected.
Do I have to book my trip with Vacations To Remember?
No. We never require anyone to book their trip with us but the fee you pay does include complimentary travel management so it would be in your best interest to allow us to book and manage your travels. We hope you enjoy our planning service enough to want to book with us but it is not necessary.
Someone told me that travel agents work for free. Why doesn’t Vacations To Remember do this?
Prior to 1995, travel agencies were paid a high level of commission from airlines as well as other suppliers we work with to book travel. We are no longer paid commission on airline tickets but we do still book flights for our clients as a courtesy when we are booking a hotel or a resort. Because of this, we could not keep our doors open without charging for our service. There are also people who enjoy planning vacations as a hobby and sometimes you will find a "travel agent" who will work for free. As much as we do love our jobs, we are a professional service that offers connected, educated, and experienced travel advisors and that is often the difference.
I thought that travel agencies worked on commission. Why do I also have to pay a fee?
This is partly true. As mentioned above, travel agencies do receive a small commission from certain partners as a “thank you” for recommending their hotel to our clients and for assisting with managing the booking. This is true no matter where you book. If you book direct or on a travel website, a commission is built into the cost. You do not pay that commission… the hotel does. But not all hotels pay commission and we like to have the freedom to suggest all options to our valuable clients without being locked into only the ones that pay commission. When you hire us, you ensure we are looking out for YOUR best interest. Not that of the person that pays a commission.
If I pay the fee, do I have access to you 24/7?
Not during the planning process as we have normal office hours of 10AM to 5PM, weekdays. However, we are always happy to make an exception and arrange an after-hours phone call if your schedule will not work with ours. Once travel begins, we do have 24/7 support to assist with any travel emergencies that might arise.
How do I pay the research & design fee?
Once you decide you are ready to proceed, you can respond to the email where you found this link and let us know you are ready to start the planning process. (Hello@VacationsToRemember.com) An invoice will be emailed to you within 24 hours and you can easily pay directly from that email. From there, you will get another email acknowledging receipt of payment and your travel advisor will get to work!