How We Work
The Start:
Consultation
We are a boutique agency taking on a small number of clients at any one time. Our philosophy is less is more, allowing us to spend more time finessing and working with you to ensure your travel plans are perfect.
We provide an initial complimentary consultation, this is a meet and greet session. We’ll discuss your proposed plans and how we can assist you bring it all together. If you are confident that our services and how we work suits you, we will ask you to complete our service agreement.
Our consultation charges are based on the expected time worked. If your travel quotation or booking is straight forward, we may not charge a fee. However if the expected work is involved, we will charge for our expertise in putting the package together.
Tip: Can you travel to the country you want to visit?
It’s worth noting that some countries restrict your access – even for a minor criminal conviction.
For example, if you have a DUI you may be restricted from entering Canada, or the USA if you have a noted criminal conviction. You may not want to discuss this with us initially but before you spend time and money planning your holiday, if you do have any previous blip on your scoresheet, please apply for a visa if it’s needed, or ask the local consulate. If you do feel you can talk to us we can help guide you with the best course of action.
COMPLEX TAILORED ITINERARY PLANNING
After our initial discussion, if you feel we are the right fit for you, then we charge a non-refundable $250 consultation charge. This allows us to proceed with your tailored travel itinerary and allows for two revisions of the itinerary. Subsequent revisions are charged on an hourly basis. See section two for our professional charges.
Your holiday plans are our priority and charging a consultation fee for our expertise and time allows us to work with our committed and valued customers.
Why do you charge fees, I can get the holiday cheaper online?
Yes, the internet can be cheaper but it is not providing you with a service. It is perfect if you are happy to do all of the work yourself.
If you know how to read between the lines on review engines. If you are happy to manage all of the individual components of your holiday by yourself. If you are happy to take responsibility for terms and conditions, visa and entry conditions to each country you visit. If you understand the differences in the rates you are booking. If you understand the differences in standards of accommodations – in hotels, onboard cruise ships, onboard planes. If you are able to deal with cancellations of your flights (this can happen when you are on holiday) and if you just want to do it all yourself, then we probably aren’t the right team for your needs.
We are right for those customers who value professional service and knowledge.
If you value:
- A Travel Consultant who gets to know your likes and dislikes
- Knows value is more than just a cheap price, it’s the experience you get in return that makes a true holiday
- Access to some of the best packages and offers on the market
- 50 years combined industry experience, knowledge and contacts
- Our access to all the amazing tour, cruise and rail companies in Australia and around the world
- a Travel Consultant who is travelled and loves travel as much as you
- Someone on call 24/7 when you are away
- Who is fun to work
- Who loves travel co-ordination
- Reconfirms your travel arrangements
- Creates in-depth documentation
Then we could be the perfect agency for you!
To arrange an appointment call 1300 068 885. We offer the following meeting options: telephone, virtual and face-to-face in our meeting rooms in Scarborough.
The Middle:
Planning, confirmations and your travel checklist
When you have decided that we are the perfect match to help create your amazing holiday, we’ll work with you until your itinerary is perfect. We keep in touch by email and all of our holidays are confirmed on our official invoice and receipt so you know what is confirmed and what has been paid and when.
We will set the dates for all payments required to ensure your booking is secured without issue. Travel companies have the right to automatically cancel a booking – even if you have paid a deposit – if the final balance isn’t paid in time. To ensure your booking is secured, we make sure we work with you to get everything done well before the due date.
Payments can be made into our Bpay account if paying in cash – this is held in our trust account until we disperse it to your travel provider. Or, you can pay using debit or credit cards for a small merchant fee.
We have an easy to read invoicing system with easy to read itineraries. It’s simple and we’ll run through it all with you as we go through this process to check off all the steps of your journey planning.
Once your holiday is secured, we will send you updates about your journey between now and when you we hit your pre-departure preparation.
The Main Event
Pre-departure checks, documentation and your holiday is here
The Return:
Welcome Home!
And Repeat
We are here for your next adventure
When you are home, the next journey awaits and we do this all over again. It’s fun! And each adventure is a unique experience from start to finish and we love being a part of creating your travel dreams. As corny as it sounds, but it is completely true for us and we value being part of the experience bringing your travel ideas into an amazing holiday that brings you years and years of fabulous memories.
Professional Service Charges
Air Ticket Management charge - $50
This fee is for issuing your ticket, managing schedule changes and ticket reissues.
Escorted Tour and Cruise Bookings
We do not charge a booking fee for these services as we are paid a commission from these companies. We are then your point of contact for your booked holiday, we manage it all. Many customers will book a cruise and tour with different companies. You do not have to manage anything, we will send you all the information you need in order to complete the pre-booking forms, ensure you have the dates and reminders needed for pre-booking of shore excursions/tours and restaurant bookings if applicable. And reminders when you need to start applying for any visa’s.
Complex TAILORED Itinerary Preparation and two revisions - $250
Additional revisions - $80 per hour
Complex itineraries take time and it’s definitely worth the investment to you, when we create a bespoke holiday. On average, this process takes upwards of 20 hours. From years of experience, we will no longer create these itineraries without the preparation charge being pre-paid. This is a non refundable charge.
Documentation
You have the option to receive electronic documents but if you prefer paper documents, we will provide a ticket wallet and paper documents for your first holiday booking – there is no charge for the first ticket wallet. Should you prefer a new ticket wallet for each new booking, we charge $40 for additional ticket wallets for each new holiday planned. Our aim is to minimise the waste we attribute to, and by limiting ticket wallets, we hope to reduce our contribution to global wastage.
Refund Processing and Help with Insurance claim documentation
We do not charge you for the time it takes to organise refunds and/or insurance claim information. We are happy to help should you need us to.
Cancellation Charges
Our charges are determined at the time you cancel your journey. If you cancel 180 days prior to departure you will most likely only lose a portion of your deposit. If you cancel within 90 days of your travel departure date, the charges will be higher.
The cancellation charges for Journey On and the supplier you have booked with, will be outlined on the travel invoice.
Our Affiliations add value to your booking
We are part of the Ensemble Travel Group, a worldwide consortium of Travel Professionals. Our buying power enables you to take advantage of Ensemble extras at selected hotels. We will provide you with an Ensemble Hotel if there is added value by way of additional breakfast and late check out.
Our partnership with Cruiseco, a cruise consortium is another way we add value to your holiday. Our partnership adds value by way of additional onboard credit or exclusive cruise fare pricing.
CRUISE BONUSES FOR YOU
We have, on top of any past passenger offers and existing onboard credit the following extra onboard credit for you next holiday with our wonderful cruise partners.
These are just a snapshot of offers and they may increase from time to time. We will advise at the time of quotation the best available offer available to you:
Crystal Cruises
Best available cruise fare, standard onboard credit plus a bonus $300 USD per cabin OBC
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Best available cruise fare, standard onboard credit plus a bonus $300 USD per cabin OBC
Seabourn
Best available cruise fare, standard onboard credit plus a bonus $150 USD per cabin OBC
Silversea
best available cruise fare, standard onboard credit plus a bonus $150 USD per cabin OBC
Princess Cruises
best available cruise fare, standard onboard credit plus a bonus from 0-34 nights $100 AUD per cabin OBC. Cruises over 35-100 days attract $250 AUD extra onboard credit.