Planning Services & Fees
Researching air, cruise, and custom travel options can be time consuming, so let us give you that time back!
Thurston Rivera Luxury Travel is only in small part compensated by referral fees paid by travel providers (hotels, villa rentals, airlines, cruise lines, tour companies, local guide services, transportation, etc.). As your travel advisors we work tirelessly on research and to partner with the travel providers best suited to you, to execute your ideal itinerary. Much of what we do as your advisors is not directly related to working with our travel suppliers who in return provide a referral payment, nor do we ever want to be limited by these parameters. Thus, we charge a nominal planning fee to account for our time. For additional information regarding our fee structure and options available to you, please refer to the details outlined below.
Full-Service Planning Package
The most ideal trip is a seamless one! With this goal at the forefront, as your travel planning partner, we prefer to work on your trip holistically versus only handling the smaller a la carte elements. From experience, we have learned that in planning your journey comprehensively we can more confidently ensure your experience is exceptional and also step in as needed throughout your travels.
Full Service Planning Fee
$400
Our full-service planning fee starts at $400 for 6-9 nights trips and $500 for trips that are 10+ nights. It is non-refundable, will be collected before the commencement of trip planning, and does not include flight ticketing or air charter reservations
Getaways
$300
For simpler, less complex getaways of 5 nights or less with one destination, our planning fee starts at $300
Our Full Service Planning Fee Includes
First
● A complimentary initial consultation for all new inquiries upon request● A deep dive with a full discovery session, a more in-depth meeting where we get to the heart of who you are as a traveler and what you want most from your next trip
After
● A trip summary with all the notes from our discovery call and the next steps in the planning process● Research and match-making process of identifying the perfect travel partners for your trip● Present our proposal, which may include more than one destination based on your preferences
Next
● An initial Itinerary, to include day-by-day highlights● Up to 2 rounds of editing prior to final approval are included
Then
● Final Itinerary, which covers all of the logistics of the trip. It will include all land, air, and sea confirmations. We are happy to include elements you have secured on your own into the itinerary for seamless access when you travel too● All of our preferred partner value-adds (when applicable) that you can expect on your trip are highlighted
Plus
● TRLT will book all of the elements for your trip and update your itinerary with confirmations in our super handy interactive digital mobile app● Access to an up-to-date account summary with all travel documentation, travel confirmations, cancellation policies, and payment details, made accessible in your mobile itinerary● Our pre-travel concierge services, such as local restaurant suggestions and reservations, theater and sporting event tickets, spa reservations, extensive scheduling, to include suggestions for self-guided activities during your leisure time. We are happy to do this for you prior to your travels by the date specified usually 3-6 weeks prior. Once you are on your trip, we will put you in contact directly with the hotels concierge
Finally
● You travel and we monitor and manage your travels every step of the way. We are your personal help line and ‘fixer’ should you need us. We are always working behind the scenes with our travel partners while you are in destination to ensure all we have planned for you is being executed flawlessly.
IMPORTANT
● All planning fees made to Thurston Rivera Luxury Travel and our affiliated agency, Departure Lounge, are non-refundable, will be collected before the commencement of trip planning, and do not include flight ticketing or air charter reservations.. All fees paid to TRLT will appear on statements as Departure Lounge, our affiliated agency.● To continue with our full-service planning, after a proposed itinerary has been accepted, at a minimum, all lodging components will need to have TRLT as the booking agent on record. All other elements of travel are not required to be booked by TRLT for us to continue with the management of your trip as outlined in this agreement.
Hotel Only Bookings
Complimentary Booking
No Fee
Complimentary when client specifies the exact property and dates and wants to take advantage of our Virtuoso or TRLT Preferred Partner negotiated perks & amenities
Booking Research
$149
$149 per trip if there is research involved in finding you the perfect property. This covers up to 3 hotels in one location/region
Late Booking Fee
$49
Additional $49 late booking fee for all hotel-only bookings with a location research component that are requested within 7 days prior to departure
Cruise Only Bookings
No fee for established clients on single, luxury and premium cruise only bookings where you have picked the destination, route and supplier as this oftentimes will allow our clients to enjoy additional negotiated amenities, other benefits as well as our support throughout.For pre and post cruise itinerary requests, fees will vary depending on complexity
Air Private Charter & Commercial Airline Ticketing
TRLT is happy to assist in researching and booking any air charter, business, or first class air tickets. Should you wish to have booking assistance with your flight travel arrangements, access to the same or even better contracted rates, our agency's air department will assist and provide support throughout your travel for the fees outlined below. If you’ve ever had a cancelled or missed flight, you understand how invaluable these services are!
Flight Fees
Booked in conjunction with a trip only. A la carte (without a trip component) international air booking requests are accepted on a case by case basis
Domestic Flights
$79
Per Person
International Flights
$99
Per Person
Award Ticket
$199
$199 per person for award ticket with airline alliances (charged prior to air research and is non-refundable)
Private Charter
$199
$199 private charter requests to cover the time and research that goes into securing the best charter partner to facilitate the charter request
Change Fee
$49
Voluntary changes requested prior or during your travels will incur a $49 fee for each change. After hours fees apply per call to our air booking department on nights and weekends at $49/per call
All fees are non-refundable once air is ticketed.
Destination Research
Outsource the research to us! Our trip planning fee is intended for one destination, if you need to compare multiple destinations or your trip requires additional research to find the perfect destination for you and yours, an additional fee will apply. We take into account all factors that will ensure an extraordinary trip like…
● The best time of year to visit● The type of travel experience you would have based on the kind of traveler you are● Consider the pace of travel you prefer and map out points of interest around you, to visit in one region● The travel routes available to you (no need planning for a destination that would require multiple airline stops and additional hours driving when you only have 7 days to vacation)
Additional Fees
Destination Research
$149+
Starting at $149 per location
Additional Planning Hours
$100+/hr
If after the initial rounds of trip planning, there are destinations added, travelers added, excessive revisions to the itinerary, concierge services beyond reasonable expectations or extensive trip changes, this could result in additional planning costs in order to cover the hours required to revise or re-plan the trip. Starting at $100 per hour.
Last Minute & Additional Planning
TBD
Six weeks or less, multi-destination trips, complex itineraries, group travel, multi-week trips, and/or planning for last minute planning for trips over festive (December 20- January 4) may be subject to an additional planning fee.
Cancellation
$149
The cancellation fee applies in the event you request to cancel your trip and not postpone. A re-booking fee will apply for trips that are postponed. $149 per trip cancellation fee.
Re-booking
$99
$99 per trip re-booking fee of postponed trips.
Non-Commisionable Fee
10%
In the instance that the lodging component we propose as best suited for your trip does not work with travel advisors by way of a referral payment (i.e. as experienced with airbnbs, inns, bed & breakfasts) there will be an additional concierge & management fee of 10% of the net lodging rate. Should you secure lodging on your own, and want our full service planning services, this same fee will apply based on the average nightly rate for 4.5 star properties in the destination over your travel dates
A La Carte Components
TBD
Our preference is to handle all door-to-door planning, however, we understand there are times in which you may have already booked lodging but would like our assistance with other components such as tours, transfers, restaurant and spa reservations, and other activities. Please inquire directly as we accept these on a case by case basis, and implement a planning and/or management fee based on what is needed.