A Q&A with Amberly Green: Travel Advisor, Franchise Owner

What are the biggest benefits of working with a travel planner instead of booking everything yourself?

You will have an advocate in your corner the whole time from planning, booking and even after the trip. I can help you save time by doing research for you, looking for experiences and savings you might not find on your own, help advise of required documents if traveling outside of the USA plus I can share insider knowledge I’ve learned over the years as a travel advisor. 

For a woman who wants a seamless, stress-free getaway, what’s your best advice before she even books the trip? 

Decide if you want to go with other people or travel solo. Then decide if you are looking for something relaxing, an adventure or a cultural immersion. Plan your budget so you are comfortable with the pricing. 

Luxury travel can feel out of reach—how do you help clients elevate their experience without overcomplicating or overspending? 

Small suite upgrades can make a huge difference in your overall experience and save you time such as priority boarding or priority dining if you are doing a cruise. Depending on the level you choose it could also come with lots of other benefits. Prioritize what is most important to you. Maybe one of the days on your trip you splurge on a private tour or maybe at a theme park you splurge for VIP line passes.

What destinations or types of trips are your clients loving most right now? Caribbean cruises, European cruises and theme park packages! 

For a girls trip I would say the most popular has been weekend Caribbean cruises that is the perfect amount of time for a quick getaway but then they can get back to their families or jobs. European cruises are popular right now for families with older teens. I am leading a group of almost 30 next summer and families are loving the opportunity to immerse their teens in the rich European history. Families, couples and girls trips are loving theme parks right now too! 

Travel doesn’t always go as planned—how do you support your clients when unexpected changes happen? 

I am there to help support my clients however is needed and to help make the phone calls or do new research for them. This past winter I had a family flying to Universal Orlando and a big snow storm was coming the day they were to fly out. So we quickly moved their flight up 2 days, added an extra night at the beginning of their trip at the Universal Resort, added an extra park day and added an extra hotel right next to the airport for the first night and rebooked transportation. When my clients are busy at their jobs during the day I hope I’m able to take some stress off their plate by helping with unexpected hiccups.

If you could plan the ultimate “Wander Women” getaway, what would it look like? 

Probably sailing on one of my favorite MSC ships in their Yacht Club suite section. I love how they pamper you with butler service and it includes access to the thermal spa during your whole trip! It is ultra luxury but still more affordable than similar experiences on other cruise lines. You even have access to a Yacht Club only lounge with the best bartenders, pool, grill, sundeck, an upscale restaurant and concierge! 

When a woman says, “I just need to get away,” where does your mind go first? 

A cruise ship balcony! It is one of my most favorite places just to relax, get away and enjoy watching the peaceful ocean. I love having a simple breakfast delivered of coffee and a croissant and sitting on the balcony enjoying my breakfast. The sites I have seen from past balcony cabins have just been incredible! 

Where are you personally dreaming of going next? 

We are going on an Alaska cruise this summer on the new Star Princess and I’m so excited! I have never cruised in a Northern location yet and I’m ready for some unique experiences! We have planned whale watching, sledding wih huskies, gold panning, plus one of the days we have a private tour to take us to the best sites in Ketchikan! Then our next big trip we are dreaming about is doing a cruise and land tour in Japan and also visiting Disney or Universal in Japan!