Craft Travel: How We Work
Last Updated: September 2026
Part I: Your Vision, Realized
1. Initial Inquiry
The completion of our quick Trip Design Form is the most effective way for us to begin crafting your trip. With that said, we are flexible and here to cater to you. If you prefer a briefing by email, that works for us too!
2. Discovery Call
We will then request 30-45 minutes of your time for a complimentary call, ideally on Zoom. We will get to know you, your style and your vision. We’ll provide practical feedback and general estimates of cost. We’ll come prepared to answer any questions you have, so ask away!
3. Planning Deposit or Fee
Should you decide to move forward, we will ask for your commitment with a planning deposit or fee, as laid out below.
3. Proposal Delivery
Upon receiving your commitment, we will immediately provide your custom digital lookbook that conceptualizes the ideas discussed on the call. With your feedback, we craft your detailed itinerary and quotation, offering as many revisions as needed to ensure you are equipped with the certainty that this will undoubtedly be the trip of a lifetime.
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5. Confirmation
When you’re ready, we’ll send a digital contract for your approval and request a nonrefundable deposit, typically 30%. We’ll book your insurance if needed and provide you with destination-specific guidance to get you ready.
2. Concierge
Two to three months before your departure, we’ll reach out to you to begin fine-tuning the intricacies of your itinerary with concierge services: think restaurant reservations, spa bookings or any minor yet meaningful details that often end up “making” a trip.
3. Pre-depature Call & Final Documents
Two weeks before departure, we’ll schedule a call to go over your final documents (found in our travel app) and run through the itinerary together one last time, addressing any questions, elevating the excitement level and reminding you that we will be there for you for whatever and whenever you need while traveling.
3. The Retrospective
While it’s certainly not obligatory, we love to connect with you once home and rested for a debrief. What was unforgettable, and what would you want differently next time? Our goal is to be in this for the long run, together.
Why a Deposit or Fee?
The Commitment
We believe travel planning is a collaborative journey, not a transaction. We choose to work with a limited number of clients to ensure every itinerary receives our full creative energy and operational attention. By requesting a nominal planning deposit or fee, we establish a mutual commitment to your journey from day one. This practice is now an industry standard that allows us to protect our partners on the ground by ensuring we only bring them serious inquiries. Unlike many “luxury” agencies that charge for every conversation, our single and straightforward upfront cost does not require complex calculations. We see it as a simple handshake: a way to ensure we are all in this process together.
Planning Deposit
For fully comprehensive itineraries to most destinations exceeding our minimum spend, we are happy to only request a nonrefundable planning deposit to be applied to the balance of your trip. This is not a fee in addition to the cost of your travel arrangements.
Planning Fee
For smaller trips and/or for certain destinations that demand intensive time and resources to ensure our standard, a fee will be requested. We also charge an additional fee for last-minute trips.
Planning Deposit & Fee Structure
Planning Deposit
Craft Advisory Team: $350+
Principal Planning (working with Julia): $500+
Planning Fee
North America & Caribbean: $500+
Europe & Japan: $1,000+
Last Minute Request* (six weeks or less): $500+
*in addition to destination specific deposit or fee
When does the + apply?
Group trips, comparative trip design (i.e. South Africa versus Italy) and/or highly complex multi-leg itineraries are examples of when an increased deposit or fee beyond the stated amount may be requested.
Minimum Trip Spend
Craft Advisory Team: $15,000
Principal Planning (working with Julia): $25,000
Hotel Booking Only (no ground services): $10,000
You can find further explanation regarding our deposit & fee policy along with other helpful info on our FAQs page. Ready to start the process? Quickly complete our Trip Design Form and your dedicated advisor will reach out to you immediately.