People donât hire me because I can make reservations.
They hire me because I help them:
â Save time
â Avoid costly mistakes
â Navigate overwhelming choices
â Coordinate complex logistics
â Make confident decisions
â Enjoy the planning process instead of feeling stressed by it
â Have an advocate when questions arise
Travel advisors donât provide value because they can book a hotel or a cruise. Anyone can do that online. The value comes from knowing which options are worth considering, which ones arenât, and helping you create a trip that aligns with your goals, travel style, and budget.
Planning Fees & Investment
Theme Parks, Cruises, All Inclusive, and Domestic Travel
$100 planning fee
Most will be credited back at final payment, unless the scope of the trip requires extra research and legwork.
Air Services
Planning fees begin at $25
We do not offer flight-only booking services
If flights cannot be packaged with accommodations, a $25 service fee applies
International Travel
Planning fees begin at $250
Fees increase based on complexity
Factors include:
Length of trip
Number of travelers
Number of destinations
Domestic flights within destination
Scope of planning
Groups
$25 per room or cabin
Due at the start of planning
Fees may increase based on size and complexity of the group.
Planning a group vacation is a bit like event planning. There are multiple travelers, different budgets, payment schedules, room assignments, special requests, and a lot of behind-the-scenes coordination to keep everyone on the same page.
This fee helps cover the additional time and support required to successfully manage your group's experience from start to finish.
Weâre not just booking trips. Weâre designing experiences.
Many people only see the final itinerary. What they donât see is everything happening behind the scenes to make that trip possible
- Researching destinations and accommodations
- Comparing room categories and cruise cabins
- Coordinating multiple travelers and households
- Managing supplier communication
- Organizing payments and deadlines
- Monitoring promotions and pricing opportunities
- Assisting with flight changes and travel disruptions
- Building and maintaining itineraries within our travel app
- Coordinating transfers and special requests
- Helping navigate Disney, Universal, and cruise planning tools
- Providing destination education and travel preparation
- Advocating for clients when issues arise
Some trips require only a few hours of planning. Others require dozens. This is one of the reasons planning fees apply to certain types of travel.
Let's Talk About Budget
One of the biggest predictors of vacation satisfaction is making sure expectations and budget align.
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Weâll always do our best to recommend the strongest options within your investment level, whether youâre planning a weekend getaway or a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.
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However, budget impacts whatâs possible. Some resorts, cruise lines, room categories, and experiences simply arenât realistic at every price point.
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Our goal is never to sell you the most expensive trip. Itâs to help you make informed decisions and create the best possible experience within the budget youâve chosen.
her recommendations were extremely valuable and saved me time from having to research myself
"Kristin is the best! One of the best parts about Kristin is she takes care of EVERYTHING! She found us a hotel that was super close to Disneyland and got us park tickets at affordable rates, all without me having to lift a finger. She even was able to add an extra traveler to our vacation that we weren't initially planning on without skipping a beat. She is an expert as she knows the parks and the locations inside and out, which means that her recommendations for hotel stay, etc. were extremely valuable and saved me time from having to research myself. Our trip went off without a hitch and we had a fantastic time. This has ALWAYS been the case with the multiple vacations we have planned with her. If you want an amazing family trip planned by an expert to save you time and money, use Kristin!"
Greg, Disney Trips
Frequently Asked Questions
Meet Your Team
Kristin Hancock
Founder of Bright Life Travel and your primary advisor
Kristin oversees trip strategy, destination recommendations, supplier relationships, and overall trip design.
Alissa
Client Experience Manager
Alissa has been part of Bright Life Travel for more than three years and plays a critical role behind the scenes.
She helps manage details, deadlines, organization, and client communication to ensure nothing falls through the cracks.
Together, we work to create a smooth and well-organized planning experience from start to finish.
Follow Us!
Interviewing our sweet @traveldesignbyerin to hear her biggest travel mistake.
If you know Erin, you know sheâs so organized and has all the answers. It makes her an amazing travel advisor. Itâs nice to know sheâs also a human đđ¤Ş
Also, first interview so if you stay til the end you can hear @travelbykristinh fumble on the mic.
We donât know that exactly 87% of memories from travel are food memories, but it seems pretty accurate to us.
Just girls who needed a night or two to be silly. đĽ°đ
So lucky to have an agency full of friends who donât take themselves too seriously.
Anyone want to see a part 2 with the Karen wigs? We may or may not have more footage.
A lot of people think travel advisors spend their days looking at resorts and sending pretty itineraries.
And yes... there are definitely some beautiful photos involved. đ
But behind every trip is a lot of work most travelers never see.
Weâre comparing resorts that all look amazing online but deliver very different experiences.
Weâre tracking schedule changes before they become vacation problems.
Weâre researching destinations, room categories, transportation, excursions, and all the little details that can make or break a trip.
Weâre helping clients avoid the endless cycle of opening 37 browser tabs and somehow ending up more confused than when they started.
And when something does go wrong? Weâre already working on a solution.
At Bright Life Travel, we donât just book travel.
We help families, couples, groups, and busy professionals spend their vacation budget wisely, save countless hours of research, and feel confident about the decisions theyâre making.
Because planning a great trip isnât just about finding a place to stay.
Itâs about creating an experience that fits your people, your priorities, and your vision for the trip.
Thatâs the part we love most. âď¸
Whatâs the most overwhelming part of planning a vacation for you?
Most people see the destination photos.
The resort tours.
The ocean views.
The pretty hotel rooms.
What they donât see are the hours spent sitting around tables like this one.
Talking through client experiences.
Sharing whatâs working (and whatâs not).
Learning from each otherâs successes and mistakes.
Building better systems.
Comparing notes on resorts, destinations, suppliers, and travel trends.
As travel advisors, continuing education isnât optional. The industry changes constantly, and the more we learn, the better we can guide our clients.
One of my favorite parts of our Bright Life Travel retreat wasnât actually the resort.
It was watching our team collaborate, challenge ideas, share knowledge, and leave with pages of notes on how we can serve our clients even better.
Because the best travel experiences donât happen by accident.
Theyâre built on expertise, experience, and a whole lot of behind-the-scenes work that most people never see.
And honestly? Thatâs exactly how we like it. â¤ď¸
What you see is the vacation.
What weâre focused on is everything that makes it unforgettable.
#TravelAdvisor #FamilyTravel #GroupTravel #TravelPlanning #BrightLifeTravelCo
The @brightlifetravelco team operates with a slight level of delightful chaos. đ
We saw a reel with animal masks months before our retreat was even on the calendar and somehow⌠suspiciously similar masks ended up in everyoneâs swag bags. đŻđźđľ
Safe to say we fully committed to the bit, and honestly? Zero regrets.
We hope this makes you laugh half as much as it made us. đ
Not all all-inclusive resorts are created equal. đ
And honestly? Thatâs exactly why working with a travel advisor matters.
Because sure⌠the photos all look pretty online. But what actually makes a resort the right fit for your trip?
The quieter pool that matches your vibe.
The restaurants that are actually worth prioritizing.
The experiences youâd miss if no one told you.
The âbook this before you arriveâ details that make the difference between a good trip and a wow, that was seamless trip.
UNICO 20°87° is one of those resorts we love for the right travelerâmodern, elevated, adults-only, and full of thoughtful little details that make the experience feel special.
This is the kind of intel our clients get because we actually visit these properties, ask questions, and obsess over the details so you donât have to đ
Thinking about an adults-only Mexico getaway? Weâd love to help you find the right fit.
đŠ DM us or use the link in bio to start planning
âď¸ Follow @brightlifetravelco for more insider resort guides + luxury travel inspiration
Planning a corporate or incentive trip might look simple from the outside⌠until youâre juggling rooming lists, flights from multiple cities, resort negotiations, transfers, activities, dietary needs, executive expectations, and the one person who suddenly decides they âmight bring a spouse.â đ
Thatâs exactly why having the right travel partner matters.
Corporate and incentive travel isnât just about booking rooms. Itâs about creating an experience that reflects your company well, rewards your team meaningfully, and runs smoothly from start to finish.
From supplier relationships and contract guidance to logistics, problem-solving, and the little details that make a trip feel elevated⌠this is where expertise matters.
If your company is thinking about an incentive trip, leadership retreat, or corporate getaway, weâd love to help you make it seamless (and significantly less stressful).
DM us CORPORATE to start the conversation.
#corporatetravel
Listen, we are professional grown women. But sometimes when we leave our babies and all the momsibilities for a few days, we might get a little bit out of hand.
But in all honesty, we had such a great time together on our 2026 retreat. We spent a lot of time learning, but we spent equal time laughing and learning more about each other. And also doing some ridiculous things for the gram.
Not all cruise lines are created equal. đ
And if youâve ever thought, âA cruise is a cruise, right?â ⌠respectfully, no đ
The right cruise depends on whoâs traveling, what kind of experience you want, and whether your ideal vacation includes waterslides, Broadway-style shows, character breakfasts, or zero children in sight.
A few quick examples:
⨠Disney = family magic + unmatched service
⨠Royal Caribbean = high-energy fun + thrill seekers
⨠Celebrity = elevated without feeling stuffy
⨠Virgin Voyages = adults-only with personality
⨠Princess = fantastic itineraries + especially great for multi-generational trips
The âbestâ cruise line?
The one that actually fits you.
Thatâs where we come in.
If a cruise is on your wish list, weâll help match you with the right ship, itinerary, and experienceâwithout the overwhelm of trying to decode 47 tabs of cruise research on your own.
Which one are you choosing? đ˘đ
