travel designer chi e

Travel designer: chi è, che cosa fa e quanto guadagna

Informazioni sulla figura del Travel designer, sul suo mestiere, margini di guadagno e come si fa per diventarlo.

Ve ne ho fatto una testa tanto e mostrato in continuazione video sia su Instagram , sia su Facebook e Tik Tok.  Dallo scorso Aprile ho preso l’attestato di Travel Designer. Perché  l’ho fatto¿ Perché volevo creare qualcosa di tutto mio. 

Se è la prima volta che mi stai leggendo, il mio nome è Flavia e viaggio da 8 anni da sola. Circa 3 anni fa , complice il Covid, ho aperto il blog in cui condivido non solo le destinazioni ma anche consigli per viaggiare da sole. 

La nostra community inizia a crescere e di conseguenza iniziano a contattarmi agenzie e tour operator per proporre dei viaggi di gruppo insieme. Ma non mi convincevano mai gli itinerari che mi proponevano. Per questa ragione mi iscrivo ad un corso apposito per Travel Designer, ovvero la figura che disegna gli itinerari di viaggio che poi le agenzie rivendono. E così, di conseguenza, ho iniziato a creare degli itinerari particolari per viaggi di gruppo solo per donne.

Ma cosa fa più nel dettaglio la Travel Designer? Come ci si diventa? Ma soprattutto, quanto guadagna? E’ un lavoro che ti permette di vivere? 

Nel mio articolo svelo tutti gli arcani. Continua la lettura per scoprirlo! capire!

Chi è il/la Travel Designer

Il Travel Designer è quella figura che, sulla base di un determinato paese e delle sue dinamiche, disegna un itinerario ad hoc per il cliente, quindi non il pacchetto già preimpostato che sei solita vedere in un’agenzia . 

Per far sì che ciò avvenga, dovrà prima conoscere il cliente e  cercare, di capire quindi i  gusti e le paure, le sue paure, oltre ai classici canoni domande di rito disponibilità e budget.  Infatti io chiedo sempre quali sono stati gli ultimi viaggi fatti negli anni precedenti, perchè (a meno che la persona sia intenzionata a cambiare il suo stile di viaggio) riesco a capire come le piace viaggiare. A questo si affianca la conoscenza del paese o di tour operator del Paese che lo possono aiutare nella costruzione dell’itinerario. 

Il Travel Designer può lavorare autonomamente?

Il Travel Designer può svolgere autonomamente solo un’azione di consulenza, ovvero farsi pagare per dare informazioni con i relativi link di riferimento su un viaggio. La prenotazione di servizi invece può essere fatta solo da chi possiede la licenza tecnica , ovvero un’agenzia di viaggi o un tour operator. Quindi di conseguenza un travel designer se ha intenzione di vendere il suo itinerario di viaggio deve per forza appoggiarsi ad uno di questi due. 

Quanto guadagna un Travel Designer

Essendo gli itinerari diversi tra loro, di conseguenza il compenso del Travel Designer varia in quanto investirà tempo ed energia diverse. 

Il Travel Designer può farsi pagare per fascia oraria oppure per percentuale. 

Il Travel Designer può vivere solo con questo lavoro?

Come per tutti i mestieri che campano sul numero della “clientela”, bisogna crearsi un giro. Chiaro che chi si è già creato il passaparola oppure ha una buona presenza online è avvantaggiato, però per tutti , se ci si può muovere bene , è possibile. Un passo alla volta e si riesce a far tutto! 🙂 

Se invece decidi di non farlo da libero professionista, puoi sfruttare l’attestato che prenderai per lavorare all’interno di un tour operator o agenzia viaggi e avere lo stipendio garantito 🙂 . 

Travel Designer: corsi per diventarlo

Ci sono diversi corsi per diventare Travel Designer. Quello che io ho fatto  è di Professione Travel Designer. Mi sono trovata molto bene, Francesca, la mia docente , è in gamba e spiega tutto dalla A alla Z (quindi il corso è adatto anche a chi non ha mai lavorato nel turismo). Inoltre, una volta terminato il corso, c’è la possibilità di restare nella Travel Designer Accademy, un gruppo Facebook in cui vengono mostrate continuamente anche delle opportunità lavorative. 

Il corso dura due mesi all’incirca; le lezioni si svolgono una volta a settimana in fascia serale  e lo puoi seguire comodamente da casa 🙂 . 

Se deciderai di partecipare fammelo sapere che ti do uno sconto del 40% da applicare sul costo totale! 

SCOPRI COME FARE PER DIVENTARE TRAVEL DESIGNER!

Spero sia tutto chiaro. Se hai altre domande, non esitare a farmele nei commenti :)! 

Di Flavia Di Ciano

Ciao! E piacere di conoscerti! Io sono Flavia. Ho 30 anni ma non sembra. Incredibile ma vero! Lavoro e viaggio da sola per lunghi periodi. Se mi segui ti dirò com’è possibile.

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Chi è il Travel Designer e cosa fa?

Il Travel Designer è una nuova figura professionale che mira ad assecondare i recenti cambiamenti avvenuti nel mercato del turismo e le nuove esigenze dei clienti.

NON è un tour operator o un agente di viaggio.

L’agente di viaggio è un intermediario che vende pacchetti turistici, il tour operator è un’agenzia che crea pacchetti di viaggio prestabiliti. Il Travel Designer invece è un creativo : non ha un catalogo, non ha itinerari prestabiliti, lavora solo su programmi ad hoc, costruisce il viaggio solo per un determinato cliente, lo disegna e lo firma.

Ascolta le esigenze del cliente, cerca di capirne i gusti e le paure, le abitudini e che stile di viaggio cerca. Raccoglie tutte le informazioni dettagliate e a questo punto apre una mappa e inizia a immaginare un itinerario, sottoponendo al viaggiatore una serie di variabili possibili fino a creare il viaggio ideale, unico studiato apposta solo per quel viaggiatore.

Il mondo, lui l’ha visto e vissuto sulla propria pelle, per questo porta con sé un bagaglio di conoscenze reali e quando “ disegna ” un viaggio, lo fa consapevole di cosa il viaggiatore troverà al proprio arrivo.

Il Travel Designer, come detto, si occupa soprattutto di scoprire luoghi e servizi  nell’ambito del turismo e, nello specifico, si occupa delle seguenti mansioni:

• ricerca di laboratorio (prima selezione di città, strutture e servizi);
• ricerca esplorativa (entra in contatto con le strutture ed i nativi della zona selezionata e sperimenta in prima persona il viaggio che sta proponendo);
• conoscenza approfondita delle nuove tendenze in fatto di viaggi e di mercato del turismo;
• collaborazione con altri professionisti del settore per fornire un’offerta sempre più esclusiva e specializzata;
• Progettazione e stesura dell’itinerario di viaggio.

Ma facciamo ulteriore chiarezza…

Il travel designer non essendo un tour operator o un agente di viaggio, non effettua nessuna prestazione a nome del cliente. Pertanto se decidi di affidarti per il tuo viaggio a un travel designer dovrai occuparti personalmente delle prenotazioni. Con il nostro servizio riceverai il diario di viaggio interattivo, che oltre a guidarti per l’intera durata del tuo viaggio tramite informazioni dettagliate e tasti di navigazione, ti permetterà anche di prenotare comodamente, attraverso i tasti di prenotazione integrati al suo interno, tutte le strutture, le attività e i voli che abbiamo selezionato per te. Scopri di più..

Se non hai dimestichezza con le prenotazioni online, molti travel designer si affidano, unicamente per le prenotazioni, alle agenzie viaggi. Nel nostro caso, su richiesta del cliente ci affidiamo ad una agenzia viaggi con cui collaboriamo in queste casistiche.

Il travel designer non fa intermediazione, pertanto non percepisce nessuna commissione dai fornitori che consiglia, ma questi sono frutto di esperienze personali e ricerche web orientate a trovare per il cliente il miglior rapporto qualità prezzo.

Il travel designer non offre assistenza nè durante nè dopo il viaggio, in quanto il suo servizio si limita alla creazione dell’itinerario personalizzato. Se sei interessato ad avere assistenza devi rivolgerti a agenzie viaggi o tour operator.

Per una maggiore chiarezza in merito al servizio di travel designer offerto da The Nomad Mood, consulta le nostre faq .

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COS’E’ UN TRAVEL DESIGNER, E COME DIVENTARLO

• Gennaio 12, 2021

In un mondo in costante evoluzione , anche il Turismo sta affrontando il proprio personale processo di ricodificazione . Stanno cambiando i paradigmi e nascendo nuove figure professionali, come il Travel Designer , il cui ruolo sta diventando, gradualmente, sempre più strategico. Ma di cosa si tratta esattamente? Quali sono le sue principali mansioni? E soprattutto, quali sbocchi lavorativi garantisce!

UNA PREMESSA

Recentemente sono stato Intervistato da Francesca Pozzan , fondatrice di Professione Travel Design er . E’ stata, in verità, una piacevole chiacchierata, in cui ci siamo concentrati su Vitamina Project e sulla mia esperienza decennale di Accompagnatore Turistico . Quest’incontro mi ha dato anche lo spunto per definire la figura del Travel Designer, che io e Giuly conosciamo bene. Fin da quando abbiamo deciso di creare questo blog, infatti, uno dei nostri primi servizi che abbiamo deciso di offrire al viaggiatore è stato proprio quello delle consulenze personalizzate , attraverso il quale creiamo itinerari di viaggio ad hoc, in base alle richieste del committente.

UNA DEFINIZIONE PRATICA

Il Travel Designer è quella figura che , sulla base della conoscenza diretta di un determinato Paese o territorio, è in grado di realizzare per singoli clienti, o gruppi, un itinerario di viaggio ad hoc . Praticamente costruisce, sulla base delle esigenze del cliente , un viaggio personalizzato, su misura o tailor made . Per fare ciò, evidentemente, il Travel Designer dovrà dimostrare una comprovata esperienza nel mondo dei viaggi e del turismo , giacché per garantire un servizio di ottima qualità, non ci si può improvvisare.

“Il Travel Designer non è nè un agente di viaggio, nè un Tour Operator, ma è prima di tutto un viaggiatore che conosce bene la logistica e le dinamiche di un dato paese, e proprio sulla base di questa esperienza diretta, è in grado di realizzare, per altri, un itinerario completo ed efficace.”

Per realizzare un programma di viaggio esaustivo , il Travel Designer dovrà prima di tutto entrare in sintonia con il cliente e calarsi nella sua mentalità : cercare, quindi, di capirne i gusti e le paure, cogliere le abitudini e, soprattutto, carpire che tipo di viaggio cerca. Allo stesso tempo, però, dovrà introdurre il suo assistito alla mentalità del Paese che quest’ultimo si appresta a visitare, specificandone peculiarità, norme, stile di vita e tendenze sociali. Va da sé che, senza una conoscenza diretta e approfondita del Paese, la consulenza sarà , inevitabilmente, carente e lacunosa .

VIAGGIATORE, MA ANCHE PROFESSIONISTA DEL TURISMO

Nonostante sia una premessa necessaria, essere un esperto viaggiatore non garantisce essere anche un buon Travel Designer , semplicemente, perché non è così scontato passare dall’essere un viaggiatore a un professionista del Turismo. Perché è di questo che si tratta, di un professionista , giacché è da considerarsi tale chi disegna/costruisce, per lavoro, un itinerario di viaggio , percependo un compenso. conoscenza approfondita delle nuove tendenze in fatto di viaggi e di mercato del turismo;

“Conoscere i trend e le tendenze del mondo del Travel/Turismo, fornire un’offerta dettagliata ed esclusiva, collaborare con altri professionisti del settore, occuparsi della progettazione e stesura di un viaggio, sono questi tutti aspetti che concorrono alla definizione della figura professionale del Travel Designer .

COME APRIRE UNA PARTITA IVA

Comunque, sia che ambiate ad essere Travel Designer o Accompagnatore Turistico, o a coprire qualunque altro ruolo professionale del settore turistico, il passaggio fondamentale per diventare professionisti è quello di aprire una Partita IVA ; si tratta di un passaggio graduale, ma che non può prescindere dalla volontà di mettersi in gioco. Una buona soluzione potrebbe essere aprirla con Fiscozen : l’apertura è gratuita e vi viene assegnato un consulente personalizzato sempre pronto a rispondere via chat o telefonicamente a eventuali dubbi e domande. La piattaforma è completamente online, veloce e sicura, e secondo noi i vantaggi sono vari:

• Servizio di apertura della Partita IVA gratuito
• Consulente fiscale dedicato
• Previsione delle tasse in tempo reale con notifica delle scadenze
• Tool di fatturazione, anche elettronica
• Dichiarazione dei redditi disponibile in piattaforma, gratuita e inclusa nell’abbonamento

La prima consulenza è gratuita e senza impegni, per richiederla basta CLICCARE QUI

COME FARE PER DIVENTARE TRAVEL DESIGNER

Per diventare Travel Designer , per lavorare nel mondo del Turismo ed essere considerato un professionista , è giusto privilegiare , secondo noi, la via della formazione , specie se si viene da altri ambiti lavorativi. Il Turismo è uno dei settori più trasversali in assoluto, perché permette di inglobare in maniera attiva ogni esperienza pregressa, qualsiasi essa sia, trasformandola addirittura in valore aggiunto; ciò non vuol dire, però, che si debba improvvisare. Trovare la propria corretta ubicazione, nel settore turistico , può non essere un processo così immediato, né scontato. Seguire un percorso professionale formativo, può fare la differenza.

“Se senti il desiderio di voler lavorare nel Turismo, rivolgiti a chi questo settore lo conosce bene, attraverso le sue molteplici sfaccettature. Sicuramente, troverai spunti inattesi, e acquisirai nuove prospettive, che ti permetteranno di inserirti in un mondo davvero entusiasmante.”

• SCOPRI COME DIVENTARE UN PROFESSIONISTA DEL TURISMO , CLICCA QUI .

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Chi è e che cosa fa il travel designer?

da Monica Gazzera | 01/04/21 | Travel Design

Il ruolo del Travel Designer è poco conosciuto della filiera del turismo. Come tutte le figure intermedie è difficile da definire in modo preciso, ma è proprio la possibilità di trovare la propria interpretazione personale a questo lavoro che rende il Travel Design così interessante.

Chi è un Travel Designer?

All’inizio è più facile dire che cosa NON è un Travel Designer. 

Non è un tour operator o un agente di viaggio; non compra pacchetti preconfezionati da operatori locali. Piuttosto, il Travel Designer è una persona creativa, che unisce la propria personale passione per il mondo a competenze tecniche e legislative legate alle destinazioni proposte. Ha visto e vissuto il territorio sulla propria pelle, per questo porta con sé un bagaglio di conoscenze reali e relazioni forti: è testimone affidabile e quando progetta un viaggio, lo fa con consapevolezza. (Estratto dall’articolo: Come diventare Travel Designer ).

Travel Designer: figura tecnica o creativa?

La figura del Travel Designer è orientata al viaggio d’autore : questo non significa per forza un viaggio esclusivo, ma sicuramente una proposta creata ad hoc, con la capacità di far incontrare le aspettative di chi viaggia e le potenzialità di una meta o di una tipologia di itinerario, personalizzando l’esperienza più adatta.

Spesso il Travel Designer funge da anello mancante tra Tour Operator, agenzie di viaggi e clienti: lavora per le persone, basandosi sulle loro esigenze per definire i dettagli dell’esperienza, e collabora con le agenzie, a cui di solito passa l’incarico per la vendita.

Il Travel Designer può anche proporre esclusivamente il servizio di progettazione del viaggio, lasciando la clientela libera di prenotare da sé tutti i servizi. In ogni caso, la professione unisce aspetto creativo e tecnico :

La parte creativa riguarda il concept del viaggio, il marketing esperienziale e la conoscenza della sfera emotiva dei viaggiatori.

Sul piano tecnico il Travel Designer deve essere in grado di:

• individuare gli elementi e i servizi necessari a comporre l’offerta turistica
• conoscere gli aspetti contrattuali che legano i diversi fornitori
• definire un prezzo per il prodotto che andrà commercializzato
• avere nozioni di marketing , vendita e comunicazione.

Quindi cosa fa il Travel Designer? Parte da un’idea creativa e la concretizza, realizzando un prodotto, una proposta di valore autentica, con il linguaggio del viaggiatore per cui è pensata . Questa capacità di immaginare, creare e raccontare, trasforma l’itinerario in un vero e proprio design d’autore, diverso dalle altre proposte di viaggio, interessante e difficilmente paragonabile soltanto sul piano del prezzo.

Come si diventa Travel Designer?

Per diventare Travel Designer non è necessario un titolo di studio specifico. L’offerta di formazione è sempre più ampia, ma – attenzione – il rischio fuffa è dietro l’angolo. Fai attenzione alle promesse di successo sicuro in poco tempo (e magari con poca fatica) o a bizzarre “formule definitive” che, come ogni scorciatoia, difficilmente mostrano la complessità del percorso.

La vera formazione per il Travel Designer si fa con l’esperienza sul campo:

• partendo dal basso: ad esempio, proponendosi di collaborare con realtà consolidate, magari più tradizionali, ma che possono insegnare molto sui meccanismi del mercato, magari in cambio della ventata d’aria fresca che può portare la proposta innovativa di una nuova figura
• scegliendo formazioni intense e complete su molteplici aspetti, che uniscano nozioni e “mani in pasta”, con docenti che non solo insegnano, ma lavorano sul campo. Queste sono soluzioni valide anche per chi ha già esperienza, ma vorrebbe cambiare ambito o modalità di lavoro.

Fondamentale è la conoscenza delle lingue : almeno l’inglese, più eventuali altre legate alla meta o al mercato su cui vuoi specializzarti.

Che lavoro fa il Travel Designer?

Gli sbocchi professionali per il Travel Designer hanno diverse sfaccettature. Come abbiamo detto, il Travel designer è un autore di viaggi che, partendo da un’idea esperienziale, arriva a elaborare un vero e proprio progetto di viaggio.

È una professionalità ad ampio spettro e oltre alla libera professione, gli sbocchi occupazionali possono essere:

• reparto programmazione (di Tour operator o DMC, nazionali e internazionali)
• agenzie di viaggi, fisiche e online
• consulenza di viaggi su misura, in autonomia o in network organizzati
• promozione e marketing territoriale

Se hai già esperienza di lavoro nel turismo, o una cerchia di persone che ti seguono e si fidano di te, probabilmente conosci già dei contatti potenzialmente interessanti: professionisti a cui proporre una collaborazione, o viaggiatori per i quali potresti progettare degli itinerari. Ma è possibile iniziare anche se parti da zero.

Il nostro corso è diviso in due moduli, proprio per permetterti di scegliere il tuo punto di partenza: nel modulo tecnico illustra sia le forme con cui è possibile operare, che le modalità per iniziare, o distinguersi sul mercato. Il modulo ispirazionale approfondisce l’approccio psicologico con il viaggiatore e la comunicazione.

Com’è cambiato il ruolo del Travel Designer dopo la pandemia?

Abbiamo dedicato molto tempo a cercare di capire l’evoluzione della professione in questo momento storico. Se hai partecipato a uno dei nostri webinar gratuiti ricorderai che ne abbiamo discusso anche a caldo, quando i cambiamenti stavano ancora avvenendo, analizzando e interpretando le statistiche sulla ripresa del settore turistico.

È emerso chiaramente che viaggiare è ancora uno dei bisogni che le persone ritengono prioritario soddisfare, insieme all’incontro arricchente con altre persone, dopo tanta immobilità e distanza. Proprio l’incertezza e la necessità di informazioni affidabili e sicure, rimettono al centro il bisogno di una consulenza attenta e informata, che mette al centro le persone attraverso il viaggio. 

CORSI PER DIVENTARE TRAVEL DESIGNER

Nella nostra Scuola di Turismo Ispirazionale, trovi il corso per diventare Inspirational Travel Designer : una parte Tecnico-Amministrativa, per approfondire gli aspetti tecnici e burocratici e una parte Ispirazionale, per indagare gli aspetti psicologici del viaggio e mettere le basi per la promozione della tua attività. Guarda le lezioni di anteprima e studia insieme a noi.

• Comunicazione Turistica
• Finanziamenti per il turismo
• Formazione turistica
• Scuola Turismo Ispirazionale
• Travel Design

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Travel designer: chi è, come aprire P.IVA e quanto costa?

Leggi l'articolo o risolvi ogni dubbio con una consulenza su misura per te, gratis e senza impegno. Compila qui per riceverla.

Il travel designer è un professionista che offre consulenze nel settore turistico e pianifica nel dettaglio viaggi e vacanze per conto dei suoi clienti.

il travel designer non è un agente di viaggi: il primo lavora come consulente mentre l’agente vende pacchetti turistici e ha contatti diretti con le strutture ricettive e i tour operator. 

I compiti del travel designer sono:

• andare alla ricerca di mete turistiche esotiche, poco conosciute, per offrire esperienze nuove uniche ai tuoi clienti
• sperimentare in prima persona i servizi e le strutture ricettive
• creare itinerari personalizzati per conto dei propri clienti
• offrire consigli mirati su in diversi ambiti come gastronomia, musei e attrazioni, shopping, vita notturna, eventi e spettacoli
• dare indicazioni precise su aspetti legati al viaggio come ad esempio legislazione locale, tradizioni, comportamenti da evitare, sicurezza 
• conoscere e promuove le nuove tendenze in fatto di viaggi e vacanze

Per diventare travel designer devi aprire la Partita IVA con il codice ATECO 74.10.90 – attività di design di moda e design industriale, compilando ed inviando il modello AA9/12 all’agenzia delle entrate, tramite:

• posta raccomandata
• consegna a mano in uno degli sportelli territoriali dell’agenzia

Il costo dell’apertura varia a seconda che tu svolga la pratica:

• da solo: non devi pagare nulla
• attraverso un intermediario, come il commercialista: dovrai pagare il suo servizio

Oltre ai costi di apertura dovrai pagare quelli di gestione , che sono:

• ordinario: devi pagare l’IRPEF, un’imposta che va da una percentuale minima del 23% fino ad una massima del 43% sui tuoi guadagni al netto delle spese e dei contributi dell’anno precedente, cioè sull’imponibile. Ad esempio, se hai incassato 90.000€, hai avuto spese per 15.000€ e l’anno scorso hai versato 5.000€ di contributi, pagherai l’IRPEF solo su 70.000€ (90.000€ – 15.000€ – 5.000€)
• forfettario: paghi una percentuale del 15% o del 5% per i primi 5 anni se avvii una nuova attività. Le percentuali si applicano sul tuo imponibile, che puoi trovare moltiplicando i tuoi incassi totali per un valore detto coefficiente di redditività, diverso in base al tuo codice ATECO, e sottraendo i contributi che hai versato l’anno precedente. Nel tuo caso, il coefficiente è del 78%
• contributi: devi versarli alla gestione separata INPS calcolando il 26,07% del tuo imponibile
• commercialista: che parte da 700€ fino a 1.500€ annui in base al tuo regime fiscale

Per conoscere nel dettaglio come aprire e gestire la tua attività di travel designer , il commercialista è il professionista giusto a cui rivolgerti.

Puoi ricevere una consulenza fiscale gratuita e senza impegno con un esperto Fiscozen compilando il form qui sotto.

Questa è una guida verificata

Scritta da un nostro Autore

Controllata da un Esperto Fiscale

Richiedi ora la tua consulenza gratis e senza impegno!

Ottima scelta

Risposta chiara e rapida ai miei dubbi, precisa e dettagliata. Mi sto trovando benissimo e altamente raccomando Fiscozen!! La piattaforma è semplice da usare, e molto intuitiva. Sono felice...

Se sei come me al primo approccio con l'apertura della partita IVA... non puoi aspettarti di meglio. Assistenza rapida, chiara ed efficiente sotto tutti gli aspetti, guidato da una piattaforma...

Seguito e consigliato

Ho parlato con Enea che mi ha seguito in tutte le mie domande e consigliato la migliore soluzione per l'apertura della P.IVA. Super consigliato facile e intuitivo. Per chi è alle prime armi e giovane...

Un servizio eccezionale

Fiscozen è un servizio eccezionale per chi ha bisogno di gestire la propria partita iva in modo efficace ed efficiente. Ciò che mi ha colpito maggiormente in Fiscozen è stata la...

Assistenza sempre presente

L'assistenza sempre presente ha reso l'apertura del contratto con Fiscozen davvero una passeggiata. Consigliatissimo!

Dritti al punto

Mi sono affidato a Fiscozen per l’apertura della partita Iva, sin da subito sono stato affidato ad un consulente e ho apprezzato molto che qualsiasi chiamata fosse stata preventivamente...

Francesco L.

Ottimo team

In Fiscozen, mi sto trovando benissimo, perché mi danno spiegazioni chiare, puntuali, precise, data anche la mia inesperienza nel settore.Gentilezza, supporto e umanità non mancano.

Disponibilità e gentilezza

Come primo approccio ho trovato una grande disponibilità da parte di Riccardo! Ringrazio per la pazienza, sono nuova per quanto riguarda questo mondo!

Samantha L.

Il futuro è nelle mani di chi ha talento e iniziativa

Unisciti a noi

Fiscozen S.p.A. · Via XX Settembre 27 · 20123 Milano · P.IVA 10062090963

Cosa sono i Cookie?

At LANDED, you’ll consult with true travel designers—trusted advisors who know the territory. The LANDED experience is worlds away from what you’ll find at those off-the-shelf, call-center / catalog travel firms.

You have unique travel requirements and dreams. Shouldn’t your vacation perfectly fit your tastes and wishes? Wouldn’t you prefer an itinerary hand-made, especially for you, and flawlessly executed?

LANDED travel designers are dedicated to our craft and devoted to our travelers. We love our destinations and want to share their magic with you.

Throughout your journey, your LANDED travel designer will clear your path and be there for you at every turn.

First-Hand Knowledge

We’ve traveled solo, as couples, and with our families. That’s why Conde Nast Traveler has recommended LANDED five years running.

Award-Winning Design and Creativity

Our insightful travel designs and personalized consultation process have helped make LANDED the most trusted name in custom travel to Latin America and Antarctica.

We’re continually adding to the repertoire, earning accolades from our travelers, and winning awards from travel industry experts. Every LANDED travel design is a genuine original; we never recycle a past itinerary. This is true custom travel—no AI and no BS.

Depth of Understanding

Depth of Experience

Every day, we help travelers like you make the most of their most precious, irreplicable asset: free time with the people they love. These destinations are our passion and our

More than 90% of our requests come from repeat clients and referrals. No other team of travel advisors can provide you with such depth of insight into vacationing in Latin America and Antarctica.

Unmatched Value

Priceless Perspective

We travel continuously throughout our destinations. We’ve also explored the wider world, sampling top-tier services and properties across every continent.

Our experience translates into valuable context for our travelers. If you loved Amangiri or Mambo Camp, we know where you feel at home in Argentina, Peru, or Chile.

In short, we recognize relative value. Let us guide you through the options.

Insider Access

Peace of Mind

When we met, many first-time LANDED clients had experienced other parts of the globe but hadn’t yet explored anything south of Mexico. Working with LANDED was their initial step into Central America, South America, or the Antarctic. Now, they’re dreaming of returning. Rest assured, our destinations will charm and delight you.

With LANDED, you’ll have access to our team of experts during every step of the journey. We’ll be here to guide you, responding in real time, adjusting, and re-confirming details. We’re at your service, with 24/7 English-language support.

With LANDED, you’ll experience the trip of a lifetime, without any of the hassle or guesswork that can come with traveling abroad. Let’s start a conversation today at 801.582.2100.

The vacation of your dreams is within reach.

Start your journey today

• Agent Tools
• October 2017

What is a Travel Designer?

You may fit into this category yourself. How involved are you with your clients? Do you talk to them, even meet with them in between trips? Are you already discussing travels plans for 2-3 years down the road?  When you’re traveling yourself, are you doing specific research for certain clients (taking photos or videos of rooms you’d book for them, menus at restaurants…)?

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Travel Designer

Da bambina sognavo di fare l’ agente di viaggio . Dopo essermi occupata per 20 di gestione aziendale, quando la mia vita è cambiata ho deciso di farlo davvero e per 3 anni ho lavorato con Agenzie di Viaggio e Tour Operator. Ma negli anni in cui il mondo si è fermato e non si è potuto viaggiare (non devo di certo ricordarti perché), ho ripreso con soddisfazione il mio lavoro di Business Designer , Content Creator e Digital Strategist .

Organizzare viaggi rimane però una mia grande passione, motivo per cui ho mantenuto la collaborazione con Volver Tour Operator.

I miei viaggi sono completamente su misura e per costruirli richiedono tempo e impegno, per questo posso seguire poche persone ogni mese.

Che tipo di viaggi organizzo?

Puoi chiedere il mio aiuto per viaggi on the road e su misura , viaggi di nozze e ogni volta che vuoi un viaggio che sia speciale e indimenticabile.

Studio per te l’itinerario, le tappe dove dormire e fornisco informazioni su cosa fare e cosa vedere. Ti propongo i migliori hotel ed esperienze esclusive. Il viaggio viene poi perfezionato e prenotato da Volver Viaggi.

Chi è che cosa fa un Travel Designer?

Il  Travel Designer  è prima di tutto un viaggiatore e un grande appassionato del mondo. È un consulente che ti segue passo passo e costruisce ogni viaggio su misura come se fosse il proprio viaggio.

Il Travel Designer – o consulente di viaggio – è una persona con cui si deve instaurare un rapporto di fiducia e, per fare questo, bisogna conoscersi. Quindi all’inizio ti farò moltissime domande. È solo per trovare la soluzione più adatta a te.

Organizzare un viaggio è un lavoro complesso, richiede molte competenze e porta via molte ore. Per questo è sempre meglio affidarsi a un professionista.

Il Travel Designer è anche una persona che conosce tutti i tecnicismi del settore turistico, dai vettori aerei alle assicurazioni, e ti farà risparmiare tempo nell’organizzazione del tuo viaggio presentandoti solo le migliori alternative per il tuo viaggio su misura.

Ti racconto come si svolge il mio lavoro di Consulente di viaggio

Dopo che avrai compilato il form per la richiesta di un viaggio su misura , riceverai una mail con le indicazioni per prenotare una consulenza con me.

Fiseremo una videocall in cui non mi limiterò a chiedere informazioni sulla meta desiderata ma cercherò di capire quali sono i tuoi reali interessi, le tue abitudini in viaggio, con chi viaggerai e, non ultimo, il tuo budget.

Per realizzare un viaggio su misura è importante avere più informazioni possibili da parte del cliente. La stessa meta può essere vissuta in maniera differente se a partire è una coppia, un gruppo di amici, una famiglia con bambini o chi vuole intraprendere un viaggio in solitaria.

Una volta ottenute tutte le informazioni necessarie mi metto al lavoro e inizio a  disegnare il tuo itinerario su misura .

Se ti rivolgerai a me per organizzare il tuo viaggio, penserò a tutto io: voli, hotel, auto a noleggio, escursioni. Ti presenterò un programma completo che potrai prenotare attraverso l’agenzia di viaggi con cui collaboro.

E se in viaggio dovessi avere dei problemi? In qualsiasi momento potrai contattarmi e ti darò tutta l’assistenza possibile!

A chi mi rivolgo?

I miei servizi si rivolgo a tutti coloro che vogliono un supporto professionale per organizzare il loro viaggio . La mia consulenza fa per te se:

• vuoi fare un viaggio itinerante ma non sai come fare per organizzare tempi, hotel, voli, trasferimenti, esperienze da fare in loco;
• vuoi organizzare un viaggio (può essere anche un weekend) ma non hai tempo di cercare in autonomia le migliori soluzioni ed effettuare le prenotazioni, e vuoi qualcuno che lo faccia al posto tuo;
• vuoi un viaggio speciale e vuoi qualcuno che trovi per te hotel di charme, esperienze da fare in loco, visite guidate, informazioni su musei e ingressi, i migliori ristoranti.

La consulenza di viaggio è un servizio a pagamento. I prezzi partono da 80 euro per un weekend di coppia e aumentano in base alla durata, al numero dei partecipanti e alla complessità del viaggio.

Compila il questionario per richiedere una consulenza di viaggio. Riceverai una mia risposta con le indicazioni per fissare la call entro 2 giorni lavorativi.

Cerchi solo un consiglio?

Sul blog troverai tanti consigli e itinerari gratuiti frutto della mie esperienze di viaggio o del mio lavoro di Travel Designer che potrai sfruttare per organizzare i tuoi viaggi. Se hai bisogno di informazioni aggiuntive puoi scrivermi e, se posso, rispondo con piacere. Tieni però presente che il tempo è prezioso per tutti quindi:

• non scrivermi per chiedere un itinerario completo gratuito, per questo ci sono le consulenze;
• scrivo post lunghi in cui cerco di dare tutte le informazioni possibili, sono tutti organizzati per destinazione. Prima di scrivermi leggi i miei post, molte delle informazioni che mi vengono richieste sono già inserite nei post;
• per ogni destinazione lascio consigli su dove dormire, se vuoi che ne cerchi altri più adatti a te puoi richiedere una consulenza;
• amo boutique hotel, luoghi di charme ed esperienze uniche. Se cerchi il prezzo più basso, Google ti sarà di aiuto più di me.

In alcuni post troverai alcuni link che contengono delle affiliazioni. Cosa vuol dire questo? Se prenoterai attraverso quei link io riceverò una piccola percentuale. Per te il prezzo del servizio non cambierà ma mi aiuterà a coprire i costi del blog e mi consentirà di mantenerlo aggiornato con sempre nuovi contenuti! E se a te non cambia nulla, why not?

Portali consigliati per prenotare in autonomia

Qui ti lascio i link dei portali che io stessa utilizzo per prenotare i miei viaggi in autonomia e con cui mi sono sempre trovata bene. Se vuoi un supporto aggiuntivo puoi richiedere una consulenza e prenotare i la mai agenzia di fiducia.

• Per gli hotel: Booking. com
• Per autonoleggi: DiscoverCars.com
• Per voli: controllo su Skyscanner o Expedia ma spesso prenoto sui siti delle compagnie aeree
• Per l’assicurazione di viaggio: Heymondo (a questo link avrai in automatico uno sconto del 10%)
• Per visite guidate e biglietti salta coda, utilizzo Get Your Guide, Tiqets , Civitatis e Viator a seconda delle destinazioni. In ogni post trovi esperienze consigliate da me con i link diretti.
• La mia Liguria

La newsletter in cui chiacchiereremo in modo un po’ informale di cose che ho fatto, letto, visto, mangiato, vissuto e che, forse, potrebbero interessarti.

@2018-2024 Monica Bruni – In Viaggio con Monica – P.IVA 02661280996 – All Rights Reserved

Questo blog non rappresenta una testata giornalistica in quanto viene aggiornato senza alcuna periodicità. Non può pertanto considerarsi un prodotto editoriale ai sensi della legge n° 62 del 7.03.2001. All’interno del sito sono presenti link affiliati. Questo significa che per gli acquisti fatti tramite i miei link, io ricevo una piccola percentuale che non incide sul prezzo pagato dall’utente. In viaggio con Monica non è in alcun modo responsabile per eventuali acquisti eseguiti senza leggere i termini e le condizioni d’uso di provider di prenotazioni e vendite online. Alcune fotografie sono state reperite su portali di settore e/o siti proprietari. Se dovesse essere un problema o arrecare danno, vi invito a contattarmi e verranno immediatamente rimosse. Privacy Policy   Cookie Policy

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Francesca Pozzan

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Travel Designer freelance: chi è, cosa fa e come diventarlo – con Melissa Caputo

Inserito da Francesca Pozzan | 29 Giu 2022 | Diventare Travel Designer , Sognatori coraggiosi , Storie di successo

Con il crescente interesse che si sta sviluppando intorno alla professione del Travel Designer, mi ritrovo spesso a cercare di fare chiarezza su quelle che sono “le basi” di questo lavoro, che in Italia non è ancora così conosciuto.

E quale modo migliore di spiegare chi è, cosa fa e come si diventa Travel Designer freelance , se non chiedendolo direttamente a chi ha passato tutte le fasi, partendo da zero, fino a diventare una libera professionista in quest’ambito?

La passione per i viaggi e la voglia di cambiare

Melissa Caputo è una ragazza molto determinata e con i piedi ben piantati a terra, per questo anche se la passione per i viaggi l’accompagnava da sempre, non aveva ancora trovato una modalità ben definita per poter trasformare questa passione in un lavoro vero e proprio.

Il suo sogno dunque è rimasto in un cassetto finché nel 2020 è arrivata la famosa pandemia a darle “una spinta”. In questo periodo, infatti, Melissa ha deciso di fare un’esperienza all’estero che l’ha aiutata definitivamente a realizzare che ciò su cui aveva più senso investire tempo ed energie per lei era proprio quello: il mondo del turismo e dei viaggi organizzati.

Dal sogno alla pratica: è ora di studiare

Melissa aveva un diploma di perito turistico in mano, ma sapeva che (purtroppo) questo non l’avrebbe aiutata molto nè a trovare nè a crearsi un lavoro in ambito turistico.

È stato in questa fase di ricerca che ci siamo conosciute e durante la nostra chiacchierata conoscitiva mi aveva espresso i suoi obiettivi che erano semplicemente due:

• riuscire a lavorare nel mondo del turismo;
• poterlo fare come libera professionista, slegata da uffici e orari fissi di lavoro.

Ricordo ancora il suo entusiasmo nello scoprire che questi suoi obiettivi si potevano tradurre esattamente in una professione: il Travel Designer freelance.

E così Melissa si è lanciata nel percorso di formazione della Travel Designer Academy in un modo che a me piace definire “da manuale” e cioè:

• mettendo da parte tutti i dubbi legati al partire senza avere esperienza;
• seguendo in modo attento tutte le lezioni e svolgendo i compiti proposti;
• tenendo sempre a mente il suo obiettivo, come motore per non perdere mai la motivazione.

Melissa diventa una Travel Designer freelance: nasce Viaggio nel Tiam

Con lo stesso spirito con cui ha affrontato il corso, Melissa ha fatto anche tutto quello che è necessario fare dopo aver completato la formazione, per potersi proporre sul mercato come una professionista autonoma.

Dopo molte ricerche e confrontandosi anche all’interno della nostra community di Travel Designer , ha individuato il nome con cui voleva presentarsi al mondo in qualità di professionista, per poi realizzare il proprio logo e sito web . È nato così Viaggio nel Tiam , un bellissimo sito che racconta la sua storia personale, la sua professionalità e i servizi che mette a disposizione di chi ha bisogno di un viaggio su misura.

Oggi Melissa ha reso il mondo dei viaggi la propria realtà quotidiana, lavorando a tempo pieno come Travel Designer freelance per i clienti finali e in veste di collaboratrice con altri Tour Operator, gestendo le proprie giornate lavorative in totale autonomia.

Vorresti approfondire anche tu il Travel Design?

La storia di Melissa è sicuramente una grande fonte di ispirazione, ma rappresenta soprattutto la testimonianza concreta di come sia possibile crearsi una professione anche partendo da zero , semplicemente restando ancorati ai propri obiettivi e formandosi con serietà e dedizione.

E quindi se anche il tuo desiderio è quello di formarti in una delle professioni più innovative nel panorama del turismo , non lasciarti sfuggire la Masterclass gratuita che ho preparato per te!

40 minuti di formazione , frutto di 14 anni d’esperienza nel mondo del Turismo che mi hanno portato da dipendente a libera professionista a formatrice, in cui ti rivelo le 4 strade che puoi seguire per diventare Travel Designer , in base alla tua personale situazione di partenza (si, anche se parti da zero!).

Ogni grande viaggio inizia da un piccolo passo, questo è il tuo momento💪🏼 Accedi alla Masterclass gratuita.

Condividere:

Circa l'autore

Partita con una laurea come assistente sociale e l’irrefrenabile desiderio di voler conoscere il Mondo, Francesca ha saputo rivoluzionare più volte la propria professione. Dopo aver lavorato per quasi 10 anni in un rinomato tour operator italiano, ha scelto di licenziarsi diventando Travel Designer freelance e formatrice. Oggi dirige il brand Professione Travel Designer ed è docente della Travel Designer Academy.

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29 Settembre 2020

Come diventare Travel Designer: la testimonianza di Benedetta

9 Maggio 2022

Come trasformare la passione per i viaggi in un lavoro: la storia di Alessio

2 Giugno 2020

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What is a travel designer, and how to become one

November 03 2023

Are you passionate about exploring new places, planning adventures, and helping others discover the joys of travel? So are we, and that’s why we think being a Travel Designer might be one of the coolest jobs you could get. Travel designers are the architects of unforgettable journeys, curating unique experiences for travelers who seek more than just a standard vacation. In this article, we'll dive into what a travel designer does and explore different paths to embark on this very specialized career. If travel is your passion, a career as a travel designer might be your calling.

What is a Travel Designer? A travel designer is like a personal concierge for travelers. They go beyond booking flights and hotels; they create tailor-made itineraries that align with their clients' desires, interests, and budgets. A travel designer's responsibilities often include the following tasks.:

Understanding Client Needs : The first step is to get to know your clients. What are their travel goals? Are they looking for adventure, relaxation, culture, or a mix of everything? By understanding their preferences, you can craft the perfect journey.

Researching Destinations : A travel designer must be well-versed in various destinations worldwide. They research and recommend places that match the client's interests and ensure they are well-versed in local culture, cuisine, and attractions.

Creating Unique Itineraries : The art of a travel designer lies in crafting unique itineraries. They plan every detail, from accommodations and transportation to activities and dining options.

Handling Logistics : Travel designers manage all the logistics, from booking flights and accommodations to securing reservations at top restaurants and organizing guided tours.

Providing Support : Throughout the trip, travel designers are available to assist their clients, addressing any issues that may arise and making adjustments to the itinerary if necessary.

So how do you become a Travel Designer? There is no clearly defined path to becoming a travel designer. But your success will be driver by your own passion for travel and a strong desire for a career path in the travel industry. Here are few tips on how to start your journey towards working as a Travel Designer.:

Gain Travel Experience : Before you can design journeys for others, you need to be an experienced traveler yourself. Explore different destinations, immerse yourself in local cultures, and broaden your horizons.

Obtain Relevant Education : While not always necessary, having a background in travel and tourism can be beneficial. Consider pursuing a degree or certification in hospitality, tourism management, or a related field.

Build a Network : Networking is essential in the travel industry. Connect with travel professionals, tour operators, hotel managers, and others who can provide valuable insights and opportunities.

Develop Destination Expertise : Focus on becoming an expert in specific destinations or types of travel. Whether it's adventure travel, luxury getaways, or cultural experiences, having niche expertise can set you apart.

Gain Industry Experience : Start by working in the travel industry. This could involve working at a travel agency, tour operator, or even as a travel consultant. This hands-on experience will help you understand the ins and outs of travel planning.

Or you could become a Travel Influencer? In recent years, a unique path to becoming a travel designer has emerged: leveraging social media and becoming a travel influencer. Many travel influencers and content creators have begun hosting guided trips to their favorite destinations. Here's some suggestions on how you can combine the two career paths and start chasing the Travel Designer dream.:

Build Your Brand : Start a travel blog or social media presence focused on your own adventures. Share captivating stories, stunning photos, and travel tips to build a following.

Establish Expertise : Develop a niche within the travel industry. It could be a specific type of travel, such as eco-tourism or solo travel, or a particular region of the world.

Partner with Brands : As your influence grows, collaborate with travel-related brands, hotels, and tour operators. This can help you gain experience and build connections in the industry.

Host Guided Trips : Once you've built a substantial following and established your expertise, consider hosting guided trips to destinations you know well. Your followers may be eager to join you on their dream journeys.

Offer Customized Travel Services : Use your platform to offer personalized travel planning services. Leverage your travel influencer status to connect with clients who seek your expertise in crafting their ideal trips.

Becoming a travel designer, whether through traditional routes or as a travel influencer, is a rewarding career for those passionate about travel and helping others explore the world. It's a profession that combines creativity, cultural knowledge, and a love for adventure to create unforgettable experiences for travelers. So, if you're ready to embark on a journey of creating journeys, start by building your expertise, network, and passion for travel. Who knows, you might soon be designing dream vacations for eager travelers from around the world.

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What Is A Travel Designer?

Chances are, you’re familiar with or have some prior experience with a travel agent, consultant or concierge.

However, while there is some overlap, travel designers are fundamentally different in many respects and seek to take personalization and client relationships to the next level. Below, we will dive into the specific elements of a travel designer and the key role they play in creating itineraries and rising to the challenge of going the extra mile for their clientele. 

What is a Travel Designer?

What distinguishes a travel designer from other types of travel planners is the deep personal relationship between the professional and client . Travel designers are similar to interior designers in that they possess a keen eye for detail. It is not uncommon for travel designers to choose properties based on their own careful and continuous scrutiny, taking into consideration distinctive elements of certain lodging styles or activities and how a client would enjoy them. 

That being said, the focal point of a travel designer is getting to know clients better so they can best suggest properties that will show them their ideal and/or dream travel experience. This often paves the way in setting up surprises for the clients and making sure the lodges have amenities that will enhance a client’s stay. In order to achieve this, travel designers work in the upper end of the market and will create an itinerary from scratch. This allows them to provide white glove one-stop-shop service, tailoring to the client’s specific needs and desires and taking care of everything, including flights, transfers, activities, accommodations, specific tours, reservations, visas, immunizations , luggage, and more.

Ubuntu Travel’s Speciality

The Ubuntu Travel team, specifically Leah Green, is a Travel Designer with expertise booking trips in Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands . Her product knowledge and firsthand experience with African safari lodges and safari activities position her as one of the best in her field. This truly allows her to design once-in-a-lifetime experiences for her clients. What Leah appreciates most about her job is the challenge of going the extra mile; it is her creativity, wealth of experience and worldwide connections that she enjoys utilizing in her work. 

Typical Processes and Protocol

For new inquiries and clients, the Ubuntu Travel team holds an intake phone call or “discovery meeting”, in which the main objective is to get to know the client: who they are, what they are looking for, what their past travel experiences have looked like, and what preferences they have. Additionally, it’s important to identify travel experiences that have stood out to them in the past so that it’s easier to prioritize what may be important to them for future travel.

Once sufficient information has been collected, itinerary design begins, followed by a review session with the client to ensure things are on the right track. After this stage, the travel designer works to refine and further customize. After travels have been officially booked, the line of communication between travel designer and client remains open to ensure that clients have everything they need, from visas to correct luggage to layover items. Once on their trip, the Ubuntu Travel team make themselves personally available to clients, in addition to an on-the-ground team in Africa who can provide in-person assistance if needed or desired.

Booking Your Next Trip

Are you ready to start planning your next trip? At Ubuntu Travel, our passion is creating and leading trips for families, groups and couples all over the African continent. Our goal is to design truly one-of-a-kind, immersive and unforgettable experiences for our clients. There is nothing we enjoy more than dedicating our time to ensuring others are able to have the same magical experience we’ve been so fortunate to have time and time again. We consider our client’s family and go above and beyond in every way to ensure their safety and maximum enjoyment. 

To start booking your trip, follow this link: https://www.ubuntutravelgroup.com/plan-a-trip/ . Should you be a couple seeking a romantic getaway or family desiring some quality bonding time, we can’t wait to work together to create your dream experience in some of the most beautiful parts of the world!

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Travel Designer Spotlight

By Tully Luxury Travel | 04-20-2022 |

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M eet a Travel Designer: Cruise Expert Cheri Ozimac

Cheri Ozimac knows travel – and cruises, especially. She’s been a Travel Designer with Tully Luxury Travel for 15 years and, having been on dozens of cruises herself, is confident there’s “a ship for everyone.” Ozimac is also a new member of The 1000 , a community of top-producing travel advisors from around the world founded last year by industry veterans Tim Morgan and Jeff Sirota. “I’m honored,” says Ozimac of the recognition, “especially after a challenging couple of years for everyone in the travel industry.” Despite the difficulties of the last two years, Ozimac is seeing a strong desire from her clients to get back out there, and the inquiries are steady: “There’s a lot of pent-up demand for travel – a 2024 World cruise with Oceania sold out in 30 minutes,” she says. “It’s an exciting time; the comeback is always greater than the setback.” Here, Ozimac shares more about her role as a Travel Designer; some personal favorite destinations, and what’s trending in the cruise world right now. What does the role of a Travel Designer entail? It involves building and cultivating relationships, asking the right questions, listening to and understanding clients’ interests and preferences, and sharing my personal experiences and passion for travel. We plan trips from beginning to end, customizing them to highlight our services and take each one to the next level. We also advise on our recommendations for touring, pre-and post-hotels, transfers, and documentation – including visas and COVID-19 entry requirements. So, what does a typical day look like for you? I can be working on any type of request from a new or existing client, which can vary from someone who doesn’t know where or when they want to travel, and who is flexible and open to suggestions, to someone who may already have something in mind, which we can then build on with our VIP amenities and value-added services. When working with a client for the first time, what’s your process for determining the best cruise and destination for them? I’ll ask them if they’ve cruised before and, if they have, which cruise lines they’ve sailed with, to get an idea of their travel style and history, as well as what they liked and perhaps didn’t like about it. And sometimes it can be a matter of timeline, too – if they only have a certain window and they’re looking for a higher-end ship, it can depend on the time of year. For example, in the summertime, you’ll usually find those high-end ships in the Mediterranean, Alaska, or the Baltic. In the winter, they’re in the Caribbean, South America, South Pacific, Australia, or Asia. I’ll ask questions such as where, when, and for how many days, and get a feel for their interests and price point. If they’re into entertainment, some of the cruise lines offer more Broadway-style productions. Some ships spend more time in port and are more about the destination with fewer offerings onboard. Each ship has something to offer – and the ship can be a destination as well. For someone who’s never cruised before, where would you suggest starting? Many new ships and cruise lines are coming out in the market and, for first-time cruisers, I suggest doing a shorter cruise and one that’s closer to home to get a feel for it. So, for North Americans, the Caribbean, Canada/New England, and Alaska are good places to start. Usually, a Western Mediterranean Cruise will follow (France, Italy, and Spain), then the Eastern Mediterranean, British Isles, and Panama Canal.

You have comprehensive knowledge about the cruise world from your years of experience in the industry, but also from cruising yourself, right? Yes, my expertise lies with cruises, so anything on the water – ocean, river, yacht, expedition, or barge. I’ve been on most cruise lines several times on various types of vessels. A river cruise is the most convenient way to travel inter-Europe. What do you love about cruising? It’s the convenience of it all – not having to schlep your luggage or check in and out of hotels and airports – and being able to see so many places on one vacation. Onboard, the choices are endless; it’s up to you to do as much or as little as you want. Sometimes, when you’re in port, it’s nice to let everyone get off the ship and have it to yourself. What’s been your top cruise experience? Regent and Silversea are superior with their spacious suites, superb dining choices and cuisine, six-star service, and luxurious amenities on board. The Regent Explorer is the most beautiful ship I’ve seen to date – everything is top-notch. Do you have a favorite cruise destination? I never tire of the Amalfi Coast and French Riviera; I love the food, style, and scenery in both destinations. In Ravello, on the Amalfi Coast, I had lunch at Caruso (a Belmond property) and the view was so spectacular – it’s a slice of heaven up there! Can you share some cruise trends you are seeing for 2023-2024? People are leaning towards smaller ships and there is a lot of interest in expedition and river cruising. There are new itineraries to more remote destinations, such as Antarctica, Greenland, Iceland, and Spitsbergen. There is also a lot of interest in private charters in Alaska and barges in Europe. Finally, do you have any upcoming trips or cruises planned yourself? I will be sailing soon on the newest Silversea ship (to experience the Otium spa and the S.A.L.T. Lab culinary experience). I’m also planning a river cruise in the fall along the Douro River in Portugal – it’s very popular these days.

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Upgrade your M4 iPad Pro travel carry with these accessories

As someone who uses their iPad Pro as their main computer, I tend to bring it with me wherever I go. One of my favorite aspects about the iPad is that it is basically a modular device without actually saying it’s modular. Between the pin connectors, Thunderbolt port, the magnets, and its lightweight chassis, this makes it the perfect computer to pair with many accessories. So here are some of my favorite accessories I have been using with my new M4 iPad Pro, specifically centered around travel.

If you want to see a hands-on video of all of these accessories and more, be sure to check out our video below!

Native Apple accessories

I want to mention briefly that I use Apple’s native accessories for the M4 iPad Pro. If you use your iPad as your main computer, like I do, then getting the new Magic Keyboard is a must. It completely changes how you use the iPad by turning it into a laptop-like experience. It is pretty pricey, but it’s the only true way to make the iPad compete with something like a Macbook Air. Secondly, I am using the new Apple Pencil Pro. I am no designer or artist, but I tend to take a lot of notes and work with Affinity Photo. The new updates to the Apple Pencil Pro , like haptics, the squeeze gesture, and Find My support, have been welcome upgrades. But now that we have those out of the way, lets get into the fun part!

Shinjuku Messenger Bag

I am always looking for new backpacks and messenger bags to carry all of my tech goodies. This new Shinjuku Messenger by Waterfield checks off many boxes for people looking for a high-quality leather bag that’s lightweight and has the perfect amount of storage for a work commute or a quick work weekend. The combination of full-grain leather on the outer flap and their new X-Pac canvas material makes for a nice, well-rounded package.

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Overall, I think this is a great option for someone who isn’t looking for a large backpack but more of a slick and minimal messenger bag look. You can also fit much more than I thought you could fit in the bag itself. The compact size is $229 and the full size is $239, which is very competitive pricing when considering the build quality and materials.

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The M4 iPad Pro is not a cheap package, especially when considering the additional Apple accessories. I spent around $1800 on my 1TB iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro. So, the first thing I did was to make sure I had a safe way to store my iPad while still being able to bring it with me. The new Leather folio by Woolnut was perfect. This is essentially a perfectly sized leather sleeve that fits your M4 iPad Pro with the Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro. The outside is made of full-grain leather, which smells fantastic, and the inside is made of this extremely soft and satisfying wool felt. So, it will still be protected even if you place your iPad in the sleeve without the keyboard.

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Woolnut does offer these in two different material finishes, in leather and in this matte PU material as well. Both are functionally identical, so if you want to save some money, the matte PU version is on sale for under $60, while the full-grain leather version is $160.

ProtoArc USB- C Hub Mouse

I love it when a product can serve multiple functions. This mouse by ProtoArc does just that. On the surface, it looks like a normal lightweight and portable mouse. It has all your normal functions, like connecting to 3 different devices, a scroll wheel, an extra shortcut button, and charging via USB-C. But the mouse actually houses a mini USB-C hub! If you look at the rear of the mouse, you can actually pull out a 3 in 1 USB-C hub, which is perfect for those on-the-go situations. It has:

• HDMI 2.0 port
• USB-A 3.0 port (up to 5GBps)
• USB-C power passthrough port with 60W support

Of course there are USB-C hubs out there with many more ports and with faster data and power speeds, but for something small compact that is just part of another product, I love this thing. Not only that but it’s only $50 (sometimes on sale for $40). This has been one of my favorite recommendations for anyone looking for a portable mouse.

5 in 1 Magic Power Bank

In the same light as the ProtoArc mouse, I wanted to find a charger that did more than just plug into a wall and charge my iPad. Raycon, yes, the headphone company recently released a slew of power-related products, and they are actually great! I recommend checking them out but we are going to focus on their 5 in 1 charger.

So, how is this a 5 in 1 charger? Firstly, it looks and acts as a typical wall charger. It connects to any AC outlet and has a USB-C and USB-A port that outputs 20W. Charges of this size typically can charge at higher wattage, but since this is only for an iPad, the 20W is more than enough, especially considering everything else. Not only does it charge your plugged-in devices, but it also houses a 10,000mAh battery that is constantly charging itself when it’s plugged into the wall. It doesn’t stop there; then it has two short built-in cables, a USB-C cable, and a lightning cable to charge your devices on the go. It also has a Magsafe puck on its side that supports up to 15W of charging. Then the last two things to mention are that it has a small kickstand for your phone and an LED screen that gives you the battery percentage of the power bank.

This is the perfect travel charger for iPads and iPhones. My only gripe is the output. It only charges at 20W, so I wouldn’t consider this a solution for a MacBook.

Other accessories

As I mentioned above, be sure to check out our video here to see the rest of the accessories in my pack. I bring up products like the Sonos Ace, a Magsafe battery bank a cleaning kit and more! Let me know what you think of these accessories. What type of accessories do you use with your iPad? Let’s discuss in the comments below!

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This Costa Rica Resort Is at the Forefront of Hotel Design — With a Mid-canopy Trampoline, Stunning Villas, and Treehouse-inspired Rooms

See what makes this small hideaway on the Pacific Coast such a trailblazer.

Paul Brady is the news director at Travel + Leisure and the brand's expert on cruise travel. He has been covering the travel industry for more than 15 years for outlets including Condé Nast Traveler , Skift , and The Huffington Post .

Courtesy of Boutique

Several design trends, including biophilic architecture, a sense of privacy, and accessible pricing for some rooms, come together in Art Villas , a small resort on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. Here, owner Filip Žák describes some of the eye-catching features that make it a bellwether of where the hotel industry is headed in the years to come.

A five-bedroom that’s ideal for today’s multigenerational groups is the property’s crown jewel, and comes with a private pool. “We’re still on a hill in the jungle, so there are always surprises,” Žák says. “Like snakes.” Blending the comforts of a home with the unexpected was a key consideration, according Formafatal, a firm that collaborated on the project. "When designing the interiors, we found inspiration not only in the surrounding wild jungle, but also in the work of the Brazilian architect Paulo Mendez da Rocha," the firm says in a statement.

These affordable glamping pods cluster around an open-air lounge, a setup that’s destined to remain popular for years to come as people prioritize proximity to nature. “For me, it’s not about profit, but about a way of life,” Žák notes. Built from local wood, canvas, and metal, these treehouse-inspired rooms have ocean views. "The interiors are minimalist and playful," according to Formafatal. "You will not find anything unnecessary there, but at the same time nothing is missing."

Atelier Villa

This three-bedroom, also with a pool, has walls that fold away to maximize views — and social media photo-shoot opportunities. “I like to say we’re like a zoo, just the other way around: animals come to look at us,” Žák says.

Special Touches

A whimsical slide, wooden walkways, and a mid-canopy trampoline are among the playful design elements. “I’m completely a barefoot guy,” Žák explains. "We create unique experiences where our guests can expand, evolve, and reconnect with their pure self," he adds in a statement.

A version of this story first appeared in the May 2024 issue of Travel + Leisure under the headline "On the Leading Edge."

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Canada has issued new travel advisories for these 6 popular destinations

B efore you book your next trip , it's important to be aware of any new travel advisory warnings the Canadian government has issued .

Several destinations that are popular with Quebecers this time of year — from white-sand beaches to urban tourism hubs — are currently the subject of travel advisories , which warn of issues that could impact your itinerary or even your safety.

Whether due to high crime rates, political tensions or major events, here are the six countries to watch out for.

Risk Level: Exercise a high degree of caution

What To Know: This warning, updated on June 10, is in effect because crime rates are high, especially in Freeport and Nassau. Violent incidents, often linked to gang activity, can occur there. This includes armed robbery, burglary and sexual assault. It is therefore recommended to stay in tourist areas, avoid walking alone at night and avoid carrying large sums of cash or valuables.

"Sexual assault occurs frequently in The Bahamas, particularly near hotels, in hotel rooms, in casinos, on cruise ships and on the beach. Reported incidents are on the rise in Nassau, including on Paradise Island. In some cases, the victim was drugged,” says the Government of Canada. You can consult the "Advice for women travellers" of the Canadian government's website for tips that apply specifically to women.

Learn more about the risks of visiting the Bahamas

What To Know: This warning, updated on June 11, is linked to the legislative elections, scheduled for June 30 and July 7, 2024. Political rallies and demonstrations could therefore take place before, during and after this period, according to the Government of Canada. Federal authorities recommend avoiding places where large gatherings are taking place and monitoring local media for information.

Furthermore, it should be noted that there will be an increase in police presence during the Olympic Games, which are set to be held in Paris from July 26 to August 11. Then, the Paralympic Games will follow from August 28 to September 8. Public Olympic-related events will also take place from May 8 until the opening ceremony. This could lead to significant disruptions to traffic and movement as well as large crowds and public gatherings, according to the federal website.

Finally, France also faces an elevated threat of terrorism. Last March, the French government increased the security threat level to "Attack emergency" following the terrorist attack in Moscow, which caused at least 40 deaths and was claimed by the Islamic State. While this danger has existed in France for several years, with various "opportunistic and premeditated attacks" — resulting in many deaths and injuries — taking place, the Government of Canada warns "it is very likely that other attacks will occur."

Learn more about the risks of visiting France

Risk Level: Exercise a high degree of caution (with regional advisories)

What To Know: This warning updated on June 11 concerns the high levels of criminal activity and kidnapping risks that have already been in effect for several months — particularly in certain regions of the country, including the state of Nayarit. The level of violence is also a cause for concern in some popular tourist destinations (Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Puerto Morelos, Tulum, Acapulco). In recent years, unpredictable clashes between criminal groups and drug cartels have led to shootings and murders.

It is even recommended to avoid all non-essential travel to the state of Guerrero, where Acapulco is located, which has been facing precarious circumstances since it was hit by Hurricane Otis in October 2023.

Learn more about the risks of visiting Mexico

What To Know: Ottawa reports that, on June 13, heavy rain caused severe flooding in the following regions of southern and central Chile: Coquimbo, O'Higgins, Maule, Metropolitana, Ñuble, Valparaiso. The Los Libertadores border crossing is closed, and other land border crossings may also be out of service.

"There are reports of significant damage to buildings and infrastructure. Roads may become impassable and bridges may be damaged, which could disrupt your travel plans," reads the government website.

In addition, there could be disruptions to a number of essential services, including first aid, fuel supplies, medical care, electricity distribution, telecommunications networks, transportation and food and water supplies.

You can check out the latest alerts from the National Service for Prevention and Response to Natural Disasters on the organization's website .

Federal authorities are also urging the travelling public to remain vigilant in light of ongoing demonstrations and civil unrest. Protests and strikes occur regularly in Santiago, particularly in Plaza Italia — also known as Plaza Baquedano — as well as in Valparaíso and Concepción. Demonstrations also occasionally occur elsewhere in the country. September 11, the anniversary of Chile's 1973 military coup, is a date to remember when it comes to precautionary measures, such as avoiding areas where large gatherings could happen and keeping an eye on local media reports.

Finally, there have been attacks in some public places in Santiago, caused by the detonation of small explosive devices. The Canadian government therefore urges people to be extra vigilant during religious holidays, public celebrations and major political events.

Learn more about the risks of visiting Chile

What To Know: This warning, updated on June 10, concerns the high level of violent crime across the country of Jamaica, including armed robbery and murder, which is an issue in both large cities and tourist areas. Despite the presence of local authorities to counter criminal activity, some areas of Kingston, Montego Bay, St. Catherine and South Coast have a significant gang population and high incidences of violent crime.

"The availability of firearms is widespread, and most violent drug- and gang-related crimes, especially murder, involve firearms. There is a risk of becoming the victim of crossfire in these areas," notes the Canadian government website.

What's more, local authorities occasionally declare a state of emergency in various areas to fight against gang-related crime. If this happens during your trip, the feds recommend that you cooperate with police and military forces, especially in the event of a search, carry identification at all times (checkpoints may be set up) and keep an eye on local news.

Learn more about the risks of visiting Jamaica

The Netherlands

What To Know: The Canadian government warns travellers of the threat of terrorism in the Netherlands, in its latest update of June 14. This risk looms over all European countries, evidenced by the numerous attacks that have taken place in various cities across the continent in recent years.

"Terrorists have carried out attacks in several European cities. Attacks in the Netherlands cannot be ruled out. Further attacks elsewhere in Europe are likely," stresses the federal authorities. The current terrorism threat level is 4 (substantial) on a scale of 5.

These attacks could target government buildings, including schools, places of worship, airports and various public places, including those in tourist areas. The Canadian government therefore recommends increased vigilance at sporting events and during religious holidays as well as at other public celebrations.

"Terrorists have used such occasions to mount attacks," the warning reads.

In the event of any changes to the terrorist threat level, the Dutch government has a public alert system that includes the dissemination of information online and via local media.

Learn more about the risks of visiting the Netherlands

Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your trip.

This article was originally published in French on Narcity Québec.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only. It was adapted from the article " Avertissements de voyage : Le Canada émet des avis pour ces 6 destinations populaires, " which was originally published on Narcity Quebec by Josianne Desjardins.

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News & features, winter center, news / weather forecasts, dangerous heat wave looms for over 135 million this week from chicago to new york.

The first widespread heat wave of the year is about to unfold over the eastern and central United States with the AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures occasionally approaching the 100-degree mark.

By Brian Lada , AccuWeather meteorologist and staff writer

Published Jun 13, 2024 1:08 PM PDT | Updated Jun 17, 2024 6:38 AM PDT

Many parts of the Northeast will face temperatures in the high 90s as mid-June arrives.

A dangerous, widespread heat wave is predicted to unfold for millions across the Northeast, Midwest and parts of Canada this week with AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures even eclipsing the 100-degree Fahrenheit mark in some cities.

"The increased demand for cooling is going to be a problem here. This could have some impacts on the power grid," AccuWeather Chief Video Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said.

In the Midwest and Northeast, a heat wave is considered to be at least three days with a high temperature of at least 90 degrees, and for some areas, the mercury will exceed that benchmark for most or all of the week.

New York City to face first heat wave of the year

The AccuWeather HeatWave Counter and Severity Index™ puts a heat wave into historical context, describing the severity, intensity and duration of the extreme temperatures. In New York City, temperatures are expected to reach 90 degrees from Wednesday to Saturday, marking the first heat wave since last September in that city.

However, highs will approach 90 degrees as soon as Tuesday, with a high temperature in the upper 80s and nighttime lows staying in the 70s.

Chicago heat wave could rival worst of 2023

The impending heat wave in Chicago is predicted to be "strong," on par with the only heat wave in 2022, which lasted from June 14-16.

Hot conditions will start to build in Chicago on Sunday before the heat wave entrenches itself over the region with highs in the low to mid-90s through at least Friday. Dry weather will accompany the hot spell with no appreciable rain in the forecast.

Philadelphia heat wave could last 8 days

Philadelphia had an early taste of summertime heat with the mercury topping out at 90 degrees back on April 29, but the impending heat wave will be significantly hotter and last much longer. The temperature will climb into the mid-90s several days in a row, with the hottest conditions expected during the second half of the week.

Rayno added that the streak of 90-degree days in the city could extend an entire week.

There won't be much relief from the heat after the sun sets either, as overnight lows will only fall into the mid-70s.

Over 135 million face 90-degree temperatures

According to AccuWeather figures, at least 135 million people across the eastern United States and parts of eastern Canada will experience a heat wave this week.

The peak of the heat wave for most of this zone is expected around the same time as the start of astronomical summer, which takes place on Thursday, June 20, at 4:50 p.m. EDT.

Paired with the strong sunshine, high humidity and other factors, the AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperature will likely be several degrees higher than the actual air temperature.

Experts recommend avoiding outdoor activities during the afternoon and evening hours, which is usually the hottest part of the day. People who must be outside are encouraged to drink plenty of water and take breaks to cool off in the shade.

Heat waves, on average, kill more Americans than any other type of severe weather such as tornadoes, hurricanes, floods and lightning.

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This Clip-on Device Turns My Regular Bike Into an E-Bike

E-bikes are great for many reasons, but they can be expensive. I’d heard of ways to turn a regular bike into an e-bike with the help of conversion kits, which usually consist of a battery, a motor, and some type of attachment system. The kits usually seemed too involved, requiring me to tweak the hub, replace the back wheel entirely, or add electrical wiring and thread cables throughout the bike. I didn’t want to go all Mad Max on my bike, so I discarded the whole conversion idea entirely. But then I learned about the Clip , a device you can attach to almost any bike’s front tire — without any tools — to power a regular bike like an electric one with pedal-assisting power. It sounded a little too good to be true: Was turning my single-speed commuter bike into an e-bike this easy?

I reached out to Clip this spring, and the brand sent me its Explorer ($599) device to test out. (There’s a less powerful version, the Commuter, for $499.) When I opened the box, I was surprised by how simple the setup was. There was no assembly and no confusing app pairing or tinkering involved. There weren’t even any wires other than the charging cable. The instruction manual was also straightforward: You spread the Clip’s arms open and rest its center wheel (which is what powers you forward) on your front tire. I had the Clip installed in less than a minute. The best part was I didn’t need to modify anything major (though I did have to remove my front basket because it got in the way of the Clip resting on my front fork).

Once it was on, the Clip felt intuitive to use from my first ride. I noticed the device’s wheel has an auto-roll feature — the center wheel slightly powers your front tire (as it’s rolling) even when you’re not pedaling. Then when you pedal, the Clip gives it a more significant boost (up to 15 mph, according to Clip’s website). It also has a wireless-remote button that attaches to your handlebars. You can press it for a full boost without pedaling, like hitting the throttle on a motorcycle or an e-bike.

The other thing I noticed was the added weight on my bike’s front end. At 9.8 pounds (the Commuter is 8.8), the Explorer takes some getting used to. The attachment and detachment process had a similar learning curve — not because it was hard to do but because I wanted to make sure the Clip’s center wheel was resting just right on my front tire. Getting it on the first few times took some adjusting, but after the third ride, I was popping it on and off quickly.

Since testing the Clip for the past few weeks on rides around town, I’m overall really impressed with how it powers my bike. The boost makes it easier to power up long climbs (especially on bridges), and that auto-roll feature gives me a constant nudge forward, making me feel like I’m zooming. It doesn’t have quite the same oomph as an e-bike — like the white electric Citi Bikes , for example — but it’s still a noticeable difference from regular pedaling.

The main drawback is that its battery doesn’t last very long, and the decrease in power is noticeable when you’re running low on juice. The Explorer has a 12-mile range, while the Commuter goes for six miles, so they’re intended to be plugged in and recharged frequently between rides. That means on longer rides, you may want to bring your charger just in case — otherwise, you’ll be left with deadweight on your front tire.

You also have to figure out what to do with the device once you reach your destination. There’s a loop at the top that you can thread a lock through, but I thought it was safest to just remove it and keep it with me off-bike. It’s a nine-pound weight that’s about the size of a small space heater, and if you don’t have a deep enough bag or backpack to hold it, it can be a little unwieldy to carry. (I once forgot to bring a bag to run errands around town and had to carry the Clip with me, which elicited some weird looks from strangers.)

On a recent ride, another cyclist pulled up to me at a light and asked how I liked the Clip (they were considering buying one). I told them that it worked surprisingly well and that it would be a great option for folks who may not want to get a full-on e-bike for whatever reason (such as cost or lack of space). Then the light turned green and I sped off, barely pedaling.

The Strategist  is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about  here . We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.

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The Alternative to Huge Cruises? 3 Masts, 28 Sails and Wind Power.

We checked out the 136-passenger Sea Cloud Spirit on a Mediterranean cruise. In this era of gargantuan ships, its elegant clipper design, wooden decks and relatively small size stands out.

By Ceylan Yeğinsu

From the bridge of the three-masted windjammer, the Sea Cloud Spirit , the captain called out the words we’d all been waiting for.

“Let’s set the sails!” he cried, after turning off the engines, while maneuvering to maintain an optimum angle for his 18 deckhands to climb into the shrouds and unfurl the ship’s 44,132 square feet of sails by hand.

Like acrobats, the crew scurried up the masts to the upper topgallant sails that rose nearly 200 feet above us. The ship’s captain, Vukota Stojanovic, later insisted that none of it was for show. “Whenever there is an opportunity to sail, we sail,” he said.

For the next hour, the crew hauled the ropes until the 28 sails were billowing in the wind, propelling the 452-foot-long ship — the world’s largest passenger sailing vessel on which the sails are raised by hand — toward its first port of call, Portofino, Italy.

At a time when cruise lines are packing their ever-more-gargantuan ships with water parks and basketball courts, the 136-passenger Sea Cloud Spirit, with its old-fashioned clipper design and wooden decks, stands out. It is the newest ship from the Hamburg-based Sea Cloud Cruises , and while it is the company’s biggest, Sea Cloud said it wanted to leave space for passengers to connect to the surrounding elements.

“Wherever you are on the ship, it feels like you are sitting on the water,” said Amelia Dominick, 71, a retired real estate agent from Cologne, Germany, who was on her third cruise onboard the Sea Cloud Spirit.

I had arrived for a four-night “taster sailing” from Nice, France, to the Ligurian region of Italy, designed to entice passengers to sign up for a longer cruise. Here’s what I found.

The ship and cabins

The Spirit has many comforts and luxuries, including a fitness center, library, hair salon and a spa with a Finnish sauna that overlooks the sea. The deck layouts are spacious, with nooks carved out for privacy and relaxation.

Sixty-nine spacious cabins have windows that open onto the sea. My room, a junior suite on the third deck, had two large arched windows, mahogany tables, a balcony and a comfortable couch and armchair. The marble bathroom was lavish, with a gold-plated sink and large jetted bathtub.

The elegant interior design is inspired by the original Sea Cloud, built in 1931 for Marjorie Merriweather Post, the American heiress of the General Foods Corporation, with glossy wooden panels and gold trimmings. The Sea Cloud was the largest private sailing yacht in the world before Post handed it over to the U.S. Navy for use as a weather-reporting vessel during World War II. The four-mast, 64-passenger ship has since been restored to its former glory and will sail across the Aegean and Adriatic this summer.

The experience felt authentic — even before the sails were set — with a detailed safety drill. On most cruises, the drill entails a safety video and signing in at an assembly point. But here, passengers put on their life jackets and walked through emergency scenarios that included rationing food supplies and fishing from the lifeboat.

Each day, the sails were set, even during heavy rain and wind speeds over 30 knots. Guests wanting to participate in the rigging are usually invited to do so, but the weather conditions made it too risky for this sailing.

“It was amazing to watch the work go into putting the sails up and down and to experience the wind power pulling the ship so fast without the engines,” said Malte Rahnenfuehrer, a 50-year-old psychologist from Zurich, who was traveling with his partner and two children.

The captain

It is rare for cruise passengers to see the ship’s captain after the initial welcome drinks or gala dinner. But Capt. Vukota Stojanovic was omnipresent throughout the cruise, from setting sails to lifeguarding to mingling with guests.

Originally from Montenegro, Captain Stojanovic piloted container ships for years. When he was asked to consider helming the original Sea Cloud nearly 10 years ago, he hesitated because he had no experience sailing. Even after he learned the ropes — and there are 340 ropes (known as running rigging) on the vessel — he was unsure. “I grew to love the sailings, the boats, the crew the lifestyle, but I still felt I belonged on container ships,” he said. “It would be a big adjustment, especially because I would have to shave every day,” he joked.

Eventually, he accepted the opportunity and worked tirelessly to learn how to sail and operate the ship. Today, he keeps an “open bridge” policy, allowing passengers to visit the control room, even when he is wrestling with the wind.

“The crew and the passengers are all part of the experience, and I like to meet people and receive their feedback,” Captain Stojanovic said.

Environment

Sea Cloud Cruises aspires to take a “gentle” approach, using wind power to drive its ships wherever possible, even if that means changing course for optimal weather conditions. When sailing is not possible, the Spirit has two diesel-electric engines that run on low-sulfur marine diesel fuel. The company is also working with ports that have shore power capabilities to plug into the local electric power.

Onboard, there is an emphasis on reusable bottles and paper straws, and crew members separate solid waste to be compacted and removed when in port.

Excursions and Activities

We made stops in Portofino, San Remo, Italy, and St.-Tropez, France, anchoring offshore and getting to land by tender — a contrast to the big cruise ships with their loud horns and thick plumes of exhaust spewing from their funnels.

For passengers wanting to take a dip (there is no pool), the crew marked an area in the water with floats and an inflatable slide. The water was frigid, but many passengers took the plunge from the swimming deck. Guests could also take “Zodiac Safaris” around the ship to get views of the vessel from the water.

Excursions ranged from food and wine tours to e-biking and beach trips. In Portofino, passengers were free to explore the sights independently, including the Castello Brown Fortress and the lighthouse on Punta del Capo rock. There was ample time to eat meals on shore as the ship did not depart until 11 p.m. Over the summer, the Sea Cloud Spirit will sail to Spain, Portugal, France and the Azores, among other destinations. On Nov. 11, she will depart for St. Maarten in the Caribbean for the winter.

Wherever the vessel goes, said Mirell Reyes, president of Sea Cloud Cruise for North America, the company tries to “stay away from the crowds and ports where big cruise ships spit out 6,000 passengers.”

Summer prices, which include food and beverages, range from $3,995 for a four-night sailing in a superior cabin to $9,420 for a veranda suite. Seven-night sailings cost between $6,995 and $16,495.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Ceylan Yeginsu is a travel reporter for The Times who frequently writes about the cruise industry and Europe, where she is based. More about Ceylan Yeğinsu

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