Contact Dean

Dean and his team of experts around the globe source only the best of luxury hotels and cruise lines, to award winning destinations and secluded beaches. Our collection is irresistible.

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Send Dean a message and he will take the time to get to know you to help you find the travel experience you are looking for.


FAQs

Still not sure if we can be of help? Check through some frequently asked questions and then send us a message.

The main thing that differentiates Dean from a every day travel agent/agency is that Dean creates trips using ingredients (hotels, guides, experiences) that he has unearthed himself. Dean does not sell someone else’s trip but carefully crafts unique itineraries based on first-hand experience. Here is a sample of what others say about me.

“I develop my own supplier relationships, form my own opinions, and work with whomever I think does the best job—be they part of a luxury boutique hotel group, or a 5-bedroom inn that no one’s ever heard of”.

Yes. Dean always arranges flights, hotels and all transfers (by air, land and/or sea). In some situations, clients prefer to book their own flights with points and Dean has no problem with this and will assist when needed. Additionally, Dean will coordinate local guides, activities, excursions, restaurant reservations, and anything else you’d like help with. Some trips are planned to the minute and involve a vast number of arrangements. Other trips are more flexible and free-flowing, with a moderate degree of support. It’s up to you.
I recognize that it’s very hard to know as there are many factors involved. However, it is important for you to carefully consider overall price from the outset. Think about what elements of the trip are most important to you (length of trip, level of accommodations, flights class, direct vs stopovers, excursions, etc). And think about those little costs like shopping, meals and tips. The more specific you can be about your budget, the better we’ll be able to work to it. If you want more help outlining a budget for your travel, please ask us.
It depends on a variety of factors (i.e. how far in advance of the trip you contact us, hotel availability, complexity of the itinerary, changes you may decide to make along the way). Dean has planned trips in as little as a week, while others have taken weeks to finalize. One thing you can be sure of is that we share your enthusiasm for finalizing the details as quickly as possible. The more advance notice we have, the faster and easier it is to plan a trip. And the more likely it is that you’ll get exactly the trip you want. If you wait until the last minute, it’s invariably more difficult to secure hotel and flight availability. Last-minute requests require an extra degree of flexibility and the planning process gets compressed (this can be a little stressful for everyone involved). Some regions, such as Africa and the Galapagos Islands, should be planned way in advance (think 12-18 months prior to departure) due to limited availability at safari camps and on boats. Cruises need to booked well in advance to ensure cabin-level availability. If you want to travel over the Christmas/New Year holidays or during March break, please give Dean plenty of notice.
Each custom itinerary has a single trip price, which is the sum of the Trip Experience (planning) Fee and all the ingredients (hotels, transfers, guides, activities, and so forth) you choose to include in the trip. You’re essentially buying a custom trip package. The trip price is comprehensive and typically covers the bulk of what you’ll spend while on your trip. That being said, there are some things that are generally not included in your trip price, such as tipping, travel visas, shopping (sorry), some meals (this varies a lot by country, we simply suggest whatever makes the most sense) Dean charges a Travel Experience Fee to plan a customized, stellar and seamless trip. The Fee is a per trip (not per person) amount and is a function of trip length and complexity. We use a sliding scale to determine the exact amount of the fee and will always let you know what it is before we collect any deposits. Please remember that the actual costs of the trip (i.e. hotels, guides, transfers) are on top of the Trip Experience Fee.
Yes. Dean is an independent affiliate with Travel Edge who are licensed members of TICO (Travel Industry Council of Ontario) and a registered supplier with IATA. Travel Edge is incorporated in Ontario, Canada and are fully insured.