As soon as you have an idea of your dates of travel, we advise you to be in touch with us to start working on your trip.  Reservations for traditionally busy periods (Christmas, Spring Break, Summer Vacations, etc.) we suggest you book as early as possible.  Some cruise reservations can be made over a year in advance.  Other types of reservations can only be made 6 to 11 months in advance of your travel date.  But, don’t worry, we’ll explain it all to you during your consultation.

We’ll need all your personal information required by the airlines, hotel, cruise line, etc.  In other words, we need all the information shown on your passport, so it’s usually a good idea to take a picture of your passport information page and email it to your Travel Advisor.  We’ll also need your billing address, cell phone number, emergency contact information and credit card information (when it comes time to make your first payment).

We typically get paid directly from our vendors with no penalty to you.  The cost for a travel agent has already been built into the price and you won’t benefit financially from not using one.  However, in some cases we do charge fees to book airfare & other types of travel where vendors do not compensate us, or to research complicated trips.  We are professionals and our time is valuable.  And, we know you wouldn’t want to take advise from a non-professional!

It depends.  Some types of travel require full payment; however, in many cases we’ll just need a down payment or deposit.  It also depends on the timing.  If your travel dates are within 45-60 days of booking, full payment may be required immediately.

We accept cash and most major credit cards (depending on what the specific vendor accepts).  You will find a credit card authorization form on our Resources page that you can complete and return to us via fax 866-762-2898 or via email at info@carmeltravelcompany.com or to your individual Travel Consultant.  We accept checks in some cases, but we must receive these at least 10-days in advance of the final payment dates to allow them to clear our bank.  For any specific questions, please do not hesitate to ask one of our Travel Consultants.

Name changes are not allowed in any case.  Once a ticket is issued a name cannot be changed.

For domestic travel, a valid government ID is required.  For international travel, a valid passport is required and, in some cases, you may need a VISA.

We all know that “time is money” and working with a travel advisor not only saves you time but can often save you money.  Travel agents can help a client narrow down trip choices and stick to their budget (or tell you if your budget is unreasonable).  Experienced travel consultants know what tours and hotels are with the splurge and which ones aren’t.  Travelers can be assured that travel agents provide unbiased information because they work for the client – not the travel supplier, so their main concern is always the traveler’s unique needs.

Travel professionals provide expert guidance by using their knowledge and firsthand experience to help clients decide which destination or resort is best for them.   Travel agents have access to exclusive benefits, products and services that most people cannot obtain on their own.  Dedicated travel agents are always looking for great values and their clients know that terrific, personalized service is only a phone call away.

While we don’t always charge a fee when booking certain trip packages and cruises, we do charge fees for certain services such as booking airline tickets, for trip cancellations and trip changes or when planning extensive ala carte (FIT) trips, both domestic and international. 

Please see our standard Fee Schedule below and understand that all fees are non-refundable and non-transferrable.

• Airline Tickets
  • $35 per person for booking or changing domestic flights
  • $50 per person for booking or changing international flights
• Planning Fees
  • $125 per person for ala carte trips or $350 per family for trips that cost up to $4,999
  • $200 per person for ala carte trips or $700 per family for trips that cost $5,000+
• Cancellation Fees
  • $100 Trip Cancellation Fee for Package Trips up to $4,999
  • $200 Trip Cancellation Fee for Package Trips $5,000+
• Trip Rebooking Fees
  • $75 for trips up to $4,999
  • $125 for trips $5,000+