Travel advisors, explained.

A travel advisor works for the traveler, not for the supplier. You receive personal expertise, preferred-partner perks (room upgrades, daily breakfast, resort credits), real human advocacy when something goes wrong, and access to rates and inventory online booking engines simply do not have. The internet offers infinite choices and zero accountability. A travel advisor offers the opposite — a single trusted point of contact, accountable to you.

In most luxury bookings, yes — once you account for value. Suppliers pay your travel advisor, so the base rate is generally identical to (or better than) what you would see online. Lorraine Travel then layers preferred-partner amenities on top — typically $100–$500+ of confirmed value per stay in upgrades, breakfast, credits, and added perks.

For complex itineraries, luxury hotels, cruises, multi-generational family travel, and high-stakes trips — overwhelmingly yes. A modern travel advisor offers what no AI search and no booking engine can: real human relationships with suppliers, the authority to advocate when plans change, and accountability for the entire trip from start to finish.

Listens to what you actually want. Designs a tailored itinerary. Books air, hotels, cruises, transfers, guides, and experiences. Secures preferred-partner perks. Manages re-bookings, weather diversions, missed flights, and supplier mistakes — in real time, 24/7 — and advocates on your behalf through every step of the journey.

Lorraine Travel was founded in Havana in 1948 and re-established in Coral Gables, Florida in 1960. We are one of the largest privately owned, family-run luxury travel agencies in Florida, a Four Seasons Preferred Partner, and a member of Signature Travel Network, ASTA and Hickory Global Partners. Few travel houses survive nearly eighty years. We did — by doing it the old way: by hand, by relationship, by name.

Since 1948 — more than seventy-five years. Lorraine Travel was founded in Havana, Cuba and has operated continuously ever since, becoming incorporated in Florida after the family relocated to the United States in 1960.

Our offices are at 377 Alhambra Circle, Coral Gables, Florida 33134. We serve clients across the United States and worldwide, with senior advisors reachable by phone, email, and text.

Yes. Lorraine Travel is a luxury travel authority specializing in bespoke vacations, luxury cruises, and preferred-partner hotel programs. Our luxury division, WhataHotel!, secures complimentary VIP amenities at the world's finest properties, including every Four Seasons hotel and resort worldwide.

Confirmed room upgrades upon arrival, daily breakfast for two, a resort or spa credit (typically $100 per stay), early check-in / late check-out when available, complimentary Wi-Fi, and a personal welcome from senior hotel staff. Amenities vary by property and program — your advisor will confirm the exact package at your selected hotel.

Yes. Lorraine Travel is a Four Seasons Preferred Partner agency. Our clients receive the complete Preferred-Partner amenity package at every Four Seasons hotel and resort worldwide.

On the hotel's website, you get a confirmation number. Through a Preferred-Partner travel advisor, you receive the same rate (sometimes better) plus a confirmed package of added amenities — upgrades, breakfast, credits — and a personal advocate the hotel will treat as a priority partner during your stay.

Cruise pricing is identical between the cruise line and your advisor — but advisors layer added value on top. Through Signature Travel Network, Lorraine Travel offers group rates applied to individual passengers, onboard credit, prepaid gratuities, complimentary shore excursions on select sailings, and dedicated hosts on premier voyages.

Lorraine Travel books across the cruise industry — including Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Explora Journeys, Virgin Voyages, Windstar Cruises, SeaDream Yacht Club, Star Clippers, Paul Gauguin Cruises, Ponant, Lindblad Expeditions, Quark Expeditions, UnCruise Adventures, and Uniworld River Cruises.

Suite upgrades when available, onboard credits, prepaid gratuities on select sailings, complimentary shore excursions, specialty dining reservations, group rates applied to individual passengers, and 24/7 advocacy throughout the voyage.

You call your senior advisor. We have direct lines to suppliers, GDS rebooking authority, and decades of relationships to draw on. Most online booking sites send you to a chatbot or an offshore call center; Lorraine Travel sends you back on your way. We are reachable 24/7 during active travel.

Yes. During active travel, your senior advisor is reachable by phone, text, and email 24/7 — and Lorraine Travel has an after-hours emergency service for clients in transit anywhere in the world.

Yes — concierge-level planning is the standard at Lorraine Travel. Bespoke itineraries, private guides, restaurant reservations, off-hour museum access, private transfers, and the small details that distinguish a memorable trip from a forgettable one.

In most cases, no. Luxury suppliers compensate the advisor — not the traveler. For complex itineraries (multi-stop, multi-country, custom experiences) Lorraine Travel charges a modest planning fee, which is consistently offset by the value of the upgrades and amenities we secure on your behalf.

For hotel-only and standard cruise bookings, generally nothing — the supplier pays our commission. For complex bespoke itineraries with multiple components, custom experiences, and private guides, a planning fee is quoted in advance and is typically a small fraction of the trip value.

Hotels, cruise lines, tour operators, and other suppliers pay your advisor a commission for booking with them — at no additional cost to you. The rate you pay is the same as (or better than) what you would pay direct.

Bespoke travel is fully custom travel — designed around you. Not a package, not a tour, not a pre-set itinerary. Your senior advisor learns who is traveling, what you love, and what you want out of the journey, then designs and books a one-of-one experience from start to finish.

Worldwide. Our most frequently booked destinations include Italy, France, Greece, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Japan, the Maldives, the Caribbean (St. Barth's, Anguilla, Turks & Caicos), Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, South Africa), the Galápagos, Antarctica, the Mediterranean, and the great cities of Europe.

Yes. Honeymoons, anniversaries, milestone birthdays, family reunions, and bucket-list journeys are a significant part of our practice. We arrange surprise upgrades, in-suite amenities, custom celebrations, and the quiet logistics that let you focus on the moment.

Yes — extensively. We arrange connecting suites, child-discreet logistics, age-appropriate guides and activities, separate-but-connected itineraries within a group, and the kind of flexibility multi-generational families need.

Yes. While our primary focus today is luxury leisure travel, Lorraine Travel maintains a corporate travel management practice for select clients — including online corporate booking, dedicated account management, and policy compliance.

Submit an inquiry on our contact page, call 305-446-4433 or text 800-666-8911, or email info@lorrainetravel.com. A senior advisor will reach out within one business day to schedule a complimentary consultation — by phone, video, or in person at our Coral Gables office.

Roughly thirty minutes. We learn who is traveling, when, why, and what kind of experience you have in mind. We answer your questions, share initial recommendations, and — if you decide to engage us — outline next steps and timing for a written proposal.