Alexandra Carrier Luxury Travel Advisor

10/12/2026

Sometimes it's the little things that remind you why you love what you do. ❤️

I'm currently planning a Christmas trip for a client who has been such a pleasure to work with.

He's enthusiastic, asks great questions, and genuinely values my input. A simple "that's a great idea," "good point," or "thank you" makes the whole process feel collaborative.

And I love that.

Like any job, there are days when travel planning can be stressful and a little overwhelming. But then you have an experience like this, and it gives you a much-needed boost.

I love being able to bounce ideas around, offer suggestions and work together to create a trip that feels right for someone.

It's not about always agreeing. It's about having good conversations, respecting each other's input and enjoying the process along the way.

And sometimes I think clients don't realize how much we appreciate those interactions, too.

So just a little appreciation today for the clients who make an already wonderful job that much more enjoyable. ❤️

10/01/2026

Confession: I'm a travel advisor who isn't really a big-ship cruise person......, so I had to think hard about reaching out to a cruising podcast and pitching myself as a guest. 😂

But I did have a story to tell…
the private yacht trip I hosted through Croatia this summer completely changed the way I looked at traveling by water.

On the Joy of Cruising podcast, I talked about Croatia, small-ship travel, how I filled an 18-cabin yacht mostly through word of mouth—and yes, the time this travel advisor didn't read her own itinerary and ended up having to driving 2 hrs back to a bug-infested condo in Costa Rica.

Apparently even travel advisors have travel stories 😂

Thank you to Paul Thornton for having me on , I put the episode link below if you'd like to listen.

Hello, passionate cruisers! This is Paul. I am delighted to welcome this week on The Joy of Cruising Podcast, Alexandra Carrier, a luxury travel advisor in Austin, Texas area. This past summer Alexandra hosted a private charter yacht trip through ...

09/30/2026

Yes, I think you should use AI to help plan your trip.

Coming from a travel advisor, that might sound a little strange. 😂
But if you have no idea where you want to go, use it.

Ask for ideas. Compare destinations. Tell it you want great food, warm weather and somewhere you haven’t been before. See what comes back.
Use it to figure out what sounds exciting to you — and what doesn’t.

Then bring those ideas to me.
Because that’s where we can start figuring out what actually works.

Maybe the itinerary looks great until you realize how much time you’ll spend getting from one place to another. Maybe the hotel AI keeps recommending is beautiful, but completely wrong for how you like to travel. Or maybe it suggests something you hadn’t considered at all.

I’m not afraid of AI. I actually think it can be a really useful starting point.
But there’s a difference between having a bunch of great ideas and turning those ideas into your trip.

So use AI. Have fun with it. Save the screenshots. ..... Then call me and let’s figure out what actually works.

09/18/2026

Sometimes being a good travel advisor means telling someone to wait.

I had clients reach out about planning a trip to Japan on fairly short notice. And yes, I could find hotels. I could find flights. I could put something together.

But that wasn't really the question.

The question was whether I could plan the Japan trip they actually wanted.

Once I started looking at availability, too many of the decisions were becoming about what was still available instead of what was actually right for them.

So I recommended they postpone.

I know that probably sounds strange coming from someone whose business is planning travel. But I don't want someone spending that kind of money and traveling that far just to take the trip we could get.

I want them to take their trip.

Sometimes waiting a little longer is the difference between we went to Japan and that was the trip we hoped it would be.

And I'll choose the second one every time

09/12/2026

After enough people asking what adapter/charger/bag I travel with, I finally put some of my favorites in one place.

It's a slow start but wanted to share what I actually use. For some reason it won't let me add my travel back pack so here's a screenshot.

I'll keep adding as I think of it, but of course buy whatever brand you prefer.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AH6GSLKNUBYH4W5DLWAQVRCVVRVQ/list/258MIVZNHMFZJ?ref=customerprofile

09/03/2026

A little reintroduction seems overdue before we get into all the travel updates...…

I’m Alexandra Carrier, a Luxury Travel Advisor and independent advisor with Ciao Bambino.

Travel has always been a big part of my life, but what I love most about doing this professionally is getting to know how people actually like to travel.

What matters to them. What they’re excited about. What they don't care about. And sometimes, reading between the lines to figure out what they really want from a trip.

Because luxury, to me, isn't necessarily five-star everything.
It’s personal.

It might be the perfect little hotel in exactly the right location. An experience you never would have known about. Knowing what’s worth the splurge — and what isn't. Or simply having enough time built into a trip to actually enjoy where you are.

I’m fortunate to work with an incredible network of people and partners around the world, and traveling myself is a huge part of how I continue to learn. I want to experience places, hotels and different ways of traveling so I can have a real opinion about them — not just repeat what I've read online.

So if you're new here, welcome. And if you've been here for a while, thank you for following along.

You’ll be seeing more of the places I go, what I discover along the way, and probably a few opinions about travel too. 😉

Because after all these years, I'm still just as curious about where to go next.

08/28/2026

I shared a little from Croatia at the beginning of our trip…and then I got busy actually enjoying it. 😂

So I still have a LOT to share.

From sailing the islands of Croatia by yacht — with plenty of swim stops, incredible food and some pretty spectacular scenery — to my time in London, including a wonderful stay at One Aldwych and an excellent Black Cab tour that gave me a completely different look at the city.

There were so many experiences from both trips that deserve more than a quick photo while I was traveling.

So over the next week, I’m going to play a little catch-up and share some of my favorites — what I loved, what surprised me, and what I would recommend to clients.

Consider yourself warned…the travel photos are coming. 😂❤️

08/18/2026

Our first swim stop off the ship… and that water was SO refreshing! 💦🇭🇷

Of course, just jumping in wasn’t enough — we had plenty of water toys to keep us entertained.

Sunshine, crystal-clear water, a beautiful Croatian backdrop and nowhere else we needed to be.

I could definitely get used to this kind of afternoon. ☀️🌊

06/15/2026

Let's talk about travel advisor fees for a minute.

I know some people are surprised when they learn I charge a planning fee. The reality is, what I do goes far beyond making reservations.

Behind every itinerary are years of experience, countless destination visits, hotel tours, supplier meetings, industry conferences, training, and relationship-building. I invest a significant amount of time staying educated so I can provide the best possible advice and recommendations for my clients.

Do I earn commissions from some travel partners? Yes.

Do those commissions influence my recommendations? Absolutely not.

My recommendations are based on what's best for YOU, your travel style, your priorities, and your budget.

I believe in being transparent about how I'm compensated because trust matters. You should never have to wonder where my loyalties lie.

When you work with me, you're not just paying for a trip. You're investing in expertise, advocacy, insider knowledge, and someone who has your back before, during, and after you travel.

That's a value I'm proud to stand behind.

06/09/2026

One of the things I love most about this industry is that the best travel experiences often start long before a trip is booked.

I recently attended L.E./Miami where I spent several days meeting with some incredible hotels, resorts, and travel partners from around the world.

Of course, learning about beautiful properties and exciting destinations is always valuable. But the real takeaway was the relationships.

The conversations, connections, and partnerships built during events like these help me better understand which hotels, experiences, and destinations are the right fit for each client.

Luxury travel isn't just about finding a beautiful place to stay.

It's about knowing which place will feel right for you.

I'm coming home with new ideas, new relationships, and plenty of inspiration for future trips.

If you're thinking about your next getaway, I'd love to help you find the perfect fit.