Platinum Travel- Dawn Guckavan, Travel Designer

03/11/2026

Every year the same thing happens.
Someone sends you a photo of a European Christmas market and you think, one of these years.

Here’s what that year actually looks like.

You walk off the ship into the market as the lights come on. Glühwein in the cold. Then back to a warm lounge with the town glowing across the water.

Nuremberg, then Regensburg, then Vienna. You unpack once.

Next year can be your year. Most book at least a year out so

tet’s talk about someday, soon.

30/10/2026

A family asked me for a fully packed 10-day trip. Go, go, go. They signed off on it.

The night before they left, she panicked, wishing she'd looked at it more closely.

I'd offered the chance to go over it together.

A few right adjustments are the difference between a dream trip and a draining one. Sometimes the best thing on the schedule is room to breathe.

Save this for the next time you're about to sign off on a trip.

29/10/2026

Kristine and Mark Schultz just came home from their first trip to Europe: Milan, Venice, and Rome. Here’s what they shared:

“We loved every hotel and had upgrades in Venice and Rome. Milan hotel was amazing, close to everything.

We picked our own food places. It was so easy to find small quaint places everywhere.

The peacefulness of Venice was beautiful with their bells ringing. Wish we had stayed longer.

The trip was extraordinary and we have so many amazing memories.”

I get excited when you leave knowing that you are going to love what is in store. Thank you, Kristine and Mark.

Dreaming about your first trip to Europe? Send me a message.

28/10/2026

Dawn planned our dream Mediterranean escape with the kind of care that turns a trip into a story. From the first morning light to sunlit evenings along the coast, every detail felt effortless. Let Platinum Travel take care of your route, your timing, and the moments you’ll remember most.

Plan your perfect getaway with Platinum Travel in St. Johns, FL. Expert vacation planning, cruises, and custom trips. Call 904-914-6405 today!

28/10/2026

Some people want to explore every corner of an ancient city. Some want a cooking class and a slow afternoon of food and art.

Both can be booked, sometimes at the same price, and only one of them will feel like your trip.
The brochure can’t tell you which.

A planner who asks how you want your afternoons to feel can.
Then the trip gets built around that answer.

That’s what planning around the person looks like. Not the fanciest option. The right one.

So which is your day: every corner of the ruins, or the cooking class?

Tell me in the comments.

27/10/2026

The lights come on around 4:00, and you’re standing in a Christmas market with something warm in your hands.

That part is in every brochure. What happens by day three isn’t.

Here’s how the days go on a Christmas market river cruise. Breakfast while the ship ties up. A morning walking tour. A free afternoon or a second excursion. Then back to a warm lounge, dinner, and often a local musician.

Each stop has its own feel. Nuremberg is traditional and centuries old. Strasbourg is called the “Capital of Christmas.” Vienna has several markets, each with its own character.

And you unpack once. Nuremberg, then Regensburg, then Vienna, from the same cabin.

So, day three. That’s when the crew knows everyone’s name and how they take their coffee. My clients come home talking about the markets, but that’s the part they mention first.

December sailings book early, and the suites go first. Send me a message and I’ll tell you which December 2027 sailings still have them.

26/10/2026

A brochure can’t tell you which ship matches how you travel. I can.

Star of the Seas carries thousands of guests, but with multiple kid zones and quiet alcoves for food and drinks, it “does not feel like you’re cruising with that many people.”

Celebrity Equinox has had a beautiful refresh. It’s the perfect size to dock at smaller Mediterranean ports, and you still get Broadway-style shows right on board.

And a river ship is something else entirely. “A river ship feels more like a floating boutique property than a ship.”

Big, mid-size, or river — tell me which one sounded like you, and I’ll fit the ship to your lifestyle.

Save this for when you’re choosing your next cruise. The names are on screen so you can come back to them.

23/10/2026

It’s not the price. It’s not even where you go.

It’s what happens the first time something on your trip goes sideways such as the transfer that doesn’t show, the room that isn’t the one you booked. Who picks up. Who notices. Whether you’re a trip on a list or a person someone is actually thinking about.

You can’t see any of that from the outside, and nobody volunteers it.

So here’s the question to ask: how many clients do you take?

I cap mine every month. When those spots are full, I close my doors, even when I’m the one traveling.

Want to know what “someone is watching” actually looks like on your trip?
Send me a message and I’ll walk you through how I track every pickup and tour.

22/10/2026

The word “all” has never worked harder than it does on a cruise brochure.

You see all-inclusive and picture one price, with nothing left to think about.

Then the last morning arrives, and so does a statement you didn’t plan for.

It’s not a trick. That word means something different from one ship to the next, and the brochure won’t tell you which version you’re booking.

Some ships get much closer to the real thing, with private dining and spa access built in.

Knowing which is which before you book is my job.

Because on most big cruise lines, the things you’d assume are covered are the extras: the drink package, the Wi-Fi, and the list goes on.

Looking at a cruise? Message me the ship and I’ll tell you what your fare really covers.

21/10/2026

Ditch the Duplex, Keep the Deluxe: Evermore Resort Orlando is the kind of luxury rental that makes “just one more trip” feel inevitable. With upgraded comfort, space to unwind, and a resort-style experience designed for real relaxation, you can stop compromising and start traveling like you mean it. Book with Platinum Travel.

Plan your perfect getaway with Platinum Travel in St. Johns, FL. Expert vacation planning, cruises, and custom trips. Call 904-914-6405 today!