Ahoy Cruise Travelers! Blue Skies Travel is here to help you with all your travel needs.
Behind years of extensive cruise travel, owner Trevor Eliott founded this home-based travel agency in 2020 (in the middle of a pandemic) because he knew travelers were anxious to start exploring the world again but would benefit from assistance and consultation from an expert traveler.
Photo: Trevor is proud of his travel agency and the opportunity to help other travelers see the world
"I love travelling," explains Trevor, "and so does most of society. The world of travel is changing constantly, however, and travelers need to have all the important information to ensure that their travel experience is the magical, rejuvenating experience travelers are looking for. When a client works with Blue Skies Travel, they are treated like family."
Every client is treated like family.
Trevor first recognized the need for knowledgeable travel consultants in 2019 when a good friend was eagerly looking forward to a health retreat in India. This was a trip that his friend, Doug and his wife, had been dreaming of for a lifetime - truly a bucket-list vacation. The couple had thought they planned for everything. Their retreat was paid for and flights booked. The couple had even left themselves a full day to arrive, ahead of the retreat, just in case their flights got delayed for some reason. The only detail that the couple had overlooked was their passports. The trip was during the winter of 2019, while the couple's passports expired in spring 2019. The couple arrived to the airport upon departure, only to be denied travel because their passports expired in only a few short months. They were unaware that India requires the passport of visiting travelers to be valid for six months after the dates of travel. The couple were heartbroken that their dream vacation was derailed before it even began. Hearing this story, Trevor is committed to assisting travelers to ensure no detail is left unturned. Trevor works with every client to ensure the smallest of details are considered. Your vacation time is limited and the consultants at Blue Skies Travel are happy to take care of the details to ensure your vacation is stress-free.
Blue Skies Travel are premium-plus cruising experts.
While Blue Skies Travel is equipped to assist any traveler with any type of vacation, Blue Skies Travel is the preferred travel agent for premium-plus cruise travelers in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Trevor and his wife Julia are avid cruisers, having travelled on a variety of cruise lines. Chances are that any situation a cruise traveler could think of, Trevor has either experienced personally or has learned from the experience of other travelers.
Photo: Trevor and Julia enjoying the waterfront at Lake Louise
Trevor enjoys travelling with his wife, Julia, every opportunity they get. "Life is short," Trevor explains. "We need to make the most of our time and opportunities and enjoy life and the world around us." Trevor typically spends most of his vacation time cruising because it enables him to conveniently see more of the world while enjoying first-class accommodations. "Today's cruise ships are essentially floating all-inclusive resorts that enable you to visit a different location every day of your vacation."
Blue Skies Travel is a member of the Travel Agent Next Door network.
Blue Skies Travel is a home-based business, enabling the company to keep overhead costs low and avoiding inflated service fees that many other travel agencies charge. The agency is part of a much larger network of agencies known as The Travel Agent Next Door (TTAND), a company founded by Flemming Friisdahl who has over 24 years of experience in the travel agent industry himself. TTAND enables small and medium-sized travel agencies to minimize costs and maximize efficiency of resources required to operate an independent travel agency.
Operating through TTAND enables Blue Skies Travel to leverage the benefit of relationships with numerous travel suppliers such as WestJet, Air Canada, Royal Caribbean International and a variety of other cruise lines, hotels and tour operators, as an example. Through an affiliation with the well-respected international agency consortium, Travel Leaders Network, Blue Skies Travel is also able to leverage travel-booking volume to ensure clients have access to the best pricing and perks available.
What to expect when booking travel through Blue Skies Travel?
At Blue Skies Travel, we have experience working with couples, solo travelers, groups, and conferences. No matter how small or large your travel needs are, Blue Skies Travel is here to help.
When a new client contacts Blue Skies Travel for assistance, the first step is always the discovery interview. This is the time to paint picture of your perfect travel experience for Trevor. Where and when would you like to go? How long would you like to stay for? When are you traveling? Who are you travelling with? What activities would you like to see or do while you're there? Will you be celebrating a special occasion? How much have you budgeted for the trip? Any other details that you may have thought of are helpful. The more details you provide, the better the travel experience that Blue Skies can provide.
How much does Blue Skies Travel consultation cost?
Speaking of budget, you may have wondered how much a travel consultant may cost to help you. Once you have completed the discovery interview, Blue Skies Travel will collect a $250 non-refundable deposit. This deposit enables Trevor to spend time to create a quality travel plan for you. Typically, Trevor will provide a few options based on the information you have provided. The service fee is actually collected by TTAND and not distributed until the trip is complete. Blue Skies Travel does not collect any payments directly from clients. Any payments for travel are paid directly to the supplier (a cruise line or airline, for example). No additional amounts or service fees are charged unless expressly discussed during the discovery interview. If travel is booked and completed, the $250 deposit will be included in final payment for the trip.
Travel costs are always best available from the supplier, including any sales or special rates currently available. Blue Skies Travel is paid a commission from the supplier after the trip is completed. The commission is paid to Blue Skies Travel upon completion of the trip and is essentially paid for the work that the supplier did not need to complete because Blue Skies Travel provided it on their behalf.
The travel rates provided by clients are always the best available from a supplier for the service level you have requested. Blue Skies Travel challenges clients to find a better price directly from the supplier. If a client does find a better price directly from the supplier, Blues Skies Travel will either match or beat the price.
More about owner Trevor Eliott
Aside from travel knowledge, Trevor is also a Chartered Professional Accountant, providing taxation consultation since receiving his designation in 2015. When Trevor isn't planning vacations for others or travelling himself, you may find Trevor on the football field where he has coached for St Francis Xavier High School since 2012. Trevor is highly adventurous and is drawn to thrilling activities such a skydiving, zip-lining, white water rafting and other high-risk activities. During the summer, you may also find the avid fisherman casting a line in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of British Columbia.
If you are planning travel in the near future, be sure to contact Blue Skies Travel. There is no charge and no commitment required for the discovery interview. Your vacation time is too short to gamble it. Be sure to contact a professional travel consultant who will advocate for you and provide the best travel experience based on your preferences.
Come sail away with Blue Skies Travel today!
Photo: Trevor is always on the hunt for a new adventure
Photo: Trevor has always had an affinity for water
Photo: The sky is the limit for Trevor
Photo: Another great catch at West Coast Fishing Club in Haida Gwaii