I am Christine Phillips, founder of BonVoyage Christine and a Washington DC-based Virtuoso-affiliated, IATA-accredited luxury travel advisor who has personally explored 40+ countries across six continents.
I do not plan trips from behind a desk. Every recommendation I make is informed by firsthand experience: the right lodge for a gorilla trek in Rwanda, the correct routing through Petra, the cave hotel in Cappadocia that actually delivers on the sunrise. I built BonVoyage Christine for travelers who are done settling for ordinary and ready to invest in the extraordinary.
There are three ways to work together. Every one of them includes VIP treatment at the properties I book, through my Virtuoso affiliation where it applies and through the personal supplier relationships I have built worldwide everywhere else. Where the tiers differ is in the depth of planning and how much I handle on your behalf.
2 to 6 days: $400
7 to 10 days: $550
11 to 14 days: $700
15+ days: Custom quote
Add-ons: Where-to-Go consulting $250 ($200 credited if you book), restaurant/experience/spa reservations $75 for up to three, additional traveler beyond a family of four (same itinerary) $100 per person, expedited planning (within 30 days) $150.
Starting at: $1,250
Scales with: trip length, number of destinations, number of travelers
Add-ons: Where-to-Go consulting $250 ($200 credited if you book), additional destination $200, additional traveler beyond a family of four (same itinerary) $150 per person, additional proposal $100, change fee $50, expedited planning $150.
A standard family is two adults and two minor children. The additional traveler charge applies to anyone beyond that, $100 per person in Select Planning and $150 per person in Bespoke Collection, provided all travelers are on the same itinerary. Adult children are counted as adults.
If a traveler deviates from the main itinerary, with different routing, dates, or accommodations, that is planned and priced as a separate itinerary, not an additional traveler. All-adult groups are a separate service, see Additional Services.
I specialize in premium and luxury cruising, from Virgin Voyages to the most refined ocean and river lines in the world. Whether you are drawn to the open sea or the slower rhythm of a European river cruise along the Seine, the Danube, the Douro, or the Rhine, I will match you to the right ship, the right line, and the right itinerary for the experience you are after.
Cruise booking is complimentary, ocean or river. There is no planning fee to reserve your sailing. If you would like to add pre-cruise or post-cruise days, the hotels, tours, and logistics in your embarkation or arrival cities, that planning is custom quoted based on complexity.
The Hiram Bingham by Belmond. The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. The Rovos Rail across Southern Africa. Booking a luxury rail journey is complimentary, the same as a cruise.
If your trip involves a larger land planning component around the train, pre and post days, hotels, and logistics, that is custom quoted based on complexity, and a fully built multi-location journey around the train falls under Bespoke Collection.
I do not plan the wedding itself, but I coordinate group accommodations and room blocks for destination wedding parties and their guests. Custom quote.
Planning fees are due at the time of engagement, before itinerary work begins. Travel costs, hotels, flights, tours, and experiences, are booked separately and invoiced at their actual rates. Planning fees are non-refundable once work has begun. If your trip is cancelled or significantly changed after your itinerary is delivered, a change fee may apply, and I will always discuss it with you first.
The earlier you reach out, the better. Luxury properties, particularly safari camps, private villas, and peak-season European hotels, book out months in advance. For most international trips, I recommend reaching out at least 90 days before travel. For safaris, destination weddings, and group travel, 6 to 12 months is ideal. Traveling within 30 days? An expedited planning fee of $150 applies.
"I plan a vacation the way I run a sales pipeline. Obsessively. And none of it would have come together the way it did without Christine. In sales we talk about the value of an expert, the person who has done the thing a hundred times and can tell you what is actually worth your money. Christine is that for travel."
"Christine planned our 30th anniversary Mediterranean cruise on Virgin Voyages for 45 of our closest friends and family, and it was exceptional from start to finish. She coordinated everything, the cruise, flights, transfers, hotels in Athens and Barcelona, and private tours. She even arranged a private cocktail reception onboard on the evening of our anniversary."
"My boyfriend woke me on the eve of my birthday and said, pack, you and the girls are going to Paris and Milan today. He had not booked anything. My first response was to panic. Then I called Christine. She booked our flights, secured 5-star hotels in both Paris and Milan surrounded by the best shopping, and a Michelin-starred restaurant for an unforgettable birthday dinner. She made sure we made our flights and was on the phone the moment we landed in Paris. We could not have done it without you."
"When we decided to celebrate our milestone birthdays in Europe, we entrusted Christine with planning it. She arranged private museum tours in Paris, exclusive vineyard visits in Bordeaux, and private drivers throughout. When weather cancelled a scheduled boat ride, she responded swiftly with a private chef experience instead."
"The itinerary took us through Izmir, Cappadocia, Bodrum, and Istanbul, with sunrise hot air balloon rides, exclusive cave lodging, a sunset Bosphorus cruise, and private tours of Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. Every aspect was elevated by Christine's commitment to luxury. If you are seeking world-class service and luxury at every step, this is the one to trust."
"She helped us curate a 25-day trip throughout Italy, France, and the Netherlands with ease, and our travel was equally seamless. Highly recommend."
"As someone who usually stresses over every detail of trip planning, handing over the reins for our anniversary getaway felt like a big deal. But trusting Christine to plan our trip to Marbella and Istanbul turned out to be one of the best decisions I have made. From luxe accommodations to a thoughtfully curated tour, every part of the trip felt elevated, without me having to obsess over every detail."
"My recent trip to Guyana was nothing short of extraordinary. What began as a birthday adventure became a meaningful journey of discovery and connection to my family's history. What impressed me most is that Christine listened carefully to what I hoped to experience and partnered with trusted local experts who brought the vision to life flawlessly."
"My husband and I traveled to Turkey on a group trip organized by BonVoyage Christine, and the experience exceeded every expectation. We explored breathtaking ancient cities, stayed in beautiful hotels, and enjoyed incredible food throughout. I would absolutely travel with BonVoyage Christine again."
"Christine planned an amazing 5-star multi-generational family trip over Christmas break, through Cairo, Luxor, and Sharm El Sheikh. I would highly recommend."
"From the airport pickup to three wonderful days, the hotels were lovely and in great locations. Thank you, Christine, for a wonderful trip."
"Her attention to detail and her ability to stretch your budget without diminishing the quality of the experience is something I have never seen before. I am currently wrapping a 10-day trip to Turkey, and it has been five-star treatment throughout."
"The industry is inundated with many who call themselves travel planners. However, few are truly called to do this work and do so with excellence. BonVoyage Christine is one of the few. No longer will I spend hours planning my own vacations."
"Working with BonVoyage Christine was an absolute dream. She handled every detail from start to finish, making everything feel effortless on my end. Highly recommend."
About Our Travel Planning Services
The planning fee is separate from your travel costs. Select Planning starts at $400 for a simple single-destination trip. Bespoke Collection starts at $1,250 for complex, multi-location, fully managed travel. Most international clients invest a minimum of $5,000 to $10,000 per person in their travel.
Select Planning is for simple, single-destination trips where you know where you are going. Bespoke Collection is for complex, multi-location journeys, deep logistics, reservations, private guides, full management, or for travelers who want help deciding where to go in the first place.
That is what my Where-to-Go consulting is for. For $250, I help you choose the right destination for the experience you are after. If you move forward with a full trip, $200 of that fee is credited toward your planning fee.
Yes. Through my Virtuoso affiliation, you receive VIP benefits at Virtuoso properties. Beyond the network, I have built personal relationships with luxury suppliers worldwide through ILTM Cannes and ILTM Africa. You are recognized and treated as a VIP at the properties I book, inside the Virtuoso network or not.
A standard family is two adults and two minor children. Beyond that, additional travelers on the same itinerary are $100 per person in Select Planning and $150 per person in Bespoke Collection. Adult children count as adults. A traveler who wants a different itinerary is planned and priced separately.
With Bespoke Collection, you have my direct support line throughout your travel. If a flight is cancelled or plans need to change on the ground, I am your first call, not a call center. This on-trip support is exclusive to Bespoke Collection.
Blue Ribbon Bags is a luggage protection service that I personally invest in for every Bespoke Collection client. If an airline delays or loses your luggage, Blue Ribbon Bags actively tracks and recovers it on your behalf, typically faster than the airline would on its own. If your bag cannot be recovered, you receive financial compensation.
This is luggage protection, not travel insurance. Travel insurance covers a broader range of trip disruptions like medical emergencies, trip cancellation, and evacuations. I always recommend travel insurance for international travel. Blue Ribbon Bags works alongside travel insurance, not in place of it.
Yes. All-adult group travel is a separate, custom-quoted service starting at $1,500. I have led groups of up to 20 travelers, including a 14-day journey through Turkey.
For most international trips, 90 days minimum. For safaris, destination weddings, and group travel, 6 to 12 months is ideal.
I partner with the top luxury cruise and river cruise lines, including Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Explorer Journeys, Virgin Voyages, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Four Seasons Yacht Club, Aman at Sea, Seabourn, and Ponant, as well as premier river cruise operators like AmaWaterways, Scenic Luxury Cruises, Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, and Riverside Luxury Cruises. Whatever line fits your trip, I have the relationships to get you access, upgrades, and onboard perks you won't get booking direct.
I plan trips on the world's most celebrated luxury train journeys, including the Belmond Andean Explorer and Belmond Hiram Bingham in Peru, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express in Europe, Rovos Rail and the Blue Train in South Africa, and the Eastern & Oriental Express in Southeast Asia. If it runs on rails and does luxury right, I can plan your journey on it.