Why use Perfectly Planned Journeys
when I can book it myself?
Many of our clients say "time", because time is the most valuable asset they have. You can spend hours, if not days or weeks researching for your vacation, or you can spend your free time being with your family and friends. We reduce stress as well as the risk of forgetting a few important details, or booking with a supplier who has great reviews on Trip Advisor but come up short when you arrive on your vacation. So why not let us worry about the logistics, transportation and all the arrangements, so all you need to do is enjoy!
The close relationship we build with our clients allow us to hand pick suppliers who are best suited for your specific vacation. We will customize your trip to fit your dreams, needs and budget, and are often able to arrange things that the general public will not be able to. We provide peace of mind knowing that we have your best interest in heart, and we are there for you from the planning stage to after you have returned from your trip. We strive to add convenience and value to every journey we design.
Are we always the least expensive? No! We are very competitive in our pricing in addition to the service we offer. It is also very important that you provide an honest budget to us from the very beginning so that we can design your journey accordingly. The question ultimately comes down to what is the most important part of your journey - the cost or the experience? If you said the latter, we would love to transform the experience for you from ordinary to extraordinary!
The close relationship we build with our clients allow us to hand pick suppliers who are best suited for your specific vacation. We will customize your trip to fit your dreams, needs and budget, and are often able to arrange things that the general public will not be able to. We provide peace of mind knowing that we have your best interest in heart, and we are there for you from the planning stage to after you have returned from your trip. We strive to add convenience and value to every journey we design.
Are we always the least expensive? No! We are very competitive in our pricing in addition to the service we offer. It is also very important that you provide an honest budget to us from the very beginning so that we can design your journey accordingly. The question ultimately comes down to what is the most important part of your journey - the cost or the experience? If you said the latter, we would love to transform the experience for you from ordinary to extraordinary!
What our clients are saying:
Let us share what some of our wonderful clients are saying:
Lene, thank you for all your have done to assist us with two wonderful vacations: a river cruise in Europe in the summer of 2012 and a Coastal California cruise in the spring of 2013. We really appreciate your in-depth knowledge, great responsiveness, willingness to go out of your way to research questions we have and your ability to gather information and reach networks that help us plan great vacations. Yes, we are demanding and do our travel planning mostly on weekends, but you have always been responding in a very timely fashion (you seem to work all hours) and always with a smile when we say '...and oh, just one more thing, could you also check out..' Both vacations were great trips where we experienced no issues due to thorough planning. We will come back for future trips and look forward to working with you on planning our next, big adventure.
Kristin & Keith Hirt
Kristin & Keith Hirt
Dear Lene, Over the past 10 years, Mike and I have been on many very good trips and a few trips that were not so good for various reasons, but only a handful that were outstanding, life changing, unforgettable, and this trip to SA was one of them! An outstanding trip in our view is not one that is perfect: there are always glitches and at least some disappointments, but an outstanding trip has enough positives and "magic moments" to make you forget any problems.
Besides the quality of the hotels, the guide and driver, the winery access, and the Lion Sands Games reserve, a few things that made the trip great for us were: Flying Business Class, Only 8 people in the group, Staying 5 nights at Lion Sands, The dynamic duo of Lene and Lucinda: overall the logistics fell into place and you both played an important role in the whole thing coming together.
We are definitely interested in New Zealand and Patagonia group trips if they materialize in the future. Take care,
Eileen Lee
Besides the quality of the hotels, the guide and driver, the winery access, and the Lion Sands Games reserve, a few things that made the trip great for us were: Flying Business Class, Only 8 people in the group, Staying 5 nights at Lion Sands, The dynamic duo of Lene and Lucinda: overall the logistics fell into place and you both played an important role in the whole thing coming together.
We are definitely interested in New Zealand and Patagonia group trips if they materialize in the future. Take care,
Eileen Lee
Dear Lene, Thank you so much for being the best travel agent I ever had the opportunity to work with. You made a life long dream come true! It felt like I was able to get a taste of Norway as a local instead of a tourist. We can’t wait to bring the children back to Norway. Thank you,
Wendy & Andy Cook
Wendy & Andy Cook
Going to Jamaica Saturday for a week.... Can't wait! Our 10th anniversary, doesn't seem like that long :) Thanks Lene for booking everything for us and making it so easy! I have told all my friends what a great job you did for us so maybe you'll get some other business out of it. I'll post a big thank you on FB too if that is ok with you :)
Karen & Buddy Case
Karen & Buddy Case
You arranged a truly fantastic trip to South Africa What a glorious country. I so appreciate the time and effort that went into arranging so many unique adventures. Each winery was different and wonderful. The time and attention that we received from each of our hosts was spectacular. I also loved the cooking class and having the opportunity to be welcomed into such a special community. Robbin Island and the history of South Africa has left an impression on me that I will not forget. Thank you Lene for a truly memorable and remarkable trip. Hugs and best regards,
Patricia President
Patricia President
Hey there, we are BACK..... What an amazing trip...everything was perfect...the stops in Madrid and Barcelona and the cruise... the suite was fantastic...and the excursions, unbelievable...the two we booked thru you, were the best. Thanks for your help, you did an amazing job.... call you when I get back...
Linda & John Ratigan
Linda & John Ratigan
Good evening Lene - We are back from a great trip and already missing Italy. We had a great time and just wanted to give you the information of how everything went. Once we get our finances back in order, we'll let you know when we want to tackle southern Italy. :)
Thanks for everything Lene! You planned a great trip for us.
Trent and Angela Beeman
Thanks for everything Lene! You planned a great trip for us.
Trent and Angela Beeman
Lene, We're back and we had a fabulous time!!! I want to thank you so much for making this trip a very smooth process for us. We got your thank you card and I just want to say, you are a true professional. We look forward to booking future trips with you. Thank you again for all your hard work and attention to ensure a great vacation for us!!!
Joanne & Tom Brady
Joanne & Tom Brady
Hi Lene, A few photos from Tyler's and my vacation to the beautiful island of Moorea in the French Polynesian Islands. My friend Lene Heltberg Minyard planned this entire trip for us and it was 100% perfect and flawless. Thank you so much!
Pamela Stroupe
Pamela Stroupe
Hi Lene, Our trip was great. We had a lot of fun. The Caribbean is beautiful. Thank you so much for taking care of us! I will definitely refer you to anyone who needs a travel agent (and already have). Thank you very much!!!
Jenn Hoover
Jenn Hoover
Everything was fantastic. Napa Private Tours did a great job. Thanks for arranging this birthday celebration.
Payam Sharifi
Payam Sharifi
Having done the similar Norway trip with Lene and Lise last Christmas. I must said it was one of best moment in my life!!!! Both Lene and Lise are the ultimate professional and their knowledge of the city is second to none. We were able to see Norway from the local's prescriptive. Plus Norway is so damn magical during Christmas! I feel like I was in one of the Christmas postcard!!! Great times!
Wendy Lin-Cook
Wendy Lin-Cook
Hi Lene! Thank you so much for a beautiful card and nice words on it. Thank you so much for everything that you did, we had amazing experience on the cruise and all those shore trips. And now back to reality. Have a beautiful day stay cool!!
Marjo Tolvanen
Marjo Tolvanen
Just a note to let you know that Ashley and I had a wonderful time in NYC. The Lion King was our favorite part of the trip; but it was all delightful. Thank you for putting together such a lovely vacation for us. All the best!
Andrea & Ashley Chapman
Andrea & Ashley Chapman
Thank you for a fun and memorable trip. You fulfilled my childhood dream of visiting Harry Potter studios in London. I tasted amazing butterbeer while roaming in the “dark forest” and learning about how the costumes where made. More importantly, the best part of the trip was the tour guide to Wales. He was informative and energetic. He made sure we saw everything on our “must – see” list. I can’t thank you enough and hope to use your services in the future.
Rebecca Pfister
Rebecca Pfister
Thank you for the absolutely wonderful trip you arranged for us to Norway. It was the trip of a lifetime and we would not have done anything differently. Your attention to our requests, knack for getting all the details right, having everything prepaid, and assembling a very complex travel itinerary was remarkable. The itinerary was easy to follow and we always knew what was next.
Every turn had an iconic view and although I tried, and did fairly well in capturing the views in photos, there really is no way to describe the beauty we saw. The time we spend with Martin and Inger Lise was the highlight of our trip and I still marvel that you were able to facilitate that! I will never forget walking the same ground my grandmother, Gjertine did. It was fun and at the same time emotional and hard to describe.
We could have never, ever, put a trip like that together without you. You were the key to our trip of a lifetime and we are so very, very grateful. Thank you again for your knowledge, your help, your guidance and support. Norway was wonderful from start to finish and now the question is, where next? Again, many, many thanks!
Lisa and Bob Laclede
Every turn had an iconic view and although I tried, and did fairly well in capturing the views in photos, there really is no way to describe the beauty we saw. The time we spend with Martin and Inger Lise was the highlight of our trip and I still marvel that you were able to facilitate that! I will never forget walking the same ground my grandmother, Gjertine did. It was fun and at the same time emotional and hard to describe.
We could have never, ever, put a trip like that together without you. You were the key to our trip of a lifetime and we are so very, very grateful. Thank you again for your knowledge, your help, your guidance and support. Norway was wonderful from start to finish and now the question is, where next? Again, many, many thanks!
Lisa and Bob Laclede
