Hi, I’m Melanie — the travel advisor behind Cruisin’ With Mel.

Travel has been part of my life and career for more than 20 years, but some of my earliest experiences in the industry are still the ones that shaped the way I travel today.

While working for Grand Circle Travel, I took my very first international trip — which also happened to be my first river cruise. That experience opened up an entirely new world for me and sparked a love of international travel that has only grown over the years.

Later, while working for Viking Deluxe Travel, I was fortunate enough to experience an incredible 16-day journey through China and along the Yangtze River. It was one of those trips that showed me just how much more you can experience when the itinerary, transportation, guides and details all come together.

And recently, I returned from Collette’s Best of Italy, my first fully guided land tour in many years. Traveling through Italy reminded me how much I love this style of travel — experiencing different cities, learning from local guides, sharing the journey with other travelers and being able to enjoy the destination without worrying about every logistical detail. It completely reignited my passion for guided land tours and introduced a whole new chapter of travel for Cruisin’ With Mel.

Today, I help my clients plan much more than cruises. I work with ocean and river cruises, escorted land tours, independent vacations, Disney and Universal trips, and bucket-list adventures around the world.

And because I’m a traveler myself, I’m always looking at trips through the same lens my clients do. Is this itinerary worth it? Is that upgrade really necessary? Is there a better location to stay? Where can we save, and where is it worth spending a little more?

I love finding those little tips, options and details that can make a good vacation even better.

My goal isn’t simply to book you a trip. I want to get to know how you like to travel, help you choose the right experience, make the planning easier, and be there when you have questions along the way.

Whether you already know exactly where you want to go or you just know you’re ready for an adventure, I’d love to help you figure out what comes next.

So… where are we going?