Cliffside village overlooking the sea on the Amalfi Coast

About your luxury travel agent

Hi, I am Christine.

I am a luxury travel agent and advisor in Gainesville and Ocala, Florida. I plan travel for couples, families, and groups across the country, with the kind of attention to detail that makes a trip feel effortless.

Portrait of Christine Joy, founder of Next Era Travel

About me

Travel is the love. Detail is the skill.

I grew up in New York City and moved to Florida in 2016. My love of travel has been with me for as long as I can remember. So has my attention to detail, which was there long before I planned a single trip for anyone else.

Put the two together and you get the work I do now. I care about where you go, and I care just as much about the small things that decide whether a trip feels easy or tiring: the room, the transfer, the timing, the thing nobody thought to ask.

Next Era Travel LLC is based in Gainesville and Ocala, Florida, and I plan travel for clients nationwide, by video call, phone, and email.

Why Next Era Travel

The trip should feel as good as the photos.

I work as a concierge-style advisor, which means you speak with me, not a call center or a booking site. I take on a limited number of clients so each one gets real attention, and I lean on my training, my memberships, and my supplier relationships to shape trips you could not easily build yourself.

The name matters to me. Next Era is about the chapter that comes next, whether that is a marriage, a rest you have earned, or the first trip you have taken for yourself in years.

What you can expect from me

What I can do for you

Here is the work I take off your plate, so you can show up and enjoy the trip.

Listen first

Before I look at a single resort, I learn how you want to feel, who is coming, and what has gone wrong on trips before. Everything else follows from that.

Narrow it down

I turn forty open tabs into a short, well-reasoned list. You see what I recommend, what I ruled out, and why.

Match the place to the feeling

Private or social, active or still, adults-only or family friendly. I choose resorts, rooms, and timing around the experience you want, not around what is trending.

Check the details

Room categories, resort layout, transfer times, what is included and what is not. I look at the things that quietly shape a trip.

Handle the booking

I book your travel, track payment schedules and deadlines, and keep your confirmations organized in one place.

Coordinate your people

For weddings and groups, I manage guest bookings, room blocks, and timelines, so you are not the one answering the same question forty times.

Stay in your corner

I check in before you travel and I am reachable while you are away. If flights, weather, or plans change, you have someone working on it with you.

Advocate for you

If something does not go as promised, I work with the supplier on your behalf to find a resolution.

Honest answers

The doubts people have about working with a travel advisor

If you have wondered about any of these, you are not alone. They are fair questions, and you should get a straight answer.

"Can't I just book this myself online?"

You can, and many people do. The difficulty is rarely the booking. It is knowing which resort suits you, which room category is worth paying for, what to ask before you commit, and what to do when something changes. I handle that part, and I save you the hours of research and second guessing.

"Will you push me toward whatever pays you the most?"

No. I work for you, not for the resort or the vendor. Your planning investment compensates me for my work, so my recommendations are built around your needs. I will tell you when a popular property is not the right one for you, and I explain my reasoning so you can judge it yourself.

"Why would I pay a planning investment?"

Because the work begins long before a booking. Research, comparison, and building a plan around you takes time and judgment. The investment is what lets me give your trip my full attention and stay loyal to you, instead of depending on whoever is quickest to sell.

"Will I be passed around or stuck with a call center?"

You work with me directly, from your first consultation through your return home. I take on a limited number of clients so I can give each one real attention.

"What if something goes wrong while I am away?"

You are not on your own. I check every detail before you leave, and I am reachable if plans change. I work with the airline, resort, or supplier on your behalf, so you are not sitting on hold at the airport.

"I don't know what I want yet. Is that a problem?"

Not at all. That is where most conversations start. Tell me how you want to feel and who is coming, and we will work out the rest together.

"Do you only work with people in Florida?"

No. I am based in Gainesville and Ocala, and I plan travel for clients nationwide. We meet by video call, so it works wherever you live.

What I believe

Good planning is not about finding more options. It is about narrowing them to the right one.

That is the work. I listen closely, filter out the noise, and recommend with confidence, so you can stop researching and start looking forward to it.

Credentials & affiliations

The training and memberships behind the work.

  • DWHSADestination Weddings & Honeymoon Specialists Association member
  • SandalsSandals Wedding Specialist and Group Specialist
  • ASTAAmerican Society of Travel Advisors
  • CertifiedCertified Destination Wedding Expert

Specialties

Where my experience runs deepest.

I am a Virtuoso-affiliated advisor and a Sandals Certified Specialist, with offices in Gainesville and Ocala, Florida. I plan travel nationwide and around the world, with a particular focus on Mexico and the Caribbean.

  • Destination weddings, including guest travel and resort coordination
  • Honeymoons and couples travel
  • River cruises and wellness escapes
  • Group travel, from corporate retreats to family and women's trips
See how I work

Who I work for

  • My clients (yes)
  • Not the resort
  • Not the vendor

Your planning investment compensates me for my work, so my loyalty stays with you.

Let us talk

Tell me about the trip you have in mind.

Book a consultation