Across every destination I run, the final pre-departure call follows the same skeleton, and that's exactly the point. The Bon Voyage call isn't a pep talk; it's the systematic transfer of everything a guest needs to have a flawless first 48 hours, delivered while there's still time to act on it.
“Every time you get on a vehicle and exit a vehicle, you communicate. Every single time.”
The skeleton
- Arrival window rules, WITH the reason. "Land by 2 p.m." sticks when you explain the missed transfers that created the rule.
- One centralized meeting point for transfers. One. Every additional option is a place someone gets lost.
- The WhatsApp group, and who to contact for what, logistics to the coordinator, emergencies to the hotline, memes to each other.
- Money norms: tipping expectations and how much cash to carry, so nobody's doing ATM math on day one.
- Safety framing calibrated to the destination: where it's pre-booked cars only, say so and say why.
- Health prep with lead times, the advice that needs 30 days of runway is worthless said at the airport.
- Insurance, once more, with feeling.
Claire's own numbers
The framework, step by step
- 1
Arrival window rules, WITH the reason
"Land by 2 p.m." sticks when you explain the missed transfers that created the rule.
- 2
One centralized meeting point for transfers
One. Every additional option is a place someone gets lost.
- 3
The WhatsApp group
and who to contact for what, logistics to the coordinator, emergencies to the hotline, memes to each other.
- 4
Money norms
tipping expectations and how much cash to carry, so nobody's doing ATM math on day one.
- 5
Safety framing calibrated to the destination
where it's pre-booked cars only, say so and say why.
Claire's own framework from this essay, in the order she teaches it.
Source: Claire B. Soares, from her own travel business and live trainings.
End with the flexibility speech
Every itinerary with weather-dependent magic gets the same closing: flexibility IS the itinerary. The boat day may become the vineyard day and back again. That is the plan working. Guests who hear this before departure experience changes as adventure. Guests who don't experience them as broken promises. Thirty minutes on a call buys you that difference for the whole trip.
Common Questions
What is a bon voyage call?
The final pre-departure call where you transfer everything a guest needs for a flawless first forty-eight hours, while there is still time to act on it.
What should you cover before a group trip departs?
Arrival windows and the reason behind them, one transfer meeting point, the group chat and who to contact for what, tipping and cash norms, safety guidance, health prep with lead times, and insurance.
How do you set expectations about itinerary changes?
Say plainly before departure that flexibility is the itinerary. Guests who hear it in advance experience changes as adventure rather than as broken promises.
Written By
Claire B. Soares
Claire B. Soares is the founder of Travel AI University, a 6x Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist, and a Certified AI Consultant with a B.S. in Computer Science. A top 10% enterprise sales executive, she sold $3.4B+ in enterprise software to Google, Microsoft, IBM, Boeing, the federal government, and the DoD, then built $16M+ in luxury travel sales.
About Claire
