how to plan a cruise | Cowboy Concierge

Updated on October 4, 2026August 4, 2026Cruise Planning Guide

The Best Way to Book a Cruise: Travel Advisor, Online Agency or Direct?

Article 4 of 13 in our Cruise Planning Guide — how to plan a cruise, one decision at a time. You’ve set your budget, chosen …

Updated on October 4, 2026August 3, 2026Cruise Planning Guide

Cruise Itinerary Planning Tips

Article 3 of 13 in our Cruise Planning Guide — how to plan a cruise, one decision at a time. Planning a cruise is more …

Types of cruises explained: cruise planning guide with a globe on a desk.

Updated on October 4, 2026August 2, 2026Cruise Planning Guide

Types of Cruises Explained: How to Choose Your Cruise Type

Article 2 of 13 in our Cruise Planning Guide — how to plan a cruise, one decision at a time. Building the perfect cruise experience …

Cruise budget planning: laptop and notes for working out what a cruise really costs.

Updated on October 4, 2026August 1, 2026Cruise Planning Guide

Cruise Budget Planning: What a Cruise Really Costs

Article 1 of 13 in our Cruise Planning Guide — how to plan a cruise, one decision at a time. If you’re thinking about booking …

Owner, Cowboy Concierge

Don Herman

We're Don and Dwaine — partners of nearly 30 years, both retired, and both firm believers that the best trips come from planning smart, not winging it. Between us we've covered cruises on nearly every ocean (Caribbean, Alaska, Panama Canal, Norway's northern lights), river cruises through Europe, land tours from Ireland to Morocco to Sydney, and enough time in Puerto Vallarta to practically call it a second home.

Cowboy Concierge is where we share what all that experience actually taught us — the questions to ask before you book, the details a travel agent won't always volunteer, and the small decisions that make a big difference once you're onboard. No fluff, no generic advice recycled from a hundred other sites. Just what's worked for us, so you can walk into your own next adventure ready to go.

Giddy-up — let's get you moving.