Ryan Thomas

Travel Advisor

I’m Ryan — a travel advisor, a lifelong adventurer, and someone who believes every interaction I have is a chance to help someone feel seen, heard, held, and served.

Before I started planning travel as a profession, I traveled as a lifestyle. I led travel for others, and I built my life around exploration which I still do to this day.

I guided wilderness expeditions in the Northeast USA, lived and worked as a commercial fisherman in Alaska, I lived out of a van while chasing the next wild and beautiful adventure seeking authentic experiences, soul-touching connections, new perspectives, and awe-striking nature.

I know what it’s like to truly adventure, how to find the most memorable authentic and exclusive experiences, and how to travel in a way that doesn’t just get you out of the house — but fills your soul.

With my years of experience living a life of travel, NorthStar Cruises has welcomed me to use my expertise to help my clients find exactly what they are looking for out of travel. Whether it’s a luxury level of exclusive experiences and pampering, or a big adventure in all the corners of the globe — I help my people travel in a way that fills them.

If you’re looking for a travel advisor who actually listens and advocates for you, I’d love to be that person for you.

Let’s connect!

What It’s Like to Work With Me

don’t sell packages. I seek to understand what you’re really craving, then I give you something that will satisfy you.

Whether you’re a lifelong luxury traveler, a gritty adventurer, a couple planning seeking romantic escapes, a business rewarding one of your high-performers, here’s what you can expect from me:

- First Contact
  You reach out to me personally or our agency generally. I follow up personally. I’ll ask you questions about who you are, what you like, where you’ve been, and where you still want to go. I aim to listen deeply, and learn what matters most to you before moving on to planning.

- Planning Together
  I research, design, and refine until the plan feels like you. I bring options, offer insight, and never push. While I do this, I leverage my global network to find the experiences that would be most filling for you. My network and our reputation as an agency helps me negotiate the best deals and deliver the most value for my people. You approve every part of the trip before anything is booked, and I will tweak anything that doesn’t feel like it gives you what you need. .

- Booking & Final Details
  Once we lock an itinerary in, I handle the logistics from there. You’ll get clear documentation and timely reminders when you have something you need to do, but I’ll handle everything I can so your process is as leisurely as possible. You’ll never have to chase information, I’m famously (or infamously) thorough in my communication because I won’t let myself leave my people underinformed. .

- During Your Trip
  I’ll remain available and responsive in case anything comes up. I’ll advocate on your behalf and act as quickly as I can to problem solve when anything goes wrong. Before, during, and after you’re trip, you’ll have me in your corner. And I’ll fight for you — hard. If anyone doesn’t offer the same level of care for you that I do, you can bet me and my network will put our dukes up for you.

- After You Return
  I’ll follow up with genuine curiosity. I want to hear how it went — I want to know who made you feel taken care of, and who didn’t so I know who I need to call to give gratitude or who to seek resolution from. I take your feedback seriously, If you loved everything, we plan your next trip. If something felt off, I want to know so I can learn you better and make even better recommendations next time.

Traveling with me is like aging a fine wine — the longer we work together, the better I get at giving you what you want before you even ask for it.

My Clients Come to Me For…

- Luxury Travel with thoughtful details and exclusive perks.

- Adventure Travel that feels immersive, alive, and safe.

- Honeymoon Planning that takes stress off your plate and brings the romance in.

- Corporate Retreats & Incentive Travel that reflect your company’s standards and save you time.

However you travel, I’m here to be your person.

Travel Specialties

Interests

Ocean Cruising
River Cruising
Honeymoons
Adventure
Sustainable Travel

Destinations

United States – ALL
United States – Alaska
United States – Hawaii
Antarctica
Jamaica

Learn More About Ryan
at Virtuoso

CONTACT RYAN

If you want to get in touch with me,
fill out the form on our contact page!

If you want to send mestuff, mail to:
PO Box 248, Essex Fells, NJ 07021 USA

If you want to email me, send to:
Ryan@northstarcuises.com

Learn more about Ryan and his travel planning services in this FAQ

What kind of clients does Ryan work with?
Ryan works with a wide variety of clients, but he specializes in clients who are seeking:
- Honeymoon planning
- Bachelor and Bachelorette party planning
- Corporate group travel
- Adventure Travel & Expedition Travel
- Luxury Cruises
- Travel Planning for Millennials and Gen X
- Travel for Retirees
While these are Ryan’s specialties, he excels in planning travel for clients who are looking for:
- Luxury travel
- Leisure travel
- Safaris
- Land Based Travel
- Family Travel
- Group Travel
- Solo Travel
- Traveling for Cyclists & Cyclist Groups
- Culinary Travel
- Cultural Travel, &
- Travel for the Physically Limited & Disabled
Ryan is a versatile Travel Advisor who learns what his clients are looking for and connects them with experiences that perfectly match their wants, needs, and budget.
What does it cost to plan travel with Ryan?
Ryan charges his clients $0 for travel planning. His services are entirely free, so there is no risk in connecting with him to talk about your travel planning.
How can Ryan charge $0 for his travel planning services?
Other travel advisors often charge a travel planning fee, but Ryan and NorthStar Cruises does not.

Ryan doesn’t need to charge his clients for his services because he is paid a commission from the vendors he books with like cruises, safaris, tour guides, and hotels.
Since Ryan gets paid by commission instead of from a travel planning fee, will my travel costs be higher?
No, the cost of booking your travel through Ryan will cost exactly the same as it would for you to book on your own. In fact, you may end up paying more by booking on your own because you may lose out on exclusive cost-saving benefits that booking through Ryan provides.
What cost-saving benefits do I get access to when planning travel with Ryan?
When you book travel with Ryan, he is able to track price changes to any travel you are booking so that you can take advantage of price drops to get the most of your budget.

On top of that, as a Virtuoso Preferred Partner, Ryan is often able to provide exclusive cost savings by providing things like free room upgrades, free shipboard credits, free and exclusive experiences, and more

These benefits are exclusive to Virtuoso Preferred Partners like Ryan, meaning most travel advisors cannot offer the same benefits.
I typically book my own travel, why should I let Ryan book it instead?
There are loads of reasons why you’re better off booking through Ryan than on your own, but to name just a few reasons:

Cost
- Ryan’s services are 100% free – start to finish.
- You will never be charged a trip planning fee by NorthStar Cruises
- The cost you pay to travel on your own is exactly as much as you’d pay if you book through Ryan, your price is never impacted by booking through an agent
Convenience
- Ryan handles all communication regarding your travel bookings, including billing, questions about your booking, and troubleshooting issues.
- Ryan keeps track of deadlines for payment installments for things like cruises, safaris, and tours so you don’t have to.
Perks
- Ryan has exclusive access to money saving and value adding perks that are not available to individuals. Many perks Ryan can offer are not even available to other travel advisors. Perks like:
  - Room upgrades
  - Shipboard credits for cruises (free money to use onboard)
  - Private exclusive event access
  - Exclusive excursions and experiences
  - & more
- Ryan tracks prices and promotions you book with him, meaning you will get to take advantage of money saving and value adding benefits without the hassle of tracking it on your own
In short, booking with Ryan is 100% free, it’s easy, and you can get access to perks like discounts and free value-adds. There’s nothing to risk and everything to gain, so why bother doing it yourself?
What does working with Ryan look like?
Ryan’s clients and mentors will say that Ryan is:
- Thorough
- Attentive
- A great listener
- Easy to get along with
- Proactive, and
- Energetic
When you call Ryan for the first time, he will take time to get to know you as a person and as a traveler. If you often travel with a partner, he’ll work to get to know them as well. He’ll ask about what travel you’ve done before and what kinds of travel you enjoy the most. He’ll learn about your “bucket list” so that he can keep his eyes open for deals that can get you to all of your must-see places on a budget that works for you.

After he gets to know you a bit, he’ll learn about what trip you had in mind for your next travel experience. After your call, he’ll launch into research mode to find you a variety of options that match what you’re looking for. Then he’ll help you make the best choice for you!

Ryan prides himself on making the travel planning experience fun and easy for his clients, and making sure they have all the need-to-know information they need.

As an advisor early in his career in an ever-changing industry, he doesn’t always have all the answers. When Ryan doesn’t know something, he always says so, but he always finds an answer.
Can Ryan plan our honeymoon?
Yes! Ryan actually specializes in planning trips for soon-to-be-weds.

Ryan understands that honeymooners want to have a once in a lifetime experience that will make memories that will last. Ryan also understands the stress and hassle that planning a wedding can entail.

When Ryan works with couples, he works to understand the core wants and needs of each of the soon-to-be-weds to match them with the best itineraries, best accommodations, and the best prices so they can make the most of their budget. Ryan makes the process as easy as possible so the couple can enjoy the perfect getaway without adding to the long list of to-do’s that come with wedding planning.

Whether a couple wants a leisurely escape, a bold adventure, or a bit of both, Ryan can plan it! Learn More … !
Can Ryan plan travel for bachelor/bachelorette parties?
Absolutely! Ryan loves planning for groups, especially for bachelor and bachelorette parties!

Ryan knows how to plan party trips for groups of all interests. Whether you’re big partiers, culinary explorers, wilderness adventurers, or culturally curious travelers, Ryan can plan a trip that will be sure to help your wedding party bond and get to know one another while they have a blast on land, at sea, or both!

When Ryan plans bachelor and bachelorette parties, he is happy to work with the bride, groom, maid of honor, or the best man. He makes sure that the style of the trip is aligned with what the bride or groom is really hoping for from the trip. When Ryan feels that he understands what kind of trip they are looking for, he launches into research and itinerary building to create a truly special and memorable experience for the whole wedding party.
Does Ryan plan Corporate Travel for groups and individuals?
Yes, Ryan loves working with businesses to plan travel. Whether your business is looking for a company retreat, conferences, celebration, or for planning trips for employees as incentives, bonuses, and more. Ryan can even book travel for your clients if you want to show them how much you appreciate them!

Ryan’s professionalism, versatility, responsiveness, insider intel, and budget mindedness makes him a great fit for businesses especially.

For businesses that are looking to book as a group, Ryan seeks and finds exclusive benefits that can be added to the group booking, adding value for no extra cost. Some groups will even be able to charter a whole ship just for you! Have business functions you want to perform? Ryan can help you set up private events for things like meetings, presentations, or even exclusive events for your group only.

If you’re looking to book travel for an employee or client, Ryan will customize his approach so you can provide this trip for your valued person in the way that you want. Want to keep the trip a surprise? Ryan can plan entirely through you, letting you deliver a 100% planned trip to your staff or client. Want your staff or client to plan the trip they want? You tell Ryan your budget and he’ll work with them to plan a trip that they know they’ll enjoy.

Whatever travel your business wants to plan, Ryan will be glad to meet all of your needs.
Does Ryan book flights as well as travel itineraries?
At this time, Ryan can book flights by request. As a rule, NorthStar Cruises does not book flights, but for 2025 if you know what flight you want to book and you provide the flight information to Ryan, he will book the flight for you.
How do I start working with Ryan?
You can email Ryan at ryan@northstarcruises.com or call the NorthStar Office at 973 228 5005.

On your first call, you and anyone you’re traveling with will chat with Ryan so he can get to know you, your travel preferences, travel experience, your must-see bucket lists, and if you have any trip in mind that you’re ready to start planning.

After your first call, Ryan will launch into research mode to find itineraries that will be a best match for you based on what you shared in your first call, then email you potential trip options which you’ll discuss on your next call.

The process couldn’t be easier or more personalized. Plus, it’s 100% free for you from start to finish, so don’t wait, start planning with Ryan today!