Small-Ship Cruises
Fewer guests, smaller ports, and a crew that knows your name by the third morning. I match you with Atlas Ocean Voyages, Oceania Cruises, Windstar Cruises, or Tauck based on how you like to travel.
Explore Small-Ship CruisesLife is Short. Take the Trip.
Small-Ship and River Cruise Specialist.
I'm Grace Morris, a Certified Cruise Counselor through Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and a member of the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA). I specialize in small-ship and river cruises, and I've personally sailed with most of the cruise lines I recommend.
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Dubrovnik, Croatia. Photo by Grace Morris.
CLIA Certified Cruise Counselor · ASTA Member · 32 Countries Visited · Firsthand Cruise Experience
Ways to travel
What kinds of trips do I plan?
I specialize in small-ship and river cruises, matching the ship and itinerary to your pace and interests. I also plan the land journeys before and after your cruise, so time ashore works naturally with your sailing. If you prefer a standalone land journey, I can plan that on request.
River Cruises
Wake up in a new town nearly every morning, with the scenery passing just outside your window. I've sailed with AmaWaterways on the Rhine and through Holland and Belgium, and I know which ship and route will suit you.
Explore River Cruises
Extend your trip on land
I plan land journeys before and after your cruise, bringing accommodations, transportation, and experiences together around your sailing.
Explore Land JourneysTravelers
Who do I plan for?
I plan for travelers who would rather see fewer places well than many places in a hurry.
- Solo travelersTravel on your own terms, with the right ship and the right company.
- CouplesThoughtfully paced trips for anniversaries and milestone celebrations.
- Empty nestersMore time to travel, with each day shaped around how you want to spend it.
- Girlfriends' tripsShared cabins, shared stories, and every detail sorted ahead of time.
- Multigenerational familiesRoom for grandparents, parents, and children to explore together and apart.
- Friends, classmates, and alumni groupsGroup journeys planned around shared interests, connection, and a comfortable pace.
- Adventure and expedition travelersRemote coastlines and wild places, with the comforts of a small ship.
Firsthand
Why plan with Grace Morris?
Because I have been there. I have personally sailed with AmaWaterways, Atlas Ocean Voyages, Avalon Waterways, Oceania Cruises, Windstar Cruises, and Viking, and I have visited 32 countries. When I recommend a ship, a cabin, or a route, I am drawing on my own time aboard.
I have been advising for more than four years, I hold the CLIA Certified Cruise Counselor designation, and I am an ASTA member. I listen first, then build the trip you described, and I stay in touch from your first question until you are home.
The process
How does it work?
Planning with me takes three simple steps: you share your trip in the planning form, we talk it through in a consultation, and I create a custom itinerary and handle the booking. My planning fee starts at $250 per person, depending on the complexity of your trip. Our first consultation is free. The fee is due only after we both decide to move forward, before I begin designing your trip. When you book your trip with me, the full planning fee is credited toward the cost of your trip.
- 01
Share your trip
Tell me where, when, and who is traveling in the planning form.
- 02
Consult with Grace
We talk through your priorities, pace, and preferences together.
- 03
Itinerary and booking
I design your custom itinerary and take care of the booking.
Client words
What do clients say about working with Grace?
"Smooth and very pleasant transaction. Knowledgeable planner understood what my requirements might be. The resulting itinerary is exactly the way I envisioned it. Thank you for all the hard work."
"Grace was very attentive to my travel needs and stayed in regular contact with me as to available alternatives surfaced. She was a good listener and provided timely follow-up. Will be pleased to recommend her."
"Grace was very patient in answering all of our questions and finding the best options to suit our needs."
"Grace got right back to my sister and I and quickly responded to questions and really listened to us, as to where we wanted to be on the ship."
Credentials
Certified by the lines I recommend.
I hold the featured advisor certifications below, and I've personally sailed with six of them.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What does Tick Tock Travels specialize in?
I specialize in small-ship and river cruises. I also plan land journeys before and after your cruise, with standalone land journeys on request. From my home base in Auburn, Alabama, I work with travelers across the United States to shape a cruise and the time on land around their interests.
Which cruise lines does Grace Morris work with?
I work with AmaWaterways, Tauck, Atlas Ocean Voyages, Viking, Oceania Cruises, and Windstar Cruises. I have personally sailed with AmaWaterways, Atlas Ocean Voyages, Avalon Waterways, Oceania Cruises, Windstar Cruises, and Viking, so my recommendations come from time spent on board, not from a brochure.
How much does it cost to work with Tick Tock Travels?
My planning fee starts at $250 per person, depending on the complexity of your trip. Our first consultation is free. The fee is due only after we both decide to move forward, before I begin designing your trip. When you book your trip with me, the full planning fee is credited toward the cost of your trip. Read the planning-fee terms.
What is the minimum trip budget?
The trips I plan start at $6,000 per person. That level lets me focus on small ships, river voyages, and well-crafted land journeys where the details truly matter. If you are unsure where your plans fall, share them in the planning form and I will guide you.
Does Tick Tock Travels work with clients outside its home state?
Yes. Tick Tock Travels is based in Auburn, Alabama, and I serve clients across the United States. Planning happens through the online form, email, and a consultation with me, so where you live never limits the trip we can create together.
Who are these trips best suited for?
I plan for travelers who would rather see fewer places well than many places in a hurry. That includes solo travelers, couples celebrating milestones, empty nesters, girlfriends' trips, multigenerational families, and groups of friends, classmates, and alumni.
Does Tick Tock Travels plan group trips?
Yes. I plan group trips for friends, classmates, alumni, and families of eight or more travelers. The $6,000 per-person trip minimum applies, and I can plan a river cruise or small-ship cruise, with land journeys before or after the sailing. Standalone land journeys are available on request.
Can Grace plan land travel before or after my cruise?
Yes. I plan land journeys before and after your small-ship or river cruise, coordinating accommodations, transportation, and experiences around your sailing. Tell me whether you would like extra time on land in the planning form, and I will help shape the extension around your interests and preferred pace.
Life is Short. Take the Trip.
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