I taught Advanced World Geography for 32 years, and coached alongside it. Both jobs came down to the same thing: know the material cold, plan the week before it starts, and make sure nobody in the room leaves confused.
I started teaching in 1991 and moved to Texas with my wife in 1993. For three decades I stood in front of teenagers describing places I wanted them to care about — the Amalfi Coast, the Rhine Valley, why Barcelona and Madrid are not interchangeable. Then I started taking them there. England, France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, and Italy, which is still my favorite and probably always will be.
Watching a seventeen-year-old from Tarrant County stand at the top of the Eiffel Tower for the first time is the reason this business exists. That look doesn't have an age limit on it. I've since seen it on a 45-year-old at her first muster drill and on a grandfather in Santorini. The wonders of the world are everywhere, if you will take the time to look.
I retired from the classroom and opened Travel By Cook in July 2024. Same preparation, different room.
How I Work
You pay the same price on cruises and resort packages. There's no planning fee — I'm paid a commission by the supplier, and your rate matches what you'd pay booking direct.
Custom multi-country itineraries take many more hours of research and coordination, so those can carry a research fee. The research fee is credited toward your trip when you book within the quoted deposit window. If you decide not to book, it's non-refundable — it covers the research time either way.
I narrow instead of listing. You will not get a spreadsheet of forty options. You'll get two or three, with honest notes on what each one gives up.
I'll tell you when the answer is no. That a cheaper week is a bad idea. That a drink package won't pay off for how you actually drink. That the beach in that photo isn't one you'll swim at. That you should book the cruise line's excursion instead of the independent one, even though the independent one earns me more.
I answer the phone. Before, during and after. That's not a slogan; it's most of what my reviews talk about.
What I'm Not
I'm not an insurance agent. I'll explain your travel insurance options and I'll ask you to accept or decline in writing, but I can't tell you which policy to buy.
I'm not a discounter. I'm not going to beat a non-refundable flash sale on a booking with no cancellation protection, and I'll tell you plainly when that's what you're comparing against.
I'm not a 24/7 call center. I'm one person. What you get instead is one person who knows your trip.
I focus on the trips where an advisor genuinely changes the outcome:
Cruises — ocean, river and expedition
All-inclusive resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean
Custom European itineraries — multi-city and multi-country
Disney vacations — parks and Disney Cruise Line
Family travel, including everything the school calendar dictates
Group travel — reunions, milestone birthdays, friend trips, destination weddings
Adults-only and luxury travel
I don't do everything. If you want a two-night hotel in Austin, book it yourself — you'll be fine and I'd be wasting your time. Where I earn my place is anywhere the decisions are numerous, the money is significant, and the consequences of getting it wrong are a ruined week.
Most advisor websites list acronyms. Here's what mine mean.
CLIA Certified Cruise Counselor
Certified by the Cruise Lines International Association through cruise-specific coursework, ship inspections, and sailing experience. That training helps me recommend the right ship, itinerary, deck, and cabin based on experience, not guesswork.
Certified Across Major Cruise Lines
I've completed advisor training with many of the cruise lines I book, including:
Ocean: Carnival, Celebrity, Disney, Holland America, Margaritaville at Sea, MSC, Norwegian, Princess, Royal Caribbean, Viking, Virgin Voyages
River & Expedition: AMA Waterways, Avalon, Viking
Luxury Small Ship - Oceania, Silversea, Windstar
Viking Certified Travel Advisor ( Link to Viking Information )
Specialized training across Viking's river, ocean, and expedition products, including itineraries, staterooms, inclusions, and booking timelines.
College of Disney Knowledge
Disney-trained across Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and Adventures by Disney, including resorts, tickets, dining, and important planning windows.
Mexpert Certified
Specialized training focused on Mexico and the Mexican Caribbean, with ongoing resort and destination updates that help me provide more current, property-specific recommendations.
Certified Sandals Specialist (CSS) ( Link to Sandals Information )
A Certified Sandals Specialist is a travel professional who has completed specialized training through Sandals Resorts to become knowledgeable about their all-inclusive properties, destinations, accommodations, amenities, and vacation experiences. They can help travelers compare resorts, choose the best fit for their needs, and plan a more personalized and stress-free Sandals vacation.
Affiliations and registration
Independent travel advisor through KHM Travel Group
IATA accredited
Travel Leaders Network member
Florida Seller of Travel registration ST37113
Through KHM Travel Group, my clients also benefit from an established agency's supplier relationships, accreditation, professional coverage, and support infrastructure.
I think you should know the difference between a recommendation based on standing somewhere and one based on research. So here's mine.
Places I've traveled personally:
- 26 US States - still working my way through
- Caribbean Area (Bahamas, Belize, Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Grand Turk, Honduras, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten)
- Mexico (Cancun and the Riviera Maya area, as well as Los Cabos)
- Europe - England (London, Salisbury), France (French Riviera, Loire Valley, Paris), Germany (Frankfurt), Greece (Athens, Hydra, Mykonos, Rhodes, Santorini), Italy (Assisi, Florence, Rome, Tuscany), and Spain (Barcelona, Madrid)
Ships I've sailed:
- Carnival - Breeze, Conquest, Dream, Ecstasy, Firenze, Jubilee, Magic, Mardi Gras, and Vista
- Celebrity - Infinity
- MSC - Seascape
- Royal Caribbean - Adventure of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas
Properties I've visited or inspected: Mexico - Riviera Maya
- JOIA Paraiso by Iberostar
- Valentin Imperial Maya (personal favorite)
For everywhere else, I rely on supplier training, site-inspection reports, my host agency's advisor network, and the feedback of clients I've sent. When I recommend something I haven't personally seen, I'll say so.
Getting in touch
Robert Cook — Travel Advisor Serving Keller, North Fort Worth & the DFW Metroplex
Call or text: 682-337-9466
Email: travelbycook@gmail.com
CLIA Certified Cruise Counselor | IATA | KHM Travel Group | Florida Seller of Travel ST37113
Ready to talk?
Most people reach out before they've decided anything. That's the right time. Bring a rough idea — "somewhere warm in March, four of us, around $8,000" is plenty — and we'll work backward from there.