Erin Houston – Concierge Travel Advisor | Ocean Cruises & Walt Disney World

Erin Houston is a Concierge Travel Advisor with Favorite Grampy Travels, specializing in ocean cruises, Walt Disney World, and Universal Orlando Resort, based in Bluffton, South Carolina.

How a Florida Keys Trip Turned Into an Obsession

It started with a trip to the Florida Keys. I wanted to know everything: where we were going, the best spot to dock our boat, what we could not miss. I dove in headfirst, and travel has been that way for me ever since.

Now I do it for a living as a travel advisor, and I am not exaggerating when I say I am addicted. Before I ever became an advisor, I was doing mock bookings for fun and watching videos on cruise ships and Disney resorts. With me, you might find out you needed to know every opening-day attraction at Walt Disney World.

I have traveled extensively for about 15 years and joined Favorite Grampy Travels as an advisor in 2025. A client once told me I knew so much about the parks and cruising that I should be a travel agent. The obsession finally has an outlet, and it works in your favor.

Getting You More Trip for Your Money

My specialty is getting you more for your money. I am a bit of a travel-hacker, and I am good at finding ways to stretch a budget through apps, gift cards, and deals most people never think to look for. That is the value I bring before we even talk about where you are going.

I work mostly with families, plus the occasional couple, and cruises are where I really go to work. Hunting for the best cabin for the money on a ship is one of my favorite parts of the job: which deck and location are worth requesting, and where you are paying for a view you will barely use.

A lot of my clients come to me a little overwhelmed. There are so many options, and everything seems more complicated than it used to be. I take that off your plate so you can actually look forward to the trip instead of dreading the planning.

The Theme Park Knowledge I Can’t Turn Off

I have been told my Disney World knowledge is almost obsessive, and I will own that. I have personally visited Disney more than 20 times and cruised 8 times, and I put that firsthand experience to work for every client. Old Key West is my most-traveled Disney resort, and I have learned to make room requests that often get fulfilled, down to the right buildings to ask for.

Here is advice I give that most advisors will not: Magic Kingdom is the most overwhelming place in the world. If you do not have your head right going in, you can walk out disappointed. I make sure you go in with a plan so that does not happen to your family.

For cruising, Royal Caribbean is my go-to for family vacations. Their newest ship, Star of the Seas, now sails year-round from Port Canaveral, an easy add-on to an Orlando theme-park trip. For Universal, I am a Universal Orlando Resort specialist too, so I can build a single trip that covers the parks and the water in one shot.

Budget First, Then Maximize

My planning style is simple: budget first, then maximize. I start with what you want to spend, then I layer in the choices that get you the most value without making you feel like you cut corners. You will always see why I am recommending what I recommend.

The thing that changed how I advise was watching how stressed families get over Lightning Lanes, dining reservations, and park strategy. I realized the real value I offer is not just booking the trip. It is the confidence that every detail is handled so you can simply enjoy it.

My full-time work outside of travel is in IT audit and compliance, where missing a single line is not an option. The same eye that catches a discrepancy in an audit is the one that catches a dining time that will not work with your park day before it becomes a problem on your vacation.

Mom, Wife, and Permanent Trip Planner

I am a mom to a rising first-grader and married to my best friend, with two bonus kids who are not so little anymore. If I do not have a countdown clock set for our next trip, I honestly feel lost. A travel advisor who travels is a better one for her clients, so I keep going.

Becoming a mom changed how I travel. Seeing Disney through my son’s eyes, his first character hug, the look on his face on a favorite ride, reminded me that the little moments are what families actually remember. I plan every trip with those moments in mind.

Here is a fun fact that surprises people: I am genuinely shy and can come off as unapproachable until you know me. Travel is where I get to relax and be myself, and helping you plan yours is the part of this job I love most.

Questions Erin Hears a Lot

Q: What kind of trips does Erin Houston plan best?

Cruises and pre-cruise stays are my sweet spot, along with Walt Disney World and the Florida Keys, which I know like the back of my hand. I work most with families, and I am a Royal Caribbean Master of Adventure and College of Disney Knowledge graduate, so I plan those trips constantly.

Q: How do you find the best cruise cabin for the money?

It comes down to knowing the ship. I look at deck location, what is above and below your cabin, sun versus shade, and how far you are from the spots you will actually use. On a ship like Independence of the Seas, the right midship cabin can cost the same as a noisy one and feel completely different.

Q: Is Disney’s Magic Kingdom too overwhelming for first-timers?

It can be, and I say that as someone who loves it. Magic Kingdom has the most to see and the biggest crowds, so going in without a plan is where families get worn out. I map your day around rope drop, the rides your kids care about most, and smart breaks, so it feels magical instead of exhausting.

Q: Which Royal Caribbean ship is best for families?

It depends on your crew, but families love the newest Icon-class ships like Star of the Seas for the waterparks and variety. If you want something smaller and easier to navigate, I often point families to Independence of the Seas. I match the ship to your kids’ ages and your budget, not the other way around.