make your
bucket list trip a reality!
Turn Your Bucket List Travel Dreams Into Reality
Expertly planned journeys for solo travelers, couples, families, and groups—designed by an award-winning travel advisor and delivered with full-service care from start to finish.
Welcome to Bucket List Travel Trips!
Welcome to your trusted resource for turning Bucket List travel dreams into unforgettable, well-planned realities.
At Cruise Planners – Island Girl Travel and Vacations, we specialize in expertly curated Bucket List travel experiences for solo travelers, couples, families, groups, and corporate retreats. Whether you’re dreaming of a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, a luxury escape, or a meaningful group journey, our full-service travel planning ensures every detail is thoughtfully handled from start to finish.
Our Upcoming Trips page features a collection of small-group journeys personally hosted by company owner and award-winning travel advisor Claire Maguire. These escorted trips are ideal for solo travelers looking to connect with like-minded explorers, as well as friends and couples who enjoy the camaraderie of group travel. Many guests return year after year, creating a welcoming mix of familiar faces and first-time adventurers on every journey.
This website is continually updated with new travel opportunities, expert insights, destination guides, and practical travel tips—so be sure to check back often. From expedition cruises and luxury voyages to immersive cultural experiences and relaxing getaways, we provide personalized travel planning designed around your goals, preferences, and travel style.
Turning extraordinary travel ideas into seamless, memorable experiences is what we do best. Wherever your curiosity leads—near or far—we’re here to help you plan with confidence and travel exceptionally well.
Claire Maguire Owner Of Island Girl Travel And Vacations, Founder Of Bucket List Travel Trips And Author "Make Your Bucket List Trip A Reality!''
Claire Maguire is an award-winning travel advisor and globally recognized Bucket List travel expert who helps travelers turn once-in-a-lifetime dreams into thoughtfully planned, unforgettable journeys. A self-described “Travelaholic,” Claire has explored more than 130 countries and visited all seven continents multiple times, bringing firsthand expertise to every itinerary she designs.
Claire, recongnized as one of 2026 TRAVELPULSE Most Influential Women in Travel, is passionate about creating meaningful, memory-rich experiences for her clients. She also shares her expertise through her book, Make Your Bucket List Trip a Reality!, available on Amazon, where she guides readers through the process of planning extraordinary travel with confidence.
Known throughout the industry and by her clients as “Upintheairclaire,” she lives the name—traveling extensively to stay current, connected, and deeply knowledgeable about the world’s most remarkable destinations.
Her personal Bucket List adventures include multiple expeditions to Antarctica, as well as Tahiti and French Polynesia. Her travels span the globe, from African safaris in Botswana and Tanzania to the beaches of Zanzibar and Fiji; from Thailand to Indonesia and Australia’s remote Kimberley region; from the Arctic landscapes of Greenland, Iceland, and Svalbard to the historic terrain of Cappadocia, Turkey.
In recent years, Claire has sailed to South Georgia and the Falkland Islands, hiked the Inca Trail, climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, completed the Camino de Santiago, explored the Azores, and yachted along the coasts of Morocco, Spain, Italy, Croatia and France. She has also traveled with National Geographic Expeditions and attended Formula 1 races across Europe, the Middle East, and the United States—often pairing major events with immersive cultural travel.
Claire is frequently featured in major travel publications (Entrepreneur Magazine, USA Today, Travel Weekly: Insider Travel Report) and is widely cited as an expert in Antarctica, expedition cruising, and global adventure travel. Her industry recognition includes 2026 TRAVELPULSE Most Influential Women in Travel a Travel Weekly Magellan Award and being named a TravelAge West Trendsetter Award Finalist.
Awards and recognitions
Claire Maguire’s remarkable journey in her field has been marked by a string of notable achievements, and her Awards and Recognitions section stands as a testament to her outstanding contributions and dedication. Over the years, Claire’s exceptional talent and unwavering commitment have garnered her a well-deserved spotlight in her industry, earning her numerous accolades and honors that reflect her expertise and impact. In this section, we delve into the exceptional awards and recognition that have consistently applauded Claire’s remarkable accomplishments and the mark she has left on her profession.
Claire interview in Entrepreneur Magazine — How Entrepreneurs Use Social Media to Drive Real Business Growth
Claire featured in Voyage MIA Magazine — Hidden Gems: Meet Claire Maguire of Cruise Planners
Claire Receives A Travel Weekly Magellan Award Honoring The Game-Changers, Wave-Makers, Innovators, And Disruptors Of The Travel Space.
Claire Featured In Travel Research Online Site - "Bored Or Broke - Travel Advisors Find New Paths In 2022
Claire Received Trendsetter Award for marketing at the travel industry WAVE Awards in Los Angeles .
Claire featured in TravelAge West - "How 2023 Trendsetter Award Winners Are Leveling Up Their Businesses"
Claire Featured In Travel Age West - Humans in the Hot Seat Podcast: Claire Maguire Wrote a Book on How to Plan a Bucket List Trip
Claire is quoted in the New Travel Weekly article about "Expedition ships will be restricted in Svalbard. Here's how"
Claire is recently asked to write a front page cover story for JaxFax magazine about Atlas Ocean Voyages
Claire had the honor of being interviewed and featured in a USA TODAY article talking about cold-weather cruise adventures.
Claire’s book
Make your bucket list trip a reality!
In Claire’s book, available now on Amazon, she guides you step by step to Make your Bucket List Trip a Reality. Learn how to take the ultimate Trip of a Lifetime and change your life forever. Find new purpose, joy, and positivity thru travel.
Let Claire’s new book guide you into a life-changing experience!
customer testimonial
“Very well organized, great knowledge to all the areas, consistent with communication, makes her clients priorities and takes care of their needs, shows a good time and has a good time with us and most of all has a great genuine personality and a great travel agent.”
Susan M.
Repeat Client
Claire always goes above and beyond on all the trips we book with her. Claire always makes herself available for questions and her travel experience is incredible. Claire always puts her clients first.
Kim K
Repeat Client
Outstanding knowledge and great personality. Takes care of her clients and has consistent communication. Made our whole group feel comfortable with each other and we had the best tour and fabulous tour guides. She has been a great part of our trip and takes fabulous photos.
Sue M
Repeat Client
