River & Luxury Cruises

View My Main Profile
Chris Rakes, Travel Agent in Union Hall, VA

Chris Rakes

Union Hall, VA Travel Agent
Super Agent

Chris Rakes

Union Hall, VA · 14 Years of Experience

Total Experience Travel, an independent agent with Cruises & Tours, Unlimited, a Travel Leaders Network Affiliate Agency
5.0
(79)
100% Recommended
We love Chris, she's very attentive and responsive! Read More >
About
Reviews
Certificates & Awards
My Places
Travel Stories & Media

Areas of expertise

Destinations:

Europe, Alaska, Caribbean, French Polynesia, Trans-Atlantic

Interests:

River Cruises, Luxury Cruises, All Inclusive, Honeymoons, Overwater Bungalows

Suppliers:

Viking, Silversea, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Seabourn, Avalon Waterways

About Me

Chris Rakes in Bordeaux France
Chris Rakes in Bordeaux France

River, Ocean and Expedition CRUISES are luxury vacation options using small-mid size ships. They are culturally immersive and travel to popular, far-away and exotic destinations on EVERY CONTINENT. Their capacity is usually in the hundreds compared to thousands of passengers found on mass market cruises. These special vacations are built to encompass all-inclusive luxury!

The quality of service, food & wine, and touring activities found on these itineraries is EXCEPTIONAL. Picture yourself waking up every day to a new port, a new adventure, and incredible scenery like you've never seen before! Whether you are stepping off your boat into the heart of a city or onto a submersible watercraft; your exploration will be WONDEROUS.

Small-Mid size ship cruises remain some of my favorite vacations because they take you to a new destination; in a SEAMLESS, RELAXING and most COMFORTABLE way while only unpacking once!

There is NO BETTER WAY to see Europe, Antarctica and the Galapagos to name a few destinations. And, now they have some incredible itineraries domestically!  Whether it is Amsterdam, Antarctica or Alaska, they provide numerous REWARDING ways for you to experience a locale. 

Travel is my business and I'm fiercely passionate about it AND protecting my clients' interests.  That's why I train constantly and travel multiple times per year to stay current on the latest trends and supplier offerings. I am a certified specialist with Viking Cruises and more.

With so many options, it can be tough navigating on your own. I'm equipped and happy to help guide you through selecting the right cruise, stateroom, and tour options in order to optimize YOUR EXPERIENCE.

I have done the trips personally and collect feedback from every client and peer I meet. I understand your hard earned vacation time is precious. I will take time to listen, research and recommend best itinerary options in order to CUSTOMIZE a trip that is PERFECT FOR YOU!

Contact Chris Rakes today to start planning! This River and Luxury Cruise Expert and Viking Cruise Specialist is easily accessible and here for you!!

Visit Total Experience Travel online at totalexperiencetravel.com and weddingwire to learn more. Offices in NC and VA. 

REVIEWS

Rating: 5.0
79 reviews
100% Recommended
Your trust is our priority. Every review is submitted by verified travelers after they have booked and completed their trips. Learn more about our review guidelines.
Search reviews:

Showing 79 reviews

Excited for our first cruise!
Reviewed By Whitney - Mebane, NC | Traveled to Amsterdam ~ Netherlands ~ Europe
We love Chris, she's very attentive and responsive!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
25 of 37 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YES|NO
Couldn't have planned a more perfect honeymoon.
Reviewed By Alex - Brooklyn, N Y | Traveled to New Zealand ~ Australia & New Zealand
Christine helped us plan a very long, activity-packed honeymoon to New Zealand and Fiji. What could have been a very complicated and time consuming process of planning, turned out to be a very simple and straight forward task. With one phone call and a few back and forth emails, our two week adventure was planned and booked. We had so much time to get excited and look forward to it. Christine worked within our budget and planned a trip that was a great combo of sight seeing and relaxation. If ever a change or question was brought to her attention, she handled it right away. During our trip we only had one activity hiccup due to weather and Christine answered our email right away even from a different time zone. We had the most amazing time and would do it all over again in a heartbeat I would highly recommend using Christine for your next vacation, especially if planning a long trip.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
34 of 55 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YES|NO
Thank you Chris for helping to ensure our family had a fabulous vacation!
Reviewed By Mandy - Raleigh, NC | Traveled to
Chris provided several vacation options for our consideration and was great at helping us select the perfect vacation for our family. She took care of all the reservations so we did not have to worry about anything leading up to the trip. She was very organized and promptly answered all of our questions. We had such a great time in Punta Cana. We did not want to leave!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
54 of 95 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YES|NO
Honeymoon planning
Reviewed By Adam and Megan - raleigh, nc | Traveled to Fiji ~ South Pacific
Chris was great to work with getting our honeymoon planned. She was able to take our interests and plan out a trip that highlighted everything we were interested in. She is very timely and had our best interest in mind. In the end, she made planning much less stressful for us.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
27 of 43 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YES|NO
Working with her is a pleasure.
Reviewed By Laura & David - Raleigh, NC | Traveled to
Chris is a true professional and I would recommend her to any of my friends. She was very helpful and made planning the cruise much easier for us.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
47 of 83 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YES|NO

Certifications & Awards

The Book with Confidence logo tells you that this Travel Advisor has direct access to comprehensive resources for safe and healthy travel, available at their discretion for sharing with clients.  This includes vetting the details on the health and safety protocols implemented by each travel provider in order to recommend the ideal itinerary for each client’s unique needs.
Viking Cruises Certified Specialist
Silversea Cruises Certified Specialist
Regent Seven Seas Cruise Specialist
Seabourn Cruises Certified Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist

My Places

When it comes to travel planning, real-world experience makes a huge difference. Check out the map below to see all the places I have personally visited or booked for my clients. I know these destinations well and can give you reliable guidance.

My Photo Albums and Videos

Mother Daughter trip 2025 - Paris & Seine River FR
View Album

    My Travel Stories

    Mother Daughter trip 2025 - Paris & Seine River

    Gliding Through Time on the Seine – w My Daughter

    In August 2025, I had the joy of embarking on a river cruise along the Seine—starting right in the heart of Paris—with my daughter by my side. What began as a mother-daughter getaway quickly unfolded into a shared adventure through centuries of art, history, and breathtaking landscapes. We set off beneath the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, t...
    Read more

    BESbswy