Let Epic Travel Designs help you plan a vacation that matches your style, your interests — and your pace. Share your travel ideas, and DeAnn will design a personalized trip made for lasting memories.
Senior mid-luxury cruises & independent trips · Brevard County, Florida
Welcome to Epic Travel Designs
I'm DeAnn Barksdale, and I plan travel the way I'd want my own planned: unhurried, clearly explained, and built around how you like to travel — not how a website thinks you should.
Epic specializes in senior, mid-luxury travel: ocean and river cruises with room to breathe, and independent (FIT) trips designed day by day around your interests, your mobility, and your energy. No rushing, no pressure, no puzzling fine print left for you to decode alone.
Whether it's a first cruise, a long-dreamed-of river journey through Europe, or sailing from home at Port Canaveral, you'll work with me from the first conversation to the day you come home.
— DeAnn Barksdale, Epic Travel Designs
Begin Travel Planning →Featured Trips
Ideas to start a conversation — every trip is priced and confirmed personally with DeAnn before anything is booked.
Sail past vineyard hills, storybook castles, and riverside villages — unpacking once while Europe comes to you. Gentle-paced excursions, beautiful dining, and days that never feel rushed. A lovely fit for first-time river cruisers and returning travelers alike.
Ask DeAnn About the Rhine →
No flights, no airport marathons — drive to Port Canaveral, step aboard, and be on turquoise water by dinner. Mid-luxury ships, unhurried sea days, and warm islands at an easy pace. The simplest carefree getaway there is for Brevard travelers.
Ask DeAnn About Sailing From Home →Have a different trip in mind? That's exactly what the planning conversation is for.
Explore Your Options
From glacier country to the Amalfi Coast, Epic designs the version of the trip that fits your pace — with the details handled before you leave home.
Glaciers, whales, and wide-open scenery from the comfort of a mid-luxury ship — with cabin choices and shore days matched to your comfort and mobility.
The Rhine, the Danube, and beyond. Small ships, dock-in-town convenience, and guided days with easier alternatives always worked out in advance.
Italy at your own rhythm, a rail journey, a long-awaited family heritage trip — designed day by day, just for you, with stays and transfers arranged.
Brevard County's own cruise port is one of the busiest — and easiest — in the world. Epic helps you choose the right ship and sailing, plan parking and boarding day, and relax from the moment you leave your driveway.
Plan With Confidence
At Epic, the goal is simple: make planning easier and every trip fit the traveler taking it. DeAnn assists through every step — before, during, and after you travel.
Walking distances, stairs, excursion effort, and rest time are discussed honestly before you book — so there are no surprises in port, only good days.
Insurance is available for most trips, and the options are explained in plain language — including what matters most for senior travelers — so you can decide with confidence.
Traveling on your own doesn't mean planning on your own. Epic helps solo seniors find welcoming ships, fair single options, and trips where company is easy to find.
DeAnn is based in Brevard County and knows Port Canaveral sailings firsthand. One person, one phone call — no call centers, no starting over with a stranger.
How It Works
Tell DeAnn where you're dreaming of going, how you like to travel, and anything that needs care — pace, mobility, traveling solo, or a special occasion.
You receive clear options — ships, cabins, itineraries, and honest prices — explained in plain language, with time to think. No pressure, ever.
Documents, details, and day-of questions are handled. You pack, you go, you enjoy — and DeAnn is a call away while you're away.
Planning Ideas
Wondering whether a travel advisor is right for you? Here are three kinds of travelers Epic plans for — see which one sounds like you.
Never cruised, a little nervous, and not looking for a party ship? A mid-luxury sailing from Port Canaveral is a gentle first try: calm, comfortable, and close to home.
Dreaming of Europe but not the whistle-stop tour? A river cruise or a gently-paced independent itinerary means fewer hotel changes, excursions with easier options, and built-in rest.
A new chapter doesn't have to end the travel. Epic looks for sailings and small-group options where solo travelers are genuinely welcomed — with every detail arranged before departure.
Comfortable, well-kept ships and hotels, good food, attentive service, and room to relax — without the formality or price tag of ultra-luxury. It's the sweet spot most Epic travelers love: special, but easy.
FIT means a fully independent trip designed just for you — your route, your hotels, your pace — rather than a set group tour. DeAnn designs the days and books the pieces; you travel on your own, with support a call away.
Very often, yes. Ships differ a great deal in layout, tender ports, and excursion effort. Epic talks through your needs honestly, chooses accordingly, and arranges details like accessible cabins and easier excursions in advance.
Start Planning
Tap what fits you below — it takes ten seconds — then send it to DeAnn with one button. She'll reply personally to start the conversation. No obligation, no pressure.
1 · What kind of trip?
2 · Who's traveling?
3 · Your preferred pace
You haven't chosen anything yet — that's fine. Tap a few options above, or simply email DeAnn and describe your trip in your own words.
Email DeAnn to Start Planning →