Me and the fam near Saqqara in Egypt during our eastern Mediterranean cruise last month.

by Wendy Perrin

Happy New Year, everyone! While I was on vacation and blissfully unplugged, a bunch of you wrote in with questions. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to answer all of them this week. First, from reader LeNora:

"Could you recommend a top-notch travel agent for a cruise in the Eastern Mediterranean?"

My pick for any Mediterranean cruise on a small or medium-size luxury ship is Richard Turen of Churchill & Turen. He's an unflinchingly honest and savvy adviser who can separate the real deals from the rip-offs--and these days we're seeing plenty of both. He knows the Med like the palm of his hand and can tell you the pros and cons of each port, help you choose the optimal route, and arrange customized private shore excursions to maximize your time at each stop.

If your goal is a cheap cruise on a giant mass-market ship, however--which is exactly what I needed for a child-friendly eastern Mediterranean sailing last month--then you might want to use the travel agent I used, Linda Allen of Brownell (whom I chose because she is a top producer for the cruise line I was testing and therefore has a lot of clout with that line). Both Richard and Linda are on my list of the best travel agents, updated annually in Conde Nast Traveler, which means I've received rave reviews about them from dozens of our readers. I've also personally booked trips through each and have been thrilled. Bon voyage!