Melinda Muresan
Founder, BlueGold Travel
Hello, I’m Melinda.
Planning a trip well takes two kinds of knowledge: the places, and the person traveling. I spend my time on both.
I founded BlueGold Travel in Newport Beach, and I work with travelers across the country on cruises, European journeys, and trips that bring a family together. Some arrive with the itinerary half sketched already. Others start with a month on the calendar and an idea of how they want to feel. Both are good places to begin.
How I work
You might arrive with a destination in mind, or simply an idea of how you want the trip to feel. Both are good places to start.
We’ll talk about how you like to travel. I’ll handle the research and the conversations with my partners, then bring you a few strong options and explain what sets them apart. You’ll always know what I recommend and why, and the choice stays yours.
Once it’s booked, it’s handled. Confirmations, transfers, timing that lines up, a hotel expecting you by name. While you’re traveling, you have my number, and I have the relationships to put things right.
Why I started BlueGold
I founded BlueGold Travel out of a genuine love for discovery and for helping others experience the world in ways they will remember.
After years of exploring, learning the industry and building trusted relationships with top partners, I found that luxury travelers want someone who understands them, how they like to travel and what they want from the trip. That is where BlueGold comes in.
I design personalized journeys, from milestone celebrations to laid-back escapes and cultural adventures, shaped around each traveler’s style and story.
My goal is for every trip to feel inspiring and effortless, and to hold the small moments that stay with you long after you are home.
Where my experience runs deepest
I plan travel worldwide, from a long weekend to a month abroad. These are the journeys clients come to me for most often.
- Ocean cruising
- From yacht-style ships to larger liners, including sailings from Southern California ports when you’d like to be aboard within a short drive of home.
- River cruising
- Certified Expert with AmaWaterways, Viking and Riverside Luxury Cruises, with particular depth on the Rhine, Danube and Douro.
- Disney and family sailings
- A favorite for families with children of any age, with enough happening onboard and ashore that the adults and grandparents enjoy the week as much as the kids do.
- European journeys
- Private guides, rail, drivers, and the rooms that book up first, arranged in advance so you arrive welcomed and travel as a valued guest.
- Groups and celebrations
- Reunions, milestone trips and group travel, with every contract and detail in one pair of hands so you can enjoy the trip as a guest.
Credentials
- Independent affiliate of Uniglobe Travel Center, a Virtuoso® member agency
- ASTA Verified Travel Advisor
- CLIA Member
- Preferred hotel programs including Marriott STARS and LUMINOUS and Hyatt Privé
On qualifying bookings with participating partners, these can include breakfast for two, a property credit, a room upgrade when available, or onboard credits. I’ll show you exactly what applies to your reservation before you decide.
Let’s talk
Some journeys begin with a planning fee covering research, itinerary design and coordination. We’ll agree on it together before any work begins.
We can plan by phone, video or email, and in person by appointment. Most cruises and international trips come together nine to eighteen months ahead, and closer dates often work out well.