Timeless · Unhurried · Carefree
Picture yourself stepping aboard completely carefree, with every detail beautifully arranged and waiting for you. Epic Travel Designs is a Brevard County full-service boutique travel agency crafting mid-luxury to luxury cruises and independent journeys for senior travelers — from effortless sailings out of Port Canaveral to unforgettable international voyages around the world. Your pace. Your style. With DeAnn leading her team, you're in the care of people who truly know you — how you love to travel, what matters most to you, and every detail of the journey designed just for you — from the first call to the day you come home, and every unforgettable moment in between.
Explore your options
Choose a starting point — you will land on Start Planning with that choice already selected, ready to send to DeAnn.
The Epic Travel Designs Difference
Epic Travel Designs is owned by DeAnn Barksdale, who personally leads every journey she designs. For every traveler we serve, a truly carefree journey is a seamless one — every detail thoughtfully anticipated, every transition effortless. A website can show you a price. It cannot hand-select the stateroom where you’ll wake to golden light spilling across the water, shape your days so each moment unfolds with ease, or quietly keep every connection flowing beautifully from one unforgettable moment to the next. That thoughtful, personal care is the art of what we do, so you can simply relax and savor the journey, from the first call to the day you come home.
From your first consultation to your welcome home, you work directly with DeAnn and her team — never a call center, never a hand-off. One dedicated team who knows you, knows your preferences, and knows every detail of your journey.
Start Planning →Your comfort shapes every decision — restful mornings, considered walking distances, stairs, and accessibility, all thoughtfully woven into your itinerary from the beginning, so each day flows seamlessly at a pace that feels just right for you.
Start Planning →Complete clarity before you commit — every cost, deadline, and cancellation term presented clearly in writing, with honest guidance on travel protection, so you can book with absolute confidence and complete peace of mind.
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Meet DeAnn
I'm DeAnn Barksdale, and I plan every journey the way I'd want my own: beautifully unhurried, clearly explained, and built entirely around how you love to travel.
We specialize in senior, mid-luxury to luxury travel at its finest: ocean and river cruises — from sun-filled sailings close to home at Port Canaveral to grand international voyages around the world — and tailor-made independent journeys crafted day by day around your interests, your comfort, and your energy. A first cruise? A journey you've dreamed of for years? You'll work with me personally, from our first conversation to the day you come home.
— DeAnn Barksdale, Epic Travel Designs
Begin Travel PlanningWhat we do
Just a few of the journeys we love to design — far from the only ways to travel with us. Every trip begins with your dreams, not a fixed list, and each one is planned to perfection around you.
The right ship. The right sailing. The right cabin, with the view you've been imagining. Matched to how you love to travel — never just the lowest fare on a screen.
Drift past castles, markets, and storybook towns — stepping straight ashore, without ever repacking. Smaller ships. Slower rivers. Days that linger in the memory.
Your trip, created from a blank page around your dates, your interests, and your budget. Hotels, trains, guides, and reservations — all falling elegantly into place.
Dreaming of something different? Wonderful — that's exactly where we shine. Group getaways, rail journeys, celebrations, and journeys we haven't imagined yet: if you can dream it, DeAnn and her team can design it beautifully for you.
Explore your options
Not packages. Starting points for something personal — every idea below is reimagined around your dates, your pace, and your budget. Where will your story go next?
White villages and brilliant blue domes. Golden evenings high above the caldera. Arrive by ship for a dazzling day — or stay a few nights and truly settle into island time.
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Towering glaciers. Wild fjords. Frontier towns full of character — and on late-season sailings, the northern lights dancing overhead after dark.
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Cliffside villages, long leisurely lunches, and scenic trains carrying you to the places you've always meant to see. This is Italy, savored.
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Cobbled lanes and half-timbered squares, reached the gentle, glorious way — by river.
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Sail from your own backyard port into warm turquoise water and easy, sun-drenched days. No long flight. Your holiday begins the moment you step aboard.
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Sail from home
Brevard County's own cruise port is one of the busiest — and easiest — in the world. Skip the flights and airport marathons. Drive to the port, step aboard, and be on the water by dinner. We help you choose the perfect ship and sailing, plan parking and boarding day, and relax from the moment you leave your driveway.
And when the horizon calls you farther? DeAnn plans international voyages with that very same care — and that same excitement.
Our story, briefly
Epic Travel Designs is an independent, full-service boutique travel agency run by DeAnn Barksdale. No ticket queue. No strangers. When you call, you reach the person planning your trip.
Our specialty is clear and heartfelt: senior travelers, mid-luxury to luxury cruises, and independent trips designed with genuine care. Honest advice on pace, comfort, and protection — and every detail handled before you ever leave home.
Plan with confidence
Travel should feel exhilarating — never overwhelming. That's why DeAnn is with you at every step: before you go, while you travel, and when you return home full of stories.
Walking distances, stairs, excursion effort, and rest time — discussed honestly before you book. No surprises in port. Only good days, designed for you.
Start Planning →Protection options for most trips, explained in plain, reassuring language — including what matters most for senior travelers — so you can choose with complete confidence.
Start Planning →Traveling solo never means planning alone. We help solo seniors find welcoming ships, fair single options, and journeys where good company comes easily.
Start Planning →DeAnn and her team are based right here in Brevard County and know Port Canaveral sailings firsthand. One call reaches the people planning your trip. No call centers. No starting over with a stranger.
Start Planning →Start planning
One simple form for everything. Tap what fits you below, add your details and a message, then send it all to DeAnn with one button. She'll reply personally to begin the conversation. No obligation. No pressure. Just possibility.
1 · What kind of trip?
2 · Who's traveling?
3 · Your preferred pace
4 · Your details & message
Ready when you are
One short call is all it takes to begin. No obligation. No hard sell. Just an honest, inspiring conversation about the trip you've been imagining — and how we make it real.
