The travel agents listed here are travel professionals with the training, knowledge and experience necessary to provide the highest level of service. All travel agents must submit copies of their training and professional certificates for our review before their application for listing is approved. See the TRAVEL AGENT INFORMATION section for a detailed description of the minimum requirements for listing.

TRAVEL SPECIALISTS 

The travel industry today is much more complex than it was even a few years ago. There are cruise ships sailing every ocean in the world and just about every large navigable river. There are hundreds of tour companies offering thousands of vacation packages to just about everywhere. There are new resorts and hotel chains springing up all around the world. Regions and countries where no one would have considered going to a few years ago are quickly becoming popular vacation destinations. In addition, there are cruises, tour packages and resort destinations catering to just about every interest and lifestyle imaginable. This large selection of travel products and destinations makes it impossible for any one person to be an expert at everything. That’s why many travel agents today specialize in specific destinations, types of travel and lifestyles.

To be listed as a specialist for a destination, the travel agents have lived in or traveled to that destination or have taken a specialist training course to enhance their knowledge of that destination. To be listed as a specialist for a specific lifestyle, they have completed a lifestyle-training course or personally experienced a particular lifestyle through their travels.

Any full service travel agent can easily book any type of vacation to any destination. However, travel agents that specialize in a particular destination or lifestyle have the additional knowledge and experience to make your next cruise or vacation a very special one. You will never get this benefit if you book through an online travel agency.

TYPES OF TRAVEL AGENTS

We list travel agents in one of three categories based on their training, experience and type of travel products they sell.

1. Cruise Only Travel Agents: These are travel agents that specialize in cruises and cruise destinations. Their training and experience is focused on the products and services offered by the cruise lines.

2. Cruise and Vacation Travel Agents: These travel agents specialize in cruise and vacation packages. They are either cruise travel agents with a broader knowledge and experience to include vacation packages or former full service travel agents that chose to specialize only in cruise and vacation packages.

3. Full Service Travel Agents: Full service travel agents can book any type of vacation or travel to any destination in the world. They have the broadest knowledge, training and certification.

HOW TO USE OUR SERVICE

The four drop down search categories on our home page can be used to find a travel agent anywhere in the United States specializing in any type of vacation anywhere in the world. Below is a description of each category and how to use them.

Select Type of Travel: Allows you to select the type of travel or vacation. You must select this option first.

1. Business Travel: This will ensure that only travel agents specializing in business travel will be listed.

2. Cruise Packages: Cruises can be booked individually or in packages that can include flights, pre or post cruise hotels and excursions at the ports of call. It is generally cheaper and strongly recommended by travel professionals that everything, especially your flight, be booked as a package with your cruise.

Just about any travel agent can book a cruise or cruise package. However, if you would like to book everything separate, or add activities or destinations that are not part of the cruise package, you may need a full service travel agent.

3. Vacation Packages: Travel agents have access to vacation packages to just about any destination in the world. You can save up to 30% or more compared to booking separate flights, hotels and car rentals. They are the best way to travel if you are on a tight budget or to a destination you are not familiar with.

4. Vacations – Custom Air, Car & Hotel: Select this if you want to book a custom itinerary. It may be a bit more expensive but it will provide the most flexibility and largest selection of options.

Search by Destination: Select your destination and we will list all the travel agents that are specialists on that destination.

Search by Lifestyle: Use this to narrow down your search to travel agents that specialize in the lifestyle and activity that interests you.

Search by Agent location: This allows you to search by travel agent location. You can use it to find a travel agent close to where y

WHY USE A TRAVEL AGENT

With all the travel information on the Internet and ability to book all kinds of travel products, why would anybody want to a use travel agent?

Save Time: Contrary to what you may have been led to believe by the online travel agency commercials, booking directly on their web sites does not save you time. In fact, it will probably take much longer. The more complicated your itinerary, the longer it will take you to research, coordinate and book the various components. Save yourself some valuable time, contact one of the professional travel agents listed here.

Save Money: Many independent studies have shown that professional travel agents can save you money compared to booking online. Travel agents have access to many sources for flights, cruises and vacation packages and can find better deals than what is available through the online travel agencies. So save yourself some money by contacting one of the professional travel agents listed here.

Customer Service: When you book a trip or a vacation, it is only natural to anticipate everything going as planned. Very few people think about the possibility of something going wrong and requiring customer service support from your travel agency.

When you book a trip or a vacation with a travel agent, you establish a personal as well as a business relationship with that travel agent. If something goes wrong, your travel agent is your personal representative who has a vested interest in resolving the problem to your satisfaction.

On the other hand, when trying to resolve an issue with customer service at an online travel agency, you are just a number, one of possibly hundreds of disgruntled customer that day. They do not know you nor do you know them. You don’t even know if they are located in the US. Service representatives at the online travel agencies simply do not have the same incentive to resAlso, the less experienced you are in travel, the greater the chance in making errors. Every day travel agents get calls from individuals asking for help in resolving problems with their online bookings. Unfortunately, once booked, there is nothing a travel agent can do. The best solution is to call one of the experienced professional travel agents on our list before you make an online booking.

More Travel Options: Travel agents have access to significantly more travel and vacation options than what is available through the online travel agencies. There are hundreds of tour and vacation companies offering vacation packages to just about anywhere in the world and catering to just about any lifestyle or interest. They can use the traditional computerized reservation systems, supplier web sites and can call the suppliers directly to find and book flights, cruises and vacation packages that may not available through the online travel agencies.

So, why use a travel agent? A more appropriate question is: With all the advantages in using a travel agent, why would anyone want to book a trip or vacation without a travel agent? e a travel agent? A more appropriate question is: With all the advantages in using a travel agent, why would anyone want to book a trip or vacation without a travel agent?

Here is what independent travel writers are saying about using travel agents:

“We priced four trips, each of which included airfare for two, a rental car (except on Lanai), and five nights at our preferred hotels. ”

“Although virtually all travel agents charge fees for their trip planning services, that can be money very well spent. Good travel agents do more than offer insights, find low fares and convenient itineraries, provide coherent documentation and help ensure that all the controllable details of a trip go smoothly.

They can negotiate with airlines, hotels and cruise lines for better rates or space that is otherwise sold out. They can get discounted consolidator tickets on international flights and, sometimes, on domestic flights. They can proactively monitor your trip plans and tell you if better itineraries or fares come along. They can get the best seat and cabin pre-assignments. They will be available for emergencies and flight changes and act as your advocate in any dispute or problem resolution. Most important, they can provide personal service and knowledge to plan trips to your preferences.

It's no exaggeration to say that finding and establishing a working relationship with a good travel agency can be the single most efficient way to make the most of your travel opportunities.” (read the complete article)
Travel agents give virtuoso performance by David Bear, Post-Gazette Sunday July 09, 2006.

“So getting the lowest price that’s out there has now become a matter of primary importance. Trouble is even the experts are divided on how to do this.

Some say the answer lies with the Internet, with Web sites such as www.expedia.com that are chock full of discounted travel in airline tickets, rental cars, hotels and travel packages. Some rely on calling directly to the airlines. But the Savvy Traveler says a good travel agent is still your best bet- more than ever before.

With every trip I take nowadays, I search the Web for the best price, call the airline involved and call my travel agent. She has always managed to come up with a fare that is at least as good as I can find and usually one that is better.” (purchase this article)
Good agents are still the best bet for bargain fares by Gerry Hall, Toronto Star April 5, 2003

“You should consider using a travel agent in these seven situations:

If you are pressed for a time. Let a travel agent can do the research for you. Finding deals on the Internet can be time consuming, and a travel agent can do the legwork quickly and efficiently.

Want to take a cruise? "Travel agents who are cruise specialists can easily find excellent discounts and/or cabin upgrades," says Dunnan. The overwhelming number of cruises and destinations make it difficult for the first-time cruiser to select the right trip, and a travel agent can help with that too.

Road warriors. Frequent travelers can benefit from a travel agent, because the agent will work hard to keep your business. You can bet that agents will want to find you the lowest prices and upgrades so that you'll keep coming back.

Anticipating trouble. If you're traveling to areas prone to hurricanes during hurricane season, use an agent, who "will make certain that you are booked into resorts and hotels that will refund some or part of your costs should a hurricane hit the area. An agent can also help you move from one destination to another, get you back home and help you get a refund," says Dunnan. In fact, travel agents are always useful if you're traveling in an area that has been struck by disaster. "We had a number of subscribers tell us how their agent helped them deal with travel problems during the days and weeks after 9/11. More recently, praise for agents came in from readers traveling in Colorado and other states during the huge snowstorms.

Planning a complicated itinerary? Travel agents are invaluable. For example, a first-time trip to China, Tibet and Russia can be difficult to plan, and packaged tours aren't for everybody. An experienced agent can help you put it together, saving you both time and money.

Special needs travel. Elderly or ill travelers can benefit from the extra care travel agents can secure. A travel agent can negotiate access for medical equipment such as wheelchairs and oxygen and can also find you safe and easily accessible accommodations.

Business interruptions. And if your airline goes on strike or declares bankruptcy, a travel agent can help you quickly get an alternative flight. So carry your travel agent's contact information with you on the trip.” (read the complete article)

When does it pay to hire a travel agent? Nancy Dunnan, editor of TravelSmartNewsletter.com as quoted by Ismat Sarah Mangla, Dow Jones Market Watch Feb 14, 2007

Smart Money magazine summarized everything quite well on the cover of the June 2007 edition.

It has been proven many times by independent studies that travel agents can find better deals than is available through online travel agencies. When the online travel agencies first started, conditions were such that they had a competitive advantage over many of the travel agents at the time. The travel industry has changed considerably since then. Today, technology savvy travel professionals such as the travel agents listed here have the tools and knowledge to find you a better deal and the experience necessary to provide the exceptional service that you cannot get at an online travel agency.