Now Open: AUSTRIA!

Europe continues to re-open to visitors from the U.S.!

Open once more... AUSTRIA!

 

The Expedition of a Lifetime Awaits - Join Us in 2023

Antarctica is a world of pure amazement where immense icebergs and whales will leave you awestruck.

January 2023. The expedition of a lifetime awaits. I'm building an interest list now. Like or comment for more info as it becomes available.

Destination Universal Orlando!

Home of some amazing attractions, experiences, and themed adventures, Universal Orlando is a fabulous vacation option. Check out the attached video to see how they're doing things in the current environment as the covid pandemic hits the one-year mark.

 

 

 

 

There's so much to see and enjoy while maintaining the social distancing stuff too. I love helping guests discover the worlds of Harry Potter and so much more at Universal Orlando! 

 

 

Want to talk about booking your family's Universal vacation? Call, email, or message today!  

 

#travel #adventure #tourism #vacation #exploremore #supportsmallbusinesses #travelagent #theinternetisforlookingbuttravelagentsareforbooking #experiences #florida #universalorlando #universalspecialist

Looking for a Change? Want the Chance to be an Entrepreneur and Be Your Own Boss as an Independent Contractor?

I'm looking to grow my team once again. I have a great commission-based associate opportunity for the right individual who loves to work with people to help them realize their travel dreams, while also having the opportunity to get out to learn and experience more of what our beautiful world has to offer. You can learn more about it here. I'm looking for someone who'd like to do it full-time, but also open to part-time. This would be a great role for someone who is in a life transition - perhaps about to retire or looking to make a change of careers. Perhaps you know a stay-at-home mom who wants something extra, or is considering returning to the working world after raising her babies. This isn't a "job", but a chance to be an entrepreneur and be your own boss as an independent contractor.

Those who have travel sales and/or general experience are preferred, but not having such experience won't automatically rule someone out, either. Location isn't important to me, so they don't need to live near me at all, and can be located anywhere within the United States.

If you or someone you know would be interested - let's chat!

Learn more: bit.ly/CP_JoinOurTeam

Oh the Places You'll Go...

Oh, the places I go to meet with clients! I've said it before and I'll say it again...not every client meeting happens in an office or at Starbucks! . Yes, she's very much alive, btw. Just happens to spend her days with some less than lively folk.

A Travel Agent's Work is Never Done.

I'm getting ready to head out to the airport for a week's conference in South Florida, and am busily trying to finalize some fabulous trip quotes for some great people before I leave. So many wonderful adventures to be enjoyed, and destinations to discover and explore! I love being busy, and I love helping people explore our great big beautiful world! Where can I help you discover something new?

#travelconcierge #exploretheworld #landvacations #cruiseplanners #morethanjustcruises #travelwhileyoucan #tomorrowisnotguaranteed

Resevations Now Open for Celebrity's Newest Ship - Celebrity Edge

Celebrity Edge sets sail on Dec. 16, 2018. Reservations opened today for this amazing new ship, that will revolutionize cruising once again. Contact me at 317.776.1733 for info and pricing or www.icanshowyoutheworld.vacations. Alternating between the eastern and western Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale, this new ship shouldn't be missed.

Always Something New Whenever I Come to NYC

I enjoy staying at different places when I come to the city to be able to enjoy different experiences and be able to have a list of recommendations for clients coming to New York. This time I stayed in Yotel at 10th & 42nd. It is an excellent value and conveniently close to the theatre district. Just a short walk to the Convention Center, and the subway. The cabins are small but efficient. It's sleek and modern, with both Japanese and European influences. The elevator plays hip and fun music, and there's a robot in the lobby to help store your luggage for later in the day departures.

My view this morning as I finish getting ready for the day, packing for my flight home later, and then venture out for a supplier meeting and more. I've never had a room with a view of the river before, so this has been pretty cool, but as I look at the Hudson River and think about flying home from LaGuardia, all I can think about is Sully and the crazy but safe landing on the river. I've flown out of LGA numerous times since that crash years ago never even giving it a thought, but since watching the movie about it this past summer with Matthew, that's what has come to mind every time I've looked out this window this trip! I would never have thought about it before that birds could take down a plane. Who knew?! Oh well, no worries here, it's just so real being here, looking at the river and flying from the same airport. I know that when it's my time and God is ready to take me home it'll happen regardless of where I am or what I'm doing and I have zero control over it... So no fear in traveling for me. It's just more the movie geek in me coming out, as many disaster movies are so fake it's ridiculous...but that one was real. . If you haven't watched it, do so. It's cool but intense.

 Following my vendor lunch meeting, I tried something else new to me...I ventured to the "top of the rock"...Rockefeller Center that is. The view to the north over Central Park was amazing! To the south is the Empire State Building (which I've previously been to the top of), and downtown.

And then it was back to LaGuardia for my flight home, back to Indiana, at least for 3 nights until the next big adventure! The Chicago and New York Travel Shows are now done, and the follow-up begins with all of the leads, and the bookings continue. These shows can be grueling long hours, but the business generated is well worth the physically taxing nature of the events that they are. Next up comes the LA Travel & Adventure Show in 3 weeks. I am absolutely looking forward to that one...but my first visit to the Emerald Isle comes first! I love traveling, but tonight I get to sleep in my own bed and love on my family. Hurray for being home once more!

It's Been a Full Day!

 

It was a very long day here in NYC booking great vacations for people! Hot topics of the day included Alaska, Bermuda, Sandals resorts, and European River cruises. I'm excited with the results thus far and looking forward to another great day tomorrow. After the show, it was great to eat in one of my favorite places here in the city - Junior's Restaurant, where I enjoyed an enormous roast beef sandwich. After such a big meal, the cool night air feels great as I walk back to my hotel for a little rest before the show starts again tomorrow. Good night from Times Square!

A Weekend of Fun Selling Experiences & Adventures for People to Getaway and Have Some Fun!

And the fun begins.... NOW! The doors will be opening in just a few moments and we're right up front by the entry doors, ready to sell amazing experiences for people to get away from their stress and some rejuvenation. If you're in the NYC area today, come see me! We're at The New York Times Travel Show at Javits Center.

The Internet & Travel Shows are for Looking...but TRAVEL AGENTS Are for Booking!

We're all set up and ready for a great weekend event! The hall is filled with so many amazing destinations and vacation opportunities from every continent on display this weekend at the show... but the best part is, I can help plan your amazing vacation to any of them! The internet and travel shows are for looking, but agents like me are for booking!!

#vacationtime #starttheplanning #CruisePlanners #Morethanjustcruises

Chicago Travel Show Has Been So Busy!!

Time for another great day at the Chicago Travel & Adventure Show! Cuba, Europe, Cruises, Walt Disney World, and Hawaii, plus a Destination Wedding were all the hot topics yesterday...excited to learn where else I can send today's guests. If you're local, come see us! Next weekend is New York City. It's (always) the vacation booking season!

Here We Grow Again

Sometimes I share what I'm doing and most times I don't. Today I'm enjoying lunch with my friend, David Nicely, who I'm thrilled to announce will be joining my team and the journey that I've been on for more than five years now. David has a great love for adventure, and Disney, as I do. He and his family love Walt Disney World, and he's had great fun helping people plan amazing trips to the "Vacation Kingdom" many times. He brings a wealth of sales experience from his primary career and looks forward to jumping in and helping people create memories to last a lifetime. David becomes my third Associate, and I look forward to an exciting year ahead as he completes his CP training and he can get down to the business of making magic for families. It's so fun to look back over the past five+ years and see how far I've come with this travel adventure, and thank God for His continued blessings. David, Liz, and Rachel comprise a great team that I am blessed to lead.

We're Growing! Adding my First Associate!

Three weeks ago today I shared a nice, vague post about how some days warrant a little more yippee than others. It was a bit mysterious some commented, but I wasn't ready to divulge much else at that time. I was excited in the moment and just had to share ...something. Today I'm finally ready and able to share my excitement - my news. God is good in so many ways, and throughout this journey that I've been on for the past two-plus years, full of its' ups and downs, I've seen how He has blessed this venture and the major life transition that I was going through from traditional employment to owning my own business was definitely something that He had for me. And that day three weeks ago really marked a special day in my life, and the life of my business - an incredible "up" if you will. One that I'd been praying about for a while. On that day, I got a very specific YES that was pretty special to me. The day itself was certainly not as special as the day that my lovely bride, Julie, agreed to become my lovely bride, but it was very special in that another great lady said yes to me. Not in a romantic sense, but in a business sense. It was on that day three weeks ago that she got back to me to respond with a resounding yes, she wanted to and was ready to join us on this exciting travel journey that Julie and I have been on for the past two-plus years. So today, after three weeks of paperwork and waiting for all of the various things that CP requires could be accomplished, I'm very excited to announce that I now have an Associate who will not only be helping grow our business but also expanding her own network and developing her own business as a part of my team! I'm very excited to announce that my new Associate is Rachel Brolsma, who is a very special lady within our church community, and absolutely someone that I wanted on my team once she expressed her interest. Like me, she is a Disneyphile (Disney freak some might say) and is very excited to help people make their travel dreams come true. Together with her husband, Tommy, and my lovely bride, we're excited to be branching out and expanding in this way. Rachel will now officially begin her training with me, and then will soon be heading to Ft. Lauderdale for a weeklong intensive training session by the CP team. I'm very excited about this expansion!

Where in the World Wednesdays - Disney Fantasy, Water and Scouts Instead of a Destination... Oh My

It's Wednesday, and now the second Wednesday in a row with a missing "Where in the World Wednesday" feature... for shame on me.  I just returned from a week in the woods with my sons and our Boy Scout Troop, and try as hard as I could before leaving to make sure the blog was up and running while I was gone - I got many other features scheduled to post on time, but I failed to get the "Where in the World" features done.  But I saw this fun article this morning on the Disney Parks Blog and decided to share it instead, as it relates very well to my week last week.  Just as the Disney Fantasy provides many different ways to get wet - the Adult Leaders at camp last week had a LOT of fun, providing many different ways for both youth and adults to get wet.  Even though camp itself was very dry this year (we had only 15 minutes +/- of rain the entire week... typically it will rain at least 3-4 different times throughout the week, sometimes hours at a time) - the buckets were dumping, water guns were shooting and the hoses were squirting!  We had a LOT of fun!  


This was my fifth year of heading off to Summer Camp, and quite honestly, it is just about my favorite outing of the year!!  (It even gets right up there with trips to Disney Destinations!!).  Yes, I'm 41 years old and I LOVE going to Summer Camp.  So much so, that not only do I GO to camp, but I lead and direct the entire thing for our Troop.  And for our Troop, that is no small undertaking.  The average size of a Boy Scout Troop is around 30 boys - ours has 158 registered Scouts.  The average contingent going to Summer Camp is about 18 boys.  We took 103 plus - get this - 46 full week adult leaders, and 8 partial week adult leaders.  That's huge!!  Our contingent alone took up more than half of the available seating in the Dining Hall each meal that we ate at (there are two servings, A and B - we eat during the A meal).  The camp accommodates about 550 youth and adults each week over the 9 week Summer Camp season, and here we were more than 25% of the entire camp during our week there.  


Needless to say there is a LOT of preparation that goes into moving a contingent of that magnitude.  Months of pre-registration, paperwork, cross-referencing and data gathering take place before anyone sets foot in camp.  Merit Badge classes to be registered for, Health Forms to collect and triple check, Special Dietary needs to be submitted to the Dining Hall staff, tent configurations, various Adult Leader roles to assign, and so much more!  But you know what, that's very much like what happens when you call a Travel agent or professional to help plan that special family vacation or your Group's Travel arrangements.  Organization and attention to detail are key.  Not everyone is up to the challenge, nor wants to worry about planning all of the details, and would rather just turn it all over to a travel professional.  And I could be just that person for you - or someone you know who's looking to plan that special trip.  


I'd love it if you would check out my website, or if you don't need assistance at this time, refer someone to me who you know that does.  Just as I LOVE getting 150 people to Summer Camp each year... I'd love to help you or your family or friends get to their next special destination!

Tips on Thursday - Why a Travel Agent?

Are Travel Agents Dinosaurs?

Absolutely Not!  You ask, “why should I call a Travel Agent instead of going direct?”  Good Question! About 5 years ago, it was predicted that being a Travel Agent was a dying profession, and in the age of technology, Travel Agents would become extinct. Well, here it is 5+ years later and the agent community is alive, thriving, and growing once again. Yes, it is true that booking an airline ticket is a commodity, so they’re not quite the order takers they once were. Today’s Travel Agent will help you figure out not only where your next vacation will be; they will help you weed through the piles of information on the internet and let you know what’s real and what’s not.

So let’s take a moment to examine Why you SHOULD use a Travel Agent

• The biggest myth surrounding Travel Agents is that they “charge” for their services. And for the most part, their service is complimentary. Perhaps not for an airline ticket (because airlines have cut out paying any commission), but for travel – such as cruises, tours, and land packages, their commission is paid by the vendor. This means – Travel Agent’s Services are FREE to you!
• You get the BEST DEAL by calling on a Cruise Planners/American Express Travel Consultant. We don’t work for any one Cruise Line or Tour Operator – we search all cruise lines to find you the best deal for the best available cabin at the time of booking. And the best part is a travel agent will continue to work for you even after the deposit. So, if a cruise line has a rate change, we call and lower your price. If you book directly with the supplier, does the cruise line call you to let you know there has been a price reduction? I doubt it!
• A good agent will also provide advice – once you pull into a port of call, now what? Try to Google the words “Mediterranean cruise” and you will see 1.5 million results. Yikes! Where do you start to look? Who is legitimate and who isn’t? A good Travel agent will guide you and let you know which is the most popular site to see, or even some hidden secrets they’ve uncovered while traveling. When calling a cruise line directly, do you think the hourly person who answers the phone can offer the same advice?
• If you run into trouble on a weekend while traveling, will the cruise line agent help? Most agents check their e-mail or voice mail during the weekend just in case of any emergency. 
• Your time is valuable. Give an agent a call and let them know what trip you are interested in and let them do all the work. Why spend hours and hours searching the internet or calling each cruise line? Call a Cruise Planners/American Express specialists and will save you time and money.
• Who has the best deals? If I call direct, will I get the best possible deal? Yet another myth is that many online sites run exclusive promotions or hold space months in advance. This supposedly gives them an advantage on certain ships and sailing dates. Travel Agents have access to all the best promotions as well. You might receive extra shipboard credit to spend onboard or pre-paid gratuities so all tipping is included. And on some itineraries a unique shore excursion is available. They aren’t available on all sailings, but if you book in advance you are more likely to enjoy a special extra perk.
• A Travel Agent can help you customize your vacation! So you want to have a family reunion, get married, or renew your vows on board? Call your Travel Agent today! Don’t try and book this through the cruise lines or on your own as it will likely become a nightmare. By booking through a reputable agent, they will take the burden off of you and become the “party planner”. They can set up cocktail parties, beach parties, special shore excursions, wedding receptions, meeting rooms, dining arrangements. Leave it to the pros!
• With so many travel options out there, it can be overwhelming. We work as your "value interpreter."  Using our expertise, we find amazing experiences that exceed your every desire, but not your budget. With our services, you can be confident that your vacation will be perfectly planned, hassle-free, and filled with moments you'll never forget. 

So why wait?  Call me today at 317.776.1733 to get your next vacation plan started… or visit my website.