When we selected Fantastica Italia to organize our tour of Northern Italy, our chief concern was…read morethat the company is based in the United States, far from where we would be should problems arise. We soon learned that MariaLaura continually monitors her clients' tours to ensure that all proceeds according to plan. A native Italian, she has comprehensive and intimate knowledge of every region of Italy, including areas quite off the beaten track where we intended to go. She has a vivacious personality and a genuine interest in getting to know her clients and understanding their travel styles and preferences. While she was charting out our itinerary, we stayed in touch by phone or email, working out all of the details. The trip she planned for us involved stays in seven cities, starting in Genoa, looping south through Cinque Terre and Florence, turning westward through Bologna and Parma, and finishing in Torino (all cities besides Florence were new to us). She booked all transfers and hotels, working with several local travel companies. The entire tour was indeed fantastic in every way, and went without a hitch. We had contact information for the local companies, and on the few occasions when we needed to be in touch with them (for example, when our boat tour of Cinque Terre had to be postponed because of bad weather), they were absolutely responsive and reliable. All of the drivers were punctual and personable, and even those who professed not to speak English spoke quite a bit and were eager to point out sites and provide interesting background information. Hotels were all first-rate and very well located (always an important criterion for us). MariaLaura booked walking tours in each of the cities we visited, and all of these tours were wonderful and essential to our experience. Otherwise, we were on our own in each of the cities to explore as we saw fit. Since we know Europe quite well and are comfortable with European languages, this worked out very well. (It's less likely that we'd try this approach in other parts of the world.) We took a fabulous day trip from Genoa exploring the western Italian Riviera and Monaco without a guide but only a driver, who took us from place to place and even to some places that he didn't know but that we had read about. On days when we were transferring from one city to another we tried to stop at points of interest along the way. For example, on our way from Bologna to Parma we stopped in Modena to tour the Casa Pavarotti, the Ferrari Museum, and the medieval city center. It's important to note that we could not have done such a tour on our own with a rental car. Parking would have been next to impossible in many of the places we visited. We were able to get out and explore while the driver waited and picked us up at a pre-appointed spot. MariaLaura also booked several excellent specialty tours, including an unforgettable private sunset boat tour of Cinque Terre and a small-group tour outside Parma (just four people) featuring locations where Parmigiano Reggiano, balsamic vinegar, and prosciutto are produced. MariaLaura was very helpful and patient with us as our plans developed. When we found out that tickets were available for a performance of Aida at the Teatro Verdi in Busseto (outside Parma) on a certain date, she reworked the schedule to make sure we would be there. This was not a trivial matter, since the timeframe was narrow and hotel reservations for the hotels we wanted were not readily available. We appreciated the way she willingly took on the challenge and got back to us quickly with a revised schedule that worked out perfectly. She is truly a gem. The cost for this trip, not inexpensive, was nevertheless a very good value. MariaLaura worked with us to tweak the program so as to keep it reasonably on budget. Our tour of Northern Italy was truly a dream vacation. Having been to Italy a number of times, there are still areas that we have not explored. If and when we plan another trip, we hope to do it through Fantastica Italia.

I contacted this company via their on-line contact…read more Months passed with no response, finally 3 months later they contacted me using computer issues as an excuse, (as to why they never responded). My request wasn't difficult, I'm first generation Italian and wouldn't have had a problem booking directly, I contacted them because my husband has some health issues and I felt they'd be able to help/advise with that. When people show you how incompetent they are, believe them.

This was my first time using a travel advisor and I'm so glad to have picked BTA. Kim did an…read moreamazing job of putting together an itinerary for our trip to Rome and the Amalfi Coast. There were minor glitches in the beginning but we worked them out and their responsiveness, communication, and updates even during our trip were very much appreciated. I'll be using them again for our next trip!

SONESTA ES HOTELS is a gem and very affordable! The general manager, Kelsey Knutsen, Mike Remley,…read moreSteve Spivey and Angie, were excellent hosts. The room is spacious, very clean and the bed is so comfortable. The room has everything you need and the breakfast has every imaginable perk, e.g., silk milk, oatmeal with a large assortment of topping, a pancake machine and so much more. The staff is superb and make you feel at home. Ths Sonasta ES is much more than five stars!!

Dave and his team have helped us plan 2 cruises! One which was last minute to the Mexican Rivera…read moreand another one to Alaska which got postponed due to pandemic. Both cruises were awesome but Dave and his team HELPED us every step of the way. Starting with recommendations and providing us many options. Additionally, since the Alaskan cruise was postponed twice.... The amount of change, information received from cruise, and my million questions ... Dave helped us through it every STEP OF THE WAY!!! Amazing care for his customers and great communication through out it all!!! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!! We will be using again to plan another trip and Dave and his team will be our GO TO team for our vacation plans!! And if you want a trip of a lifetime BOOK A CRUISE TO ALASKA!!

We went on our trip at the beginning of July and I'm now ready to provide an update. We had the…read moretime of our lives and Jim along with Ride the Wave were a big part of making it happen. We had some issues with 2 tours that we booked through Ride the Wave and Jim was fast to respond and assist. One of the tours we ended up having to cancel due to scheduling issues. I reached out to Jim to let him know and he worked on getting the refund process started right away and I received a confirmation email from the tour vendor the same day. We're now just waiting for it to get credited back to our card. The peace of mind of our trip being taken care of by professionals is invaluable. I can't recommend enough going through a travel agency for big trips because you just never know what could happen. Ride the Wave is as good as they come and I'm looking forward to using their services again for our next big trip!

I was roped into this place by a friend that worked there. They were giving out a free vacation as…read morelong as you drink the kool-aide at the presentation. They were professional, courteous and it lasted about only an hour. Of course they want you to buy into their packages which are a great buy no doubt. I opted for the 7 night stay at the Vidanta Grand Mayan in PV. I can't express how amazing and beautiful this place was. Yes it was a $75 dollar resort fee but that is a drop in the bucket considering how amazing the service was. This is a NON inclusive resort meaning the food DOESN'T suck and the drinks are actually good. I have recently purchased 3 more trips with plan to purchase 2 more. I have been having the time of my life with Sears and Vidanta. They have a loyal customer for life as well as my referrals.

Sears uses Europamundo. This was my first trip with Europamundo, and it will definitely be my last…read more A week before the tour started, they changed the itinerary--reducing the number of days in Paris and adding another city instead. I had plans in Paris and have to change them. When we arrived at CDG Airport from Mexico City, our group of 15 people had to wait up to two hours to be picked up, even after making several calls. The next morning, our tour guide, Angela, seemed stressed and started yelling at us. That's not the way anyone should begin a vacation--being scolded by the guide. We took the "Hola Europa" tour, and I honestly don't recommend it. In the smaller cities, we only stopped for an hour or two at most--just enough time to stretch our legs, take a few pictures, and look for a bathroom. There was barely any time to explore. The driver, Petrov, and Luisa, our guide on the last day, were very kind and professional. Unfortunately, there seems to be a lot of miscommunication between Europamundo and the agencies that sell their tours. I booked through Sears, and in my opinion, it wasn't worth it.

This review is about convenience and did the company do what they promised to do. In terms of…read morevalue I leave that to you to decide. The process was very convenient and professional, and they kept me very informed about the progress each step of the way. I ordered the three week turnaround time service and received my passport in about 2 1/2 weeks.

Terrible service. You pretty much need to do all the work, and yet they charge hundreds or even…read more$1K+ on the service. They are partnered with Fedex and Fedex people have no clue how it works. The brochure they give you does not provide all the steps you need to take, which includes taking all the printed documents to USPS. The info sheet says to print out all the documents and ship via Fedex using the label. They neglect to mention you need to call Rush My Passport to go over the document, and then they tell you you need to print out all your documents and take them to USPS. USPS locations require appointments and they can be weeks out. I'm not sure what the point of their service is. Save yourself the hassle and just drive to the Department of State passport office in Tucson. Get an appointment.

Surfin' In The Snow By The Rue…read more 2019 Surf The Rockies has come and gone, 357 more days seems way to long, For next years end of the season trip, Counting down the days to board the ship. Telluride in April is where you should be, Heck go on any trip with John and Lee, Chili? Canada? Mammoth Mountain too, They offer enough trips to make you drool. If skiing or snowboarding isn't your thing, Go on a trip and try the hot spring, Just make sure you book it through Alpine, If you don't, I won't listen to you whine. Anvil Hammer

When I was in high school and college, I took ski bus trips every winter. I jumped back into…read moreskiing/snowboarding about 13 years ago and had that craving to start going on these bus trips again. When I heard about Alpine, I booked my first trip with them last year to Telluride. Alpine has been around since 1969. Their goal is to provide affordable hassle-free trips to some of the best ski destinations in the U.S. They offer trips to Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and even a summer trip to Chile. Majority of their packages are three day ski trips that include lodging, your lift pass and transportation. They even have single day trips to Sunrise if you want to stay local. Lee and John are great to work with and do their best to accommodate your needs. They have a great partnership with Telluride and offer a fun popular trip called Alpine Daze where they will bus several people from the Valley to Colorado for a fun weekend that includes a themed party with prizes. It's their biggest trip of the season. I just recently attended their Alpine Daze weekend that celebrated their 50th anniversary and had a blast. If you are a die-hard skier like me, then I highly recommend Alpine Ski Club as your vacation planner. I've never had an issue and they have been great to me every year. Get on their mailing list to receive their yearly brochure of all their trips in the mail.

I had an incredible experience on an Alaska cruise with National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions…read more All World Travel put together an unforgettable trip focused on wildlife, glaciers, and adventure, and it exceeded expectations. The highlights were seen orchids and other wildlife up close, cruising past massive glaciers, and icebergs, and getting off the ship for expedition activities that made the experience feel immersive instead of touristy. The naturalist and the crew were knowledgeable, friendly, and clearly passionate about Alaska. One of the most memorable parts was the cold plunge, freezing, but absolutely worth it for the experience.

A National Geographic expedition trip with Lindblad is the best way to see the natural beauty of…read moreAlaska and we got to experience it up close and in person. Plus, although it said it was going to rain every day, we had the best weather.

I was able to score two condos in Orlando through the RCI program for the cost of only a couple…read morenights in one unit through gokoala or Vrbo. Super excited for our Hawaii trip this winter too!

They have to book your cruise or any trip as the travel agent wit you on the phone so EVERY call is…read morea minimum of 1 hour. It is exhausting. They give you credits to use against trips but if you gave $1000 of credit and your trip is $1000 you may get $100 of credit towards your trip. You will never make your money back you invested. They also promised a 5% back on every cruise booked through them, after the cruise is completed. We did that and very conveniently...no cash back. They never heard of this, we do not know what this is...buyer beware. Stay clear.