From the desk of Julie Chaump: .

As soon as clients return from their trip we are very anxious to follow-up with them to see how their trip went. There is so much information that can't be found online or in a brochure. This feedback is very valuable to us and to you our valuable customer. I feel its very important for me to talk to my clients personally when they return. We always receive valuable feedback from clients everyday. However, due to the amount of business we do, we cant always post every review on our site. Therefore, we will include the ones that are the most helpful.... good or bad! Lessons learned!

Sandals Grande  Ocho Rios-Wow, what a great time it was. First of all thank you again for all your help and services. I know I had many questions but you always there to help in anyway. This trip went so smoothly, all around it was a great time. Loved the direct flight option, we heard other couples had layovers in Miami and what a inconvenience that was. Also, loved the fact that we were able to get to the resort quicker this time, that was a plus for us this time compared to the other resort. One of the highlights that will stay with us forever was the candlelight dinner. We are so glad we did that, it was worth it, we had the most breathtaking sunset and the food overall was excellent, the service, just so private and intimate. I'll definitely be sending pictures. We also did the canopy tour (zipline) and again another highlight, breathtaking views, a thrill rush experience everyone should try! Compared to the last resort, it's a coin toss because there were things that we liked about this resort and that we liked about the other.What we liked about the Dunn's Falls Resort that it was Italian Renaissance themed, with a pizza bistro, loved the Venice Festival party, midnight chocolate buffet, away from the planes flying over, we eventually got used to it but still distracting. We also loved the food selections more at the Dunn's resort and the pol area. While we love this Resort as well, we were a little disappointed in some of the dining service, especially the Cricketer's Pub, the Regency buffet restuarant at night. We love the French restuarant experience, the service was great, and the food. We enjoyed the experience of the private island Thai restaurant and dining there, the food was ok though. The pool area was nice at this resort, but the Dunn's resort had a better pool, swim up bar (more seats), and of course the mini replica Dunn's Falls waterfall, that's what I liked about that resort that I felt this resort lacked. We snorkled twice and love the fact that they took us somewhere different each time and actual served a fruit platter on our way back opening up the glass bottom boat. That other resort only took us snorkling, so that really stood out for me. We especially enjoyed the entertainment staff (playmakers) at this resort much better, that was a huge plus for us. They were a lot of fun and would be one of the deciding factors for us to return to the Royal Caribbean resort. We just enjoyed all the activities they had, they made us want to participate. We loved the night time entertainment, nice diverse selection of musicians, dancers, etc. We like the demographic there, we met a lot of couples our age, but we liked that it was a little laid back than like Montego Bay. It was a nice mix. Also, I thought was nice, was the return guest dinner and mini boat cruise, we really enjoyed that special touch. All around, just a wonderful time, met a lot a nice people there!! Again these were just things I noticed but if I had to pick between the two, I would return to the Royal Caribbean again:) I'll be in touch in the future for our next trip! By the way, have you heard about their "Soon Come Back" program? Please, when you hear anything new on particular resorts, new rennovations, great deals, etc. definitely send our way!!

Sandals Whitehouse- The resort was great. I really liked the room and the staff were very nice and helpful. We also enjoyed the food.  We actually started looking at Beaches resorts on line last night

French Polynesia- Rangirora & Bora Bora- The hotels were great. Although we enjoyed both places, I think we both preferred the Rangiroa portion of the trip as it seemed less 'sterile' than the Thalasso Spa portion on Bora Bora. If I had it to do over again, I wouldn't go with a meal plan (except possibly for breakfast). The meals at Thalasso and Kia Roa were mediocre (especially at the Thalasso) at best. The meals we had off site were substantially better in both locations.

Sandals Grande St Lucia-Thanks for your message and interest in our Sandals experience. In spite of the major drama with my passport falling off my car (such a retard!!) the entire trip was wonderful. I have never been treated so well or so graciously anywhere in the world as the folks there in St Lucia treated us. They had upgraded us to one of those Rondevals (I owe you forever if you were in any way responsible) and we lived like royalty!!! Since it was her birthday, the first night there the butler came in with baloons, champagne, and did a bubble bath with rose petals....incredible.....the honeymooners couldn't have been treated any better than we were. Again, if the Sandals staff upgraded because one came available because of Tori's birthday, kudos to them!! And if you had anything to do with it, thank you from the bottom of my heart.I definitely want to spend a week there, in one of those Rondevals in the future...perhaps Tori's graduation next year. I will get with you and book really early. The food was superb wherever we ate.....breakfast in the room each am.....mid afternoon snack....We never had quite enough time to tour or do much anywhere but the Grande, but with staying in the unit we had(7009), we never had to. The dip pool, hot tub, outdoor shower, misting spray ....and our view of the beach and Ft Rodney were incredible right from out place.From when we checked in at the Concierge, baggage, transfer from airport to the Grande....and back on mon....all was first class or better. I made sure to meet the manager as we left and commended the entire staff.Yes....it is an expensive trip, but the island, the people, and the resort are well worth it.....best trip ever!!!.

Sandals Regency, St Lucia

Disney World, Florida-It was great! We saw giraffes and zebras among other things right outside our balcony. Also Alex was a joy to watch.  He said twice "mom this is the best day of my life". PRICELESS!

Sandals Grande Ocho Rios -Jamaica was awesome, we didn't ever want to leave. Sandals was beautiful, and the people were sooo friendly and laid-back. We experienced Dunns River Falls and the Canopy(zipp-line) tour, and have some really cool DVD's to prove it! The food was geat, I'm pretty sure that I gained a few pounds.
We spent most of our days relaxing by the pool with the cocktails flowing.

Princess Cruise Line-  Karen and I had a wonderful honeymoon vacation on the Hawaii cruise.  It was beautiful.  We went snorkeling, kayaking, horseback riding, saw Pearl Harbor, and I played golf one day.  We had a great time and thank you again for helping us with the arrangements.  Thanks again and we will contact you the next time we go on vacation. 

Walt Disney World- The Halloween parade & party were unbelievable!!  We were in awe!  We went to the SpectroMagic Parade after the dinner, we went to the 10:00 pm parade, they turn all of the lights out all the way down main street and the illuminated floats, including Cinderella carriage with the real Cinderella & Prince Charming riding in it, comes down the street...I cannot even describe how beautiful it was...truly!  It was like Christmas, but three times as big!   Much fun!!

Sandals Montego Bay Good trip, weather was not the best but I guess it's that time of year down there. Also, not very crowded but that's nice. The upgrade to concierge was well worth the $200 bucks. Good service and ocean front room. Thanks again, and if there are any REALLY good Sandal deals in the future to the other islands, please let us know. Maybe middle to late summer.

Kapalua Villas, Maui-Trip was awesome! You picked the perfect spot for us to stay. The Kappalua Villas was all of that and a bag of chips. The condo was spacious and the area it's in is very nice and very protected, so we were more than happy with your recommendations. Everything went smoothly..... We didn't want to come back. We did a lot of things, snorkling, got on the Atlantis Submarine and explored the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, went to a leua, Maui's Aquarium and more! We will definately go back and we will stay exactly where we stayed this time. Thanks so much for your help and excellent service from beginning to finish- you are a great travel agent and I whole heartedly recommend your services to anyone!

Sandals Royal Bahamian-Everything went great! Because we had been to Sandals before, we had no doubt that everything... service, food, amenities, etc. would be excellent, and it certainly was! We visited the Atlantis one afternoon to gamble of course, but the rest of the time we were on the resort relaxing, eating, and drinking, and we could not have enjoyed ourselves anymore. The beaches were better than any I have ever been to... everyone is certainly telling the truth when they talk about the white sand and crystal clear waters of the Bahamas! It was beautiful!!! I will tell you that the only difference between the Sandals in Jamaica and the one in the Bahmas, was the friendliness of the staff. Both were good, don't get me wrong, but the service in Jamaica was above and beyond anything we have ever experienced, and the service in the Bahamas was just the "normal" good service:).Thanks again Julie for everything... I have only positive things to say and have just bragged and bragged to all of our friends and family about our vacation since we have been home!

Occidental Grande Aruba- Our honeymoon was wonderful.  The Occidential was a great reccommendation.  We loved the all-inclusive package and the service was wonderful on your behalf and all the staff at The Occidential.  We would love to visit again in a few years.

Sandals Dunns River Jamaica- We had a blast. The rooms where amazing. We were upgraded to a Honeymoon concierge suite and the view was great.  The people were extremely friendly. The resort was a little older than I expected but nothing to really complain about.  I will definitely stay in touch with you and pass your info along to friends.

Sandals Whitehouse- I had an awesome time!!  The resort was very relaxed and quiet, but that was what i was looking for.  That part of Jamacia is the one that will be hit the hardest (south side).  We did several excursions....Canopy tour, horse back riding, and Y.S./Black River tour.  I will have to send you some pics when i get the loaded. When we left on Saturday people there were not respecting the storm.  I hope they evacuated everyone from the resort becuase they cut power to the entire island the day after we left. Julie I can not say enough awesome things about you.  Thank you for all your patience and advice!!  I would recommend you to anyone and everyone. I will stay in touch-Pradeep T.

THE Royal, Cancun, Mexico 1 being worst, 10 being best -Hotel Food 8.0-Restaurant's never change menu, but food was great, Hotel Bars 8.0 Resort listed 6 bars, 4 were at one location just different corners, Hotel Spa 9.5, Hotel things to do 10.0 Hotel staff would come by, to get you to play different games,Hotel Appearance 10.0 Very NICE,Hotel Staff 9.5 Spoke English very well, always happy,Hotel House Keeping 7.5 Forgot to clean room 1 day, and took toothpaste!Hotel Location 9.5,Airport Shuttle 10.0,North West Seating 1.0 Seating not together, freaking ridiculous,North West Flight times 9.0 ,North West on time 9.5
Travel Vacations 10.0- Julie's Help 20.0!!!!!!! Thanks for everything!
Trip Over All 9.0,

Carnival Cruise Line- FANTASY- QUOTE FROM CLIENT "Hi, Julie...we had a great time!  The ship was very nice and everyone was eager to please.  Our cabins were cleaned twice a day which was great!  The one thing I was most concerned about was the location of the cabins because of my mom---she's 80 and I was afraid by being at the very back of the ship it would be too much walking for her.  But as we were going back to our cabins one night, she said she LOVED the fact that our cabins were on the back of the ship.  She had looked out of the window that morning and loved watching the wake of the boat.  Also, we had no engine noise and NO noise from other passengers passing by our rooms in the hall---a real plus.  It was a great way to visit with all of my family, which was the whole point of the trip.  You did a wonderful job and everyone wanted me to tell you how thankful they were for all that you did for us.  You may be getting a call from some of them for help with future trips.  Thanks a million for all you did for us"  Judy 

El Dorado Royale, Mexico- I am going to quote this client... "the honeymoon was awsome to say the least. it was everything that i expected and more.  i am so glad that we upgraded to the casitas.  it was like we had the whole resort to ourselves.  the food was great and the service was even better. i did realize that it bumped up the service that we received at the resort even more when i tipped, which i did alot of.  just a few dollars here and there made a huge difference on the service that we got.  i would lay three bucks on the bed every day for the maid and we would come back amazed everyday at the swan towel arrangment on the bed and flowers spread throughout the room.  i am so glad that we went to this resort.  we would deffinately go back.  i would deffinately reccomend that anyone going on their honeymoon reserve a casita suite because they just can't be beat.  thanks for all the help and i am sure that i will call on you for any of our many exotic vacations that we plan to take in the future."

Holland America-  My clients that just came back from an Alaskan Holland America cruise absolutely loved it. The staff, food, accommodations and itinerary were impeccable they said. They have sailed on Norwegian & Carnival in the past and say that Holland America is by far their favorite. We had some blocked space and reduced rates on the specific sailing they wanted so we were able to give them a bottle of wine, free lunch at the Pinnacle Grill and a free photo. They loved those extra goodies!

Crown Paradise Club, Cancun, MX- Well this property definitely is a 3 star per me and my clients. Overall, it was great for their 3 year old daughter as the activities for children there are great. Its really the only nicest one in Cancun that takes young children in the supervised kids club. They are generally used to 5 star accommodations and found that the rooms were very basic with uncomfortable beds, but the food was good and the pool was nice. Overall, I and my clients, wouldn't rate this any higher than a 3 star on a 5 star scale. I do sell this hotel allot and get the same feedback.

Pride of America- NCL Cruise Line- These repeat clients of mine were hesitant about this ship and cruise line based on the negative reviews online but found it to be overall a great cruise. Here is what she said. "Long story short, IT WAS FABULOUS!!!!  Thank you so much for setting it up for us and for getting us all our documents in time – you’re truly a Godsend.  J   We did so many tours and were deliriously exhausted each night.  We filmed a lot of the beautiful places and took about 1500 photos!  (I’ll send you pictures as soon as I upload/categorize them.)  Even though previous online reviews through cruisecritic.com and other websites did not give favorable reviews to the ship or to NCL itself, thankfully we did not experience those types of things (slow/poor service, inability to get specialty restaurant reservations, etc…).  We had a wonderful experience on our very first cruise and our very first trip to Hawaii and will highly recommend it to our friends and family." 

Sandals Dunn's River- These very seasoned travellers and repeat guests of mine for over 13 years recently got back from a trip to Sandals Dunn's River in Ocho Rios Jamaica. They emailed me before I called them they were so excited. Here is what he said "This is the first time ever that my wife and I have had such a great time on a vacation. The resort you tenderly pointed us toward was beyond our expectations - Sandals Dunn's River. From the time that we were warmly greeted upon arrival with a hug - cold towel - chilled beverage ,we new that our vacation could only go upward from there. The rooms were very attractively decorated and we enjoyed their concierge serve - next time we will try butler service...from others at the resort, it was a huge hit. The staff was the friendliest and most helpful of any of our previous visits to Jamaica. Good food selections - plenty of activities to choose from. Took the river rafting trip - however, recommend the river tubing. We will be in touch in a few months to book again with you - please keep us in mind if you have any great ideas.

Riu Palace Dominican Republic- Overall, they said the resort was beautiful, had a good time and enjoyed the facilities/grounds, but the staff was less than friendly....not quite "inviting". My clients have been super friendly to me so I cant say maybe it was their personality that didn't yield friendly results from the staff. Ya know how sometimes when people come across short and abrupt, sometimes that will get you the same response in return? But these folks were super friendly. So was really disappointed to hear that the staff at the hotel was short, abrupt and somewhat rude at times. Thank GOD i pushed travelers insurance with them. The husband got very sick while on this trip, had to go to the hospital, and had a very scary time while there..communicating with someone who spoke English and needing medical help. So Scary! Everything turned out fine for the rest of the trip, but it was quite a scare. We cant stress enough, INSURANCE, INSURANCE, INSURANCE.

Melia Cabo Real, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico- They loved this resort! Except for all the kids running around. Next time will stick with an adults only vacation. Overall, the beach, resort and staff were great. They were really pleased. I always new this resort had one of the best beaches in that area. Generally, Cabo's resorts dont have very good swimable beaches. So be careful if you are a "beach bum" in nature.

Playacar Palace, Cancun, Mexico- These new clients of mine just recently stayed at the Playacar Palace. I had called the hotel a few days prior to ensure they got the best view they could. They were so excited to get a room steps away from the water. They loved that property so much!

Golden Parnassus Cancun Resort- This is one of Cancuns adults only resorts. Per my valuable client, "The trip was ok but not great by any means. We are not ones to complain but with this feedback maybe you will not refer anyone else to this resort.It was an outdated resort in person although the online photos looked great. The elevator didn't always work therefore you had to take the stairs, the bed mattress was wrapped in hard plastic which was uncomfortable & loud! The remote to the T.V. didn't even work, etc... We were extremely let down by this so called Resort" I had asked client if they had spoken to the general manager or front desk, but they indicated they did not as the staff didnt speak English well. This resort may be considered more of a 3 star to some guests rather than a 4 star. Depends on your level of luxury that you are accustomed to with past travel.

Europe- Had a young couple return from doing a Globus Monograms Trip to Rome, Paris, London (Tour DRRA) and absolutely loved it. They loved how the Monograms Tour included 1 tour a day. It was just enough for the 1st time European traveller but not so over scheduled like some escorted tours are. Globus has always been a winner for me as I feel ver confident selling their brand. This was the 1st time that I have sold a Monograms trip by them and I have been an agent for over 13 years! Shame on me! This tour company is a hidden treasure. I felt from my experience, that the prices were very good and included alot. Aside from the airlines loosing my clients bags ( imagine that) all was perfect! Lesson learned?... well he learned this lesson last time he booked a trip through us and his bags got lost and damaged.. pack some extra clothes in a carry on bag!

Australia- We have been booking groups to the World Police & Fire Games for almost 11 years. My one group recently returned from attending the World Police & Fire Games in Adelaide, Australia. All thought the Hyatt in Adelaide was a wonderful hotel in a great location. Also, they were pleased with the Stamford there too.  They did indicate that food/drink and activities was quite expensive in Australia. The terminal in LAX is quite a long walk from the domestic terminal to the international terminal. Make sure you have a long enough layover in LAX if you are traveling domestic to an international flight.

March 27, 2007-Pride of America- Norwegian Cruise Line- After reading some not so great reviews, we were wary of recommending the Pride of America to some very repeat clients. However, these seasoned cruisers thought the food was very good and the service was great. Only bad experience is that its not "so freestyle". We knew some restaurants charged surcharges and required reservations, but the Italian restaurant required reservations and the steak and lobster theme night required it too. Since they decide to make reservations until the day they wanted to attend, reservations were booked up. Whats our lesson learned? Always on the 1st day of your trip or cruise, find out what restaurants require reservations, dress codes, and surcharges. Make your plans ASAP~!

March 27, 2007- Goway Travel- Great tour operator for the South Pacific & Australia. I did a group to Australia for the World Police & Fire Games and everyone was completely impressed how smooth all the arrangements went.  This was the 1st time i have used Goway for packages to Australia and I was impressed on how easy it was to work with them, the options they have, and how smoothly all their tours went.