CruiseOne®/Dream Vacations Celebrate Top Travel Professionals With Mekong River Cruise

CruiseOne®/Dream Vacations Celebrate Top Travel Professionals With Mekong River Cruise

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (September 19, 2019) – CruiseOne®/Dream Vacations recently recognized its top-producing travel agency franchise owners who are members of the home-based network’s prestigious “Circle of Excellence” with the Charms of the Mekong River Cruise aboard AmaWaterways’ AmaDara from Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam to Siem Reap in Cambodia.  

“I look forward to the Circle of Excellence rewards trip every year because it provides an intimate opportunity to connect with our top producers and travel partners, while celebrating our joint successes,” said Drew Daly, senior vice president and general manager of CruiseOne/Dream Vacations. “I am so proud of the accomplishments of our Circle of Excellence members ─ not only their outstanding sales achievements, but also the leadership roles they take on each year within our organization as mentors and engaged committee members.”

Escorted by Kristin Karst, executive vice president and co-owner, and Diane Curchy-Horan, director of strategic partner networks with AmaWaterways, this year’s rewards cruise left a lasting impression with historical educational and immersive experiences. While in Ho Chi Minh City, agents toured the War Remnants Museum, Ben Thanh Market and the infamous Cu Chi Tunnels. Highlights in Cambodia included a visit to the S21 Detention Center (Genocide Museum) in Phnom Penh, being blessed by Buddhist monks in Oudong and interacting with students at an elementary school in Oknhatey. The cruise ended with a breathtaking sunrise over Angkor Wat, one of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World.

The Circle of Excellence rewards trip provides top-selling agents not only with unique vacation experiences, but also the opportunity to network in an intimate environment with key suppliers from the travel industry, as well as members of the CruiseOne/Dream Vacations leadership team. Members of the Circle of Excellence attended a weeklong cruise as well as executives from the CruiseOne/Dream Vacations leadership team including Chief Operating Officer Debbie Fiorino, Senior Vice President and General Manager Drew Daly and Vice President of IT Sandi Szalay. Other VIP guests and trip sponsors included:

  • Lori Sheller-Ousley, senior vice president strategic sales and groups at MSC Cruises
  • Adolfo Perez, senior vice president, global sales and trade marketing, Carnival Cruise Line
  • Erin Douglas, senior director of strategic partnerships at Carnival Cruise Line
  • Laurie Bohn, associate vice president, national accounts, sales at Royal Caribbean International
  • Eva Jenner, vice president, sales at Holland America Line
  • Joe Eastep, senior director of business development at Oceania Cruises
  • Jason Douglas, director of key accounts at Crystal Cruises
  • Gina Garrett-Mancuso, director of national accounts at Norwegian Cruise Line
  • Cory Wallace, national accounts manager at Celebrity Cruises
  • Tracee Adams, director of national accounts at GoGo Vacations

“These wonderful reward trips are special for many reasons. For one, they allow us to interact with other top performers in a casual environment, where we can freely share practices and ideas for mutual benefit. For another, we get an opportunity to build relationships with our peers, our corporate executives, and the representatives who join us from our top suppliers. And lastly, we get to experience one or more travel products firsthand, which is always invaluable,” said 2018 Dream Vacations Franchisee of the Year and Circle of Excellence member Susan Pretkus-Combs of Trabuco Canyon, Calif. “This year AmaWaterways wowed us with their personal service and spectacular product. Lots of great memories are made on these trips, with many laughs and stories shared. Our photos can’t begin to capture the full essence of the experience.”

For more information on owning a CruiseOne/Dream Vacations travel franchise, please visit www.DreamVacationsFranchise.com or call 888-249-8235.

About CruiseOne® / Dream Vacations
A member of the International Franchise Association, the top-ranked home-based travel agency franchise CruiseOne® has been in operation since 1992, and its sister brand Dream Vacations launched in April 2016, giving franchisees a choice in how they want to brand their travel business. CruiseOne / Dream Vacations franchisees have the resources to plan and create seamless vacation experiences for their customers while offering the best value. CruiseOne / Dream Vacations is part of World Travel Holdings and has received partner of the year, a top-ranking status, by all the major cruise lines as well as national recognition for its support of military veterans. For more information, visit www.DreamVacationsFranchise.com. Like CruiseOne / Dream Vacations on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DreamVacationsFranchise, follow on Twitter at @Dream_Franchise and watch its videos at http://www.youtube.com/DreamVacationsBusiness.

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Reality TV Stars Captain Lee Rosbach And Kate Chastain Invite Fans To #Getondeck And Sail The Western Caribbean

Reality TV Stars Captain Lee Rosbach And Kate Chastain Invite Fans To #Getondeck And Sail The Western Caribbean

 Dream Vacations hosting 6-night Western Caribbean cruise aboard Celebrity Equinox

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (September 10, 2019) – Captain Lee Rosbach, TV’s most famous captain since Captain Stubing, and his trusty Chief Steward Kate Chastain are taking a cruise vacation and inviting their loyal fans to join them. Hosted by Dream Vacations, the #GetOnDeck Cruise sails aboard the Celebrity Equinox, which departs from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale on Sunday, June 14, 2020, for a 6-night voyage to the Western Caribbean.

“This cruise vacation is the only way for fans to set sail with Captain Lee and Kate on their dream vacation,” said Drew Daly, senior vice president and general manager of Dream Vacations. “I am most excited for the opportunity to spend time with my favorite TV personalities and reminisce with other fans about our favorite moments from past seasons.”

The #GetOnDeck Cruise will visit Key West, Fla.; George Town, Grand Cayman; and Cozumel, Mexico. Members of the group will have multiple opportunities to interact with and get to know Captain Lee and Kate Chastain. The #GetOnDeck Cruise will feature special exclusive activities such as meet and greets, book signings, themed parties, trivia, an intimate question and answer session and much more.

“We have the best fans in the world and I am excited to #GetOnDeck with them as we sail the Caribbean,” said Rosbach. “Thank you to Dream Vacations and Celebrity Cruises for making it possible.”

As part of World Travel Holdings, one of the nation’s top travel retail networks, Dream Vacations offers consumers the lowest possible pricing on cruise and land vacations through its relationships with every major cruise line and many tour operators.

Fares start at $1,544 per person for a balcony stateroom, are based on double occupancy and include an unlimited drink package and pre-paid gratuities. Space is limited; available on a first come, first serve basis; and cabins can only be booked into this group to receive the amenities. For more information about the #GetOnDeck Cruise, please visit www.GetOnDeckCruise.com or call 877-282-2953. 

About Dream Vacations
Travel agents with the top-ranked home-based travel agency franchise Dream Vacations have the resources to plan and create seamless vacation experiences for their customers while offering the best value. A member of the International Franchise Association, Dream Vacations is part of World Travel Holdings and has received partner of the year, a top-ranking status, by all the major cruise lines as well as national recognition for its support of military veterans. For more information, visit www.DreamVacations.com.

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Land Technology For Dream Vacations, CruiseOne And Cruises Inc. Reaches Milestone Development With Reservation Pull

Land Technology For Dream Vacations, CruiseOne And Cruises Inc. Reaches Milestone Development With Reservation Pull

Launched in partnership with GOGO Vacations

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (August 28, 2019) – Just five months after launching new land technology as a result of the continuous double-digit land vacation sales growth, Dream Vacations, CruiseOne and Cruises Inc. continue to create innovative systems that simplify the booking process for its home-based travel agents. Launching today at the 2019 Land Summit in Jamaica is a major milestone enhancement to its land technology with the addition of Reservation Pull functionality for all bookings made with GOGO Vacations.

“We all interact with technology every day and in this business providing agents with technology that allows for instant gratification, saves agents a ton of time and is most relevant to what they sell, is seen as table stakes,” said Sandi Szalay, vice president of information technology. “That is why we are on a mission to create a remarkable experience for both our agents and their customers.”

The Reservation Pull technology is already connected with all the major cruise lines, and this new development now adds land bookings to its capabilities. Travel agents who book with GOGO Vacations can now effortlessly capture the reservation details with a click of a button and it automatically drops the information directly in Dream Vacations, CruiseOne and Cruises Inc.’s My Cruise Control system. The agent benefits of this new tool include the elimination of duplicate entries, increased accuracy, giving agents time back to do more, a frictionless booking experience and decreases calls to the vendor.

“Improving the day-to-day work efficiencies of Dream Vacations, CruiseOne and Cruises Inc. agents selling land with GOGO Vacations was and will remain a top priority for us,” said Brennan Quesnele vice president of sales, GOGO Vacations. “As a result of our business alignments, collaboration and our great partnership with World Travel Holdings, we are honored and excited to have completed this important project milestone together. We look forward to their agents enjoying significant productivity gains as a result.”

The Reservation Pull system is compatible with the Land Booking technology which provides flexible reminders and payment schedules; creates customizable invoices and transactional emails; and offers the Travel Planner, an itinerary builder that creates detailed itineraries that customers can view on any browser and device, including an interactive mobile app.

“Our land technology package coupled with our reputation as the foremost leader in the industry has attracted many new travel agents to join our network,” said Drew Daly, senior vice president and general manager of Dream Vacations, CruiseOne, and Cruises Inc. “To continue our dominance as the best travel agency franchise and business opportunity, it is important that we not only build strong relationships with our agents, but also invest in and strengthen partnerships with suppliers through collaborations such as the Reservation Pull technology with GOGO Vacations.”

Those passionate about travel with an entrepreneurial spirit who would like to be part of a travel agency network that cares more about its agents and travelers, should visit www.DreamVacationsFranchise.com to learn about franchising with Dream Vacations and CruiseOne, and www.SellCruises.com to learn about becoming an independent vacation specialist with business opportunity Cruises Inc.

About Dream Vacations, CruiseOne® and Cruises Inc.®
Dream Vacations, CruiseOne® and Cruises Inc.® are part of World Travel Holdings, the nation’s largest cruise agency and award-winning leisure travel company. The Dream Vacations and CruiseOne franchise opportunities give entrepreneurs a choice in how they want to brand their travel business, and Cruises Inc. is an independent business opportunity. Both business models provide a work-from-home opportunity to those interested in selling all types of travel experiences whether it be a cruise, resort stay or land tour. With a mission of delivering a remarkable experience, travel agents with all three brands are given premium resources to plan and create a seamless vacation experience for the customer while offering the best value. For more information on Dream Vacations and CruiseOne, visit www.DreamVacationsFranchise.com, like the Facebook page www.facebook.com/DreamVacationsFranchise, follow on Twitter at @Dream_Franchise or watch its videos at www.youtube.com/DreamVacationsBusiness. For more information on Cruises Inc., visit www.SellCruises.com and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SellCruises.

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Willie Fernandez Promoted to General Manager/Vice President for Villas of Distinction®

Willie Fernandez Promoted to General Manager/Vice President for Villas of Distinction®

Fernandez now has full operational responsibility for Luxury Travel Holdings, the Luxury Villas division of World Travel Holdings

Wilmington, Mass. (August 27, 2019) – Dedicated to its “Guests First” approach, Villas of Distinction®, the world’s premier luxury villa rental company as part of World Travel Holdings, has announced a new leadership position. Willie Fernandez has been promoted to General Manager/Vice President of Luxury Travel Holdings, the Luxury Villas division of World Travel Holdings, overseeing all of its villa brands — signature villa brand Villas of Distinction, VillaRental.com, Jamaica Villas by Linda Smith and Bravo Holidays.

Fernandez now has full operational responsibility for Luxury Travel Holdings including the brand strategy and marketing initiatives for all of the luxury villa brands. He also oversees Sales, Technology and Operations. Since joining the Luxury Travel Holdings team, Fernandez has instituted key initiatives that have improved results including his trademark “Guests First” Service Program which has transformed the experience this division provides to its luxury villa guests.

“Travel is in my blood and my passion for providing premier customer service to our high-end luxury villa guests is what sets us apart from our competition,” said Willie Fernandez, general manager and vice president for Villas of Distinction. “For myself and my team, it is more than booking a villa, it is providing concierge-style service that creates once-in-a-lifetime, truly unique and immersive destination vacation experiences.”

Fernandez joined Luxury Travel Holdings in 2017 and brought with him more than 25 years of travel industry experience including 10 years previously working as Vice President of Marketing for World Travel Holdings’ House Brands division from 2006 to 2016.

“It has been wonderful to see Willie’s leadership in action, and his deep passion for serving our clients, travel partners and his team has already yielded phenomenal results,” said Jeff Smith, senior vice president of the luxury division for World Travel Holdings. “I am very excited about the positive enhancements and accomplishments we are seeing in 2019 and even more excited about what the future holds under Willie’s vision.”

Villas of Distinction partners with the travel agent community to sell this brand’s villas and has preferred status with Virtuoso, Signature, Ensemble and the Travel Leaders Select Villa program. VillaRental.com, Jamaica Villas by Linda Smith and Bravo Holidays sell direct-to-consumer.

To learn more about the luxury villas offered through Villas of Distinction, visit VillasofDistinction.com or to book villa vacations for you clients, call 1-800-289-0900.

About Villas of Distinction®
Villas of Distinction®, as part of World Travel Holdings, is an award-winning, full-service premier luxury villa provider with an extensive portfolio of thousands of privately-owned villas in more than 50 luxurious destinations including the Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii, Europe, Central America, the Continental United States and many private islands. Most villas feature private pools, butlers, maids and chefs. The luxury provider has gained its clients’ trust by ensuring every villa meets strict standards so that each home exceeds the guest’s expectations. For more than 25 years, Villas of Distinction’s team of experts have made vacation planning effortless by helping travelers find their perfect vacation home, and creating one-of-a-kind getaways and lasting memories at the world’s top villas. www.VillasofDistinction.com.

About World Travel Holdings
World Travel Holdings is the nation’s largest cruise agency and award-winning leisure travel company with a portfolio of more than 35 diverse brands. In addition to owning some of the largest brands distributing cruises, villas, resort vacations, car rentals, resort day passes and luxury travel services, World Travel Holdings has a vast portfolio of licensed private-label partnerships comprised of top leisure travel providers, including almost every U.S. airline, leading hotel brands and prominent corporations. The company also operates a top-rated travel agency franchise and the country’s original host agency, and is consistently recognized as an industry leader in work-at-home employment. Its global presence includes operating multiple cruise and vacation brands in the United Kingdom. World Travel Holdings has offices in Wilmington, Mass.; Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; Virginia Beach, Va.; New York, NY; and Chorley, England. For more information, visit WorldTravelHoldings.com.

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CruisesOnly® Turns 35, Celebrates with Exclusive “Double Cash” and “50 Percent More” Offers

CruisesOnly® Turns 35, Celebrates with Exclusive “Double Cash” and “50 Percent More” Offers

Customers who book through CruisesOnly can choose double cash on mainstream cruise lines, or 50 percent more on luxury and river lines   

Wilmington, Mass. (August 1, 2019) – In celebration of its 35th birthday, CruisesOnly is giving its customers a gift — adding “double cash” or “50 percent more” to its promotional offers for cruise bookings made August 1-4, 2019. What’s even better, these offers are combinable with the cruise lines current promotions.

For most mainstream cruise lines, customers can choose one of these perks — up to $2,000 Cash Back, up to a $1,500 Amazon Gift Card or an up to $1,500 onboard spending credit. For many luxury cruise lines and river cruises, customers have a choice of 50 percent more for Onboard Spending or 50 percent more Travel Credit, a credit applied to your booking after the cruise. Perk options offered are based on cruise line.

“More than two million customers have chosen CruisesOnly to help plan their ultimate cruise vacations in the past 35 years and for that, we are extremely grateful,” said Jeff Smith, senior vice president of customer care for CruisesOnly. “As a way to express our gratitude and thank our loyal customers we are offering a “gift” of exclusive travel perks to help enhance their next cruise vacation!”

Travel agents with CruisesOnly have access to exclusive offers as a result of its affiliation with World Travel Holdings, the nation’s largest cruise agency and award-winning leisure travel company. CruisesOnly’s team of travel professionals are highly trained and knowledgeable to assist in planning complex cruise vacations and matching customers to the right vacation experience.

“After booking hundreds of cruises with CruisesOnly we can confidently say you will not get the level of service they provide anywhere else,” said Billy and Bonnie Marchal. “Over the years we’ve built a great relationship with JJ, our travel agent, and have found her to be reliable, a problem solver and always anticipating our needs. It’s great to know you have someone who is always looking out for you and making sure you are well taken care of while giving us time back to enjoy dreaming about our next cruise. In the past we had booked with another travel agency, but after our experience with everyone at CruisesOnly we will not consider working with another agency again!”

To continue the celebration, CruisesOnly will be launching America’s Largest Cruise Sale later in August which will also include some of the best cruise offers in the marketplace.

To book your next cruise adventure and take advantage of these offers or for terms and conditions about these offers, please visit CruisesOnly.com or call 1-800-CRUISES (1-800-278-4737).

About CruisesOnly®
CruisesOnly® is America’s Largest Cruise Agency and the leading cruise brand of World Travel Holdings offering huge savings on brand-name cruises. Since 1984, CruisesOnly has offered travelers the very best in value and service by carefully matching each customer with their ideal cruise vacation. The agency’s award-winning website features an extensive selection of sailings aboard the world’s top cruise lines, plus in-depth information about each ship and a wealth of both customer and expert reviews. Users can compare prices for interior, oceanview, balcony, and suite accommodations at a glance, then book online or by telephone 24/7/365 with the assistance of highly qualified agents. CruisesOnly also offers customers both a Best Price Guarantee and a Satisfaction Guarantee with every booking.

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Dream Vacations, CruiseOne® and Cruises Inc.® Highest Ranked Travel Company in South Florida

Dream Vacations, CruiseOne® and Cruises Inc.® Highest Ranked Travel Company in South Florida

Recognized for the eighth year in a row on South Florida Business Journal’s Top 100 Private Companies List 

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (July 25, 2019) – Ranked 20th out of 100, Dream Vacations, CruiseOne and Cruises Inc. are the highest ranked travel agency business opportunity by regional magazine South Florida Business Journal on its annual Top 100 Private Companies list. These rankings are based on revenues for the past two years and this is the eighth year in a row Dream Vacations, CruiseOne and Cruises Inc. have made the list.

“Our solid track record as a leader in the business community coupled with our annual sales growth reaffirms our status as the best home-based travel business in the industry,” said Drew Daly, senior vice president and general manager of Dream Vacations, CruiseOne and Cruises Inc. “Our continued success and accomplishments can be attributed to our hardworking headquarters team who make it possible for everyday people to live the dream of selling travel.”

Dream Vacations, CruiseOne and Cruises Inc. provide business resources for entrepreneurs who want to pursue careers as home-based travel agents. With a team of subject-matter-experts on staff, the national leading travel agency opportunities create award-winning technology, training and marketing promotions that are designed to make it easy for travel agents to conduct business from anywhere in the world.

Those passionate about travel with an entrepreneurial spirit who would like to be part of a travel agency network that cares more about its agents and travelers, should visit www.DreamVacationsFranchise.com to learn about franchising with Dream Vacations and CruiseOne, and www.SellCruises.com to learn about becoming an independent vacation specialist with business opportunity Cruises Inc.

About Dream Vacations, CruiseOne® and Cruises Inc.®
Dream Vacations, CruiseOne® and Cruises Inc.® are part of World Travel Holdings, the nation’s largest cruise agency and award-winning leisure travel company. The Dream Vacations and CruiseOne franchise opportunities give entrepreneurs a choice in how they want to brand their travel business, and Cruises Inc. is an independent business opportunity. Both business models provide a work-from-home opportunity to those interested in selling all types of travel experiences whether it be a cruise, resort stay or land tour. With a mission of delivering a remarkable experience, travel agents with all three brands are given premium resources to plan and create a seamless vacation experience for the customer while offering the best value. For more information on Dream Vacations and CruiseOne, visit www.DreamVacationsFranchise.com, like the Facebook page www.facebook.com/DreamVacationsFranchise, follow on Twitter at @Dream_Franchise or watch its videos at www.youtube.com/DreamVacationsBusiness. For more information on Cruises Inc., visit www.SellCruises.com and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SellCruises.

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World Travel Holdings Acclaimed as One of the Achievers 50 Most Engaged Workplaces™ In North America

World Travel Holdings Acclaimed as One of the Achievers 50 Most Engaged Workplaces™ In North America

Eighth consecutive time recognized for innovative employee engagement programs 

Wilmington, Mass. (July 23, 2019) World Travel Holdings announces being named as one of the Achievers 50 Most Engaged Workplaces™ in North America. This annual award recognizes top employers that display leadership and innovation in engaging their workplaces.

“There are an unprecedented five generations in the workplace. Coupled with the fight for top talent at an all-time high, it’s more important than ever for organizations to put a greater focus on engaging their employees to drive positive business performance and culture. The companies we honor as the Achievers 50 Most Engaged Workplaces® have proven their forward-thinking directly leads to a more positive employee experience,” said Jeff Cates, CEO and president at Achievers. “Through the development of a people-first culture, the organizations listed epitomize an innovative, engaged and accomplished workforce, and we’re honored to add them to our growing roster of past winners.”

With more than 80 percent of its employees working virtually, developing creative engagement programs is a key contributor to World Travel Holdings’ continued success. An involved Executive Team that leads by example coupled with new personal and professional development opportunities launched regularly, excites and motivates employees to come to work each day.

“This year we re-invigorated our mission of ‘Deliver a Remarkable Experience’ by using its acronym D.A.R.E. in a challenge to employees to take our mission statement to new heights working toward our strategic direction,” said Loren Kennedy, senior vice president of human resources. “We found that components of D.A.R.E. can be found in nearly all eight elements of employee engagement which is why we named our Achievers entry ‘Dare to Achieve.’”

A panel of 10 esteemed judges comprised of employee engagement academics, industry analysts, thought leaders, journalists and influencers evaluated the applicants. Winners were selected based on Achievers’ Eight Elements of Employee Engagement™: Leadership; Communication; Culture; Rewards and Recognition; Professional and Personal Growth; Accountability and Performance; Vision and Values and Corporate Social Responsibility.

World Travel Holdings will be honored alongside other recipients of the Achievers 50 Most Engaged Workplaces® Award at an awards gala on September 9, 2019, at the Chicago Public Library – Harold Washington Library Center before the opening of this year’s Achievers Customer Experience (ACE) Conference. 

About Achievers
Achievers Employee Success Platform delivers proven tools for organizations of all sizes to align on values and strategic goals by empowering every employee as an owner of organizational culture and engagement. Built on behavioral science and real-world results from over a decade of engagement leadership, hundreds of global customers rely on Achievers’ dynamic employee recognition, coaching, and continuous listening tools for their people to feel valued and heard, to drive desired behaviors and ignite a positive corporate culture. Achievers provides organizations and managers with engagement intelligence to inform their actions and decisions every day.  To learn more about the Achievers platform, visit us at www.achievers.com. Achievers is a subsidiary of Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc.

About World Travel Holdings
World Travel Holdings is the nation’s largest cruise agency and award-winning leisure travel company with a portfolio of more than 35 diverse brands. In addition to owning some of the largest brands distributing cruises, villas, resort vacations, car rentals, resort day passes and luxury travel services, World Travel Holdings has a vast portfolio of licensed private-label partnerships comprised of top leisure travel providers, including almost every U.S. airline, leading hotel brands and prominent corporations. The company also operates a top-rated travel agency franchise and the country’s original host agency, and is consistently recognized as an industry leader in work-at-home employment. Its global presence includes operating multiple cruise and vacation brands in the United Kingdom. World Travel Holdings has offices in Wilmington, Mass.; Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; Virginia Beach, Va.; New York, NY; and Chorley, England. For more information, visit WorldTravelHoldings.com.

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Villas of Distinction® Adds New Destinations to Its Robust Collection

Villas of Distinction® Adds New Destinations to Its Robust Collection

Seven breathtaking villas in five unique bucket-list destinations added to the Villas of Distinction portfolio

Wilmington, Mass. (July 11, 2018) – Villas of Distinction®, the world’s premier luxury villa rental company as part of World Travel Holdings, announced today that it has added villas in South Africa, Spain, Fiji, Napa and Venice to its robust collection.

“We are always looking to add new, desirable and vacation-friendly destinations for our guests,” said Steve Lassman, vice president of villa product & agency relations for Villas of Distinction. “When adding villas, we ensure that each villa is personally inspected and vetted, and every villa is well maintained — is clean; has quality furnishings, linens and towels; and provides standard amenities that one would expect from a luxury villa.”

South Africa
The four-bedroom, four-bath The Manor House at Mont Rochelle sleeps eight and is in the perfect location to experience the local culture. Guests can take a 15-20-minute walk from the property and explore Franschhoek, a traditional small town known for its picturesque beauty. From interior design boutiques, craft shops and patisseries to lovely restaurants, art galleries and museums, there is lots to see and do. This villa, which features a beautiful vineyard and winery, is only a 45-minute drive to Cape Town and is within 35 minutes’ drive of the Stellenbosch, Paarl and Somerset West wine routes.

Spain
Three villas have been added in Mallorca, Spain – Son Balagueret at Son Bunyola, Sa Terra Rotja at Son Bunyola and Sa Punta de S’Aguila at Son Bunyola. Son Bunyola has a small pebble beach and is enjoyed by hikers walking the famous coastal track from Banyalbufar to Port des Canonge, the little fishing village just beyond the estate. Guests can immerse themselves in the culture by visiting the traditional Mallorcan villages of Banyalbufar and Esporles which are just a couple miles away from Son Bunyola, providing a variety of restaurants, tapas bars and other local amenities.

Fiji
Raiwasa Grand Villa is one of the world’s most exclusive and private hideaways. Sitting on three acres of land and perched high above the South Pacific, this villa boasts an awe-inspiring 180-degree view overlooking the Somosomo Straight and is surrounded by a lush tropical rainforest and swaying palm trees. Complementing the breathtaking views are the outstanding amenities included, which will put guests in complete relaxation mode — complimentary all-day room service; breakfast, lunch and five-course dinners; dedicated chefs with a combined 20 years of experience in prestigious five-star resorts; free cooking classes and more.

Napa
Perfect for a wine-loving girlfriend’s getaway, The Villa at The Estate Yountville, resides on 22 acres of the most coveted Wine Country addresses, and has five-bedrooms, five-bathrooms and sleeps 10 guests. While the villa is private with its own pool and hot tub, guests have access to Hotel Villagio which is within walking distance and offers an array of additional amenities including a daily Wine Country-style breakfast each morning; complimentary wine tastings Friday and Saturday evenings in the Vintage House Lobby; access to Spa Villagio; and complimentary 24-hour access to the hotel’s fitness center.

Venice
Doge, a canal-side, four-story palazzo with a private deck on the lagoon is set in the historic Castello Orientale area of Venice. The location and feel of this villa truly allows guests to experience the Venetian culture. It is just a short walk from the bustling Piazza San Marco, a hidden and still unexploited area of the authentic local life of Venice and worlds away from the touristy areas. Guests will enjoy the sights, sounds and beauty of Venice — 11 steps from the upper floor leads to a 150-square-foot rooftop terrace, perfect for enjoying the amazing views of Venice while relaxing with dinner or drinks; a waterfront deck; large terrace for al fresco dining; and a small garden.

To learn more about these newly added destinations offered through Villas of Distinction, visit VillasofDistinction.com or to book a villa vacation, call 1-800-289-0900.

About Villas of Distinction®
Villas of Distinction®, as part of World Travel Holdings, is an award-winning, full-service premier luxury villa provider with an extensive portfolio of thousands of privately-owned villas in more than 50 luxurious destinations including the Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii, Europe, Central America, the Continental United States and many private islands. Most villas feature private pools, butlers, maids and chefs. The luxury provider has gained its clients’ trust by ensuring every villa meets strict standards so that each home exceeds the guest’s expectations. For more than 25 years, Villas of Distinction’s team of experts have made vacation planning effortless by helping travelers find their perfect vacation home, and creating one-of-a-kind getaways and lasting memories at the world’s top villas. www.VillasofDistinction.com.

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Resort for a Day’s Revamped Website Enhances Resort Day Pass Shopping Experience

Resort for a Day’s Revamped Website Enhances Resort Day Pass Shopping Experience

Fifty-four percent of the brand’s mobile users will enjoy the vastly improved mobile experience when searching for and booking a resort day pass 

Wilmington, Mass. (July 9, 2019) – Resort for a Day, the largest distributor of resort day-pass shore excursions in the Caribbean, Bahamas, Bermuda and Mexico for cruise passengers, announces the launch of a completely redesigned website — www.ResortforaDay.com.

The revamped site’s design not only provides a more user-friendly experience, its beachy-feel and color scheme screams “vacation getaway” and entices users to purchase a resort day pass for a relaxing shore excursion experience. In addition, the enhanced search functionality makes it easier for guests to leisurely or quickly search by destination, cruise line, ship, cruise date and length of cruise. The interior destination pages offer a quick snapshot of the price per adult, price per child and whether the resort is family friendly; all inclusive; if it offers motorized watersports; and if there is free Wi-Fi available. When clicking on a particular resort, guests will receive more robust information about the resort’s features, what is included with the day pass and even customer reviews.

“We redesigned the site with both our guests and travel agent partners in mind,” said Lynn Walters, product manager for Resort for a Day. “We want to take the stress out of vacation planning so our top priority is to ensure a user-friendly experience when researching, planning and booking our resort day passes, and we achieved this with the new site.”

Many travelers are cruising with a large group of friends or family. The new site makes it easy for parties of 10 or more to register a group and take advantage of a group discount. In addition, Professional Travel Agents now have an improved and more user-friendly Portal making it easier to book resort day passes for their clients. Also, travel agents receive a 10 percent commission on every resort day pass booked.

To learn more about Resort for a Day or to book a resort day pass, visit ResortForADay.com or call 1-800-887-6620.

About Resort for a Day
Resort for a Day is the largest distributor of resort day passes giving cruise customers the unique opportunity to spend their day at some of the best resorts; all conveniently located in over 20 of the most cruise ports throughout the Caribbean, Bahamas, Bermuda, Hawaii, Mexican Riviera and more. Resort for a Day works with travel agents and agencies nationwide, offering commission on all Resort for a Day passes. Resort for a Day is part of World Travel Holdings in Massachusetts and offers live travel agent and customer support assistance seven days a week. For more information, visit the newly redesigned website at www.ResortforaDay.com.

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Travel Agent Training Program Achieves High Remarks and Wins Nationwide Award

Travel Agent Training Program Achieves High Remarks and Wins Nationwide Award

Dream Vacations, CruiseOne and Cruises Inc.’s on-demand training system “The Learning Center” Wins Lenny Award from Litmos 

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (July 2, 2019) – Continuing education is more important than ever in the travel agent industry and the Dream Vacations, CruiseOne and Cruises Inc. on-demand travel agent training portal, The Learning Center, was recently recognized with a Lenny Award from SAP Litmos, the world’s fastest growing enterprise learning solution.   

The Lenny Award celebrates exceptional businesses using training to create positive experiences for customers every day. Out of hundreds of submissions from all different industries, The Learning Center won the “Best Customer Training Program” award for giving its customers (the network of Dream Vacations and CruiseOne franchise owners and Cruises Inc. independent agents) the tools and knowledge to succeed as work-from-home travel agents.

“What makes this award even more special is that it was determined by education experts, further validating that we have the most robust continuing education curriculum for travel agents,” said Dustin Jones, vice president of engagement for Dream Vacations, CruiseOne and Cruises Inc. “A record-breaking number of our agents are using The Learning Center each year and their studying is paying off – literally. Our travel agents are among the most successful in the industry.”

The Learning Center is a robust online learning management system providing new and seasoned vacation specialists ongoing educational opportunities which can be completed at their own pace and on their own time. Using live video, interactive technology training and assessments, The Learning Center features more than 926 modules. Topics covered include product courses covering itineraries, cruise lines and land vendors; technology tips for the My Cruise Control proprietary booking engine; soft sales skills training; and introductory-level refresher classes. New classes are continuously added to reflect industry and product changes; new tools and programs offered by Dream Vacations, CruiseOne and Cruises Inc.; and recordings of live webinars for those who were unable to attend.

Those passionate about travel with an entrepreneurial spirit who would like to be part of a travel agency network that cares more about its agents and travelers, should visit www.DreamVacationsFranchise.com to learn about franchising with Dream Vacations and CruiseOne, and www.SellCruises.com to learn about becoming an independent vacation specialist with business opportunity Cruises Inc.

About Dream Vacations, CruiseOne® and Cruises Inc.®
Dream Vacations, CruiseOne® and Cruises Inc.® are part of World Travel Holdings, the nation’s largest cruise agency and award-winning leisure travel company. The Dream Vacations and CruiseOne franchise opportunities give entrepreneurs a choice in how they want to brand their travel business, and Cruises Inc. is an independent business opportunity. Both business models provide a work-from-home opportunity to those interested in selling all types of travel experiences whether it be a cruise, resort stay or land tour. With a mission of delivering a remarkable experience, travel agents with all three brands are given premium resources to plan and create a seamless vacation experience for the customer while offering the best value. For more information on Dream Vacations and CruiseOne, visit www.DreamVacationsFranchise.com, like the Facebook page www.facebook.com/DreamVacationsFranchise, follow on Twitter at @Dream_Franchise or watch its videos at www.youtube.com/DreamVacationsBusiness. For more information on Cruises Inc., visit www.SellCruises.com and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SellCruises.

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