TRAVEL SPECIALISTS

Kathy has been with Central Travel for 8 years and has traveled extensively.  However, her true passion is helping couples plan the perfect Honeymoon or Destination Wedding!  She has planned many wedding and honeymoon trips to Mexico, the Caribbean, and Hawaii.  She can facilitate the renewal of vows for that special anniversary too.  She loves to help clients with their romantic dream trips!

In addition to being a Sandals Certified Specialist, she holds a Honeymoon & Destination Wedding (LS) designation from The Travel Institute.  Kathy is located in the Promenade Shops office on Monroe Street in Sylvania, OH and can be reached at 419 471-2800, 800 826-3930 or kathryn@centraltravel.com

Kathy has experienced many of the islands of the Caribbean.  She has traveled to Punta Cana, Jamaica, Barbados, Mustique, St. Thomas, Bahamas, Puerto Rico and St. Lucia.  In addition, she has spent time in the gorgeous destinations of the Riviera Maya and Ixtapa in Mexico.  Kathy has also enjoyed the exquisite beauty of Maui and Oahu in Hawaii.  Many of the resorts she has visited offer perfect honeymoon and anniversary packages, and she can help you find the one that is right for you!

Whether you are interested in a Destination Wedding, Honeymoon, or a Special Anniversary trip, Kathy can help you make it the perfect and memorable romantic event!

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit enchanting Jamaica, which is one of my favorite island paradise destinations!  This was my 5th visit to the island, and was fortunate to visit some of the most romantic and luxurious properties on Jamaica.  It is a perfect honeymoon destination!

In Montego Bay, I visited  "Half Moon" resort, the "Ritz Carlton Rose Hall", and the "Grand Lido Braco". From there we went to Ocho Rios, where we perused the gorgeous grounds and accommodations at the "Royal Plantation", as well as the newly renovated "Sandals Dunn's River Villaggio".   From there we traveled to the south coast of Jamaica and toured "Sandals Whitehouse", which was a breathtaking property!  After that we proceeded to Negril, an area of Jamaica that is famous for it's laid-back easy going nature and fabulous beaches!  The properties we visited were the secluded  and private hideaway of the "Negril Beach Villa', "Grand Lido Negril",  "Beaches Negril" and "Sandals Negril".

Marilyn has been to Jamaica several times, The Canadian Rockies, Walt Disney World and has cruised the Caribbean on Celebrity, Holland America and Princess.  She enjoys Las Vegas as well and visits this fun destination at least annually.

Her true expertise is in Honeymoons and Destination Weddings.  You might say Marilyn specializes in "special moments."  She loves to help clients with their honeymoon dream trips! She has planned several honeymoon trips to Hawaii and the Caribbean. She can facilitate the renewal of vows for that special anniversary too. 

Whether you are considering your first journey to Africa or a repeat visit to the land you have come to love, Genie Williams, our South Africa Specialist will make your trip special.

Given any destination in the world, Ms. Williams would choose Africa!  She has experienced the amazing diversity of cultures and animal life and these experiences keep her longing to return. Quite familiar with the finest accommodations available, Genie can recommend the Private Tent or Lodge Safari that is perfect for you.

She is especially fond of South Africa and recommends the Mala Mala Game Reserve, one of South Africa's premier game parks where game viewing is available in open land rovers and on walking safaris.
 
And you must spend time in Capetown! The city's history and culture, encapsulated these days in distinctive neighborhoods like the Bo-Kaap or on Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, offer experiences of a lifetime. 

Ms. Williams holds an Africa Destination Specialist Certificate from The Travel Institute and Virtuoso's prestigious S.T.A.R. South Africa Designation.

Although the name Sarah Rosenberger may not sound Irish, the enchanting lands of this wonderful country have captured her soul!

Sarah has seen landscapes painted with a thousand shades of green creating a lush backdrop for historic castles, tranquil waterways, and quaint villages. Some of her favorite cities are Adare, Cork, Dublin, Kenmare, Killarney, Kildare, Newmarket on Fergus and Shannon. In addition, she has visited many Virtuoso properties including: Hayfield Manor, The Merrion Hotel, The Kildare (The K Club), Sheen Falls Lodge and the Four Seasons of Dublin. 

Sarah has worked extensively with Brendan Worldwide Vacations and has arranged numerous independent and escorted tours throughout Ireland. Using her personal experience, she can guide you to the vacation experience that's right for you.  Should you climb Blarney Castle and kiss the Blarney Stone, visit Powescourt Gardens or visit Queenstown to trace your ancestors roots? Contact Sarah Rosenberger, our Ireland Specialist!

Ms. Rosenberger, CTA, DS, holds an Ireland Specialist designation and is a member of the Shamrock Club.

Jani Is located in the Heatherdowns Blvd office in Toledo and can be reached at 419 897-2070 ext. 110. 800 633-5577 ext. 110 or jani@centraltravel.com

In addition to being a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC), Ms. Miller holds a Destination Specialist certification for Africa, an Adventure Travel Lifestyle Specialist certification and is a Certified Lifestyle Specialist for Golf.  She has been listed as one Travel+Leisure’s A-List Agents for the past 5 years as a golf specialist.  Locally she is a member of Stone Oak Country Club and the Toledo Women’s Golf District Association.

Some of her favorite golf destinations include:

• The Lodge at Sea Island which features 54 holes of extraordinary championship golf.
• The island of Lanai is a golfer’s dream with The Experience at Koele and The Challenge at Manele Bay and The Lodge ay Koele is just the best!
• The Ritz Carlton Kapalua Resort, one of the few in Hawaii to offer three 18-hole championship layouts - The Bay, The Village and The Plantation.
• The White Witch in Jamaica – stay at The Ritz, Half Moon or Round Hill.
• Torrey Pines Lodge where you received guaranteed tee times at both the North and the South course. 
• Bermuda – stay at Cambridge Beaches and play Mid Ocean Club, the new Belmont Hills, Port Royal, Riddell’s Bay and St George’s Golf Club.
• The Ritz at Amelia Island - play The Golf Club of Amelia Island, Fernandina Golf Club, Osprey Cove, and Royal Amelia Golf Links.
• The Gleneagles Hotel which features the challenge of the King's, the secluded charms of the Queen's, or the  nine  hole Wee Course.  The exceptional PGA Centenary Course designed by Jack Nicklaus is the venue for the 40th Ryder Cup matches in 2014.
• The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas which offers The Falls Golf Club and The Reflection Bay Golf Club. 
• The Homestead in Hot Springs which features The Cascades Course, The Lower Cascades, and The Old Course.
• The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island which is a golfer’s paradise with five competitively designed master golf courses.

She hosted a golfing group to South Africa in March of 2006. The group played The Links at Fancourt, Pezula, Gary Player Country Club at Sun City and Arabella.  South Africa has some of the best golf in the world!

In September of 2007 I had the opportunity to go back to Africa for my 4th visit.  The highlight was gorilla trekking in Rwanda.  I went with Volcanoes Safaris and stayed at Virunga Lodge.  We went trekking for two days with Francios, the most experienced guide in the business who actually worked with Diann Fossey.  We visited the Kwitonda family which included an 8 week old baby! 

Following Rwanda, I went on safari in Tanzania at 3 different camps, staying at Sasakwa Lodge in Grumeti Reserves, Mwagusi Camp in Ruaha National Park and Sand Rivers Camp situated on the banks of the Rufiji River in the Selous Game Reserve.  The Tanzania private journey was arranged with Brad Horn of Epic Private Journeys. This was a custom trip hosted by Rob Barbour, a partner in Epic. Rob was awesome and I would highly recommend a private guide for this type of adventure. Rob spoke perfect Swahili and took care of every detail. He made the trip extra special!

Royal Caribbean International is a great cruise line for people of all ages: families or couples. Their Voyager and Freedom-class ships are some of the most imaginative ships at sea with ice-skating rinks, rock-climbing walls, flow-riders, mini-golf courses and more! I was very impressed with the Royal Promenade, a long row of shops and restaurants that run right down the middle of the ship. I really enjoyed my promenade cabin- an inside cabin with a view! These cabins feature a bay window overlooking the Royal Promenade which is the best seat for viewing the parade!

Renee visited the Western Caribbean on her RCCL cruise with ports of call in Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Jamaica, and Royal Caribbean’s private beach- Labadee. Climbing the waterfalls at Dunn’s River in Jamaica is not to be missed!

Carnival is a wonderful cruise line for all ages. They have a great kids program, Camp Carnival, designed for kids aged 2 through 14 which offer fun activities like pizza parties, movies, scavenger hunts, dances and karaoke. Carnival has 22 floating resorts to choose from, visiting many exciting ports of call in nearly every area of the world! I had a great time seeing all of their nightly Broadway-style shows and sampling the midnight buffet!

Renee sailed to Key West during her CCL cruise and loved how beautiful and quaint it was! During her stop in Cozumel she took a shore excursion to see the Mayan ruins in Tulum and would highly recommend it.

Holland America has a fleet of elegant and spacious ships which offer 5-star service. Their ships are filled with fresh-cut flowers and original art-work. The service is wonderful, very attentive and friendly staff. The dining is superb. I loved their private island, Half Moon Cay.
    
Renee has visited Glasgow and Edinburgh, Scotland. Her favorite thing about Glasgow is the people. They are all so down-to-earth and friendly- very eager and willing to talk about their country, customs, etc. St. George’s square was the perfect place to sit and people watch or explore the numerous shops around the square. The train ride from Glasgow to Edinburgh showcases the beautiful, lush green countryside. As the train pulls into Edinburgh, you can look up and see Edinburgh Castle perched upon Castle Rock, an ancient volcanic mound. I visited Edinburgh Castle, which features the Scottish Crown Jewels, and stayed at one of the most luxurious and magnificent hotels in Edinburgh, The Balmoral. The architecture of Edinburgh is beautiful, dating back to the 12^th century in the Old Town section of the city. Lots of shopping, restaurants and theatre, and tourist attractions make Edinburgh an exciting place to visit.

My favorite destination by far is Walt Disney World. I have visited Disney World numerous times, both with and without children and have found that there are many activities, shows, and dining experiences which can be enjoyed by adults and children alike. I have stayed at the Caribbean Beach Resort, Port Orleans French Quarter, Port Orleans Riverside and have visited many of the other Disney Resorts. I’ve also experienced many of Disney’s dining options, including several Character Meals and would highly recommend having breakfast with Mickey Mouse or Pooh Bear as a great way to start your day!

My greatest piece of advice for visiting Disney World is plan ahead! In a theme park which encompasses 47 square miles, I feel that planning your days is essential to seeing and doing all that you wish to during your vacation. I love to help people plan their Disney itineraries and make the very most of their time in “the World”!

Have you ever dreamed of touching a baby gray whale or walking down a trail in the jungle with a Spider Monkey following in your foot steps? I had those dreams and my dreams came true.

My name is Lisa Brossia and I have spent the past 10 years working on small ships where I had many wonderful opportunities to be personal and up close with nature – hiking side by side with a brown bear and her two clubs, and sitting on a beach with 200,000 penguins are examples of some of my life changing moments.  My tenure on small ships includes Clipper Cruise Lines, Cruise West and Linblad Expeditions. I have also worked closely with Zegrahms Expeditions and Tauck.

Gabrielle Warncke loves to travel and she is passionate about Australia!  She has been named to Travel + Leisure's A List of 125 Travel Super-Agents both in 2002 and 2003 for her specialty in Australian travel.

She has concentrated her travels on the eastern coast of Australia. Some of her favorites are Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Cairns, Port Douglas, The Great Barrier Reef, and Melbourne.

When will you find the market in the Rock's?  What's the best seafood restaurant in Darling Harbor?  Gabrielle knows and loves to share her knowledge.  She has been a guest at Lilianfels Blue Mountain Resort in Katoomba, explored Queensland, and highly recommends the Port Douglas area for a few days.  The Daintree Rainforest by 4WD is a must and how about having "Breakfast with the Birds" in the Palm Cove area?   

Darlene Harrison loves to cruise!  She has cruised with Holland America, Carnival, NCL, Princess and Royal Caribbean exploring the Caribbean and Alaska.

One of her favorites is Alaska sailing with Holland America.  The scenery is spectacular day and night; mountains, glaciers, whales and wildlife. Talk about shore excursions!  Choose from a riverboat ride, helicopter flightseeing, the gold dredge tour, sportfishing, and glaciers to name just a few. Alaska cruises can also be combined with landtours to the interior of Alaska to visit Denali National Park.

Darlene looks forward to making your next cruise the best trip of your life!

As an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, Dianne Cordell is your source for a Disney Vacation!  To say she's earned her "ears" is an understatement!

Dianne will help you sort through the many options of a “Magical Gathering” and custom design your Disney Vacation to create memories of a lifetime.  She has visited Disney many times over the last several years and has personal knowledge of the resorts, activities, dining venues and more.

Would you enjoy La Nouba by Cirque du Soleil or the Hoop-dee-do musical revue?  Should you stay at the Grand Floridian or the Yacht and Beach Club?  Where is the best place to view the fireworks at Epcot?  Should your “Magical Gathering” include a Disney Cruise Line component?  So many choices!

Honeymoons, anniversaries or family reunions, Dianne has first hand experience of making a family vacation special.  Ask her children!

Amy has been with Central Travel for 14 years, and travel is one of her favorite things to do!   She holds a Destination Specialist designation for the Caribbean and Alaska. She also holds Specialist certificates for several cruise lines including NCL, Princess, Holland America, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity.  She has completed hotel specialist programs for Palace Resorts, Prince Resorts and Sandals. She has also completed courses for the Walt Disney World Travel Company, and is an Aruba Certified Expert.

Amy is located in the Findlay, OH office and can be reached at 419-424-8947, 800-292-9456, or amy@centraltravel.com

Amy has spent time in the Bahamas, Jamaica, St. Kitts, and Puerto Rico. She has also traveled several times to Toronto, Canada.  She has sailed on inaugural sailings on three of Royal Caribbean's newest ships: Adventure of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, and Liberty of the Seas.

She enjoys helping plan vacations for everyone from honeymoon couples to families to "empty nesters".  Her favorite U.S. destination is Las Vegas, and she enjoys cruising.  Whether you want to spend your time on a sun drenched island or sailing the high seas, Amy can help you plan the trip of a lifetime!

In December of 2007 I sailed on Carnival's Destiny with my family.  We sailed from San Juan to St. Thomas, Dominicana, Barbados, St. Lucia and Antigua.

Fresh off a multi-million dollar refurbishment, the Carnival Destiny is better than ever and packed with places to have fun. With three pools, a variety of eateries, lounges, nightclubs, a friendly casino, duty-free shopping and Spa Carnival, a cruise on this amazing "Fun Ship" is the vacation you were born to take. You might even say it's your Destiny! 

Mary's true expertise is with Crystal Cruises.  She loves this luxury line and know just how to make your Crystal Cruise special. 

With a winning formula for success, Crystal Cruises consistently ranks among the top luxury properties in the world. The line, in just 15 years, has won an unprecedented number of top awards from such prestigious publications as Condé Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure, among others. Crystal's fleet of luxurious vessels includes the 940-guest sister ships Crystal Harmony and Crystal Symphony and the 1,080-guest Crystal Serenity.

Mary is a Crystal Cruise Specialist and enjoys cruising personally with her family and friends.

Karen Olson-Vermillion loves to travel and enjoys Adventure travel.  She has hiked, biked and skied in a number of areas around the world.

She has been to the islands of Hawaii numerous times and knows all the fun things to do!  As avid skier, she lived in St Lake City and spent many days on the ski slopes in the area.  Karen has also been to The Canadian Rockies a number of times and loves Lake Louise. 

Are you a thrill seeker, a travel lover or simply an activity-focused traveler?  Karen’s expertise in biking, walking/hiking or anytype of active vacation promises the right recommendation for your next adventure travel experience.

I have recently returned from a wonderful experience with the German National Tourist Board exploring the Romantic Road!

A trade route during the middle ages, Germany's Romantic Road still retains much of its medieval character. The road often winds through forgotten sections of countryside, connecting walled towns and picturesque villages. Travelers may enter a town through an arched gateway complete with guard towers. Inside, you will find gothic cathedrals, half-timbered fachwerk houses, beautiful historic hotels and often a medieval festival.

Stay at least one or more nights in a historic hotel In Rothenburg o.d.T. -- The Best Preserved Medieval Town In Germany. The sparsely populated Rothenburg - Weikersheim Region - has an abundance of historic sights including a palace with the best Baroque Garden In Germany. Farther south at the foot of the Alps, you will find Ludwig II's fairytale castle Neuschwanstein and the popular musical theater Neuschwanstein.

I fell in love with the Romantic Road and would be happy to assist you with your next trip!

Sue Woolford loves to cruise and she is passionate about the South Pacific!  Cruising through French Polynesia for 16-days has been one of her most memorable experiences.

Swimming with the sharks in Bora Bora was only topped by the soft velvety feel of the sting rays while swimming off Moorea.  Sue recommends a private motu tour while in the islands, complete with authentic picnic lunch and one-on-one instruction on the art of tying a Pareus.

The islands of Huihine, Raiatea and Taha'a are quiet islands that offer many excursions, one of which is visiting the pearl farms.  Sue recommends a circle island tour of the island of Tahiti and can arrange for a private car and driver. 

There are a number of options when cruising the South Pacific.  She has the expertise to assure your vacation exceeds your expectations!

Mary Jo’s second love is theater.  Having sung professionally in musical theater, she really knows her stuff when it comes to New York, London, or Chicago theater.  Just ask…she’ll even sing you a little bit from your favorite show.   Speaking of New York, Mary Jo has visited many times.  You’ll really appreciate her expert advice.

Mary Jo is located at our Sylvania OH office and can be reached at 419 471-2800, 800 826-3930 or maryjo@centraltravel.com 

I have recently returned from a lovely stay at the new  Iberostar Grand Paraiso in the Mayan Riveria! This property laps the shores of Playa Paraiso, and is located only 30 minutes from the Cancun International Airport.

The Facilities include:

- 312 spacious luxurious appointed Suites - Personalized Butler and Concierge Services - Beach and Pool side Butlers   * Fresh towels, tanning products, spray mists and literature   * Refreshments and Food Service - 6 Bars serving premium liquors and imported beers - Unlimited fine dining at your choice of 4 a la carte Restaurants plus international market buffet - World class Spa experiences   * Private couples oriented spa treatments   * Full amenity spa with preferred VIP access - International Shopping Plaza - 18-hole P.B. Dye designed Championship Golf Course.

I would love to assist you with your next vacation to the Mayan Riveria.  Call me today for an appointment!

Twelve years ago Holly made her first trip to Paris.  France quickly became her passion, her favorite place on earth!  She is a Certified Maison de la France Agent and since that first excursion, she has made nearly 25 trips to France, every trip including time in Paris. While touring in the Loire Valley, Alsace/Champagne, Burgundy, Bordeaux and the South of France, she has learned the culture, language and where to go and what to do.

Sharing this information with people planning their French vacation is more than a job, it's a great pleasure; and one that Holly would like to share with you. Whether you are going for pleasure or business, for the first time or 100th time; whether you want to climb the Eiffel Tower, explore chateaux and vineyards or barge the rivers and canals, please, give Holly a call. Together you can plan a perfect trip, fulfilling (and hopefully exceeding) your expectations.