Gypsea Travels, LLC

06/15/2024

Because in the grand scheme of things, THIS is my WHY!! I know we all have different circumstances, but this right here is why I work so hard!! 8 years in the business and I am JUST starting to create boundaries. If you don’t, you’ll miss out on the reason WHY you work so hard 💙

06/12/2024

This came in from one of my colleagues, PLEASE READ!!

I was a flight attendant for 10 years and I have a lot of friends in the industry that are still flying. This is certainly travel related so I thought I’d share. AND yes all of my flight attendant (American Airlines) friends are planning on a strike if they don’t get a contract. It looks like Alaska Airlines flight attendants could be striking as well.

Be prepared.Summer of Hell Travel Tips, for my non-airline peeps!

🗣FYI (We may go on strike this summer)📢

**Just some good advice for those who plan to travel this summer: READ THIS PLEASE!!

Flying this summer is very ROUGH!!! I feel like as a Flight Attendant I should attempt to share some tips to get you through airline travel for the foreseeable future. ✈️✈️

1. Things are not good..... if its less than 7 hours - consider driving! I'm not kidding. There is nothing enjoyable about flying right now. On any airline. If you must fly, keep reading. 🚗

2. Download and use the app of the airline you are flying. You can do everything on it - get your boarding pass, track your bags, see your incoming plane, and change a flight. It sure beats waiting in the long line to talk to an agent! Trust me - Usually these apps will tell you a flight is cancelled before the crew even knows! 📲

3. Fly MUCH earlier than you need to - a whole day early if it’s important!! This summer we’ve all seen many people miss important things like weddings, funerals, cruises, international connections, and graduations. The tears are very real, for very real reasons, and there was nothing anyone can do! If you have to be somewhere, spend the extra money, go a day early. Have a glass of wine and stay in a hotel, enjoy your night not being stressed while everyone else might be. 🍷

4. ALWAYS try and fly the first flight in the morning so you have all day to be rebooked if the 💩 hits the fan. Yes, that means it might be a 3:00 alarm, but morning flights don't cancel nearly as often.⏰

5. This is not unique to this year, but keep in mind summer is thunderstorm season, especially if your connecting in DFW/CLT/ATL/MIA/NYC. A single storm can shut down a whole airport. We can't fly through them. Storms usually build as the day gets later. Book early flights! ⛈

6. Schedule longer layovers - Your 1 hour layover is NOT enough anymore. 30 minutes, not a chance. 3 hours minimum. 🏃‍♀️🏃🏃‍♂️

7. What you see on the news is an understatement. We are short staffed and overworked. Not just pilots and flight attendants, but also ground crews. Without ground crews there is no one to park the planes, drive jetways, get your bags on/off planes, or scan boarding passes. This causes many delays that snowball throughout the day. Sometimes HOURS.(Another reason morning flights are best!) 👀

8. When flight crews get delayed we time out. We can NOT fly longer than 15-16 hours. We go illegal. So it doesn't matter if you have a wedding to get to, when we are done we are done. The way things are now, there are no back up crews, so when this happens your flight cancels. (Now you are starting to see why those morning flights are best!) 😴

9. Big hub connections are rough (DFW/CLT/EWR/ATL/MIA/JFK). It can be literal hell. You have a 50/50 chance your flight will cancel or missing your connection if anything is late.

10. Be nice. As stated above, we are overworked and tired. Its very hard to help you if you are mean or rude and some will NOT help you. No one cares that you are going to miss your cruise if you are an jerk. So even if we can help, we will save our help for someone nice. Tensions are high. Patience is thin. If you act crazy - you will not be flying on our planes. We will leave you behind without a second thought. 🥰

11. Being drunk on an airplane is a federal offense, so don't overdo it. If you drink too much at the bar while waiting for your delayed flight, you risk not being allowed to fly at all. We are all too tired to deal with your drunkness when we have legitimate issues to deal with. 🍻

12. BUY trip insurance if you have a lot of money invested. I hate the whole idea of this, but I also hate the idea of losing money. Example: A flight yesterday waited over an hour for a gate. A family of 8 missed their flight to Rome. The only flight of the day. They were going to a cruise which they would now miss. They were all crying, there was nothing I could do. (Also a reason to fly a day early!) 🛳

13. Flights are FULL. If you buy the cheap seats you will not be able to sit with your family. It says so when you purchase your ticket!! Flight Attendants aren't there to rearrange the whole plane just so you can sit with your family because you tried to save $100 on a third party website. 💸

14. Speaking of third party websites and saving money..... Like I said flights are FULL. If a flight is oversold, and no one volunteers to give up their seats, who do you think is the first to be bumped? You guessed it, the family that saved a few $$ by using sites like Expedia, Kayak, Hotwire etc. 🤷‍♀️

15. Pack smart. Don't be "That person" Don't hold up boarding because you have your extenders open till they are busting and you can't figure out how to make it fit in the overhead. (Passengers are stressed too, they can be aggressive when boarding a delayed flight) 🛍

16. Take showers, brush your teeth, leave the perfume off, don't eat stinky food (caesar salad and tuna fish I'm talking to you!), and bring headphones. Trust me. These things sound basic, but add to stress on crowded planes. If you are stuck on the tarmac for 3 hours after a 4 hour flight, you will thank me for this. 👍🏼

17. Bring a sweater if you tend to be cold. So tired of half dressed folks asking to turn the heat up. NO. Wear clothes!! 🥶

18. Thats not water on the bathroom floor. For the love of God, PLEASE wear shoes to the bathroom!!! 🤮

19. Don't tell a Flight Attendant they look tired. We are and we know it! 😭

20. Happy Travels!

05/18/2024

I had the great opportunity to attend the Grand Opening of the Catskill Pickleball Center.
If you’re in the area, check out this amazing facility!

05/01/2024

To all my amazing colleagues, Happy National Travel Agent Day!!

We create spectacular memories every day ❤️

11/10/2023

Dana Dziegiel, Owner – Gypsea Travels, LLC – Utica, NY


I am here today on the beautiful Discovery Princess sailing in Alaska with Dana Dziegiel. Dana is the owner of Gypsea Travels LLC. Dana, thank you so much for taking the time today to share your story with our readers.

Joanie: “Can you share how long you’ve been working with Avoya?”

Dana: “I have been with Avoya Travel for seven years.”

Joanie: “So, how did you choose Avoya to be your host agency, were you already a travel advisor?”

Dana: “No, I was not in travel at that time. I had actually studied travel and tourism after high school thinking that was going to be my career choice. I did not pursue it though. However, I seemed to always be planning trips for my family and friends.

I remember years ago I was planning a trip to Turks and Caicos for my family. We wanted to go to Club Med. I called Club Med directly and the call rolled over to an Avoya IA! We had a great conversation but I told her the price she was offering was the same as Club Med directly online, so I would just book it with Club Med. Then I thought to myself, why would I do that when she has experience selling it? So, I booked with her.

Fast forward years later and her and I became friends. She passed away a few years ago, and I really miss her. She was so helpful to me.

Joanie: “That is a great story! After you decided to pursue travel, who did you speak with at Avoya?”

Dana: “I spoke with Skip Fortier, Vice President of Network Expansion at Avoya. He was so helpful. He put me in touch with Chris Greene the Director of Network Expansion. Chris was great and really helped me to get my business underway. I worked through educational offerings at Avoya and the rest is history.”

Joanie: “We spoke earlier about how much you love to travel. Is your husband a travel lover as well and your family?”

Dana: “My husband loves to travel. He gets two weeks off a year so we make the most of that every year. I love to travel with my family. We have a family tradition where each year we do not do Christmas presents but instead we plan a trip as a family. We have a blended family of 6 children, his, mine and ours. They range in age from 11 to 25 years. The older children can not always get away for the trip, so of course they get money as an alternative. It has been a wonderful gift to enjoy as a family to take as many trips together as we can. The experiences are the best gifts for everyone.”

Joanie: “What a wonderful tradition! My mother was a travel agency owner and travel was something we enjoyed so much as a family. It is truly the best gift you can give in my opinion.

Have you attended previous Avoya conferences?”

Dana: “Yes, we had a wonderful conference on Royal Caribbean a few years ago. However, due to COVID I had not been able to do another one until now. I am loving it so much! I was also able to take part in the Million Dollar Showcase prior to this cruise as well. That too was so informative.”

Joanie: “What would you say is the most valuable takeaway(s) from these events?”

Dana: “I would have to say number one is the networking with the suppliers. Having so many key suppliers here to spend time with and to get to know their products is invaluable. I really try to make the most of this and connect with as many as I can.

Second would be the networking with the IAs in attendance. Those who have many years of experience and those who are new all offer great insight. I have made so many great contacts and great friendships have become another wonderful gift of these events. I really enjoy being able to connect with some of the newer agents and sharing with them any tips and suggestions to help them on their new journey into selling travel.”

Joanie: “If you were to share with our readers some of the tools that Avoya offers that you find the most helpful in your business, what would those be?”

Dana: “I think I would have to say Agent Power, but to be more specific it is the supplier resources that I really use all the time. There is so much information and so many tools that allow me to research, price and find the best offering for my clients.”

Joanie: “Do you specialize in a particular destination?”

Dana: “Of course I will help clients with whatever they need, but I would have to say my specialty is Tahiti. I love it personally and that love of the destination helps me to share my passion with others traveling to the South Pacific. I have really focused on perfecting my knowledge of this destination.”

Joanie: “Oh, that is one of my favorite places in the world. I have some of the best memories traveling there on a cruise with my son Andy when he was a teenager.

If you were speaking to a potential new travel advisor and they were asking about the benefits of partnering with Avoya Travel, what insight would you offer them?”

Dana: “First of all, they’re like family. Okay. I know it’s cliché but it is really true. If you need help with anything at all there is always someone one willing to help you and they always respond in a very timely manner. They truly care about their IAs and treat us so respectfully.

The Live Leads are also so helpful to someone as they are just getting started. There is truly nothing else like it offered by any other host agency that I have heard about. I would suggest that as a major benefit for someone looking at Avoya.”

Joanie: “I know you are a sales ROCKSTAR at Avoya. I have heard it from a number of your peers. How long did it take you to excel to the level of sales you have achieved thus far?“

Dana: “My first year I was a Rising Star. I wanted to achieve the goal of reaching the Best of the Best selling a million dollars in travel. I was totally focused on that target and I achieved it in my second year. Then they changed that to two million the following year so of course I had to achieve that and I did.”

Joanie: “That is amazing, Dana. I am sure that your success if inspirational to so many other travel advisors. I love your energy and your enthusiasm. It has been an honor and a so fun to speak with you today. Thank you for your time and for sharing your travel story with our readers.”

11/03/2023

“I am incredibly honored and excited to announce that I’ve been chosen to serve on the advisory board of Global Travel Marketplace (GTM). 🌐 It’s an incredible opportunity to work alongside industry leaders and contribute to shaping the future of travel and exploration. Grateful for this chance to make a meaningful impact! ✈️🌍

Utica, NY- Travel Weekly and TravelAge West are proud to announce that professional travel advisor Dana Dziegiel was selected to serve on the Global Travel Marketplace (GTM) Advisory Board. The thirteen advisory board members were selected from a pool of more than 800 past attendees and will serve a two-year term.

GTM is a travel industry event that connects top-producing advisors in North America with leading cruise, hotel, tour and destination suppliers through one-on-one appointments, Boardroom presentations and numerous networking events over the course of two-and-a-half days. Participants undergo a rigorous screening process, which evaluates their business model, confirms annual sales and requires industry references prior to being accepted into the event.

“The GTM Avisory Board members have proven themselves to be some of best travel advisors in the business. With diverse business models, backgrounds, tenure and expertise, the group provides an invaluable perspective on the industry and travel advisor needs,” said Alicia Evanko-Lewis, Senior Vice President of Events, Travel Group, Northstar Travel Group. “As true pros, these advisors also understand the ever-changing nature of the travel industry. They recognize the value in furthering their product knowledge, creating valuable relationships, and growing their networks, and are dedicated to helping other advisors do the same. GTM creates a platform for just that, ensuring they’re fully equipped to meet clients’ needs.”

08/11/2023

03/16/2023

Gypsea Travels, LLC will be closed March 17-20.
I’ll be back in the office on Tuesday March 21st.
If you need immediate assistance, please send a text.
~Dana

09/09/2022

Due to popular demand, we are extending our irresistible Labor Day offer, Second Guest Sails FREE. Save up to $11,699 per stateroom and embark on an all-inclusive, yacht-style Antarctica expedition aboard the intimate World Navigator and the NEW World Traveller, launching in November 2022.

This is an incredible buy one, get one free special. If you’ve got Antarctica on your list, let me know!!

07/27/2022

Congratulations to Gypsea Travels, LLC on your 6th year in business!

I couldn’t have done it without my loyal customers… so, a huge big Thank You for making this business such a huge success

06/23/2022

If you are traveling by air PLEASE read!!!!!!

Flying this summer is ROUGH!!! I feel like as a Flight Attendant I should attempt to share some tips to get you through airline travel for the foreseeable future. ✈️✈️

1. Things are not good..... if its less than 7 hours - DRIVE! I'm not kidding. There is nothing enjoyable about flying right now. On any airline. If you must fly, keep reading. 🚗

2. Download and use the app of the airline you are flying. You can do everything on it - get your boarding pass, track your bags, see your incoming plane, and change a flight. It sure beats waiting in the long line to talk to an agent! Trust me - Usually these apps will tell you a flight is cancelled before the crew even knows! 📲

3. Fly MUCH earlier than you need to - a whole day early if its important!! This week I saw many people miss important things like weddings, funerals, cruises, international connections, and graduations. The tears were very real, for very real reasons, and there was nothing I could do! If you have to be somewhere, spend the extra money, go a day early. Have a glass of wine and stay in a hotel, enjoy your night not being stressed while everyone else misses their events. 🍷

4. ALWAYS fly the first flight in the morning so you have all day to be rebooked if the s**t hits the fan. Yes, that means it might be a 3:00 alarm, but morning flights don't cancel nearly as often.⏰

5. This is not unique to this year, but keep in mind summer is thunderstorm season. A single storm can shut down a whole airport. We can't fly through them. Storms usually build as the day gets later. Book early flights! ⛈

6. Schedule long layovers - Your 1 hour layover is NOT enough anymore. 30 minutes, not a chance. 3 hours minimum. 🏃‍♀️🏃🏃‍♂️

7. What you see on the news is an understatement. We are short staffed and overworked. Not just pilots and flight attendants, but also ground crews. Without ground crews there is no one to park the planes, drive jetways, get your bags on/off planes, or scan boarding passes. This causes many delays that snowball throughout the day. Sometimes HOURS.(Another reason morning flights are best!) 👀

8. When flight crews get delayed we time out. We can NOT fly longer than 16 hours. Its illegal. So it doesn't matter if you have a wedding to get to, when we are done we are done. The way things are now, there are no back up crews, so when this happens your flight cancels. (Now you are starting to see why those morning flights are best!) 😴

9. Avoid connecting in Newark (Or any New York airport for that matter). It is literal hell. You have a 50/50 chance your flight will cancel or missing your connection. They have been cancelling flights at their starting points just to keep the planes out, because there just aren't enough people to manage the planes, so the gates stay full. Also the restaurants are expensive, it is not a great place to be stuck. 💩

10. Be nice. As stated above, we are overworked and tired. We will not help you if you are mean. No one cares that you are going to miss your cruise if you are an as***le. So even if we can help, we will save our help for someone nice. Tensions are high. Our patience is gone. If you make us mad - you will not be flying on our planes. We will leave you behind without a second thought, and laugh about you later. 🥰

11. Being drunk on an airplane is a federal offense, so don't overdo it. If you drink too much at the bar waiting for your delayed flight you risk not being allowed to fly at all. We are too tired to deal with your drunk ass when we have legitimate issues to deal with. 🍻

12. Get trip insurance if you have a lot of money invested. I hate the whole idea of this, but I also hate the idea of losing money. Example: I was working a flight yesterday that waited over an hour for a gate. A family of 8 missed their flight to Rome. The only flight of the day. They were going to a cruise which they would now miss. They were all crying, there was nothing I could do. (Also a reason to fly a day early!) 🛳

13. Flights are FULL. If you buy the cheap seats you will not be able to sit with your family. It says so when you purchase your ticket!! Flight Attendants aren't there to rearrange the whole plane just so you can sit with your family because you tried to save $100 on a third party website. 💸

14. Speaking of third party websites and saving money..... Like I said flights are FULL. If a flight is oversold, and no one volunteers to give up their seats, who do you think is the first to be bumped? You guessed it, the family that saved a few $$ by using sites like Expedia, Kayak, Hotwire etc. 🤷‍♀️

15. Pack smart. Don't be "That guy" Don't hold up boarding because you have your extenders open till they are busting and you can't figure out how to make it fit in the overhead. (Passengers are stressed too, they can be aggressive when boarding a delayed flight) 🛍

16. Take showers, brush your teeth, leave the perfume off, don't eat stinky food (caesar salad and tuna fish I'm talking to you!), and bring headphones. Trust me. These things sound basic, but add to stress on crowded planes. If you are stuck on the tarmac for 3 hours after a 4 hour flight, you will thank me for this. 💜

17. Bring a sweater if you tend to be cold. So tired of half naked girls asking me to turn the heat up. NO. Wear clothes!! Side note: If you dress like this and ask for heat, there's a chance I will turn the AC up. 🥶

18. Thats not water on the bathroom floor. For the love of God wear shoes to the bathroom!!! 🤮

19. Don't tell a Flight Attendant they look tired. We are and we know. You may cause us to ugly cry right there in galley. 😭

03/16/2022

Tomorrow we fly out to Amsterdam for the Avoya Travel Best of the Best trip. Its an exclusive trip for top performing travel agencies in the network. The last two years have been incredibly difficult for the travel and tourism industry and the fact that we performed at a level to be awarded this trip fills me with a sense of pride. This does not happen without all the amazing support of my friends, family and clients.

We board the AmaWaterways AmaMora for the Tulip Time itinerary. River cruising is one of my favorite types of trips and I am looking forward to connecting with so many of my favorite people in travel.

07/21/2021

Another amazing experience at Club Med Turkoise!

The sunsets are absolutely stunning.🌅

04/30/2021

This is my friend, Gisele. We met on a beautiful tour in Tahiti in 2019..
Such a beautiful, magical place.

Tahiti’s first female nature guide offers guests a wealth of insights, whether you’re botanically inclined, have a desire to learn about local history and culture, or you’re a geology geek.

03/12/2021

Sometimes you just need a break..in a beautiful place..alone..to reflect on life’s blessings