Christen Sellier with Travel Concierge Services LLC, Dream Vacations

29/10/2024

29/07/2023

The U.S. | The FAA reauthorization bill also includes provisions that elevate travel advisors as vital travel distribution stakeholders and consumer advocates.

07/07/2023

World Travel Holdings (ie CruiseOne / Dream Vacations ) holding steady at Number 15 again this year in the company rankings of the world’s biggest sellers of travel.

Our annual ranking of the largest, most successful retailers in the travel industry, based on full-year 2022 sales. This year, more than 60 travel companies made the list.

18/01/2023

Have you ever decided to Google search "all-inclusive resorts" from scratch and found yourself down a rabbit hole hours later with nothing accomplished and even MORE overwhelmed? It happens to the best of us, especially because there are SO MANY options out there. Can you really make this decision based on the stranger reviews on TripAdvisor?

All-Inclusive brands are not all created equal and I want to share what sets Playa Hotels & Resorts apart from the others. Playa is the only publicly traded all-inclusive brand that brings their expertise together with global hospitality brands like Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, and Wyndham. When sifting through a sea of uncertainty, there is a level of comfort that comes with recognizing a trusted brand that you can be certain will provide a best-in-class experience and exceptional value to you, the guests. Even better: you can collect and redeem your hotel loyalty points (whether it's Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, World of Hyatt, or Wyndham Rewards) when I book you in your perfect Playa resort.

Each luxury resort resides on prime oceanfront real estate in Mexico and the Caribbean. The service is unbeatable. The food quality and variety is outstanding. If you're looking for a venue for a destination wedding, family reunion, milestone birthday celebration, etc, Playa throws an event like no other.

So, are you wanting a family vacation with the kids or maybe an adults-only escape? Give me your list of must-haves in an all-inclusive get-away and I can guarantee it can be found in the Playa Hotels & Resorts portfolio.

Allow me, your Travel Concierge, to get you squared away and looking forward to your All-Inclusive vacation in paradise!

10/12/2022

Experiences > Stuff always, always, always!

As Christmas quickly approaches followed by the end of 2022, wouldn’t it be nice to gift your loved one something to look forward to in 2023 that’ll create memories for a lifetime?

From now until December 31st, when you reserve select Europe, Egypt and Mekong River cruises, you’ll receive a complimentary 2-, 3- or 4-night land package!

LAND PACKAGE BENEFITS

Rest and recover from your flights, easing into your journey in a new time zone with one of our pre-cruise land packages. Or pamper yourself with a few extra days of relaxed exploration before returning home. Either way, you can add a bonus city or country to your experience!

EXCLUSIVE INCLUSIONS

Stays at world-class 4- and 5-star hotels conveniently located near the major sites
Daily breakfast at the hotel
Enriching city tours and excursions led by knowledgeable local guides
Convenient transfers and portage service between your hotel and river cruise ship
The services of one of our extraordinary Cruise Managers throughout your journey

Check out the qualifying itineraries, call or e-mail me, and let’s get you on that ship!

A family-owned company since 2002, award-winning AmaWaterways offers unforgettable river cruises with 25 ships sailing through Europe, Asia, and Africa. 'Ama' means love - and we put love in everything we do, from our exquisite locally-sourced cuisine to our variety of included shore excursions in e...

17/11/2022

Have plans the week of March 7, 2023? How about booking a trip to Spain to visit Magical Madrid and Vibrant Barcelona! For a special rate of $1,499 per person, you will get international flights (from MIA or JFK), 7-night accommodations, daily itineraries with guided activities by an English-speaking guide, and ground transportation including a high-speed train from MAD-BCN. This can only be booked through a travel agent. Hey, that’s me! 🙋🏼‍♀️

¡Vámonos!
Exoticca

09/11/2022

🚨 🚨 🚨 ATTENTION 🚨 🚨 🚨
—Active and Veteran Military—
—First responders—
—Law enforcement officers—
—Educators (I LOVE that teachers are included!!!!)—

You have until November 14th to claim your

🚢———— 🌊FREE SAILING 🌊———— 🚢

The Margaritaville at Sea Paradise is the only 3-day and 2-night cruise sailing from the Port of Palm Beach to Freeport, Grand Bahama Island. On this floating island vacation, you can relax, unwind, enjoy the endless opportunities of entertainment, soak up the sun and cruise in casual-luxe comfort.

As an extra special “Thank You,” receive a $100 Onboard Credit* when you book a Heroes Sail Free cabin.

For your dedication to serving our communities at home and abroad, Margaritaville at Sea invites all active and veteran military, first responders, law enforcement officers and educators to sail free on a much-deserved 3-day, 2-night cruise to Grand Bahama Island.

The fine print—offer valid for inside cabins only. They’re actually really nice!!! BUT ⬇️

Heroes also enjoy additional benefits as part of our Easy Breezy Fall offer:
Ocean View Upgrades available for $25 per person (including Hero)
$100 Onboard Credit per stateroom (Nov 7-14 only) One Hero and one paying adult per cabin. Kids welcome too!

It’s the perfect length getaway for teachers and first responders with departures every other day. You have the option to extend your vacation to 4 or 6 days with a land package staying in your choice of the island’s 2 all inclusive resorts!

Seriously, the pricing for this cruise is a DEAL even without this promotion, so let me get you on board!!

Call or text me (803)331-4432 or e-mail me at [email protected]

Valid for sailings through December 29, 2023.

20/10/2022

Hyatt Zilara Riviera Maya, the newest addition to the Playa Hotels & Resorts collection, opens this December and I have 4 couples booked for a 5 night stay in February!

Hyatt Zilara Riviera Maya rests in a secluded locale, engulfed by lush mangroves and bathed with the sparkling-blue Caribbean Ocean. Exuding the tranquility and peacefulness of the exclusive Riviera Maya region yet situated nearby lively destinations including Playa del Carmen--and with easy access to the Cancun International Airport--Hyatt Zilara Riviera Maya is the perfect place to escape the everyday and reconnect.
■ All-inclusive for adults only
■ 291 luxurious suites
■ Modern Mexican hacienda style
■ Expansive, white-sand beach
■ Nine restaurants, bars & lounges, including
Olas Beach Club and Restaurant
■ Free Wi-Fi throughout the resort
■ Full-service renovated spa with 10 treatment rooms
■ Beautiful garden and open spaces for weddings
■ No resort fees

15/10/2022

Here is how my clients are spending their 11th anniversary 3-day get-away in Maine this weekend:

•Staying in a Whirlpool Spa Suite at the Portland Harbor Hotel in the Old Port District overlooking the harbor
•Day adventure to the quaint coastal town of Kennebunkport with spa appointments for a 60 minute Pure Therapy Massage at The Tree Spa at Hidden Pond Resort, Kennebunkport, ME
•Dinner at The Danforth
•Breakfast at Sea Glass Inn By The Sea Resturaunt on Cape Elizabeth
•Dinner at Fore Street
•And of course stops at iconic places like Portland Headlight, Fort Williams, Cape Elizabeth

What I did for them:
-Suggested the destination 🦞
-created the itinerary 🗺
-booked the lodging, car rental, spa appointment and dining reservations 🏨 🚙 🧖‍♀️ 🍽
-ordered a bottle of champagne 🍾 to greet them in their hotel room to kick things off as my “thank you” for allowing me to be their travel concierge 🛎

Cheers! 🥂

10/10/2022

“With an acceptance rate of 16%, it’s harder to receive a hosted travel advisor spot at the Future Leaders in Travel Retreat — an event put on by the team at TravelAge West — than it is to get admitted to the University of California, Berkeley.”

This was truly an invaluable opportunity. Congrats to my fellow colleagues featured in this article!

These travel advisors are building formidable travel businesses — and have high hopes of bringing along others for the ride

07/10/2022

Let's say you booked this trip for March 2023. How much would you guess a 9 day QUALITY trip around Portugal for 2 would cost? Think about international airfare prices, travel insurance, excursions, activities, meals, etc. How much would you guess??

I can almost guarantee you guessed a higher price than:
$2,598 for 2 people.
Total.
This includes everything I mentioned above and everything listed below. Not only that, but the detailed itinerary includes many more towns/cities and excursions than in this brief summary. It can be customized and lengthened as well to your liking. Handcrafted by experts.

If you have another destination or multi-destination itinerary you're considering, I challenge you to contact me this month to plan and book because I will get you a STEAL of a price for an unforgettable adventure. It's not too good to be true.

27/09/2022

My clients, Linda and Tommy, are nearing the end of their 10 day trip from Prague to Budapest and I wanted to share some of the BEAUTIFUL photos she has shared along the way. Coming to me as first-time river cruisers and overwhelmed with the endless options out there, I was happy to assist and advise. They're on the second to last day of the "Active & Discovery on the Danube with two nights in Prague" itinerary aboard the Avalon View with Avalon Waterways.
If you're unfamiliar with Avalon Waterways, it is part of the Globus Family of Brands. Avalon's ships are known for their Panorama Suites with wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling windows that slide to become Open-Air Balconies. They cleverly call it a "view with a room" and another detail that sets Avalon's brand apart is that their beds face outward so that you can completely take in the VIEW from the moment you awake until you hit the pillow.
Way beyond the staterooms though, Avalon Waterways is also an award-winning cruise line for the excursions. With Linda and Tommy being active and adventure-loving people, an "Active & Discovery" itinerary was a must. As Avalon puts it: "Everyone travels to see new things, but many travel to do new things as well." These itineraries go beyond the already-generous selection of classic sight-seeing excursions and offer activities for travelers with varying interests and for all energy and fitness levels. You can tailor your vacation to suit your interests and pace.

My clients can now say they've:

-visited one of only 11 Trappist breweries that exist in the world. Usually visiting a monastery doesn't include being able to taste beers brewed by Monks. Linda called this a "double blessing."
-visited a 12th-century castle that remains home to the same family that has owned it since 1454!
-Hiked a trail through ruins in Hungary that leads to Solomon Tower, where Vlad the
Impaler, the infamous “Count Dracula,” was imprisoned from 1462-1474.

And that's only listing a few....

SO, who's next?!

12/08/2022

TWO DAYS LEFT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS OFFER

Reserve your suite now on Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours truly all-inclusive ocean voyages and river cruises

Second guest sails FREE on select 2022 & 2023 Scenic Eclipse Americas ocean voyages, Europe and Southeast Asia river cruises.

Solo travelers, enjoy Free Single Supplements.

Take a look at the 2022-2023 brochure offerings and contact me right away if you are interested in a quote, more information, or are already ready to jump on board and book!

https://issuu.com/scenicus/docs/20_ec1306_scenic_eclipse_ship_2022_sell_pages_fina?fr=sYjA3OTIxNTE5NDg

Read Scenic Eclipse brochure 2022-2023 by Scenic & Emerald Cruises US on Issuu and browse thousands of other publications on our platform. Start here!

15/07/2022

To all of my clients, established and first-time inquiries,
I have received a tidal wave of requests (for which I am SO THANKFUL. Here's to looking at you, post-Covid era) and am trying to get through my list of to-dos as fast as I can and am behind in responding to e-mails or returning calls! Summertime with the kids out of school creates a struggle with being able to schedule enough uninterrupted time to respond in my usual timely manner, but I WILL respond and handle your inquiries, quotes, payments, bookings, questions, etc. and have you set and ready to go on whatever exciting vacation we're planning together.

08/07/2022

I’m thrilled to announce that I have been selected to attend the Future Leaders in Travel Retreat in Los Cabos, Mexico! Future Leaders is the only event in the industry dedicated to connecting the next generation of travel advisors and suppliers. While there, I’ll be making new connections with suppliers through small-group meetings and attending collaborative content sessions focused on my personal and professional development. To learn more about this award-winning event, visit www.futureleadersintravel.com.

23/06/2022

Over the past year, Ireland and Scotland have quickly moved up to number 1 on the list of destinations I book.

I 100% guarantee that I'm planning and delivering the best travel experience for each unique client because I work closely with Brendan Vacations, the Celtic experts. This Dublin-based team offers an amazing selection of carefully crafted travel itineraries for whatever travel style you're looking for: guided tours to fully customizable vacations where you can opt to drive yourself, travel with a private chauffeur, or travel by rail and meet a local expert at each stop.

Tonight as I was researching the best fit for my clients who requested a small group guided tour of Northern Ireland and Scotland, I came across this itinerary that jumped out at me and will do the same for all of you Game of Thrones forever-aficionados.
Brendan's Road to Winterfell.
Check out the full itinerary linked below:

https://www.brendanvacations.com/travel-styles/private-chauffeur/brendans-road-to-winterfell/

‘The night is dark and full of terrors’ …In line with the premiere of the final GOT season, follow the footsteps of your favorite GOT characters on this private chauffeur itinerary through Winterfell and the Iron Islands, while infusing some of the most iconic cultural and scenic spots in Ireland along the way.

08/06/2022

Demand for Self-Guided trips has skyrocketed since the pandemic. I'd love to share the 200+ self-guided vacation itineraries throughout Europe that give you the freedom to have your very own cycling, walking or cultural adventure at a pace that suits you. Pause or power on, the choice is up to you: cherry-pick your sightseeing stops along the way, decide to linger a little over your lunch, or set off an hour earlier to catch the coolest part of the day. These self-guided trips are the best of both worlds: you're on your own, but are equipped with expert notes, travel directions, recommendations, etc. Unique lodging, meals, itinerary details and logistics are all handled for you. Also, since you're exploring either by foot, bike, or kayak, you're off the beaten path pretty much the whole time. These are just TWO examples of the amazing adventures available.

Interested? I have so much more to share.

04/05/2022

Happy National Travel and Tourism Week! The is NOW! Join us in recognizing the important role travel plays in creating jobs, helping communities thrive and reconnecting America and the world.

Also, in honor of National Travel Advisor Day today , consider booking your next vacation with a travel advisor!! If you are looking for one, I'm here to help!

27/03/2022

There is no better way to relax and indulge your senses than to retreat to the warm, sunlit paradise of St. Barts. The Villas of Distinction at Gustavia offers a new level of remote luxury and relaxation, with incredible views, impeccable concierge service, and privacy for all guests.

Villas of Distinction features an extensive portfolio of over 3,000 villas in more than 52 destinations worldwide. Each luxury villa in the portfolio has been vetted and inspected to be sure it is of the highest quality. Each villa comes with a personalized villa concierge to help you craft a remarkable escape from start to finish and a dedicated expert staff to anticipate, serve, and meet all of your needs.

So whether you're planning a romantic retreat, family reunion, golf getaway, destination wedding, multi-family vacation, etc... take a look at this world-class portfolio and contact me! Let me know a little about what you're looking for and I can narrow it down and find your perfect match.
https://villainfo.villasofdistinction.com/

As a 𝗩𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿, booking with me comes with not only great personalized service, but I offer exclusive extras such as $200 Destination Dollars to be used towards car rentals, chef services, excursions, and more.

25/03/2022

You know how influencers annoyingly always start out their videos with “so many of you have been asking me about…” and continue on to talk about where they bought their outfits or jewelry or skincare etc?
WELL, it’s MY TURN. SO MANY OF YOU have been asking my thoughts on the Disney Genie and Genie+! Is it worth it? There are already hundreds of dedicated Disney bloggers posting the pros and cons of this new (as of October 2021) service and explaining the ins and outs of how to use it. So I will TRY to be brief and this lovely infographic shows what I’m talking about, in case some of you are out of the Disney loop.

• The Disney Genie=free new feature on your MyDisneyExperience app that is intended to help you maximize your time in the park. Before your trip, be sure to go to “My Genie Day” and pick out the attractions, shows, dining and experiences that you’re interested in for each park. This will customize the tip board that will be making suggestions to you throughout the day. I found the Genie to be helpful because it displayed wait times for attractions and updated throughout the day, suggested the best times to go where, alerted you when a character cavalcade was coming, allowed you to check dining availability and place mobile food orders.

• Genie+ is an add-on skip-the-line service and costs $15.98 per person per day (I included tax) at Walt Disney World. There is a learning curve for sure and the best way to figure out how to use it is by playing around with it. That is one of the major Cons in my opinion: you’re spending way too much time staring at your phone AND you’re dependent on your phone because you have to be on the app. So bring a portable phone charger.

Set your alarm for 7am SHARP and make your first Lightning Lane reservation. Try and select a high demand ride first at the earliest time, and make sure you’ll get to the park by then of course. After you scan in for your first LL selection, you can book the next. Or you SHOULD be able to, but many times it took 10-15 minutes for the app to update. Another issue, by 9:30-10 in the morning when you’re able to make your next LL selections, the popular rides are already booked out into the late afternoon or evening.
Disney needs more bandwidth in the parks too with everyone using the app and booking and canceling and refreshing 😵‍💫…there is a lot of lag time and the app can’t keep up. Many times I’d book a time slot and it would actually book me for 2 hours later than it said…Disney IT has some perfecting to do.

What we ended up doing was waiting stand-by for 2 or 3 rides in between reservations and it worked out great! In Magic Kingdom, I booked our group of 13 for It’s a Small World to be redeemed between 9:40 and 10:40 since it’s a ride everyone could do. We arrived at the park at 8:50ish, saw that Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid had a 5 minute wait and ran to that. Then we waited stand-by for 15 minutes for Barnstormer, Goofy’s junior roller-coaster. Then we checked in for the LL reservation. After that I reserved another ride that everyone could do: Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin but it was for
Later in the afternoon. So between then, we knocked out all of Tomorrowland with Monster’s Inc Laugh Floor, Tomorrowland Speedway, and Space Mountain.

My FAVORITE feature is Rider Switch. For the rides Susette couldn’t go on, you tell the cast member working the Lightning Lane that you’d like to do rider switch and they scan the card of the person who will be waiting with her and the card of one of the people riding and after the group goes on the ride, the person who was waiting can now go on the ride with one other person and they get a Lightning Lane pass to skip the line. So for example, my mom waited with Susette while my dad, Brian, Norah, William and I went on Space Mountain and afterwards she went and took Norah with her again. Norah and William basically got to take turns doubling up on all the good rides. You don’t need Genie+ to be able to do Rider Switch.
Also, there are a few major rides that aren’t included in Genie+ for which you can purchase Individual Lightning Lane passes. 2 per day max. Don’t take too long to decide if it’s worth another $15pp to skip the Avatar Flight of Passage line or you’ll be out of luck. They sell out quickly and you’ll be like my family waiting 90 minutes stand-by (that ride is WORTH IT though).

I am so sorry, I have not kept this post brief in the slightest. So to sum it up:

Genie+ cons:
LL reservations book up before you can even make your second or 3rd selection.
It’s extra money.
Your day is spent angrily battling the internet and the malfunctioning app from 7am onward. For an app that’s promising to help you maximize your day, you actually waste so much time staring at your phone confused and frustrated.
For the one person in charge of booking everyone in your party on the LL reservations, that is a lot of unwanted pressure and stress, especially when you still aren’t 100% sure what you’re doing and trying to explain to everyone what you’re doing 🥵.
If you aren’t up at 7am and to the park before open at Hollywood Studios, forget it.

Genie+ pros:
Getting to skip the line 2-3 times is still nice, especially with younger kids.
Skipping the 130 minute Tower of Terror wait TWICE thanks to LL reservation and Rider Switch was the best!
Most useful in Magic Kingdom!
The Photo Pass is cool. Photos taken on certain rides upload onto your app.

All in all, Genie+ has potential but still needs a lot of tweaking. Once you’re in Disney for a few days, you kind of become desensitized to how much they’re nickel and diming you and just accept that a lousy beer in Galaxy’s Edge is $13. But the cost of adding Genie+ and then the decision to pay even more for Individual LL passes is kind of disappointing. They know what they’re doing and I’m not sure how they sleep at night….but I guess it’s on their extra-cushiony piles of money 💰

10/03/2022

My clients just returned from Aruba and shared these gorgeous photos with me. I booked them at Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, Aruba, a romantic boutique adults-only beach resort on beautiful Eagle Beach, perfectly situated between downtown Oranjestad and the Palm Beach area. I’d be happy to match you with your perfect island getaway too!

05/02/2022

"Good things come to those who wait." Or maybe in this case it's more like "if your vacation gets cancelled again and again, keep rebooking for the following year and *eventually* you'll get to go." My clients, a group of long-time travel buddies, FINALLY embarked on their 15 day Panama Canal cruise yesterday aboard the Norwegian Bliss. This trip has been in the making since 2019 and, due to [you guessed it] Covid, they have had to defer over and over again.
From Miami to Falmouth, Jamaica to Cartagena, Colombia to Colon, Panama then transiting the Panama Canal to Puntarenas, Costa Rica to Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico to Cabo San Lucas and finally disembarking in Los Angeles, they're in for a beautiful adventure.

28/01/2021

For all of you world-traveling sailing enthusiasts and, yes, especially for you never-cruisers out there: allow me to introduce you to
STAR CLIPPERS
(if you're not already acquainted).

Visiting ports often untouched by larger cruise ships and offering passengers the activities, amenities and atmosphere of a private yacht, Star Clippers is recognized as one of the premier specialty cruise lines.
*Less than 225 guests on board
*Wind-powered 70-90% of the time
*Water sports off the back of the ship: snorkeling, paddle boarding, kayak and scuba
*Casual nautical elegance
The lack of rigid scheduling is one of Star Clippers' most appealing attractions. The bridge is always open, and passengers are welcome to peer over the captain's shoulder as he plots the ship's course. Crew members are happy to demonstrate how to splice a line, reef a sail, or tie a proper knot.

Star Clippers is running some seriously impressive promotions for sailings through 2023! Destinations include Eastern and Western Mediterranean, Caribbean and Panama Canal, South East Asia, grand voyages and ocean crossings!

To learn more, I can personally deliver, mail or e-mail you a brochure!

04/01/2021

Of the many wonderful reasons to book trips with a travel agent, 2020 alone has proven that a MAJOR benefit is that they will BE YOUR ADVOCATE. Whether it's something that has gone wrong while you're traveling (lost luggage, sudden itinerary changes, global pandemic, etc) or dealing with the aftermath of cancelled plans and fighting for refunds, I'll go to bat for you. For my travel business, 2020 and the beginning of 2021 has been mostly postponing, cancelling, tracking refunds that have been delayed more than usual due to the high volume of cancellations, filing insurance claims, keeping up with the everchanging policies and spending HOURS a day on the phone with all of these different suppliers making sure things are moving in the right direction.

I know there is still a great deal of uncertainty and hesitancy around travel right now, but if you're looking to plan and book a trip for later in 2021 or 2022, please contact me! We all need something to look forward to.

What kinds of trips do I book? I get asked this a lot.

-Cruises: I'm a specialist in Luxury and River Cruise Brands, but work with all of them
-Land Tours: large and small guided tours, self-drive itineraries, private tours
- Wellness/Adventure Trips: cycling, trekking, skiing, sustainable travel
-Honeymoons: All-inclusives and beyond
-Customized itineraries: if you're wanting to travel across several European countries, for instance, I can assist on the best ways to get from point A to B to C to...Z ...and set up your lodging/transportation/cultural experiences and make sure you hit all of your must-sees so you don't have to worry about any of the logistics
-Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort, Aulani Resort in Hawaii, Adventures by Disney, Disney Cruise Line
-Vacation Homes and boutique hotels
-So much more

Thank you for reading and I hope we can work together in the near future!

31/12/2020

My husband and I had hoped to be spending our 10 year anniversary driving Iceland’s Golden Circle route in June, but since we’ll have an infant, that’d be too soon to go so far away. So we’re trying to come up with a different plan!