Jamie Weitl, Travel Agent - Pineapple Escapes

20/06/2024

🎄🎁🎄AmaWaterways - Christmas Markets on the Danube🎄🎁🎄

I know that December 2025 seems like ages away (it does to me, too!), but planning ahead has lots of benefits, including better pricing and plenty of time to pay off the trip over time. Plus, there is nothing quite like the anticipation and planning for a trip—I love having something special to look forward to!

Join me and some of the Pineapple Escapes team as we sail on the AmaBella to experience the Christmas Markets on the Danube from December 1-8, 2025!

Mike and I had so much fun on our Rhine Christmas Markets sailing in 2021, and can't wait to share the magic of a river cruise during the holiday season with you!

If a Christmas Market river cruise is on your bucket list, reach out and join us on this amazing trip! 🎄🎁🎄 Or if you want to cruise one of the many rivers in Europe before December 2025, I can help with that too!

📧 [email protected]

19/06/2024

🍍🍍🍍What We Ate Wednesday!🍍🍍🍍

🥪🍦🍹Wilderness Express Dome Train on the Alaska Railroad

As part of our tour in Alaska a few weeks ago, Samantha and I took the Wilderness Express from Talkeetna to Denali. The train ride was beautiful, with stunning views, a wide selection of bar service, and a delicious lunch.

The highlight for me was the Birch Sundae. Birch syrup is a better version of maple syrup and so delicious! I also loved the blueberry cream soda—I wish I had tried to bring home a case of it!

I also had the French dip, which was really tasty. Samantha had the halibut cake sandwich and the delicious-looking brownie. I was quite impressed by the food in the train car.

Overall, it was an experience worth having in Alaska!

17/06/2024

Ready to kick back, relax, and soak up the sun? ☀️

Let me take the stress out of planning your last-minute summer getaway - there is still time to plan the perfect escape for your family! 🌴

No matter what type of trip you're hoping for, I can help with all the details to make sure that your vacation is relaxing and stress-free. All you have to worry about is making memories!

Send me an email - [email protected] - and let's start planning your perfect vacation today!

14/06/2024

🍍🍍🍍Aloha Friday!🍍🍍🍍

The sunsets from Ka'anapali Beach are just stunning! Thank you to our friends, Erika and Rob, who shared their balcony with us, so I could capture this gorgeous view.

Ready to start planning Hawaii? I'm ready to help!

13/06/2024

🗻🐻💫 Northern Lights in Alaska 🗻🐻💫

While many of us recently saw the Aurora Borealis from our homes, there is still nothing quite like seeing them in Alaska! Due to increased solar activity, 2024 is set to be one of the best years for viewing!

In Alaska, the season for the Northern Lights is August 21-April 12, with the best viewing options being November-January. The best viewing is typically from 10 pm to 2 am each night.

Winters in Alaska can be very dark and quite cold, but there are so many great options for fun winter escapes. I have some great options and ideas to help you plan an unforgettable Northern Lights trip to Alaska this winter!

12/06/2024

🍍🍍🍍What We Ate Wednesday!🍍🍍🍍

✈️🐻‍❄️☕ Polar Bear Latte from North Pole Coffee in the Fairbanks Airport

I'm always a sucker for a latte with a cute name and this Polar Bear Latte from the airport in Fairbanks did not disappoint.

Samantha Harris, Travel Agent - Pineapple Escapes is the agent who went with me to Alaska and she is hosting a live webinar on Thursday evening at 6 pm CST to discuss all things Alaska and what we learned on our trip. Sign up here: https://www.facebook.com/events/486421250611138

Alaska is truly one of my favorite places and I'd love to help you plan this bucket list trip!

11/06/2024

🍍🍍🍍Our agency, Pineapple Escapes, is hiring! 🍍🍍🍍

Do you have a passion for travel? Are you organized, driven, motivated, and have excellent customer service skills? Do you love the idea of working from home and having unlimited earning potential? Do you have travel expertise for a variety of destinations that would be beneficial to clients? Would you love to be able to travel more? Are you self-motivated with excellent time management, organization, and customer service skills?

If so, you're exactly who we are looking for!

Our team currently consists of 35 devoted and hard-working agents who live across the United States. This role includes all aspects of running your own travel business and is commission-based.

We are seeking applicants who...
🍍Love to travel!
🍍Are organized and detail oriented!
🍍Excellent communication and customer service skills!
🍍Are self-motivated and ready to learn more about the travel industry!
🍍Live in the United States (you can work from anywhere!)
🍍Have a college degree (any subject!)

The first step is to fill out the application!
https://pineappleescapes.com/join-the-team/

We are a Diamond Elite agency with ALG Vacations, Silver Disney EarMarked Agency, Bronze UPreferred Agency, and Sandals Preferred!

If you have questions or want more information - email us at [email protected]

🍍🍍🍍Please share! This will be our last round of hiring in 2024! 🍍🍍🍍

11/06/2024

The McKnight/Fielden Family just returned from a fun vacation on Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas, with some time before and after the cruise in Cocoa Beach! I love June's happiness in these pictures—that's truly what family travel is all about! Thank you for booking another fun family getaway and sharing these gems with me!

10/06/2024

The Sumpter Family just returned from a fantastic getaway to Legoland and San Diego! They enjoyed so many of the city's highlights, plus had some fun at the park. Thank you for booking another fun family vacation with me. I love the smiles on your faces. Your joy makes me so happy!

10/06/2024

🍍🍍🍍Non-Stop Flights from Rockford, Illinois, to Cancun, Punta Cana, and Costa Rica! 🍍🍍🍍

Three of my favorite tropical destinations will have nonstop flights out of Rockford this winter! If you love flying out of smaller airports and know you'll want to escape the snow, now is the time to book for the best availability and lowest pricing!

🍍 🍍 🍍 [email protected]🍍 🍍 🍍
Email me to start planning your vacation today!

09/06/2024

Congratulations to the S family who will be heading to Walt Disney World in August! I can't wait to see pictures of their sweet family enjoying all of the Disney magic! Thank you for booking with me again!

09/06/2024

Congrats to the B/N extended family who are heading to Walt Disney World in just a few weeks! They will have so much fun making memories together at the most magical place on earth. Thank you for booking another fun vacation with me!

09/06/2024

Congratulations to the M family who will be staying at my favorite Disney resort in October! They are going to love everything about Disney's Polynesian Village Resort and have so much fun exploring the parks. Thank you for booking with me!

07/06/2024

🍍🍍🍍Aloha Friday!🍍🍍🍍

Another amazing aspect of Hawaii is that you can be swimming and have turtles and seals swim right by you!

The awe and surprise of these animals in the water can't be described!

We noticed the turtle first—it was so close to us—and then right behind it was a Hawaiian monk seal. These seals are endangered and protected. He swam up on the beach, and a group came in to rope off his area and ensure that no one bothered him. It was such a neat experience!

05/06/2024

I’m on my way home from GTM West. This invite only networking conference is for high producing and full-time travel agents to connect with other agents and suppliers. Conferences like these are part of what make me so good at what I do, as I’m able to connect with destinations and suppliers personally to help make your trip phenomenal and exactly what you’re hoping for!

It was a long few days and a lot of extroverting for this introvert. I met with over 50 suppliers one-on-one and even more in small group presentations. I am coming home with a plethora of new ideas, new connections and contacts, and knowledge to help plan your next escape!

No matter where in the world you want to go, myself or one of my agents have the experience and expertise to help you plan the perfect trip from start to finish!

I’ll be back in the office on Thursday and ready to help you start planning! Email me at [email protected] and let’s chat!



***90% of this trip was meetings, so selfies are my only pics!***

02/06/2024

🍍🍍🍍 Out of Office: GTM West Conference! 🍍🍍🍍

I am heading to Las Vegas for the GTM West Conference. I am thrilled to have been invited to this event which will help to continue to grow our agency and network with some of the most influential individuals in the travel industry!

While I'm out of the office, please email me at [email protected]. I will respond to your message on June 6th, when I return to the office!

If you need immediate assistance, my emergency contact info is listed in the out-of-office response in my email. You can also reach out via messenger on the Pineapple Escapes page, and one of my trusted agents will be able to assist!

As always, thank you for your continued support of my business and my agency!

30/05/2024

I am back in the office after an amazing training trip to Alaska! Alaska was already one of my favorite places and I learned so much and had the opportunity to try so many incredible experiences!

A big thank you to Royal Caribbean, Katy Cannizzaro, Brendan Halcomb, our tour director Kathy, and bus driver Steve, for this opportunity and amazing experience! And of course a shout-out to Samantha, for traveling with me!

If you're ready to plan an Alaska trip, please reach out! I'd love to use my knowledge and expertise to make your trip phenomenal. I can't wait to help you make your bucket-list trip a reality!

23/05/2024

Congrats to the W family, who are heading on a European Adventure this summer. They will visit some of my favorite cities - Rome, Munich, and Zurich! They will make so many great memories with their trio, and I can't wait to see their pictures. Thank you for booking another fun family vacation with me!

22/05/2024

🍍🍍🍍 Out of Office: Alaska Land Tour with Royal Caribbean! 🍍🍍🍍

Thanks to Royal Caribbean, I am excited to be heading to Alaska for the third summer in a row! Harris - Travel Agent, Pineapple Escapes and I can't wait to learn even more about this beautiful state!

While I'm out of the office, please email me at [email protected]. I will respond to your message on May 30th, when I return to the office!

If you need immediate assistance, my emergency contact info is listed in the out-of-office response in my email. You can also reach out via messenger on the Pineapple Escapes page, and one of my trusted agents will be able to assist!

As always, thank you for your continued support of my business and my agency!

20/05/2024

🍍🍍🍍Hotel Xcaret Mexico🍍🍍🍍

🍍 Exclusive pricing with Pineapple Escapes for select dates
🍍 November 26 - December 6, 2024 or June 22-July 8, 2025 (3+ nights)
🍍 Unlimited access to all Xcaret parks and tours
🍍 Airport transfers included

🍍 Current pricing:
November 26 - December 1, 2024
2 adults, 2 children
$6,874.67 (our group rate) vs $9,224.25 (direct rate)

Let's get your Hotel Xcaret Mexico trip started! It is such a fun experience and resort!

📧 [email protected]

19/05/2024

This is an interesting article. And travel agents are on the list. 🤪🤪🤪 Since the dawn of Expedia, many have been predicting that travel agents are on their way out.
I’ve even had people ask me when I tell them I’m an agent “those still exist?” Lol. YES!!! And our industry is thriving! I can tell you with confidence that agents like myself aren’t going anywhere. There will always be guests who value our expertise and service!

Of course, just like in every profession, there are agents who give the rest of us a bad name. And yes, there will always be individuals who think they can do it all themselves (Good luck and Godspeed! You don’t know what you’re missing!). It is so important to find an agent who fits your needs and has the expertise to help!

Many people value the service, expertise, knowledge, value, and peace of mind a professional travel agent (like me!) brings to their trip. It is so important to have a real person who has been there, done that, can answer all of your questions, has strong relationships with the suppliers, and most of all - cares about you and your trip - every step of the way!

I personally only sell vacations and trips to places I have first-hand knowledge and expertise regarding. That means for Disney destinations, Universal, most cruises, all-inclusives, Hawaii, Alaska, select European destinations, multigenerational family trips, and destination weddings, I am here to help! And luckily, I have a whole team of agents I work with - so if I don’t have knowledge about a particular type of trip or destination, I know an agent who does!

For example, with Alaska, I’ve personally cruised there 3 times (twice in the last two years) and I leave again Thursday for a land tour. I am constantly learning and training to provide all of you with the best service and knowledge possible to help make your trip seamless. Helping my clients make amazing memories through travel and making sure their trip is stress-free is why I do what I do!

Thank you to all of you who value what I do and utilize my agency. I absolutely love helping you plan your vacations and I can promise that I will never stop learning to ensure YOU have the best, most seamless, stress-free, and well-planned vacations!

https://www.hellohedgehog.com/these-are-the-jobs-that-wont-survive-another-decade-according-to-experts/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2vwAMkI0ewc7K0TKYeDwNcbETEEzAGogwHdka5bSumAYzVXmE6syx3eDk_aem_AUPt6ih2IwScEaRH9h7HkbQLMIhZRVa4Io1cIz8V4YhlUrlBtQVWtTuDiII8e6N9AE8wz49Q52fSuY11kcXdO0F8

Occupations have come and gone throughout the years, with new technologies taking away job roles and creating new ones in different sectors. This situation has perhaps never been more pertinent, as the rise of artificial intelligence, AI, is threatening to completely change the employment landscape....

18/05/2024

Just a few of the reasons I love cruising! 🚢💜🍍

There are so many great reasons to cruise! Cruising is great for families, couples, multi-gen families, girls, guys, and friend trips. And there are so many options on cruise lines, cruise ships, destinations. You need a travel agent! We'll work with you to figure out what is most important for your memory making. Pricing is usually best the farther ahead you book, but making a mid to last minute booking can work too. Contact your favorite Pineapple Escapes agent or email us at [email protected] and we'll get planning.

17/05/2024

🍍🍍🍍Aloha Friday! 🍍🍍🍍

I love all of the beautiful colors in Hawaii. These are three of my favorites.

I hope your weekend is filled with beautiful flowers, no matter where you are! 🌺💐🌸

16/05/2024

Recently engaged? Planning a destination wedding? 💍👰‍♀️🍾

I am here to help you find the perfect location for your destination wedding. I have toured over 100 resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean and trained specifically to be your best resource to plan the destination wedding of your dreams!

When you work with me, I handle all of the travel planning and coordinate all of the travel details for your guests to alleviate as much stress as possible for your big day.

📧 [email protected] to start planning!

And follow us on Instagram -

15/05/2024

🍍🍍🍍What We Ate Wednesday!🍍🍍🍍

I spent last week at as part of the Romance Travel Forum. This resort was perfect for hosting our group and everything I ate at the restaurants onsite was delicious!

1 - Cheeseburger by the pool -sometimes you need a cheeseburger...
2 - Iced Coffee and Fruit - left in my secret box each morning by my butler (I love magic food!)
3 - Warm chocolate cake with pistachio ice cream - desserts at all-inclusives can be hit or miss, but this was amazing!
4 - Club sandwich and fries - this was so good I ate it twice!
5 - Fish tacos - I've never met a fish taco I didn't like 😜

They also had more fancy/speciality options - but plenty of choices for the more normal eater. The Italian was great too, but I didn't take any pictures!

14/05/2024

Jill and Eric are having an AMAZING (her words, in caps!) time at one of my favorite resorts in Punta Cana. And check out that view from their room! Happy clients are why I do what I do! 🍍💜🍍

13/05/2024

Congrats to the H family, heading to Maui and the Big Island in June! They are going to love the adventures and exploration opportunities on these two islands. I absolutely adore Hawaii and planning Hawaiian vacations. Thank you for allowing me to help with all the details to make this trip seamless!

10/05/2024

I'm headed home after an amazing week of learning and collaborating with fellow agents and suppliers at the Romance Travel Forum. I loved staying at the new Secrets Playa Blanca!

While conferences like these can be very long days, they are so worth it for the connections and knowledge! We talked about weddings, groups, honeymoons, anniversaries—it was amazing to be immersed in travel and talk about one of my very favorite things for days!

That said, I'm excited to head home to spend Mother's Day with my family and ready for a few days with less peopling. 🙃 I will return all emails on Monday and be ready to help plan your trip! If you're ready to start planning, email me and let's get started.

📧 [email protected]

07/05/2024

Voting is open for the Best of the Illinois Valley and Pineapple Escapes would appreciate your support!

To vote, scroll down and click "Professional Services," scroll again to "Travel Agency" and select Pineapple Escapes!

You can vote every day until May 24th! 🍍🍍🍍

Best of the Illinois Valley is a year-round celebration that recognizes the best businesses, people and places in the Illinois Valley