Who better to recommend top travel suppliers than the advisors who capitalize on them every day? TravelPulse asked veteran advisors to share their favorite supplier partners – spanning the hotel, rail, ocean cruise, river cruise and tour operators segments – which deliver standout results. Here’s are there to supplier choices.
AmaWaterways
How great is it when a supplier courts an advisor for business? That’s exactly what happened to Lauren Doyle, president of The Travel Mechanic, with AmaWaterways.
“AmaWaterways,which, coincidentally, was named Overall Partner of the Year at Ensemble’s recent Horizons annual conference, contacted me and we brainstormed some ways to help grow my business,” Doyle said.
“I love that they sought me out and found value in my agency,” she added. “Having that brainstorm session with AmaWaterways helped my confidence and gave me new ideas to run with! Now I am ready to make the magic happen.”
Armstrong Collective (Rocky Mountaineer, Canyon Spirit)
The Rocky Mountaineer (Source: Rocky Mountaineer Photo)
Carson Travel, which is also an affiliate of Ensemble, has forged a strong relationship this year with Armstrong Collective, which manages Rocky Mountaineer and Canyon Spirit.
“Our rep has supported us with training and consumer events to help us with increased awareness of their brand,” said Leigh Ann Arnholt, the agency’s founder. “We were also able to coordinate an agency fam trip with Canyon Spirit this year, which was a great experience for the team.”
“That first-hand experience gives our team the added knowledge of what it is like to travel with Canyon Spirit and what our clients should expect on their journeys with them,” Arnholt added. “All of these things have led to more sales with both Canyon Spirit and Rocky Mountaineer for the company!”
Arts & Leisure
“One supplier that recently exceeded my expectations is the tour operator Arts & Leisure,” said Page Sturges, a travel advisor with Carlisle Travel Group. “They were very accommodating when my clients needed to make last-minute changes to their booking, and they handled those changes in a way that made the experience feel smooth and personal.”
The operator also makes sure Sturges’ clients are privy to one-of-a-kind experiences and touches throughout their journeys, including birthday celebrations, she said.
“When my clients returned, they were very happy with the overall experience and especially loved the tours and hotels that were included in the package,” Sturgess said. “For me, that kind of responsiveness, attention to detail, and client care is what makes a supplier stand out.”
Crystal
Crystal Symphony (Source: Crystal Cruises)
For Claire Schoeder, an independent contractor with Elevation Travel, a Signature Travel Network affiliate, Crystal is far surpassing her expectations, from the help she receives from her regional sales director, Margaret Thwaites, to the onboard experiences that clients return home raving about across the board.
Shoreside, Crystal staff are cognizant of all the luxury line’s nuances and are of formidable assistance in helping her ensure that her customers’ cruises go off without a hitch, Schoeder said.
Following Crystal’s shutdown in 2022 and its rescue by A&K Travel Group in 2024 resulted in the addition of new suite categories, a reduction in the number of guests, new dining options and more – all of which have met with rave reviews from Schoeder’s clients.
Schoeder, who sampled the goods personally on a Crystal Symphony sailing following its renovation, was as impressed as her customers. “The service is even better than it used to be, which is a true testament to the line,” she said.
Corinthia Hotels
As a luxury advisor, Schoeder has her fair share of clients who are extremely discerning about which hotels they are accommodated in terms of specific accommodations and personal preferences.
The VIP client in question prefers staying at the Corinthia London when she’s in the city and has very specific requirements for her stays, including a particular room category, restaurant reservations and a request for no flowers in the room.
At one point, the client’s room category wasn’t available, so Schoeder contacted the hotel, which managed to match the client to the requested accommodations.
“They listen to what you need and make the necessary adjustments to make my client really happy,” Schoeder said. “It’s a small chain but a good one.”
Explora Journeys
Explora III (Source: Explora Journeys)
“Explora Journeys is relatively new, but they completely hit it out of the park,” said Shawn Power, owner of Your Trusted Travel Experts, an independent agency in the Avoya Travel network.
Power speaks from personal experience, having sailed on both Explora 1 and Explora II. “The onboard quality, the massive entry-level suites and the food are just exceptional,” he said. “My clients have been so blown away by the experience that a ton of them actually book their next trip while they’re still onboard the ship.”
What Power loves the most “is Explora’s commitment to listening to both guest and advisor feedback to constantly refine the experience,” he said. “They actually take our notes and adapt quickly, which ensures they deliver that consistent, high-quality service every single time, which makes them great to partner with.”
Tauck
Tauck's ms Lumiere (Source: Tauck River Cruises)
Having experienced 13 Tauck river cruises and land tours firsthand, Power said the upscale tour operator’s products are second to none.
“They’ve been around for 101 years so they have totally mastered quality partnerships in the locations they travel and the ‘true’ all-inclusive model,” he said, adding that the company’s “pricing is incredibly transparent and fair – and clients love knowing they won’t get nickeled-and-dimed for things like transfers, meals or the best excursions.”
Because of Tauck’s “rock-solid consistency,” Power has garnered a massive repeat business, which is why their departures are always sold out so early,” he added.
“Tauck is obsessed with refining the travel experience based on real feedback from advisors and guests,” Power said. “Their backend support is seamless, making it easy for us agents to look like heroes to our clients.”
Ultimate Jet Vacations
Ultimate Jet Vacations (UJV), a boutique tour operator that doubles as a destination management company, continues to surpass the expectations of Pasindu Wewegama, owner of Plans with Pas, a Carlisle Travel Management agency, by “making even the most complicated trips easy to plan.”
“Over the past several trips I have booked with them, I have developed strong relationships with both their reservation team and our business development manager, who now oversees everything I book,” he said.
“One of the best examples was a recent trip I planned to Eden Rock in St. Barth’s,” he added. “My clients did not want to fly into the St. Barth’s airport with its tiny runway and adventurous landing deterred them, so as we started planning their trip, and UJV presented several alternative transfer options that helped turn the transfer into part of the experience.”
Wewegama’s customers traveled by yacht from St. Maarten to St. Barth’s, with UJV staying in close communication with them throughout the entire process.
“My relationship with UJV has helped me stand out as a travel advisor while also allowing me to build stronger connections with hoteliers and suppliers that I may not have developed otherwise, Wewegama said. “Their support makes it easier for me to do my job well and go above and beyond the level of service my clients expect.”
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