Reviews

Hi Mike,
The trip was very nice. Scotland and Ireland were on my bucket list, so I am so glad I finally got to visit those countries. After 3 Viking cruises this year, we are actually happy to be back home now.
-Valerie

Dear Mike, We are safely back home. Our 13 family members had the most amazing Safari in Botswana and Zimbabwe. Several highlights:

- We saw thousands of Impalas, hundreds of elephants, hundreds of hippos, hundreds of crocodiles, dozens of lions, zebras and giraffes, dozens of African eagles, and dozens of different types of colorful African birds.
- On game drives, we almost could have touched dozens of lions and elephants next to our Toyota land Cruiser vehicles that held up to 10 passengers
- We looked down into several lion dens with male, female and cubs eating.
- We saw a pack of painted wild dogs kill and eat an impala before our eyes.
- We learned about the culture of Africa, visiting a fishing village where my grandson gave them a soccer ball that the entire village loved. There we learned how they fished, how they survived, how they built their hexagonal homes, and how they had trades (a blacksmith and carpenter)
- We ate one meal in an African home in Victoria Falls.
- We walked with lions and cheetahs. Both Jewel and I walked while holding a lions tail, in lieu of a leash
- We had two elephant herds visit our campsite and observed us around our campfire. They drank water our of our swimming pool and observed us (and we them) for several hours on two different nights.
- At an animal sanctuary in Victoria Falls, we petted, hugged and fed elephants by putting food directly into their mouths or into their trunks. - Of course, we loved Victoria Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the World
- Our tour director was Samantha Johnson who was the key to our successful safari. She solved many problems for us; and my entire family felt she had to be the best safari tour director anywhere. Highly recommended, and a real credit to Collette.
- The food was outstanding throughout.

Thank you for recommending this to us.
Regards,
Dave

Mike,

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip and Rachel was a superb tour guide - very knowledgeable, kind and very helpful throughout the trip.

Thanks for organizing the trip - look forward to joining in other MOAA vacations.

Respectfully,
Rich

We had a great time !! We caught king salmon and loved the owners suite—was perfect for us 4 !! Food was excellent compared to princess ships!

Bob Long

Mike
We had a great time on the cruise. The crew was amazing especially the waitstaff at all the restaurants.

Jane

Mike,

It was a great cruise. Peggy really enjoyed the room upgrade during the long trip and 4 sea days. She appreciated the cake and bottle of sparkling wine on her birthday too. I'm looking forward to the continuation of this cruise next year, where we start in Bergen.

We're busy now trying to select excursions for November's Western Mediterranean cruise.

Thanks again for the upgrade.
John and Peggy

Jon,
Please know your tireless efforts on enhancing the MOAA experience on travel outings are much appreciated by your friends in the great state of Tennessee.

R/ Pete

We love to travel with over 100 countries visited. MOAA travel agents are top notch and very professional. Our most recent trip was a cruise to the Arctic circle. This trip was amazing and not to be missed. The glaciers and wildlife were spectacular. MOAA travel agents can make this trip happen for you.

Deb Parker

Mike,

We thoroughly enjoyed the Ireland trip. Tamara and Michael, our driver were fantastic.

Thanks, Lee

Good morning, Mike

The trip has been fantastic! Rachel Bertsch is a superb guide and has thought of everything.

Bob

NEVER STOP SERVING

Mike,

Hope all is well. The cruise was over the top amazing. Regent treated us like royalty. The excursions were so much fun, the entertainment was terrific. Thanks for all you did for us, especially the room recommendation, it was the best on the ship in our opinion. Take care and happy summer.

Mike and Kellie

Mike, We loved the cruise.

The cabin and ship were beautiful. Our Queens grill cabin was spacious with more than enough storage space.
The ship was continuously being cleaned.
The food was great.
The staff was excellent.
We enjoyed the ship and ports of call so much we booked a cruise for next year.
Thanks for all your assistance.

Carolyn

I just wanted to let you know that our cruise was wonderful and without hitch. We had a wonderful three weeks in Europe, first visiting Berlin, Prague, Venice, and Nice then we flew to Southampton and went on the Norway cruise.

We definitely loved Cunard and the QM2. We will likely go again in the future.

Thank you for your help in booking this cruise and with our questions. All the connections to the coach on the way back to Heathrow went fine after we checked it out with the office and Purser.

Many thanks, Bethanne and Dan Puckett

just wanted to let you know I had a wonderful Switzerland rail trip with Vacations by Rail! Truly outstanding! Special thanks to MOAA rep Steve Matthews who was always available with any questions I had.
Sincerely,
Glynis Miner

Jon, you are wonderful and I know this is going to be an amazing trip because of all you do! I have always been impressed with your professionalism.

Nora

Hi Mike,

It was a great trip! We really enjoyed visiting the different parts of the French Riviera and the weather was great as well. The tour manager was wonderful and the other tour participants were great as well. We will definitely have great memories from this trip.

Thanks for the help!

R/Mike Kingsley

Lisa

We had a wonderful time on the trip and Viking did an excellent job with all the transfers. Much different than an Ocean cruise.
Jon

WO HOO! Thank you. You are the best.

Tom & Judith

Hi Mike. We are back and Ohio is cold. I want to go back!!!!!

We loved Celebrity!!! Everything about it. The staff was great the entertainment was Vegas quality and the food was so good!!!

We will keep you in mind when we decide to do it again. Thanks for all that you did. Bill and Sherri

Hi Mike,

We had a fabulous cruise!!! The Celebrity Beyond is a beautiful ship with a very attentive crew. Captain Kate McCue was great!!

Thank you for making all the arrangements for the cruise! We will definitely be in touch when we decide to sail again.

Best,

Liz Burkett

Hi Mike

We're back to reality! Enjoyed the cruise thoroughly, thanks again for your help.

Till next time ...

Kathy

Good Morning Mike,

The cruise was fantastic!!! We had a really great time. Everything went smoothly. We are ready to plan our next cruise…we would like to go to Portugal & Spain for 2025.

Rose

Jon,

We wanted to thank you again for your expertise and guidance through the booking process. Your help was invaluable and just one more reason we book travel with MOAA Vacations!

Linda and Terry Hull

Hi Mike. The trip was fabulous. We were glad to have booked to arrive a day early and leave a day after. Other than being in Dublin on St Patrick’s Day, and staying in a luxurious castle, I think the best part not having to do anything. The whole trip was planned in great detail and we were able to stay on schedule. The tour manager was phenomenal. We were able to get on the Guinness tour and dinner, and also saw Book of Kells and Trinity College library.

We will remember this trip for some time.

Thanks, Don

Thank you so much, Mike!
You continue to impress with exceptionally great service at MOAA Travel!
Many thanks,
Louise

It was a blast. Jewel loved the kayaking.
Jewel Norlin Maune

It was fantastic. We felt safe and well cared for. Collette is a fantastic company. We had a bus for 44, but there were only 11 of us. I would highly recommend this trip. It was the trip of a lifetime!
Beverly Kennedy

Hi Mike,

It was fabulous! We all had a really great time! Oceania was wonderful. Thanks for everything!

Mary Bellia

Greetings Mike! Our Viking cruise to Egypt on the Nile River was AWESOME! Of all the cruises we have taken over the years this cruise definitely ranks NUMBER 1 with the Viking Portugal's River of Gold and the 15-day Grand European Tour following close behind. The 12-days Pharaohs & Pyramids was well-worth it with plenty of pyramids, market shopping, camel rides and a wonderful hot air Ballon ride (video link added). Will send photos in the near future. Warm regards.
MICHAEL STEPHANY

We are happy to refer our friends. You give great service and are so good about replying and answering all questions.
JC

We are delighted to sing your praises, and, of course, I will continue to speak highly of you with our MOAA Columbia River Chapter whenever the subject of travel arises.
Dan & Susan

Hi Mike,
Everything was great on the trip.
Thanks for the onboard credit it came in very useful for tours and the Wind Spirit shop.
Regards
Dave Foster

Hi Mike. The trip was fabulous. We were glad to have booked to arrive a day early and leave a day after. Other than being in Dublin on St Patrick’s Day, and staying in a luxurious castle, I think the best part not having to do anything. The whole trip was planned in great detail and we were able to stay on schedule. The tour manager was phenomenal. We were able to get on the Guinness tour and dinner, and also saw Book of Kells and Trinity College library.

Overall, the cruise went well. This was my second Viking river cruise and for sure not our last.

The onboard service (crew, food and overall care) was excellent. We are talking about taking another cruise in 2025.
Don

Mike,
Our trip was fantastic. We had great weather all of the 21 days but 1, so not complaints there. We got to see some of AU with our pre-trip to the Great Barrier Reef and Rainforest. Then we explored the Blue Mountain area for 2 days with friends who live in the Blue Mountains. Met up with our British friends and explored some of Sydney, then our 12-day cruise around NZ. The ship was very nice and the extra amenities you were able to arrange for us back three years ago (premium beverage package, WiFi and gratuities) were the capper.
Thanks for everything.
Sherri Demmel

Everything has gone very well and Regent has been wonderful, as usual.
Pam Ford

Good morning and Happy New Year,
Steve is doing a great job helping me to check off my bucket list travel. I returned from the fabulous Antarctica and on my way to the Galapagos.
Joanne Adamski

We had a wonderful time with great weather the whole trip. Met some interesting people too!
Mace MacElhaney

We are having an amazing time in Antarctica. Today was the most fun day of my life.
David Maune

Hi Mike:

We are back from the trip of a lifetime. This is without a doubt the premier experience of all of my travels. The small ship experience was so personalized. I was told that before the cruise the crew has our pictures so that they can recognize us and know our names from the very beginning. The importance of being known is right at the top of a great trip. The food was excellent, the crew was ever present and the classes were well prepared and presented. I don't think we heard the words we can't do that the entire time. I could go on and on, but suffice it to say this trip was a 10/10 for me.
Is there an address that you have so we can recognize the entire crew and experience directly to Silversea?

Thanks and Happy Holidays,
Hallie

Thank you so much for arranging this trip for Hallie and I. It was a fantastic trip from start to finish.
Silversea has really set the bar high on their all over service so it is going to make it difficult to not compare any trip that happens in the future to this experience.
A special treat for me was having dinner with one of the expedition team. We had a wonderful dinner and learned so much about how Silversea works to preserve the Galapagos and how they work with the National Park Service in this endeavor.
The expedition team on this cruise was so knowledgeable about so many subjects I enjoyed their presentations.
I will highly recommend Silversea to friends and family.
best
MJ Cahill

We had a great time and I want to thank you for making these arrangements for us.
Ceil

We had a wonderful time! Everything went smoothly from the time we arrived through the day we departed. The scenery was spectacular. We enjoyed the towns we visited. People were very friendly. Jackie, our tour manager, was great. She had everything planned out and made sure everyday was perfect for us. The bus driver did a great job on getting us to our destinations safely. We are looking forward to another tour with Collette in the future!
Colin & Gloria Carrier

Thank you so much for getting us the upgrade, it was already going to be an amazing experience and you made even better!
Richard Matuszak

We had a fabulous vacation and really enjoyed the cruise.
Best
Jill Arnstein

The food was good and the camaraderie excellent. A good cruise.
Thanks.
Stu & Lela Reeve

This was an outstanding trip, our guide was top notch, that guy knows the back country, to include animals, birds, etc and he’s a total professional in all aspects of South Africa.

We were very happy with everything Collette arranged from rooms, tours and food!

V/r,
Rick Armstrong

The trip met and exceeded our expectations. Arriving a day early was a plus. There was "first snow" on the peaks, which was beautiful. Logistics went well. Service on the Mountaineer was superb. The Brewster portion of the trip was also excellent.

It took us two tries to make the trip, but it was well worth it.

Looking forward to Normandy.

Thanks,
Henry Griswold

It's Santorini day- just gorgeous!!!
Cruise has been fantastic. Thanks again for all of your help getting it set up.
Susan Hofstad

Mike,
I want to thank you for setting up our trip to South Africa. It exceeded our expectations beyond belief. The food, safaris, seeing the big five, hotels and travel arrangements were outstanding. Getting to see Victoria Falls was a life time goal of ours and it didn’t disappoint, it was magical and life changing. We will be contacting you for our next big adventure. You should make this an MOAA exclusive tour.
Best regards,
Richard Sharp
CDR (ret) USN

The cruise was splendid. We enjoyed the elegance and service associated with the line. The cuisine was exceptional and we enjoyed all the ports. Thank you very much for your help in booking and navigating this trip.
We will look to you in the future to help us secure high quality travel. Thanks again for all your help
Michael Pacilio

Hi Mike
The Alaskan cruise was amazing and we were very pleased with Holland America. Some of the scenery is beyound description. The trip met all our expectations.
Thanks for your help.
Judy

Great. Everything was great.
Patricia Lehman

Thanks for helping us coordinate the trip. I believe everyone had a great overall experience and got our money’s worth!
Beverly Brockman

Jamie and I are more and more impressed with the organization of this trip!
Cindy Foggo

I want to share with you that it has been a pleasure working with Lisa. We now look forward to Lisa initiating the process of planning our next cruise to Paris and Dunkirk

Thank you again for your great assistance.
Esther Segler

Thank you for a memorable experience,
Sue Pohlen

Looking forward to the next opportunity.
Tom Pruett

The trip was fantastic.
Jim and Debbie Reda

Thanks again for all your help. Already looking forward to my next vacation :)
Kristen Stotz

All in all, it was fantastic. After such great accommodations and service, I can't imagine trying a lesser cruise option.
Thanks again for your assistance, John Butler

Dear Jon and Mike. I want to “encore” Donna’s thanks for all that you have done. We truly appreciate it and look forward to working with you in the future.
Thank you so much. Myrteel

Thank you again for all of your help. You made it all very easy for us, and we are grateful.
Best to you -
Susan

Dear Jon,
I marvel at your travel industry expertise and genuine concern for the traveling public.
If and when my wife is ready to hit the road again, you will be the first person we contact for optimal travel advice.
Thank you for all you do!
R/ Pete Warner

Thanks for all you do for us.
Donna Mooney

Love traveling with Viking. And the stops/excursions were informative. Sure was nice to get to some warmer/hot weather in BA and Montevideo. And thx for all you do to make our cruises easy. Looking forward to our next cruise in April.

Patricia Gilbreath

Thank you for all your help.
We are sure glad we have MOAA travel.
Have a great day!!
Dave Bredemann

We have been on other boat cruises with MOAA. This one with Uniworld was exceptional. The hotels at all our stops were first class. Additionally, the attention to detail on the Mekong Jewel was incredible. The staff was truly warm in greeting us everywhere we went.

The daily signature drinks that the bar offered helped stimulate a great social environment after the day’s activities. Local entertainment is always appreciated. The opportunity to immerse ourselves in the local village life activities gave us a great opportunity to appreciate their cultures.

Overall a great experience, we will see you again.

Alan and Sandi

There are no words to describe how impressed we were with the Uniworld experience. We have been many places in the world with other tour groups but this was the best. From the hotels, to the ship, to the crew, to the guides, to the excursions - everything was 5 star and more. There was not one thing that I can remember not loving. I especially liked the crew of the Mekong Jewel - their warmth and service were amazing. The food on the ship and on shore (those restaurants chosen by Uniworld) did not disappoint - all wonderful.

I will highly recommend Uniworld to all my friends and family. I only hope we have anothe opportunity ourselves to partake of another UniWorld experience.

Fondly, Ray and Sue Kelton

This was truly a trip of a lifetime that we will cherish! And the home folks are loving the stories we have to share!

And thank you for all you've done to make this fantastic trip happen!

All the best,
Cherie Fuchs

I want to express my appreciation for MOAA putting the trip together. My son deeply appreciated having the opportunity to see where his father was during war. It gave him a deeper appreciation for the country and the world.

I especially appreciated the candid conversations the POW's had with us. That was very special.

Sincerely,
Jeff
Colonel Jeff Davis

I believed this was a once in a lifetime event before we left. The experience greatly exceeded both of our expectations. The bar was set pretty high before we left due to costs both financially and time away from private practice. But I can sincerely say that we are better people for having went. There was a very positive synergy with this tour group centered around the POWs. I felt very honored to be amongst them for a time. I am even prouder of my own military service.

Regarding Uniworld, they provided a 5 star tour experience.
Very respectfully,
Victor and Jacquie De Castro

First let me say that this was an amazing once-in-a-lifetime journey for me.
Jerry Winter

It was Frances and my honor to be on this trip of a lifetime. The entire trip exceeded any expectations we might have had. The highlight for us was the interaction and Q & A with the POWs. Of course, traveling with like minded military folks was very warm and pleasurable. On our long flight home, we tried to find any enhancements that might have improved the experience. We came up empty. Greatly appreciate the contact information for the tour group. THANK YOU - THANK YOU!
Bob and Frances Howdyshell

We value your willingness to assist and efficiency in the actions you take!
Doug

We had a blast on the cruise and just wanted to say thanks again. We will be booking again soon enough.
Regards,
Alieka Trotman

Everything went very well. I need to point out that the service on the ship was extraordinary. What a pleasure it was to have the service staff remember you and your particular needs. The food was also excellent.
Best regards,
Ron

Your company and specifically Mike Tyrell are the reason we come back to you again and again. We have a choice in whom we give our business to and Brennco Travel is the beneficiary of our choice.
Regards,
Hussein Brewster

Fantastic! Regent took great care of us, as always. Thanks for all your help setting things up and answering questions!
Linda

You are Magic Mike. Thanks so much
David Kuhn

We had a great time. We like Oceania and the smaller ships. And this cruise was only about 60% full so we got a lot of personal attention.
Mace MacElhaney

Mike
Just wanted to say thank you for all your help in planning our vacation. We had a great time.
Jim & Doreen Gates

Hi Mike,
We are so looking forward to our second MOAA arranged cruise. The first cruise was quite a game changer for us! Thank you MOAA!
My best to you,
Connie Johnson

Thanks Mike!!!!
It is always a pleasant experience booking with you! Bruce List

Dear Mike,
I want to thank you for the generous donation of your time when speaking with my wife and I.
There is now a fuller understanding of all that you do, and have had my attention called to the final line in the advertisement, “ We provide service on EVERY cruise line, EVERY ship and EVERY tour company in the world.”
Your services will now be written up in my newsletter with a special call-out to our members on your pricing and credits.

Mark
Mark T. Sandvigen

We really enjoy all the webinars you and Jon put together for MOAA members. We learn so much from them.
Hope all is well with you and family.
Linda & Jake