|
My passion for travel was ingrained forever when I turned the first page of my fourth grade geography book. National Geographic was a door to the world and Rand McNally was the source for the plotting of idyllic cross country journeys hopefully in the future.
As a Navy captain’s wife, those long ago dreams of far away places became realities. Living in Spain and the Philippines offered the opportunities of travel. A brand new world deliciously opened.
Now, just what if I could help people to discover and enjoy that world? What IF I became a travel agent.
And so it was. In 1977 I entered the industry. In 1981 I established Royal Travel Center in Williamsburg, Virginia. In 2006 I closed the store front and went home based. Soon there after, I made the fortuitous decision to affiliate with McCabe World Travel.
What do I enjoy most? Custom planning. In particular the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, the rest of Europe, Australia, South Pacific and all types of cruising. All right. If you get right down to it, probably anywhere.
I love finding that special cruise for that special celebration. Recently I sent fifty passengers on Royal Caribbean’s Empress of the Seas to Bermuda for their best family reunion to date. Great fun were the two South America Celebrity cruises where I created tours in Buenos Aires and in Chile with Santiago and the Wine Country.
The numbers of Scotland, England, and Ireland tours I have designed for individuals and groups with all interests are countless. In 1985 I planned Voyage of the Godspeed for the Jamestown – Yorktown Foundation. One hundred of Virginia’s leading citizens spent a week in London for the event.
Members of the Atlanta Old White Rugby Club still thank me for the planning of their Scotland tour.
I believe that training and learning never stop. There is no substitute for personal destination knowledge. My motto is “When you want something special, you see a specialist. Your vacation is no different.”
Mary Lou holds certified specialist designations from the tourist boards of Austria, Holland, Scotland, Ireland, England Australia, and Fiji. Further she has achieved Cruise Lines International Association’s rank of Master Cruise Counsellor.
She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Georgia with a specialization in Radio-Television and a minor in French.
Interests: Theatre, History, Shopping, Food, Wine, Barging, River Cruises
|