If you’re traveling the globe, having a personal travel planner like Tracey of Pavlus Travel is a bonus. She’s spent more than three decades in the travel industry. Her travel expertise and service-focused attitude are simply invaluable whether customers desire to head out by land or sea.
For instance, she might set up a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Portugal, after matching her clients with the right vacation experience for their personal desires, budget, style and travel personality. “Portugal is gorgeous,” she might add. “You’ll love the history. And the locals are so nice.”
But given that the little things in travel also have tremendous value, she also counsels her clients with added travel tidbits and tips. So, she might say: “The desserts are fabulous. I particularly love the Pastel de Nata, a custard tart with a flaky pastry crust. Be sure to try that!”
Simply put, “travel is my absolute passion,” she emphasizes. “I feel strongly about creating the perfect vacations for Pavlus’ customers and in providing personalized, attentive service.”
A Passion to Explore
Her travel career journey began this way. “I started my travel career when I was 24 in a small mom-and-pop store,” she explains. Then she went to work for a larger travel agency, before arriving at Pavlus four years ago.
“My passion has always been to explore the world,” she emphasizes. “So, even after having two children, I’ve always worked and enjoyed making my clients’ dreams comes true.”
Earlier in her career, her most unforgettable experience was experiencing travel through “river locks” for the first time on one Tauck vacation between Budapest, Hungary, and Prague in the Czech Republic. “I got up at 6 a.m. to experience the locks,” she says. “I was so excited, and it’s a great example of how people can learn more about how the world works on their vacation.”
Plus, “in Vienna, Austria, we dined in the Palais Coburg while listening to ‘Sound of Music’ tunes,” Tracey says. “The entertainment was exceptional, the food five-star too. What an unforgettable experience!”
Throughout her decades-long career, she’s booked many trips for customers to the Caribbean, Mexico, Europe, North America and on cruise vacations. Today, her prime focus is planning, booking and managing luxury cruises and tours.
Traveling the Globe by Cruising
In that day-to-day approach, working remotely from Netcong, NJ, but serving clients throughout the U.S., she creates many vacation experiences on Viking, Oceania Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Tauck, and Silversea.
“I also often handle many Princess Cruises or Celebrity Cruises vacations for my valued customers.” But whatever brand her clients prefer, she strives to match them carefully with the best vacation product, based on their individual needs and desires. No two travelers are alike.
Showcasing her value to customers and why booking via a Pavlus advisor is advantageous to consumers, Tracey adds: “I’m a certified agent with Tauck. So, I can offer a complimentary pre- or post-cruise cruise/tour hotel for a first-time-ever Tauck guest.”
Viking and Oceania
Viking also often offers many promotions, she explains. In addition, Pavlus offers such amenities as an onboard credit, depending on how many nights guests plan to cruise with Viking.
In addition, Tracy also is designated as an Elite agent with Oceania, and this year is one of that line’s top producers. Translation? She truly knows the product inside and out, a plus for guests who desire to sail on Oceania.
Simply put, she can expertly help customers sort out everything involved in sailing on that line and skillfully manage all aspects of their booking, pre-cruise and cruising experience.
Cruising the Ocean Blue
During any cruise she personally takes, she enjoys a mix of pampering and productions. “I always enjoy a pampering treatment in the ship’s spa, plus I love viewing high-quality nightly entertainment and production shows on board,” she stresses.
She personally loves ultra-luxury Crystal’s attentive staff, its culinary approach, and that its ships — especially Crystal Symphony — are large enough to have a diverse range of public venues and activities. But, at the same time, she adds: “They’re not too big.”
Also, she’s sailed on Oceania Cruises’ Oceania Vista and can’t wait to sail again on its new sister ship, Oceania Allura, this December.
Whether on a ship at sea or at home, she cites shopping and working out as favorite activities. “I belong to two gyms,” she quips. “I also love just getting on my husband’s Harley as a passenger and taking a ride with him.”
Traveling the Globe: Value and Expertise
As a member of the Travel Leaders Network, Pavlus provides training opportunities for its personal travel planners including Tracey. It also offers special perks for travelers who book through the agency.
“I started this career when I was 24 years old because back then I couldn’t afford to go anywhere,” she acknowledges. “But now that I’ve been traveling the world, I can help people make their dreams come true and do everything possible to ensure my clients have the best experience.”
And that extends to whatever vacation the customer desires. For instance, “I recently planned a 14-day Italy trip for clients who did not want a cruise or tour,” she explains. But she worked to make their land vacation dreams a reality and to exceed their expectations for that Italian vacation experience.
Or if clients are more inclined for a U.S. cruise vacation, say an escorted tour in the southwestern U.S. to view gigantic cacti or a voyage on the Great Lakes with no passport required, she and other Pavlus Travel advisors stand ready to assist as well.
Traveling the Globe: Top Tip
Tracey’s top travel tip for the new year in travel ahead is to “always make a copy of your passport.”
Having lived through such tough travel times as the 9/11 attacks, SARS outbreaks, swine flu and COVID-19 initial outbreak, among other developments, she tells us that personally, “I’m ready each and every day to travel with gusto.”
“For a time after the pandemic, yes, she considered not going back into travel, but says, ‘it’s in my blood.” She wouldn’t change her career for anything else.
“Travel is a luxury,” she truly believes, no matter what the cost spent actually is. Simple pleasures. One-of-a-kind experiences. Luxurious adventures. “It’s all so good for the soul.”
