Specialists in Cruising Alaska Style
September 21st, 2024Editorial Note:
Hi Marjy, It was a wonderful trip. I view it as a tasting of the country. Not enough time in several places means I must return! The highlands and Skye have jaw dropping scenery. I think my favorite city is Edinburgh - but it was first on my itinerary and I was excited. The Bonham was definitely my favorite hotel - in every way. The Inverglen in Inverness was comfortable, spotless, a very good breakfast, and run by a lovely couple. It was in a good residential neighborhood, a short walk into town - but on a steep hill making my returns often challenging. I would in the future stay in a location near the river. Hotel du Vin was quite posh - beautiful room and bath, but no convenient way to use a hairdryer. I eventually got an extension cord so I didn’t have to crawl under the desk to access an outlet. This seems like a small thing, but it isn’t. The service was a bit aloof, except for the lovely lady bartender. The Rabbies tours were good - never got a grip on the tipping - I saw other passengers give them nothing, I usually gave the driver/guide £10 - two looked pleased, one did not. These tours would be much more enjoyable if I didn’t have to contend with other tourists. 🙃 Tours are always a gamble - on these we made lots of stops for “photos “ and I would prefer more time at some of the high points. 1 hour and 20 minutes is not enough at Stirling Castle; 90 minutes is not enough in Oban, if one plans to eat lunch. I talked to one couple who were doing an extensive trip using trains, ferries, buses - and private guides in specific locations. I think that would work for me because the best way to see Scotland is with a car, but I will not do that! The tourist traffic in the highlands and on Skye was pretty high and lots of clueless tourists driving! It was serendipitous that I got to see my granddaughter in St. Andrew’s. My Rabbies tour there coincided with the official start of the school year where all the students parade through town wearing their brilliant red robes. As soon as I got off the bus, I saw this long long line of red robes on the other side of the street. I smiled and thought, “my granddaughter is in that crowd.” A couple of minutes later, I spotted her. I ran ahead and waited - she spotted me and looked shocked. We waved and blew kisses and carried on - she participating in the Pier Walk, me seeing as much as I could and have lunch in three hours. I will send a few more photos in another email. BW
August 25th, 2024Editorial Note:
Our week long Alaska cruise with the usual tourist stops turned into our retirement “trip of a lifetime” after talking to Marjy. We told her what we’d really like to do and see and she took it from there. We ended up doing 19 days starting in Fairbanks, up to the Arctic Circle, back to Denali, and worked our way down to Seward and grabbing cruise ship up in Vancouver. Marjy lives in Alaska, knows most of the things worth going to and traps to avoid. She also knows a whole lot of people along the way. And she won’t steer you to anything you don’t want to do – just puts together what you want. She gave us , with a few tweaks of course, a 20 page itinerary with all our directions, confirmation numbers, reservation numbers and any other details we might need. Everything, and I mean everything, was spot on and it all went like clockwork. No way could we have planned and done this ourselves. It all was prepaid so we knew the exact costs upfront meaning our out of pocket costs were minimal. We just followed the plan. Best experience ever using a travel agent. John/Debra Mordus Shelby Township MI J&D M
August 16th, 2024Editorial Note:
Hi Marjy, We had a fabulous trip! We really enjoyed all the events we chose and we even went to a few others. We were able to get (other) tickets direct once we were there. Paris was so beautiful and the events were very well organized. It was super easy to get around :) We really appreciate all your help in planning this trip and thank you for your follow up!!! We had a fabulous memorable trip! Enjoy the last days of summer! D&M
August 16th, 2024Editorial Note:
Marjy – Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our trip and felt we got a real sense of Alaska. The logistics, pacing and choice of activities were excellent. We’re thrilled we got to meet you in person. Your documentation (the app and the full deck of details, tickets and vouchers) was outstanding. A real treat. As requested, we’ve prepared some more detailed feedback for your future planning. If we’ve missed anything, or you would like more specific feedback of a particular outing or hotel, please let us know and we’re happy to jump on the phone. Anchorage Marriott Downtown – good choice; served us well; no issues Rust’s Flying to Katmai – excellent; pilot was experienced, knowledgeable; box lunches were ample; Rust’s staff was welcoming and helpful; entire day was spectacular and a major highlight of our trip. We were glad to have the extra time in Anchorage, both because of the day trip to Kenai, but also for the acclamation before setting off on a series of one night stays. Taxis were not as difficult to arrange as expected. Wilderness Express Excellent choice – appreciated the narrated experience, excellent meals, fun staff – roundtrip from Anchorage to Denali was without any issues. Talkeetna Enjoyed the Talkeetna Lodge, but because of heavy cloud cover, not able to see or appreciate the mountain views – or Denali – from the Lodge. The town of Talkeetna was fun, though, and glad to have had a small town experience on the “land” side of our trip. As you’ll recall, we had to cancel our small plane ride to the glacier due to cloud cover, etc. Of all the things to miss, this was probably the least disruptive. We saw plenty of glaciers to/from Katmai and then during the week on the Alaskan Dream, so all good. Denali The Grand Denali was disappointing – adequate, but inferior to Talkeetna Lodge. Seemed short of staff and poorly run. We heard from others that the hotel is not “what it used to be.” Restaurant was excellent, though. The jeep tour was fun as well. It was nice to be able to venture out on our own, a bit, and to see other vantage points of Denali. We drove along the old Denali Highway – dirt road for the most part. Our two lady tour guides gave us lively narration on the drive via car radios. We ended up having a nice, sunny evening which enhanced the mountain views…and our first clear glimpse of Denali! The Denali National Park is very user-friendly and easy to navigate. Buses were timely. Did not see as much wildlife as we expected. Because Denali is such a massive national park, we now understand why you don’t see as much wildlife as expected, but might be something to share with future clients so you better manage their expectations. Anchorage/Sitka Lakefront Hotel was adequate – pretty old and “stuffy” smelling, but did the job. Felt authentically Alaska with the all the stuffed animals and “lodge-like” atmosphere. Airport shuttle worked fine. Sitka Westmark Hotel – seemed adequate – we were able to check-in early which was a big bonus; good location, etc. From other boat comrades were heard very negative comments about The Sitka Hotel and another hotel that we can’t remember so we felt fine about the Westmark stay. We had heard about Fortress of the Bear and were pleased we worked that into our itinerary before joining the Alaskan Dream cruise. Alaskan Dream Cruise Very pleased with the size of the boat and itinerary. Our particular ship is starting to show some wear and tear and could use a little sprucing up. Appreciated your recommendation of the Vista View room. The views were great, although some of the window coating was starting to peel and at times interfered with the view. It did take some adjustment to the combination toilet/shower. You had mentioned that, but we forgot. True reflection of “small boat life” but definitely something you want to keep mentioning to any new clients. Almost every passenger commented to us about the toilet/shower combo, so definitely something memorable. Captain Eric was an interesting character. Food was very good; some of the “nature and environment” discussions could have been a little more frequent. We really appreciated the passenger size which allowed for lots of mingling and socializing. By the end of the week, we felt we had good conversations with everyone . . . and have even continued the conversations post-cruise with a few. Really appreciated the true “Alaska” feel of the boat – the small towns (Pelican, Kake, Petersburg, Wrangell), the local culture and the informal nature of much of what we did. Juneau was interesting to us primarily due to its tight perch on the steep shoreline. But, the massive cruise ships are a real blight and turn the character of the downtown into something similar to a middle eastern bazaar. Hope this gives you what you need. Best, C&T C&T
August 15th, 2024Editorial Note:
Marjy, I have been having some "Alaska moments" this morning, sorting through papers and mementos from our trip. I am trying to consciously remember and relive things so I don't forget. I hope very much that this won't be our last cruise. Of course we are already spoiled by the whole Seabourn experience. Thank you for steering us in that direction. I realize that Seabourn is not the economy way to see the world, but it was certainly a delightful way to do it. I was describing to a friend that there was no hierarchical feel between passengers and crew, which was lovely. It was much more that we were all in this together, making memories, enjoying people and places. Friends are going on a Silver Seas cruise to Alaska next summer. The thought of the white-gloved butler as a cabin steward did not make me want to switch my allegiance. I think I can send 6 photos without you having to open files. I'll send you at least two batches. The first pic is our emergency drive to ATL in our rental car. What a crazy, rainy start to things, but we were undeterred! The first photo is down by the water in Vancouver, the day before we embarked. We want to go back to Vancouver some day. It was a great place to start our vacation. These are all sent chronologically so you can probably figure out where and when. I still need to get some of Brant's photos to add to mine but I wanted to get some to you now. Who knows how long it will take me to get them organized. But we do have lovely, casual pics of our grand tour. Thank you again for all you did for us. We will certainly send any other Alaska inquirers your way. You were more than helpful to the Copelands in figuring out the where, what and when of our two weeks. It was so lovely to be able to come back and tell everyone an unequivocal "wonderful", "amazing", "everything was just perfect". Vacations don't always work out that way. Brant and I are very compatible travelers so that helps of course. Much love across the miles, and I hope you have some time off to look forward to when you eventually hit "off-season". L A&B
July 28th, 2025Editorial Note:
Hi Marjy, Sorry for the ghosting - I have been on the road since I got home. I cannot thank you enough for your help. We had an amazing trip and the girls were completely enthralled! Holland America was awesome - the staff, the cleanliness, the food, the service and the entertainment were all top shelf. Your help was invaluable, not only in saving us money on the cruise by watching all of the offerings from Holland America but also in the planning and suggestions of what to do and more importantly - not to do. You thought of almost every detail. All of the expeditions were fabulous, although I would not recommend the Side by Side adventure in Denali - The girls loved it as they had never driven one, but it was dusty, not great scenery, not good food and was a last minute, on site add on so we didn't have lots of options. The float plane into Taku Lodge, Sea Kayaking, Salmon fishing and Zip Lining were all spectacular and I would highly recommend. We had a fabulous time and I hope that I can utilize your services again for another perfect adventure. Now on to Horseback riding/camping for me. Thank you so much, C CC
July 23rd, 2024
Client and Marjy had a phone conversation and guest was happy with their land tour, the escorted Grand Alaska. The weather had not been great and one of the tours, a small boat day trip, had been cancelled. Client was refunded for that and was able to get out on another small boat day trip and it was one of the highlights of their vacation, the Kenai Fjords National Park cruise. They sent this quick email about their Kenai Fjords trip "Trip was wonderful. Highly recommend. On train back to Anchorage now....." These photos were taken by the client and they said it was ok to share:) D&L C
July 21st, 2024
Yes, we're home. Pooped out. Scenery overload! Thank you for all your help and assistance. You were the best reminding me that I should have made reservations earlier in several things, and that got me into action mode. Clearly the universe opened up for me to make the reservations and see some cool stuff. 15 minutes before I called the national park there were 2 cancelations. MC
July 9th, 2024
Hi, We got home fine. Well rested? Not so much! I’m in VA for work all week. I left 17 hours after I arrived home from AK! The cruise was incredible. We absolutely loved it. We want to write reviews for UnCruise so I need to get in touch with them and let them know we want to help them out. It was a dream trip. The service was unparalleled. Everyone was so professional, capable, kind, fun and interesting. I absolutely loved it. The excursions were well run and exciting. The food was five stars every single day. I need to figure out the correct words to use to describe the cruise and the incredible staff for reviews wherever UnCruise wants me to write them up. We already put a $2k deposit down for the UnCruise HI cruise. I need to figure that out. I also need to book it because it’s a 36 passenger cruise and we need to go within two years! You were wonderful to work with. I’ve never worked with a travel agent before. I lived in the Czech Republic in my 20s and traveled all over Europe and also S and C America in my 30s by myself and I did everything myself. Very budget friendly. I traveled MUCH less luxuriously before I met my husband in my mid-30s. We’ve certainly stepped up our game! What a life my daughters are accustomed to. Thank you for everything! I have to get to sleep!! C Family
June 29th, 2024
Hi, Marji. Here I am. We are well, and, yes, we did have a great time. Everything went smoothly--no issues on the trip at all, except the weather, which was mainly overcast, with rain. No real heavy rain, though. And it was better on the land portion of the trip. Temp during the day was mainly in the upper 40s and the 50s. So not too bad. But the scenery was awesome. In addition to whales (the coolest was the humpbacks bubble-netting), we also some some bears onshore from the boat, sea lions, one otter floating by himself, the back of a moose, and raptors at the raptor center in Sitka. Oh, and one bald eagle in the wild. Some saw more than one, but it's possible they were dreaming. Staff on board the ship were all great. Always friendly, courteous, and willing to help with any issues and needs. Food was quite good. Accommodations were . . . small. But we managed ok. The only negative comment I have concerns the initial reservations: as a marketing consultant, I have to give them a C+ with how they handled their screw-up at the beginning. If I were their marketing consultant and they asked me how I would handle the situation, I would have told them that they messed up, and they need to fix it totally. The discount you were able to get us was great, but as a client of mine I wold have advised them that, they should have simply said "we screwed up, so of course we will honor the price they would have gotten on the earlier trip, on the trip they are going on, since we should not have given away the cabin they were going to be booked in." But that's just my philosophy, Not all may agree. My only other feedback is that the Alex Hotel is fine. Nice room, fairly large, nice people. All in all, great trip. Thank you very much. Pictures, only quickly edited so I could send them to you, are attached. If I can't fit them all into this email, I'll send you another. Best Regards, Barry Barry & Karla
June 21st, 2024
Good morning Marjy, Actually the weather on our trip wasn’t bad. We had some rain but it usually didn’t last for long. We actually had some clear weather and overall the rain was never an issue. We had some spectacular clear weather days. All of the pre trip information was helpful in preparing for the conditions. We had 33 passengers on the Legacy, and we connected well with both the passengers and crew. Uncruise was over the top in meeting my dietary constraints (GF intolerant and lactose free), I have never been that spoiled. I was so well served that I declined the special desserts on the second cruise. Overall the food was very good! The second cruise on the Endeavour had about fifty passengers and a totally different vibe from the Legacy. While both crews were great, the Legacy crew appeared more seasoned, read their guests better and placed a higher emphasis on safety. The Endeavour seemed to have more of a party atmosphere, maybe because there were several younger passengers and crew. While both ships offered an open bar, it had a somewhat negative effect on the Endeavour for us. We were surprised that a slightly younger larger group that drank more could have such an effect on our experience. The environment in the lounge and dining area was often excessively loud. We are starting to have hearing issues and really noticed having trouble hearing conversations between ourselves and other guests on the Endeavour. When we were planning the trip, I assumed that I would like the layout of the Endeavour better than the Legacy. It turned out to be the opposite. It was easier to move around on the Legacy and having windows that open in our cabin was a plus. We enjoyed the open bridge policy on both ships and appreciated that they would turn the ship around to follow a whale spout. We enjoyed the mix of activities and programs and didn’t mind visiting Glacier Bay on both weeks. We had the good fortune of sitting next to a Juneau local on the flight from Seattle to Juneau. He gave us several additional suggestions for exploring Juneau. He even directed us to the "Sand Bar and Grill" out by the airport for a non-tourist halibut fish taco. Thank you for all of your assistance in arranging the cruise. J&C
June 17th, 2024Editorial Note:
Hi again, Yes, the land trip was great and we had a wonderful time!!! We saw a lot of wildlife, both land and sea. While we are used to a lot of mountains here in Colorado, Alaska's mountains match Colorado's in scenic beauty (though different), but are certainly taller and are never ending in quantity. The cancelation really didn't effect the second half of our trip as it was really two trips in one. With the way the weather turned out in your area (more rain than normal), and the fact we had very good weather overall for the land part, looking back this is probably worked out for the best. We do still want to cruise inside passage and depending on what we decide, could even return to the main land again in the same trip. At some point we will return to the land side again as Alaska is a place we definitely want to return to. Alaska ranks with the top vacation destinations we have ever taken! We have concluded that seeing Alaska via RV was a great way to go, at least for this first trip. A few specifics from our perspective that you may be interested in: The direct flights with United were both very good with no issues (really liked that fact they were both direct). The Springhill Midtown hotel was just ok. For the price I have to believe there are better. They are toting that it is refurbished. This must have been quite a while back. We had dinner at Simon's in downtown Anchorage and the seafood was absolutely the best along with the view of the bay! The train to Seward & back and the wildlife tour with Major Marine to Kenai Fjords NP were both great! We saw just about every sea mammal they had on the list, plus mountain goats and a black bear at the base of a tidewater glacier. Denali was out so we were able to get great photo's from Talkeetna and the Parks highway. The bus tour into Denali was good, but not great. We are not a fans of buses and the fact that it only goes the first 42 miles takes a lot away of the potential. At this point it's to far away from Mt Denali and a bus is not a good way to view wildlife. We went on own for the first 16 miles the next day and that was much better for wildlife viewing and were able to get some great photo's of Caribou in particular. Sat and watched them for 2 hours. The Denali highway was in overall good condition and we are able to again see a lot of wildlife and the mountain scenery is great. Glad we took this route to the east side. The flight see with Wrangel Mountain Air was great! The only disappointment here was we did not get to see Mt Saint Elias. The cloud ceiling was at about 6,000 feet. But this NP park is so big we still saw a lot of country and the pilot was very knowledgeable of the area! The Richardson highway into Valdez has to be one of the most scenic in Alaska! We spent a whole day on this drive taking way to many mountain photo's! The Matanuska glacier was another great stop. The Smoking Bay Air to go see Brown Bears was absolutely great! At one point we had a bear within 20 yards of us! Again, this was a great trip. Thanks for all the great recommendations setting them up. I will send a few photos from my phone separately. Have a great summer and we will be in touch soon! B&K
June 11th, 2024Editorial Note:
Marjy, you made our trip of a lifetime to Ireland a truly special experience. From North to South, East to West, we took in a major music festival in Ballyshannon, enjoyed the beautiful "fair bridges" along the seashore of picturesque Bundoran, walked the famous walls of Derry (and visited the Derry Girls mural, of course), hiked around Killarney National Park, visited the famous Ross Castle, toured the cute town of Killarney, then spent time in the small, quaint villages of Cahersiveen and Port Magee, where we took off on an incredible boat tour of Skellig Michael and Little Skellig islands, with puffins and guillemots everywhere. In Dublin, we enjoyed a traditional Irish music and dance review and visited the famous General Post Office, where the 1916 Rebellion occurred. All of our accommodations, train tickets, bus timetables, flights, etc. went perfectly. We even met up with a distant cousin in Ireland! Thank you for everything! K&B
June 6th, 2024Editorial Note:
Thank you Miss Marjy, We had a great time. We enjoyed our visit to Wrangell and wish it were longer. What a treat to have you help us get trip set up as last minute reservation I would think in travel industry. Your app was so nice as I got accustomed to using. A few inquired about it and I gladly shared your contact info , so maybe they will ask you in future. On our floor , we actually think the back two rooms are the best. Front two have people in front lounge area and coffee bar, also any landing or zodiac rides have the doors there. Middle two rooms have both sides with room doors to hear. Back two only have eating area as stairs are a non factor. We did enjoy not having people walking past windows as other decks have. They are so quiet setting up breakfast with double doors closed early in morning it was not a factor. Maybe anyone over 6’2 the bed is tight. 😊 Would I do again on different itinerary, absolutely. Thank you Peace and Grace R&K
May 3rd, 2024Editorial Note:
The trip—-the food, service and the people on the boat were great, the weather was terrible, cold, rainy and very windy. The week before we arrived the temperature was in the 60’s , the week after we left it was going to be in the 70’s. While we were there it was in the 40’s. Three excursions were good but the others had a lot to be desired. There was too much time on the boat with nothing to do. Boring! Not sure but that might have been two river cruises in one. The first and the last . Words cannot express how thankful we for you helping with our trips. We could not do them without your help! Take care and we will be in touch when we decide on our next trip. J&S
May 2nd, 2024Editorial Note:
Thanks so much Marjy! What a great trip! All went smooth with good planning. Thank you for all of your help! W family
February 22nd, 2024Editorial Note:
Marjy, You organized one of my top adventures ever - Alaska in August 2021. I was looking at my photos recently and was reminded about how well you listened, offered valuable advice, and just made it all work. Alaskan Dream cruise, the Wilderness Express train, Camp Denali, a week driving the Kenai. My preferred way to plan a trip is to read, make a wish list, figure out a ball park budget - then find a local agent to organize it. My agent for Africa did a stellar job and my agent for Alaska did a stellar job. You set the bar high. My agent in Spain last year fell woefully short. I wish you organized Scotland because that is what I am trying to sort now - without much luck. I just wanted to tell again what a great job you did for me. PS. Do you organize for Scotland? BW
February 1st, 2024Editorial Note:
Hi Marji, The trip was wonderful. The flight long. We had a great time. There is very little of the island that was burned. went to both Lahaina and Kula area. Lahaina was so sad. I did not realize the area that was destroyed. Such total destruction. They tried to block the view of the destruction by putting up barriers along the highway-however got some photos that I will send to you. The Kula area was also quite devastating in that the trees along the road on the way to Kula lodge were all burned. Yes the DOB was changed. Thank you. I was a little stressed at the beginning of the trip as Delta employee indicated that I possibly would not be able to board other flight unless I went to the check in desk at each stop. What a hassle that would have been to leave the secure area, check in at the Delta desk and then go back through security. The layovers were perfect. Was worried about Minneapolis on the way back as there was only an hour. It worked out as there was an electric handicap cart waiting for us to take us to the far far away gate. a week was good. Maui is so small we got to do everything we wanted. On the go from early morning to late evening. The house we rented was perfect. everything was about 30 to 60 minute away. Once again thank you for putting together another perfect vacation package. I will send you some photo when I get them downloaded. In the process of trying to pack everything into boxes so we can move on the 15th. Probably should not have taken the week off for Maui-but it was worth it even if it created some extra stress. Be good. Thank you. S SS Family
January 10th, 2024Editorial Note:
Hi Marjy, "H" and I wish you a very happy and healthy New Year 2024! We always think very positively of our trip to Alaska (Mist Cove) and out Western Canada, and so many friends were impressed with the few images we showed them. Yes, the cruise is a dream for a nature lover. Just a little expensive for us Canadians, when we have to deal with a 35 % exchange rate, meaning that we cannot afford to make it every year... Otherwise, summer here was a catastrophe, climate wise. We came to Alberta with the forest fires in May, we left Alaska just in time for the seasonal forest fires, and flew back to Quebec where they were raging all summer, at a speed and rate never experienced. Some days, the heavy smog even reached New York City, But now 2023 is over, and all hope for a better, if not not worse, year... Thank you again for the outstanding service you provided us with. Let’s keep in touch! M H&M
December 18th, 2023Editorial Note:
Marj - the trip was just amazing!!! I cannot describe it to you, or anybody. You have to see it to believe it. It was worth every minute of travel to get there and back. The ship was, as before, wonderful! They took care of all of the details, nothing left to guess about. The crew was fantastic, as always. One more five star voyage for Hurtigruten. I didn't get to take my plane trip because they didn't have a plane, so that was canceled, but not H's fault. I would travel with them again in a heartbeat. As you know, my new friends and I are considering the Coast of Norway in January or February or March of 2025. We'll see if that happens. We'll see if I'm up to another very long flight. Thank you over and over again, dear friend, for all that you did to make this trip such a huge success. It truly was the trip of a lifetime. With big hugs C C.H.
November 8th, 2023Editorial Note:
Marjy, we got home in good shape Monday night after all three flights went on schedule. It was a wonderful trip and we are so appreciative of your support in putting all the pieces together. One of the couples mentioned they had poor service with Lindblad while dealing directly. There were 28 of us which was awesome to not be crowded. The cruise had more guests as crew members brought family to fill many of the remaining rooms. Perhaps my greatest impression, other than where we went and what we saw, was the coordination of travel details handled beautifully along the way and the first class hotels where we stayed. In Alaska we just had the boat experience so this was different. We are happy to share with you any questions you may have that will help you as you consult with other travelers. Let's keep in touch. B B&P P
September 21st, 2023Editorial Note:
Just got home. Everything went well except my luggage is in Canada. We checked three bags, two got to Atlanta. Air Canada says I will have it delivered tomorrow. Not favorably impressed with Air Canada. Thanks again for everything you did to make our trip possible. J&S S
August 22nd, 2023
Hi Marjy! We had the best time – (Australia flight+ hotel package) it was so incredible, and thank you so much for all your help! We were pretty lucky flight-wise - there was some craziness the night before we left when we were flying back to Sydney from Cairns (a passenger on a flight to Malaysia caused the flight to be turned around screwing up all the flights that night) - but considering how many places we went, everything was great! The Qantas leg from TX to Sydney was amazing, and a huge contrast to the American to LA leg (horrible!). Thanks again for all your help! The W Family
August 22nd, 2023
Hi Marjy, The cruise (Alaskan Dream) was amazing. I am sure the weather tried captain Eric’s patience but we still managed to see Tracy Arms Fjords which was definitely a highlight for me. The food was great, that crew worked really hard to create all these fish dishes which were excellent. My ‘improvement point’ feedback would probably be around communication. Very often, we were in the unknown about what the plan for the day was or the potential activities once we get to a specific town or place. I completely understand the weather element so am not debating that as it drives activities. But just clearer communication from the leads and heads up on what to potentially expect would have been welcome. Apart from that I also wanted to recommend https://seakadventuresitka.com in Sitka for kayaking. I went on a tour with them this morning and it was amazing. Great guide. I wish I have met you in person in Wrangell, thank you for all your help with organizing everything. I can definitely send you pics - if you have any specific location you would like let me know, or specific wildlife. I loved Alaska and hope to come back again😊 Many thanks Marjy and best wishes!! KB (Then she followed up with this the next day, after I replied that I’d share her feedback about the communication. Such a nice client!) : Thank you Marjy! Just to add: Captain Eric was fantastic and being on his boat felt very safe even in bad weather. I hugely appreciated it and also how he made every effort to get us to Tracy Arms. If you could pass on my thanks that would be great. Both excursion leads were super knowledgeable and friendly so it would have been great to hear more from them on what’s coming up, that’s all really. But overall great cruise! All the best again KB KB
August 14th, 2023
Hi, Marjy So nice to hear from you. Needless to say, we had a fabulous time in Alaska. Everything, including the weather, cooperated. We changed up our itineray a little on the way to Denali. The weather was looking pretty good driving up from Anchorage so we stopped at the Talkeetna Air Taxi and asked if we could take our ride that day instead of waiting until Wednesday. There was no problem at all. They were very accommodating and we had a wonderful flight over the Alaska Range and saw everything in it's sunny glory! Including landing on the glacier and throwing a few snow balls. All our accommodations were fine. We also loved the Hotel Juneau, but the only problem we had was getting a taxi from there to the Uncruise office. Our suitcases were just to heavy to try to trek it, and we called all 5 taxi services and none picked up. There was no shuttle service from the hotel, but we were fortunate that the driver was a really nice guy and he was taking another guest to the ferry so we hitched a ride. The cruise was spectacular in every way. We had adventures every day and saw lots of wildlife. The crew was excellent. They knew so much about the wildlife and the waters we were in. It was a terrific group of people and everyone got along really well. We definitely have the travel bug now. I came home with a mild case of Covid that I picked up the last night of the cruise, but all good now. Am attaching a couple of pictures of us in a separate email. Thanks again for all your help and hard work. It made our trip. A&L
August 6th, 2023
Hi Marji,,just getting into stuff after return. Hell week at work,,,, (re trip) it was perfect,,and Wow are you good at what you do is first comment.,,, and “J” originaly found you just by luck of the draw it appears,,,good for us!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes we made Chicago but but boy did we have to boogie there,,(Ed note, their return home flight was late Chicago was now a tight connection but they made it) We will be sending you some pics and stuff…we are going to put some stuff together later in week ,,, A sincere thank you,,from the first issue (Ed note, cruise departure change) to the rebooking to the plane reroutes after Delta said no way (Ed note, their very first flight was late and missed it’s connection, Delta was going make them overnight, nope that wasn’t going to work, got that fixed!) it all worked because of you,, we would have been lost. Thank you! D&L
August 6th, 2023
(ED NOTE - This feedback unfolded as the trip progressed! Here are the highlights) We are in Austin and so is our luggage and fish. It was a trip of a lifetime. Will follow up with thoughts later in the week. 8/4 Random thoughts to share…. Cape Fox Lodge-great room, food and location! Deadliest Catch Tour-AMAZING! ……… The Landing Hotel-great room. We got there around 11 in the morning and they let us check in and go to our room. The food…marginal but ok. Nice place for a night or two. The Lakefront-we LOVED the McKinney suite! The food…marginal but we only ate there once. We mainly ate in Anchorage, Whittier etc. Kulik Lodge -Oh my GOD….I can’t say enough. From the minute you show up at Katmai airport till they drop you off….safety is #1. We felt safe in the planes, boats etc. The lodging, fishing and food was MORE THAN we could have ever expected. My husband is a cook and he was blown away by the food. The staff is incredible. We WILL go back to Kulik, probably on our 30th anniversary in 2 years. Just a few things to share. ………..Thanks for helping us, again, create an incredible trip to Alaska. K&J C K&J C
August 4th, 2023
My dear Marj, I just want to thank you so very very much for all that you did to put me on that spectacular cruise. (Hurtigruten Roald Amundsen, Nome Alaska to Vancouver BC) It really was the trip of a lifetime! Everything about it - the ship, my room, the food, the lecture, the zodiac trips - were all just incredibly wonderful. And it was so good to finally be able to spend some time with you. But most wonderful of all was the crew. I fell in love with, and bonded with, all of them. They are all very special people who clearly love their jobs and are there just to make sure you have a good trip. I would travel with this company again anytime, and as you know, hope to do so again to Antarctica, probably about next year. If you haven't done so already, please go ahead and cancel the Norway trip. I will keep it on my bucket list, but want to go South first. Big Hugs!!!!!! (ED NOTE .. AND SHE DID " go south" because she was referring to Antarctica! I booked her to Antarctica and she went November of 2023) CH
August 1st, 2023
Hi there Marjy! We are indeed back home. We had a wonderful time on the Alaskan Dream. No drippiness for us on Saturday. It was another beautiful day. Having travelled to Alaska several times in our Westfalia, we were honestly not expecting the weather we had. It was perfect! As you likely know we had Eric as our captain. He was and is just the very best. He was confronted with several difficult issues not the least of which was the toilet disaster. However for us that was OK. His wife, Sarah took a very few of us up to the Mendenhall glacier and Matt and I walked up to Nugget Falls. In the end there were 35 passengers and six young. Matt had blast with the other teens. There was only one disappointment for us and that was the fact that I had understood we were going to Carcross. We’ve been there several times and wanted to take Matt to stand in front of the Matthew Watson General Store. We’d given him a framed picture when he was little and it is still in his bedroom. So we were sorry not to need our passports after all. But it was truly a trip of a lifetime. We met met some lovely people, the meals were excellent, Sandy and the rest of Eric’s crew were top notch. The experience meshes with the fine way you handled our reservations with care and competence. Many thanks to you and the entire company Marjy, Best wishes and in gratitude, WR PS I’ll send pictures separately from my phone. WR
June 27th, 2023
Hi Marjy, We had awesome weather and an incredible trip. Thank you for all your help. Attached is a photo of D and I on Mendenhall Glacier. JH&DR
June 26th, 2023
Subject line = how we’ve been describing you to people. (ED note, the subject line said "Problem Solver/Miracle Worker/Angel" Marjy - We are still settling in, unpacking, going over photos and coasting on the memories of our amazing trip to Alaska, which truly exceeded our expectations. We can not thank you enough for the exceptional job you did, setting up a terrific itinerary and rectifying snafus behind the scenes. We will send some photos and M will follow up on some feedback he’d like to share. In the meantime, could you let us know of a couple of restaurants you like? We’d love to treat you, your mom (and we believe there’s a Mr. Marjy?) to a dinner out on the town in Wrangell or in the vicinity. We enjoyed some delicious meals during our travels and would love to invite the three of you to enjoy a meal out as well. (If you can send a couple of names I will forward you a gift certificate.) M and I agreed this was one of the best trips we’ve taken and in great measure it was all your doing. We’d really like to express our thanks. All the best, H&M
June 16th, 2023
Marjy, We're in Juneau and having a great time! Everything going well so far. Yesterday and today a bit rainy but not slowing us down. Just pre-registered for flight and have our boarding passes on my phone. Had fun on Ferry coming down from Skagway (a few whales and sea lions and lots of bird viewing). Looking forward to our Small Ship Cruise! (Then a few days later:) Had a fabulous cruise! Will fill you in soon - but everything exceeded my expectations! J&C
June 5th, 2023
Marjy, you were absolutely the best! We seriously can't thank you enough for all that you did for us! We had the best time and we couldn’t have done all this without you. Here’s one quick picture of us at Sawyer Glacier. (ed note – will add later if permission given) We will have to send more later. Thanks so much again and we will be in touch. Seriously, if you’re ever in (town edited out) area let us know. JF
June 3rd, 2023
Just home Marjy!! We had such a wonderful time and all along the way, appreciated all the tips you provided and the details you took care of that made it awesome!! Great appreciation for all your work on this trip for both couples!! Thank you greatly!! T&C and J&S
June 4th, 2023
Marjy, We want to thank you so much for all the hard work you did, to make our Alaska trip so special. I don't think we would have such a great trip without your help. Your detailed itinerary made the entire trip so much easier. We can't thank you enough for all your help. Thank you C&B
October 15th, 2022
Finally got home (edit – from Avalon Paris and Normandy river cruise) -long plane ride-we got through customs with no problem with the help of the wheelchair person. If not for him I think we would still be in line. We really enjoyed the trip. Thank you for all the information that kept us on the right path. The cruise was excellent. Saw so much and learned even more. I think the highlight of the trip was when K asked for a cheeseburger for dinner. The French have no sense of humor when it comes to food. The stop at Normandy was very emotional. The tour director arranged to have a brief presentation of flowers at the memorial. A member of cruise was a minister and he said a few appropriate words of remembrance. So moving. The guided tour of the Louver was a good decision. When we got home C got sick. At least she waited until we got home. Thank you so much for all the help. Hope you have a good winter down south. Thanks again. S, C & K
September 6th, 2022
Hello Marjy Thanks so much for the work you did on our behalf.(edit note – custom land tour) All transfers and all accommodations were great. Alaska is a beautiful state and I can see why you and all the residents are so proud to be an Alaskan. Hope you are doing well. B
August 29th, 2022
Hi Marjy! We had such a wonderful trip (Alaskan Dream Cruises Last Frontier Adventure Ketchikan to Sitka) and seeing you was the cherry on top! So many memories and items checked off the bucket list for sure. Appreciate you and hope that you get stronger and closer to back to normal sooner rather than later. (ED note, she is referring to the hip I had replaced) AS
August 27th, 2022
Just wanted to let you know what a wonderful experience T and I had in Alaska. Everything from hotels to shuttles and tours were truly amazing. Even though we had rain at times it surely didn’t dampen our experience. We loved Denali, the Wilderness Tour was really informative and the scenery was beautiful! The Talkeetna plane trip through the Denali mountains was a once in a lifetime experience. Going to Coldfoot was something else, we loved it. I believe we really would have been sorry if we hadn’t done that, it was the second-best part of our trip. We want to thank you for all you did to make this trip happen. S&T K
August 26th, 2022
Marjy, We just got off the boat in Sitka, (Alaskan Dream Cruises Last Frontier Adventure Ketchikan to Sitka) it was a great tour, very satisfied. Lots of whales the last couple days. Thanks so much for meeting us and a little walking tour of your town. DD
August 25th, 2022
Marjy, Thanks for your note! We have been home for almost 2 weeks now. The drive down was uneventful (frankly, the roads in BC were way better than the roads in the lower 48!). We are still reveling in the memories from our trip up north, and sharing those memories with family and friends. Thanks SO MUCH for your help making this trip a huge success. We took a bunch of photos, and one of our “fellow Matanuska travelers” actually made a video that he shared with us! I hope all is well in Wrangell. Until we meet again!!! I stand with Ukraine, D&R E
August 25th, 2022
Hi Marjy, I'm finally feeling myself again and thought I'd send you these shots. We had a terrific time, (Alaskan Dream Cruises Baranof Dream Sitka to Ketchikan) and saw lots of interesting things. We were up close and personal with the culture unlike on a big ship. Even better, there were kids on the trip and I think my grandsons had a better time having them to engage with. Glad we embarked in Sitka. Pretty interesting town! I want to thank you for all the attention to our details. The trip out and back on Alaska Airlines was seamless, except for the delay in flights from Ketchikan to Seattle. We wouldn't have even been bothered by it except for my being sick. I heard some complaints from others on the trip regarding their connecting flights, and I wanted to make sure to let you know how appreciative I am that you not only turned me on to the great deal on Alaska Airlines, but worked hard to rearrange the flights when the cruise dates changed. The accommodations on the boat were good. I wasn't expecting luxurious for this type of cruise. The food was good, but wouldn't call it great. The staff was very young, friendly and accommodating, but not real polished. Would like to cite especially, Nicolle (trip leader), Kara (bar tender) and a young lady, can't recall her name (2nd in authority for the "hotel" staff who really catered to me the evening I tested positive). All in all, a really great experience, and I would like to thank you again so much for helping to make it so. LF
August 12th, 2022
Via phone: Raved about the trip, sent photos and said they had a great time despite getting covid when they got home! AM & Family
August 10th, 2022
Hi Marjy, We loved Juneau and Glacier Bay and everything went to plan. Thanks for organising everything so well. We were a bit cold, but got through that alright. I'll send a few photos. T&L
July 31st, 2022
Hi Marjy, I wanted to thank you again for planning “P” and my Great Alaskan Adventure! We've told all our friends how wonderful it was working with you. I've given your name to a couple friends who wanted to let their friends know how pleased we were. I don't know the names of the people who are wanting to plan a trip or I would let you know. My electronic woes have continued and have cost me a lot. (new hard drive to double the capacity of my laptop, converting P's I-Phone photos to a format my PC will read, etc.) I'm such a photo nut! I now have our photo book of the Juneau and UnCruise part of the trip. I gave P her copy yesterday. Now I'm getting ready to start working on a book of the rest of the adventure. I have spent DAYS working on my photos and P's!!! I'm not happy about the amount of time I've spent, but I really enjoy playing with the pictures and doing to photo books, so....I picked out a few pics I thought you'd like. Thank you so, so much!! SB & PM
June 28th, 2022
Hi Marjy, Trip was amazing and we didn't come back exhausted. just right amount of days in each locations. Juneau Hotel was excellent - location great - we renting bike just across parking lot. Mica Guides for Ice Fall Trek on Matanuska Glacier was very cool Talkeetna Air Taxi - Yes we switched to 8:30am the next day and they were GREAT moving us around. THIS WAS THE BEST PART OF TRIP!!!!. Morning the clouds cleared up and we had an amazing time and landing on Glaicer and walking around at the top was amazing. Denali Rafting trip was fun - didn't need to do the Mckinley run but the second part of "Canyon Run" was fun. Did lots of hikes in the park. Thank you so much for arranging - it was a great bucket list trip. FE
June 23rd, 2022
Hi Marjy, We're home! The intrepid travelers had a wonderful time! Thank you for all you did. I will send a few pics later when I get them onto the laptop.We definitely did our part to help Alaska's economy! A friend asked what my favorite place was. Can't pick one! Favorite part of the trip was the UnCruise. It could not have been better! Second favorite was the Talkeetna Air Taxi with glacier landing. The only not-great weather was in Seward. Couldn't see a lot of scenery on the Kenai Fjords boat trip, but we saw the glacier and a beautiful waterfall, and we enjoyed the day cruise. It was choppy and we did just fine. People who took Dramamine were sleeping. Prince William Sound weather was beautiful. We didn't see Denali while in the park, but we did from our flight. Gorgeous scenery everywhere! So, so green! Still a lot of snow. Loved it! My hope was to see a bull moose (we saw three) and a whale tail (saw three of those, too, but only got a pic of one). I'm happy! One comment (not complaint) - the Susitna River Lodge was far from everything and there's no public transportation. We got there late and there was nowhere to get food. The lodge was nice and the room was really cute. We ended up walking more than a mile to the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge where they were still serving food. There was a wait for the dining room, but they made sure we got some chowder in the bar! Everywhere we went, the service was great! Oh, there's one photo on the laptop. “P” was walking behind me going back to the lodge in Talkeetna. Thank you!!! SB & PM
June 22nd, 2022
Hi Marjy, Just wanted you to know we made it home safe and sound ... except for all three of us testing positive for COVID19.Yep.... COVID. We started coughing late last week, and things just kept getting worse. If COVID19 testing was still required 24 hours before departing Canada, we would all still be there somewhere.S-o-o-o-o glad they lifted the restrictions😀. Thank you for everything you did. No one else on the train (Rocky Mountaineer Canadian Rockies tour) knew the testing requirements had been lifted, but good news traveled fast. While chatting with two other guys one looked at me and said "You're the guy who said COVID testing requirement was lifted". I replied "Yes! My travel agent texted me 30 minutes after it was announced". Then they commented on how lucky I was to find a travel agent like you. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You! JW
June 20th, 2022
Hi Marjy, J and I had a wonderful experience (Alaskan Dream Cruises Chichagof Dream Sitka to Juneau). Thank you so much for all your help. Everything on your end was fine! Hope you're healing quickly from your surgery. Thanks, CG
June 12th, 2022
Hi Marjy, Uncruise was great as in the past. The mask requirement was a distraction. Everyone generally complied, with a few (maybe most) complaining. Food was great and all of the crew were a joy. The chef was very accommodating trying to meet H's eating requests. JK
May 30th, 2022
Hi Marjy, I had a good time in Alaska. Thank you for helping me arrange the trip and answering all my questions. The weather was mostly cooperative and we saw a lot of wildlife, but sadly no puffins. KM