Reviews

Let me take just a second to commend Mike Tyrell. He helped my wife and me book our first ever cruise last year. It was on Regent and Mike's guidance and familiarity with the ship were very helpful.
He also gave me a lot of guidance regarding Viking river and that helped me organize a trip for my former company mates that we have just booked for March 2027. A group of 27! Mike worked with all of them and answered all their questions. He made it very easy for them all.
We've enjoyed working with Mike and as a result we've gone ahead and booked another Regent cruise. He's been great.
Matt Buck

John and I had a fabulous trip.
The trip was well organized by Avalon. Everything that I expected from them. The accommodation also great.
Next up, Hawaii
Cindy

Thank you Mike,
We sincerely appreciate having you to help with all our travel needs.
Linda & Jake

MOAA Vacations, a great group of vacation planners who care.
Barbara Little

Mike
The cruise was fantastic. We had a wonderful time. Mostly mild transit thru the Drake each way (had some bumpy events). Weather was sunny and mild most days.
Ed Yarish

Hi Mike,
Rome is wonderful and the weather has been beautiful so I am feeling very blessed. We saw the Pope on Sunday and he blessed us so bonus for us. We even got a certificate for the 250 Jubilee.
Kathleen

Mike,
Thank you for the help on this. It was great and we hope to do another trip with Collette. Right now we are looking at going to Alaska.
phil

Just wanted to thank you guys for all you do to make my trips so wonderful. Doug, Rita and I will be on the Douro River cruise next year. Because of the great service, attention to detail and the personal, one-on-one interactions, Doug says the Burgundy/Provence River Cruise ruined him for ocean cruises!
Nora Durham

Hey, Mike. We had a great time. The boat, crew, and itinerary were excellent. Lots of pictures and good memories. Thanks for arranging the upgrade.
After the holidays we may want to talk about a 2027 Uniworld Portugal cruise for a small group of friends.
Jim Di Giovanna

It was wonderful! Thank you for your usual good job. Jim Bullock

Mike,
The Viking arrangements went quite well. Pickup at Rome and delivery to Barcelona airport were very helpful and appreciated. Had not taken a cruise in about 15 years so this one was probably the nicest ship we have been on and well maintained -- everything looked new. Thanks for your help with the air arrangements and reservations.
Ron and Pam Kelly

Our trip to South Africa and Zimbabwe was fantastic!! Thank you for all your help and coordinating it and all the Perks we got from MOAA. We are grateful. It is definitely the trip of the lifetime
Lennie Enzel

Mike,
Thank you.
There will be a special place in heaven for all your hard work. I will never forget you and your professionalism to me and my friends and family.
Joe Thompson

Mike,
Thanks for your support.
Rob

Hi Mike ,
It was a wonderful cruise with perfect weather. We lucked out being one step ahead of the rain at each port . Prince Edward Island was so beautiful as well as Nova Scotia and Quebec City. I can’t say enough about how friendly the Canadians were to us considering the present situation. The crew was great and the ship was beautiful. I would absolutely recommend this cruise for the itinerary and Silversea service . All the transfers from home to airport and return worked out great . The Fairmont Queen Elizabeth in Montreal was great and transfer to the airport was excellent. This was one of the best organized trips I have been on. Thanks Mike for all you did.
Take care ,
Debby

Thanks for excellent service! —-Frank Finch

We thought Viking was wonderful. Our only issue was the low water of the Elbe River allowed only allowed 1 day of sailing, so we didn't get the full experience and a lot of bag dragging. Viking did send us a 60% off on the next cruise coupon for dispensation.

Cheers, Phil

Malta was very nice. Before sailing through the strait between Sicily and Italy, we saw a small island named after a volcano, Mt. Stromboli, that has been continuously erupting since 1932. We did get to see smoke rising from the top of it.

Looking forward to our next Viking Cruise in January.
Marvin

Hi Mike,
The cruise was great! It was fun to have Jon join us the cruise. We paced a future deposit.
Regards,
Neil

Everything was great. We were very happy with the room and everything on the ship. The weather was great as well.
Thank you for all your help and recommendations, everything on your end was great!!
Don Ferguson

Hi Mike,
All of us had a great time. We are exploring future ocean cruises but haven't made any definitive decisions yet.
Will let you know!
Take care,
Khin

Hi Jon,
Thanks for the great job you’re doing.
Gershon Bergeisen

Hi Jon,
Thanks for the great job you’re doing.
Gershon Bergeisen

Thanks Mike. Really appreciate all you do
Judith Keene

We have had a great time on Atlas!
Thanks,
Mike Casteel

Hi Mike
We saw lots of animals to include penguins, reef sharks, seal lions, fur seals, turtles, tortoises, the three types of boobies, star fish, and many more. We all had a super time in the Galapagos.
Thanks again.
Donna Smith

We enjoyed ourselves immensely. I would highly recommend Viking. When their cruise director is handing out bottles of water as you disembark on a land tour, you realize their customer service extends to the limits.
Mike Goetz

Thanks Sir! We will book our future vacations through you from now on. We are traveling with another retired military couple on the Viking Cruise, I recommend to him to reactivate his MOAA membership and contact you.
Thanks
John Greaves

Hi Mike,
The Great Lakes cruise was excellent and we really enjoyed it. We would highly recommend it.
Thanks, Marianne

Hey Mike,
Thanks so much for helping us out! The trip was a blast, and we can't wait for our next opportunity to visit Alaska again.
Best,
Lance

Hi Mike - We got home from the Cruise late Thursday night. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves as the weather was perfect, the ship beautiful and all arrangements worked out to perfection. Now it is time to rest up and get ready for Lyon - Provence next April. Thanks for all your help. Bob Bell

We had a great time. Collette does the Africa trips with excellent layout in planning and game drives. As far as Big five, we saw 4 missing out on the elusive leopard this time around (we saw the Big 5 on last year's Collette trip). We saw all others INCLUDING the additional two giraffe types, zebras, 3 sets of cheetahs, lots of hippos, wildebeests etc. I would highly recommend any of the Collette African trips. Tom F.

Dear Mike,
We had a fabulous vacation in New Zealand and Australia in May, so it all worked out.
Regards,
Dave Maune

Good morning Mike.
Just wanted to say a quick thank you for all your help arranging our Ireland trip. It was wonderful.
Barbara and Mark Yow

You guys are incredible!! What an incredible team. So glad I have been able to speak with Lisa! Thank you!!! Nora

Hi Mike,
Our cruise was fabulous.
Thanks, Lisa

Good morning Mike,
Thank you for all your help with our trip. It was amazing.
Eileen

Mike - The trip was awesome. Collette Tour Leader was a gem! So personable & knowledgeable.
Marianne

Everything was fine. We enjoyed every minute!! Betty Turner

I really appreciate your help. Thanks. Marvin

Dear Mike, I wanted to thank you for putting together such a wonderful safari for us. It was absolutely fantastic with many wonderful memories created. Everything went smoothly. I love that we were met at each point and escorted directly to where we needed to be. Everyone was extremely courteous and helpful. This assistance was especially appreciated after the long flights. I loved the itinerary. I think it covered a nice range of experiences. We especially loved the time with the elephants at Elephant Camp - experiences which I shall never forget. Everyone went out of their way to make us feel at home. Again heartfelt thanks. I will treasure this trip as one of the best ever. Best wishes. Rachel Heinze

Hi Mike. The cruise went very well. As you know, this was my first cruise, and I was very impressed with everything. I felt very pampered throughout the whole experience. The room size was good. The food was wonderful--the selections at the buffet breakfast and lunch meals were great, and the dinners were amazing. All of the staff were friendly and extremely helpful. I was so impressed with the quality and "opulence" of the ship itself, and the fact that everything is included made it so easy and enjoyable--no need to worry about a big bill at checkout. I also especially like that the ships are smaller and therefore have so many fewer travelers during the cruises; it is easier to get to know some of our fellow travellers, and makes mustering and getting on and off the ship for excursions so much easier and therefore enjoyable. I am looking forward to other cruise opportunities, and can't imagine choosing any other cruise line in the future. Robin Smith

THANK YOU Mike! Appreciate all your help to get this trip booked!! Mike Beard

Much appreciation for all your help and support. Rachel

We had a great time. Thanks for all your assistance. Joe Braeckel

We had a fabulous time! Loved Paris! So glad we went. Denise Mclean

We appreciate you, Mike. Alan Whitehouse

Mike- It was wonderful as always on Viking. Thanks for your assistance. Dennis Tobin

Hey, Mike. Got back from our cruise to South America a couple weeks ago. Wanted to THANK YOU for getting us the upgrade to the verandah cabin. Made a huge difference, we are sure! Going thruh Thank you for the extra effort (or magic?) that you made for us! Bill & Alicia

Mike, We are happy to say all went very well. Overall, very pleased with Viking again. Thanks, Bob

Cyndee and I just wanted to take a moment to let you know how much we appreciate the work Lisa does on our behalf. She is a true professional and helps us navigate through our occasional complex travel/cruise requests. She is friendly and promptly responds to our travel questions. We thoroughly enjoy working with her and look forward to having her assist us with our travel going forward. Best regards, Bruce and Cyndee Osborne

Our Cruise with the MOAA group was wonderful. It was nice to meet Jon and have him on the cruise with us. Take care, Debby

Mike, Great trip. Cindy McCue

It was great. We had a wonderful time. I'm glad we added on the Jordan trip. It was lovely. Cairo is just crazy! We had armed guards everywhere we went. We felt very well taken care of by Viking. The hotel accommodations were excellent. Thanks! Susan Abbey

Dear Mike: Thanks for all of your assistance in setting up the Mississippi River Cruise. Jo and I had a terrific time. We really appreciate all of your help. All the best, Ken Krantz.

We always enjoy these MOAA trips and appreciate all that you and Mike do to make it possible. Our best regards. Linda and Jake

I enjoyed the Christmas Markets Cruise with you . It was a beautiful trip . Take care, Debby Burger

Mike, You are truly awesome. Thank you Joe Thompson

The trip was great! From pre-trip coordination with our Tour Manager, Luciana, to a tour of Helsinki, then up above the Arctic Circle for a Santa visit, Reindeer sleigh safari, dog sled driving, and yes, The Northern Lights, it was a great trip, except for Patti being cold! Thanks for all of your help! Mike

Thanks for your help. Our cabin’s location was perfect. We appreciate all your attention and service. Joe

Thanks for checking in.The trip went very well and it was great. I think our next trip after the Africa trip this year will be South America. Thanks, Kerry

We just returned from our Christmas Market cruise and have to say we had a GREAT time. After our experience we tare looking at a reservation for the 2026 MOAA Yacht cruise. Regards, John

Thanks for checking in...It was really nice and a good get away for us. It was hard to come back! I appreciate your help in getting this planned and in finding extra discounts! Kathy

Thank you so much for all your fine efforts getting us to this final conclusion. We are so grateful for all your efforts on our behalf. We look forward to traveling with you in the future. Mark A. Heacock

Great cruise—nice and relaxing. This was my 5th cruise with MOAA Vacations, and I am never disappointed. Starting with the time I book with Mike through the very last day of every trip, I feel like the most important person in their world. I’m already looking at a cruise in 2025, one in early 2026, and hopefully another in late 2026, all with MOAA Vacations. Thanks, Mark Stevenson

Hi Mike - Frank and I had a great time. The itinerary was excellent. The ship, our suite, and the service were fantastic. We would happily sail again with Oceania and book through you! For anyone asking you, the renovated penthouse cabins on Marina are beautiful. We loved the decor, walk-in closet, light and bright bathroom, and spacious balcony. We were able to watch several midnight sunsets from the balcony while in Norway. We also loved the stop in Orkney, Scotland--what a treat! Thanks ever so much for your assistance in finding and booking the cruise. You and Oceania are a magic combination! All the best, Louise

It was great. We did enjoy the ocean option as did Christian and Danette. I would definitely do another ocean trip
Thanks for all your help.
Patricia

Mike:
Thanks. It is very reassuring working with you when we make our Viking reservations. This is our second Viking river cruise and you have provided excellent advice and assistance both times.
Take care,
Bob

Greetings, Mike:
We enjoyed a great trip with Collette Travel. Loved every day of it. Thanks for all your help in getting us there. It was a fantastic vacation, and the Royal Military Tattoo in Edinburgh was definitely our highlight.
Sincerely, John & Nerriza Brooks

Mike - making our way home after a couple great weeks in the Mediterranean. Fantastic trip, Regents and the SS Grandeur were spectacular. Thanks for all your help in making this happen. Hope to do it again in a few years.
Dave Kerns

This was an amazing river cruise. The people were very friendly. We felt safe as we had a security escort on the buses and police escorts when we are moving on the busses. I understand Viking is the only one doing the river cruises until 2025. Right now I would recommend it to anyone interested in a cruise on the Nile. As always, Judy Keene

Hi Mike,
All went well. Flights were on time and we enjoyed the cruise. Appreciate the voucher from Viking and we'll look up cruises.
Carolyn and Tom

Mike-
Other than two days of bad weather, the trip was great! Thank you for all the support in planning the trip, as we both really enjoyed it! Iceland was starkly beautiful, but the fjords of Greenland were absolutely stunning!
Thank you again!
Carol & Ted

Had a wonderful trip. The time in Reykjavic was great. Took the Gold Circle Tour which was exceptional.The volcano was not erupting, but saw the damage and enjoyed the Blue Lagoon...quite an experience!
Thanks for all help and planning.
Bill

Hi Mike,
We're wrapping up our Tuscany villa vacation. It's been outstanding! Michael and Guy have been fabulous hosts! Five stars!
Thanks.
Tom Howarth

We will certainly follow and remain in contact with you as we plan 2025 and 2026 vacations—you are very good to work with and the Rubino brothers are awesome.
Thanks, Mike!
Sincerely,
Ed

Thank you so much for all you did for us to get this booked and all of the one million questions you answered for me. I really appreciate you! Will definitely call the next time we need to book a trip!
Cathy

Hi Mike,
Liz and I had a great trip to Italy, especially in Tuscany with Michael and Guy.
Steve Carter

Really well, it was a great trip!
Christopher Evey

As always.the cruise was excellent. When we get to a point for another cruise, we will let you know. Through MOAA, we can look at other cruise lines - that's great.
Steve and Sue

Ate too much, drank too much, loved it!
17 days with 5 at sea coming and going is a long time, but very enjoyable on the floating hotel. We did a luau at Halekoa and a few tours. Can’t wait to go back and to cruise again.
Nick Marotta

We are looking forward to our next trip knowing that with our trip insurance we don’t need to worry. Again, thank you for help. Donita Balfour.

Steve is a true asset, and I am glad he is part of your team.
Thank you for your support and your patronage.
Hugh

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