Testimonials

Ocean Breeze and
our African Adventure

It was an adventure of a lifetime for my daughter and me. Volunteering at an orphanage in Africa was something my daughter had dreamed about doing. When she asked me to join her on a safari after her 8 weeks of volunteering was done, I turned to Maureen at Ocean Breeze for help. I was overwhelmed by all the preparation needed for our trip to Africa but Maureen patiently guided us through all the steps. Helping us select a tour to fit our time and budget, getting our flights organized, and selecting the appropriate insurance coverage were some of the many tasks she accomplished to ensure that we had a great trip.

My daughter had an unforgettable experience volunteering in an orphanage in Tanzania. She was immersed in a culture so different from her own. She fell in love with the children in the orphanage, learned to speak Swahili, and met many amazing people.

We went on a camping safari with GAP Adventures and visited three wildlife reserves. We saw breathtaking scenery and magnificent wildlife. Our tour experience was wonderful. GAP had very comfortable campsites with clean tents, excellent food, and great vans for the game drives. Our guide and the other staff members were very friendly, well organized, and informative. They worked really hard to ensure that we had a superb experience.

We are very grateful to Maureen and Ocean Breeze for the great planning and organizing that led to our amazing adventure. Maureen’s attention to detail helped us to avoid problems and have a wonderful experience.

Doreen

The last time we used a travel agent was on a trip to Singapore/Thailand about 10 years ago. We have travelled since, but always thought we would get a better deal by doing it ourselves online.

What we have now realized is that Janice can get us a superb deal, and best of all, none of the stress involved with trying to do it ourselves.

We recently took a 2 week trip to Hawaii, and since we had never been before, we wanted to go to 2 islands... just for the full experience. We needed exact dates, wanted a car, flights between the islands, breakfasts, inexpensive accommodations and a room that could accommodate 2 adults and 2 kids easily. Boy, did she pull through! Our entire family had such a fabulous time without any problems along the way. It's a trip we will never forget.

Thank you, Janice, for all the hard work. It was worth every cent!

Cristine MacDonald

When we are traveling to an area or resort we don't know, we feel more comfortable consulting with a travel agent who has experience in these specific areas.  We were fortunate to have been acquainted with Karen at Ocean Breeze Holidays who walked us through an exhausting number of resorts for our family vacation of 11 people ranging in age from 2 1/2 to 64.  She helped us pick out a resort that was within our budget and truly had something for all of us.  The Now Jade on the Mayan Riviera was everything we could have asked for and more - so clean, nicely appointed, great food, lovely setting, helpful staff, super entertainment and a wonderful "Kid's Club" - we could hardly keep our granddaughter away.

It is so helpful when your agent can liaise for you with the airlines for seating, insurance and other needs - they have an 'in' which we don't. Also, if there is a problem during the trip or stay, your agent is there to help.  We found Karen and her colleagues to be very attentive and extremely helpful and most of all VERY patient with all our questions.

It's a tough job keeping track of all the big and little details that go into planning a trip and sometimes you just want or need someone else to do it for you. We couldn't have been happier with our trip and in fact we have planned a family get-together to show a TV presentation of all our photos and enjoy our experience all over again.

Our sincere thanks to Karen and the staff at Ocean Breeze Holidays.

Mary & Bill Goble

My 20 th wedding anniversary was coming up and the panic (that men experience) arose. What should I do? I better not blow this one or I could be in big trouble for a long time. So I did what any rational male would do. I asked a woman……"my friend Janice at Ocean Breeze Holidays will know what to do". Janice helped with the perfect place to cruise, the right ship to cruise on and all the other unromantic male based criteria like budgets and stuff. We had an awesome time and Janice organized some special anniversary things for us on board ship that made our time even more special. 

When my Dad, who is much older and much wiser, experienced the same male panic, I sent him to Janice for my parents' special cruise. They had the time of their (very long) lives.
Thanks Janice for keeping all our marriages strong with your wise advice and great service. 

Tim Williams

We have booked several vacations through Janice at Ocean Breeze.  Their service is great, they recommend places to go to meet our expectations and to top it all off, Janice actually drove us to the airport this last time.

That is service!!
I highly recommend this agency due to their service, suggestions and the very ease of doing business with them.  We have friends that are leaving in a week on vacation and they used Janice at Ocean Breeze because we are always talking about the service we get.

Thanks and we look forward to our next vacation through Ocean Breeze!!

Cheryl has booked vacation for me and she does a GREAT JOB.  She takes the time to find out what you like, how big the pockets are, what is fun for me and she is very aware of my limitations (especially when my pride gets in the way).

This trip to Vegas was to full fill a dream for a girlfriend from high school days.  Bonnie than let me know another dream was to see Cher.  So in a matter of weeks Cheryl got us to Paris in Vegas.

1.  It was fun getting to know each other as adults and to see that we really haven't changed so very much from high school.  What was funny then still is.

2.  Bonnie saw her first true Vega show Jubilee on Tues. night and Wed. night we went to Cher.  How could it get any better.

3.  Bonnie had a friend who's husband still goes outside of Vegas for the winter he picked us up Thur. and we got to see not only desert but all the way to Death Valley.  Wish I knew how to send you a pic of us bellow sea level. 

When we first got to Seattle we were both embarrassed by the wheel chairs.  By the time we got out of the airport in Vegas we were both very grateful that Cheryl stuck to it knowing my mobility.  THANK YOU Cheryl.  We would still be trying to get to the gate if I hadn't listened to her.

Oh, maybe the wheelchair people need to be told where to take us.  Might work.

This has been one of my most memorable holidays.  We both left Vegas very tired and wishing we could have seen more of the strip and downtown.  Just not enough hours in a day.

I'm looking forward to the next holiday in May that Cheryl is planning.

WOO WHOO keep her chained to the desk she does a wonderful job.  If you do that let me know I'll try to bring her an occasional snack.

Opppss almost forgot.

Paris Hotel is the place to stay.  At a time when the City is hurting big time they still pulled out all the stops to go the extra mile to ensure that the stay was fun pleasant and  we were special.   

Carol

Trip to Memphis, Tennessee---July 2009
Booking Agent---Maureen Farrant
Booking with Maureen was a worry free and pleasurable experience. We noted attention to detail in every aspect of the booking.  We relied on Maureen's honesty, knowledge and expertise to make suggestions and offer choices while in the city of Memphis.  The booking at Heartbreak Hotel was a delightful experience and close to Graceland and all things Elvis.  The side trips that were capably booked allowed us to experience the heart of the Memphis culture.
Since it was our 50th anniversary it was an experience that we will cherish and we credit Maureen for making that unforgettable experience come true.
Thank you Maureen 

Jerry & Sheila Stenstrom

This is my tesstimonial on the great job your sales staff Sherry Dhaliwal did on providing us with a well needed vacation.

Sherry went beyond the call of duty for us...

My partner was trying to book a vacaion for us in December, 2009, as I was dealing with a lot of stress and was suffering from PTSD. I had been in and out of the hospital for the last several months, I was dealing with a lot anxiety. The anxiety left me scared to the point whereas I couldn't be in a large group of people, or even open the door of my own house and walk outside. Truthfully...I was a mess.

Sherry was aware of my situation and she sought vacations for us that would adhere to my particular situation. Needless to say Sherry would find us an ideal vacation spot, we would prepare to book and I would become ill and we inadvertently would have to cancel. This went on for several months.

Sherry was very patient throuhout the whole ordeal. She didn't give up on us; kept encouraging us to continue looking at different vacation packages, kept informing us that she would continue to search for vacations for us......she was just wonderful.

We finally did book a vacation in February, 2010. We went to the Mayan Riveria, we stayed at a great resort, it met all of our needs. We had a great time away, we both came back relaxed and happy. My anxiety had decreased to a minimal.

I know that it's quite common for travel agents to work hard with their customers, but as I indicated earlier Sherry went beyond the call of duty. She knew I was suffering from anxiety; she suggested we stay at the Fairmont at the Airport the night before travelling so I wouldn't be anxious about getting to the airport on time, she suggested we travel Business Class; ensuring we had some privacy and extra care and attention from the aircraft crew. She honestly thought of every detail to confirm a safe and enjoyable trip for us.

Sincerely, Kam Powar

Hi Annette - Just a note to thank you very much for all you did for me booking my two trips – the flight to England and the all inclusive to the Karimina Palace in Manzanillo.  I know you worked very hard getting all the times and dates in align.  No frantic running around beforehand, you did it all!   Got my tickets, checked in with ease with the Options Plus, got my extra goodies on the plane.  Arriving home we just got off the plane, walked through customs and over to the luggage carousel and our bags were waiting for us!  We were in and out of the airport in under 10 minutes.  I would highly recommend purchasing the options plus.  The entire two weeks at the Karmina were just pure pleasure!

I have to say no more travel booking on the internet.   It was  peace of mind knowing it was all taken care of properly and travel insurance in place.    We really want to say a huge thank you, Annette!

Hi Maureen
I just wanted to thank you for the very efficient manor in which you handled our reservation to Hawaii.

Your attitude, smilely friendliness, and professional understanding are fabulous. You have made our trip preparations easy to bear with no fuss and no mess.

The small booklet - (you know Barb loves scrapbooking)  - has made the research, and looking for various trips so simple but much fun. We have enjoyed reading and planning our excursions to the Big Island.

We have compared prices with our friends and as we set out what we wanted, all our prices are reasonable. The prices are similar to those paid by others. That makes us feel like you really tried to get us a good deal while you cared about our personal finances.

Thank you again and let's look to the Baltic Cruise 2012 and Panama Transit - westward in 2013 - 14

Again Thanks - please pass this on to your employer as we wish you and your company great sucess in 2011 and beyond...............

Ron Williams and myself took a short holiday in September 2010 and booked it through Ocean Breeze Cruise and travel agent Annette Buddin.

We would definitely book through this agency/agent again because requests were handled promptly, useful advice was offered, communication was easy.  An agent can field calls from the provider for us, solve any problems that arise, collect all necessary documentation and just hand it to us, and often agencies can recommend how to save money.

We enjoyed our trip to Seattle, especially the Music Experience and Science Fiction museum, the aquarium, and the shops and craft fair downtown.  We got a taste of what Holland America and Princess offer so that we can choose whether to cruise with that line again.

"The reason we chose to book with a travel agent is because there is a certain amount of peace of mind attached to working one on one with a person. When we chose to work with you, we received immediate replies and solutions to our questions, whereas with booking online we are never quite sure how long it will take for a response. You are very approachable and pleasant to deal with. We recently had booked a vacation and had to change the return flight home. We received a phone call the same day with the changes in place. We have booked several vacations with you and have recommended you to family and friends. You are professional and caring and detail oriented. It is always a pleasure to work with you."

After going to a number of other travel agencies and getting the run-around or never getting called back, I decided to try Ocean Breeze. The staff literally spent the next few hours getting me the flight that I needed at the lowest possible price. I was absolutely blown away by their dedication. Before, during and after my trip they were helpful and kind. My next trips will all be booked through Ocean Breeze, and I recommend them to everyone!

Our travel agent, Janice is a wonderful lady who owns and operates Ocean Breeze Cruise & Travel. Over the years, she has assisted us in planning holidays and cruises. She has a warm smile, personally plus and combining these assets with her knowledge and experience in the travel world, you know you are in the right hands. From the time you sit down to explain the type of holiday you are seeking, it's not long before the ease and the confidence in Janice's approach assure you she will attain the best package. We both are very impressed with her professional manner and her genuine willingness to ensure your holiday from start to finish is both happy and enjoyable.

My friends have asked why not book you trip on-line and reap the saving of those wonderful deals. I have looked at the pros and cons of it all and a couple of times I went through the procedure of putting together a holiday package. That is as far as I was prepared to go for a number of reasons. Maybe at our age we are not as courageous as others. Although on-line travel packages are very detailed and informative it can be similar to driving on an Irish country road. I also lack the complete confidence to give my credit card and other important information to nameless people that I have never dealt with. The other major issue that I have is once you have agreed to the terms and a few days later you have additional questions, who will answer your questions at the end of the 1-800 numbers. In our dealing with business people three important components need to be functioning between the parties. Trust, confidence and a good feeling toward each other. Janice through Ocean Breeze Holiday fulfills all three of above. She is very good in soliciting your wish list and just as important, the things that make you uncomfortable. It's great to know your request for particular plane seat, cabin, dinner arrangement, tours and your health and travel insurance are taken care of in a professional manner.

We had many wonderful holidays filled with happy memories of the ship and places we visit and the people we met. The Ocean Breeze Cruise & Travel staffs portray a similar feeling of comfortable walking shoe. From the moment you walk in with a travel plan or idea, within a short time you know you will be dealt with in a trusting professional environment. That's all you can ask for.