Starting full time in the business

Now is an extremely nerve-racking and exhilarating time for me. While I started in travel in 1978 and worked as a travel agent for 16 years from 1978 to 1994, I left travel at that time to pursue other options. During that period I worked in the banking, medical, and automotive industries as a teller, medical records analyzer, computer operator, customer service representative, and a technical trainer. I also completed my Associates Degree in Computer Information Systems, Bachelors Degree in Business Management, Masters Degree in Business / Human Resources, and almost completed a second Masters Degree in Business Management.
In 2007 after much deliberation and soul searching, I decided to start back in travel with my own agency. This has been such an exciting time for me working on travel arrangements for friends, associates, clients, and groups! I have even had the opportunity to escort one group to Alaska with another group coming up in March. That is so exciting going out with others and having a group of friends / clients traveling together experiencing the wonderful excitement of cruising. During this time I have worked my agency in my spare time while working at a full time employment. This has been difficult with trying to spend as much time as I wanted dealing with learning new travel destinations and gaining new clients.
Beginning October 1, 2009, I will be working my travel agency on a full time basis! Very scary and very exciting! I will finally be able to spend the time that I want dealing with my customers and learning about new destinations. I have one client looking for a destination wedding, so I will be able to gather information about that. Was this my choice to take this route? No, I did not plan on leaving my employment at this time, but my contract is ending, so I will take the opportunity!
The timing is wonderful since my home office is hosting a corporate convention leaving on October 4, 2009 on the Carnival Pride from Baltimore, which I will be attending learning new methods of promoting my business and exciting industry changes. So many new ships are coming out in the next couple of years, constant changes are occurring.
As I stated earlier, I love hosting groups. My first experience hosting was back in the 80’s with a group to Acapulco. Last year I had a small group of family and friends who traveled with me to Alaska on the Norwegian Star. That was so wonderful having so many people to experience the beautiful sights of Alaska with me. By traveling in a group everyone always had someone to do an excursion with. Then, at the end of the day, we were all able to share our experiences about the excursions.
In March I will be hosting a Singles Spring Break Cruise – March 21 – 27, 2010 aboard the Carnival Freedom. This week, I had an article published in the Dayton Single Source News Magazine talking about cruising and the group. I am hoping that the trip sells out! We have room for a total of 52 passengers so it will not be a large group. The cruise will be going to Key West, Grand Cayman, and Ocho Rios, Jamaica! We will also have 2 days at sea to enjoy the ship.
The Carnival Freedom is a huge ship that offers, pools, spa, casino, several lounges and bars, nightly entertainment, and a huge movie screen so that we can have movie night out by the pool enjoying movie and pop corn! The ship will offer many activities throughout the cruise, in fact when you travel on a ship and look at the daily activities, it is sometimes difficult to decide what you ‘have to do’ and what you will not have time for! We will also be offering group activities so that our traveling companions will have the opportunity to get acquainted with their fellow group members.
Some of the activities that we are planning include – a meet and greet pool party, a hosted cocktail reception, friendly sporting competition on the miniature golf course, movie night under the stars – I’ll even provide the pop corn! We will also be able to offer you the chance to do excursions as a group. That does not mean that you ‘have’ to travel with us at all times, but if you want we will have that available to you for a group excursion!
So drop me an email and plan to travel with us on this trip to the exciting Carnival Freedom! Future groups will be offered and announcements will be forthcoming.
Contact – Carol or Peg at cmontgomery@cruisesinc.com or check out our web site at www.flyawaycruises.com
Oh my, I almost forgot, my companies 2 year anniversary was on Aug 1st! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO ME!!!