​When clients of Maggie Groene wanted to spend a getaway at the beach, she knew Cancun would be a fantastic choice.  Brandon and his roommate Bertin enjoyed 6-nights at the all-inclusive Grand Oasis Sens resort, a beachfront retreat on the Caribbean Sea. 

​​‘I had an amazing time in Mexico!  I really enjoyed it and the place was so beautiful and everyone was so kind. Thank you so much for helping us have a great vacation.  I know for sure I'll be messaging Maggie soon for the next trip!’

-Brandon S. 

​My husband Alan and I are fortunate to have been to Italy a couple of times and I could go back over and over again.  We had seen Rome, Florence, Venice, Pisa, Lake Como, Milan, Siena and San Gimignano.  I asked Stephanie Turner, President of Brentwood Travel, if she could go back to Italy and had to pick one town to stay in for a week, where would she choose to go?  Without missing a beat, she replied “Sorrento”!  Little did I know that within the next couple of days I would be booking our trip to this dazzling place. 

Sunday, May 13, 2018

We arrived in Naples, Italy around noon after layovers in Minneapolis and Paris.  Our luggage arrived with us which always makes me happy.  I arranged to have a driver waiting in the arrivals hall.  To me there are few things more stressful than showing up in a foreign country after a long overnight journey and not knowing which taxi to trust.  He called the hotel to let them know we were on our way and after a fairly short ride we arrived at Hotel Correra 241.

The hotel is located is in the heart of the city so it doesn’t take us long to find a big city square, a couple of churches, and an outdoor café where we sit to enjoy our lunch.  We spent a couple of hours wandering around the National Archeological Museum. The main focus here is some of the best pieces from the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum.  The two cities were buried in ash or debris when Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D.  Many of the pieces here were discovered when Pompeii was excavated in the late 1700’s. 

We met up with our tour guide, Elisa, and the rest of the group for a meeting on the hotel patio.  We took a short walk around the city, past the Archaeological Museum, before stopping at a nice little place for dinner.

Monday, May 14
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Today we headed for Pompeii. After a quick lunch we met up with our official guide for Pompeii. Lino.  He is very knowledgeable and told some great stories that helped bring the city to life for us. Pompeii is located about 6 km from Mt Vesuvius.  They said that the wind carried ash to Pompeii for days.  Not everyone escaped.  They estimate the population at the time to have been 6,000-20,000 people.  About 2,000 people died.  When they were excavating, they discovered food still on tables left behind as people tried to run.

​We then made our way to Sorrento which is only about one hour away.  We arrived at the Agriturismo di Vigliano – our home for the next 5 days.  We were met by the son of our host family, Luigi and his sister Valentina.  This place is beautiful!  Lemon trees in every direction.  The original house was built in the 16th century and has been passed down from generation to generation and remains within the family.  All of the rooms are different.  There are a few little cottages (Alan and I stayed in one of them) and there are rooms in the house.  We took a few minutes to get settled and then met in the dining room for dinner.  The family will make our breakfasts and dinners each day.

Our tour guide, Elisa is great.  She has meals with us, has fun stories to tell about the places we are seeing, and keeps us organized.  She brought a deck of cards with questions for everyone to answer to get everyone talking after dinner (If you could be a Disney character, which one would you be?  If you could only choose one, health or love, which one would you choose?)  Of course the night isn’t over until we have one last glass of wine and a limoncello (made by the family).

​Tuesday, May 15

After breakfast, we were taken on a tour of the farm. They have one cow (which Luigi milks twice each day), 3 pigs, chickens (for the eggs), rabbits, several cats and a dog named Lucky.  Valentina showed us how to make cheese from the cow’s milk (of course she makes it look so easy).   Luigi showed us how to make limoncello. They made a “light” lunch consisting of homemade cheeses, salami, pasta with light tomato sauce.  Valentina serenaded us on the violin while we ate.  Perfecto!

The group went into Sorrento for a tour of the town. It has been raining off and on so we grabbed our umbrellas.   Elisa took us to David’s Gelateria for a gelato making class.  He makes all kinds of crazy flavors (chefs from local restaurants will ask him to make flavors like truffle or salmon or basil to go along with a dish they are serving).  I had the ricotta and it was amazing!  Again, we were told we can make this at home but somehow I don’t think it will taste the same.  We stopped at one of Elisa’s favorite food shops for a little lesson on balsamic vinegar and I bought a bottle of an amazing 12 year old balsamic vinegar…let the shopping begin :)

Back at the farm, Luigi fired up the outdoor pizza oven and they tried to teach us how to work the dough and we made our own pizzas for dinner.  Natasha (Luigi’s wife) and Ida (his mom) helped us put them together, Luigi did the cooking.  Delish!

​Wednesday, May 16

Sunny today.  Feels warmer already.  Taking a boat ride to Amalfi then visiting Positano. Thankfully the rain has stopped.  Luigi and his mom drove us to the marina in Massa Lubrense where we found our boat and captains for the day.  Liberto is our driver and Giovanni seems to be the first mate.  It was a little chilly and the water was a little choppy but it was still a beautiful ride.  They stopped along the way to show us different caves and grottos on the islands and along the coast.  The Mediterranean Sea is the most beautiful shade of blue you can imagine. 

Our first stop was Amalfi.  I have heard many people tell me how beautiful it is and the view is breathtaking!  Our second stop was Positano.  The climb is steep but was a fun stroll.  There are several restaurants along the sea where you can relax with a drink or a bite to eat.

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​The best part of the day was being on the boat.  On the ride back, Giovanni served us some bruschetta and a bread (more like a quiche) that had ham and cheese both he made himself along with some Prosecco and limoncello.  He was a lot of fun!

Another wonderful dinner by the family and wine and limoncello and more questions made for a fun evening :)

​Thursday, May 17

Today was a free day.  Elisa helped everyone come up with a plan and sent us on our way.  Alan and I took the bus into Sorrento (thank you to the nice people at the bus stop for telling us we were on the wrong side of the street to catch the bus to Sorrento!).  Then we bought tickets for the train to Erculano which was about an hour by train.  We were happy to find a private tour guide, Francesca, inside Erculano.  She spent about an hour and fifteen minutes walking us around and describing the families who lived here and the homes that have been uncovered.  Erculano was a resort town for the wealthy, buried under 16 meters of pyroclastic rock from the eruption of Mt Vesuvius in 79 AD.  Only about 1/5 of the town has been excavated so far.

​Friday, May 18

The weather has been perfect so we spent today out on Giovanni’s boat again.  On our way to Capri we stopped at several grottos for a close up view.  He prepared a picnic lunch of Caprese Sandwiches for everyone.  We passed through Lovers Arch and he played Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” and made all of the married couples kiss as we rode through. We were all cracking up.  A little awkward for the singles in the group…LOL.

Elisa arranged for a van to take all of us up to Anacapri.  We walked around for about an hour.  A few brave souls in the group took the chair lift to the very top just as a cloud moved in.  It was not like the chair lifts we have in the U.S.  We decided to keep our feet on the ground. 

​Afterwards we drove down about halfway and stopped in the town of Capri.  This was a lot of fun.  Lots of high end shopping and beautiful people watching.  The Rolex Cup sailing competition is in town and the sailboats are beautiful!
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After a full day, Giovanni (and Elisa) drove us back to Massa Lubrense at a nice slow pace.  The water was calm and beautiful.  We didn’t’ want it to end so I asked if he would take us on down to Sorrento so we could see it from the water.  He was happy to oblige and I’m so glad I asked…it was gorgeous!  We ended the afternoon with some more of his homemade appetizers and limoncello.  Our last dinner at the farm was lovely.  The group really enjoyed one another and I think there were a few tears shed at the thought of saying goodbye

​​On June 5, Globus Family of Brands will discontinue the Journeys Club Repeat Traveler Program and replace it with the Welcome Back Credit Program. All passengers who travel in 2019 with the Globus family of brands will receive up to a $250 credit that can be used on a future vacation. This program will be easier for YOU, with no enrollment needed.  
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​Who is eligible to receive Welcome Back Credits?
All travelers booked for 2019 vacations will be eligible for the NEW Welcome Back Credit. 

​Is there an enrollment or membership required?
No enrollment or membership will be required. 
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When should I expect to receive my Welcome Back Credits?
​All returning Globus family of brands travelers on 2019 vacations will receive their credit amount within a week of their return home.

​How long do I have to use the Welcome Back Credit?
Each passenger has two years to book/deposit a vacation using this credit. 

On which Globus family of brands products can the credit be redeemed?
The credit applies to all Globus family of brands: Globus, Cosmos, Monograms and Avalon Waterways. There will be some select exceptions to the credit including Escapes by Globus, Monograms City Get-a-ways, and Private Touring. 

​How will I be able to track my Welcome Home Credits?
Contact your travel consultant who will have access to your client portal which will include a listing of your Welcome Back credits that have been issued and when they expire. 
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​“I just wanted to let you know how amazing the Now Onyx resort was last week. From the minute we checked in, to the day we left, the staff, the accommodations and the food were impeccable. We had our room cleaned daily and also in the evening if we preferred.  The staff greeted us at every turn and the restaurants were first class! This by far was the best resort I have ever stayed and I've been traveling to Mexico, Punta Cana and Jamaica for years. We will definitely return.

If you want to travel to the Dominican and want to stay at a topnotch resort Now Onyx is the place to be!  We cannot wait to book again very soon!”
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-Michelle 

​Aloha!
​
Hawaii has been at the top of my bucket list for years! When I decided to make this trip happen in 2018 I invited a few friends along and made it the ultimate girls trip; Jenn, Rachel, and Abby joined me on this adventure. Hawaii had everything we wanted in a vacation- perfect weather, beaches, hiking, water activities, and city life.  The choice of which two islands to visit was a hard one, but for this trip we landed on Oahu and Kauai. 

​Oahu 

​Oahu was the perfect start to our vacation! Our first few nights were along the famous Waikiki Beach.  Here we were able to walk all around our hotel to restaurants, shops, and different sections of the beach. We really enjoyed the beach and the hustle of the Waikiki strip.

Oahu has so much more to offer than just Waikiki. It’s a must to get out of that area whether you rent a car or take a guided tour of the island. Some of our highlights from around the island are below.

​Pearl Harbor

Any visit to Oahu isn’t complete without a stop here. It was a very humbling experience to learn about the attacks in such detail and see how much it affected the people of Hawaii personally.
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​Diamond Head

We love to hike, so a trip up Diamond Head was an easy choice for an activity. Even if you are a light to moderate hiker this trip is worth it for the view. The path is paved, but it is mostly uphill so be sure to take your time and bring water. 

​Kualoa Ranch

This private nature reserve is home to the filming location of many favorite movies and TV shows. I enjoyed fangirling over the sites from “Jurassic Park” and “Lost”. Here you can zipline, take ATV tours, horseback rides, or a film bus tour. We decided to go for the 2-hour ATV tour and I’m so glad that we chose that. It was a highlight for our time on Oahu. 

​Waimea Valley

These botanical gardens blew away our expectations! The variety of flowers and historical sites leading up to the waterfall was so impressive. Rachel majored in Conservation Biology, so this stop was especially exciting for her.

​Polynesian Culture Center

We decided to stay two nights on the North Shore so that we could really enjoy the quieter pace of Oahu and enjoy a full day experience at the Polynesian Culture Center. Our tickets were for the Ambassador Luau Package, which included visiting the villages from noon to 6pm, a dinner buffet show, and the “Ha: Breath of Life” performance. Each village had exhibits on their island and gave special little shows throughout the day. Have the guide was so beneficial because she was able to take us on the best route to maximize our time. My favorite was the Samoa act! I truly recommend spending the full day here from noon until the “Breath of Life” performance! 

​Kauai

​Kauai was our second island choice because of the amount of natural beauty on the garden island! About 80% of Kauai can’t been seen by car. It can only be accessed by water, air, or hiking—so we decided to do all three!

We really chose to live it up in Kauai and stay at the Grand Hyatt Kauai. This hotel was gorgeous! Having Club access, we also enjoyed the spa access and use of the club lounge for breakfast.

​Na Pali Coast Catamaran Cruise

I love to be out on the water, so the catamaran cruise was the activity I was most excited about and it did not disappoint! We woke up bright and early and made it to the ship in time to sail away just after sunrise. Breakfast was served as we enjoyed the salt water breeze! We had an amazing sighting of dolphins swimming and even a whale tale! First, we stopped in a cove to snorkel. We had a blast seeing the variety of fish and a sea turtle swimming. After snorkeling we set out to get our first glimpse of the Na Pali Coast. I can’t even put into words how stunning the landscape is in person. Captain Jeff and his crew shared stories and facts about Kauai along the way. Our deli lunch and beverages really hit the spot for our scenic ride back to Port Allen.

​Helicopter Ride

Since so much of Kauai can only been seen from above we decided to spring for a helicopter tour. We saw some amazing waterfalls and the Na Pali Coast again! Our pilot gave some great commentary and played some touring music. If there is any place to take a helicopter tour, Kauai must be at the top of the list.

​Hiking

Another item at the top of our list was hiking. We decided to visit the lookouts of Waimea Canyon and choose a trail there. We ended up on the Canyon Rim trail. This gave us some fantastic, unspoiled views and a few bonus waterfalls. The trails are not very well marked so be sure to read the signs on how long the hike is and bring plenty of water.

This was such a truly spectacular trip and I was so lucky to share it with three friends. Hawaii is perfect for friends, romance, and family! It’s all about the islands and places you choose. I’m happy to share more details about my accommodation, activities, or trip planning!

​Mahalo!

Most of the time when people mention they're traveling to Iowa people question "why?". No, it's not the most popular state, but hidden in each state of our county is a gem and Iowa's is the small Dutch town of Pella. 

Pella is located right outside of Des Moines, IA that Hollanders claimed as their new home in 1847. They named it Pella, otherwise meaning "city of refuge". This Dutch community has grown since it was first founded and it still holds on to its founding roots of traditions, food, customs and more. One of the most popular traditions that they celebrate like their European ancestors is the famed Tulip Time Festival. When I heard about the Festival (and it only being 4 hours away from St. Louis) I knew I had to go and I'm so glad I did! 

As we walked around this city we couldn't believe how much it actually felt like we could be in Europe. All of the buildings in the city had similar architecture to that of the Netherlands with bricks, towers, colorful shutters and of course, windmills! Pella actually has an authentic windmill that was built in Hoogmade, the Netherlands, and was de-assembled and then re-assembled in Pella in 2002.  Visitors are able to take a tour and go up the windmill however we were unable to during our visit (we'll save it for next time!). 
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The streets were alive with dancing in wooden shoes, Dutch food trucks, beautiful Dutch clothing, presentations and parades. I honestly didn't anticipate for there to be as many people at this small festival, but it turns out Pella usually has around 150,000 visitors for the Tulip Time Festival each year.  It made it fun and exciting to be around so many people who were interested in learning about and celebrating a different culture. 
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Pella is a destination I fully plan to visit again with my family. It offers something fun and unique to a large audience and it's great for a quick weekend getaway. This town also has local wineries and a lake for even more activities outside of the Festival. If you're interested in visiting the next Tulip Time Festival in Pella then mark your calendar for the first weekend of May in 2019 - we'll see you there! 
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​When KSDK Anchor-Reporter Christina Coleman and 590AM Radio Personality Eric Messersmith wanted a small, intimate wedding a beach ceremony was a perfect choice.  They worked with Travel Consultant Emily Medina and selected Moon Palace Cancun as their ideal location for a week long celebration with friends and family. 

​The luxurious Moon Palace Cancun is an all-inclusive resort and had everything Christina and Eric needed for an unforgettable experience.  The resort is located approximately five miles south of the airport on Cancun's tranquil south shore and is surrounded by 55-acres of lush tropical foliage. 

'This was the best week of my life and my wedding day was one of the best days of my life! Thank you SO much!"
​-Christina Coleman

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​Chris and Terri came to the office looking to fulfill a dream vacation! Brentwood Travel’s Supervisor of Leisure Travel, Stacey Hoehne, put together a trip that fulfilled their desires—a custom trip in New Zealand and a guided tour of Australia. Read their rave review of their journey with Travel 2 in New Zealand and Luxury Gold touring in Australia. 

​'Our trip was fantastic. Our New Zealand portion of the trip was flawless with limos and buses picking us up at the proper times. Queenstown, Milford Sound, the TSS Earnslaw and Walter's Peak experiences were all great. On our free day, we did the gondola ride to the mountain top and then rode the luge cars down!

The Luxury Gold excursions offered through Insight Vacations during our time in Australia was the best. Our tour director was David and he handled everything. We found him to be very personable and knowledgeable about everything we saw. We had a variety of local guides lined up to offer further insights.

The great barrier reef was well organized for tourists. A high-speed boat picked us up at Port Douglas and took us to an offshore facility (floating barge made for diving) about 70 km out. It offered scuba, snorkel, helmet dives, as well as glass bottomed and submarine dives. Terri did the helmet dive and after that we both snorkeled and did the sub dive. Great fun!

​​Uluru was certainly a high point on the trip especially seeing it at sunrise and sunset while eating appetizers and drinking wine. The group we were with had only 12 people who we all got to know over the 2 weeks we were together. Dave scheduled a helicopter ride for the 3 of us over Uluru and Kata Tjira.

Our adventure in Sydney adventures was the best! The sailboat cruise around Darling bay provided views of Sydney most people don't often see. We then walked across the Sydney bridge, went to Bondi beach and had dinner at the opera house. Wow!


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​All the hotel accommodations were excellent with The Langham in Sydney and The George in Christchurch leading the way.

All of us thoroughly enjoyed the trip and would recommend it to others.'
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-Chris and Terri

​"My mom is a middle school teacher, so for her spring break I wanted to treat her to an all-inclusive beach getaway in Punta Cana. We took the nonstop charter flights with Swift and stayed at the Riu Republica from Thursday – Sunday. It was a short trip, but we had just enough time to relax and enjoy the sunny Dominican weather. The adults-only Riu Republica had everything we needed – a modern and clean room, lots of different pools, a variety of food options, and a beautiful beach! We were even able to get massages in a beach-front cabana surrounded by palm trees. The animated team at the resort was wonderful – they were always working hard to make sure everyone was having a great time, and each employee we met was very friendly. I definitely hope to return someday!
 
Favorite Restaurant: Olé, the Spanish restaurant – their steak was amazing!
 
Favorite Drink: Sammy Sosa, named after the Dominican baseball player – it’s a mix of Strawberry Daiquiri, Pina Colada, and Blue Curacao
 
Agent Tip: Book a Private Transfer so you can skip the lines at the airport and get right to your resort!"

-Maggie Groene 

We are thrilled to announce that Stephanie Turner, President of Brentwood Travel, has been elected to the Board of Directors of Ensemble Travel Group.  Established in 1968, Ensemble Travel Group is a member-owned organization of approximately 850 top-tier travel agencies in the U.S. and Canada.  As a new board member, Stephanie will help guide the overall direction of the organization.  Congratulations to Stephanie on her new leadership role with Ensemble Travel Group!

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​Benefits of Using an Ensemble-Member Travel Agent:
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​Imagine if you had the opportunity to speak with a globetrotter whose profession is wanderlust? Well, you can! Booking with an Ensemble-member Travel Agents can make your experience come to life with more travel experiences, promotions, and preferred suppliers.  Working with an Ensemble-member travel agent means access to a large selection of travel experiences catered to your unique style and preferences.