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Mary Watgen

Montgomery, Illinois Travel Agent
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Mary Watgen

Mary Watgen

Montgomery, Illinois Travel Agent
Break Away Travel Inc, an independent agent with Nexion, LLC, a Travel Leaders Network Affiliate Agency
40 Reviews | 100% Recommended
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Destination Wedding and Group Travel Specialist

Beautiful Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Beautiful Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Group travel is my forte, and I’m particularly passionate about arranging destination weddings.

I'll lead you through the legal requirements, streamline tricky travel arrangements for far-flung family and friends and recommend the best on-site wedding coordinators that will help make your big day – or long-awaited vow renewal – as magical as you deserve.

Cruises are a great option for group travel, as they provide guests with a plethora of options suitable for a wide range of ages and interests. Sail the Caribbean and explore port after port with plenty of time for sunbathing and five-star dining in between, or opt for a Disney-themed ship and watch your kids delight in frolicking pool side withall their favorite characters.

While I have a certain affinity for group travel, I also love working with individuals looking to set out and see the world on their own.

Solo exploration gives you a better chance to converse one-on-one with locals, immersing yourself in their language, customs and culture, learning even as you relax and enjoy your surroundings.

As someone who has traveled abroad extensively, I can recommend locals-only places that give you a chance to experience a world outside of mass-produced guidebooks; together, we'll create a personalized itinerary tailored to your dreams, goals and expectations.

I began my travel career under the tutelage of a 30-year industry veteran, learning an incredible amount of information about customer service and travel planning that I've continued to build on thanks to a constant stream of certifications, continuing education classes and of course travel.

My rolodex is extensive, containing a massive amount of personal contacts that gives me an expansive network to call upon when I start creating your one-of-a-kind itinerary. From upgraded rooms to group discounts to private airport transfers and much much more, I make my connections and expertise work to the benefit of my clients, aiming to exceed expectations every single time.I take such pleasure in seeing the joy on people's faces when we turn their vision into an extraordinary reality.

As a travel specialist, I want nothing more than to give each client my personal attention and expertise to create the most memorable rip of all time, and I can't wait to do the very same for you!

My Reviews

Rating: 5 40 Reviews | 100% Recommended

Consistently outperforms other TA

Reviewed By Tom - Seneca, SC | Traveled to
Mary and Butch are an incredible team. They have found and booked a number of outstanding resorts and cruises for us over the last several years, many of which they have personally experienced themselves. Any updates are communicated promptly and professionally. We are retired and book 3-4 trips a year with them. We really feel that this team works for us!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
50 of 69 people found this review helpful
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The Best!

Reviewed By jah - Aurora, IL | Traveled to
Mary has been very helpful in planning our vacations. She takes into consideration our needs and desires. She never disappoints.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
45 of 68 people found this review helpful
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Travel advocate, not just agent!

Reviewed By Photo traveler - Cabo San Lucas | Traveled to
My description of Mary is a knowledgeable and patient travel advocate. She and Butch are a good team!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
45 of 71 people found this review helpful
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Mary and Butch are always available!!

Reviewed By Grumpy - Montgomery, IL | Traveled to
I have used their services on several occasions and found them to be very meticulous in their planning regardless of the location and are always willing to go the extra mile to satisfy the customer. I would recommend them to anyone planning a trip to most anywhere. Great people!!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
42 of 65 people found this review helpful
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Mary is pretty much available 24/7

Reviewed By GTO John - Oswego, IL | Traveled to
I have used Mary & Butch for planning trips to Alaska, Israel, Caribbean cruises, Disney World, as well as airline reservations. They are very responsive, and consider several options for improving the vacation and cost savings available. Can't wait for them to plan my next trip.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
41 of 69 people found this review helpful
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Awesome trip thanks to Mary!

Reviewed By Heyoheyo3 - Oswego, IL | Traveled to
We surprised my so with a trip to Disney World. She helped us get a great resort. And the best dinning plan. She helped us save a lot of money. I would definitely recommend Mary. We had an awesome trip thanks to her experience.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
41 of 70 people found this review helpful
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Excellent Family Cruise

Reviewed By Jared K - St Louis MO | Traveled to New Orleans ~ Louisiana ~ USA
Easy to work with and thorough through out the whole planning process
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Mary Watgen responded:
Hi Jared, Thank you so much for filling out your review. I appreciate your kind words and it is nice to know that you were happy with the service I provided you. I look forward to planning future trips with you! Get in touch when you can and let me know how everything went. Thank you again! Mary Watgen Break Away Travel
23 of 39 people found this review helpful
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Birthday in Hawaii!

Reviewed By Ky - Aurora, IL | Traveled to Maui Island ~ Hawaii ~ USA
This was honestly the BEST birthday trip I’ve ever had. It was so beautiful and the process of planning was a breeze. Everything went extremely smooth and I’m extremely satisfied. I’m already looking to plan another trip & im hoping Mary can help!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Mary Watgen responded:
Thank you Kyler, for leaving this review. I am so very happy that you had a wonderful time celebrating your birthday in Hawaii. I look forward to helping you plan your next get away! Mary Watgen Break Away Travel
8 of 12 people found this review helpful
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Best Birthday Trips!

Reviewed By Ky - Aurora, IL | Traveled to Cancun ~ Quintana Roo ~ Mexico
Mary has helped me plan two birthday celebrations over the last few years and they were two of the best vacations I’ve ever taken! I never had an issues or confusion during my experiences with her. She is always very prompt and thorough. I’m actually about to reach out to her to plan another trip!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
3 of 5 people found this review helpful
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Much Needed family Vacation!!!

Reviewed By Makoui4 - St. Charles | Traveled to Alaska ~ USA
We had originally started planning this Alaskan trip, for our family of 4, early in 2019. Due to COVID we had to cancel our cruise 2 times. We Mary was great at keeping us posted with ALL the changes, getting refunds and re-booking. After the 2nd cancellation we opted to change from a cruise to a land tour. We had a very short window and Mary promptly got us some options for land tours and got us booked. Mary was very good about answering questions (even those already asked..lol) and making sure that we had everything we needed. We had a FANTASTIC time and we will definitely see Mary's help next time we plan to vacation! THANK YOU for helping us plan this "dream vacation" for our family. Wonderful memories made!!!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Mary Watgen responded:
I am so happy you had a "Fantastic" time in Alaska! I was more then happy to make this dream vacation actually happen after all the delays with Covid. It was my pleasure helping you get through all those challenges. Thank you for your review, I look forward to assiting you on your next trip! Mary Watgen Break Away Travel
6 of 11 people found this review helpful
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Honeymoon!

Reviewed By Megan - Racine, WI | Traveled to Grenada ~ Caribbean
Mary was amazing to work with! She was very helpful and on top of all the travel requirements for our vacation. When I had questions she was quick to respond and if she didn't know the answer she made sure to find out. Thank you Mary for all your help!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Mary Watgen responded:
Thank you Megan, for your very nice review. I am happy that you had a wonderful honeymoon despite having to deal with all the restrictions of Covid-19. It was my pleasure helping you plan are special lifetime memory! Mary Watgen Break Away Travel
5 of 10 people found this review helpful
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Perfectly personable

Reviewed By Ashley - Montgomery, IL | Traveled to
Mary and Butch were so attentive when listening to our wants and needs about a perfect honeymoon. We had a tight budget and the stuck to it and even saved us some money. We were able to get an updated honeymoon suite and an excursion even with our tight budget. I will definitely go back and have referred them to several family members of ours.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
27 of 54 people found this review helpful
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A true vacation experience

Reviewed By Chris - Chicago, il | Traveled to Cancun ~ Quintana Roo ~ Mexico
She was quick to respond to questions, very helpful
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Mary Watgen responded:
Thank you for taking the time to write a review, I really appreciate it! Mary Watgen Break Away Travel
3 of 7 people found this review helpful
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Awesome trip

Reviewed By Smitty - Milwaukee Wisconsin | Traveled to Punta Cana ~ Dominican Republic ~ Caribbean
Mary was awesome to work with. She notified us of any changes in our flight. If we had questions, she was a phone call or email away.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Mary Watgen responded:
Thank you for the kind words. It was a pleasure planning this special trip with each of you. I am glad that you were happy with my services to you. I look forward to planning your next trip, whether it is a cruise or another land trip. Thank you again for taking the time to write your review. I appreciate it. Mary Watgen Break Away Travel
13 of 27 people found this review helpful
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Very helpful and pleasant to work with!

Reviewed By Marcy - Aurora, IL | Traveled to
Mary made everything about the trip easy to understand and answered every ridiculous question I had to ask. I am beyond satisfied and would be happy to book with Mary and Butch again in the future.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
25 of 51 people found this review helpful
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Honeymoon adventures

Reviewed By Marcella - Glendale, AZ | Traveled to Costa Rica ~ Central America
Mary was wonderful to work with. She always kept us updated on any changes in our plans and was quick to respond when we had a few questions. Our trip went so smooth and as planned. We will definitely work with Mary again in our future travels!!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Mary Watgen responded:
Thank you for taking the time to review my services. I was more then happy to help you plan such a special event in your life! I'm glad you were happy with my services. Again, thank you! Mary Watgen Break Away Travel
8 of 18 people found this review helpful
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The best 50th Birthday Celebration Trip

Reviewed By Walter Turner - Chicago, Il | Traveled to Punta Cana ~ Dominican Republic ~ Caribbean
Mary Watgen is a fantastic travel agent. She is very thorough and pays attention to details and is always available and willing to answer any questions or address any concerns you may have. My trip went off with no problems Mary handled everything. Mary is the real deal she is knowledgeable and trustworthy and if you use her as a travel agent you won't have anything to worry about she will do all the worrying for you. Mary and her husband are a wonderful team and a pleasure to work with. I am looking forward to doing business with her again. I don't have enough words to say thanks again Mary and enjoy your new year,
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Mary Watgen responded:
Thank you for all your wonderful compliments! We really appreciate everything you wrote. We do our best to make our clients trips go smoothly by attending to all those details, so thank you for noticing that. It was an absolute pleasure working with you and your group and I truly look forward to planning your next fabulous trip! Thank you for taking the time to write your review. Mary Watgen Break Away Travel
20 of 42 people found this review helpful
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So helpful in getting this all together!!

Reviewed By Margaret - Montgomery, IL | Traveled to
Mary did a great job organizing our party of 8 - 16 - 12 - 14, etc. The number was constantly changing and Mary kept us together. We had a great time, we knew what was happening every step of the way. Thank you very much
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
44 of 90 people found this review helpful
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Memorable Trip

Reviewed By John and Sharon - Scottsdale, AZ | Traveled to Mediterranean ~ At Sea ~ At Sea
We have known Mary over 30 years and can vouch for her honesty and integrity. She's a great person to work with and would never lead you astray. She's easy to reach and responds to questions quickly. She's always happy and willing to help.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Mary Watgen responded:
Thank you, for taking the time to write a review for our services and for your kind words. We were so happy that the two of you could join us, we only wish you wouldn't have been in pain the whole time and therefore not be able to do that things you had wanted to do originally. We appreciate you business and most of all your friendship! It was a pleasure planning this trip for our group. Mary and Butch Watgen
27 of 57 people found this review helpful
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Planning from a distance!

Reviewed By MK - TX | Traveled to
Mary was the primary contact for a destination wedding my husband and I were invited to, and she was a great help! The bride and groom live in Chicago, and we live way down in Texas, and they were (rightfully so) very busy with their own planning. Mary was able to help us book our trip, some extra tours, and ensured that we got the best rates available! She was very speedy in responding to our questions/needs, and went the extra mile to send out travel tips and check in upon our return home! I would definitely recommend her!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
21 of 45 people found this review helpful
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Mediterranean Cruise

Reviewed By Vincents - Aurora, Il | Traveled to Mediterranean ~ At Sea ~ At Sea
Mary is very quick to respond to any questions. She is also very thorough in her answers. Her reminders about what was needed to prepare for the trip were very helpful.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Mary Watgen responded:
Thank you, for taking the time to write a review for our services and for the kind words. We appreciate your business! It was a pleasure planning this trip for our group and we were glad that Mary Ann's sister and husband were able to join us as well. Mary and Butch Watgen
19 of 42 people found this review helpful
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1st Cruise

Reviewed By Deb - Plano, IL | Traveled to
Mary & Butch helped book our 1st ever cruise. My husband was very apprehensive about taking one. With the help of Mary & Butch him & I had a great time. We were ready to take another one as soon as we got off the boat. Without the help of our fantastic travel agent we would probably have not done the tours or had such a good time. Will definitely use them again and have already recommended them to everyone we know.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
25 of 55 people found this review helpful
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She made everything so easy!

Reviewed By Best Honeymoon! - Aurora, IL | Traveled to
Mary & Butch were so helpful in finding a honeymoon vacation for my husband and me at the last minute. This was our second time booking a vacation through them and we can't express enough how wonderful they are to work with! We will definitely be booking with them for all of our other trips and we will be recommending them to all our family and friends. Thank you Mary and Butch! ~Missy & Bubba
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
21 of 48 people found this review helpful
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This was the most luxurious resort we ever been

Reviewed By Teca - Yorkville IL | Traveled to Cancun ~ Quintana Roo ~ Mexico
Mary is very helpful, she knows all the answers for every question, and also gives lot's of good advises about the upcoming trips ! We enjoy to work with her, we will recommend her to our friends.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Mary Watgen responded:
Thank you for taking your time to review my services to you. I appreciate it. I'm so glad you enjoyed the resort!
15 of 37 people found this review helpful
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Awesome Med. Cruise

Reviewed By Tom - Seneca, SC | Traveled to Barcelona ~ Spain ~ Europe
Mary handled all our arrangements for our Med. Cruise including flight and excursion recommendations as well as hotel bookings.

The combination of her knowledge and personal service is hard to beat when making travel arrangements!

I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Mary Watgen responded:
Thank you Tom for reviewing our services. As you know, we love it when you guys go with us and it is always a fun time! I'm glad we can continue to meet or exceed your expectations.
18 of 43 people found this review helpful
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Wonderful trip

Reviewed By McCann's - Oswego, Il | Traveled to Mediterranean Sea ~ At Sea ~ At Sea
We loved not having to deal with details except with our excursions (which I have to say we had help with also). If we ran into trouble we had Butch and Mary to walk us thru it. Thanks guys for a once in life time trip.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Mary Watgen responded:
Thank you for giving us a great review. We had such a wonderful time with each of you! It is our pleasure to help our clients in any way we can.
26 of 59 people found this review helpful
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Wonderful trip to Alaska!!!!

Reviewed By Grin and Barrett - Alaska | Traveled to
Mary did an excellent job helping us with many, many details, making our trip The Trip Of a Life Time! She helped us fine tune and even got us up grades for our land and sea trip to Alaska. She went way beyond what we would ever have expected - to make sure everything was perfect for us. We highly recommend her to anyone wanting to travel.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
39 of 85 people found this review helpful
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The trip of a lifetime!!

Reviewed By Jane - Loves Park, IL | Traveled to Mediterranean ~ At Sea ~ At Sea
Mary always answered my emails promptly and courteously with helpful information! Mary was always a step ahead of what we needed. For example, after we bought our excursions she emailed steps to follow to cancel those excursions and repurchase the same excursions at a reduced price. We wouldn't have known that if Mary hadn't been on top of it! We trusted Mary's judgment on our hotel and local tours and everything was reasonable but high quality! Mary never seemed impatient with all my questions and, as I said, many of my questions were answered before I even thought of it! Thank you, Mary, for being so personable, cheerful, and capable! We had the trip of a lifetime!!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Mary Watgen responded:
Thank you, for taking the time to write a review for our services and for your kinds words. We were so glad that you were able to join Mary Ann and John for this special trip! We certainly enjoyed getting to know you and Larry and hope you can join us again in the future! It was a pleasure planning this trip for our group. Mary and Butch Watgen
18 of 44 people found this review helpful
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She is very helpful !

Reviewed By Louis - Yorkville | Traveled to
Mary and Butch helped to arrange several vacation packages for us. We were always very happy with the airline tickets, hotels and locations. The price was always good. We always had a good time. We will definitely use them again in our future vacation plannings. We will recommend them to friends !
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
15 of 38 people found this review helpful
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Lots of Eagle sightings

Reviewed By Deb - Plano IL | Traveled to Alaska ~ USA
GREAT!!! HELPFUL!!! and WISE!!!

A pleasure to work with.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Mary Watgen responded:
Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to write your review. I'm glad you saw lots of eagles and that you had a great time! We need to get together some time so you can tell us all about it!
19 of 47 people found this review helpful
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Pura Vida

Reviewed By Becca - Montgomery, IL | Traveled to Costa Rica ~ Central America
Mary was great getting everything prepared for our trip! She was quick to respond to all of my emails, and consistently checked for lower prices to make sure we could stick to our budget.I appreciated the reminders about payment due dates as well as her own feedback on the resort we were going to. I would definitely recommend using Mary as your travel agent - she is great!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Mary Watgen responded:
Thank you for taking your time to review my services. I really appreciate the kind words you said as well. I look forward to helping you plan your next vacation!
19 of 47 people found this review helpful
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Wonderful trip!

Reviewed By Jane - Aurora, IL | Traveled to Mediterranean ~ At Sea ~ At Sea
We had a wonderful trip, chosen and arranged by Mary. We were especially lucky that Mary and her husband came along. Everything went well and we really appreciated their expertise in taking care of all the details involved in a trip like this. From making sure we had all the necessary documents, to filling out the online forms, to knowing what to take, they were incredibly knowledgeable and helpful to us. Thank you!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Mary Watgen responded:
Thank you, for taking the time to write a review for our services. We appreciate you business and most of all your friendship! It was a pleasure planning this trip for our group. Mary and Butch Watgen
21 of 51 people found this review helpful
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Beautiful weather!

Reviewed By Michael & Margaret - Montgomery, IL | Traveled to Mexico
Mary is so very helpful! We were indecisive and she worked diligently with us until we made the final decision.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Mary Watgen responded:
Thank you Margaret for your very nice review. I appreciate you taking time from your busy schedule to do this for me! I am always glad to help you plan your special get aways!
21 of 52 people found this review helpful
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Planning our honeymoon was easy!

Reviewed By Kristen L - Chicago, IL | Traveled to
Mary and Butch were so easy to use and work with! We will never plan another vacation without them being involved. We were supposed to go to Jamaica for our honeymoon. The day before we were scheduled to leave we found out that it was cancelled to do a hurricane. Mary and Butch worked with us and found us a great resort in Mexico. We had no issues and knew we would be going to a great resort!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
36 of 83 people found this review helpful
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Great help!

Reviewed By Irina - Batavia, IL | Traveled to
Great service from Mary! She helped to organize my daughter wedding in Dominican - everything was smooth and easy from choosing the resort to buying tickets and recommending activities. No stress wedding and the best vacation of my life! Nice addition was when the price dropped we all had a refund.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
25 of 63 people found this review helpful
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Fantastic Agent

Reviewed By Campbell - Oswego, IL | Traveled to
This is the 3rd time that Mary has set up our trip for us. Each trip has been amazing for our family because of the work that Mary put in to find the perfect location for us. She is very knowledgeable on cruise and all inclusive vacations. We will definitely continue to use her expertise in the future.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
29 of 74 people found this review helpful
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Our first family Disney vacation!!

Reviewed By Chris - Bristol, IL | Traveled to
Mary did such an amazing job helping us plan our first Disney trip. She was recommended through a family member and I've never used a travel agent or agency before, but since she came with high regard from a trusted source we figured we should give her a try. She more than exceeded our expectations. From the beginning stages of planning, til the day we got home and were greeted with a card in the mail from Mary and Butch welcoming us back, their attention to detail and thoughtfulness is truly amazing. She helped with so many stages of our trip, from recommendations as to what resorts to stay at, to even getting us into a restaurant that was booked for the day. For anyone out there that wants great customer service from very knowledgeable people I highly recommend them. Thanks again Mary and Butch for the amazing job you did!!! ~~ Chris
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
20 of 57 people found this review helpful
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Wedding to Remember

Reviewed By Mel - Oswego , IL | Traveled to
My son got married in Mexico and the trip went smoothly, the accommodations were beautiful. It was a memory for a lifetime of smiles. Thanks Mary.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
21 of 64 people found this review helpful
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Easy peasy

Reviewed By Rob - Virginia | Traveled to
She planned a large family reunion trip to the Dominican Republic. Everything went smooth as silk.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
23 of 72 people found this review helpful
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Mary made my trip a breeze!

Reviewed By Ashley - Chicago IL | Traveled to
I always book through Mary because she's prompt, organized, and knows her stuff. I recently went to Jamaica and for a small fee we were able to fly through immigration with Club Mobay! With my busy schedule I just like to have somebody else plan my Vaca and Mary does it best. I just booked two more trips and of course Mary has them all layed out!! Thanks Mary
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
16 of 63 people found this review helpful
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My Travel Experience

Places I’ve personally traveled to or destinations I’ve booked for my clients.