Laurie Passard
Email MeOcean and River Cruise Specialist
AmaWaterways Rhine River Cruise
From the very moment I stepped onto my first flight, I knew a career in travel was destined for me. I've been a travel agent for over 42 years now, and my enthusiasm for crafting the perfect travel experience has only grown. Whether it's designing a detailed itinerary that turns a trip into an unforgettable journey, or exploring multiple destinations on a luxurious cruise, I thrive on bringing these dreams to life. Cruising is a particular joy of mine, it's a wonderful way to soak in varied landscapes and cultures. Yet, I equally cherish the opportunity to immerse myself in a single destination, where having a few more days of exploration can richly reward the curious traveler. Are you dreaming of basking on sun-kissed beaches, sailing the skies in a hot air balloon over the vineyards outside of Melbourne, Australia, fishing for salmon and halibut in the pristine waters of Alaska, or skiing down the pristine slopes of the Swiss Alps followed by a scenic train journey across Switzerland? Or perhaps, envisioning yourself leisurely floating past majestic castles along the Rhine River on a memorable river cruise? Whatever your travel aspirations, I'm here to facilitate your every step, ensuring your vacation is nothing short of spectacular.
My Areas of Expertise
CERTIFICATES & AWARDS
My Travel Stories
A great surprise for our friend's birthday
Its always a pleasure working with you! So glad you kept your trip to Mexico a surprise and that you felt safe with all the health protocols in place.
Totally rejuvenated in Mexico!
Thank you, it was my pleasure working with you! So happy you enjoyed your trip to Cancun!
Best honeymoon ever!
So fun to work with both of you on your Honeymoon plans and I was glad you were so flexible in all the changes that happened due to Covid. Congrats again on your marriage!
A Wonderful Experience!!!
Perfection in the planning
I really enjoyed helping you plan this trip with your Mom and son!
Dominican Vaca
Thank you and I am glad your travels went smoothly and you enjoyed your time in the Dominican!
Alaskan Covid Trip
It was great working with you both and I am so sorry to hear that you both got sick while you were traveling.
Trip to Mexico
I was so happy that you were able to travel this year as we had to reschedule your trip from 2020. Glad you enjoyed Puerto Vallarta and your accommodations at the Riu Vallarta. Thank you!
30th Anniversary and best trip ever.
Three times a charm! I am so glad you were finally able to travel after waiting well over a year from when you first were making plans. I think your resort spoiled you and you will be celebrating many more anniversaries there! I appreciate your business and loved working with you both!
I could get used to travel like this.
I am so happy the Viking River Cruise experience was everything you dreamed and more!
Beautiful River Cruise
Thanks again for working with me and I am glad you enjoyed the Columbia Snake River Cruise on American Cruise Line.
Rhine River
It was a pleasure working with your family and I am so glad you all enjoyed it so well.
Trip was smooth sailing!
First time to the Far East.
Thank you for working with me and I am glad you enjoyed the Southeast itinerary on your Oceania Cruise. Japan and Korea are both wonderful travel destinations.
My trip was a joy.
I was happy to help get you rebooked and so glad you were able to make the trip.
Fantastic Trip
Of what we experienced, it was AMAZING!!!
It was our bucket list trip and so wonderful!!
Awesome vacation!!!
I am so glad you both enjoyed the trip and I know you were a bit anxious traveling during this time. Thank you and I look forward to working with you again!
Trip of a lifetime
I am so excited for both of you to travel to South Korea and see your family. It has been a pleasure helping you in this process.
Activity packed adventure
Family Caribbean Cruise Vacation
We worked with Laurie to take our first cruise with our 5 children. There were so many hiccups and we (personally) booked our return flight on the wrong day! Laurie was able to help us find tickets for less than the original, made sure all of our shuttles were taken care of, hotels booked and more. I would never have been able to do this all on my own (without losing my mind). Thankfully we had Laurie to help us a long the way. We will definitely be working with Travel Leaders again.
Memorable Belize Vacation
Laurie (and daughter) were the key to helping us make a decision on our recent vacation to Belize. The planning was handled seamlessly and left nothing for us to do or wonder what's next!! Laurie sent us a little organizer with our complete itinerary which was super handy. Everything that was booked for us, from the lodging, transportation, multiple resorts/location, activities etc...wow it was all planned and we literally didn't have to worry about a thing it was just done. Laurie had all of this very well vetted and there were NO surprises at any point, another great experience working with Laurie
Amazing Costa Rican Sunset Wedding!
Thanks for all you did, Laurie! To coordinate a destination wedding flawlessly in less than 6 months was not something we could have done on our own. Our 20 guests felt their questions were answered fully, and they expressed appreciation for the extra attention to details. It was a beautiful venue, ceremony, dinner and reception. We couldn't be happier!
Queen Mary II Cruise from New York to Southampton
Thanks so much for all your help getting our travels squared away. I have to say that the shift from flying to Europe to Cruising for 7 lovely days being pampered on a British ship was a highlight. Although a 20 year old vessel, the facilities were impeccable, clean and comfortable. Both the evening sit-down dinners and the buffet breakfasts and lunches were excellent. The entertainment seemed nearly non-stop, informative lectures, movies, broadway like shows, etc. I particularly liked "Churchills" the cigar lounge on the 9th deck up forward. This is a very civilized means of travel. Although a large ocean liner, we never felt crowded. Our plan now is to book a two or three-week cruise, to see if we should consider a longer round-the-world event. If one has the time, I would suggest that cruising is the only way to go. Oh, I should add that the three weeks in Portugal was also a treat. The flight home was seamless.
Trip of a Lifetime with a Private Driver!
Nick and I would like to thank you so much for arranging our trip to England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. It was a trip of a lifetime! Our private drivers were the best and our trip was coordinated flawlessly! Our trip was filled with wonderful memories and we certainly could not have been able to do it without your expertise. The trip was absolutely perfect. We are looking forward to working with you to arrange another trip for us. Thank you for everything Laurie!
Great Partner in my Destination Wedding Journey
Laurie was a great partner in my destination wedding journey. She helped to finalize the selection of resorts and had inside knowledge to help steer us in the right direction that would be a great spot for our wedding, but also a good balance for our wedding guests experience as well. She was also a helpful in finding out details about the resort and connecting me to the wedding planner onsite at the resort Finally she was available and supportive the week of the wedding to ensure everyone got where they needed to be and was making sure as the bride I was all set! Thank you Laurie
The Natural Wonders of Iceland
I have thought alot about the quality of my vacation and the fact that I was changing my mind alot about what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go. However, you were not intimidated by my requests and everything went well. Insight Vacations gave me more information about my Iceland trip than any other tour company I have traveled with. They were very complete and our Tour Director was well-versed in the information he gave us. I would recommend this tour and I thoroughly enjoyed the trip! I especially appreciate all of the work that you did for me as my first tour was cancelled and you found this Iceland Trip that would work with my same dates I was planning on traveling.
Beautiful Mexico Destination Wedding!
Thank you Laurie for booking our destination wedding at the Riu Palace in Cabo San Lucas. We had a great time. The resort was beautiful and the service was amazing.
Mexico Destination Wedding Success!
Lena and I would like to thank you so much for handing our trip to Mexico. Everyone had such a great time and we would have not been able to do it without your help. To get all 40 people coordinated was a saving grace for us. We really appreciate all the help you gave us and the flexibility that booking with you offered us. You will always be a bright spot when we think about our destination wedding and how smooth everything went. Thank you for everything Laurie!