Denise Ambrusko-Maida
Tonawanda, New York Travel Agent
Travel Brilliant Adventures, a Internova Travel Group Network affiliate agency
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Luxury and Family Travel Specialist
Let us help you see the world!
My Name is Denise, founder of Travel Brilliant. I'm busy business owner and a mom, I understand how important your time is and how precious your vacation is to you. You want it to be perfect, and you worry if everyone will have a good time, but you want to relax too.
You may plan a vacation once a year, but I do it multiple times a day. I know how hard it is to relax on vacation so let me take on the planning so you can focus on making those magical memories! Whether you’re planning a honeymoon or multi-generational family vacation or just a quick getaway, I’m here to help you see the world.
I'm also an avid traveler and have been all over the US, Central America, and Europe. have been too many of the locations I recommend and have personal relationships with the vendors we use. My personal travels have brought me through tiny Mediterranean villages and lush tropical rainforests, staying in places off the beaten path. I love to experience the culture first-hand and can help you find itineraries that are luxurious AND authentic.
My Expertise
• Disney Travel Specialist- Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, Adventures by Disney, Aulani a Disney Spa & Resort
• Cruise Lines Certifications- Master Royal Caribbean Cruise Specialist, Commodore Princess Cruise Specialist, Amawater Ways Specialist, Viking River/Ocean Specialist, Celebrity Cruise Line Specialist, American Queen Steamboat Company Specialist, Windstar Specialst, Oceania Specialist, Azamara Specialist, Holland America Specialist, Commodore Cunard Specialist, Silverseas Specialist, Uniworld Specialist
• All-inclusive Resorts Certifications- Sandals/Beaches Specialist, Karisma Resorts Specialist, AMResorts Specialist, Riu Resorts Specialist, Couples Resort Specialist, Iberostar Specialist, La Coleccion Expert
• Railway Vacations Certifications- Rocky Mountainer Specialist
• Destination Expert Certifications- Hawaii Destination Specialist, Mexico Destination Specialist, Jamaica Destination Specialist, Dominican Republic Specialist, Bahamas Destination Specialist, Aruba Destination Specialist, Japan, Destination Specialist, Korea Destination Specialist, Whales, Destination Specialist, Dubai Destination Specialist, Belize Destination Specialist
• Guided Tours Certifications- Trafalgar Tours Specialist, Exodus Tours Specialist, CIE Tours Specialist, Vatange Deluxe Specialist, Contiki Tours Specialist, Collette Tours Specialist
I am an LGBTQ friendly agent, dedicated to working with travel suppliers that promote properties whose business practices, company culture, and employee policies ensure a comfortable and enjoyable experience for LGBT travelers and their allies.
Want to learn more? Visit: www.travelbrilliant.net
My Areas of Expertise
CERTIFICATES & AWARDS
Amawater Ways Specialist
Celebrity Cruise Line Specialist
Royal Caribbean Master Specialist
Sandals/Beaches Specialist
Viking River/Ocean Specialist
Exodus Tours Specialist
Hawaii Destination Specialist
Karisma Resorts Specialist
Master Royal Caribbean Cruise Specialist
AMResorts Specialist
Commodore Princess Cruise Specialist
CIE Tours Specialist
Windstar Specialst
Disney Travel Specialist
Uniworld Specialist
Universal Parks and Resorts Specialist
American Queen Steamboat Company Specialist
Riu Resorts Specialist
Contiki Tours Specialist
Azamara Specialist
Oceania Specialist
Japan Destination Specialist
Bahamas Destination Specialist
Couples Resort Specialist
Adventures by Disney Specialist
Collette Tours Specialist
Commodore Cunard Specialist
Silverseas Specialist
Trefalgar Tours Specialist
My Travel Stories
Budgeting for Summer Travel- WIVB Channel 4 Story
Dark Arts Castle Show, Universal Orlando
Fire Dancers at Sandals Royal Bahamian
Let’s meet Kitanya, Sales Manager at Sandals Royal Bahamian
A chat with Jeremy the GM for Sandals Emerald Bay
Animal Kingdom, WDW- Caring for Giants Backstage Tour
Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa- Aunties Beach House Walkthrough
Aulani a Disney Resort and Spa, Oahu- Luau
Nickelodean Resort, Punta Cana- Pajama Jam
We felt like VIPs
Reviewed By Andrew - Maywood, New Jersey | Traveled to Punta Cana ~ Dominican Republic ~ Caribbean
I reached out to Denise Ambrusko-Maida to book my family trip to Nickelodeon Resort in Punta Cana for July 2018. This was one of the best decisions I ever made. Denise was efficient, expedient, enthusiastic, and most of all patient in handling all of my family’s needs. Denise was thorough in everything she did. She verbally told me, emailed me, and mailed me everything we needed for our trip. Fast forward to the trip. When we arrived at Nickelodeon, there was an issue with making reservations for dinner. I called Denise and without hesitation, we were booked in one of the restaurants and treated like VIPs while there.
I can’t thank Denise enough for all that she did to make my family trip unforgettable. Anytime anyone is planning any type of vacation, you would be wise in contacting Denise to handle all your travel needs.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
9 of 15 people found this review helpful
Denise is a God send!
Reviewed By Chris - Buffalo, NY | Traveled to New York City ~ New York ~ USA
This was our first time using a travel agent. I have always booked myself on travel websites thinking it was cheaper and easier. After our first trip with Denise, we clearly saw that I've been doing it wrong for years! She was more affordable than anything I could find myself, and her knowledge of anywhere we are traveling is better than even google. On the last day of our trip, Hurricane Henri caused our flights to be cancelled. We woke up to a message from Denise that she was on it and got us out of NYC the next day and even rebooked our room at the hotel for us. It would have really changed the tone of our trip had we woken up and had to do it all ourselves without any industry knowledge. With Denise on it, we continued our trip and had another great day. We are using Denise again for a trip to Aruba in October!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Denise Ambrusko-Maida responded:
Thank you so much for the kind review. While no one likes to have their travel delayed due to a hurricane, I'm happy you were able to add another day to your trip to enjoy the city. Denise
Thank you so much for the kind review. While no one likes to have their travel delayed due to a hurricane, I'm happy you were able to add another day to your trip to enjoy the city. Denise
5 of 8 people found this review helpful
Made our Disney Cruise Dream come true!
Reviewed By Kelly - Tonawanda, NY | Traveled to Castaway Cay ~ Bahamas ~ Caribbean
Thank you so much for making our trip magical!I found Denise while on a vacation without the kids. she posted about Disney (isn't it every parents dream to take the kids to Disney?!). I had to inquire and almost exactly 365 days later from our initial contact- we were on a ship!
Denise helped us make the decision of the cruise vs parks. we couldn't be happier with our decision. our ports were so beautiful and we had a perfect family vacation.
Thank you for being so patient and timely with answering all of my questions. you are appreciated!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
10 of 18 people found this review helpful
Already booked our next trip!
Reviewed By Ian - Louisville, KY | Traveled to Cancun ~ Quintana Roo ~ Mexico
Traveling with kids is definitely not easy. Denise made our experience so enjoyable and we were actually able to relax and have fun. Our kids had an amazing time. We can't wait for the next trip.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
10 days in Japan
Reviewed By Emily T - Buffalo NY | Traveled to Japan ~ East and Southeast Asia
Denise wad always quick to respond to me. She understood it was important to me to stick to my budget and was able to adhere to it. She organized everything completely for me and wrote out step-by-step instructions as to what my plan was for the day, while also leaving room for me to improvise if I wanted to. My trip couldn't have gone any better thanks to Denise.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Wonderful trip!
Reviewed By Stephanie - Tallahassee, Florida | Traveled to Amsterdam ~ Netherlands ~ Europe
Denise was organized from the start and easily accessible if there was a problem.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Smooth from Beginning to End
Reviewed By Billy - New York, NY | Traveled to Puerto Rico ~ USA
Travel Brilliant helped us with our trip to Puerto Rico with Gays with Kids, and it was the most organized trip ever! From start to end, Denise was on top of everything. She made sure we had fun, and everything went smoothly. If we ever travel again, we will definitely be returning back to Denise and Travel Brilliant.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Fun group trip.
Reviewed By Tammy - Surprise, AZ | Traveled to Cozumel ~ Quintana Roo ~ Mexico
Denise was very helpful and timely in replying to my needs when booking this cruise.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Our 2024 trip to Tulum, Mexico
Reviewed By Kathy G. - Clarence, NY | Traveled to Mexico
Denise was very helpful with several aspects of our trip. She found us a suitable destination. She quickly dealt with the issue of a cancelled flight and a payment issue at our destination.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
My last minute vacation was great!
Reviewed By BJ - Philadelphia, PA | Traveled to Cabo San Lucas ~ Baja California Sur ~ Mexico
Working with Denise was an awesome experience! With very little prep time, she worked diligently to coordinate a fantastic vacation for me. She stayed in touch with me throughout my travels and took care of my every need. Thanks for everything!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Fun Time in CABO!
Reviewed By JBR5841 - Los Angeles, CA | Traveled to Cabo San Lucas ~ Baja California Sur ~ Mexico
Denise was very responsive and quick to answer all my questions. I would love to work with her again!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Best return trip to Brazil of our lives!
Reviewed By Frank Z - Webster, NY | Traveled to Sao Paulo ~ Brazil ~ South America
We had a wonderful experience planning a visit to Brazil to meet family after 17 year span. All the planning paid out and the trip was smooth with the right accommodations.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
First time "over the pond"
Reviewed By Susan - W. Amherst | Traveled to Scotland ~ Europe
As someone new to traveling beyond the U.S., Denise was very kind and patient with me and all my questions. She responded quickly to my calls and emails. I will definitely contact her again should we decide to go on another adventure! I feel lucky to have found her.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
The Best Experience All Around !
Reviewed By Amanda P - Buffalo, NY | Traveled to Riviera Maya ~ Quintana Roo ~ Mexico
I messaged Denise that my husband and I wanted to take a trip for our 10 year anniversary. Denise helped us to choose the perfect location and resort that we absolutely loved! She was quick, attentive, informative, and made our whole experience unbelievably easy. I would absolutely recommend her to others AND use her services again!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
An unforgettable Bermuda escape
Reviewed By KT - Fairfield ct | Traveled to Bermuda ~ Caribbean
Denise was very helpful in answering all of my questions!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
A wonderful trip
Reviewed By Nate - Buffalo,NY | Traveled to Japan ~ East and Southeast Asia
Denise did an excellent job planning out trip, and came in under budget
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Awesome, more than I expected.
Reviewed By Nikkei - Cheektowaga, | Traveled to Greece ~ Europe
Always there to answer questions and provide support
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Outstanding Tour of Greece
Reviewed By Kimberly P. - Akron, NY | Traveled to Greece ~ Europe
Denise has been fantastic to work with- from providing all of the original information, pricing, itinerary choices, booking, to making sure we were ready for our trip with a personal phone call. She has amazing customer service! I will be working with her in the future!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
The trip was awesome, more than i expected.
Reviewed By Nikkei - Buffalo, New York | Traveled to Athens ~ Greece ~ Europe
Working with Denise Ambrusko-Maida was extremely comforting because she was able to answer all of my questions and relieve all of my concerns regarding traveling as a single person. I am grateful to her for being there.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
We had a great time, well organized
Reviewed By Woody - Hamburg, ny | Traveled to Key West ~ Florida ~ USA
She returned phone calls, answered my numerous questions, very knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with!!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Very well organiced
Reviewed By Diane - Derby,N.Y. | Traveled to Riviera Maya ~ Quintana Roo ~ Mexico
Excellent.Received call back or email soon after any questions.Thorough
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Honeymoon for the Ages
Reviewed By Bret - Buffalo, ny | Traveled to Greece ~ Europe
When my wife and i decided we wanted to go to Greece for our honeymoon we felt overwhelmed by the abundance of amazing places there that were options. I found Denise online and from the first time we spoke, i knew we were in good hands. She put together the most organized and amazing itinerary with tours and experiences in Athens, Ios, Naxos and Santorini. All we had to do was show up. All the travel vouchers, hotels, ferries etc were taken care of. It made our honeymoon stress free and absolutely perfect. She was so great i am working with her on creating golf getaway trips with our golf ball company. I will be working with Denise again, and again and again!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Just needed to get away from reality
Reviewed By Erin - Depew, New York | Traveled to Montego Bay ~ Jamaica ~ Caribbean
Denise was absolutely wonderful to work with. This is the second time she has helped my husband and I get away. I asked for assistance booking an all inclusive getaway. She responded so quickly with multiple options right in line with our budget. She answered all my questions quickly and professionally.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
The Beautiful Emerald Isle
Reviewed By Kerry - Bend, Oregon | Traveled to Ireland ~ Europe
Denise was so helpful and knowledgeable. Planing this trip was a breeze. I experienced more than I could have ever imagined.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
It’s all about the details!
Reviewed By Jimmy - Santa Rosa Beach, Fl | Traveled to Universal Orlando ~ Florida ~ USA
Denise treats your travel like it’s her own! Thoughtful, considerate and loads of helpful tips. It’s truly in the details where she is concerned. I finally see the value in a travel agent.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Literally, the best vacation ever!!!!
Reviewed By Lisa N - Amherst, NY | Traveled to Puerto Vallarta ~ Jalisco ~ Mexico
Many thanks to Denise for putting together a fantastic vacation for my family and me. I have always planned our family vacations, so placing this incredible task in someone else's hands was challenging. I searched for multiple reasons to worry, but Denise was so knowledgeable and reassuring that she made it easy to trust her expertise. She selected the location as well as the resort. Both were breathtaking and felt as if this was exactly where we should be. When East coast weather forced our connecting flight to cancel, Denise secured two rooms so we could go to another lovely hotel when we landed. She just made everything so much easier. I cannot praise her enough for her kindness and her service. I will never plan another vacation ever again. Thank you many times over, Denise.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
2 of 4 people found this review helpful
Incredible Alaskan Cruise Adventure
Reviewed By Matthew P. - Buffalo, NY | Traveled to Alaska ~ USA
We worked with Travel Brilliant on a trip to Alaska and had an absolutely fabulous time. On Denise's recommendation we took a helicopter to the top of a glacier and hiked around for the day, it was an absolutely perfect day. The helicopter pilot said it was the best day all year as she flew us around the Juno ice field allowing to see absolutely beautiful vistas! It was a an incredible experience and look forward to our next trip!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
3 of 6 people found this review helpful
10 yr anniversary trip
Reviewed By Liz - Clarence, NY | Traveled to Aruba ~ Caribbean
Such a wonderful experience!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
2 of 5 people found this review helpful
A Magical Christmas at Walt DIsney World
Reviewed By Reem J. - Brooklyn, NY | Traveled to Walt Disney World ~ Florida ~ USA
As our magical vacation comes to an end, I wanted to thank Denise for her help in planning this amazing vacation. My kids said “this was the best vacation ever!” No need for another testimony!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
4 of 9 people found this review helpful