CruCon Cruise Outlet & Travel Leaders Vacation Center are now "The Vacation Group"
Jackie Matthews
Jackie Matthews

Jackie Matthews

Colleyville, TX Travel Agent

Adventure Awaits World Travel, LLC

38 Reviews
100% Recommended
7 Years of Experience
Additional Languages
English

Cruise Expert- Viking,Celebrity and AmaWaterways

Cruise vacations and large group cruises are my specialty and I love my work! I coordinated my first group cruise in 1990, have over 44 years of cruise and world travel experience to 32 countries (and counting), and am certified in Group Travel and Accessible Travel. I have elite booking status on the world’s top ocean and river cruise lines - which means I have access to private inventories not open to the public and additional amenities and valuable travel perks to help your travel dollars go farther.Cruising with a group - whether it's your church, club, company, or a family reunion- is a wonderful way to travel. You unpack once, visit numerous countries and exciting ports of call, and get to share amazing experiences.

But cruising with a group requires a specific skill set, a much higher degree of planning and organization, to get it right. If done well, everyone has a fabulous experience and leaves the trip asking, “Where are we going next?” But if the group does not have good organization and communication from beginning to end, people can feel frustrated, anxious and unhappy, leaving you - the group leader -  stressed and losing sleep. Over the years, I have developed a protocol that enables me to effectively plan and book large groups of people on cruise vacations. My services include (but are not limited to) negotiating with the cruise lines for best pricing, cabin locations and amenities for your group, coordinating transfers, pre- and post-cruise hotel nights, transportation, communication with all members (via cruise night in-person or virtual events, emails, private Facebook page, etc. ), and coordinating on-board experiences and shore excursions that are exclusive for your group. I work hard to make sure you, as the leader, do not lose sleep or have to deal with a million phone calls because someone dropped the ball. I handle the myriad of details. You go and make memories! 

My process, developed from years of travel, starts with a fun conversation. As we talk, I can often uncover things you may not have thought of but are very important to the success and enjoyment of your trip. So, whether you are considering a family vacation, a reunion with all the cousins and grandparents, a wedding vow renewal with friends and family, a gal pal getaway on a cruise ship, a trip for your club or company off-site, let's talk. Your next adventure awaits!

Areas of Expertise

Destinations:

Germany
Italy
Alaska
Egypt
Aruba
Bahamas
Cayman Islands
Israel
France
Virgin Islands

Interests:

Cruises
Luxury Cruises
Family Vacations
Religious
River Cruises
Meetings & Incentives
Accessible Travel
Small Ship Cruises
Special Needs

Suppliers:

Adventures By Disney
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Viking
Disney Cruise Line
Explora Journeys
AmaWaterways
Sandals Resorts
Celebrity Cruises
Cunard®
Princess Cruises®

My Travel Specialties

Back to All Specialties
Family Reunion Travel Specialist

Family reunions- a chance to make great memories.

Family Reunion Travel Specialist

<p>Traveling with a large, extended family is wonderful! Getting all the cousins, aunties, uncles, grandparents together to play and make memories is the best. However, it can be a bit tricky- things like special needs (mobility issues, dietary needs such as vegan or gluten free), personality differences (you know what I mean- we all have them), different interests (some are adrenalin junkies while others want to be pampered at the spa, some want to go-go-go, others are exhausted from work and need time to rest and refresh) can make planning a family reunion trip feel impossible! But that's what I LOVE to do....create family reunion trip where everyone gets what they need and want and everyone goes home excitedly talking about their next great adventure together. It starts with a fun conversation. Over the years, I have developed a list of questions that help us determine the best kind of vacation for your group. It might be a on a cruise ship. It might be at a destination resort. It might be at a theme park. I am trained, certified, experienced in bringing large groups together for a vacation that pleases everyone. Someone needs a mobility device or is a "special needs traveler?" No problem! I am trained and certified in Accessible Travel and have companies I trust to bring you the appropriate mobility device for your needs. Have no idea where to start? I do. Give me a call, email or text and we can get started planning your next wonderful family reunion- you'll be the hero (because the trip goes so well) and I'll handle the logistics.</p>

Other Specialties

Viking Cruise Expert

I am trained, certified and highly experienced in Viking cruises- both ocean and...

Read More
Group Cruise Specialist:families,clubs, churches

I have elite booking status on Regents Seven Seas, Cunard, Viking, Amawaterways,...

Read More
Cruise Travel Expert- ocean, river, expedition

Cruise vacations and large group cruises are my specialty and I love my work! I ...

Read More

Reviews

38 Reviews
Jackie went above and beyond helping us plan our cruise. Responded to all of our questions in a timely manner and gave us excellent tips to enhance our experience on our fabulous trip to the British Isles.
Jo - Europe
We had a large group going to the British isles for 12 days. Jackie was wonderful in getting all of that coordinated. Keeping us informed of the latest Covid information. Even having question and answers with us on Facebook live. She went over and above! I would recommend her to anyone!
The British Isle trip - United Kingdom ~ Europe
Jackie was fantastic in helping us navigate all of the options for our trip! From researching all of the resort options for us to consider to recommending activities which would be tailored to our family group of thirteen people ranging in age from two to 91 years old, she personally assisted us in booking and creating the perfect trip for us! She extended personal touches which thrilled our grandchildren! Her knowledge and expertise made it easy for us to make our choices. Also, she was very flexible in changing a park booking for us for thirteen people once we were already in WDW. We appreciate Jackie’s attention to detail and her sincere desire to create a wonderful experience for us!
Leslie - Walt Disney World ~ Florida ~ USA

Certifications & Awards

AMA Academy
AMA Academy
AmaWaterways Specialist
AmaWaterways Specialist
Celebrity Learning Certification
Celebrity Learning Certification
Holland America Line Academy Specialist
Holland America Line Academy Specialist
Oceania Certified Travel Advisor
Oceania Certified Travel Advisor
Regent Seven Seas Luxury Cruise Expert
Regent Seven Seas Luxury Cruise Expert
Seabourn Academy Graduate
Seabourn Academy Graduate
Viking Expeditions Expert
Viking Expeditions Expert
Viking Expert
Viking Expert
Viking Oceans Expert
Viking Oceans Expert
Viking Rivers Expert
Viking Rivers Expert

Additional Certifications

  • Accessible Travel- CLIA
  • Commodore - Princess Cruise Line
  • Elite Cruise Counselor- Cruise Line International
  • Magellan Travel Award 2023 And 2024
  • Master Cruise Counselor
  • Commodore - Cunard Cruise Line
  • Viking Certified Specialist
  • Master Cruise Counselor- CLIA
  • Group Travel Specialist
  • Alaska Certified Expert- Princess Cruise Line
  • Regents Seven Seas- Certified
  • Sandals
  • Safe Travel Speciality
  • Luxury Cruise, Group, Meetings At Sea Certified
  • Celebrity- Certified

My Places