Tina was attentive to my trip goals, friendly and easy to work with, and way ahead of the game when my airline travel was cancelled. She worked with me for an entire morning to get the tickets rebooked so that we could continue our trip on the same timeline. I was already grateful for her support in getting the trip planned but my gratitude was overflowing when things went wrong. She remained calm, gave me clear instructions on what to do, and helped get us back on track!
CTC - Europe
I have booked several trips with Specially Designed Travel and working with Tina is always a pleasure. She has gotten to know my likes and dislikes so it makes the process much smoother and I trust and value her opinions. I love her attention to detail as I am a bit OCD when it comes to making travel plans. She is always very quick to respond when I have questions and is always looking out for my best interest. She makes my life easier when it comes to making travel plans.
Michelle B - Cabo San Lucas ~ Baja California Sur ~ Mexico
We have just recently started working on our destination wedding and from first contact with Tina she has been informative and helpful. She immediately met us for a consultation even on such short notice, since my parents were just here for that day. Since then has been great about asking details of our wants and needs while we will be traveling and has offered advice on topics we are unsure about based on her experience with other clients. We are looking forward to our wedding and I am certain Tina is going to help is find the perfect resort to start our journey at.
KB - Mexico
Tina was an absolute pleasure to work with. She made the entire planning and purchasing process so seamless and easy for us. We gave her a general idea of where we wanted to go on a cruise to celebrate our 10th anniversary. From there, she took off and provided us with a variety of options and ideas. In addition to the cruise, she handled our flight arrangements to and from San Juan, as well as a hotel for the night before and after our cruise. We really appreciated that extra time on the front and back end of the trip, as it allowed us extra time on the ship on departure day and time to explore Old San Juan when we returned. The entire trip was such a special experience and we are so appreciative of Tina for all of her hard work, communication, and attention. We highly recommend she and her services to anyone, and we look forward to booking another trip with her soon.
The Ryans -
She worked around my budget and really appreciated that.
Akin - Cabo San Lucas ~ Baja California Sur ~ Mexico
Wonderful to work with. She’s booked 3 trips for us and they were all fantastic!
Mike L from NC - Maui Island ~ Hawaii ~ USA
Very informative and easy to work with!
Chad - Cabo San Lucas ~ Baja California Sur ~ Mexico
Tina was always available day or night for our calls. I was most impressed by her speed and accuracy. She gaves us copiously detailed information up to where exactly to turn while navigating Paris! She was a joy to work with and always there when we needed her. Truly top notch service. And she kept us within our budget when it seemed impossible!
Bryan - Paris ~ France ~ Europe
We had to coordinate a group of people with different wants and needs. She manage to connect with everybody and take care of everything. The Cruise Wedding Reception was Great, all she could control was as per requested. We recommend Tina to coordinate your next trip.
Mili -
Tina is great. Very organized, very knowledgeable and accommodating. Would highly recommend her!
Scholley - Punta Cana ~ Dominican Republic ~ Caribbean
I really enjoyed working with Tina! I called her to take a last minute solo vacation with no destination in mind, and thanks to her skills and contacts, and my flexibility, she booked a fabulous resort getaway. She listened to me when I told her what I wanted, and found the right location (Cabo) and a quiet resort! She was able to get me all the things I wanted on a very short timeline and with money in the budget to spare. I would absolutely work with Tina again.
Jenn - Cabo San Lucas ~ Baja California Sur ~ Mexico
<br/>What a pleasure it is to write a review for my new favorite travel agent! <br/>While speaking to Tina about plans to attend a wedding, I decided to ask about taking an unrelated, impromptu trip to Mexico. I love to travel but hate to make plans, so the entire process couldn’t have been easier for someone like me. The trip was well organized with all the details covered in the short amount of time she was given. Having not been Mexico, Tina was patient with me, answering all my questions and especially helpful while guiding me through traveling during a pandemic. When in Mexico as a Hurricane developed, Tina was amazing! She reached out to help prepare us for what might happen well in advance and stayed in close contact when the weather was bad forcing us to shelter-in-place. Through it all, I had a wonderful time and can’t wait to go back which is largely in part to all of Tina’s help along the way. I look forward to continuing to work with her in preparation for my friend’s wedding!
Sarah - Riviera Maya ~ Quintana Roo ~ Mexico
Tina planned and executed a flawless trip for my husband and me to England, Scotland, and Wales. She tailored the trip to our personalities and budget, and she ensured we did not miss the best experiences to be had in each locale. Our trip was coordinated with a company located in the UK, and we had local contacts if there were issues while there.
I have always booked my own travel via the internet, but Tina and Specially Designed Travel have spoiled me now! I am sure I could not have duplicated this experience on my own. The value she provides is priceless, and looking over the trip cost now I am so pleased with the entire process. Thank you Tina - I am sure we will work together again!!
Lauren -
Tina helped us plan our honeymoon. She was very thorough & helped us make decisions on what to plan. Our trip was amazing & we are using her to plan another. Highly recommended!
Kareen -
Tina is so amazing honestly!! I don’t think we could’ve handled the stress she took out of planning a destination wedding with over 90 people and getting them booked for rooms and flights seamlessly!! She helped us pick the perfect resort that had everything we were wanting and needing! Honestly if you are looking for a travel agent she’s your girl!!!! She even sent out packets with every bit of information or hick up we could’ve possibly run into and made the process so effortless for us!! We highly recommend Tina for any of your travel needs!!
Taylor Preddy - Cabo San Lucas ~ Baja California Sur ~ Mexico
Tina was invaluable in helping my girlfriend & I plan our first trip out of the country. We were gone ~2 1/2 weeks and she helped tremendously with booking hotels, transportation & local tours. We also really appreciated her honesty when she wasn't sure of a certain item.
ALK - Ecuador ~ South America
I was recommended to Tina when we were planning a trip to Mexico on short notice. She figured out our likes very quickly, made the reservations to perfection, and we had a great get away...way overdue! It was beautiful and clean and exactly what we wanted and needed! Thanks Tina!
HW - Mexico
Tina deserves a medal for my beyond the normal itinerary! I wanted total seclusion on a 10 acre Fiji island which took 3 methods of transportation to get there. A lot was involved to make sure my expectations for my honeymoon/anniversary were a guaranteed perfect delivery, and it was indeed! Heaven must have dripped and formed the island of Royal Davui because it was beauty we both have never experienced! Our private open villa with our private heated infinity pool overlooking the most beautiful see-through oceanic landscape was so surreal! My husband and I are definitely going back in another 5 years!<br/>Thank you Tina for working with my craziness in making sure there was no disappointment!<br/>Great job! <br/>We will definitely use Tina's services again!<br/>Sherry and Roger
Sherry and Roger - Fiji ~ South Pacific
Outstanding cruise from the ship, ports, and excursions we selected. It all happened just the way we planned it and even better!! Tina is your go to person for travel!!
Leisha Sanchez -
Amazing, Tina and Steven are so knowledgeable at their job and go above and beyond in every aspect to help their clients, we recommend Tina and Steven Shands for all your Travels !!!!
Sharon.S - Juneau ~ Alaska ~ USA
Both my partner and I have a good bit of experience using travel agents in our work, so we know a good one when we see her, and I can say with confidence that Tina Shands is among the best.<br/><br/>We tasked Tina to find us a suitable Mediterranean cruise within our budget. She interviewed us extensively about our requirements, wishes, capacities, and limitations. Then, within 24 hours she came back with three options all of which seemed right up our alley. With respect to two of the options she was even able to comment about the provider from first-hand experience. Additionally, when we suggested a fourth alternative she was able, with great tact and sensitivity, to explain why it was not really suitable for persons of our wisdom and maturity (that is, for old people like us).<br/><br/>Unfortunately circumstances arose that required us to cancel our.travel plans, but you can be sure that the next time we do leave the U.S. it will be with Tina’s assistance.
Austinites - Mediterranean ~ At Sea ~ At Sea
Tina thought of absolutely everything and anticipated every question or concern. She is organized, efficient and personable. I cannot imagine any trip, ever, topping this one. But I am already thinking of another trip and of course will rely on Tina's expertise. <br/>A wonderful experience from beginning to end!
Elizabeth - Galapagos Islands ~ Ecuador ~ South America
Tina has made the planning of our Bucket List trip to Alaska so easy and fun! We get excited every time we talk with her about our options for excursions and "must see" vistas! Her attention to our personal interests, not necessarily what the "masses" do while there are very appreciated. The planning continues, but we are booked for an amazing experience! Thank you Tina! You're awesome!
Sangrid -
Tina has been so helpful throughout both our wedding trip to Tulum October 2017 and our Costa Rica trip in October 2018. She was able to answer any of our questions and also called before with suggestions for travel and excursions once we arrived at our destination. We will be booking all future travel with Tina moving forward. I highly recommend her!
Kaci - Costa Rica ~ Central America
Tina was a pleasure to work with as she knew what she was talking about and could explain everything so well. Everything on the trip went smoothly because of her expertise in travel and preparing me for everything I needed <br/><br/><br/><br/>It was a wonderful vacation due to Tina's expertise in travel. She found a beautiful hotel for us and prepared us for international travel. She was always ready and willing to answer any and all questions. I highly recommend her!!!<br/>
BJ - Cancun ~ Quintana Roo ~ Mexico
Tina is always on the ball and finding the best accomodations for the person. She works to find the right price, and arrangements for all my trips. I am very happy with her service. She has booked several trips without a problem. She is also great when there is a late change to your plans or you need to add another person. I would recommend her (and have) to all my friends.
Lori -
My wife and I usually planned our trips, but getting older made it more difficult. Tina was a Godsend. She listened carefully to our wishes, then fully explored the alternatives, She made it easy for us to settle on a plan for a great vacation.
John -
What a wonderful travel agent and friend Tina is, and yes, even Stephen. This was my first cruise and Tina was the most gracious advisor prior to the trip with many helpful suggestions. Once underway, she was even available for questions. Tina and her guidance made this Caribbean hassle-free, enjoyable, and relaxing. I can't wait for my next adventure and the professional guidance Tina will provide!!!
Pop -
Tina planned and executed a flawless trip for my husband and me to England, Scotland, and Wales. She tailored the trip to our personalities and budget, and she ensured we did not miss the best experiences to be had in each locale. Our trip was coordinated with a company located in the UK, and we had local contacts if there were issues while there.
I have always booked my own travel via the internet, but Tina and Specially Designed Travel have spoiled me now! I am sure I could not have duplicated this experience on my own. The value she provides is priceless, and looking over the trip cost now I am so pleased with the entire process. Thank you Tina - I am sure we will work together again!!
Lauren -
Tina is doing an amazing job of planning our honeymoon cruise trip around the Mediterranean (July 2016). She is providing us with lots of options and opinions as we are still fine-tuning our trip (hotel recommendations, shore excursion options, etc). I have no doubt if something last minute pops up, she will have a helpful advice on how to deal with the issue.
Brian -
Tina is great. She coordinated travel for 40+ of our family and guest. Would highly recommend her. Everyone had a similar enjoyable experience with her. Will use her again in the future.
SRB - Cancun ~ Quintana Roo ~ Mexico
Tina was incredible from beginning to end. She was clear, straightforward, efficient and beyond helpful. She was extremely thorough and detailed - she even sent us printed documents of our itinerary with suggested items to pack. During our trip we had absolutely no trouble at all. Everything was smooth and went exactly the way Tina described. We will definitely reach out to Tina again for future travel and would recommend her to a friend!
Tori - Belize ~ Central America
My daughter and I could not be happier with our vacation to Maui! The idea of this trip hatched months ago and came to be a reality with the expert help of Tina Shands with Specially Designed Travel. Here is her website http://www.speciallydesignedtravel.com. Tina and I had two quick meetings and a handful of emails and it was a done deal. I had zero experience with Hawaii and pretty much just told her I wanted to stay somewhere nice and do fun stuff; told her our likes and dislikes and that was it. I couldn't have planned this vacation with out her. She did ALL the research, put a few choices in front of me and that was it. I had an extremely detailed packet in my hands a couple of weeks before we left with every reservation, voucher, phone number, website, contact, etc in perfect order. She was available for anything or question that came up. When we arrived in Maui my first text was from her welcoming us there!! If you need or want assistance for a special trip -do you
Linda B - Maui Island ~ Hawaii ~ USA
Working with Tina was truly a fantastic experience. I have nothing but positive thoughts having used Tina to organize my recent trip to Mexico. She went above and beyond what was asked of her to tailor my trip to suit my requirements. <br/><br/>Pre travel, all queries were promptly answered. My trip was hassle free which made my holiday a truly memorable experience from start to finish. Tina is kind, informative, and always available to answer any last minute questions or concerns that you may have. She works hard to uncover your interests to ensure any experience you choose will be a memorable and personal one. <br/><br/>I will not hesitate to use Tina in the future and will also recommend her to my friends who are looking for similar services. <br/><br/>
S.Shively - Cabo San Lucas ~ Baja California Sur ~ Mexico
This is the second trip Tina has planned for me and she is wonderful!! She is very thorough and checks out every detail so there are no surprises when you get to the destination. Everything is organized with calendars and detailed instructions on what and how to do every step. She has very good suggestions and can give insight as to what will make the trip more enjoyable. She takes the work out of it and allows us to just enjoy the travel!! I will use her again and again!!
Sharon -
Tina is a wonderful person to work with. The first trip I planned to Australia and New Zealand was cancelled because of health reasons. I highly recommend taking out insurance because if not for insurance I would not be taking another trip.
Thanks to her, I am excited about my trip. She has worked tirelessly to make it a great trip.
Ann -
I contacted a few travel agents in the Austin area and Tina stood out in her response. It wasn't a canned response like most big agencies. Tina was personable and requested to meet in person to get to know me, so she could plan a vacation I would enjoy.
I came to Tina with a huge task of bringing multiple families from across the U.S. together with varying budgets and family sizes. Tina's knowledge of family places helped us narrow down where to travel. We wanted an all-inclusive place that had activities for children and adults. Tina kept our budgets in mind and advised some families to purchase airfare on their own when it was more economical to do so. Transportation to and from the resort was arranged for us. All I had to do was show up with my passport.
I'll definitely be using Tina again as her knowledge makes planning much easier.
pep -
Tina was a pleasure to work with on planning our trip to South Africa. She was very thorough and thoughtful and tailored a variety of trip options to our personal wants and needs. Unfortunately, some personal things came up in our lives and we were unable to follow through with our trip, but we certainly plan on using her in the future.
Taylor -
Tina did a great job organizing a bunch of different travelers, and making sure we had all of our questions answered before we left. I loved the pre-travel information she gave us, down to the "how to get out of the Cancun airport without having to deal with the people trying to sell you a timeshare". There were earthquakes and hurricanes in Mexico before our departure, and she kept us informed about weather and risks so we could make good decisions. The trip went flawlessly!
Amanda B - Cancun ~ Quintana Roo ~ Mexico
Tina helped plan our group vacation and made it very easy. She provided all the information we needed to apply for our passports. When it was time to travel she provided an itinerary that included every detail we needed including how to navigate our way to the correct transportation service from the airport. Looking forward to working with Tina on our next group trip.
Julia -
Tina was a joy to work with. She planned a trip for us which included flights, two river cruises around Europe, trains, and a side trip to Iceland which included tours. During the planning phase, Tina gathered information on our likes and dislikes. She then proceeded gathering information and provided us with brochures and several different itenaries. She kept in touch with us as she planned the trip. Before the trip, Tina provided us with a detailed timeline (I carried it with me everywhere as I knew if I needed information, it would be in her Itenary.) It was a joy working together with Tina. I would definitely use her services again.
Debbie -
