The Hideaway REVEALED!

Oh my.  What a VOYAGE!!!  We enjoyed an incredible time onboard Oceania Cruises Riviera for Caribbean Hideaways from January 23rd-February 2nd with The Dining Diva.   This voyage was created with a culinary focus in mind, complete with a culinary course in the culinary center onboard!  Our group of 30 travelers were a delight to escort on this journey, and we are already looking towards our next journey with The Dining Diva (stay tuned)!

We discovered the hideaways in the Eastern and Southeastern Caribbean from Bathsheba in Barbados, the rum distillery in St. Lucia, to the quaint French township of St. Barts.

Of course, our sailing was fulfilled with the ports alone, but, as our loyal travelers know, we aren’t just about the voyage as planned.  We thrive on enhancing the journey!!  The Dining Diva worked with us from May 2012 to develop this culinary trip, and the cuisine of Oceania Cruises paired with our added cuisine-focused shore excursions and cooking class in Oceania’s onboard culinary center.

A highlight for many included our rum distillery tour and rum tasting the beautiful St. Lucia!

By the way, did you know St. Lucia had these awe-inspiring pitons?  We knew they existed, but we didn’t realize the beauty these add to the coast of St. Lucia.  We actually know of a couple luxurious resorts facing these pitons!

As an added bonus to the exciting ports, delectable cuisine, and excellent service-oriented vessel, our group took advantage of the extra days at sea.  In fact, this was a large draw for this selected itinerary because of the number of days at sea allowing our travelers to experience all that Riviera has to offer. 

While our 10-day voyage was joyous in every way, it seemed to go by so quickly!  The sun has set on this unique experience, and we are already planning our next. 

Take the hassle out of group travel; call us to plan your next group trip or join ours! 713-954-4825

Istanbul to Rome on Oceania Cruises

August 16-28, 2013

It’s safe to say that, in this day and age of cruising, you can sail away your vacation just about anywhere in the world, including by river.  That said, we’re not just any travel agency offering any and every departure!  As our seasoned travelers know, we look for the unique…one-of-a-kind…has-a-lot-to-offer type of voyages; especially when we hear from clients that have specific ports in mind for their sailing or perhaps are looking for something culturally diverse.

This is precisely why we have chosen to share with you this week the Treasures and Monuments sailing on Oceania Cruises newest Riviera.  There are a multitude of reasons why this is a sailing to both consider and remember:

• The best way to see Greece

  In the past, we shared logic on viewing Australia and New Zealand by cruising is the best way to experience the region because of the ground to cover, the distance traveling by land, and, most importantly, the best views of this area are from the water.  The same details apply to the beauty of Greece.  Because of Greece’s many islands and amount of travel required to see much of the country, cruising suits your travel needs best to unpack once and also allows you see its INCREDIBLE COASTLINES from the water.  With the perfectly arranged stops in Rhodes, Santorini, Crete, and Cephalonia, take this sailing to view and capture the best of Greece.

• Visit Italy for five days

  On top of the splendor of Greece at the beginning of your sailing, experience the west coast of Italia including the breath-taking coast of Amalfi.  Your ports of call through Italy include Taorminia (Sicily), Amalfi/Positano, Olbia/Porto Cervo (Sardinia), Florence/Pisa/Tuscany (Livorno), and your disembarkation port of Civitavecchia. 

• Sardinia, Italy and Crete, Greece

  These two unique ports are lesser traveled and accessible by smaller vessels at sea such as Oceania Cruises.  This means there will be fewer cruise travelers present in these ports!  In Sardinia, you’ll have the opportunity to experience the Nuraghic culture through their cuisine, enigmatic remnants, and handmade goods inspired by them.

• Finest cuisine at sea

  In our many posts about Oceania Cruises, we have shared intermittently about their exquisite cuisine.  This stunning cruise line has a culinary team led by the well-known Chef Jacques Pépin which further affirms the quality of gastronomy served in their Grand Dining Room and four specialty restaurants.  After several groups sailing with us on Oceania Cruises, our travelers have each concurred that their dining experiences onboard were top-notch with haute cuisine, for sure!  We continue to encourage our clients to consider Oceania for their preferred sailing because of the continuous rave reviews.

• Unmatched accommodations and service

  Further to the delectable cuisine onboard, Oceania provides you with gorgeous and spacious staterooms, and 96% of those on Riviera have a verandah!  With certain suites decorated by Ralph Lauren and Dakota Jackson, the cruise line spared no expense to make sure that you travel in comfort and elegance for your voyage.  Pair these accommodations with divine service, and you have another reason why Beyond Group Travel wants you to experience Oceania Cruises!

As we do with each of our sailings, we are able to help you with extending your voyage prior to embarkation or at disembarkation.  This means, we can assist with your stay in Istanbul or complete your voyage with a history-rich stay in Rome.  Your ideal 3-night stay in the Eternal City could really conclude your once-in-a-lifetime journey!

Take this opportunity to sail this extremely well-planned itinerary on a voyage that has numerous experiences to offer in location, diversity, beauty, cuisine and accommodations.  Special 2 for 1 CRUISE FARES with INCLUDED AIRFARE available for reservations made on/before
March 31, 2013.  Contact us today for more information and to reserve!  Click here to view the brochure.

Take the hassle out of group travel; call us to plan your next group trip or join ours! 713-954-4825 or 1-877-648-1973.

Kentucky Derby–May 1-5, 2013

It’s THE most exciting two minutes in sports.  Even those who aren’t into the pageantry of the race know they watch this exciting event every year!  And for those who love the history, the fashion, or the Super Bowl of horse racing will love this exclusive opportunity to experience the “Run for the Roses!”
Of course, there are many ways that you can travel and experience the Kentucky Derby.  Why yes, if not this year, you could attend another year.  However, there’s no other opportunity to experience the Kentucky Derby the way that we have arranged!  To watch this 139th run at Churchill Downs, you’ll receive exclusive access to enjoy private hospitality in the indoor Kentucky Derby Museum!
As you can imagine, it’s great to have this indoor space if the weather turns south during the hours prior to the race.  While viewing the complete Derby experience within the newly remodeled museum, avoid waiting in lines across the Downs. Access is complete with a full buffet at reserved seating, open bar, and private betting windows. See the ‘best of hats’ contest right inside the museum!  We will also provide private transportation via motor coach to/from the race.

Beyond Group Travel has prepared a luxurious package for you which is inclusive of the following:

Four nights hotel accommodations at the newly rebuilt Marriott Louisville East

Breakfast each morning at the hotel

Welcome reception and appetizers at the hotel on Wednesday evening

Thursday day trip to Lexington with guided tours of horse farms, Keeneland, and Buffalo Trace Distillery with lunch included

Cocktails and dinner on Friday evening

First floor or third floor Grandstand ticket to the Kentucky Derby on Saturday

Exclusive private hospitality in the indoor, newly-renovated Kentucky Derby Museum, with full buffet, reserved seating, open bar and private betting windows

Post-Derby buffet dinner at the hotel on Saturday evening

On site hospitality staff

Taxes and tips on included features

Transportation via private bus to included events

Visit our website and view the brochure to read more about the details of this bucket-list trip!

Take the hassle out of group travel; call us to plan your next group trip or join ours! 713-954-4825

Beyond Group Travel Turns THREE!

Did we really just say that?  Have we really been in business for a full THREE years?  It feels completely unbelievable, and it’s also hard to imagine that we were never not in business as Beyond Group Travel!  Looking back at our post from when we celebrated our first birthday, it’s incredible to reminisce and also see just how much our company has accomplished in these past three years!

We’ve enjoyed going from being partners…

to a team of three…

to our now wonderful team of five!!!

We’ve further been blessed this year to take travelers around the world to destinations such as:

• Cambodia
• Thailand
• Vietnam
• San Antonio, Texas
• Holland
• Greece
• Turkey
• Italy
• France
• Spain
• New York (both Manhattan and Long Island)
• Alaska
• Boston
• Montenegro
• Croatia
• Memphis, Tennessee
• Oxford, Mississippi
• Germany
• Hungary
• Austria
• Aruba
• Cartagena
• Panama Canal
• Los Angeles
• Tahiti
• Cyprus
• Israel
• Egypt
• Antigua
• Mexico
• Monaco
• Sweden
• Finland
• Russia
• Estonia
• Latvia
• Denmark
• England
• Belize
• Grand Cayman
• Guatemala
• Honduras
• Costa Rica
• St. Lucia
• Utah
• Canada
• AND MORE!

Perhaps we could have told you the few places we did not visit!

A few details we were thrilled to see, in relation to our clients and their journeys in our third year, are that we have seen a greater interest in river cruising.  Thus, we have increased the amount of sailing we offer, which we will be showing you in year four.  We also were pleased to offer our signature New York trips (both Thanksgiving and Holidays) to new alumni organizations, and we are looking forward to having new groups in the future.  If you are interested in hosting your group (family, friends or any other type of group) contact us to discuss the options available to you.  We are looking forward to an even better 2013!

Most importantly, we are so grateful to our past and current clients.  We are pleased to say that nearly all of our business comes via referral (word of mouth), and fellow business owners and marketing gurus can attest that this is not only the highest form of flattery to a business, but also the biggest success for earning new clientele.  THANK YOU TO ALL!

Happy New Year to all of you and Happy 3rd Birthday to us!  What a fabulous year this has been!

Take the hassle out of group travel; call us to plan your next group trip or join ours!

When to hire a Travel Specialist

In reading the recent issue of Conde Nast Traveler, they published a great article highlighting the importance of a travel specialist including details and qualities to look for in your ideal travel specialist. 

In reviewing this well-written article, the details of when to hire a travel specialist are a good starting point for people who have not yet determined when to seek the assistance of a travel specialist.  We definitely agree with each of these well-thought reason’s from Consumer News Director Wendy Perrin:

• highly personalized multi-day itineraries

  We actually spend quite a bit of our time doing this very thing because we pride ourselves in providing business to groups who come to us with a specific request for their travel destination and to-do list for excursions.  If we have a group requesting Holland, for example, we have educated ourselves in the locations to visit in the region, and we have on-location partners that have been interviewed and selected precisely for trips of such nature.

• once-in-a-lifetime splurges involving four or five-star hotels

  These are often very special stories of desired trips for anniversaries or splendid celebrations.  Clients are eager to take that trip they’ve never spent the time to plan or think about because children have graduated, a landmark anniversary has come, or perhaps another major life event carries them to explore the trip of a lifetime!  Finding the proper hotels with immaculate service can be tricky in unknown areas of the world, and it’s our pleasure to guide you through your desired destinations to show you why one property is ideal for your needs!

• English speaking guides and travelers 

  Perhaps this is not a detail that each traveler thinks about in arranging their exciting voyage, rather said traveler assumes this language detail as a given.  We certainly go through extra detail to insure you not only enjoy your excursions and guided tours but also understand them!

• special access to monuments, events, or people

  Oh wait a detail we love!!!  This is especially exciting to us annually with our trips to NYC and Washington D.C. (as well as other destinations).  It’s a Beyond Group Travel natural to find how we can provide our travelers with special access or exclusive access!  Recently we shared with you that Linda and Ashley took travelers to the Neue Galerie on our Holidays in New York trip, and this visit meant that our travelers were granted before hours access to tour the museum!

• cruises with private shore excursions

  Of everything listed here, this may be the detail we focus on most often.  Because we work with magnificent partners that allow us the added ability to do enhance our traveler’s experience, we do this for each every one of our cruise travelers.  While we never require you to take your excursions privately, we do always offer the ability to take private shore excursions!

Take the hassle out of group travel; call us to plan your next group trip or join ours! 713.954.4825

Source: http://www.cntraveler.com/travel-tips/travel-specialists

Holidays in New York 2012

Each year, we conduct a trip to New York City over what many call the most popular weekend in NYC.  Because our selected weekend follows the traditional Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony, many tourists are in New York to experience all else that this wonderful destination has to offer!
Our travelers are spoiled with prime accommodations, which were at the New York Barclay this year!
In addition to great NYC accommodations, we love that this hotel really involves the Christmas season both in their décor in the notable lobby but also in providing occasional evening holiday entertainment to their guests.  It truly is a wonderful place to stay during the holiday season.
In traditional Beyond Group Travel fashion, we welcome our travelers on the first evening of the trip at a cocktail party complete with hors d’oeuvres.  Our travelers greatly enjoy the musical styling of the Toy Soldiers that we bring along as well!  Below you can see Linda and Ashley enjoying a photo opportunity with these talented gentleman.

On our first full day in New York, some travelers elected to join us at the Neue Galerie to view early twentieth-century German and Austrian art and design. 
Later that evening, we took our group to see Newsies, which is Disney’s musical and the rousing tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of ragged band of teen aged “newsies,” who dreams only of a better life far from the hardship of the streets. But when publishing titans Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst raise distribution prices at the newsboys’ expense, Jack finds a cause to fight for and rallies newsies from across the city to strike for what’s right.  This musical was nominated for eight 2012 Tony Awards and and won Best Original Score and Best Choreography! 
Saturday morning, some travelers elected to join us for a tour of downtown Manhattan, which includes St. Paul’s Chapel, the 9/11 Memorial, and Winter Garden. 
Look at the fabulous picture Ashley captured in Winter Garden!
Later that night, we all enjoyed a fabulous showing of Nice Work if You Can Get It with Matthew Broderick and Kelli O’Hara.  Perhaps you caught a glimpse of their show performed in Herald Square during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!
On our final full day in NYC, our travelers elected to see either Radio City Christmas Spectacular or Once The Musical, and both were fantastic!  Later Sunday evening, we traveled together to one of Beyond Group Travel’s favorite NYC fine dining restaurants, Astra.  This dining venue has one of the greatest views in Manhattan, and our photos don’t even come close to describing the incredible view, although they do help!

Can you tell we had fun?!
After dinner, we even had the opportunity to meet some of New York City’s finest!
In ALL of our trips to NYC, however, we would be remiss not to thank our wonderful, tried, and true motorcoach driver, Jacques.  He’s so much more than our driver, and travelers always LOVE him!  He truly makes the most of his career, and it works because we are always requesting him!
Experience the excitement, and join us next year for our annual Holidays in New York trip!
Take the hassle out of group travel; call us to plan your next group trip or join ours! 713.954.4825

Thanksgiving in New York 2012–More Pictures!

This week, we leave our devoted readers with more of a glimpse at our Thanksgiving in New york trip.  Enjoy this pictorial story portraying the loads of fun we had with our trip to New York for our close-up and luxurious view of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!

Take the hassle out of group travel; call us to plan your next group trip or join ours! 713.954.4825

Thanksgiving in New York 2012

In reading our original post about Thanksgiving in 2010, it’s amazing to see how Beyond Group Travel has blossomed our signature Thanksgiving in New York program from 2010 to 2011 to this year, 2012.  2012 blessed us with a SOLD OUT program with 155 travelers, nearly all families!!!  Between the Traveling Aggies, Ohio State University Alumni, the War Eagle Travelers (Auburn), Georgia Tech University Alumni, and the University of South Florida Alumni, we filled the Residence Inn Times Square Manhattan. 

It was a pleasure to have one of our new staff members, Sandra Rodriguez, along to work with Cindy and Linda this year!  Our team was also pleased to work alongside each host; Jennifer Bohac – Traveling Aggies, Jacky Bennett – Ohio State University, Tanja Matthews – War Eagle Travelers, and Joe Irwin – Georgia Tech University.

Without a doubt, we knew we had found a gem for family-friendly accommodations when we began working with the Residence Inn New York Manhattan/Times Square in early 2011.  After last year’s Thanksgiving trip, we were impressed and thoroughly pleased to continue working with this property and their Director of Sales and Marketing, Jim McCabe. We cannot say enough wonderful things about how our spacious NYC accommodations worked out, the fabulous food we enjoyed for our welcome cocktail party and private parade viewing as well as breakfast each morning.  What we further love about working with the Residence Inn is the eye-appealing wrap-around view that this property provides to our travelers for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!

As our program continued through the weekend, travelers were able to see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular with the legendary Rockettes, and we took our largest conclusive group to date on a Downtown Manhattan tour as well as a Circle Line Cruise.

Further, what’s New York without a little Broadway?!  Travelers saw one or two of their chosen favorites from Jersey Boys, The Lion King, The Phantom of the Opera, Mary Poppins, Spiderman Turn Off the Dark, and Wicked.

We greatly appreciate the compliments and testimonials we have already received, and we are energized to continue with our programs, including our Holidays in New York program that departs THIS WEEK!

We’re already planning for Thanksgiving in New York next year, and we look forward to hosting the Flying Longhorns, Alabama Alumni Association, and, for the first time, Wolftreks Travel (North Carolina State)!  Is your family interested in celebrating Thanksgiving in a new way?!