Reviews

“Back home safe and sound Thank you for organizing a wonderful trip of a lifetime for our family Kudos to you for arranging spectacular weather, and even arranging to have the fog lift at the cliffs while we were there – no kidding – when we arrived at the top by the tower you could not see the cliffs at all Within 10 – 15 minutes the fog lifted and we had wonderful views, took some photos, and made some memories When we got back down to the bottom of the trail, the fog moved back in behind us I’m not making that up. If you don’t want to take responsibility for that – then we’ll blame or driver PJ Hammond who is without a doubt a national treasure to the people of Ireland We couldn’t say enough good things about PJ -truly a one of a kind individual. The stories PJ would tell, his knowledge of Ireland, his willingness to do whatever would make the trip a little bit better was exemplary PJ Hammond is w/o a doubt the best we’ve ever seen

We will highly recommend your company and specifically PJ to our family and friends who would consider a trip to Ireland everything was top notch, and we’ve got more than 2,000 pictures to memorialize it

Thank you so much!”

Sharon Hampton

Travelled September 2023

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“We returned from our Ireland trip on Saturday and I wanted to thank you for all of your assistance in making our trip to Ireland the trip of a lifetime!! We enjoyed everything about it from the hotels to the sightseeing recommendations and especially appreciated our driver Jacqui Ward! She helped make our experience in Ireland so special!! She was so knowledgeable and patient and an excellent driver, getting us safely and on time to every destination.

Thank you again for coordinating everything for us, we loved every minute of it! “

Diane, Ray, Camille, Jack and Brendan Foley

Travelled August 2023

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“My family and I visited Ireland this past July for a special Birthday celebration. From the very first contact through the flights home, we felt completely supported by Specialized Travel Services and Brian Fitzgerald. Brian listened to our wish list and made it all happen, including some last minute transportation changes. All were handled completely, leaving me with a wonderful peace of mind. The biggest surprise was our personal driver. Patrick Curran was amazing. In addition to being an excellent driver, his knowledge of the country, history and points of interest was fantastic and led to some amazing conversations and added adventures, including Kissing the Blarney Stone and watching an incredible Sheep Dog round up a few of the many sheep grazing the countryside. This was a trip we will never forget. Thank you Patrick, Brian and the entire team at Specialized Travel Services.”

Laura Blackmer

Travelled July 2023

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“Too often although we recognize the efforts of others but we take for granted expressing the appreciation we feel for the joy they bring to our lives. Ireland was a bucket list trip for us for a long time. The biggest joy experienced were the people of Ireland, the history of Ireland and pride of those we shared time with. Thank you for sharing your resources to our long-time dream. The accommodations, the culinary experiences, the tours, the transportation and highlighted places to experience truly made a lifetime impression. Thank you for making our dream trip possible and making the love of the Emerald Isle and it’s people a bigger part of our hearts. I would recommend you in a heartbeat.”

Forever Grateful and Blessed,
Eddy and Ana

Travelled July 2023

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“In June we travelled to Ireland with our children and grandchildren. There were 9 of us, and we had many ideas and requests. With the help (and patience) of Brian and the team at Specialized Travel Services, we were able to construct an itinerary that worked for us. Our driver, Denis, was great—helpful & considerate. Altogether our trip turned out even better than we had hoped for. Thank you, to your team, for a most memorable trip.”

Maureen O’Shea

Travelled June 2023

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“Just wanted to send a quick note to say thank you to you and your team for a great travel experience. Everything was very seamless and your drivers and recommendations were excellent. Thanks again!”

Mary Pat

Travelled July 2023

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“Our time in Ireland was magical. Brian Kennedy was the best guide ever!! Thank-you so much for planning such a good time, allowing us to see so much. I wish we had more time. Thank you for booking such nice rooms. You were so patient, which helped get things done easily.
Getting married at the castle was the best ever… our pictures were wonderful!!”

Rick and Suzan

Travelled March 2023

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“We recently had the pleasure of working with specialized travel services on our vacation in Ireland. Brian Fitzgerald was our representative and he worked with us to put together the perfect trip. We enjoyed a nice combination of bed and breakfasts and hotels for our entire stay. Our driver Mr. Mossie Murphy was very knowledgeable about his country and filled with humorous anecdotes. He would often take us on side trips which made our vacation even more personalized. We also got to spend an afternoon in a pub watching a hurling match, something we had never thought to do but thoroughly enjoyed. Thank you to all that worked with us to put together a perfect trip.”

Ann Marie Palmeri

Travelled June 2023

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“We had a wonderful experience with Specialized Travel Services! Brian and the team worked with us to customize our trip, they listened to requests, and gave us a perfectly paced vacation. This was our first time visiting Ireland and we really felt like we got to see everything on our list. It was the best combination of city experiences, beautiful drives through the country, castles, and incredible food. Our favorite stay was at the Cashel Palace Hotel – this place is absolutely gorgeous with a laid-back luxury feel. Brian even left us a nice note when we arrived. If you have the opportunity, you should definitely stay there!”

Chris and Adriana

Travelled May 2023

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“We toured the Burren , Cliffs of Moher, Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Penninsula over 3 days!! Our drivers Pat and Aidan were the best. Excellent drivers and knew the best viewing points. Such an enjoyable and memorable tour. Such friendly drivers we felt like they were family. We highly recommended this company.

You can’t add or subtract from above!”

Peggy

Travelled April 2023

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“In early April, we visited Ireland using Specialized Travel Services. The trip was well planned and amazing. I fell in love with everything about Ireland and can’t wait to go back. I can’t imagine this trip without our driver Eamon Hagerty. He was a great driver, professional, yet very personable. He took us to beautiful places, with history and stories that made our trip unbelievable and unforgettable. I appreciate him sharing his love and knowledge of Ireland, and the jokes he told us. He was great, and we are so happy with Specialized Travel Service”

Lisa Brown

Travelled April 2023

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“I just wanted to thank Melissa and Emma for planning a wonderful vacation for my sister-n-law and me. Of course, Brian too.
We thoroughly enjoyed meeting Derry and feel quite privileged that he drove us around for one day and bought our lunch!!
Brian was great! We sure enjoyed him for the other days of our chauffeur driven trip! In a brand-new Mercedes even. Brian is so knowledgeable about Ireland, I hope he didn’t get tired of our constant questions. He is also fun to be around. Darlene and I could not have asked for a better person to show us around.

We had an amazing time. Absolutely no complaints, not one.

Thanks again to Specialized Services. I will recommend you every chance I get.”

Christine & Darlene

Travelled May 2023

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“Paul and I want to thank you for planning an amazing trip for us to Ireland. Everything was perfect. We loved everywhere we traveled I know everyone had a great time. Thanks for all you did to make everything go so smoothly. We appreciate you coming to meet us after choir rehearsal. All your tips were very helpful. We have traveled quite a bit and also many times internationally but we really appreciate your expertise.

I’m sure you heard about it from Mark and others but we really appreciated our guide and driver. They were so good. Did Mark tell you that Duane and Phyllis Paetznick (they said you planned and also came along on the trip to Israel) wrote lyrics to the song Oh Danny Boy using their names and lyrics about the trip. They said no one has ever done that and they were touched and thought so fun and funny. Men sang to Geraldine and women to Donal. So much fun!”

Chris

Travelled May 2023

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“I am writing to let you know how much we enjoyed the tour driver Eamon Hagarty. Eamon was the driver for our group of students from the University of Saskatchewan, Dept of Geological Sciences. He was informative, entertaining and a helpful driver. He helped me find ways to get to the geologic outcrops that I had hoped to get to, and he was helpful in aiding the students enjoy their free time by suggesting places to eat, shop and things to see. I can’t emphasis enough how Eamon added so much to our class on the Geology of Ireland.”

Michael Cuggy

Travelled May 2023

“I was a student in the Michael Cuggy group. Regarding Eamon being our tour guide for two weeks, I want to say that he is an amazing man. He is super funny, welcoming, kind, knowledgeable, and much more. He did a fantastic job in getting us to all our destinations, he always had amazing recommendations for food, shopping, site seeing, etc. I would 100% have him be my tour guide again when I come to Ireland in the future. He always had us laughing, and had much to tell about the culture and history of Ireland!! :))”

Best wishes,

A. Butzelaar

Travelled May 2023

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“I want to thank you and Trisha for all of the time and effort you put in as we planned our trip to Ireland. Everything went off without a hitch and we made so many memories together. Hotel accommodations were perfect. Sharing the trip with my family was so much fun. My excitement was contagious and I hope my children will experience the beauty and history of Ireland one day.

I don’t know where to begin describing the ways in which Eamon made our experience so special. He filled each day with a rhythm that kept us on an even keel. His knowledge of Ireland’s history, geography and lore is exceptional. We talked about books and music and shared some of our own stories as we traveled along each day. Eamon’s restaurant recommendations did not disappoint and we enjoyed delicious food each day. Thank you again for an amazing experience.”

Sincerely,
Joanne S

Travelled April 2023

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“We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Ireland last week! The tours, personnel that transported us to and from the airport and hotels and the itinerary you selected for us were all wonderful. Having never been to Ireland before, I had been a bit concerned about making connections with trains and drivers. All of my concerns faded away when we experienced the professionalism of the drivers and commitment to making certain that we enjoyed ourselves. You did a wonderful job coordinating our schedule and making the best use of our time for this brief 6 day holiday.

Thank you for everything. I would not hesitate to recommend Specialized Travel Services to anyone. Further, I have already shared photos and stories of our wonderful trip with friends and colleagues and mentioned you by name as being instrumental to our great experience. Thank you again and my sincere best wishes for your continued success in the travel industry.”

Paul Belyus

Travelled March 2023
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“Well, we are quickly coming to the end of our amazing vacation here in Ireland. Thank you so much for all your support, patience and follow up. We deeply appreciate all you did for us !

Everything went so well (in spite of a few run ins with COVID) and our driver, Brian, was a real treasure.

We will return with many fond memories and experiences from Ireland and your planning and organization helped make them happen

Thanks from all of us!”

Neil, Jo, Jenny and Ken

Travelled September 2022

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“My husband and I just returned from a 2-week trip to the Emerald Isle and we have been telling everyone about the extraordinary itinerary that was planned for us. I can’t say enough about our experience with Specialized Travel Services. We traveled from Galway to Dublin, Kilkenny, Kinsale and Killarney before spending our last night in the Dromoland Castle! We were incredibly impressed by the warmth of the people, the countryside, the Cliffs of Moher, Aran Islands, Kilkenny Castle, Muckross House and The Ring of Kerry to mention a few highlights. The trip experience was beyond our expectations. Dromoland Castle was a perfect way to wrap up an exhilarating visit to Ireland – beyond luxurious. We’re missing our Irish breakfasts and evenings in the Pubs!!

A special thank you to Brian Fitzgerald who treated us like family and planned the perfect trip. Special thanks also to Pat Murphy, our 3-day private tour guide, both are two of the loveliest men in all of Ireland. Thank you to the team who made all our reservations – we reveled in every second!”

Sincerely,

A Happy Long Island, NY Couple”

Jessica Crowley

Travelled October 2022

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“ We recently worked with Specialized Travel Services in planning our honeymoon as they came highly recommended by our wedding planners. We were more than impressed with them! They made our honeymoon so wonderful. All of the drivers were professional and so accommodating and helpful. A huge thank you to Eamon Hagerty. We had him as our driver for the majority of the trip. He took us to incredible places and taught us so much about Irish history. He also had great recommendations for places to eat and visit… he never missed, they were all incredible. It was a dream for us and we truly appreciated it. We will cherish those memories forever. We highly recommend Specialized Travel Services for your traveling needs.”

Kelsy & Alexander

Travelled October 2022

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“My name is Kimball Wisler and my wife, Janice, and I just recently took a trip to Ireland with Specialized Travel Services. Our driver was Dr. Errol Sweeney. We consider ourselves so lucky to have had him. His driving skills are unmatched and he is one of the most pleasant human beings we’ve ever met. He was very informative and has a great sense of humor as well. Every day was a pleasure and he was a major part of it all. We were also blessed to only have one day of rain during our stay. The only sad thing about the whole trip was that it couldn’t last forever. We love your country- the people, the history, the absolutely breathtaking scenery- everything. We are getting old but hopefully we can get back again some day. I just wanted to let you know that we really enjoyed our trip and your employee, Errol, was a major part of it. I don’t know if your company gives out any awards or special recognition to your finest employees- but in the event that you do- please give Dr. Errol the best you’ve got. He’s one you do not want to let get away!

Go raibh maith agat!!!

Dia dhuit,

Kimball Wisler”

Kimball Wisler

Travelled August 2022

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“I just wanted to pause and give a huge shout-out to Phil Smith, our driver last week. He made our trip spectacular. He went the extra mile and made fine tunings to our itinerary that were very much appreciated. He swapped our boat ride for the morning so we could visit an extra site in the afternoon. He found some holy wells for me along our route where we stopped and I tied cooties to the fairy trees. He added a loop through Burren County and I even saw two portals (dolmens). His knowledge of Ireland’s history was excellent and very informative.

Huge hats off to Phil. I look forward to another trip to Ireland with Phil as our guide.

Best wishes,

Judy”

Judy

Travelled August 2022

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“I just wanted to reach out and say thank you for all your help in planning our trip to Ireland. I speak for our entire group when I say we had a truly wonderful time. The hotels were perfect and the included meals were delicious. Our driver, Hugh was amazing and really made the trip for us special. He was friendly, informative and helpful – really just fun to have around..

I’m sure all the people in our group would also recommend Specialized Travel Services to any friends or family traveling to Ireland in the future! Thanks again for all your help. ”

Lori Donnelly

Travelled August 2022

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“We just wanted to thank all 3 of you again for the tier one effort you put forth to make the investor trip a smashing success! The feedback was tremendous regarding the overall execution of the week. Many people commented that it was the single best trip that they ever went on. A female investor said just today said she and her group felt like celebrities because of the way they were treated. I can’t think of one snafu throughout the week and that is a tribute to your professionalism and commitment to excellence. The buses were on time, very comfortable and were manned with funny and charming drivers. The venue in Sneem was a beautiful set-up with delicious food. Everyone loved the gap trip, and you couldn’t ask for a better day out on the golf course. The attention to detail at the golf outing, in particular, with all the moving pieces, was really something to appreciate. In short, it was amazing and we are so grateful for everything you have done!!!

Thanks again for the premium effort!!

Best,

The KBD Management Team”

KBD Management

Travelled July 2022

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“My family and I used your service in Ireland from July 9 2022 to July 15 2022. My email is to share my experience with the service and our driver Paul McGlinchey. He truly made the experience so special. Paul’s knowledge of Ireland and its history was beyond impressive. My family appreciated his ability to know when we need down time on some of the long drives. We thoroughly enjoyed his humor and desire to meet all our needs. We are already planning our next trip and would definitely want Paul as our driver. Thank you so much for employing such an amazing individual. We can’t wait for our next adventure.

With much appreciation,”

Laura O’Shaughnessy

Travelled July 2022

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“We are home from our wonderful trip. Wanted to reach out and thank you so so much for planning the trip for us! We loved every minute of it. The drivers were great (especially Brian Wallace), the hotels were beyond our expectations, the perfect landscapes and outings. It was such a treat to have it all planned out and spend time with our kids.

Many Thanks,
Kim”

Kim Flickner

Travelled June 2022

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“Specialized Travel Services made our honeymoon a breeze. They worked closely with us to determine what would be best for our trip and booked some of the most beautiful hotels for us to stay in. They went above and beyond for us and were always an email away for any questions or concerns we had.”

Luke Bezio

Travelled May 2022

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“We had a fantastic trip. The family loved Ireland – who couldn’t! Your team was terrific and made each trip informative and enjoyable. We greatly appreciate all your help making the trip go so smoothly!!”

Bridget and Jim

Travelled May 2022

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Dearest Brian & Emma, I don’t know how to thank you both sufficiently! The trip that you planned for Eric and I, went above and beyond our expectations. We have made so many wonderful memories and made so many amazing friends! From the moment we arrived until the day (unfortunately) we had to leave, our experience was all that we could have hoped for and more. We loved each of our private drivers. Amazing guides—professional, personable, hilarious, and so very kind. I want to adopt them all and have them as my uncles. Pairing us with Brian Kennedy was brilliant. He kept us moving and we even went on a 5 mile walk with him one morning that was in a word- spectacular. What a great man. They all were. Truly. My heart is fuller for knowing them.

Most sincerely,

Jen Blough

Travelled April 2022

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Hello Brian – Many, many thanks to you, Deidre, and Specialized Travel for planning the perfect Ireland vacation!! Your careful attention to every detail made it completely stress free for us. The itinerary was spot-on, the hotels were delightful and situated so that we could walk most places, and the drivers were all very punctual, knowledgeable, and helpful. They obviously love their homeland, and so do we!

Sarah Lodge

Travelled March 2022

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Kieran and I send the extended team at Specialized Travel Services, a million thanks! We had an incredible trip March 2022 and we know that was in large part because of the services that your team provided. Kieran and I agreed that the only problem was not being able to stay a lot longer :). Ireland – the people, the places, food and culture did not disappoint one bit. We remain grateful for an experience that buoyed our spirits, especially after the past couple of years and we are eager to plan a longer return trip with a few more family members.

Warm Regards,
Katie & Kieran

Travelled March 2022

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Our trip to Ireland was a memorable 2 weeks in the beautiful countryside. Thanks to Specialized Travels we covered a lot of must see sites as well as some hidden treasures along the coast. The tour guides in our buses were very knowledgeable and enjoyed showing the country to us. The whole trip including Hotels, train rides and shows were organized and seamless. We would do it again. Thank You for a great trip.

Santhi Subramanian

Travelled September 2021

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Brian, we just wanted you to know how much we enjoyed our time in Ireland and how much we appreciated all of your help. You and your company really made the trip special. I’ve Recommended STS to everyone I know who is interested in Travelling to Ireland. We had a great trip!

Jean Scott

Travelled June 2021

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Thank you for making our 25th wedding anniversary castle tour a great success. Your knowledge of Ireland, it’s history, and it’s motorways is very impressive. We felt safe and relaxed the entire time, even on the narrow cliff roads leading up to Sliabh League. What a beautiful place!

This was a trip we will cherish for the rest of our lives.

Bill and Jana McDowell

Travelled November 2021

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The trip was fantastic! We never could have organized the trip as you did, and recommendations and help with restaurants were especially appreciated.

It was great to meet you in person, and your family as well!

We loved Kilkenny! Never would have known about it, and one of the highlights of the trip.

We will keep you in mind for our next Ireland trip, and please let me know if you ever get to Boston.

Thanks again for everything! John & Laura

Travelled November 2021

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The hotels you booked for us during our trip were perfect. In addition, the itinerary was great and we stuck to it as much as possible. You made our trip easy and stress free and you answered all of our questions anytime we had any. I’m so happy we found you and just wanted to thank you for making our first trip to Ireland amazing!

Nancy & Jeff

Travelled September 2021
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I have worked with Specialized Travel Services for over 10 years, and they are a pleasure to work with. They have the most extensive knowledge of Ireland and are always happy to answer the many questions I have. Their meticulous itinerary planning and personalized service is why I always call them first for my clients Ireland tour bookings. They are always able to offer the best accommodations, most friendly private chauffeurs, and great suggestions on sightseeing tours. I would definitely recommend Specialized Travel Services for all of your Ireland travel needs.

Kristen Gentile – Herricks Travel American Express – December 2021

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I love working with Specialized Travel Services. My contact there is very dedicated and quick to respond, is very knowledgeable and helps me create fantastic itineraries! Their thorough travel documents help ease the way through tricky Covid-19 protocols and give myself and my clients greater understanding of what will happen each day of their journey. Finally, best of all, my guests are in great hands while they are traveling.

Melisa Keiser – Owner of Carmel Travel Company – December 2021

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When we at Ginger Peachy Travel compare Speciality Tour Services, Specialized Travel Services is at the top of our list.

Their knowledge of the destination is above par. You can feel the commitment that they treat each booking we have with them as top priority.
Since they are located in Ireland and we are in the States, you would never know the time difference. Emails are answered back promptly, any request for clients and their needs are taken care of.

We at Ginger Peachy look forward to a continuing great relationship with Specialized Travel Services.

Gingery Peachy Tours & Travel – January 2022

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TRAVEL AGENT REVIEWS

I wanted to thank you Emma & the team at Specialized Travel Service very much for all the time and effort you put into handling our recent group for us. They are back home in NY and raved about the tour, all the transfers – drivers were so friendly, always on time, super clean cars!! They loved the Fitzwilliam Hotel! Everything went very smoothly for them. Thank-you.

Rosemary Luzzi – ALTOUR

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I am a travel advisor and tour leader who has worked with Specialized Travel Services to plan three 9-day group trips to Ireland. My favorite reasons for loving STS are their great knowledge of the many different tourism facets of Ireland, their ability to work with any price point, their unfailing kindness and patience, and their willingness to be flexible. I like creating unique, off the beaten path experiences for travelers, and STS cheerfully and patiently worked with me to find the itinerary and experiences that achieved that objective. I give them my highest recommendation as a destination management company for both travelers and travel advisors to work with.

Jenny Wood Wellness

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Kristen Gentile – Herricks Travel American Express

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Melisa Keiser – Owner of Carmel Travel Company

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When we at Ginger Peachy Travel compare Speciality Tour Services, Specialized Travel Services is at the top of our list.

We at Ginger Peachy look forward to a continuing great relationship with Specialized Travel Services.

Gingery Peachy Tours & Travel

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