Hi--- this is my first time going to Sandals.. .. .. .(booked for April 2005) and want to make sure I made a good choice in the agent we used. Got her through the internet. Can anyone tell me about their agent? I want a good deal going to Sandals Whitehouse.

Our Agent Is in San Marin, Ca. I have been working with her for about 7 years and she is amazing!! For sandals the prices she gets are pretty much what you get on the sandals site, but she is great with airfare. The service that we get from her and the "little" things she does is great! I have recommended her to many friends and have yet to get a negative response! let me now if you would like to talk with her!

oh-yea.. .. . I forgot to mention she was the one who turned us on to sandals in the first place.. .. . she is also a cruise specialist.. .. . And has helped us with many other trips too!

Otter wrote:Our Agent Is in San Marin, Ca. I have been working with her for about 7 years and she is amazing!! For sandals the prices she gets are pretty much what you get on the sandals site, but she is great with airfare. The service that we get from her and the "little" things she does is great! I have recommended her to many friends and have yet to get a negative response! let me now if you would like to talk with her!

Thanks Otter!. .. ..Would you mind letting me know her name, her website, etc. I also want to look at airfare. When you have gone to Sandals before, did you fly out of SFO? Where was your connection? We are very excited about this trip! And we should all get together for a drink.. .. ..Our anniversary is the 12th!!
RubyAnn

Here is her info.. .. . She works most from home but the website of the travel agency is http://www.sanmarintravel.com/ Her phone Name is Barbara Nelson and # is 1-866-462-7887 or 415-883-1120.. .. . tell her that you were given her info by Neil Cetrangolo.. .. . She is a very nice lady!

We have flown out of SFO all three times we went to sandals.. .. . connection in Miami once, New York the next, and Philly last time.. .. . I hope this helps!!

hey RubyAnn, i use PrestigeService Travel (first two words are one word)and go through kelvin there. PrestigeService is Sandals number one wholesaler and they have always beaten every other price i've been quoted, both in going to SDR last january (for $2400 including airfare and 5 nights) and in going next february to Whitehouse ($2500 including airfare and 6 nights). . if you find a price better than theirs right now, even if you don't book through them, they will give you a $200 spa credit as their apology. even if you book through someone else. trust me, i've looked around and they are the best. i've gotten quotes from AAA, AppleVacations, AirJamaica vacations, Caribbean Travel Bureau, and lots and lots of private travel companies in my area. it's worth looking into. call Kelvin at 1 800 676 1692 and tell him charles sent you. just out of curiosity didn't you say you're already booked, though? why do you need a TA?

drperfect wrote:hey RubyAnn, i use PrestigeService Travel (first two words are one word)and go through kelvin there. PrestigeService is Sandals number one wholesaler and they have always beaten every other price i've been quoted, both in going to SDR last january (for $2400 including airfare and 5 nights) and in going next february to Whitehouse ($2500 including airfare and 6 nights). . if you find a price better than theirs right now, even if you don't book through them, they will give you a $200 spa credit as their apology. even if you book through someone else. trust me, i've looked around and they are the best. i've gotten quotes from AAA, AppleVacations, AirJamaica vacations, Caribbean Travel Bureau, and lots and lots of private travel companies in my area. it's worth looking into. call Kelvin at 1 800 676 1692 and tell him charles sent you. just out of curiosity didn't you say you're already booked, though? why do you need a TA?

Thanks so much for the information.. .. ..and yes I booked the dates, and have til Wednesday to pay for it.. .. .. ..hence trying to make sure that this is the best price I could get. I am so GLAD I found this website because all of you are sooooo helpful and obviously seasoned travelers unlike me!
RubyAnn

All I can say is make sure you're getting more than 50% off. I ended up more than 60% off rack rates. If you'd like my Travel Agents name, feel free to e-mail me

60% off!!??. .. . crap, I better get a new agent

I am about ready to book and my TA has the 50% off deal. I am suppose to call him tomorrow and will let him know that somebody got 60% off and see what he says!

Otter wrote:60% off!!??. .. . crap, I better get a new agent

Hi Otter.. .. .. .. . I talked with your travel agent this morning.. .. .. ..lol.. .. .. ..she knew who I was right away when I called.. .. ..Very nice lady. She thinks VERY highly of you and your wife!!
Unfortunately I have found 2 other travel agents that have much lower rates.. .. ..including the air.. ..I think we may even reserve the Penthouse Honeymoon Suite as it is only a total of $400 add on for the whole package.. .. ..Finalizing everything on Wednesday which is why I am still gathering info. I do have our names down with one and thought it was the best I could get til I started reading further and did a bit more leg work.. .. ..and it was worth it!!
Just thought I would pass the info onto all about the great rates out there!
RubyAnn

Shes a real nice lady! But if everybody else is saving so much.. .. . I may have to make a change in 2006

Most agents I spoke with quoted more than 50% off right out of the gate. Remember, Sandals does pay the highest commission rate of all the big resort chains, so agents have room to play with the numbers.

For those of you still looking for quotes, try discount-all-inclusive first. Get an e-mail quote (it will be a larger discount than 50% off and you don't even need to make a phone call, the quote is e-mailed to you). . Use this as a baseline price. If you call discount-all-inclusive direct, you'll save even more! I was totally happy with that price until I called a third agent who shaved hundreds of dollars off that already deeply discounted price!

Now, please remember that we booked a suite for 3 weeks so there was more room for my agent to 'wiggle' with the price, but quite frankly, I didn't think he could beat the verbal quote from discount-all-inclusive. Needless to say, he did, and I am very glad I called . .

Hope this helps.

Cheryl

My travel agent seems a lot like drperfect's price-wise. He has gotten us some fantastic deals over the last several years. One time we went to Beaches Turks and Caicos for $2000 total, including airfare and 7 nights. It was awesome! He has continued to get us good deals, we went to Beaches T&C a second time and then to the Grande. Now we're headed to Whitehouse and it's another great one!

Shelby

drperfect set me up with his travel agent and he was absolutely right on the money to say he will set you up with the best prices.
I just booked my reservation, and am very happy. We are from the west coast too and yes paying a tad more than my cousin in LA.. ..but I am just happy for her that she got such a great deal too!
We leave in April.. .. ..when do you? and where are you from?
If you need more info on him let us all know, everyone is very helpful!
Enjoy!
RubyAnn

Just saw you are from the LA area, so if you go through Prestige, you will get a better air then we did!!

I too called the agent that drperfect and Ruby Ann used to check prices. I also checked with sandals to see how the agency was received by Sandals. Sandals gave rave reviews of the agency and the prices were great!!! I will be using them for 2006.. .. .

Otter.. .. .. ..a smart and wise thing to do in checking with Sandals about them. I know what they told me,and I believed him, but good idea to check. On Sandals automated recordings, they are listed as the travel specialists!
Anymore advice or inputs, please pass along.
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RubyAnn

glad so many have found kelvin suitable at prestigeservice travel. like i said, he called me to personally thank me, so all you guys give him a call because he really enjoys you guys. linda and ritchie, my prices i quoted were what we paid for BOTH of us leaving from ATL and staying for 6 nights in the deluxe category. departure taxes are taken care of in the price. if you wanted a higher category, i believe 3 levels up in the highest "room" category was only $150 combined!!! only $75 pp! give him a call 1 800 676 1692 ask for kelvin and tell him charles told you about him.

Well- I couldnt resist- I called also. I usually book through Sandals direct. I have allways had good results. ( I have allready booked for next June) However Kelvin is less expensave than Sandals. I do have one question though.. .. . How does this effect upgrades. We have allways recieved an upgrade, will we still recieve one if we book through him?

Also, is there anywhere I an see photos of the resort construction?

HI McCathig~~
Did you book through Kelvin? I did yesterday and I got my friend to book through him too. He is so open to answer any questions you might have..you will not go wrong with him.
As far as upgrades, my understanding is that if you are a VIP or a repeat Sandals guest and let him know he will make sure to take care of you and if a room is available you will get your upgrade. This is what Kelvin told me.. ..so feel free to call him about this.
Tell him RubyAnn says HI if you do call him.
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RubyAnn

hey McCathig. we went to SDR last january, booked a deluxe room with Kelvin and ended up getting bumped all the way up to Honeymoon Grande Luxe. that's a two category upgrade. he has guaranteed me this time that he can "take care of me." i trust him. he knows many of the Sandals operators personally as i was on a three-way call with him once to the sandals people and heard them joking around together and such. he also knows the manager of SDR personally, or so he said at the time we booked it there. must have cuz he hooked us up and we weren't VIP, Signature Guest, or anything. just first-timers.

No I have not booked with Kelvin yet. I probally will though. He said he can do the airfare next month (we are booked for 18-25 june). . He said he can book airfare out of anywhere, (we fly from Chicago- it is an extra 2 hour drive but the non-stop flight is worth it. We are both smokers and I hate to fly) Also I need to take the time to check him out (call sandals and the BBB). . But I am greatful for this thread. I called sandals and created my SSG account (I had an invatation but hadnt gotten around to it), because I booked within 120 days after returning Sandals gave me an extra 4060 points! The agency is out of Florida, correct?

Right out of Miami.. .. .. .

Does anyone know what is going on with PrestigeService Travel? Everytime I call, I get a message that says "your call cannot be completed as dialed." It doesn't make any sense because I've always used the 1-800 number to reach them. I was told a few weeks ago (when I was able to get through) that they were having trouble with their phones. Now I can't get through at all. I have a trip planned for November and I'm getting really concerned thay maybe they're in trouble. Any advice would be helpful!! Thanks

I thought they stopped doing Sandals trips last year. Because they canceled us out for one of our trips. They were having way too many problems. Check it out with Dr. Perfect.