Grand Travel & Cruise

The whole Maya Riveria area (especially Barcelo Palace) is like a fantasy. Everything detail is perfect and beautiful...it can't be real. It is kind of like the fantasy that Disney World creates...a surreal enviroment. Beyond imagination.

Pros: They are always looking for ways to better serve you.

Cons: Late nights in Playa del Carmen are tiring. Go to Coco Bongo

Posted 11/19/09

I have been booking my trip to Las Vegas with Jay for over 10 years. Every experience is excellent and different every year. Jay is very patient and helpful in booking my trip and always makes sure to get me the best deal for the amount of money I want to spend. He is a great person to use if you need to book an excellent vacation. If you need a good travel agent, you can depend on Jay.

Pros: LOVE THE BEAUTIFUL LIGHTS AND HILLS

Posted 10/13/09

Jay and the staff at Grand Travel & Cruise are simply incredible! Last year my husband and I decided that we wanted to take an Alaskan cruise. I immediately contacted Jay about the trip. Jay provided lots of information on the cruises in regards to the different ships as well as other crusing options. We booked a cruise package. Well, after much thought and discussion we decided that an Alaskan cruise was not what we wanted to do for summer vacation. I called Jay and explained to him that we were no longer interested and instead we wanted to go to Jamaica. Without any complaints, Jay immediately cancelled our Alaskan cruise for us and began working on a Jamaican package. He suggested Iberostar Grand to us for our accomodations. At first I was a bit hesistant because I had my eyes set on another resort. Jay assured me that I would enjoy this property much more. I took his word for it and boy did I ever!!! The Iberostar Grand was wonderful and immaculate. Everything was superb from beginning to end. The hospitality was magical. They even decorated my suite for my birthday. I mean the customer service was just beyond outstanding at this resort. Because of Jay, I had the best birthday that I have ever had. Not only did he suggest this fine resort, but he also made sure that I had a wonderful view, ensured that all my documents ( passport, seat assignment) was handled prior to take off, and followed up after the completion of the trip. I was soo impressed that I had to stop and send him a quick email during the trip to let him know how excited and happy I was about the resort. The customer service portrayed by this agency is insurmountable. Grand Travel and Cruise has a client for life and I will not plan another trip without them!

Pros: excellent customer service

Posted 09/10/09

We have been relaying on Jay whenever we travel to all-inclusive resorts in Mexico for many years. We have refered friends and family to him as well and always with great results. He always does his best to find just the right vacation package to suit his client's needs, provide an upgrade, etc. Jay has a first hand knowledge of all the wonderful resorts that he recommends to his clients.
Thank you very much, Jay!

Pros: Great personal service

Cons: None

Posted 08/23/09

Jay at Grand Travel Cruise matched our requests for romance, service, beach location, and quality with the perfect resort for us to celebrate our 20th anniversary. He handled all of our reservations and was able to answer all of our questions. The El Dorado Maroma was more than we could have ever imagined. The staff was always available to accomodate or every need or want. They went above the norm to make every moment special and memorable. This fabulous resort made you forget your worries, remember why you fell in love, and wish you could stay longer. We particularly loved the private, candle-lit beach dinner, the speciality desserts delivered to our room without request, the relaxing moon-lit massages over the sea, the gorgeous views from our over-sized room and private pool, and the personal service of every staff member who called us by name and remembered our favorites. This was a trip we will never forget. Thanks Jay for everything!

Pros: Great service, location, beach views, amenities

Cons: Wished we had stayed longer

Posted 07/27/09

Everything was absolutely wonderful!
I don't think we can say "Thank You" enough to Jay at Grand Travel & Cruise. We stayed at Barcelo Maya Palace in May 2009 and it was definitely a beautiful resort with breath-taking beaches. This was our first vacation and we were so happy to have found Jay, who helped us through everything and assured us when we were thiking about cancelling due to violence and the swine flu. We are so happy we did not cancel. Jay provided us with so much information and insight and helped us through every step to get to our perfect vacation...something we will always remember. We can not wait to plan our next trip with Jay and would recommend Grand Travel & Cruise to family and friends.

Posted 05/27/09

Wow what a wonderful time my mother and I had mothers day weekend. My family has had many deaths within the last three years My mothers brother nov of 2007,my brother at the age of 22 march of 2008 and my mothers mom this january past . I wanted my moms mothers day to be extra special and boy was it at the Iberostar Grand Hotel in Montego Bay. My mother was treated like the queen she is and she enjoyed every inch of her vacation. Jay truly touched my heart by recommending this wonderful vacation and my mother and I will be forever greatful. We are already booking another trip this october! Thanks again Jay for your personal touches on this vacation we had a blast!

Posted 05/21/09

We recently returned from a vacation to El Dorado Maroma. The hotel was intimate and beautiful. The landscaping and surroundings are very tropical. The service at this hotel went well beyond our expectations. Everyone is friendly and welcoming. They take the time to get to know you. They remember your name and your favorite drink. We were originally scheduled to go to El Dorado Seaside and Jay hooked us up with an upgrade to the Maroma. We even had a sign at the airport with our names waiting for us. Thanks so much Jay for everything. Our vacation was our best one yet. Thanks to El Dorado Maroma also for the perfect getaway. We are still smiling. : )
The Benoits

Pros: Superb Service

Posted 05/11/09

We went to Riviera Maya in Feb 09 and stayed at Barcelo Maya Palace. We thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. We went to Riviera maya when Media was spreading the news about "Violence in Mexico" and Cancun area was affected by it. We did not notice any thing different than what we experienced before, that means friendly atmosphere. We took excursions, went to Playa Del Carmen and everything was very normal. we are planning to go back with bunch of friends to celebrate Birthday. Can not wait to go to have another great vacation by white sand and Blue water not to mention the Tequila. Jay always sets up with upgrades and VIP service so we are really looking forward it. Great Job Grand Travel and Cruise!!

Pros: Very Experienced

Cons: None

Posted 05/11/09

I will always recommend Tony and Grand Travel for all my vacation needs. Tony goes out of his way to find me the best vacation at the best rate. He's been my travel agent for 9 years and I'll be getting away in Playa Del Carmen this March. Thanks for all the years!

Posted 02/10/09

My fiancee, now husband, and I hired Jay to plan our honeymoon. We had traveled to the Caribbean before and been disappointed by our previous trip. Jay was very knowledgeable on the places he suggested. In fact, the resort he suggested ultimately for us in Jamaica, he had been there personally and assured us that he only referred his clients to destinations he would take his own family.

We had some trouble with the airlines months before our departure, a problem that was not Jay's fault and beyond his control. He kept in contact with us and was our liaison to the airline until the issue was resolved. He called us just before our departure and gave us the wonderful news that he had upgraded us to a nicer and a more recently built hotel within the resort at no cost to us. He said he wanted to make it up to us for all the trouble the airline gave us. We were more than thrilled and very grateful.

The trip was beyond our expectations. Any other resort we frequented in the past paled in comparison. The beaches, the room, the service, the excursions were all first class. The people were accommodating and helpful. We loved the little touches such as the welcome drink at check in or the bottle of wine, fruit tray and t-shirts waiting for us in our room. Again, we know Jay had a hand in pulling that together for us. The place was beautiful and unforgettable. Jay gave us such a wonderful memory that we will share forever.

We will always have him plan our vacations in the future. We already told all our friends and family to use him as well.

Posted 02/03/09

I have been traveling using Grand Travel & Cruise for the last 10 years. I wouldn't try to shop online or elsewhere because the experience I've had with Grand Travel (Jay Islam) has been absolutely exceptional. You talk to Jay, who is knowledeable and will be there for any questions or concerns and that has many options of where to travel. I personally don't like booking vacations online because I don't talk to someone that can give specific information about the hotel as Jay would. My honey moon vacation couldn't be better, I wouldn't change anything about it. Jay has recommended the best places to go to and we always come back satisfied and ready to book another. The service that we receive from all the resorts have been wonderful. I highly recommend anyone and everyone traveling with Grand Travel and Cruise. My entire family travels with Grand Travel & Cruise. Call Jay and you will be on your way to a wonderful and unforgettable vacation. Lupita Cantu, La Porte TX

Posted 10/27/08

I booked a trip with Jay @ Grand Travel and Cruise on September 26,2008 for our 30th Anniversary.I had been planning our trip through the internet . I also called several travel agents. Only to be told they would call me back later. (no such luck) A friend told me about Jay at the Grand Travel & Cruise. From then on Jay not only planned our dream vacation, he also guided me on what I needed for our trip. Jay made me feel like we were Family. We stayed at the Barcelo Maya Palace (Riviera Maya). The hotel was beautiful and the staff was wonderful. We could not have dreamed of anything better . Jay made sure that everything was perfect. He upgraded us to the Palace to make our dream vacation become a reality. Everything Jay did for us was beyond anything we could have hoped for. We didn't even have to leave the resort at all. The food was awesome and there were so many different activities. We will be telling all of our friends and family about Grand Travel and Cruise . Especially about Jay. I am also a wedding decorator and planner and I will be telling all of my clients about Jay@Grand Travel and Cruise. Once again Thank You Jay, Dahlia

Pros: Great service and very reliable

Cons: none

Posted 09/30/08

I booked a trip with Grand Travel in Cruise in January along with 7 other people to take a trip to Jamaica in August. Well when it was time to go on the trip, we ended up with only 3 people going. Throughout this process I was calling Jay, and was having him take people names off that decided not to go. I know this had to be a challenge for Jay, but he did not complain one time. He made sure that we were taken care of before the trip and everything went so smoothly. We just returned from Jamaica on August 11 and it was perfect. Grand Travel and Cruise has a customer for life. I will be calling them for my next vacation soon. Thanks again Jay for a life changing experience!! Very recommended.

Pros: Accomodating

Posted 08/13/08

When trying to make plans for a summer vacation this year, Jay was extremely helpful. we had done a lot of research, but still had a lot of questions. Our stay was at Grand Coco Beach 06/19 -06/26. BTW, I really liked this resort, and Playa del Carmen is BEAUTIFUL. For anyone interested, I did a separate review of the hotel, etc. on TripAdvisor.

During the whole process, Jay returned all of my e-mails and calls promptly, and I never felt like I was a "problem child". He got us a good deal on the trip, and he genuinely seemed to want us to enjoy ourselves. Jay even followed-up with me when we returned, which I thought was a great concept. Most travel agents forgot all about you after their initial help in booking the trip.

We all booked our trips at different times, and Jay was great at keeping me informed about what was happening. Unfortunately our group ended-up having a cancellation, but Jay was never anything but professional and courteous.

The only issue we had was not having a better understanding of the difference in Trip Waiver insurance and the full-coverage insurance offered by FunJet. (Word of advice - be sure you understand this when determining what is best for your individual needs.)

That wasn't a reflection on Jay or Grand Travel, however, and I would not hesitate for a moment to use Grand Travel & Cruise to book another trip of ANY kind. As a matter of fact, I'm using him to book a trip to Las Vegas in October!!

Without a doubt, Jay has been the most pleasant travel agent I have ever worked with, and I am happy to recommend Grand Travel & Cruise to anyone. Thanks again, Jay!!

Pros: Friendly, Knowledgeable, Professional, Thorough

Posted 07/06/08

My husband and I booked a trip with another married couple to go to Playa del Carmen through Jay in September of 07 and our trip was June 08. Jay was extremely helpful in finding us the perfect hotel to stay with an awesome price. Because we booked so far in advance we paid about $1,000 less per couple than waiting until the later part of the year. Jay stayed in constant communication with us the whole time and was able to get us the complimentary junior suite ocean view at no extra charge. We stayed at the Iberostar Parisio Beach and there was not one thing we could even find to complain about. The staff was awesome, the food unbelievable, and the free flowing alcohol very handy! This is the man to use because everything he told us to expect we received and MORE! I will only use Jay from this point on for booking all our trips. The Donalsons and The Vieths

Pros: Our stay was absolutely perfect!

Cons: Not one single con we could find!

Posted 06/24/08

We LOVED our stay at the El Dorado Maroma hotel/Mi Hotelito during the week of June 1 - 6th 2008. It is a small boutique hotel where you get the best personal service around! From the gorgeous rooms with canopy style beds to the bed out on the balcony this room is a must have. Room service is speedy and they will set up for you out on your balcony so you can enjoy breakfast while looking out over the ocean. I highly suggest a massage or lobster dinner out in the 3 huts over the water by the marina. You feel so comfortable there because the staff are all so attentive and personal...they call you by your name from the beginning. The beach is wonderful and we loved the cabanas out by the ocean for laying out. You have to try the Kiyoko restaurant if you like Japanese food. This is the best all inclusive hotel I've ever stayed at and we can't get back there fast enough. I highly recommend staying at the Maroma!!!!!!! If you want to have a vacation with no worries then this is the place for you! Jay at Grand Travel listened to what we wanted out of our vacation and he produced it! We almost stayed at another hotel but after talking to Jay we changed our minds. What a blessing! We have no regrets!!! Jay knows what he is talking about!!!!

Pros: Personal service, beautiful beach, total relaxation

Cons: The food is gourmet so the portions are small

Posted 06/09/08

My family has ALWAYS relied on Jay Islam @ Grand Travel and Cruise for all of our vacation plans. I have confidently referred many friends to his agency. He is the most well informed/travelled travel agent. I would never consider using anyone else after being introduced to him. He is THE BEST at what he does, when I am fortunate enough to utilize his services, it's like calling up an old friend.

Shannon Jordan
Houston, TX.

Posted 03/25/08

HI JAY!

Words cannot express how wonderful our room was!!!!!!!!!! We had the best out of everyone:)

You can definitely count on us for our next destination!!!!

We had a wonderful vacation at Marival Resort in Puerto Vallarta and are very grateful for your wonderful help in making it that way!

And thank you VERY much for the wonderful seats on our journey's to and from....they were perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!

Looking forward for your help again soon!

Jennifer M. Socha

Posted 03/23/08

Jay:

Thanks for your professional help in arranging my families March 2008 vacation to Rome, Italy. Everything went smoothly.

I?ll certainly use your agency when I take my next Trip!

Jerry Hendrick

Stafford, Tx

Pros: Great Recommandation

Cons: None

Posted 03/17/08

Liz at Grand Tavel and Cruise is the best travel agent ever!. She booked a trip for my family at the wonderful 5 star Iberostar Paraiso Maya.We had a wonderful vacation! Her knowledge and advice about different vacation destinations is always very helpful. This was 7th time we booked our vacation with Liz. Thanks for your fantastic and friendly service.
Bambi Fawn and Family

Pros: Great payment plans

Cons: none

Posted 03/11/08

Some friends and I were looking for a quick golf get-away, and were having trouble finding the right accomadations and opportunities to play golf. Jay and his associates at Grand Travel and Cruise came through and set-up an outstanding Mexcio Golf Trip. The service provided by Jay is first class, he checked us in on our Continential Flight and even had us pre-registered at the Hotel. Our destination was Cancun where Jay set us up tee times at two incredible Greg Norman golf courses, Playa Mujeres and
El Camaleon Mayakoba. The golf courses were fantastic, the blue water was incredible, the service at the and food at the El Dorado Royale resort was outstanding. Only the blue water was available without assistance from jay and his team, Thanks for setting up the the perfect golf get away!!!

Posted 03/07/08

My dad (Jay) takes our family on ALOT of trip and I think the best time was when we did Canopy also known as Zip treck it was the best ever! and all the agents are so kind and sweet to all our customers!

Great job Grand Travel!

love Kareena Islam

Posted 03/06/08

I have had the pleasure of working with Tony Hill for almost 2 years now. He is a wonderful travel agent to work with. Whenever I contact him, usually about a trip to Vegas, he immediately looks into it for me. He always helps to get the best deals and prices and usually gives me good advice. He is currently working on another trip to Vegas for me as I type. I have referred a couple of friends to him and I know that they also were very satisfied with his help. I will definitely continue to use Grand Travel and Cruise for all of my vacation needs and I highly recommend them to anyone.

Pros: Great customer service and knowledgable travel agents

Cons: None

Posted 03/06/08

I had an opportunity to deal with Tony Hill, and he was very helpful, amiable and answered all my questioned. My trip was to Cancun, Mx and I got feedback on travel from him. He deserves a raise. I will definitely do business again with your company and most of all Tony will be my rep. He helped figure out how to get the best value out of our travel budgets. Your company provided excellent training as he was familiar with his products and services. All the arrangements was worth the money spent. I am definitely looking forward to booking my next trip through Grand Travel & Cruise. They made my vacation pleasurable and highly recommend them.

Pros: great deals, great service, detailed oriented

Posted 03/05/08

My wife and I usually book things ourselves to find "deals." Well guess what...Grand Travel knows the great resorts and can get no charge upgrades. It was well worth spending a few hundred dollars more for Grand Travel's knowledge and contacts. The resort management are friends with the people at Grand Travel, and they treated us like VIPs. Wow!!! Definitely worth trying Grand Travel.

Pros: You get more than your monies worth from Grand Travel's knowledge and contacts.

Cons: You have to spend a few hundred dollars more than an "economy" vacation.

Posted 03/05/08

I've been been working with Tony Hill for about 7 years now and he is the absolute best travel agent ever! He helped me plan my destination dream wedding in Jamaica, my ultra fabulous trip to Puerto Vallarta and soon I'll be setting up my next stress free vacation with him. Tony always recommends the best places to stay, the best times for travel and the insider travel tips. I'm a girl that loves to travel, especially when I can get a great deal and I highly recommend working with Tony Hill.

Pros: Exceptional Customer Service, Knowledgeable Agents

Posted 03/05/08

Tony w/ Grand Travel has been my agent for so many years I can't remember how I traveled w/o him! He is very knowledgeable about Mexico, Vegas and everywhere else he has sent us. He knows exactly the best resorts to stay at and he always gets us a great price! I just simply tell him where I want to go and he finds me the best deals at incredible hotels. Sometimes when we don't care where we go just want a cheap fun vacation he finds and forwards me all the GREAT deals each week. Whether it's a last minute trip for just me & my husband or a group of 20 of us planned in advance Tony has always sent us to great destinations at very reasonable prices. I have referred many people to Tony and they are always very pleased with him. I look forward to many future trips booked by Tony w/ Grand Travel.

Pros: Tony w/Grand Travel recommends the best trips at the GREATEST prices!!!

Posted 03/05/08

Hey Jay and Liz!! I just want to say thank you for everything that you?ve done to make my vacation in Las Vegas a wonderful experience. The upgrade at the MGM Grand Hotel was amazing and absolutely beautiful. I will definitely continue to use Grand Travel for all of my travel needs!!

Pros: Very knowledgeable!!!

Posted 03/04/08

Jay:

Trip was nice.

Thank you for your attention to detail. I look forward to booking with you in the future.

J Cruz

Posted 03/04/08

I have had an opportunity to deal with Tony Hill and he was very helpful, amiable and answered my questions. My trip was to Cancun, Mx and got good feedback on travel from him. He deserves a raise. I will definitely do business again with your company and most of all Tony will be my rep.

He helped figure out how to get the best value out of our travel budgets. Your company provided excellent training as he was familiar with his products and services. All the arrangements was worth the money spend.

I am definitely looking forward to booking my next trip through Grand Travel & Cruise. They made my vacation pleasurable and I highly recommend them.

Pros: great service, great deals, detailed oriented

Posted 03/04/08

We have been using Jay at Grand Travel and Cruise ever since 1994. He always came through for us. Our last vacation was to Barcelo Tropical Resort in Riviera Maya. We asked him to put us in a all inclusive resort with easy access to beautiful swimming beach. We went with another couple and he got both of us complementary upgrade to oceanfront Jr. Suite right next to each other. It was great, we enjoyed it very much. Jay always takes great care of us. He always listens and get us what we want. We trust his recommendation.

Pros: He knows the resorts and destinations very well.

Cons: None

Posted 03/01/08

Jay -
Thank you so much for all of your hard work. We really enjoyed the
trip . . . just not long enough tho. The resort was very nice and
beautiful. also thank you for the upgrade and the round trip
transportation. I hope to talk to you soon about our next trip!!!

Posted 03/01/08

Jay Rocks! My mother and I decided to surprise my sister with a surprise trip to Vegas for her 40th birthday, and Jay helped us plan the trip. All three of us had never been to Vegas, and we were a little apprehensive about which hotel to go with. We wanted to make it a trip of a lifetime for my sister, and ALL his recommendations were right on target! He was able to upgrade our hotel room for free, and you should have seen my sister?s eyes when we walked into our hotel room. Priceless. Jay was very accessible every time I called, and never made me feel like a bother...no matter how silly my questions were. Separate and apart from just helping us book our vacation, he was also very knowledgeable about where to go and what shows to see. Thanks, Jay for making this trip so special for my sister. We will definitely use you next time we decide to travel!

Posted 02/07/08

Jay,
My whole Family and I want to thank you for all your help with our wedding. You made this wedding go just as planned and some. We were very happy with all the help and planning that went into this trip to the Riveria Maya Mexico. You didn't only take care of me and my new wife, but also 20 other of my friends and family. I will always get your advice before I go on anymore vacations because we were very happy with our two resorts you put us in. Thanks a MILLION for all you did for us. I will use you more in the future and refer you to many others.
Josh Z

Pros: Nice & easy to get to office, Installment plan, BEST ADVICE ON HOTELS

Posted 12/04/07

Jay,

You're the Man!

Thank you so much for recommending Barcelo La Joya de Mismaloya. The resort is very beautiful and picturesque and the service and offerings are impeccable.

We all agreed that it was the best family vacation we've had so far and we are sure to do it again. As you promised, we did get the upgrade. Our suites were located on the seventh floor right next to each other with a beach view and we also received the complementary fruit basket with a bottle of champagne even our beds were turned every night.

My wife was very impressed with the whole package and she's been telling all our friends and family that they too must experience what we enjoyed. No doubt we'll be sending you some potential customers and as for us, you have gained yourself loyal customers. There can be no more vacations for us without going through you Jay.

Thank you so much for everything and as you would say......

Have a grand day!

Barry

Pros: Upgraded us to Oceanview 1 Bed room suite at no cost. Delivered what he promised.

Cons: None at all.

Posted 08/28/07

Jay...my entire family would like to thank you for such wonderful accommodations.
We loved the hotel, room, food and the staff was wonderful.
Everyone greeted us with a smile.

It was clean, they upgraded us to 2 bedroom, 2 bath with and ocean view. They had us down for "Premium Members" and even
delivered a bottle of wine with fruit on the 2nd day. I am glad you have such a great contacts with the hotel.
That definitely added value to our vacation packege we purchased from you. Our expectation was definitely exceeded.

I am also going to send an e-mail to Yasmin and a formal letter to the GM of the property.

Now...we are ready for a similar program in the Mayan Riviera.
Can you get us a direct flight, all inclusive to one of the Barcelo hotels or its equal for another 4 day weekend.
We are trusting your judgment and price and referring you to our colleagues.

Thank you again!

Pros: I had to switch the date after we applied payment and he was able to it, no problem.

Posted 08/01/07

I would like to thank you for your excellent professional service you displayed in coordinating our Jamaican vacation. Your expertise in selecting the resort was greatly appreciated. The Couples Resort was everything that you said it would be. We had a great time and hope to do business with you again in the near future. I will not hesitate to recommend your company to all of my friends.

Once again thank you for making our vacation an experience we will always remember.

Sincerely,

Shelby Armstrong and
Christon Cheeseborough

PS. Let me know when I can take you up on that round of GOLF.

Pros: 2 thumbs up, It was easy to reach everytime we contacted him. Made deposit and paid installment.

Cons: Nothing at all

Posted 08/01/07

We have used Grand Travel to book our trips since 2000. They have always been GREAT! Tony Hill has been a great help and provided excellent recommendations and support for our many bookings in Mexico. He really knows the Cancun and Playa area, and hotel management. Tony seems more like a friend then just a travel agent. We always share our experience and vacation photos with him. We would highly recommend using this agency and will be giving them a lot more of our business in the future.

Posted 07/29/07

When I called Grand Travel and Cruise they took care of everything, even I got a complemenray upgrade.
To confirm I was able to put deposit on a package and paid the rest by stallment which worked out great for me and my friend. Also My agent Jay mentioned to me that they only focus on Value added Vacation Package which allowes them to locate the best value packages quicker. My Playa del Carmen vacation is the best vacation we have ever had. Thank you Jay and Grand Travel and Cruise!!! I will definitely use them and mention their service to others.

Pros: Very easy to get to. Thumbs up!!

Posted 01/22/07

The agents are friendly and they found me the best price even after other agencies said there was no way to get a good deal for the dates I wanted. I would highly reccomend Grand Travel. They even got my room upgraded at no additional cost,

Posted 01/04/07