Our ONLY Travel Agent
Reviewed By Attranger8 - Fresno, CA | Traveled to Amsterdam | Netherlands | Europe
My wife and I have used Shanon's expert-level services for many years. She specializes in creating fantastic itineraries for all-inclusive resorts, as well as ocean and river cruises. She provides the "whole package" level of services, and is a guru at finding the best deals, timelines, and applies her personal travelling experiences to meet our desires and budget. She has connections in almost every realm of the travel industry, and is constantly striving to innovate her expertise by keeping up on the latest trends. She will even help when unforeseen changes arise during trips, to minimize the negatives as much as possible. I have recommended her to dozens of people, and will continue to do so as long as she stays in business.
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Best trips ever! Pew Pew!
Reviewed By Apple_C - Sanger, California | Traveled to Alaska | USA
I have used Shanon to plan many trips over the years, from an Alaskan cruise to a European river cruise, and she has been exceptional every step of the way. She takes care of all the details, making the entire travel experience stress-free and enjoyable.
Shanon keeps you informed about the documents you'll need, what to expect during your travels, and handles important arrangements such as transfers and hotel accommodations. She also offers excellent recommendations for excursions that enhance the overall experience and make each trip even more memorable.
As someone who experiences anxiety when traveling, I find great comfort in knowing I can depend on Shanon to ensure everything runs smoothly. Her expertise, organization, and attention to detail allow me to relax and enjoy my vacation with confidence.
I am incredibly grateful for her outstanding service and look forward to booking many more vacations with her in the years to come. Highly recommended!
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Amazing trips
Reviewed By Lyn - New york | Traveled to Jamaica | Caribbean
I will always book with dream vacations
Shanon Merkel responded
"Thank you for your trust in me. I truly appreciate you taking the time to leave a review and look forward to helping you with your next adventure!"
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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AWESOME, RESPONSIVE, EXCELLENT SERVICE
Reviewed By Flipflops&sunshine - FLORIDA | Traveled to Jamaica | Caribbean
Shannon is always so responsive and is so helpful with her suggestions. I wouldn't consider booking any trip without her help! Highly recommend!
Shanon Merkel responded
"Thank you so much for your kind words! It was a pleasure helping you with your travel plans. I truly appreciate you taking the time to leave a review and look forward to helping you with your next adventure!"
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Birthday cruise
Reviewed By Sexy sue - Brooklyn, New York | Traveled to Caribbean Sea | At Sea | At Sea
Shanon had booked a cruise for me and 20 of my friends. We had a time of our life together .
Shanon Merkel responded
"Thank you for taking the time to write a review. I'm glad you a had a good experience and I look forward to helping you again!
"
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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A great trip!
Reviewed By Ronny - Waxahachie, Tx. | Traveled to Key West | Florida | USA
A week of Sun and Fun!
Shanon Merkel responded
"Thank you for your review!"
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Rhine and Danube Rivers in Europe.
Reviewed By Mike Dowdy - Fresno, CA | Traveled to Bavaria | Germany | Europe
We've been on many cruises and/or bus tours and have used several travel agents in the past but none stand out like Shanon. She gives you that extra without us having to ask for it. Occasionally we travel with friends on our anniversary (both couples married same day 52 years ago). Our friends used a different travel agent until we introduced them to Shanon. They live in Omaha. Its a race to see who books more travel plans with Shanon. Shanon is extraordinarily honest and well informed on just about everything dealing with travel. She helped us with our fears during covid while booking a UK and Norway cruise. Shanon has traveled to many places and most recently helped us understand whether we should rent a car in Kauai or take Uber given the time in port. She recommended a Tubing Expedition she had taken recently so we decided to book that excursion as well. .She's fantastic and very understanding and hard working. For our money, it's Shanon.
Shanon Merkel responded
"Thank you so much for this incredibly thoughtful review. Your kind words truly mean the world to me. It has been such a pleasure helping you and celebrating so many of your travel adventures over the years. I'm honored that you continue to trust me with your vacations, and I'm especially grateful that you introduced your friends to me as well. Thank you for your confidence, your loyalty, and your friendship. I look forward to helping you create many more wonderful memories together!"
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Every detail was addressed to make our vacation special.
Reviewed By Cruiser70 - Reedsville, PA | Traveled to Caribbean
Shanon has been handling our cruise vacations for the past three years. She is very professional and handles every detail of our trip. Once on board, we never have any surprises. We have recommended her and Dream Vacations to several of our friends.
Shanon Merkel responded
"Thank you so much for your kind review! I truly appreciate your trust and support over the past few years. It has been a pleasure helping you plan your cruises and making sure every detail is taken care of so you can relax and enjoy your time onboard. Thank you also for recommending me to your friends. I look forward to helping you plan many more amazing adventures!"
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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thank you shanon
Reviewed By shan shan - nj | Traveled to Bermuda | Caribbean
shanon was extremely helpful... makes traveling easy
Shanon Merkel responded
"Thank you so much for your kind words! It was a pleasure helping you with your travel plans. I truly appreciate you taking the time to leave a review and look forward to helping you with your next adventure!"
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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River cruise in Europe
Reviewed By Deb - Fresno, CA | Traveled to Amsterdam | Netherlands | Europe
Shanon has arranged multiple trips for us and for friends of ours that we referred to her. All the details are attended to and she's available to help us with any other questions we have anywhere along the way. She suggests things that we never even thought to ask about. She always sounds delightfully cheerful when she answers the phone. She's well-traveled too so she knows her stuff. We're going to keep using her services for all of our trips.
Shanon Merkel responded
"Thank you so much for your wonderful review! It has been a pleasure helping you plan your travels and assisting your friends as well. I truly appreciate your trust and referrals. My goal is always to make the planning process easy, enjoyable, and stress-free while sharing tips and recommendations that help you get the most from your experiences. Thank you for allowing me to be part of your adventures, and I look forward to helping you plan many more trips in the years ahead!"
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Great Service
Reviewed By Leslie - Papillion, NE | Traveled to Europe
Shannon at Apple-Merkel always provides great service. She goes above and beyond if there are problems and always works hard to make sure we have the best vacation experience.
Shanon Merkel responded
"Thank you for the review. I'm glad I was able to provide a great experience!"
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Fantastic Alaska Cruise
Reviewed By CA20 - CA | Traveled to Alaska | USA
Shanon went above and beyond (again) to make our Alaska cruise fantastic. From coordinating airfare and dinner reservations for 12 people to making sure we knew what to pack. I personally know how much her clients mean to her and she goes out of her way to make things happen.
Shanon Merkel responded
"Thank you so much for your wonderful review! Helping you plan your Alaska cruise was such a pleasure, and I’m so grateful for the trust you placed in me to coordinate the details for your group. My goal is always to make the planning process seamless so you can focus on enjoying the journey and making memories together. I truly appreciate you and look forward to helping with your next adventure!"
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Honeymoon
Reviewed By Jeanette - New York | Traveled to Cancun | Quintana Roo | Mexico
Shanon was super helpful finding us what we were looking for. We had the best time. Our trip was beautiful, tasty, and fun. And everything went so smoothly.
Shanon Merkel responded
"Thank you for the review. It was a pleasure helping you plan your honeymoon!"
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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10 Stars!
Reviewed By Doug - Clovis, CA | Traveled to Hawaii | USA
Ok, wish I could give Shanon 10 Stars.
I contacted Shanon because a mutual friend suggested her.
Well, Shanon was amazing though the entire process for a trip to Hawaii for my wife and two kids.
Looking forward to having Shanon help our family on future vacations.
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Family Cabo trip
Reviewed By Margee - Tulare, CA | Traveled to Cabo San Lucas | Baja California Sur | Mexico
Shanon with Dream Vacations handled all the booking and details for us for a trip to Cabo. We were a party of 8 and couldn’t be happier with how smooth everything went! I will definitely be using her for our next big vacation!
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Paris and Rome Vacation
Reviewed By Zayda - Fresno, CA | Traveled to Italy | Europe
I highly recommend Shanon! She truly made our trip hassle & stress free plus she’s an absolute pleasure to work with. She’s a great people person, super nice & courteous. You will not go wrong with choosing her I promise you! I came across her page while planning a trip to Paris/Rome. She walked us through every step, answered any questions I had, & I always felt comfortable talking with her. I’m one happy customer I’ll definitely go to Shanon again for our next vacation! ??
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Jamaica Girls Trip
Reviewed By Leigh Ann - Fresno, CA | Traveled to Jamaica | Caribbean
Shanon was quick to reply to questions, made the booking process simple, and always available for help. She made great recommendations! Grateful for everything, Thank you so much for making my birthday trip special!
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Wonderful experience
Reviewed By Holly - Lutz, FL | Traveled to Caribbean Sea | At Sea | At Sea
Shanon was absolutely wonderful! She took care of all the details related to our trip which allowed us to focus on enjoying our trip! She was extremely responsive and helpful! I would highly recommend her to any and all who wish to travel!
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Amazing Travel Agent
Reviewed By Renee - Fresno, CA | Traveled to Spain | Europe
Shannon has always been so helpful and has planned amazing trips for me and my husband. I have booked 3 cruises and a trip to Barcelona with her. I have recommended her to my friends and family. She is always there to help answer my questions and is always available. I love how she prints everything out for me and I don't have to worry about a thing! She even provides luggage tags when we go on a cruise. Every detail is always thought of when you book a trip through Shanon! She is an amazing travel agent!
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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4 trips and counting
Reviewed By RobertN - Fresno, CA | Traveled to Maldives | Central Asia
Shanon has booked 4 trips for us since 2019. Barbados, Dominican Republic, Mexico and Maldives. With each of these trips she has always delivered with our wants and budget for each trip. She has gone above and beyond when we've had flight changes and resort changes and found us the best possible solution, some even resulting in money back! She has a broad depth of knowledge in the travel industry and if she doesn't have an answer to your question she will always reach out to her network and provide an accurate answer. We've had an incredible time on each trip she's booked for us.
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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A perfect vacation
Reviewed By Jim - Clovis, CA | Traveled to Alaska | USA
Shanon helped me plan a perfect vacation! From the beginning until the end, she walked me through all the details I definitely would have forgot or not known. Her knowledge and guidance of the vacation documentation and requirements was so helpful, and I appreciate all the communications when I had questions. If you want an amazing stress free /trouble free vacation this is the agency to do it with! Thank you! Jim.
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Portugal
Reviewed By Dkoach - Coeur d'Alene Idaho | Traveled to Portugal | Europe
Shanon is amazing and goes above and beyond to make all of or vacations seemless& non stressful. From booking the flights, arranging transportation and finding just the perfect accommodations. Shanon is the best!
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Cruise Expert
Reviewed By KG5 - Coursegold, CA | Traveled to Mexico
Shanon was amazing with all her help and knowledge assisting us in picking the perfect dream cruise vacation. She was able to find us the perfect deals and upgrades that we would never had been able to find ourselves. Greatly appreciate all her help!!!!
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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London and Ireland
Reviewed By TarynL - Hanford, CA | Traveled to Ireland | Europe
Shanon was an absolute delight to work with, thorough, easy going, and knowledgeable. We were booking 2 large cities/countries in Europe and she took exactly what we wanted and added suggestions, put it all together and made it absolutely stupid proof to get around for the 2 weeks we were gone. Even during the trip when changes were made she kept in contact with us making sure everything was running smoothly. I would definitely highly recommend her and will be coming back to her for our next big (or small) trip.
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Wow, just wow!
Reviewed By CWhite - Clovis, CA | Traveled to Bora Bora | French Polynesia | South Pacific
Our 10th wedding anniversary trip to Bora Bora was an absolute dream come true, and we couldn't have done it without Shanon. From start to finish, she exceeded all our expectations and made this trip an unforgettable experience.
Shanon listened to our preferences, needs, and budget, and then worked tirelessly to put together the perfect itinerary for us. To top it off, she was able to do all this within days! We're a couple of procrastinators LOL.
From booking flights to arranging accommodations in those stunning overwater bungalows, every detail was taken care of with precision and efficiency. We were impressed with how smoothly everything went, considering the short time crunch. Her knowledge of the destination was evident, as she recommended the most romantic spots and activities that truly made our anniversary special.
Moreover, the level of personal attention we received was outstanding. It felt like she was as invested in our trip as we were, and she was always just a phone call or email away to answer any questions or concerns we had.
Bora Bora itself was an absolute paradise, and we can't thank Shanon enough for making it all happen. From the crystal-clear waters and pristine beaches to the lush greenery and breathtaking sunsets, every moment was a pinch-me experience.
She truly booked our dream vacation!
We'll definitely be booking again with Shanon for our future travel adventures. Keep up the fantastic work, and thank you for making our anniversary trip one we'll cherish for a lifetime!
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Family cruise
Reviewed By Leo - New York | Traveled to Aruba | Caribbean
We reached out to Shanon to find us a cruise to 4 Caribbean Island and she suggested cruising on Brilliance of the sea leaving out of Puerto Rico. It was atrip to remember. Every thing was perfect. It was the best cruise we ever had. Shanon has always been able to provide my wife and friends with the perfect travel experience. She is very knowledgeable and have yet to chose a destination that disappoints.
Shanon Merkel responded
"Thank you so much for your kind words! It truly means a lot that you trust me to help plan your vacations. I'm so happy to hear that your Brilliance of the Seas cruise was one to remember and that everything came together perfectly. It's always a pleasure working with you, your wife, and your friends, and I look forward to helping you create many more amazing travel memories. Thank you again for your continued support!"
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Great Experience
Reviewed By GreenJess - Groveland, FL | Traveled to Caribbean Sea | At Sea | At Sea
I've always had a great experience working with Shanon. She goes above and beyond to help me get everything I am looking for during my vacation and helping me be cost savvy which is a huge plus. I recommend you work with her for your traveling needs!
Shanon Merkel responded
"Thank you so much for your kind words, it truly means a lot! I’m so glad I’ve been able to help create vacations that check all the boxes while keeping value in mind. That balance is so important, and I love making it happen for you. I appreciate your trust and your recommendation more than you know. I can’t wait to help plan your next adventure!"
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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A+ Service
Reviewed By JOSIVE - Freehold, NJ | Traveled to Caribbean Sea | At Sea | At Sea
Shanon from Dream Vacations goes above and beyond to make your trip problem free. She always answers your email/text quickly. She works with you, I highly recommend using this travel company. They are A+ services
Shanon Merkel responded
"Thank you so much for your kind review Joann. I truly enjoy working with your group. You make my job easy and enjoyable and I appreciate your support of my business more than you know!"
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Wonderful Agent
Reviewed By jhart - New York | Traveled to Bermuda | Caribbean
Shanon is a wonderful agent. Responded to all my inquiries quickly and provided great information about the cruise. Planning next year's vacation and will book through Shanon at Apple-Merkel. Highly recommended
Shanon Merkel responded
"Thank you so much for your kind words and recommendation! It was truly a pleasure helping you plan your cruise, and I’m so glad you had a great experience. I appreciate your trust and look forward to helping you plan next year’s vacation as well. Thank you again for your support of my business."
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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The most memorable cruise of our lives
Reviewed By Willy - Clovis Ca. | Traveled to Alaska | USA
Shanon seamlessly coordinated planes, trains, and automobiles (literally) for over a dozen of our family and friends. She continues to deliver customer service above and beyond what is expected on every adventure (and there has been several!).
Shanon Merkel responded
"Thank you so much! It means the world to me that you took the time to write this. Traveling with our family has created some of my favorite memories, and I'm so grateful I've been able to help make each trip come together. Planning vacations for the people I love is something I never take for granted. Thank you for always trusting me with your adventures. I can't wait to see where our next family trip takes us!"
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Will not take a trip without consulting Shanon first!
Reviewed By SMerkel - Clovis, CA | Traveled to Italy | Europe
After booking our vacation and helping us with planning along the way, Shanon sat down with us to be sure we had everything we needed. She provided personal expertise, reminders, helpful hints and tips, as well as suggestions for additional fun and exploring. She helped us have little-to-no stress about our travels.
Shanon Merkel responded
"Thank you so much for your thoughtful review! I'm so happy to hear that our pre-travel meeting and planning helped you feel prepared and stress-free. My goal is always to make sure my clients can focus on enjoying their vacation instead of worrying about the details. It was a pleasure helping you plan your trip, and I truly appreciate you trusting me with your travels. I look forward to helping you plan your next adventure!"
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Planning and travel was made easy!
Reviewed By Shanon Merkel - Clovis, CA | Traveled to Greece | Europe
Shanon booked our vacation, gave us tips, reminders, packing lists, and a full digital itinerary full of everything we needed for our trip. It was so helpful that she had been to the places we were going and could give us first-hand knowledge of the information.
Shanon Merkel responded
"Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm thrilled that the tips, reminders, packing lists, and digital itinerary helped make your trip easier and more enjoyable. One of my favorite parts of being a travel advisor is sharing my firsthand experiences to help my clients feel confident and prepared before they go. Thank you for trusting me to plan your vacation, and I look forward to helping you create more amazing travel memories in the future!"
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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