Family Cruise Specialist

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Alyssa Stander, CTA, Travel Agent in Wickenburg, AZ

Alyssa Stander, CTA

Wickenburg, AZ Travel Agent
Super Agent

Alyssa Stander, CTA

Wickenburg, AZ · 4 Years of Experience

Lemon Drop Travels, an independent agent with Cruises & Tours, Unlimited, a Travel Leaders Network Affiliate Agency
5.0
(31)
100% Recommended
She is very patient and amazing to work with . Read More >
About
Reviews
Certificates & Awards
My Places
Travel Stories & Media
Client Testimonials

Areas of expertise

Destinations:

Caribbean, Europe, Mexico, Princess Cays, Turks and Caicos Islands

Interests:

Cruises, Disney Vacations, Family Vacations

Suppliers:

Disney Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises®

About Me

Carnival Freedom in Grand Turk
Carnival Freedom in Grand Turk

Cruising is one of the most exciting, flexible, and family-friendly ways to see the world. Whether you want to wake up in a new country each day or simply relax poolside while someone else handles the logistics, a cruise offers the best of both worlds—exploration and ease. It’s an especially great choice for families with a mix of interests, energy levels, and travel goals. From toddlers to teens, grandparents to grown-up kids, there truly is something for everyone onboard.

As a family cruise specialist, my passion lies in helping families create incredible memories at sea. I’ve sailed on and researched a wide range of cruise lines and ships to understand what makes each one unique. Some families want non-stop fun—waterslides, ropes courses, zip lines, and kids’ clubs that run from morning until bedtime. Others are seeking quiet moments, enrichment, and relaxation—think scenic river cruises, spa treatments, or reading a book while watching the waves. My job is to match your family’s travel style with the perfect cruise line, ship, and itinerary.

Not all cruise lines are created equal, and that’s a good thing! If you’re an active family, lines like Royal Caribbean or Norwegian Cruise Line may be a great fit, with endless activities and entertainment. If you prefer a more laid-back, elegant experience with enriching shore excursions and refined service, you might love a premium or luxury line like Princess, Celebrity, or even a smaller river cruise.

And yes—cruising can absolutely be a fantastic choice for families with children or adults who have autism or other special needs. Many cruise lines have stepped up in a big way to become more inclusive and accommodating. Lines like Royal Caribbean and Disney are great options when it comes to Autism friendly sailings.  I stay up-to-date on which cruise lines offer these resources and how we can advocate for your family’s comfort and confidence while traveling.

My role goes far beyond helping you book a cabin. I work with you to understand what your family truly wants from this vacation. Are you foodies excited to try global cuisine onboard? Do you have little ones who will live in the splash pad area and meet every character onboard? Are you hoping to explore new cultures through shore excursions, or just enjoy sailing days with no agenda? I help families think through all the possibilities—from dining preferences and cabin layouts to port schedules and mobility needs—so that your cruise is seamless and stress-free.

Whether you’re planning your first family cruise or you're seasoned sailors looking for your next adventure, I’m here to make the process fun, informed, and tailored just for you. From ocean giants to small ships, kid-centric to multi-gen luxury, tropical islands to European rivers—there’s a cruise out there waiting for your family. Let’s find it together! 

REVIEWS

Rating: 5.0
31 reviews
100% Recommended
Your trust is our priority. Every review is submitted by verified travelers after they have booked and completed their trips. Learn more about our review guidelines.
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Showing 31 reviews

amazing views
Reviewed By Girls Trip - New Iberia La | Traveled to Cancun ~ Quintana Roo ~ Mexico
She is very patient and amazing to work with .
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YES|NO
Cancun adventure
Reviewed By A - Farmington, NM | Traveled to Cancun ~ Quintana Roo ~ Mexico
From start to finish Alyssa stayed in communication with us ensuring we had all the information for a successful trip.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
3 of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YES|NO
First Timer!
Reviewed By MissyLee - Rapid City, SD | Traveled to Cozumel ~ Quintana Roo ~ Mexico
We loved our vacation that was booked through Lemon Drop Travels. It was our first experience with a travel agent and we will always use them from now on. They helped us with any questions we had.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YES|NO
Continuing a Family Tradition
Reviewed By NDavis - Amarillo, Texas | Traveled to Disneyland ~ California ~ USA
Thank you so much Lemon Drop Travels !

Disney and Disneyland was always a big part of my childhood and is currently a big part of my family’s life. It’s been 11 years since going to Disneyland (which is a long time for a person that used to go annually when living in Phoenix). This year, we took our children for the first time. We did 2 days in the parks and a 3rd at the Oogie Boogie Halloween Bash. In addition to our little family, we also got to be there with Aunts, Cousins, and Grandparents. Walking out of the park at midnight after 3 very long days, none of my children wanted to leave. It was an amazing trip with memories I wouldn’t trade for the world.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YES|NO
Great Alaska Cruise
Reviewed By Gomezmortisha - Hurricane, UT | Traveled to Alaska ~ USA
She answered everyone's question in our group and made booking our cruise super easy!! We had the best time on our vacation! Thanks to Alyssa!!!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YES|NO

Certifications & Awards

ASTA is the leading global advocate for travel agents, the travel industry and the traveling public.It is the world's largest association of travel professionals.Our members include travel agents and the companies whose products they sell such as tours, cruises, hotels, car rentals, etc.Expand your world. Go with the pros.
The Book with Confidence logo tells you that this Travel Advisor has direct access to comprehensive resources for safe and healthy travel, available at their discretion for sharing with clients.  This includes vetting the details on the health and safety protocols implemented by each travel provider in order to recommend the ideal itinerary for each client’s unique needs.
AMA Academy
AMA Academy
NCL University - Master's Degree
NCL University - Master's Degree
Royal Caribbean University - Bachelor of Adventure
Royal Caribbean University - Bachelor of Adventure
Seacademy - Gold Certification
Seacademy - Gold Certification
ACC accredited through CLIA

My Places

When it comes to travel planning, real-world experience makes a huge difference. Check out the map below to see all the places I have personally visited or booked for my clients. I know these destinations well and can give you reliable guidance.

My Photo Albums and Videos

All Aboard the msRotterdam
View Album

    My Travel Stories

    Holebroa Waterfall, Geirganger Norway

    All Aboard the msRotterdam

    Cruising through the Norwegian Fjords with Holland America has been one of my all time favorite travel experiences - hands down.  Obviously, cruising with Holland America on the msRotterdam was an exceptional experience, but the beauty and grandeur of Norway cannot be topped! A few highlights of our trip? -Renting e-bikes in Geiran...
    Read more

    Client Testimonials

    Family Cruise
    Alyssa with Lemon Drop Travels made our vacation a breeze! She had everything booked super easy and even found us some savings throughout the year as our cruise date got closer. She was always available to answer any questions. We will use her again in the future!
    Whitney H., Arizona
    Kona Family Vacation
    Alyssa planned a trip to Hawaii for my family of 4. From the very beginning, she was easy to work with and answered all of our questions in a timely manner. Alyssa made sure she understood where we wanted to stay, what our budget was and what our goals were for the trip. When there was a chance in our flights, she was prompt with emailing us about the change and asked if we wanted to keep the new flights or try and change back to the previous one. Alyssa emailed us a detailed itinerary with all of flight, rental car, and condo information before our trip that we printed off and brought with us. Alyssa made our vacation seamless from start to finish. Once we got back home, she emailed us to check in and make sure everything went okay on our trip. She was hands-on and attentive to us throughout the whole planning process and vacation process. I highly recommend Alyssa for all of your travel planning needs! She is such a joy to work with!
    Bethany S., Texas
    Mexico Trip
    Our trip was lovely and Alyssa stander at lemon drop travel was the absolute best. I will definitely call her for my next vacation.
    Donna C., Texas
    Swiss Adventure
    We had the best experience with Alyssa! We would definitely hire her again. She booked our flights, hotels, car rental, and train tickets to Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. We had a wonderful time and everything was seamless. Since we hadn't traveled to Europe on our own it took a lot of stress off to have someone make sure we were in good places to stay and point us in the right direction of what to do and how to book tickets to tours. She responded very quickly to every contact and checked in with us to make sure everything went smoothly.
    Naomi G., Arizona
    Austria Trip
    Alyssa was recommended to me by a friend and WOW!! Alyssa answered my texts and emails right away. She was very attentive and listened to everything that we were wanting. She made it happen and we just returned from our trip and every detail was just as she said. Hotels, airport and train transfers, tours in various cities were as recommended and very easy to follow. We will definitely be using Alyssa again for future travel needs. She even send us a travel goody bag that was not expected, but appreciated. She even followed up after our trip to check on us. We highly recommend Alyssa!!
    Pam C. Texas
    BESbswy