Daniel Oppliger
Surprise, Arizona Travel Agent
A Full-Service Travel Leaders Associate Agency
Years of Experience: 25+
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Grenada Travel Expert
Sandals Grenada
Grenada is a beautiful island.
Grenada is a beautiful island. We have been there four times.
The Spice of the Caribbean, a hidden gem with unspoiled beauty offering a lifestyle so pure and authentic that you will feel instantly renewed. Famed for its aromatic spices and organic chocolate, the tri-island destination of Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique is located in the eastern Caribbean just south of Barbados The Pure Grenada experience, beckons visitors to its 40 white sandy beaches including the world-famous Grand Anse Beach, 15 breathtaking waterfalls, 5 chocolate factories, 3 rum distilleries, and more than 30 unforgettable dive sites, including the largest shipwreck in the Caribbean ‘Bianca C’ and the World’s First Underwater Sculpture Park.
As a luxury destination a few resorts stand out. Sandals Grenada, Calabash Luxury Boutique Hotel, Silversands come to mind.
We have stayed at Sandals located on Pink Gin Beach. The rooms are over the top many with infinity pools, shared pools, huge bathrooms with tubs and showers. The food in incredible. There are many restaurants on site, bars and two huge public pools – the quiet pool and the party pool. Butch’s Chop House named after Butch Gordon the founder of Sandals offers steaks and lobster in season.
Most will not want to leave Sandals but if you do there is a wonderful rainforest, rum distilleries , chocolate factories, and of course spice tours. We suggest to stay with the resorts offered by our luxury wholesaler. Keep this in mind, a hundred plus dollars gets you a Motel 6. There some mid-priced resorts we can recommend in a package including airfare.
The behavior the children will amaze you. We went to a restaurant with a few for lunch. We sat down and about 30 school children were soon seated. We said to ourselves, uh-oh. They were quiet and well mannered. We were amazed.
My Areas of Expertise
An Amazing Eclipse Experience
Reviewed By 'Astro-Dave' Reneke - Sydney, Australia | Traveled to USA
I’m proud to be associated with Daniel Oppliger and his world renowned travel company Tropical Sails Corp. Dan recently invited me and fellow astronomer Cliff Watson to host one of his sold out tours in August this year as astronomy guide for the much heralded ‘Great American Eclipse!All places stated were visited, nothing was any trouble for the organisers and we enjoyed a fabulous coach drive throughout the tour with detailed and friendly commentary highlighting landmarks and other important points of scenic interest.
We Started from Salt lake City, traveled into Utah, and Wyoming against the backdrop of the Grand Tetons, onward into Yellowstone National Park. I had the pleasure of lecturing to and guiding a fantastic group of passengers throughout the eclipse experience. I'll always remember the camaraderie we shared.
I’ve traveled extensively with many tour companies but never felt more comfortable or confident as I have with Dan and Shirley’s company, Tropical Sails. R
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
42 of 74 people found this review helpful
A country wide tour to remember.
Reviewed By D.G. - Summerland, British Columbia | Traveled to Chile ~ South America
The Kimal group tour of Chile was just outstanding, jam packed with a wide variety of experiences that covered an impressive range of the multi-faceted nature of the country. Very well conceived and organized.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Daniel Oppliger responded:
Thank you for you kind words.
Thank you for you kind words.
25 of 41 people found this review helpful
The best trip of my life
Reviewed By Alex - Farmers Branch, TX ( Dallas area) | Traveled to Chile ~ South America
It was great to be able to speak with Daniel personally via telephone before the trip. He was informative, responsive, interested and courteous and followed up appropriately with emails and correspondence
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Daniel Oppliger responded:
Thank you for your kind wordsl
Thank you for your kind wordsl
19 of 35 people found this review helpful
All Three Times Were A Charm!
Reviewed By Charlie - Cohasset, Massachusetts | Traveled to Idaho Falls ~ Idaho ~ USA
It has always been a pleasure. We have done three eclipse tours with Dan. The first was in 1998 with Star Clipper in the Caribbean. Then came Holland America in Indonesia in 2016. Finally last summer we actually did a land trip to Idaho for the Great American Eclipse. We got the post card for the Indonesian and Idaho eclipse in 2015 the day I was raking snow off the roof. We immediately booked them both. His agency is a delight to work with. Every step is planned well in advance, and the process is simple. All three adventures were flawless - including seeing the eclipse! All three experiences were very different, but we felt comfortable, safe, and appreciated. The mix of people on all three trips was incredible, and everyone found someone to be close to.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Daniel Oppliger responded:
Thank you for your kind words. I wish I could have been with you on the first two trips. As you know we had multiple groups for each tour.
Thank you for your kind words. I wish I could have been with you on the first two trips. As you know we had multiple groups for each tour.
27 of 55 people found this review helpful
An Amazing Tour Experience
Reviewed By 'Astro-Dave' Reneke - Sydney Australia | Traveled to Wyoming ~ USA
I found Daniel to be courteous and thorough in his approach to organizing the many tours he schedules. I was especially impressed by his attention to detail - working well in advance to ensure a smooth transition between client, tour manager and venue operators. I also thank him for his confidence in me as an enrichment speaker and eclipse guide during the recent eclipse tour of August 2017. It made my contribution all that much easier having Daniel's expertise backing me up. I highly recommend Daniel and his company to anyone looking for a well run and value added tour package.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Daniel Oppliger responded:
Thanks Dave, I think you may have left a note earlier. Ok not to approve.
Thanks Dave, I think you may have left a note earlier. Ok not to approve.
33 of 67 people found this review helpful
Total Eclipse Cruis: Turkey
Reviewed By GlenL - Ft. Collins, CO | Traveled to
My wife and I toured Turkey in 1999 on Tropical Sails’ Eclipse Cruise. It was our best vacation ever! We got to explore Greek ruins, enjoy local food and culture, and see a total solar eclipse all while living on one of two 80 foot “gulets” (sailboats.) Our twenty or so fellow travelers made a good-sized group, and our ship’s crew was professional, friendly and the crewmen were also good cooks! All of Dan's arrangements for the ships, our knowledgeable tour guides, shore transportation along to historic sites on the Aegean coast, in Istanbul, Gallipoli, and on the Black Sea were smooth and problem free. Experiencing the total solar eclipse from our gullet (boat) while on the Black Sea was simply awesome! We look forward to traveling with Tropical Sails again!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
39 of 79 people found this review helpful
Special trip with special care
Reviewed By Plany - Vienna, Austria | Traveled to Argentina ~ South America
Excellent service. Especially the site for watching the solar eclipse was an optimum location. As we were the onl Europeans in the group, we had several special problems (payment etc.) but all this was handled efficiently and friendly.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Daniel Oppliger responded:
Thank you for your kind words. We found a faster way to take oversears payments by using VEEM. It is faster than banks and much less expensive than credit cards or Pay Pay. An Irish client used NicePay and that was fast and efficient.
Thank you for your kind words. We found a faster way to take oversears payments by using VEEM. It is faster than banks and much less expensive than credit cards or Pay Pay. An Irish client used NicePay and that was fast and efficient.
19 of 40 people found this review helpful
Eclipse Tour Chile at the Vira Vira 2020
Reviewed By Joe and Roxanne - Lake Oswego, Oregon | Traveled to Chile ~ South America
We had worked with Dan several years prior to our December 2020 Eclipse Tour to Chile and he put a great trip together and we were very happy with his expertise. Then of course the pandemic hit but Dan skillfully navigated the incredibly difficult task of getting to Chile safely and safely view the eclipse. He was a great tour leader and his experience and knowledge made the trip seamless. In addition Dan manages to attract clients on the tour that are great to be around and share experiences with. The Vira Vira was an amazing lodge, great food, wonderful rooms and we did fly fishing, river rafting, and hiking in addition to seeing the eclipse.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
4 of 11 people found this review helpful
A very memorable trip
Reviewed By Brewery Man - Shotley Bridge, United Kingdom | Traveled to USA
Frequent and accurate communications. He suggested someone I could share accomodation with and saved both of us a significant amount.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Daniel Oppliger responded:
Thanks T. We have matched several men and women over the years to save them both money. I hope you enjoyed my talk in Idaho Falls.
Thanks T. We have matched several men and women over the years to save them both money. I hope you enjoyed my talk in Idaho Falls.
25 of 53 people found this review helpful
Dan the man
Reviewed By GregB - Coldstream Australia | Traveled to
What a great guy and extremely knowledgeable. Had a great time when we went on our cruise and was made even better by Dans presence.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
28 of 59 people found this review helpful
trip
Reviewed By ev - Arroyo Grande, CA - Central Coast | Traveled to Thailand ~ East and Southeast Asia
professional, detailed oriented, knowledgeable, prompt....went above and beyond 'the call of duty'
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Daniel Oppliger responded:
Thank you for the kind words.
Thank you for the kind words.
15 of 34 people found this review helpful
Nice trip
Reviewed By Pinyonj - Pittstown, NJ | Traveled to Santiago ~ Chile ~ South America
Nice trip. Beautiful happy people, great time. Dan was personally involved, answered calls and was very responsive. Maybe its the culture in Chile, but the experience on the ground could have neen a little better organized. Overall, though, a satisfied customer.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
16 of 36 people found this review helpful
Encouraging, knowledgeable, but not pushy
Reviewed By Hooked on Cruises Now - Peoria, AZ | Traveled to
My husband and I booked our MSC cruise to the Caribbean through Dan. He was great. He suggested the cruise line as he was looking for best options all around, including price. It was perfect for us and we had a great time. Dan presented the material and was encouraging but was not pushy and I really appreciated that. He also followed up with a reminder and well wishes and a few things for us to be sure to pack and that was helpful and showed me that he didn't just book us and forget us. We will definitely work through Dan on another excursion.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
26 of 56 people found this review helpful
July 2, 2019 Total Eclipse
Reviewed By Umbraphiles - Mesa, AZ | Traveled to Vina Del Mar ~ Chile ~ South America
The tour was generally well-planned and managed. The tour guides were friendly and helpful. There were a few little "glitches", but that is almost to be expected with any international travel that involves chasing a total eclipse of the sun. One factor that might work better in the future is to have everyone on the tour stay in the same hotel. For our trip we had two hotels in each of the two cities visited, and since they were a fair distance apart there was often a certain amount of confusion about meeting/finding the bus/timing and so forth each time we went to one of the various events. Logistics would have been much simpler if everyone had stayed in the same lodging.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
13 of 31 people found this review helpful
Great tour – hope to book again!
Reviewed By Plany - Vienna, Austria | Traveled to Yellowstone National Park ~ Wyoming ~ USA
It was a great experience. Everything was well organized, and the choice of the sub-contractors was excellend, especially the choice of tour director Steve Kaverman: the right person on the right job. This man has a charisma with people. Also, the river float on the raft was a great idea. As for the clipse, the choice of the place to see it was the best idea : far away from traffic jams and places, where "everybody" tries to watch it.Some little thing (but that's outside the reach of Tropical Sails and the subcontractors): while the accomodations were ok and nothing to complain about – in terms of value for money –, it's amazing how little space some hotels avail to the guest, not for the persons, but for the things these persons want to unpack....
All together: great! We'll recommend Tropical Sails to many!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Daniel Oppliger responded:
Thank you for your kind words.
Thank you for your kind words.
30 of 66 people found this review helpful
Excellent Vacation by Dan
Reviewed By Art - San Francisco, CA | Traveled to
Dan helped put together an awesome vacation package a few weeks prior to a total eclipse through Tropical Sails. Exotic islands, Proboscis monkeys, orangutans, and an Eclipse all packaged together into a well organized schedule. He really went out of his way to help put this together at the last minute for me and my brother and he was very knowledgeable and responsive, keeping me informed of all possibilities. If I could give more stars than 5 I would. I highly recommend Dan.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
33 of 72 people found this review helpful
sailing on ther Mandalay
Reviewed By new - Indianapolis, IN | Traveled to St. Maarten ~ St. Martin ~ Caribbean
Daniel helped me find hotels, restuarants, and dock site for my Mandalat sailing trip.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Daniel Oppliger responded:
Thank you M. I was my pleasure to help with your sailing adventure.
Thank you M. I was my pleasure to help with your sailing adventure.
25 of 58 people found this review helpful
Fun Tour of Turkey
Reviewed By Chuck Kansas - Dallas, Texas | Traveled to Turkey ~ Europe
I spent a lot of time researching a Biblical Tour in Turkey. I found that the Tropical Sails company quote was 40-50% cheaper than other companies for the same itinerary… and this caused concern why so cheap??? I called up Daniel and talked with him. He was very kind and knowledgeable… and had personally been on the Turkey trip before. I decided to use him.The trip in several ways was one on my favorites. The tour guide and driver were so kind, timely, and professional… more than I was expecting. The quality of the hotels and the food were once again more than I was expecting. A couple times I had a balcony facing the Ocean. The itinerary was just as advertised. It seems the people are working to get return customers and good reviews. I am not used to getting more than I expected.
I really think Daniel’s company is doing the research to find the best deals. I found that Daniel is an honest person. I plan to check with Daniel again to ask him what good deals he has co
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Daniel Oppliger responded:
Charles, I am pleased that the tour went well. Thank you for your kind words.
Charles, I am pleased that the tour went well. Thank you for your kind words.
31 of 71 people found this review helpful
First total solar eclipse
Reviewed By Tom Collins - Atlanta, GA | Traveled to Idaho Falls ~ Idaho ~ USA
Daniel provided us with a complete itinerary in an area where accommodations were scarce.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
27 of 66 people found this review helpful
Gre experience with Dan and Tropical Sails Corp
Reviewed By John G - Moss Beach, CA | Traveled to Turkey ~ Middle East
1999 Solar Eclipse Gulet Sail trip (mostly motored, as the winds were not in the required direction at that time of year) from Tropical Sails. We did, and we all had the best time! Turkey was an eye-opening, positive experience.We were on the Sultan, which was (is?) a wonderful gulet (yacht) with an expert crew (the cook was fantastic!). The location on azure seas, great food & drink, fun and enlightening shore excursions, and Dan (Tropical Sails) ensured we all enjoyed our entire trip. The itinerary was well thought out, and somewhat flexible... We didn't go on one shore excursion but stayed on the yacht and swam in the indescribably turquoise blue Mediterranean... During the walking tour of Ephesus I walked off to explore several alleyways on my own... Fantastic!
For the eclipse we sailed to the center line and had perfectly clear view!
I fully credit Dan (Tropical Sails Corp) for setting up the cruise and trip. It is one of the most unforgettably wonderful experiences of my life
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Daniel Oppliger responded:
Thank you John. See you August?
Thank you John. See you August?
30 of 74 people found this review helpful