Expedition Cruises

There were six of us traveling together after our cruise, and Matt made planning our time in Italy effortless. He arranged everything—our private car from the port, train tickets, hotels in Rome and Tuscany, a Vespa tour, and even a golf cart tour so we could see all the highlights of Rome without stress. Every detail was spot-on, and the trip went perfectly. We couldn’t have asked for a smoother experience. I’d highly recommend Matt for anyone looking to plan an unforgettable trip to Italy!

When my son and I decided to take a long-delayed trip to Italy, we had limited time to make arrangements. So for the first time, I decided to use a travel agent, and turned to Matt Dawson at the recommendation of friends. I couldn’t be happier that I did! Matt listened to what we wanted to do - some of the standards - Rome, Florence, Cinque Terre - and some extras- a Harvest and Cooking day at a vinyard in the Tuscan countryside and a Porcini Mushroom festival in a small mountain village. Matt arranged everything and all was done seamlessly. For some of the must-see but heavily booked and crowded sights such as the Colosseum, Sistine Chapel, Michaelangelo's Pieta and his David, and DaVinci’s Last Supper, he arranged small group tours that skipped the long lines. Each guide was superb. All were deeply knowledgeable about their subjects and clearly loved their jobs, making each tour a wonderful experience instead of a check-the-list tourist sight. And, as we had asked, Matt left plenty of free time for us to explore on our own. Our accommodations were always well located for transportation access and seeing the sights we wanted to see on foot. Private drives to and from airports, hotels, and our mountain experiences made every trip stress-free and again, the drivers were knowledgeable and fun to be with – not to mention great navigators in crazy Italian traffic! We also appreciated that Matt followed our trip daily to make sure all was going well. When a flight was delayed out of Milan to return home, Matt let us know immediately and offered to help if that resulted in any problem. The result of Matt’s efforts was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that my son and I will always cherish. It simply couldn’t have been any more perfect! We won’t hesitate to go to Matt again and to refer family and friends to him for their own adventures. Grazie Matt!

Matt is amazing to work with. This is the second time we have used him. He worked closely with my wife to plan an amazing trip to France. He listened to what we wanted and found amazing options for us. He got us great seats at the Moulin Rouge, booked an awesome dinner cruise in Paris for us, got us a private guide to take us through Versailles Palace and the Gardens. Then in Nice he arranged for a private boat to take us out for a day. He also arranged multiple beach club visits. We couldn't have done such a detailed trip without him.

I recently worked with Matt to plan a trip to the UK and Ireland with my son, and he did a fantastic job from start to finish! He arranged flights, hotels, transfers, and activities seamlessly, which made the entire experience stress-free and enjoyable. Every detail was thoughtfully planned, and we felt well taken care of throughout the trip. I would highly recommend Matt to anyone looking for a knowledgeable and attentive travel agent – he truly made our vacation unforgettable!

Matt planned our 10 day trip to Ireland including personal drivers each day. Ou daily activities started at 9am each day. We saw and experienced everything there was to do each day. Matt provided tour guides for the 2 of us. At ages 80 and 82 it was a dream trip for us. Matt made airline changes for us so we could visit friends in Switzerland before returning home to Whidbey Island WA. Matt is so easy to work with and accommodating. 5*

Matt put together a great family trip to Las Vegas. He helped us with everything from start to finish, it was such a great experience. He helped us find the perfect flight, an awesome resort for our family and had plenty of recommendations for things to do while in Vegas. He even surprised us with a limo waiting to pick us up at the airport. I would highly recommend him.

Matt planned a trip to Australia for use to attend the Australian Open. He also planned a 3 week itinerary after that so we could see all the highlights. He did a wonderful job listening to what we wanted to see. He was able to find great hotels for us as well. I am always so thrilled with the work he does. We are looking forward to our next trip in a few weeks.

Matt recently helped me combine a work trip with my kids spring break. We had a great long weekend in Houston. He helped me find fun activities to do with them. He also found an amazing hotel for us to stay at. Our company recommends using him and now I see why.

I love working with Matt. This is the 4th trip he has done for me. He helped design an amazing trip to Thailand for me. I felt like he heard what I wanted and found a perfect option for me. He was also able to find some awesome pre and post tour activities for me. My two highlights were spending a day with a chef in Bangkok and visiting a very ethical elephant sanctuary in Chiang Mai. Both experiences Matt found for me. I can't wait to start planning my next trip with him

Matt helped me plan a very unique safari experience. I wanted a safari where I could camp. He was able to locate a tour company to help me make this dream a reality. I spent a few nights ahead of time in Nairobi. He made some amazing suggestions of things to do. Without his knowledge of Kenya my trip wouldn't have been so amazing. I love working with Matt and will continue to do so. This is the second trip Matt has helped me with.

Matt did an amazing job helping us with a hotel and activities for our Hawaiian vacation. He took into account great places for kids to stay. I haven't had that much fun with my family in a long time.

It was great working with Matt. He designed a foodie trip in San Diego and Baja Mexico. He found an amazing resort for us to stay in. We felt safe and the resort really fit our trip. We had an issue getting our transfer back across the boarder and Matt was instrumental in making sure we got back safely. I can't wait to work with him again

Matt planned an amazing spring break trip for my family. He took the time to listen and understand what we wanted then provided some options. We originally asked for an all inclusive but after Matt heard what we were looking for he asked us to consider a cruise. We took a chance and listened to his recommendation. Our kids had an absolutely amazing time. This proved that he really knows what he is doing. I have recommended him to several other families to help plan their trips.

I have used Matt many times to help me plan trips all over the world. He first helped me with a trip to the German Christmas Markets. He then helped me plan an African Safari. He has also helped me with many smaller trips in the US. Matt is great to work with and I look forward to the next trip he is helping me on.

Matt worked closely with my wife to plan an amazing 1 year anniversary cruise for me and my wife. He provided several options and got us the best possible deal. The itinerary was changed after we booked and he was there to help us rebook all of our excursions. I can't wait to go on another trip planned by him

I absolutely loved working with Matt for my cruise to Antarctica. He took care of everything from start to finish. I joined one of his group trips so he was there to guide us through the whole trip. I highly recommend going on one of Matt's group trips.

Matt has been amazing to work with. He has helped me plan numerous trips including my 30th birthday trip to Spain, a bachelorette party in Nashville, a girls weekend in Ibiza and a 30 day custom itinerary in Italy. I highly recommend working with Matt. He will go above and beyond to make sure you have a trip of a lifetime. He always finds very fun and unique tours for me. The hotels he recommends have been top notch. I told him I wanted to stay at a winery in Italy and he made it happen! I don't travel anywhere without talking to Matt first.

Amazing trip that Matt helped make possible!

Thank you, Matt, for helping us plan our NCL Cruise!
Matt was helpful throughout the entire booking process. It was my first cruise in 5 years, so I had tons of questions! Matt was very prompt with his responses, answering every single one of my questions.
Booking through Adventures by Matt, we were even able to get additional discounts the cruise line could not offer. Highly recommend using Matt to help plan your next trip!

Visiting Antarctica always seemed like an unattainable dream. Thank you Matt for coordinating this wonderful trip and allowing me to check this major bucket list destination off the list! My expectations were more than exceeded!

I had the pleasure of working with Matt on a cruise to Antarctica. Matt was incredibly helpful throughout the entire booking process. His attention to detail and prompt responses made planning my trip so easy!

The cruise was nothing short of incredible! From the breathtaking icebergs, penguins, every day felt like a new adventure! Unlike other travel agents, Matt was accessible on the whole trip. He even spent most evenings hanging out with us!

Matt’s expertise turned my bucket-list trip into a reality! I highly recommend Matt and to my fellow travelers. You won’t be disappointed!

We had a wonderful time on our Hawaii anniversary trip. The accomdations where better than expected. The ammenities at the Hilton Wiakoloa Village were excellent. Thank you Advenutures By Matt for a great vacation experience!

Great experience. Matt made our vacation easy! All I had to do was show up and enjoy! Highly recommend. He even went above and beyond and left a surprise for us at our room!

Matt Dawson is outstanding and helped us every step of the way in providing us with the best vacation experience we have ever had! He was knowledgeable, thorough, attentive and helped us to successfully navigate each step of our international travel.

We have used Matt for several trips in the last two years. He put together an Orlando trip in October 2021 where we stayed at Arnold Palmer Bay Hill Resort and it included golf tee times, car rental, and restaurants. We used him in June of 2021 for a New York trip that included hotel, restaurants, and several city and cultural tours. He has planned a trip to Dallas this month for the Elton John concert including hotel, restaurants, and car rental. He has also planned a trip to England in June to attend the Wimbledon tennis tournament including tickets to the event, hotel, air, transfer, trip insurance, restaurants, and city tours. Matt has planned one additional trip for us this year on Viking River Cruise in September of 2022 on the Danube including the cruise, transfers, and accommodations both pre and post sailing. Matt has great attention to detail and is very attentive as well as cost conscious. I would highly recommend his services.

We just returned from an incredible romantic getaway planned by Adventures by Matt, and everything exceeded our expectations! From the start Matt took care of every detail. The pre-cruise night in Miami was the perfect way to start our vacation. It was incredibly close to the port and had plenty of food options near by. The Virgin Voyages cruise itself was so fun. I loved the adults only vibe. The romance package that Adventures by Matt recommended was a great touch. We loved shaking for champagne. We can't wait to book our next adventure with Adventures by Matt!