Judi Faas, Travel Agent in Ankeny, IA

Judi Faas

Ankeny, IA Travel Agent
Super Agent

Judi Faas

Ankeny, IA · 17 Years of Experience

Journey to Paradise Travel & Tours, an independent agent with WorldVia, a Travel Leaders Agency
5.0
(23)
100% Recommended
She was great to work with. Answered all questions and worries we had easily and in a very timely matter if I emailed her Read More >
About
My Travel Specialties
Reviews
Certificates & Awards
My Places
Travel Stories & Media
Client Testimonials

Areas of expertise

Destinations:

Panama, Caribbean, Virgin Islands, Belize, Yucatan

Interests:

All Inclusive, Beach Vacations, Couples & Romance, Destination Weddings, Honeymoons

Suppliers:

Delta Vacations, Funjet Vacations, Inclusive Collection – World of Hyatt, Princess Cruises®, Royal Caribbean

About Me

Specialist Groups, Cruises and Weddings

Travel, Explore, Unwind, Relax! My goal is to ensure your travel is seamless, worry-free, and everything you envisioned. Having traveled to more than 39 countries and islands in the Caribbean, Central America, and the Mediterranean, and armed with my degree in Tourism and Event Planning, I offer personal service and one-on-one attention as I design your unique and personalized journey to paradise. Planning your experience is my passion!

My Travel Specialties

All-Inclusive Vacation Specialist

All-Inclusive Vacation Specialist
If relaxing on a beach is your type of vacation, all-inclusive resorts are the perfect answer! Having paid for everything up front, money will never be an issue and you will be pampered from arrival to departure. All-inclusive resorts are great options for family reunions and friend getaways as w...Read More ▶

Cruise Specialist

Cruise Specialist
Imagine gliding through the ocean and viewing the stars in an inky black sky from your balcony or from the top deck of a cruise ship. The utter peace and beauty will amaze you! Visit UNESCO World Heritage sights, explore other cultures, sample amazing culinary creations and enjoy beaches and wate...Read More ▶

Romance, Group, Family & Cruise Specialist

Romance, Group, Family & Cruise Specialist
I love creating your unique and personalized journey to paradise- whether it's a tropical destination, a country steeped in history, or a once-in-a-lifetime adventure! I am a Certified Leisure Travel Specialist with a BA in Tourism and Event Planning who specializes in romance travel, group and f...Read More ▶

Family Travel

Family Travel
Family vacations create life-long memories! I can suggest the best options and create a specialized itinerary for your family trip of a lifetime. Explore tropical islands by plane or ship, spend family time interacting with animals, exploring theme parks or ancient ruins, hiking, diving, fishing,...Read More ▶

Destination Wedding Planner

Destination Wedding Planner
Are you dreaming of exchanging your vows at sunset on a beautiful Caribbean beach or in a lush, fragrant tropical garden? Maybe a gazebo or chapel by the sea is more of your style? At Journey to Paradise Travel & Tours we take your dreams and create your wedding reality! Your destination is your ...Read More ▶

REVIEWS

Rating: 5.0
23 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.
Search reviews:

Showing 23 reviews

Best trip wver
Reviewed By Nicole - Masonville, IA | Traveled to Cancun ~ Quintana Roo ~ Mexico
She was great to work with. Answered all questions and worries we had easily and in a very timely matter if I emailed her
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
37 of 67 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YES|NO
Judi made it possible for us to travel again!
Reviewed By M and P - Iowa | Traveled to Alaska ~ USA
Judi took very good care of us on our Alaskan cruise I am Handicapped andd she set us up with "comfort plus" seating it was just great and at every terminal she had a wheel chiar waiting for me to take me to the next gate. At every port had a wheelchair to get me to the dock so I didn't have to walk down or up the steep ramps. Thank you Judi for making it possible for us to vacation again I haven't traveled for 10 years and with Judi's help now I know we can do it again????
Judi Faas responded
"It was a pleasure to plan your Alaska cruise vacation.Thank you."
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
36 of 68 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YES|NO
Perfect Honeymoon Planning
Reviewed By SaraFJ - Des Moines, IA | Traveled to Dominican Republic ~ Caribbean
Judi is great about finding the best trip options for our budget and I appreciate that she takes care of all the details. We had her book our honeymoon in February 2022 and the resort was lovely, plus she was able to get us a room in a great spot where we were close to the amenities that were important to us. The transportation she arranged was quick and friendly and we appreciated how she took care of all the details so that we could focus on enjoying ourselves and relaxation.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
8 of 13 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YES|NO
Wonderful to work with!
Reviewed By Cward - Des Moines, IS | Traveled to Mexico
Judi has wonderful recommendations! We just booked our second trip and she made the process so easy and gave us a nice variety of destination options.
Judi Faas responded
"Thank you so much! "
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
4 of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YES|NO
Just exactly what we were looking for
Reviewed By Pemerson - Cedar Falls, Ia | Traveled to Mexico
Amazing
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
9 of 16 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.
Certified Leisure Travel Specialist: During this certification program Travel Agents study several key components including: Sales and Service, Cruise Sales, Destination and Lifestyle Knowledge,  Programs and Preferred Supplier Knowledge. This is a two year study program.
A Honeymoon Wishes Agent provides the only full service honeymoon registry for couples that expect a higher standard for their wedding.
Certified Travel Specialst
Event Planner Minor Univeristy of Northern Iowa
Minor in Tourism - University of Northern Iowa
Tourism and Event Planning UNI
University of Northern IA Tourism Certification
University of Northern IA Event Planning Cert.
NCL Specialist
Mexico Tourism Specialist
St. Lucia Destination Speicalist
AmResorts Specialist
Mexico Destination Speicalist
Mexico Speicalist
Royal Caribbean Specialist
Sandals Certified Weddingmoon Specialist
St. Lucia Tourism Specialist
St. Lucia Specialist
Costa Rica Tourism Specialist
Jamaica Destination Speicalist
Carnival Specialist
Certified Sandals Specialist
Cost Rica Destination Specialist
Costa Rica Specialist
Princess Commodore- Specialist

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

Anniversary Trip
View Album

    My Travel Stories

    Intergenerational Cruise

    A shorter cruise experience on the perfect ship and cruise line can make all the difference in the enjoyment of your trip.  We chose a larger ship with enough activities and shows to keep a 5 year old entertained, as well as a 40 something and 60 something.  This cruise did not disappoint. Water park and slides for the grand daughter and a magic...
    Read more

    Extra Anniversary Touches

    Anniversary Celebration in Paradise

    Celebrating 40 years of marriage is a milestone and calls for a memorable and special vacation experience.  Travel can be complicated without calling on a trusted planner to assist and find a romantic and idyllic destination and resort.  Spending the last 12 years planning romantic vacations, honeymoons and destinations weddings I knew exactly w...
    Read more

    The Epic in port - St. Lucia

    Holiday Epic Cruise - Southern Caribbean

    The southern Caribbean itineraries are a favorite.  There are several departure points but we love to cruise out of San Juan since it gives up some extra beach days to enjoy.  I have sailed the Epic in the past on a Mediterranean cruise and enjoy the many ship offerings including the largest spa at sea, the dining rooms, special restaurants, adu...
    Read more

    Fiora Town

    Adriatic Cruise-Greek Islands, Montenegro, Croatia

    Cruising the Adriatic sea provides an opportunity to unpack once and visit multiple islands and countries. Staying a couple days in Venice on each end is a must to experience the charm of Venice and surrounding islands, as well as the surrounding areas of Italy.  We ported at Montenegro after gliding through a long channel with magnificent mount...
    Read more

    Venice and Dolomites

    A pre-cruise tour of the Dolomite Mountains is a must do.  The Dolomite mountains are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and may be Europe's most beautiful range of mountains.  You will travel through miles of vineyards and through mountain tunnels on a sometimes curvy highway in search of these beautiful mountains.  There are numerous stops at sceni...
    Read more

    Client Testimonials

    Amazing Greek Honeymoon
    Thank you for being on top of things and so responsive before and during our trip! We had an AMAZING time! Athens- Our hotel rooftop bar had an amazing view of the Acropolis. We really enjoyed the walking tour the first night - it was nice to be introduced to the city by foot before exploring on our own. Mykonos- We were treated like royalty at our hotel and was our favorite hotel on the trip. We really enjoyed the South Coast Tour because it allowed us to explore more of the island and the beaches without paying for the hotel shuttle. Santorini- The hotel was a good location and was a short walk from Fira which had restaurants, shopping, and amazing views of the caldera. We had a wonderful honeymoon and created memories we will never forget! THANK YOU so much for being so accommodating with us and creating a wonderful itinerary! We really appreciate it! :)
    B & B Fayette, IA
    Flawless
    Just wanted to take a moment to thank you! Our trip was flawless and amazing! We made a lot of very fun memories. The staff at the resort were incredible and always helpful. The resort was beautiful. I will definitely recommend you to all friends/family for their travel needs! We will also be looking forward to traveling again in the near future! Thank you for everything!
    NIkki W. - Waterloo, IA
    Personal Touch and Attention to Detail
    A trip to Disney world is the second vacation we have planned through Judi. After both planning trips on our own and using a different travel agency there is no question we will be using her from here on out. Judi’s attention to detail, quick response time, and personal touch she gives to us every step of the way is outstanding. We feel fortunate that Judi is our travel agent. It truly has made vacation planning easier, and the actual trips themselves more enjoyable.
    Craig G, Waverly, IA
    Perfect Honeymoon
    You were by far the best choice I ever made during my honeymoon planning. You made everything so easy and stress free. I would recommend you to ANYONE. Thank you for making our honeymoon so perfect.
    E Russell
    Honeymoon was a Blast!
    We had so much fun on our honeymoon!!! It was a BLAST! It was great working with you, thank you for booking a great trip for us! Also, the package you sent was really cute with the candles and lip gloss! We will definitely be booking with you in the future. Thanks again!
    Tricia and Aaron K, Waterloo, Iowa
    Great Honeymoon Planning
    Thank you for all your help and planning and getting us through this. I am happy that I chose you as our travel agent, and you certainly earned a returning customer. Thanks!
    Sean H. Cedar Rapids, IA
    Destination Wedding Success!
    For my destination wedding in the Dominican Republic, I wanted to do the least amount of planning possible. I wanted somebody to do all the work and just tell me what to do. That's exactly what Judi did. I told her what I wanted and she went above and beyond to get it all set up. She always got back to me right away anytime I had a question, as well as my guests. I never had to worry about anything. I would definitely go through her again for my next trip and would recommend her to anybody.
    Brodie C. - Waterloo, IA
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