TRAVELANDLEISURE.COM 95
Our specialists can guide you to
the most luxurious safari lodges,
such as Singita Mara River Tented
Camp, in Tanzania.about 600 honeymoons
and 35 weddings per year,
like a ceremony at La Pause,
a hotel outside Marrakesh,
and a medieval-themed
celebration at the Resort at
Pedregal, in Cabo San Lucas.
Additional specialty: pet
travel; minimum daily spend:
$500; 212-340-0316;
thetravel [email protected].LGBTQ TRAVEL
John Clifford
Clifford crafts itineraries
that are anything but
cookie-cutter. His industry
contacts result in benefits
like suites in sold-out hotels
and guides vetted for their
lgbtq-friendliness. He once
paired an interior decorator
client with celebrity
tastemakers in India for a
personal design session.
Additional specialties:
destination celebrations and
multigenerational travel;
minimum daily spend: $500;
619-299-2359; john@
international travel
management.com.David Rubin
Rubin’s lgbtq clients rely on
him to provide safe access to
destinations around the
world, including countries
with unwelcoming laws. He
travels to places like Oman,
Bhutan, and the U.A.E. to
meet locals and connect
them with clients, thus
building understanding and
compassion. Additional
specialties: private-jet travel
and destination celebrations;
minimum daily spend: $500;
949-427-0199; david@david
travel.com.OVER-THE-TOP TRIPS
Chad Clark
Around-the-world jet trips,
luxury safari lodges, private
islands: Clark’s bread and
butter is the highest of high-
end travel. He arrangesprivate yachts and helicopter
tours—often to some of the
most remote landscapes on
earth—for travelers who
desire rare and distinctive
experiences. Additional
specialties: family travel,
adventure travel, and golf
travel; minimum daily spend:
$3,000 per person; 602-266-
4000; cclark@chad clark
travel.com.SMALL CRUISE SHIPS
Mary Curry
Curry plans adventures to
booming destinations—like
Iceland and Croatia—and
partners with such expedition
lines as Quark, Lindblad, and
Ponant. Her clients enjoy
luxurious accommodations,
including special dining
options and lounges, in
some of the world’s most
rugged environments.
Additional specialties: family
travel and adventure travel;
minimum daily spend: $250;
406-540-1901; mary.c@
adventure-life.com.Betsy Patton
Patton can rattle off the pros
and cons of a bed facing
starboard or port. As an
industry veteran, she
leverages her broad
institutional knowledge and
firsthand experience to
organize cruising adventures
to destinations as close as
the Caribbean and as far-
flung as the Mekong River in
Southeast Asia. Additional
specialty: destination
celebrations; minimum daily
spend: $1,000 per person;
239-260-4011; bpatton@
dt.com.Valerie Wilson
Wilson, who has been in the
business for close to four
decades, serves on
numerous travel advisory
boards and spends at least
one week each month
traveling the world. Shefocuses her attention on
booking trips in Europe and
Asia; last year, she planned a
12-day wine tour of the best
houses in Bordeaux for one
couple. Additional specialties:
family travel and destination
celebrations; minimum daily
spend: none; 212-532-3400;
[email protected].SMALL AND
MEDIUM CRUISE
SHIPS
Mary Ann Ramsey
Ramsey has sailed on every
luxury line and can secure a
ship’s best-located cabin, in
addition to arranging private
shore excursions. She plans at
least 150 trips per year, and
snags spots on the most
in-demand cruises. Additional
specialty: small-group travel
on land; minimum daily spend:
$1,000 per person; 800-865-
8111; maryann@betty maclean
travel.com.Marcella Rappoport
Any time a luxury ship debuts,
Rappoport is one of the first
on board. She’s dedicated to
researching the best
experiences for clients and is
known for going the extra
mile—she’ll secure coveted
staterooms on sold-out
ships. Additional specialty:
multigenerational travel;
minimum daily spend: $1,000;
212-329-7260; mrappoport@
ovation travel.com.LARGE, MEDIUM,
AND SMALL CRUISE
SHIPS
Ruth Turpin
Turpin has been on hundreds
of cruises since she founded
her company, Cruises Etc.,
more than 40 years ago. Her
deep knowledge of the
industry allows her to
compare cabin sizes and
scope out the best shipboard
locations. She’s also a pro at
optimizing the time before
and after your cruise—she
can set up illuminating tours
in port cities. Additional
specialty: river cruises;
minimum daily spend: $500
per person; 817-732-6991;
ruth@cruises etc travel.com.SAFARIS
Craig Beal
Safari travel runs in Beal’s
blood. His mother founded
Travel Beyond, the firm he
now owns, in 1975. His
encyclopedic knowledge
makes him stand out: he has
visited every ecosystem in
Botswana in every season,
and has visited nearly every
safari lodge there. Additional
specialties: southern Africa
and East Africa; minimum
daily spend: $1,000 per
person; 952-540-4101;
craigb@travel beyond.com.Sandy Cunningham
Cunningham was born in
COURTESY OF SINGITA MARA RIVER CAMP South Africa, spent her