Dream Vacations

Christine Pappin

Streamwood, IL
Christine & Gary Pappin
20 Years of Experience

Family and Group Travel Specialist

I have always had a passion for travel. My passion has become a family tradition that has only grown over the years. From trips with my husband and child at least once a year, to now including trips with our grandchildren. In 2005, I decided to turn my passion into a business, began my adventure in the travel industry, and have never looked back. I love helping my clients see the world and all it has to offer, and maybe even starting new family traditions along the way.   Having visited 66 countries on 5 continents, and having traveled on more than 75 cruises via 15 different cruise lines plus several land tours, I have extensive valuable travel experience that allows me to better serve my clients. I have worked hard to establish a large ne ...

Testimonials I've Received

My favorite Galapagos travel memory

"Chris is an extremely knowledgeable and professional travel professional. She is my go-to person for all of my vacation planning and execution. Chris adds tremendous value by keeping me informed on new options and offers. She does a fantastic job recommending options based on my preferences and constraints. If you seek an honest, hard-working travel planner who is willing to share her personal travel experiences, look no further than Chris. She has earned and re-earned my business many times over." Andy K.

"Christine was great! She was always available for questions and any advice she gave us, was right on the money! Her Bon Voyage gift in our stateroom was a very thoughtful touch!"   Jill G.

Areas of Expertise
Certificates & Awards
CLIA Master Cruise Counselor (MCC)
Certified Alaska Specialist
Princess Commodore
Royal Caribbean Master of Adventure
Celebrity Learning Graduate
My Travel Stories
Alaska the Last Frontier
I’d always had a dream of experiencing Alaska, the Last Frontier, and that desire was first fulfilled in May 2000.   My husband had extended time off from work and we booked a cruisetour on Celebrity Cruises.  An Alaskan cruisetour is a type of vacation that involves taking a cruise ship through the...
Hunting for Northern Lights
This story is about a journey which started in Oslo, Norway, continued by rail to Bergen, then sailed from there past the Arctic Circle to Kirkenes, and returned to Bergen.  It was a 12-night Norwegian Coastal Classic Voyage on Hurtigruten Vesteralen that began in late February several years ago.  L...
A World of Waterways
When I became a vacation specialist in 2005, I’d been cruising the oceans for twenty years and loving it.  Shortly after that, I learned about another mode of vacation travel – river cruising.   I’m a firm believer in learning as much about the industry and travel products as possible in order to be...
All-Inclusive Resort Stay - Cancun, Mexico
Congratulations! If you are reading this page, odds are that you are starting to plan a dream vacation for yourself, family, and perhaps friends.  My hope is that my experiences will help you narrow down what vacation is right for you. For those who want a hassle-free, relaxing vacation with lots of...
How My Love for Cruising Started
Do you remember your first cruise?  If you’ve not cruised before, do you recall an early trip you took with your family?   Vacations are all about making memories. Windjammer Barefoot cruises operated out of Miami, Florida back in the 80s when we took our first cruise. We had no intention of going o...
Land Beyond Expectations
Over one hundred fifty years ago, a man wrote about his quest that took him to a place where he would discover how life evolved thousands of years ago.  Travel with us as we follow in his footsteps and relive our adventure to a land that is inhabited by species that can be found nowhere else on eart...
My Photo Albums & Videos
Advisor Albums
My Travel Experiences
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.
Client Testimonials
First-time Cruiser
First Cruise ever and Chris and Gary made it most enjoyable for us. We were lucky enough to travel with them and they made it a trip to be remembered as they pretty much walked us through everything we needed to do ahead of time and on board. Thank you Chris and Gary for everything.
– Marianne C, Bartlett, IL
Five Cruises and Counting
Chris goes above and beyond every time! She is very knowledgeable and is very helpful in planning vacations!
– Trisha S, South Elgin, IL
Multiple Cruise Vacations
I've booked 2 vacations with Chris and each has been a wonderful experience. The latest was booking a Cruise. In 1 afternoon, the Cruise, excursion, flights, and hotel were booked. Extremely pleased and highly recommend.
– Mark C, Roselle, IL
Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value
Christine and Gary Pappin were able to find us an excellent deal on a cruise. We simply told them the dates we had off, our spending budget and what stops we were most interested in making and they found the perfect vacation for us. They are extremely responsive whenever you email them an inquiry and work hard to ensure you are completely satisfied. I will be calling them up whenever I am planning a vacation.
– Karen D, Mount Prospect, IL
River Cruising Education
Working with Chris and her husband was the first time we'd ever used a travel agent. Not only did they take all the stress off of us, but we learned a lot about the various options that were out there for us in the world of travel that we didn't know of - and we thought we knew a lot. They were thorough and great to work with.
– Courtney M, Denver, CO.
Exploring Canada by Rail
Gary and Christine provided us with outstanding service. Their prime consideration was to tailor their work to precisely what we wanted. They provided connections, options, and advice that would have taken us a lot of time to research online. And then they gathered the entire itinerary into a portfolio putting in one place all of the important details. We would most highly recommend their agency.
– James F, Streamwood, IL
Happy Repeat Cruising Family
I've had the pleasure of having Christine and Gary help me with more than a few cruises now. They've been able to help me navigate the cancel / re-book process that we unfortunately fell into and made sure we eventually ended up where we wanted to be. They've also been able to guide me on selecting cabins and ships that best suit our family, even making recommendations based on our preferences when I forget that we have certain ones. We've had excellent experiences with the cruises we've already completed, with one more already booked and the thought process started as to what we are going to do next. We'll be coming back to Gary and Christine for those future ones too.
– Elizabeth B, Poway, CA
Feasting in the Caribbean
Chris and Gary are absolutely the best travel agents we have ever worked with. After taking a cruise we booked direct with a line last year, we were unhappy with the service provided at the level of suite we booked. Both my wife and I were raised old school and appreciate the elevated service levels and finer experiences that are available if you are ok spending to receive said experiences. That said, all I had to do was explain what I wanted, and expected, and give my budget, and Chris and Gary set up exactly what we wanted on a line (Royal Caribbean in this case) that would deliver the experience we were looking for. They have since booked even better experiences on new ships and destinations for us later in 2022 and into 2023, and will continue to do so for us as long as we can afford to play, and they're in business. We very much appreciate the extra effort they take on each booking. Can't wait to sail on Beyond in November, and see Alaska in 2023 with their help.
– Clark M, Moultonborough, NH