Suburban Journals Story: Just Cruises

Headline: Land or Sea, What Shall It Be?
Subhead: Whatever Your Next Adventure, Be Sure to Book Through Just Cruises

Whether traveling on land or sea, don’t take another vacation without consulting Just Cruises in St. Peters first. The award-winning agency recently combined forces with Cave Springs Travel, and now both teams offer a combined 116 years of travel industry experience all under one roof.

“We have the power and the knowledge to make our clients’ vacations the best value for their dollars,” said Linda Bosch, owner/master cruise counselor for Just Cruises.

She and her husband Jerry, who’s also a master cruise counselor, founded Just Cruises from their home in 1991 and opened a storefront in St. Charles a year and a half later to better service their quickly growing customer base. They moved the business to its current location at 521 Salt Lick Road two years ago and recently acquired Cave Springs Travel, a company founded by veteran travel agent Melba Brickner.

With their extensive expertise, Brickner, who has 43 years of experience in the travel industry, and Linda Bosch, who has 41, deliver the best service in the area when it comes to planning a vacation—whether land or sea. “We are the two oldest and best travel agents in St. Charles County,” Linda Bosch said.

The entire team, in fact, is well versed in a variety of aspects of the travel industry. Whether a destination wedding or an Alaskan cruise, they handle every last detail to ensure a fun and headache-free trip.

The Just Cruises’ office features a warm and welcoming atmosphere filled with couches, travel posters and nautical-themed decorations. Agents devote tons of personalized service to each client. “We know our customers by first name,” Linda Bosch said, adding that Just Cruises has worked with many generations of families.

The benefits of booking a vacation, tour or cruise through Just Cruises as opposed to going directly through a cruise line or the Internet are numerous, she said. For starters, there’s the comfort of meeting with travel agents in person and knowing the business is legitimate. “We’re right here,” Linda Bosch said in reference to the storefront. “People can come in and see us.”

Oftentimes, Just Cruises can save clients money, as agents have access to special discounts and know how to find good rates. Agents are not paid through inflated airline tickets or other travel fares but by the cruise lines, so there are no extra fees attached.

“We give people the best value for their dollar,” Linda Bosch said. “We are extremely competitive when it comes to pricing. Most of the time, we meet or beat prices.”

Oftentimes, Just Cruises can give certain amenities, such as shipboard credits, and recommend best shore excursions and other activities.

Customers that cruise more than five times receive a special gift: a charm for women and lapel for men. And, if there are 16 or more in a cruise group, they can earn a free bed on the ship. Just Cruises also offers special incentives for businesses that want to give travel packages as gifts.

Before clients embark on a trip, Just Cruises ensures they have the information they need. Agents passes along helpful travel tips, such as what types of clothes to pack for a cruise or what caliber hotels to stay at overseas. “If we don’t have the answers, we know where to get them from,” Linda Bosch said.

Another benefit is that Just Cruises offers travel insurance, which agents highly recommend, so clients don’t lose all of their money if something comes up that prevents them from taking a trip.

If clients can’t make it to Just Cruises’ office to plan a vacation, the business offers home and business consultations, in which agents will conduct a presentation, distribute brochures and other informational items and answer questions.

Oftentimes, family, friend, neighbor or senior citizen groups will book cruise parties to build excitement about a trip and get people on board. Businesses host Learn and Lunch Seminars to find out more about travel packages for employees. Just Cruises creates and provides all of the special materials for the groups. 

Several open houses are held throughout the year, including some for first-time cruisers. Just Cruises also assembles a group every year for an Alaskan Cruise Tour. Next year’s tour—the 16th annual—is scheduled for June 14. The trip spans 14 days, with six nights on land and seven on a cruise ship. For those who can’t commit to the entire time, Just Cruises can customize the tour, so it includes fewer days.

The Alaskan Cruise Tour offers a rare opportunity to experience the state’s local culture, as travelers stay two nights in a log cabin in Kenai—something few Alaskan tours include. The trip usually attracts 45 to 65 people every year. Space is still available but filling fast.

European tours and packages also are available and can be personalized. Add to the list of possibilities Mediterranean cruises for seven, 10, 12 and 14-day trips, Panama Canal adventures and tours of Australia and New Zealand—two popular destinations these days. Brickner specializes in race adventures, and destination weddings are handled by Rachel Bowers, who knows all of the ins and outs.

Much of the staff’s experience comes from extensive travel. Linda Bosch, for instance, has been on more than 170 cruises, and she’s escorted 130 people in the Mediterranean. Her resume boasts a lengthy list of accomplishments and accolades.

Linda Bosch is a Certified Travel Consultant (CTC) and a Designated Specialist (DS). She’s a Sandals and Princess Academy certified expert, a commodore with Princess Cruises and a graduate of the College of Disney Knowledge. Just Cruises is one out of two authorized Disney planners in the St. Louis-metropolitan area. Linda Bosch also interprets for the deaf.

Brickner, a CTC and DS, has received many notable awards, including the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce Small Business Person of the Year Award in 1983 and the Athena Award, an honor that recognizes top female entrepreneurs, in 1985.

In 1994, Just Cruises received the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) award for Excellence in promoting and selling cruises. In 2000, Just Cruises entered the Winners Circle with Carnival Cruise Lines as one of the top 100 agencies in the United States selling Carnival Cruises. The business received the award again in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005.

Just Cruises also is an active member of Vacation.com, a leading leisure travel marketing organization that serves a network of more than 5,100 travel agency locations throughout the United States and Canada.