(29 Reviews)
100% Recommended

Laurie Passard

Grand Rapids, MN

Ocean and River Cruise Specialist

AmaWaterways Rhine River Cruise
AmaWaterways Rhine River Cruise

From the very moment I stepped onto my first flight, I knew a career in travel was destined for me. I've been a travel agent for over 42 years now, and my enthusiasm for crafting the perfect travel experience has only grown. Whether it's designing a detailed itinerary that turns a trip into an unforgettable journey, or exploring multiple destinations on a luxurious cruise, I thrive on bringing these dreams to life.  Cruising is a particular joy of mine, it's a wonderful way to soak in varied landscapes and cultures. Yet, I equally cherish the opportunity to immerse myself in a single destination, where having a few more days of exploration can richly reward the curious traveler.  Are you dreaming of basking on sun-kissed beaches, sailing the skies in a hot air balloon over the vineyards outside of Melbourne, Australia, fishing for salmon and halibut in the pristine waters of Alaska, or skiing down the pristine slopes of the Swiss Alps followed by a scenic train journey across Switzerland? Or perhaps, envisioning yourself leisurely floating past majestic castles along the Rhine River on a memorable river cruise?  Whatever your travel aspirations, I'm here to facilitate your every step, ensuring your vacation is nothing short of spectacular.

My Travel Albums

Cunard Queen Elizabeth Alaskan Cruise
Beautiful Queen Elizabeth

Customer Testimonials

Family Caribbean Cruise Vacation

We worked with Laurie to take our first cruise with our 5 children. There were so many hiccups and we (personally) booked our return flight on the wrong day! Laurie was able to help us find tickets for less than the original, made sure all of our shuttles were taken care of, hotels booked and more. I would never have been able to do this all on my own (without losing my mind). Thankfully we had Laurie to help us a long the way. We will definitely be working with Travel Leaders again.
Stacey O, Grand Rapids, MN

Memorable Belize Vacation

Laurie (and daughter) were the key to helping us make a decision on our recent vacation to Belize. The planning was handled seamlessly and left nothing for us to do or wonder what's next!! Laurie sent us a little organizer with our complete itinerary which was super handy. Everything that was booked for us, from the lodging, transportation, multiple resorts/location, activities etc...wow it was all planned and we literally didn't have to worry about a thing it was just done. Laurie had all of this very well vetted and there were NO surprises at any point, another great experience working with Laurie
Jon and Alex C, Two Harbors, MN

Amazing Costa Rican Sunset Wedding!

Thanks for all you did, Laurie! To coordinate a destination wedding flawlessly in less than 6 months was not something we could have done on our own. Our 20 guests felt their questions were answered fully, and they expressed appreciation for the extra attention to details. It was a beautiful venue, ceremony, dinner and reception. We couldn't be happier!
Greg & Corey, Grand Rapids, MN

Queen Mary II Cruise from New York to Southampton

Thanks so much for all your help getting our travels squared away. I have to say that the shift from flying to Europe to Cruising for 7 lovely days being pampered on a British ship was a highlight. Although a 20 year old vessel, the facilities were impeccable, clean and comfortable. Both the evening sit-down dinners and the buffet breakfasts and lunches were excellent. The entertainment seemed nearly non-stop, informative lectures, movies, broadway like shows, etc. I particularly liked "Churchills" the cigar lounge on the 9th deck up forward. This is a very civilized means of travel. Although a large ocean liner, we never felt crowded. Our plan now is to book a two or three-week cruise, to see if we should consider a longer round-the-world event. If one has the time, I would suggest that cruising is the only way to go. Oh, I should add that the three weeks in Portugal was also a treat. The flight home was seamless.
Linda and Pat, Grand Rapids, MN

Trip of a Lifetime with a Private Driver!

Nick and I would like to thank you so much for arranging our trip to England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. It was a trip of a lifetime! Our private drivers were the best and our trip was coordinated flawlessly! Our trip was filled with wonderful memories and we certainly could not have been able to do it without your expertise. The trip was absolutely perfect. We are looking forward to working with you to arrange another trip for us. Thank you for everything Laurie!
Nick and Kathy A, Grand Rapids, MN

Great Partner in my Destination Wedding Journey

Laurie was a great partner in my destination wedding journey. She helped to finalize the selection of resorts and had inside knowledge to help steer us in the right direction that would be a great spot for our wedding, but also a good balance for our wedding guests experience as well. She was also a helpful in finding out details about the resort and connecting me to the wedding planner onsite at the resort Finally she was available and supportive the week of the wedding to ensure everyone got where they needed to be and was making sure as the bride I was all set! Thank you Laurie
Krista L, Chicago, IL

The Natural Wonders of Iceland

I have thought alot about the quality of my vacation and the fact that I was changing my mind alot about what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go. However, you were not intimidated by my requests and everything went well. Insight Vacations gave me more information about my Iceland trip than any other tour company I have traveled with. They were very complete and our Tour Director was well-versed in the information he gave us. I would recommend this tour and I thoroughly enjoyed the trip! I especially appreciate all of the work that you did for me as my first tour was cancelled and you found this Iceland Trip that would work with my same dates I was planning on traveling.
RP, Virginia, MN

Beautiful Mexico Destination Wedding!

Thank you Laurie for booking our destination wedding at the Riu Palace in Cabo San Lucas. We had a great time. The resort was beautiful and the service was amazing.
Cheryl & Ed, Grand Rapids, MN

Mexico Destination Wedding Success!

Lena and I would like to thank you so much for handing our trip to Mexico. Everyone had such a great time and we would have not been able to do it without your help. To get all 40 people coordinated was a saving grace for us. We really appreciate all the help you gave us and the flexibility that booking with you offered us. You will always be a bright spot when we think about our destination wedding and how smooth everything went. Thank you for everything Laurie!
Pat and Lena, Minnesota

My Reviews

18 of 26 people found this review helpful
A great surprise for our friend's birthday
Very thorough, knowledgeable and helpful.
By  Stephen  from  Grand Rapids, MN
Traveled to  Cancun ~ Quintana Roo ~ Mexico
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends

Laurie Passard responded:
Its always a pleasure working with you! So glad you kept your trip to Mexico a surprise and that you felt safe with all the health protocols in place.

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11 of 14 people found this review helpful
Totally rejuvenated in Mexico!
She was very responsive, kind, and through in her work with us. I’d definitely work with Laurie again!
By  Michelle  from  Grand Rapids, MN
Traveled to  Cancun ~ Quintana Roo ~ Mexico
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends

Laurie Passard responded:
Thank you, it was my pleasure working with you! So happy you enjoyed your trip to Cancun!

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14 of 22 people found this review helpful
Best honeymoon ever!
Laurie is very thorough and she responded to my emails and phone calls promptly. She planned our whole trip and everything went smoothly because of her.
By  Megan  from  Grand Rapids, MN
Traveled to  Jamaica ~ Caribbean
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends

Laurie Passard responded:
So fun to work with both of you on your Honeymoon plans and I was glad you were so flexible in all the changes that happened due to Covid. Congrats again on your marriage!

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29 of 52 people found this review helpful
A Wonderful Experience!!!
Laurie was a joy to work with. She set up all of our itinerary and events without a hitch and was ever so responsive and genuinely interested in our trip and satisfaction.....The Best experience I've had with a Travel Agency in the past 20 years! Highly recommend!
By  Bill M  from  Chandler, Az
Traveled to  Las Vegas ~ Nevada ~ USA
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
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7 of 11 people found this review helpful
Perfection in the planning
Wonderful and always ahead of schedule , working with Laurie was nothing but stress free right down to getting us the tickets to shows in the area before we got there!.. n front row seats were waiting for us.. our trip could not have gone better n the time she took checking in on us as our trip progressed and asking if we needed anything… who does that!? …Laurie does!.. as we waited for our last flight we were already talking about the next trip because she made this so easy ..will be booking again!
By  3 generations  from  Grand Rapids Minnesota
Traveled to  Nashville ~ Tennessee ~ USA
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends

Laurie Passard responded:
I really enjoyed helping you plan this trip with your Mom and son!

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Destination Expert:

  • United Kingdom
  • Europe
  • Belize
  • Alaska
  • Switzerland

Travel Specialist:

  • River Cruises
  • Luxury Cruises
  • Cruises
  • Couples & Romance
  • Escorted Tours

Top Travel Partners:

  • Viking
  • CIE Tours
  • Rocky Mountaineer
  • Oceania Cruises
  • Palace Company

Certifications/Awards:

  • Acredited Cruise Counselor
  • River Cruise Specialist

Industry Affiliations:

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