Custom Cruises LLC
9963 Hascall Street
Omaha NE 68124
(402) 393-3436
(877) 393-3436 [toll free]
(402) 393-3557 [fax]
Owners & Manager
Jerry & Mary Ann Strasheim ACC
The road to a successful business has many routes and for Mary Ann Strasheim the foundation was laid by raising five children to adulthood, spending 35 years as a ‘professional’ volunteer, traveling throughout the world, and working for a cruise only agency.
After working for three years as an outside agent, Mary Ann opened Custom Cruises LLC in September of 1998. Early on she realized she wanted to be associated with a consortium that would provide the contacts and professional marketing materials that would give Custom Cruises LLC the professional image and the ability to provide ‘the best travel experience’ for her clients. After researching her options she joined GIANTS in November of 1998. She quickly became an active member of the organization and in 2000 participated on a panel on the topic of ‘GIANTS SELECT Success Stories’ at the National Conference. In 2002 she was invited to become a member of the National Marketing Committee. In 2004 GIANTS changed its name to Ensemble Travel and in 2005 Mary Ann was invited to participate at the organizations second International Conference as a panel member on ‘Marketing Success Stories’. She continues as a member of the National Marketing Committee and also serves on the Regional Marketing Committee for the Mid West Region. Mary Ann has also taken advantage of the many educational seminars offered by CLIA and has attained her ACC accreditation.
Travel is knowledge for any travel consultant and the experience is vital to be able to recommend and plan travel for others. Mary Ann was fortunate to have traveled extensively before she became involved in the industry. She has visited almost every state and major city in the United States including Hawaii and Alaska. She has visited every continent except Antarctica (which she plans to visit soon). And has sailed on most of the oceans, seas, rivers, and lakes throughout the world.
In North America she has visited Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Panama. While sailing in the Caribbean, she has visited Aruba, Curacao, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Antigua, Barbados, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, San Blas Islands, Bahamas, and Bermuda. In South America she has visited Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. In Africa she has visited Egypt, Namibia and South Africa. In Asia she has visited India, Turkey, Oman, UAE, Muscat, Bali, and New Guinea. She has visited Australia and New Zealand. In Europe she has visited England, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Croatia, Greece and many of the Greek Isles, Malta, the Netherlands, Russia, Estonia, Sweden, Finland and Denmark.
In most countries she has visited the capitols or major cities including: Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa, London, Oxford, Paris, Berlin, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Rome, Gibraltar, Frankfurt, Munich, Marbella and the Costa del Sol area, Madrid, Seville, Lisbon, Istanbul, Athens, Dubai, New Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Luxor, Cairo, Cape Town, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Sydney, Cairns, Darwin, Auckland, Queenstown, Christchurch, and Singapore.
Extended visits to Europe have included skiing in Italy, weeks in Oxford and London and Paris, extended visits to Germany, its villages, and the German countryside, a motor tour of Spain and an excursion from London to Innsbruck on the Venice Simplon-Orient Express.
Mary Ann and Jerry took their first cruise in 1990 from New York City to Halifax round trip for her Mother’s 80th birthday celebration on the Queen Elizabeth 2. (It was also the 150th Anniversary sailing for Cunard!). Since then they have both cruised throughout the world. Those cruises, cruise lines and ships were:
- 1992-Athens to Istanbul-Renaissance-Regina Renaissance (this ship is now with Clipper Cruise Line as the Clipper Odyssey)
- 1994-Rome to Copenhagen-Royal Viking Sun-Royal Viking Sun (this ship is now with Holland America Line as the ms Prinsendam)
- 1995-Ft. Lauderdale to Lisbon-Holland America Line-ms Maasdam (this transatlantic cruise included stops in Bermuda and the Azores)
- 1997-Rome to Athens-Crystal Cruises-Crystal Harmony
- 1997-Memphis to New Orleans-Delta Queen Steamboat Co-American Queen
- 1996-Southampton to New York City-Cunard-QE2 (this crossing included accommodations in the Queen’s Grill Suites and was preceded by a pre crossing flight from NYC to London on the Concorde)
- 1997-San Juan, Puerto Rico RT-Celebrity Cruises-Galaxy
- 1998-Rio de Janeiro to Buenos Aires-Silversea Cruises-Silver Cloud (this cruise included post cruise tour to the Falls of Iguazu in South America)
- 1998-Portland, OR RT down the Columbia River to Idaho-Queen of the West Steamboat Company-Queen of the West
- 1999-Brownville to Galveston on Texas Inland Waterways-American River Barge Co- ms River Explorer
- 1999-Mumbai to Athens-Silversea Cruises-Silver Cloud (this cruise included a pre cruise tour of India and extended land tour in Egypt during the cruise)
- 1999-St. Paul to St. Louis-Delta Queen Steamboat Co-Mississippi Queen
- 1999-Millenium Cruise RT out of Ft. Lauderdale to the Eastern Caribbean-Holland America Line-ms Volendam
- 2000-Sydney to Bali-Silversea Cruises-Silver Cloud (this cruise included a pre cruise tour of New Zealand)
- 2000-Vancouver to Seattle-Norwegian Cruise Line-Norwegian Sky (this was a 2 night inaugural sailing and we were guests of Norwegian Cruise Line)
- 2000-Toronto to Chicago-Great Lakes Cruise Company-Le Levant (this was a wonderful relaxing cruise and great way to see the interior waterways of our great country!)
- 2000-Boston RT-Holland American Line- ms Amsterdam-(this was a 2 night inaugural sailing and we were guests of Holland America Line)
- 2001-Miami RT-Norwegian Cruise Line-Norwegian Sun & Norwegian Star-(this was a 3 night inaugural sailing, we spent one night on the Star and two nights on the Sun. It was the first time that two ships were christened at the same time. We were guests of Norwegian Cruise Line.)
- 2001-Rio de Janeiro to Cape Town-Silversea Cruises-Silver Shadow (this Southern transatlantic cruise included stops at Ascension Island, St. Helena’s Island and Walvis Bay, Namibia)
- 2001-Phildelphia to Norfolk-Coastal Voyager-Cape May Light (this cruise of the Chesapeake Bay included wonderful stops each day in historic ports. This wonderful little cruise line went into Bankruptcy shortly after as it was part of the Delta Queen Steamboat company)
- 2002-Panama Canal Cruise, Costa Rica to Aruba-Radisson Seven Seas Cruises-Radisson Diamond
- 2002-Barcelona to Venice-The World of ResidenSea-The World (this was the inaugural sailing of the new ship that is a ‘home away from home’. All the accommodations are apartments that are owned as permanent or second homes. We were guests of the cruise line in a two bedroom apartment. The ship is magnificent!)
- 2002-Port Canaveral RT-Disney Cruise Line-Disney Wonder (this was a 3-day cruise we took with our grandchildren)
- 2002-Ft. Lauderdale RT-Holland America Line-ms Zuiderdam (this was a 2-day inaugural sailing, we were guests of Holland America)
- 2003-New York to Bermuda RT, Radisson Seven Seas Cruises-Radisson Navigator- We were the Ensemble Hosts for this cruise.
- 2003-Ft. Lauderdale RT-Holland America Line-ms Oosterdam-(this was a 2 night inaugural sailing, we were guests of Holland America Line.)
- 2004-Ft. Lauderdale to the Panama Canal RT-Cunard-Queen Mary 2- We were escorts for the Ensemble Hosted group on this 10 day cruise aboard this new and magnificent ship.
- 2004-New York City RT-Cunard-Queen Mary 2-This was a three day Mother’s Day cruise and we had accommodations in the Queen’s Grill. It was a wonderful experience with my Mother who was 94. It turned out to be her last cruise and seemed fitting as my first cruise with her was also on Cunard. That was 14 years earlier and with all the family for her 80th birthday.
- 2004-Vancouver to Seward-Radisson Seven Seas Cruises-Radisson Mariner-We were the escorts for the Ensemble Hosted group.
- 2004-Ft. Lauderdale RT-Holland America Line-ms Westerdam-(this was a 2 night inaugural sailing, we were guests of Holland America Line.)
- 2005-San Diego RT to the Mexican Riviera-Silversea Cruises-Silver Shadow-We hosted a golf group on this sailing.
- 2005-Port Liberty RT-Royal Caribbean Cruise Line-Enchantment of the Seas-We previewed this ship on a 2 night sailing while I attended an Ensemble National Marketing meeting. We were guests of Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.
- 2006-New York City RT-Holland America Line-ms Noordam-(this was a 2 night inaugural sailing, we were guests of Holland America Line.)
- 2006-Boston RT-Royal Caribbean Cruise Line-Freedom of the Seas-We previewed this ship on a 2 night sailing while I attended an Ensemble National Marketing meeting. We were guests of Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.
- 2007-Banff to Vancouver-Rocky Mountaineer-Gold Leaf Service-We previewed this train and service after I attended an Ensemble National Marketing meeting. We were guest of Fairmont Hotels and Rocky Mountaineer.
- 2007-Copenhagen to Stockholm-Silversea Cruises-Silver Shadow-We were escorts for the Ensemble Hosted group on this 7 day cruise. We spent 3 days docked in St. Petersburg and flew to Moscow for one of the days.
- 2007-Miami to Tampa-Azamara Cruises-Quest-We enjoyed a Penthouse Suite and a five day cruise to Mexico in October on this new Celebrity cruise line. Orginally we were to return to Miami, but because of Hurricane Noel we were diverted to Tampa.
- 2008-Anchorage, Alaska-Holland America Line-We were invited to attend the start of the 2008 Iditadrod on March 1. We flew into Anchorage on February 28 and visited the Hilton Hotel where they are upgrading all the accommodations. In the evening we attended the 'Mushers Banquet' with 2400 people from around the world! On Friday we took a motorcoach to Seward and spent the afternoon sailing in the Kenai Fjords seeing whales, sea lions, sea otters, eagles and more! That evening we had dinner on top of the mountain at the beautiful Alyeska Resort. Early Saturday morning we visited all the dogs and mushers on the streets of Anchorage before the race started. We had lunch at the Sheraton Hotel and were given a tour of all the renovations they will be doing to the hotel this year. Following the tour we visited the Native American museums. It was an exciting and fun three day visit! We returned home on Sunday.
In 2006 Custom Cruises LLC added ‘Travel’ to its name to better describe all it can offer it clients. The company is now doing business as ‘Custom Cruises & Travel’ and continues to grow. We invite you to preview our associates featured below as they can offer you expert service too. Ensemble Travel continues to play a major role in the company’s success. With the Ensemble Vacations brochure, On Location contacts, Hotel & Resort Collections, Ensemble Experiences & Hosted Cruises, Custom Cruises & Travel has the ability to offer its clients unparalleled opportunities and adventures.
Lisa Freeburg in Positano, Italy
Lisa Freeburg has been in the travel industry since 1983. She spent three years in a large agency, Younkers Travel, where she arranged all types of travel. In 1986 she went into the hotel industry where she was sales manager for the new Embassy Suites Hotel and then the new Residence Inn by Marriott in Omaha, NE. During that time she traveled quite extensively in the Caribbean and in Mexico where she owns property in Cabo San Lucas. She also enjoyed her first cruises with Carnival, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line and Celebrity Cruises.
In 2004 she joined Custom Cruises LLC as its first outside sale associate. She specializes in cruises and land travel and is an ‘extra effort’ agent with particular attention paid to details. She prides herself on providing her clients with the best value and travel experience. Since joining Custom Cruises LLC, she has cruised on Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Cunard, Silversea Cruises, Holland America Line, SeaDream Yacht Club, Windstar, Princess and the Yachts of Seabourn where she has gained expert knowledge of the ships and cruise lines. She and her husband have enjoyed hosting Ensemble Hosted Cruises and are looking forward to their assignments this summer in the Mediterranean. During the past 20 years she has traveled extensively in the continental United States and (in addition to the Caribbean and Mexico) has traveled to Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland and Russia.
Lisa also travels to pursue her interest in tennis where she plays competitively in USTA leagues at the 4.5 level. In addition she is an avid horsewoman and competes in Hunter/Jumper Horse Shows throughout the country. She and her husband and son reside in Omaha, NE. Lisa may be reached on her personal phone at 402-398-3338.
Simply put, Nancy O'Brien loves to travel! And what's more, she loves to share her adventures with others, helping to provide them with the times of their lives wherever the destination may be.
Nancy became hooked on traveling and seeing new sights when she was just 11 years old and with her mother and grandmother, visited the Worlds fair in New York City. Her first trip to Europe in 1975 solidified the knowledge that she was born to roam and she has been on the go ever since.
Eighty-eight countries later with many multiple visits to her favorite destinations (22 trips to Italy alone), Nancy is still seeking new adventures and plans to make South Africa and Zambia country number 89 and 90 in the summer of 2008. She makes a yearly visit to Italy and is always planning for the next trip and new adventure.
Although travel has always been an avocation, Nancy has been organizing and leading tour groups since 1978 and has taken over 30 groups to destinations in Europe, China, Tibet, Russia and more exotic locales as well. Her experience as an organizer and leader of tours has given her a keen understanding of what makes a trip special and she is always looking for and providing unique experiences for the participants in any of her groups.
In her 'day' job, Nancy O'Brien is President of i aware llc, a growing provider of CRM and other business intelligence solutions for community banks and credit unions. She has served as an elected member of the Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska and is involved in many community activities as well. She is delighted to become affiliated with Custom Cruises & Travel and invites you to inquire about her latest group tours! She may be reached on her cell phone anytime, 402-677-4427. She would love to hear from you!
John and Marcia Holdridge
Raised on a farm in the 50’s, the furthest thing from Marcia’s mind was travel. The farthest she had ever traveled until she was 19 was to Missouri and everywhere else seemed outside the imagination. Not to mention, geography was her least favorite subject while in High School. Marcia started her work career in the late 60’s in Omaha at Gibbs, Hill, Durham and Richardson, an engineering firm where she was their Administrative Assistant while at the same time continuing her studies part time at UNO. In a time prior to the large influx of travel agencies, Marcia set up a block ticketing account and went to school with United Airlines in order to handwrite airline tickets for the firm. Thoroughly enjoying this aspect of her job, it was then she took her first flight to Southern California and she was hooked!
In 1981 Marcia moved to Saudi Arabia with her husband. Following six weeks of major culture shock, Marcia turned the lemons of desert and this strange way of life into lemonade and a whole new cultural experience. Returning home after one year, Marcia wanted to start a business in the area where she grew up, returning something to the community where she lived as a child. In 1984 Mardic Tours and Travel, a full service travel agency was born and the county seat of Plattsmouth was to be its home. She changed the name in 1990 to marcia’s tours and focusing more on group travel. For each group tour, Marcia researches, plans and writes the brochures depicting each of her major tours. For the last 23 years, Marcia, and her husband John have escorted thousands of clients from 12 states, to over 30 countries and all 50 states. With everything from their ever-popular one-day Mystery Tours to 16 day European extravaganzas, they offer something for everyone.
Marcia’s belief in the Golden Rule has proven well over the years. She provides the same type of service that she herself expects and her clients have experienced this well over the years. With no signs of slowing down, 2008 has some of the most exciting tours to date coming up, including her 33rd trip to New York City, an Italian Lakes and Mediterranean cruise, the best of Branson’s Christmas and a number of the favorite Mystery tours!
Marcia’s desire has always been to not only give her clients what they pay for, but more – a wonderful experience and a truly good return on their investment! Please call her at 402-296-3356 anytime for more information on these special tours!
marcia’s upcoming 2008-2009 tour schedule
April 2008
April 29th – May 3rd SHIPSHEWANA, IN & HOLLAND, MI (Motorcoach Tour)
June 2008
June 1st & 2nd MESKWAKI CASINO (Motorcoach Tour)
June 13th – 16th NEW YORK CITY (Fly-In) – SOLD OUT
June 26th – 28th 3 DAY/2 NIGHT MYSTERY TOUR (Motorcoach Tour)
July 2008
July 9th – 20th CANADIAN ROCKIES highlighting Calgary Stampede, Lake Louise, Jasper, Banff & Glacier Nat’l Park (Motorcoach Tour)
August 2008
August 1st One Day MYSTERY TOUR (Motorcoach Tour)
September 2008
September 3rd - 7th AMANA COLONIES, HOUSE ON THE ROCK & WISCONSIN DELLS (Motorcoach Tour)
September 29th – October 4th ELK FESTIVAL @ ESTES PARK and the COLORADO ROCKIES (Motorcoach Tour)
October 2008
October 16th – 21st WASHINGTON DC (Fly-in Tour)
October 23rd MYSTERY TOUR (Motorcoach Tour)
October 27th & 28th MESKWAKI CASINO (Motorcoach Tour)
November 2008
November 7th – 18th ITALIAN LAKES AREA and MEDITERRANEAN CRUISE (Fly/Drive/Cruise)
December 2008
December 5th – 9th THE “BEST OF” BRANSON’S CHRISTMAS (Motorcoach Tour)
December 29th – January 3rd ROSE PARADE plus much more (Fly/Drive)
January 2009
January 25th – February 1st 7 NIGHT EXOTIC CARIBBEAN CRUISE - Grenada, Aruba, Bonaire, Dominica & St. Thomas (fly/cruise)
March 2009
March 26th – April 5th A TASTE OF THE SOUTH featuring Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama & Tennessee (Motorcoach)
August 2009
August 15th – 24th ALASKA’S GOLDEN CIRCLE featuring Denali Wildlife, Panning for Gold, 26 Glacier Cruise and more (Fly/Motorcoach)
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