My Story and Reviews

I was born in London Dec 31st 1961 to a Swiss mother and English father. In addition to an awesome family life, my most precious memory from my youth is visiting my Swiss family and the Alps sometimes twice a year. My most eye opening experience was visiting Israel and volunteering on a kibbutz, and on one occasion hiding in a bomb shelter as the missiles landed all around. My most fanatical memory was (still am) being soccer crazy and for some reason being exceptionally loyal supporting one particular football club, even though they didn't win very much. Bubbles burst is my hint should you follow Premiere League Soccer.

I wanted good weather and adventure and I moved to Los Angeles, USA (looked so glamorous from England) in 1989. I established a direct mail advertising company, however after one too many earthquakes of which the 1994 Northridge earthquake really scared the dickens out of me, I moved to Denver, on the door step of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. 11 blissful years in a wonderful town, frequently going up to high country, and most important of all, meeting my indescribably wonderful wife who gave birth to our precious child in 1999.

So why rock the boat and move? Well, happy wife, happy life! We moved to Miami in 2005 and after a few hurricanes and throwing out old patio furniture for new, I suddenly started liking it. An exciting city with beautiful bays and beaches, on the doorstep of the Caribbean, where it feels like being on a vacation every time I step out of the office. OK, that works.

After a few kicks and bumps trying to get reestablished, I was hired by a small travel agency specializing in top end 5 Star resorts throughout the Caribbean. It was an excellent way to learn the travel business, especially with multiple visits to experience our top selling resorts. However, the office was almost one whole mile away from my home. Way too far! After multiple conversations about working from my home office, we went separate ways, and here I was, back in business for myself. 

My wife also works from home and I calculated over the remainder of our careers, we will spend 40,000 more hours together. Amazingly it works great and I love it.

I continued focusing on Caribbean resorts for my first couple of years, but as I switched host agencies to Avoya Travel in 2012, I started specializing in high end, small ship cruises. One of the best business decisions I have made. Amazing training, a network of like minded independent travel agents, wonderful events and the icing on the cake, Avoya provides the customers, of which many have big ideas and budgets for luxury cruises, expeditions and tours.

I am somewhere around the top 20 of over 2,000 agents in the network and in Avoya Travels 'Best of the Best' category. I have still got some way to go to get into the 'President's Club' but that's not why I do this.

After 15 years, I know the ins and outs of putting together an outstanding vacation and my number one goal is to make a good living putting big smiles on customers faces. I love being my being my own boss and choosing to work however long or little I like. Truth is I work much longer hours from a home office than I did in my job, but I love it.

Even though I am 63 (as I write this) I have no intention of retiring before my mid 70's. It's a fun, relatively stress free business with so many benefits. Developing long term relationships with happy customers is the icing on the cake. Here's what a few of them wrote about me.

Michael is a knowledgeable, enthusiastic vacation planner. We've traveled the world, planning each trip ourselves. We may never do that again! So nice to have someone help planning a trip to an out-of-the way place (Svalbard).  - Nancy Cleveland

I am very, very happy with the service I am receiving from my travel advisor Michael Rockwell. I was very unhappy with my last travel advisor from another company and was looking for a great agent and I believe I found one with Michael.  - Kathleen Jacobs

Michael was very knowledgeable, helpful and responsive.  - Neil Spero

Michael is better then fantastic - Alan Wasserman

Michael was so professional and went above and beyond.  - Donna Day

I can't believe that there is anyone better than Michael Rockwell when it comes to ensuring that travelers get the best experience they can when traveling and I am certain that Avoya backs Michael up with anything he needs. Michael stuck with us through all of covid and finally we have the trip of our dreams all expertly planned by Michael.  - Walter Stewart

Fast, efficient, friendly service plus good advice and discount on cruise.  - Martin Voet

Michael has been patient, trustworthy, and available when we need him.  - Bret Carberry

Michael was incredibly responsive during the whole process. He always followed up to ensure we understood our options or instructions.  - Mindy Frisch

Our agent, Michael, is always responsive and addresses our requests quickly and expertly. He is extremely knowledgeable, he gives great advice, and he listens to us about our wants and needs. It is always a pleasure to work with him.  - Gerald Beach

Michael Rockwell is the reason. He is friendly and efficient!  - Rick Woodford

 Michael Rockwell is a great agent. He's friendly and knowledgeable as well as being extremely responsive. He goes the extra mile to ensure that customers get their questions answered and have all the information they need.  - Gregory Smith

Michael Rockwell gave us excellent advice, communicated effectively and often, and proved to be a great resource in every way. I would recommend his services to anyone considering a cruise.  - Tom Clearman

 It was easy, a smooth process and included extra surprise and delight touches and activities!  - Margaret Barnes

Michael made everything so simple and he was quick with answers to our questions. It was our first bus tour ever and no question we asked went unanswered (and we had a lot of them)  - Bridget Guillen

Michael Rockwell was very easy to work with and always available to answer own questions and take care of details for us.  - Dawn Mayer

 Timely and informative support  - Geoff Roberts

 Friendly and knowledgeable. Also accessible by phone.  - Darline Cohen

 Extremely prompt professional service.  - Michael Higgin

 Very professional and personable experience in making reservations with Michael. He took the time to make sure that we understood fully the details of our planned trip. We look forward to working with him.  - William Clossey

 Service and continuing communications  - Theodore Gearhart

 Great agent. Ready to navigate website and options available.  - Barbara Kwasney

 Our advisor Mickael Rockwell listened carefully to our requirements, treated them efficiently and quickly.  - Thierry Lacabane

 Michael is always available to help and when he isn’t, he lets me know. He alerts me of things needing to be done before the trip. He calls just to check in and cares for his clients personally.  - Sharon Boldt

 My travel advisor Michael Rockwell was no doubt the best!  - Jin Byon

 We have been on many cruises (river, small and large ships) and Atlas definitely ranks number 1. The staff was very attentive and the boat was wonderful  - Judy Rodkey

 You go well beyond expectations, and always take the time to care.  - Leslie Aronovitz

 Timely attention to our questions and needs pertaining to our trip was very useful.  - Sumant Pandya

 Michael Rockwell, my travel planner, has been super to work with. He has been very helpful and timely with updates.  - Sherri Demmel

 Very helpful agent. Quick to respond to questions.  - Lesely Sorenson

 Michael was excellent  - Douglas Bergeron

 Very professional and attentive service  - Gregory Yadley

 Seamless booking experience. Responsiveness of agent. Proactivity of agent from booking up through cruise. Very 'white glove'  - Louis Falco

 Friendly customer service  - Peter Scholl

 Michael was outstanding, approachable and always ready to help. He went the extra mile for us during the booking and later.  - Patricia Dorosz

 Very helpful and helped me make the choice  - Sandra Hillburn

 So far the planning of a trip to Scotland and Ireland has gone extremely smooth.  - Jolene Newkirk

 Michael has been very response and available at any time we had questions. The tour seems to be very comprehensive. Looking forward to the trip!  - Louise Lawrence

 I can't say enough wonderful things about Michael Rockwell. He has truly changed my opinion about travel agents and travel agencies. I never used to work with a travel agent; but he has been marvelous, and we will gladly work with him and Avoya on all future trips. Michael is amazing!  - Jennifer Gourley

 Michael always bends over backwards to make sure everything goes well. He keeps me updated on everything that’s going on. He keeps my preferences in mind when he’s arranging things, but he also lets me make decisions based on price and convenience. I’m a timid traveler, and Michael knows that. He makes sure I never get lost and always have a great experience.  - Katherine Lehman-schletewitz

 All our needs were met by our Travel Agent, Michael Rockwell, in a timely, professional manner.  - Leigh Gregory

 Michael was very personable and helpful. He arranged our cruise details, helped us with applying a military discount and helped make our pre-trip hotel reservations. He was in contact with us several times to clarify our arrangements and then followed through and sent the information on our cruise company member info so we could go online and set our preferences. He was prompt in responding to my emails. It was a pleasure working with him.  - Irene Lawson

 Michael was great. Helped answer all my questions and got me the information I requested when he didn’t have it on hand. He was also very responsive  - Meghan Jain

 Michael has been very helpful with the planning for our trip in September  - Angie Greer

 Great customer service on Altas cruise from Michael Rockwell  - James Gettelman

 I have found that working with Michael Rockwell has been very pleasing and rewarding. He knows his stuff.  - John Knoerle

 Exceptional, professional, knowledgeable, yet personable service from Michael, my travel advisor. He was able to pursue my inquiries on a moment's notice. I was quite impressed.  - Diane Holubowitch

 Michael has many unique insights into travel destinations and is very patient in resolving even the most detailed concerns. He is easy to talk to and understanding of the uncertainty that comes with booking high priced travel more than a year in advance.  - William Rice

 Michael, was an absolute delight to work with. I know if the future I will use his services.  - Christine Reber

 Michael Rockwell is knowledgeable and a joy to work with  - Mary Moon

 I started working with Michael Rockwell by chance, and he has been a pleasure to work with. He follows through from beginning to end to ensure we have a fantastic voyage.  - Donna France

 Michael was excellent to work with  - Peter Ninnemann

 Great customer service.  - Judy Ristorcelli

 Great attention to details, all concerns and questions addressed right away  - Daniel Farley

 Michael Rockwell took fabulous care of all details and arrangements. He was delightful and made our trip planning smooth and easy.  - Hope Egan

 Very knowledgeable and easy to work with…Michael was fabulous.  - John Turner

 Excellent service and info and prompt response - Lynn Dellacroce

 My agent, Michael Rockwell. Consistently responsive and reliable, promptly follows up on all requests for information, quotes, etc.  - Beryn Harty

 Michael was so helpful and informative. He was able to answer all of my questions and was very pleasant to speak with.  - Maureen Seiler

 Michael was very good with his advice and recommendations. Kept us abreast every step of the way.  - Kenneth Sprague Jr

 Michael Rockwall is amazing!!!!! the absolute best!! during the crazy covid times. he made travel enjoyable and safe!!!!  - Carrie Reese

 Michael Rockwell, was the greatest. He helped us with everything we needed, answered all our questions, provided excellent advise, and did so in a professional but very friendly way. We will recommend him to any of our friends who need help with travel planning.  - Bob Johnson JR

 Michael was attentive to all of our needs and questions. He thought of things that we would never have on our own. His expert advice on Tahiti and the islands of French Polynesia helped us to maximize our time and be well-prepared for a fabulous trip!  - Sara Kreiss

 Michael was very helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly. He went above and beyond.  - Robert Geiger

 Michael has been great every step of the way in planning. Excellent communications and on top of all the changes that occurred. He has been responsive and generous and very pleasant to work with. I have referred him to a friend already.  - Leslie Brunker

 Prompt, professional responses to questions, especially related to Covid. Regular correspondence to alert us to what was needed in advance.  - Jack Zwingli

 Michael Rockwell is always on top of whatever I ask him about. He returns calls promptly or sends a text to let me know if he’s not in the office to let me know when he’ll be back in touch. I’ve booked several cruises through him,but have had to cancel several of them due to COVID. I currently have two cruises booked for 2022 and am looking forward to traveling again. I’m lucky to have come across Michael.  - Kathleen Ritchie

 Michael was great. He was patient, sought the best options for us, was engaging, and was trustworthy.  - Elizabeth Bryant

 Excellent response time, attention to detail, kind, warm approach to customer  - Elizabeth Lydecker

 Mike was a great travel assistant. I would be happy to use him again!  - Maria Frase

 Quick response time. Friendly. Accommodating.  - Andrea Eshelman

 Responsive and helpful especially when traveling doing COVID  - Oded Shezifi

 I received excellent service  - Sonia Ribaux

 Working with Michael Rockwell has been a pleasure.  - Karen Pennington

 Michael Rockwell did a great job --- attentive and informative.  - David Beun

 Friendly knowledgeable agent. Worked to offer me the best available price.  - Kenneth Irvine

 Michael Rockwell has been so very helpful that I have already recommended him to two friends.  - Robert Silverman

 My experience has been nothing but positive. Michael has been so friendly and informative. He has totally put my mind at ease especially since I’m not a veteran traveler.  - Connie Guerin

 Michael was personable, informative and made booking our trip easy.  - Hope Egan

 Michael was extremely helpful, friendly and polite.  - Nancy Schlesinger

 Michael was awesome  - John Turner

 Agent knowledge  - Michael Sedlack

 Very helpful and informed phone representative had real world answers to any questions I had  - Geoff Roberts

 Professional advice without rushing  - Wilburn Hippach

 Michael Rockwell is experienced and plans trips based on what he knows my wife and I enjoy.  - Frederick Berl

 Michael was very open and honest with opinions and assisted tremendously in making a decision.  - PJ Ryan

 Excellent service from Michael Rockwell. Tremendous response and always responds immediately and with our intentions first.  - Harry Walsh

 Michael, as usual, was superb! He gave us prompt, knowledgeable responses to all our questions and quickly obtained information if he did not know the answer. He is great resource and asset when planning travel!  - Scott Mikulecky

 I never used a travel agent before, but Michael Rockwell was very helpful and pleasant to work with. He has a lot of knowledge about the South Pacific and cruises that I do not possess. I saved a lot of money on my trip due to his recommendations.  - Roberta Witt

 Good responsive customer service. Knowledge of the cruise industry.  - Gregory Smith

 The service from Michael Rockwell has been amazing.  - Regina Hobie

 Michael has done an amazing job of dealing with our Tahiti vacation. I could not ask for better assistance. I would recommend him to anyone at anytime!  - Roy Barker

 Michael was very helpful. He explained the trip I inquired about and flight possibilities. Will keep him mind for future inquiries.  - Barbara Hoida

 Love working with Michael Rockwell!  - Julieann Summerford

 Michael Rockwell has provided excellent service! He is extremely knowledgeable, thorough and conscientious.  - Robert Pike

 Great agent. Very forthright and knowledgeable.  - Linda Spears

 Michael did a terrific job and showed the right level of persistence in earning my business. He's very cordial and knowledgeable.  - Philip Walker

 Michael was Wonderful, felt like I was working with a friend! Perfect experience!  - Bruce Belnap

 V friendly, responsive, knowledgeable service  - James Dillon

 Efficiency, value and ease of booking with our amazing Agent Michael!  - Cindy Bonnar

 Quick response time, answers to our questions, friendly and knowledgeable agent, and also not pushy. Michael Rockwell is our agent and we are super happy with all our dealings so far.  - Rick Suva

 Michael is absolutely the best. He has helped us salvage our 2020 canceled plans by finding an equally exciting trip for us in 2021. His knowledge, thoroughness, and consideration are deeply appreciated. I couldn't ask for better service. Great job.  - Kathleen Kempf

 Great service!!! MICHAEL WAS VERY HELPFUL IN EVERY AREA!  - Nancy Nauman

 My new fabulous agent, Michael, was amazing and so helpful with all my questions and concerns! Couldn't pass up booking the Paul Gauguin cruise! He is the best! Thanks so much, Michael!!! :-)  - Fran Marshack

 Agent has been excellent to work with - Thomas Chamberlain

 Michael Rockwell is the best! Have used him before and so have my friends. Wonderful service!  - Sharon Falinski

 Michael Rockwell has done a great job working with me. He returns my calls in a timely manner and is very efficient in getting information to me. He goes over and beyond serving my needs.  - Brenda Feeney