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WHAT OUR CLIENTS ARE SAYING

July 28, 2010 Hi Sylvia and Ted, What a fabulous trip you put together for us.  It was first class all the way. Everything went according to the itinerary and the transfers made it so easy to get around. We had great weather for the entire 11 days, and had a big rain in the mts. west of Jasper which was something to see.   Have a few comments:  The train experience was fun, 19 cars, 4 domes. 2 diners and a lounge car, the food was excellent, the attendants and crew were so friendly and accomodating.  We were so tired when we finally got on board, and the drawing room was perfect... just the right size.  Mary would do it again tomorrow. The Fairmonts were elegant, and services at them were wonderful.  We missed Queen Liz by two days at the York, but ran into the Lady Gaga crowd, World Cup festivities and baseball game on the same day. Toronto was teeming with people. The walkway to from the York Union Station was very convenient. Jasper was great, the hotel is a jewel, got into town for a bit too, but the glacier tour was once in a lifetime. The weather was bright and clear and the pictures are great. We saw everything but a bear. Vancouver!  Our favorite was the Hotel Vancouver, a wondeful staff, helpful, and nice.  Just love the Vancouver area. We could easily live there. People are so nice. We took tours, went everywhere from the harbor, Granville Isle, downtown, saw a lot of the area. Thank you for planning such a great vacation for us.  There was a lot of experience and thought behind the finished product. I  would recommend you to anyone thinking of that type of vacation, your service was outstanding. Mary and Bob Foley

July 10, 2010 Hi. Thanks for everything. This will be a trip to remember. For our 50th, we wanted something special. The Fairmonts are wonderful, and we definitely will get back to you when we return. You two did very well by us. You must expand your advertising effort particularly in the eastern US, and will get more business. Accept this from an old automotive marketing guy. Thanks again Ted and Sylvia. Mary & Bob Foley

May 14, 2010 Ted: Ken and I thank you for orchestrating a flawless trip. Your attention to detail made the logistics of seven trains, three buses and four hotels easy. Add close to perfect weather, interesting sightseeing and excellent restaurants, and the result was a memorable adventure. Please let us know if you would like any detailed feedback, and feel free to have prospective clients contact us for positive comments on your service. Deborah Menke

July 20, 2009 Just got back from a trip. SWA to BWI the Capital Ltd to Chicago and SWA back to Columbus. I was talking with my sleeper room attendant. I mentioned my up coming Via Rail Canada trip. He interrupted to say he arranged a trip on Via for his parents and they had a great trip. I should be sure to use a couple he knows that books great Canadian trips...air, rail, hotels and transfers. Before I could respond he said their names are Ted and Sylvia! Fred Rea

June 29, 2009 Ted and Sylvia - I received the Amtrak tickets a few weeks ago and have just checked to make sure my plans dovetail each other for the third time. I wanted to say thanks very much for helping me set up my trip to Seattle via Amtrak. It is a big deal for me to go to the Pacific NW for the first time, and I am looking forward to it! I really appreciate your help and advice in pulling all the different elements together so that I can visit two National Parks (I've never even been to one before now) and finally see the Pacific Ocean. Business first, then some serious "me" time! The information you have sent regarding Amtrak and the arrangements for the car rental are very valuable for me. I am so looking forward to this trip! I intend to let you know how things go when I get back. I might even share a photo or ten! Julie Gildemeister

June 19, 2009 Hi Sylvia, You asked for a post card after our trip-this is easier. Everything you and your husband planned for us went like clockwork. We were pleased with everything you folks did. What did not please us was the Renaissance sleeper seating/bed. Much too narrow and hard. Bob and I are both over six feet and the berth was not comfortable. The train itself was immaculate and the lounge and dining facilities were excellent. Also the bedroom itself was fine with ample room to move around and the separate bathroom was ideal. Having slept on the Canadian we couldn't help but make the comparison with the Canadian equipment winning. The only other hiccup we had, and certainly beyond your control, was the cab strike in Windsor. We were concerned about getting back to Detroit on our return and were lucky enough to find a cabbie to accommodate us(for a nominal fee I might add). We did complain to Via about what I discussed above in a survey we were asked to participate in. The Via Rail person told us we were by no means the first. Thanks again, Davis Cangalosi

Reprinted from: PERRINPOST.COM Travel tips from Condé Nast Traveler magazine's Wendy Perrin. ALASKA TED AND SYLVIA BLISHAK TRAIN TRAVEL CONSULTING AT ACCENT ON TRAVEL I travel internationally once a quarter for my work and have never met a travel agent who can match Ted and Sylvia's attention to detail.This trip, a vacation one, is one example. Ted and Sylvia arranged a convenient departure from Washington National rather than the less convenient Dulles. Ted had me on the upgrade list, and in Chicago when changing planes United upgraded me to First Class. My room at the Fairmount Waterfront in Vancouver had, as promised, a spectacular view of the harbor and Stanley Island. On the day of my cruise, I conveniently strolled across the street to the Vancouver Cruise Terminal. Sylvia had alerted me to the availability of early check-in, and I was in my cabin with luggage (!) within 30 minutes of arrival at the cruise terminal. The cruise itself was rather spectacular. I particularly appreciated Sylvia's recommendation of the Holland-America Line Ryndam, a medium size ship. And her advice was useful. She had recommended against booking the glacier helicopter trip in advance due to the possibility of bad weather. I booked on board the ship for an early trip, and when we came down from dog sledding on the glacier, we were the last trip of the day due to cloud cover and lowering ceilings. Ted and Sylvia specialize in high-end rail cruise travel. As a result, when most passengers transferred to a bus for the Seward to Anchorage transfer, I strolled off the ship to the very convenient boat train for a scenic rail trip to Anchorage. I have used Ted and Sylvia's services in the past and have recommended them to my neighbors, who also sing their praises. I'm already planning my next trip with them. Herb Treger Alexandria, Virginia Posted by: herbtreger | June 04, 2009 at 02:57 PM   RAIL TRAVEL: NORTH AMERICA SYLVIA BLISHAK, TRAIN TRAVEL CONSULTING AT ACCENT ON TRAVEL My wife and I are fairly experienced train travelers, but when facing a trip from San Diego to Seattle to Washington DC to NYC to Montreal to Toronto to Vancouver and back to San Diego (11 trains & 9,800 miles) we decided to use Accent on Travel USA. Their arrangements went flawlessly, they booked us into several good hotels at very good rates (and helped us avoid one undergoing some renovations) and most important to us, their advice and compartment selection definitely improved our trip and helped us avoid some aggravating mistakes. I haven't bothered to calculate the dollar value, but am sure that their arrangements in the US and the arrangements they made for us through Brewster Travel for the Canadian portion of our trip more than made up for the cost. I would recommend them highly to anyone. Posted by: Brockh | June 23, 2008

Dear Sylvia, The Canadian was a wonderful train: the crew was beyond expectation. We saw Frazer Canyon by daylight on account of the train being 10 hours late due to derailment the day before we left and freight trains were stacked up.  Pacific Palisades hotel in Vancouver is upscale -- in a good area. Everything worked well so far, so we thank you. Walter Gehring

Vancouver BC, June 25 2008 Dear Sylvia and Ted: Just wanted to give you some feedback on our fantastic Grand Circle tour. Everything on the trip went perfectly well, almost. The Rock Mountaineer was fantastic. The breakfast and lunch meal service in the Gold Leaf Dome was outstanding.  The RM crew members were so attentive and helpful. Of course, the views from the Gold Leaf Dome cars were wonderful; and we actually spent quite a bit of time on the open-air observation platform (a separate car on the Whistler train). RM’s practice of running at "Kodak" speed along the most scenic parts of the route is a big selling point for good photography and spotting wildlife.  One problem is that all of the trains except the Whistler arrived late.  We arrived in Quesnel one hour late, Jasper three hours late, Kamloops two plus hours late and Vancouver one hour late.  All of the delays were beyond RM’s control: track construction and maintenance, traffic congestion due to lack of adequate capacity, and a major CTC signal failure.  All of the hotels exceeded our expectations.  At the Château Lake Louise we had a beautiful room overlooking the lake, and we were assigned the Business Suite at the Mount Royal. I guess that’s all they had left. Worked fine for us.  Thanks again for all your help. Clyde & Mary Ann Anderson

July 5, 2007 Dear Sylvia, We really appreciate your quick response and professional customer service. The documents are in hand! As I look over the trip package I am impressed by the neat and organized note book, the helpful hints about dinner reservations, and general information.  We will send you a post card. Thank you for all you have done. Best Regards, Stephen St. Denis and James Izatt

June 3, 2007 I returned the 26th from my Brewster tour on the Skeena and Canadian with three days in Jasper. Everything arranged by Brewster went like clockwork. All their people were professional and personable. I was impressed. The Fairmont hotels were, of course, top notch – above my class – but enjoyable. The Canadian Rockies, which I have seen many times in pictures, were everything I had anticipated. Thank you for introducing me to this tour and for making the arrangements. I have always experienced that Canadians know how to give excellent service that is professionally delivered and makes one feel that they are pleased to have one as their guest. This trip demonstrated those traits again. Dick Smith

June 2, 2007 Greeting Blishaks, We are now 2 weeks from Departure. It's amazing how fast time flies when your having fun at school. We are very grateful that you were able to help us. You are one of the best at what you do, and most definitely we will recommend you to our friends and family. We hope do business with you in the near future with other great trips. Thank You Very Much, Stephen and Chas

May 17, 2007 Dear Mr. and Mrs. Blishak, Thank you for planning a wonderful Canadian vacation for us! Your recommendations, from hotels to the type of train accommodations were excellent. We were also amazed at the value of the trip. We would easily have paid twice as much ourselves as you were able to book this for on our behalf. My husband found you through positive reports from the "train community" and your reputation is well deserved. Thank you so much, Becky and Jack

April 27, 2007 Sylvia and Ted, I wanted to thank you for setting up my trip this week. I flew from Denver to NYC, took the Lake Shore Limited to Chicago, and then took the Southwest Chief to Los Angeles. The whole trip went great with no hiccups. I would like to single out the Burnham Hotel in Chicago as being really nice. Please add a note to my file that I would like to stay in the Burnham on future trips to Chicago if possible. Thanks again! Dan Delany

I have returned from my two week trip on Amtrak and Via. The Roosevelt and Fairmont accommodations were excellent. Both Via and Amtrak got me to my destination in good order. Thanks for your assistance and your useful recommendations. David Jenks Winchester, Ky.

Excerpted from Mike Martin's Trip Report in the September 2004 issue of The Timetable, The Official Newspaper of the Washington, D.C. Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society: A Northwest Passage... The Amtrak Way! Minot, North Dakota, Thursday, December 4, 2003      "It's 24 degrees in Minot and the ground is covered by about two inches of snow which is still falling lightly.  While strolling the platform, I bump into noted travel experts Ted & Silvia Blishak ("You've seen our ads for years - have you called us yet?").      "Ted & Sylvia own and operate Train Travel Consulting at Accent on Travel (1-800-347-0645), a rail-oriented travel agency in Klamath Falls, OR.  They are headed home after a Thanksgiving visit with relatives in Pennsylvania.     "We have a nice chat about rail travel in general and some of the trips they have booked for me in particular.  I fess up to booking this trip on the web, but promise Ted I will call him in the future.     "We are all in the same sleeper and Ted pulls my leg about booking the Family Bedroom before he could.  They like that room because they can set up a traveling office on one side and leave it set up for the whole trip.  Nice people who can help you with any aspect of travel by train in the US, Canada or anywhere in the world (Sylvia booked a railfan trip to England for me a few years back).  Give them a call.  You won't be disappointed." ...

08/12/04 Thanks, Ted. I'm really looking forward to this trip. The Drawing Room in the Park Car across Canada is about as good as it gets, and I really appreciate your ability to get special, hard-to-get accommodations like this. All the best. John L. S., CPA Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

06/16/04 Sylvia, Just a short "thank you" for the most wonderful trip of our lives. VIA Rail Canada really treated us like a king and queen. It was well worth taking the return trip as we got to see another aspect of the Rockies.The flowers arrived just as we were boarding and were in our suite in the Park Car when my wife entered. We felt like first class all the way, having been booked by a first class agency!! Fred Newman

11/17/03 When working for the Pennsy at Harrisburg, PA., I often saw the Broadway Limited pass through with its observation coach on the rear. I often dreamed, but never thought it possible, of riding in an observation coach. A dream come true while riding VIA's "Canadian" with a dome no less! Many thanks for your help in planning our trip. You can be assured that we will be in touch any time we travel by train. George Fecker

Ted, Thank you again for your usual superlative service in organizing my trip to Ontario via Amtrak and return on Via. There were (once again) no hang ups with ticketing or the carriers' service. Via Silver and Blue is especially excellent, and their traditional equipment is certainly a lot more rider-friendly than the rather spartan Superliner stuff that Amtrak sports. However, the Amtrak service (and especially the dining car staff and food) more than makes up for it.

Sylvia and Ted: The day is almost here, and I, as well as the four Harrisburg Chapter NRHS members are looking forward to the journey across Canada.Just a quick note to express my thanks for handling the reservations. I've pulled the dining car menus off the VIA website, and, even if they change, there's plenty there to whet anyone's appetite! Many thanks, R. L. Eastwood, Jr.

Hello Sylvia and Ted- Thanks again for a great trip to Santa Barbara last week. The Amtrak trip from Jack London Square in Oakland down to SB and back couldn't have been more delightful. We really appreciated your care in choosing the best sleeping room, and the 95 minutes of coastline just north of SB (which we viewed from the Observation Car) was truly spectacular and worth the price of the entire trip. But we really loved every minute-meeting great people, wonderful food, helpful staff. We just can't say enough about Amtrak! The train was a couple hours late going down, but right on time coming back. All in all, a wonderful trip. It was all because of your help-you made all the difference. We've told everyone about your expertise and kindness, and will continue to recommend your services whenever we can. Thanks again! Laura and Joe Daly

Dear Sylvia & Ted, Rocky, Skeena, and Caribou very satisfactory. Thanks for all your very hard work on my train-riding behalf. Jim Hejduk, Massachusetts

Ted & Sylvia: Having a perfect vacation. Smooth trip on Amtrak. Izaak Walton Inn is tops! Thanks Mike Martin, Pennsylvania

Dear Ted & Sylvia, We are having an outstanding trip! Vancouver was beautiful and we really enjoyed the hotel. Excellent View. The Canadian was everything we expected it to be and more! Thanks for all your help. Tom and Sherry Figura, Indiana

William S. Reid Maine Dear Sylvia, Just a note to say we are back from the Canadian Rockies and all our reservations worked perfectly. We had great fun, and the train was wonderful. Thank you for your help, Bill

Hi Sylvia, Just returned from my trip across Canada on the Canadian. Without a doubt it was the finest rail trip I have ever taken. Thanks! Sincerely, Mike Martin

George A Muench Canada To Accent on Travel: Once again your knowledgeable service in working with Amtrak is most appreciated. Sincerely George A. Muench

Ted, Thanks -- you and Sylvia never cease to amaze! The things that you do for your clients are unheard of with other agencies. David Scheef