Skip to content

Top Navigation

Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure
  • Trip Inspiration
  • Plan Your Trip
  • World's Best
  • Destination of the Year
  • A-List Travel Advisors
  • Cruises
  • Travel Tips
  • News
  • Food + Drink
  • Travel Accessories
  • Check-In

Profile Menu

Your Profile

Your Profile

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Help
  • Logout
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Travel + Leisure

Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure
  • Explore

    Explore

    • World's Best

      World's Best

      The greatest islands, cities, hotels, cruise lines, airports, and more — as voted by you. Read More Next
    • The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2021

      The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2021

      Whether you're traveling solo or planning a family vacation, here are the 50 best places to visit in 2021. Read More Next
    • Let's Go Together Podcast

      Let's Go Together Podcast

      Start listening to T+L's brand new podcast, Let's Go Together! Hosted by Kellee Edwards. Read More Next
  • Trip Inspiration

    Trip Inspiration

    • Trip Ideas
    • Weekend Getaways
    • Spring Travel
    • Summer Travel
    • Fall Travel
    • Winter Travel
    • Solo Travel
    • Romantic Getaways
    • Luxury Travel
    • Beach Vacations
    • Adventure Travel
    • Road Trips
    • Family Travel
    • National Parks
    • Holiday Travel
    • Travel Photography
    • Photo of the Day
    • Culture and Design
  • Plan Your Trip

    Plan Your Trip

    Norwegian Cruise Line Will Require Vaccinations for All Passengers and Crew

    Norwegian Cruise Line Will Require Vaccinations for All Passengers and Crew

    Norwegian Cruise Line hopes to resume sailing out of the U.S. on or around July 4.
    • Travel Deals
    • Attractions
    • BookTandL.com
    • Amusement Parks
    • Festivals and Events
    • Bus and Trains
    • Flight Deals
    • Budget Travel
    • Hotels and Resorts
    • Disney Vacations
    • Airlines and Airports
    • Ground Transportation
    • Travel Guides
  • World's Best

    World's Best

    • Top Hotels
    • Top Cities
    • Top Islands
    • Domestic Airlines
    • International Airlines
    • Tours
    • Safaris
    • See All World's Best
  • Destination of the Year
  • A-List Travel Advisors
  • Cruises

    Cruises

    • Find A Cruise
    • Caribbean Cruises
    • River Cruises
    • European Cruises
    • All-Inclusive Cruises
    • Family Cruises
    • Alaskan Cruises
    • Disney Cruises
    • See All Cruise Vacations
  • Travel Tips

    Travel Tips

    • Travel Trends
    • Packing Tips
    • Points + Miles
    • Budgeting + Currency
    • Customs + Immigration
    • Responsible Travel
    • Travel Etiquette
    • Travel Warnings
    • Weather
    • Mobile Apps
    • See All Travel Tips
  • News

    News

    • Wellness
    • Celebrity Travel
    • Animals
    • Jobs
    • Offbeat
    • See All News
  • Food + Drink

    Food + Drink

    • Restaurants
    • Wine
    • Beer
    • Cocktails + Spirits
    • Bars + Clubs
    • Celebrity Chefs
    • Cooking + Entertaining
    • Food Fairs + Festivals
    • World's Best Restaurants
    • See All Food + Drink
  • Travel Accessories

    Travel Accessories

    • Travel Bags
    • Shoes
    • Travel Tech
    • Shopping
    • Style
    • Gift Guides
    • See All Travel Accessories
  • Check-In

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Profile

Your Profile

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Help
  • Logout
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Home
  2. Travel Tips and Intel
  3. Travel Agents
  4. Weirdest Travel Agent Requests

Weirdest Travel Agent Requests

By Joshua Pramis
July 31, 2009
Skip gallery slides
Save Pin
Credit: iStock
Traveling to Chihuahua, Mexico is a perfectly common request for a travel agent. Traveling with one’s Chihuahua? That’s easy, too. But taking the Chihuahua to Chihuahua, Mexico so he can “discover his roots”?

That was the request made of travel agent Steven Greenbaum of Pisa Brothers Travel in New York City. Greenbaum’s been an agent for 29 years, so he’s had his share of oddball requests—but this was a new one. He even managed to receive the explanation without a flinch. “I’m good at keeping a straight face.”

Most requests that agents handle every day are pretty cut and dried: booking a long weekend in the Bahamas; finding the best animal-spotting retreat in Africa; finagling an affordable-but-luxurious excursion in Europe. But every once in a while, travelers push the boundaries of what’s normal—or even possible.

And it’s often difficult for them to stifle a laugh. In fact, that’s what Lynn Garfi of San Diego–based Protravel International had to do when a traveler called and asked for an oceanfront room—normally a no-brainer request—in the decidedly landlocked city of Orlando.

So how do travel agents deal with these odd asks—especially when, in the Orlando case, they can’t be fulfilled? Garfi explains that with these types of requests, the only option is to help the client understand that it simply cannot be fulfilled.

Some off-the-wall requests, however, are do-able, no matter how crazy they sound. Take the traveler who wanted to camp in the Sahara Desert in the middle of August...in an air-conditioned tent. Joel Zack, of Heritage Tours in New York City, made it happen. Of course, it took some effort, including buying a huge generator to power the air-conditioner.

But going to extremes is what it takes to become one of the world’s top agents, like the ones on Travel + Leisure’s A-List. So we asked these super-agents and their colleagues for the most unusual travel requests they've received over the years.

Here are their stories.
Start Slideshow

1 of 8

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Blood Requests

Weirdest Travel Agent Requests: Blood Requests
Credit: iStock

The Request: Transport a bag of the traveler’s own blood to South Africa, in case there was an accident and he needed a blood transfusion.

The Agent: Diane Hilliard, Hilliard & Olander Ltd., Stillwater, MN

The Results: “I thought it was, at first, kind of sensible,” said Diane. “But when I realized the logistics, it just didn’t make sense.” After discussing the extensive requirements necessary to haul one’s own blood overseas—namely equipment rental to preserve the blood—the traveler decided to take his chances and travel without a standby transfusion. He survived the trip.

1 of 8

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 8

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Book a Cruise with a Room Near the Elevators

Weirdest Travel Agent Requests: Room Near the Elevators
Credit: iStock

The Request: Book a cruise with a room near the elevators. The reason? The traveler explained that sometimes she drinks too much, and that’s the only way she can find her room at the end of the night.

The Agent: Francine Dumont, Plaza Travel, Encino, CA

The Results: “I didn’t really react,” Francine said. “I kept my feelings to myself, but I thought this was really, really strange.” Feelings aside, Francine’s client was given her elevator-adjacent room and was able to spend her trip hitting the bottle with nary a concern about finding her way back.



Weirdest Travel Agent Requests

2 of 8

3 of 8

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Book a Trip with a Pet

Weirdest Travel Agent Requests: Book a Trip with a Pet
Credit: iStock

The Request: Book a trip with a pet Chihuahua. The destination? Chihuahua, Mexico, of course. The reason? To help the pet discover his roots.

The Agent: Steven Greenbaum, Pisa Brothers Travel, New York City

The Results: “I’m good at keeping a straight face,” Steven informed. “I’ve seen it all.” Showcasing a well-rehearsed stoicism, the canine-centric trip was planned with only the dog in mind. Both a pet-friendly flight and hotel were booked, and the dog finally received his opportunity to delve deep into his heritage.

3 of 8

Advertisement

4 of 8

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Sneak a Candy Bar

Weirdest Travel Agent Requests: Sneak a Candy Bar
Credit: © mediablitzimages (uk) Limited / Alamy

The Request: Sneak a Snickers candy bar into a destination spa to fulfill a craving.

The Agent: Heidi Schwartz, Protravel – The Zenith Group, New York City

The Results: The agent purchased a single bite-sized Snickers bar—just enough to take off the edge, and not too much of a rule-breaker during a trip intended to focus on health and wellness—and sent it via FedEx to the client, who was able to satisfy her craving between treatment sessions.Weirdest Travel Agent Requests

4 of 8

5 of 8

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Get Married in Vegas

Weirdest Travel Agent Requests: Get Married in Vegas
Credit: iStock

The Request: Get married in Vegas. The catch? To be married by an Elvis impersonator impersonating a rabbi. Yes, you read that right.

The Agent: Paul Gilbert, Linden Travel, New York City

The Results: Anything can happen in Vegas. Gilbert—who laughed when the request was made—made several phone calls and managed to track down a few wedding factories that assured him they would be able to procure a kosher King of Rock 'n’ Roll. However, the client eventually canceled his request.



Weirdest Travel Agent Requests

5 of 8

6 of 8

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Ocean View Room in Orlando

Weirdest Travel Agent Requests: Ocean View Room in Orlando
Credit: iStock

The Request: To book a room in Orlando. A room, that is, with a view of the ocean.

The Agent: Lynn Garfi, Protravel International, Inc. San Diego

The Results: As Orlando is a good 40 miles from the coast, this one took a little extra effort. When Garfi said that oceanview rooms weren’t a possibility, the client replied, “That’s not true. I looked it up on a map. Florida is a very skinny state.”

6 of 8

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 8

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Green Gatorade Cruise

Weirdest Travel Agent Requests: Green Gatorade Cruise
Credit: © WidStock / Alamy

The Request: To go on a cruise, but due to some gastrointestinal complications, the traveler could only drink green Gatorade.

The Agent: Ellen LeCompte, Sterling Brownell Travel, Richmond, VA

The Results: Always aiming to please, this agent gave the ship several weeks notice and informed them of this special circumstance. Six cases of green Gatorade were flown in, and by the time the client boarded, every bar and restaurant aboard the ship was fully stocked with the fluorescent beverage.

7 of 8

8 of 8

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Summer Camping in the Sahara Desert

Weirdest Travel Agent Requests: Summer Camping in the Sahara Desert
Credit: iStock

The Request: To camp in the Sahara Desert in the middle of August. The traveler also wanted to make sure his tent was kept nice and cool, to shield him from the desert’s intense summer heat.

The Agent: Joel Zack, Heritage Tours, New York City

The Results: Temperatures in the Sahara that time of year can easily exceed 130 degrees, so to fulfill this request, the agent had to purchase a massive generator from nearby Casablanca. It was used to power an air-conditioning unit that had to remain full blast at all times, because the cool air easily escaped through the tent’s walls.

8 of 8

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Joshua Pramis

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 8 Blood Requests
2 of 8 Book a Cruise with a Room Near the Elevators
3 of 8 Book a Trip with a Pet
4 of 8 Sneak a Candy Bar
5 of 8 Get Married in Vegas
6 of 8 Ocean View Room in Orlando
7 of 8 Green Gatorade Cruise
8 of 8 Summer Camping in the Sahara Desert

Share options

Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message
Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
  • Sitemap
  • Travel Guide Sitemap

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletters
Other Travel + Leisure Sites
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en EspaƱol this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
Meredith Travel + Leisure is part of the Travel + Leisure Group. Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. Travel + Leisure is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation Travel + Leisure Group All Rights Reserved, registered in the United States and other countries. Travel + Leisure may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.travelandleisure.com

View image

Weirdest Travel Agent Requests
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.