Your travel consultants at Combs, Catalina & Associates are true professionals who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to our business. Susan, Ben, Lynn, Donna, Tina and Diane began their travel careers with Cruises Inc., a sister company of Dream Vacations and CruiseOne. While with that agency, the first four served on the company's advisory board, a testimony to the respect they have earned from the corporate headquarters and agent community. Jennie and Mike brought the value of their varied experience to the team, expanding the franchise's skills and capabilities. The team's awards are testimony to their experience and devotion to this business: Agents of the Year, 2010 and 2004 (Ben & Lynn); Top Producer Awards—AMA Waterways, Viking River Cruises, Norwegian, Princess, Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn, Oceania, Carnival Cruise Lines, Hurtigruten, Villas of Distinction, and Collette Vacations; Marketing and Luxury Sales Awards; and multiple Million Dollar Sales awards. They hold the Platinum Three-Diamond Level and Circle of Excellence distinctions within their 1,000-member-plus franchise organization -- the highest sales and service achievement designations.
Read more about your professionals below!
Your Dream Team . . .
SUSAN PRETKUS-COMBS
Our franchise leader Susan Pretkus-Combs has been a leading travel consultant with Cruises Inc./CruiseOne/Dream Vacations since 2003, following a 20-year career as a marketing executive and management consultant for Fortune 100 companies. She joined the CruiseOne-Catalina franchise in 2012 and now owns this franchise. Aside from running the business, Susan most enjoys helping her clients plan their dream vacations. In addition to her love of travel, Susan is a true sports fanatic who enjoys photography, music, theatre, scrapbooking, and socializing with friends and family. Born in Canada, she has lived in Southern California since the late 1960s where she graduated from USC and made her home with husband Kevan and son Christopher in Trabuco Canyon (Orange County), California.
DONNA SMEAL
Donna used her passion for teaching both children and adults to expand into the universe of politics and public service. This led her to join Cruises Inc as her ‘retirement vocation’ to educate her clients on the world of cruise and vacation travel. Her love of people has helped her to succeed in building a cruise vacation business to the point where her husband Tom needed to join her to help with marketing and back office work. After ten years with Cruises Inc and serving on the Cruises Inc Advisory Board with Susan and Ben, she felt that she’d found partners to take her business to the next level while still giving her clients the integrity and qualities hallmark of the best business in the travel industry.
TINA MENKAL
After spending 18 years providing excellent customer service in the hotel industry and 8 years honing her skills in the cruise and travel world with Cruises Inc, it was the perfect transition for Tina to combine her love of people and travel by joining CruiseOne, CC&A. Tina’s clients travel with confidence, assurance, and peace of mind, knowing that all aspects of their vacation have been expertly coordinated. Tina has completed comprehensive training for nearly all major cruise lines, including river cruises, and land vacations. However, Tina’s speciality is learning about YOU and designing the perfect custom vacation experience that you deserve. Tina is a full time Destination Specialist and is always just a phone call or email away. Her enthusiasm and honesty are the cornerstones of her dedicated passion towards creating your dream vacation.
JENNIE CINADR
Hi – I’m Jennie Cinadr. I have been married for 44 years to my high school sweetheart, Larry. We have one daughter, Laura, and a terrific son-in-law Jason. They have given us a beautiful granddaughter named Marin who is now 6 years old. I recently retired from teaching preschool (my first passion) after 30 years and decided to follow my other passion – travel -- and what better way to share my love of adventure than to become a travel consultant, helping others experience the wonder of seeing all of the exciting places that are within our reach! I love helping people plan anything from a getaway weekend to the trip of a lifetime!! Let me make your vacation dreams come true…
MIKE SULLIVAN
Mike Sullivan entered the vacation travel business in 2014 with 20+ years in sales management and business ownership experience. He enjoys cooking, reading, comedy shows and, of course, traveling. He is an avid golfer and tennis player. Having grown up in New England, he is a huge fan of all Boston sports teams. He lives in Athens, Georgia with his wife, Rima and has three grown children. He specializes in arranging wonderful vacations for his clients with enthusiasm and attention to detail. Join his loyal following and give Mike a call to get the ball rolling on your dream vacation.
DIANE MENDOZA
In 1998, Diane Mendoza’s passion for cruise travel started with a mouse on a magical family voyage! In 2006, Diane left Corporate America and joined Cruises Inc. as an independent contractor. In 2017 Diane wanted to take her business to the next level of service with proven success by becoming an associate with Combs, Catalina & Associates. Diane enjoys being an advocate for her valued clients for land and sea travels. “It is with great pleasure to offer above and beyond service, with the same care and attention to details as if it were my own personal travels.” Diane is active in her community and member of Rotary International of Laguna Beach. In 2008, Diane was one of the first travel agents with Cruises Inc. to offer “fundraising at sea” travel, raising funds for 501(c)3 non-profits. One of Diane’s favorite activities is to prepare and serve meals for friends, family and her local homeless shelter.
BEN & LYNN CATALINA
Lynn Catalina's previous journalism and public relations career included positions as a newspaper reporter, freelance writer, and Director of Communications at the Institute of Texan Cultures in San Antonio. As an Air Force wife, she enjoyed exploring every city and country her family lived in, especially Italy while stationed there, and travel opened her eyes to our amazing world. She has served on various communications and public relations boards, as an elder and teacher at John Calvin Presbyterian Church, loves family time when her dispersed family can get together, and especially enjoys playing Mimi to her grandchildren.
Ben Catalina entered the travel business in 1997 after a 22-year career as an officer in the U.S. Air Force, followed by a second career with Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio in professional development and training. He has served on the board of directors for Southwest Research Federal Credit Union and as an elder at John Calvin Presbyterian Church. Well respected in our business, he has been quoted in several national travel publications and is often sought out for his river cruise experience. He enjoys spending time with his grown and married children and his grandchildren.
What Our Clients Have to Say...
This was our 65th cruise. Ben and Lynn Catalina have planned the last 60 of them for us and we wouldn't have it any other way. They know our likes and so with one call it all happens and we go cruising! Oh yeah, we also call them friends! Roger T.
"It gives me great pleasure to provide an enthusiastic recommendation for Lynn and Ben Catalina. I have known Lynn for many years and have worked with her for the past five years to provide travel opportunities for our alumni at the University of Texas at San Antonio. The superb service and professionalism of Lynn and Ben Catalina cannot be topped! There are no worries when you work with them for your travel needs. Again, Lynn and Ben Catalina have my highest recommendation," -Jane Findling, Retired Director of ALumni Programs, UTSA
"Our 200+ membership draws from most of the 50 states and several foreign countries. We meet yearly. Some years the reunions are on land, other years at sea, but most of the time these reunions consist of both land and sea. The Catalinas meticulously plan every phase of the at-sea meetings.... They work with each member in the group on an individual basis, and they seem to know what is going to be asked before the members even know to ask the question. Once you have booked through Lynn & Ben Catalina, you will continue using their service. They make it so easy!" -Emily Povey, Retired Secretary/Treasurer, Aviano Reunion Association
Thank you, Lynn, for helping Erica and I to get off on a great start to our marriage by having the most wonderful honeymoon possible! -Steven G.
Ben and Lynn provided great service. I had received a mailing from Princess with some good sale prices and they met that easily. Really loved the "breakfast in bed" gift from them. - Steve S.
Donna was so helpful and answered so many questions that we had. She made sure that we had the best possible experience. I would highly recommend her to friends! -- Lynette from WV
Unbelievable...absolutely LOVED working with Donna! She went above and beyond and was nothing short of wonderful! An absolute pleasure to work with!!! A+++ -- Kim from NJ
Donna is always great to work with. I'm the group leader and with a group I always have unique issues. Donna takes care of them in a timely professional manner. -- Michael from KY
-- Christopher
I am certain that when things don’t go as planned with your travel services you hear about. My wife and I recently moved here from the Midwest and have traveled extensively throughout the World. We have used travel services frequently to plan our business and personal trips. I cite the above not to impress you with our travels but rather, to insure you that we have dealt with literally dozens of travel agents through the years. We recognize quality when we see it. Diane Mendoza is by far the best travel agent that we have ever used. We have used some great agents in the past but none at Diane’s level of expertise and professionalism. She is pleasant, professional, and extremely thorough and most importantly does everything in her power to insure that all goes smoothly for her clients. Diane is a real asset; we will certainly use Diane again in the future -- Al and Wendy, Mission Viejo, CA
Our European vacation was amazing! Everything was perfect and went smoothly. We can truly appreciate first hand all the planning and hard work you did on our behalf, Diane. We created memories that will be cherished for a lifetime. Thank you so very much, we look forward to planning more wonderful vacations in the future. -- David & Amanda, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Mike did a fabulous job putting together our Alaska land and sea cruise. Loved his work so much that we have booked the Panama Canal cruise with his perfect services. He listens to what we want and delivers. You won't regret contacting Mike for your next holiday. -- Rita
-- Stacy
-- Connie
-- Suzanne
Susan and the team have gone out of their way to help us book, plan, and assist “after cruise” questions or problems. Wouldn’t think of going ant where else! -- Corky and Marie
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