About Us

Cruise Consultants Company, the San Antonio based luxury Travel Agency was founded in January 1983 by Jay W. Silberman and his wife, Mary Pat, with a simple objective: To provide only the finest voyages, at the best prices with exceptional customer service. We have remained true to these principles over the years and this has resulted in our current position as one of the market leaders devoted to selling luxury voyages.

We feel that "luxury" is a well worn, and in many cases, inappropriate word used by many cruise lines today. Mediocre service and cuisine, or dull ports of call, have no place on a luxury voyage and these ships will never be featured in our portfolio. As a result, we only sell a limited number of the thirty plus cruise lines that operate today.

Caring, knowledge, and experience is the key. We care deeply for the safety, security and satisfaction of our clients; and between our small team, we have over 90 years of experience in the luxury cruise arena and have personally hosted 180 voyages during this time, taking our clients to all 7 continents and 156 different countries. We would never sell a cruise line without experiencing it first and we would never advise you to travel on a voyage that we thought would not exceed your expectations. This is why our positioning statement is: 

                                     "The Difference is our Experience"

We also have an ethical approach to how we sell our travel recommendations. If we think it is not the best time to book your selected voyage, we will tell you before you make your reservation. As a result of this, and our warm customer service, many of our passengers have become our personal friends. We enjoy being among the companies having the highest personal referral rates in the travel industry.

When contacting Cruise Consultants Company, we think you will no doubt be relieved that we do not have an automated telephone system. Our "Good Old Fashioned Customer Service" principles insure that when you contact us, you will get straight through to one of our highly skilled team, or if we are exceptionally busy, only then will you get our answering machine. Furthermore, when you reserve your vacation with us, you will be looked after by the same team from your first contact all the way through your trip and have returned home.

About Our Principals

Jay received a Bachelor in Business Administration from Northwestern University (1960), and received the degree of Juris Doctor from De Paul University School of Law (1965). He is licensed to practice both law in both Illinois and Texas and is registered in the U.S. District Court, the U.S. Court Appeals, the United States Tax Court, and the Supreme Court of the United States. Mary Pat received a Bachelor in Business Administration from Trinity University (1977), and is a licensed Real Estate Broker in Texas.

Over the years, Jay has served as a member of the travel agent advisory boards of Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Costa Cruises, Princess Cruises and at present is serving on the advisory board for Regent Seven Seas Cruises. He also has been a member of the highy respected CLIA inter-agency marketing panel which also included representatives from ASTA, ARTA, AAA, ICTA and members of the CLIA marketing committee.

Jay and Mary Pat Silberman were among the first travel agents to be awarded the designation of Master Cruise Counselors by Cruise Lines International Association. (And were the 1st and 2nd in San Antonio, Texas to earn this recognition and status.) Cruise Consultants Company has received many awards over the years, evidencing their sales levels, and their dedication to their customers and the cruise industry.

Jay, Mary Pat and Cruise Consultants Company are known and respected throughout the cruise industry and have clients throughout the United States. Articles have been written about the company, its principals, and their expertise and competence, which has appeared in several cruise guides, and many of the nation’s leading newspapers, including the New York Times, The Washington Post, and U.S.A. Today. Testimonials have been received from many cruise lines and several travel writers.

Jay has been a presenter at travel industry conferences on various subjects including problems faced by, and the opportunities available to, professionals in the travel industry. He has written articles which have been published in both the consumer and trade press. In addition, he has been featured in national print media, has been interviewed on both radio and television, and has written several books about their travels throughout the world.

Jay and Mary Pat have found cruising to be a rewarding profession, and during the 32 years since becoming involved in the travel industry, they have cruised (not just observed) on over 175 cruises and have spent more than 2,500 nights at sea. They have personally hosted more than 100 cruise groups to destinations throughout the world including the Mediterranean, Africa, S.E. Asia, Scandinavia, South Pacific, Antarctica, and the Orient.

 

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