SharePart tour-guide, part problem-solver and 100% friend: our Tour Managers are destination experts and there for our passengers every step of the way, helping to make your tour as safe and fulfilling as possible! Whether to color in your destination with fun first-hand stories or recommend the best restaurant for a night out (and the best way to get there!) it’s no wonder when our passengers return home, one of the first things they rave about is their Tour Manager. We’re fortunate to have a team of Tour Managers who are passionate about our tours to Cuba and can’t wait to share their experiences and expertise with you! Meet Terri, Frank, Tracy and Gary.
Terri Ross
Where do you call home? New Mexico
How long have you been leading tours to Cuba with Friendly Planet? 3 years
What are some of your favorite Cuban experiences? Whether it’s seeing the joy radiating from the face of a passenger when she was given a student painting at the art school we were visiting or helping my group members bargain for handmade linens to take home as gifts for family and friends — my favorite experiences always seem to revolve around helping travelers experience the real Cuba.
What’s one of the most interesting things to happen on one of your tours? I once helped a passenger propose to his girlfriend! Seeing her tearful happiness as she accepted was so moving.
Interesting Tidbit: I was actually in Havana the day Fidel Castro died!
Gary White
Where do you call home? Tennessee
How long have you been leading tours to Cuba with Friendly Planet? 6 years
What are some of your favorite places in Cuba? I love the verdant setting of palms and incredible vantage point of the Courtyard of the Hotel Nacional and of course I love to sit and listen to generations of Cubans as they gather and socialize along the famous seawall.
What do you love about leading groups to Cuba with Friendly Planet? I love that Friendly Planet strives to ensure guests’ experiences will be extraordinary and to that effort everyone in the office and those in the field work tirelessly. Our guests go on vacation and return with a mind of new ideas and a spirit renewed with enthusiasm and then suddenly we become more than just a tour company.
Fun fact: Prior to my career as a Tour Manager, I lived in Tanzania, Africa working as a bush pilot helping to prevent poaching activities.
Tracy Lewis
Where do you call home? Georgia
How long have you been leading tours to Cuba with Friendly Planet? 6 years
What do you love about Cuba? The history and architecture in Cuba are impressive, but the warm, friendly people are what I love most. They make the trips incredible by inviting us to learn about and explore their beautiful country.
Fun fact: I love to travel off the beaten path and over the past few years– I’ve been to all 7 continents and more than 50 countries! I also travel with Friendly Planet passengers to India, which is my second great love!
Frank Slater
Where do you call home? Colorado
How long have you been leading tours to Cuba with Friendly Planet? 5 years
What do you love about leading Friendly Planet Travelers to Cuba? I find the Friendly Planet travelers to be some of the most interesting, friendly, adventurous folks and they come with a great attitude toward learning more about Cuba.
Fun fact: When I’m not leading Friendly Planet Travel groups to Cuba, I am an industry speaker, author, and professional photographer. Over the past 25 years I’ve been to over 90 countries!
See all of our tours to Cuba right here >>
My wife and I went to Cuba in 2016 the week after Easter, and we had the best time of our lives! Tracey Lewis was our tour manager, starting from the hotel in Miami till we returned. What an absolutely gentle soul she is! Tracey cared for us beyond our expectations, yet keeping us all in line for an incredible trip. Her knowledge, experience, leadership, and tender ways made our travels very much worth the investment in this excursion.
Thank you Tracey Lewis! Hope all is well with you!
Clyde & Delane Hill
Chickamauga, Ga
Clyde and Dalene, thank you so much for leaving such a wonderful comment! We are so glad you fell in love with the fabulous culture and warm people of Cuba. And we will absolutely pass along your wonderful words to Tracy! She is still traveling to the island regularly and has helped many people experience the wonders of Cuba. Hope to see you travel with us again soon!
Looking to take a tour to cuba any help is much appreciated.
Hi Joann! You can see our list of Cuba tours here. We have some incredible journeys that provide great people-to-people experiences! We’re also going to reach out via email to see if we can offer any assistance with booking. You can also give our team a call at 800.555.5765 (M–F 9:30–6 • SAT 11–5 (ET)).
Saving up for your trip 8 days including Trinidad I plan to take solo in 2023 March. Wondering when I should book the trip-would March 2022 be Ok? Thanks Rich Nrookhaven New York USA
Hi Rich! Tour dates for the 2023 season will be available to book in 2022. When the time comes, we would be more than happy to assist you in booking this trip!