Travel Specialists

Rudi Steele began his career in the travel industry over 45 years ago in Zurich were he worked as an apprentice for the company HotelPlan. In addition to receiving several awards, he has served on the Virtuoso Advisory Board for many years and is currently on the advisory board for Conde Nast Travel, The Luxury Collection, the Ritz-Carlton Presidential Roundtable and Virtuoso Select Properties Committee and also on the Advisory Board of Preferred Hotels.

After leaving Switzerland, Rudi worked for Guy Tombs Ltd. a Montreal based company in their travel department, and was responsible for housing during the World’s Fair in Montreal in 1967 - later that year, Rudi began working for Thomas Cook in San Francisco and eventually headed their offices in Dallas. Shortly after, he accepted the position of manager for Neiman Marcus Travel in North Park where he worked for six years before starting his own company, Rudi Steele Travel in 1978.

Rudi Steele Travel, Inc, a full-service travel provider specializing in luxury and adventure travel, has established itself as one of the pre-eminent purveyors of luxury travel in the Southwest. From the beginning, Rudi Steele Travel, Inc. has distinguished itself and is uniquely positioned to assist the most discriminating traveler by offering the highest level of personalized service, making arrangements on all seven continents.

Small by choice, the agency consists of only 10 agents, of which some of them have been with the agency for

over 20 years.

Now in its 28^th year, Rudi Steele Travel has been a member agency of Virtuoso from almost the very beginning of its establishment.

THOMAS F FROEHLICH has been associated with Rudi Steele Inc since 1981. Growing up in Wisconsin, he received his undergraduate degree cum laude from Lawrence University and a Master's degree from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. For three years he lived in France doing post-graduate work and in 1977 he moved to Dallas to begin doctoral studies at the University of North Texas.

Tom has always loved cruise ships and, even before entering the travel business, he traveled on ships whenever possible. While living in Paris he had a next door neighbor from Pretoria which ignited his interest in Africa. These two early influences, as well as the time living in France, have directly impacted his work at Rudi Steele Inc. To this day his work is primarily concentrated on planning trips on ships, in Africa, and in Western Europe.

When not travelling, Tom is often found at the historic First Presbyterian Church of Dallas where he has been the principal organist since 1977. While now generally "retired" from the concert stage, he has played solo recitals, participated in festivals, and appreared with orchestras throughout the United States and in Europe.

Dan is serving on the Crystal Cruises Local Business Development Team.

Dan is a credited Virtuoso Voyager Host for Silversea Cruises, Regent Seven Seas and Crystal Cruises.

Dan's most recent trips have been on Crystal Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. He enjoyed sailing around Southern Europe and the Mediterranean aboard Crystal Serenity. Aboard Regent Seven Seas Voyager, Dan had the pleasure of visiting ports along the French, Portuguese and Spanish coasts and the South of France.

Dan suggests arriving at least one day prior to the ships departure and in the case of a city such as Athens you may want to allow an extra day.

She was one of the first women to be featured in D Magazine's "Women in Business".and in the Dallas Morning News for her many international trips promoting travel and cruises to exotic places. Her clientele represents two to three generations and their referrals who have trusted her with their travel for years. They call her for advice on ships, romantic hideaways , honeymoons and the unusual - the latest being ""Morocco's Camels to Casbahs", and a graduation present for a granddaughter of a Private Car and Guide to tour all of Ireland tracing their heritage from Castles to Cemeteries.

Asia and the Pacific Islands have always been a favorite of hers and she is still an ardent student of this developing area.

Ships and cruising are also special to her, as she met and married an Officer on a World Cruise ship returning from China. Lucy has been and sailed on over 80 ships in her travels covering most of the "Seven Seas" , Three Continent Trans Atlantic Crossing and the Pacific Crossing the Equator four times.

But always preparing for "future client requests".and..in anticipation of requests for the Ritz Carlton's Promotion to have the experience of Space Weightlessness ..she just...flew in an Experimental Mig Fighter Jet to experience weightlessness to be able to describe it to her young client generation.

Lucy believes she must always be ready to offer her clients "new" and "exciting" adventures and places....in "her front yard" (the world ) she has "played in" all her life.