Colleagues say Vicky Garcia made people feel important: Travel Weekly

When Vicky Garcia walked into a room, you knew it. Everyone present wanted to catch the Cruise Planners COO for a chat and a photo, and she made time for them all.

The travel industry is mourning the loss of Garcia, 56, who died Aug. 14 after a long illness. Many have recalled her as being an ardent advocate with a kind personality who never shied away from helping others succeed. Many also recalled not just Garcia herself but how she made people feel.

“That’s the essence of it — what did she make you feel like? Important,” said Michelle Fee, founder and CEO of Cruise Planners and Garcia’s best friend. “She made you feel important, that’s what she did. She made people feel important. Everybody. It didn’t matter what you were, who you were. She gave you her time. And I hope I can just live out part of her legacy for her. I’m going to try.”

Michelle Sutter, Holland America Line’s vice president of North American sales and chief of staff, was one of those people who witnessed firsthand Garcia’s ability to make others feel welcome.

Sutter spent most of her early career on the Canadian side of the business before transitioning to the U.S. about seven years ago. Garcia was one of the first to make her feel truly welcome.

“She made me feel special and important,” Sutter said. “And when I read how long she knew other people, which was a lot longer than I knew her, I realize how she made me feel is how she made everyone feel regardless of how long she had or hadn’t known someone.”

‘Everybody knew her and loved her’

Garcia’s career in the industry spanned 30 years. She started as a cruise line reservations agent before moving into leadership roles with Royal Caribbean International and Norwegian Cruise Line.

It was during her time at Norwegian that Garcia first met Fee.

• Related: Vicky Garcia remembered as a passionate advocate for her colleagues

Garcia was working at the cruise line with her then-girlfriend and future wife, Carol Alexander, who had long said she planned to retire and become a Cruise Planners agent (she did just that). At the time, Fee needed somebody to run her groups department, and she asked them if they had any suggestions. Garcia asked Fee if she could apply or if that would be a conflict of interest.

“And I said, ‘No, you’re hired. Come in and we’ll figure the rest of it out,'” Fee said.

That was 18 years ago, in 2004. In 2013, Garcia became a partner in Cruise Planners.

Fee said Garcia was committed to equality. For example, in the Cruise Planners office, no one was ever called an “employee.” At Garcia’s insistence, they were known as a “team member,” Fee said.

Garcia, who was Cuban, was also a passionate advocate for diversity, the LGBTQ community and elevating women.

“But all of that did not define her,” Fee said. “She wanted to be defined as somebody who was a leader, somebody who helped make change. We feel like we’ve done that at Cruise Planners, build a company where people can succeed in life, and we were going to help them get there. That’s what she was most proud of.”

Garcia was also devoted to raising funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) and was responsible for raising more than $2 million for the society over the years, both personally and with the help of industry executives she recruited for her mission.

Garcia chose the LLS because so many have been affected by cancer, Fee said. Her theory was that if a cure could be created for blood cancer, a cure could also be found for other types of cancer.

While Garcia worked hard for her company and causes, she also loved a good time and a vodka martini. Some of Fee’s favorite memories of Garcia are from being on stage with her at Cruise Planners events. Garcia would often go off-script, pulling Fee and others into bits they had to respond to on the spot.

“There was the fun, crazy side that I think I’m going to miss the most, because she always made me laugh,” Fee said. “She always took me out of my comfort zone, and I will forever be grateful that I had 18 amazing years with her.”

Garcia was also remembered fondly by Cruise Planners franchise owners.

“The thing that I think strikes me the most about Vicky was that she was always a cheerleader for you,” said Rick Carlson, who owns a franchise in Cape Cod, Mass. “You know, if there was ever a challenge, she was there to help support and help you see the positives, to have you look forward.”

Michael Consoli, who owns a franchise in Atlanta, met Garcia at a franchise training event when she started with Cruise Planners 18 years ago. They immediately hit it off and planned their personal vacations together. They even share their wedding day: Garcia and Alexander and Consoli his husband, Corey Ratley, had a double wedding ceremony.

Consoli described Garcia as fun-loving and energetic, a person who loved the travel industry. He also described her as very unselfish, whether giving to charities or helping the communities she lived in. Her support of franchisees, both new and old, was notable.

“It’s a real loss,” Consoli said. “It’s a loss for the industry. It’s a loss for everybody who knew her. She was just an icon. Everybody knew her and loved her.”

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