Updated:
April 04, 2008
Insured, Licensed
Russell
A. (Rusty) Pickett is a retired career Naval officer, having spent more than
26 years as a Submariner. He served in a variety of assignments across the
country including Headquarters staffs in
He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Behavior from Yale University
and has a Master of Business Administration degree from Charleston
Southern University.
Although
Shellback
Cruises
is
a “cruise oriented” travel agency able to book cruises on any cruise, river
cruise or barge company worldwide, we are able to arrange a full assortment of worldwide land/sea
packages and select land only packages though such companies as Disney,
Princess, Royal Caribbean, Holland America/Westours, Destination Europe,
Globus/Cosmos, Blue Sky Hawaii Tours, Merit Golf Vacations, Abercrombie and Kent,
Quantas Vacations, Virgin Atlantic Vacations,
Brendan Tours, Travel Impressions, Pleasant Holidays, Insight Vacations, Celtic
Tours, Tauck World Discovery, Gutsy Women Travel, CIE Tours, Celtic Tours Universal Studios Vacations
and many others. The company has booked
individual, group and fundraising packages for travel worldwide. The
company is also a specialist in arranging military - especially Navy - reunions
in Charleston, South Carolina. The
company's customers live throughout North America!
Click
to
read what our clients have to say!
Industry/professional certifications include:
Elite
Cruise Counselor having been examined and certified by
CLIA. Rusty Pickett is one of only just over several hundred travel agents in N to achieve this distinction.
Click the CLIA button to learn about the value of booking with and Elite Cruise Counsellor!
Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist, having been examined and certified by CLIA!
Member, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).
Board Member: Cruise Lines International Travel Agent Advisory Board (2004 - Present)
Member, STARS - Certified Travel Professionals
Member Agency Vacation.com is a network of more than 9000
Agencies!
Member:
Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality - the leading travel industry
association promoting travel for those with disabilities.
Certified: “Princess
Commodore” by Princess Cruises; "Cunard Commodore" by Cunard Line, "Norwegian Cruise Line
Specialist" by NCL; Great Alaska Specialist by
Holland
America
Tours; "Celebrity
Cruises Consultant" by Celebrity Cruises; Royal Caribbean "WOW" Agent, Graduated from the
"Disney College of
Knowledge",
and is a "Niche Cruise Specialist". Additionally
he is "Vegas Certified" by the Las Vegas Visitors and Convention
Authority. He travels and
cruises extensively to ensure he keeps current on 
recent industry trends, and
routinely attends industry and travel company trade shows, presentations, and
ship orientations. He has been profiled in international trade
magazines including Travel Trade Magazine,
and ASTA Agency Magazine. He was panelist for the 21st
Annual Travel Trade Cruise-a-thon and NACTA International Conferences. He is a monthly writer for
"Home Based Trade" supplement to Travel Trade Magazine.
Additionally he has represented the cruise industry through routine interviews on the
local Charleston area TV stations. He routinely participates in industry surveys and
discussions and conducts regional travel agent seminars for agents home based in
South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia.
He is also a certified open ocean diver, and can assist you with planning that great dive adventure!
As a volunteer within the community, Rusty Pickett
is Lt. Governor of Division 21, Carolinas 
District, Kiwanis International
and is a member of the South Carolina
Chapter of the Naval Submarine League, The Military Officers Association, and the Charleston Council of
the Navy League of the United States, Council 704 Knights of Columbus and the
Ancient Order of Hibernians.
The
preferred card of
Shellback Cruises