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Updated:

December 19, 2009

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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 Washington DC and Norfolk, Virginia . He was Captain of the nuclear attack submarine USS L. MENDEL RIVERS (SSN 686) homeported in Charleston, South Carolina, as well as Submarine Training Facility, Charleston South Carolina and Navy ROTC at the University of Notre Dame. As a result of his military experience, Rusty has traveled extensively around the world. He has enjoyed more than 40 cruises throughout the Atlantic and Pacific, the Antarctic and the rivers of Europe!

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 and Disney Adventures, Princess, Royal Caribbean, Holland America/Westours,  Globus/Cosmos, Blue Sky Hawaii Tours, Merit Golf Vacations, Abercrombie and Kent, Quantas Vacations, Brendan Worldwide, Travel Impressions, Pleasant Holidays, Celtic Tours, Tauck World Discovery and Tauck Bridges, Classic Custom Vacations, 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 North America 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)

   Certified "Distinguished Travel Professional" by Travel Professionals Network

Certified professional agency by the International Air Transport Association

 

  Member Agency  Vacation.com is a network of more than 9000 Agencies!

 

 

 Member, Advisory Board Member, National Association of Career Travel Agents (NACTA)

 

     

Member:  Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality - the leading travel industry association promoting travel for those with disabilities.

 

        

Certified: “Princess Commodore and Alaska Expert” by Princess Cruises; "Cunard Commodore" by Cunard Line, "Freestyle 2.0 Certified Specialist" by NCL; Great Alaska Specialist by Holland America Tours;  "Celebrity Cruises 5-Star Graduate" by Celebrity Cruises; Royal Caribbean "WOW Expert Plus" Agent, Graduated from the "Disney College of Knowledge" and Regent Seven Seas University, 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 was 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  Youth Services Chair for the Carolinas District of Kiwanis International, and served as Lt. Governor of Division 21, Carolinas District from 2007 - 2009. He 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 and Lynch Assembly of the Knights of Columbus and the Ancient Order of Hibernians.

  

 

The preferred card of Shellback Cruises

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2131 Westrivers Road, Charleston, South Carolina 29412

Toll Free: 1-888-497-2227, local: 762-3888, Fax: 1-843-762-9470

Email: scruises@bellsouth.net

Travel News: www.shellbackcruises.travel

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