In 1975 Peggy Crull founded Cruise & Tour (or Downtown Travel as she called it then) on the principles of passion, responsibility and quality. She had a passion for travel and felt an immense sense of responsibility to each and every client to deliver a high quality travel experience, everytime. These principles guided each decision and eventually led to the motto, coined by company VP, Dennis Crull, “We don’t send you, we take you!” As one of the nation’s early escorted group travel companies Dennis and Peggy would personally lead each group to far flung destinations like Hong Kong, Egypt, Antarctica, Russia…Places their clients would never dare dream of going on their own. In doing so, they personally staked their reputations to the quality of each travel experience. And while not every trip always went perfectly (because that’s travel), they were always there to look after and solve a problem, many times before a client knew it existed.
In the late 80’s Dennis & Peggy approached a local radio host and convinced him to invite his listeners on cruise. 29 cruises and over 8000 passengers later, let’s just say that idea worked. So much so that eventually the concept of Tailoring Extraordinary Travel Experiences for Passionate Communities became Cruise & Tour’s sole focus.
Today our story is one of a vibrant, growing company writing the next chapter in an already impressive book. Whether you’re an influencer, or a member of their passionate community, we invite you to join us and discover why so many have traveled with us time and time again.
When you’re ready to experience extraordinary, give us a call at (800) 383-3131.
Meet Our Team
Ethan Wingfield - President
Prior to joining Cruise & Tour, Ethan Wingfield served as Chief Marketing Officer of Consumer Banking at Capital One, leading marketing and growth. Prior to that role, he led a variety of functions during his nearly 15 years at Capital One, including Consumer Banking Strategy and Analytics and Retail Bank Transformation. He serves on the Board of Directors at Walden Mutual Bank and Geneva College, and serves as an advisor to a variety of startups. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Brown University and Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He and his wife, Jacqueline, share their home with two energetic Westies and eagerly await the arrival of their first child in summer 2022. They have traveled to over 60 countries, ranging from a lot of classic destinations (France, Japan, and Mexico) to a few off the beaten path (Bahrain, Uruguay, Liechtenstein to name a few).
Tracey Conlon - General Manager
Tracey brings over 25 years of experience in the travel industry to Cruise & Tour. She has held leadership roles in Product Development, Operations, and Strategy and Pricing. Tracey’s passion for travel started with an exchange program to Germany in High School and continues today as she has traveled to over 65 countries. Tracey likes discovering the diversity of our world from the beaches of Fiji, to the South African landscapes, to the historical sites of Europe, and exploring in her own backyard in New England. Tracey resides in Seekonk, Massachusetts with her family and pets.
Charlie Crull - Vice President of Group Products
Charlie officially joined the Cruise & Tour team in 2008 but likes to say that he has been interning for the job since the age of four. He has been fortunate enough to have traveled to all 7 continents, with his favorite place in the world being New Zealand. Charlie’s main responsibilities include group travel planning, business development, marketing and being the only one to wear flannel on Flannel Friday. Charlie resides in Durham, New Hampshire with his wife Maria and two sons and enjoys coaching soccer, hiking, fishing and brewing beer in his free time.
Bethany Manchester - Director of Group Products
Bethany has over 20 years of product development, guiding, and operations experience in group escorted tourism. She has traveled to over 76 counties yet still has a list of destinations on her “hit list” and is missing her 7th continent, Antarctica! Bethany resides in the suburbs of Philadelphia where she enjoys hiking, being active and loves being a foodie!
