Tropical Sails Corp Travel Agency
18189 W Weatherby Dr, Surprise, AZ 85374
Tropical Sails began in 1990 while Dan Oppliger was working for a tour operator in El Paso, TX. Dan worked in the marketing department where he received a call from a prospect wanting a solar eclipse tour down the Mexican Baja peninsula for the July 1991 total solar eclipse. Dan took the project to his boss, who said We dont go to Baja in the summertime.
Dan ran ads in Astronomy magazine and quickly had 75 people signed up to drive the Baja Peninsula. We saw all six minutes plus of the total solar eclipse from a gorgeous beach southeast of La Paz. We camped in RV parks and deserted beaches on the trip. All arrangements we made using Dans expertise. A few clients backed out after erroneous information was published in the major astronomy magazines.
Some clients asked What are doing for Peru? What do I know about Peru? In 1994 we had some clients in El Paso for the annular solar solar eclipse. Dan was the big cheese in town supplying some 100,000 pair of Eclipse Shades to schools, businesses, radio stations and individuals.
Someone came up with idea is that I should charter a Windjammer Barefoot tall ship for the February 1998 solar eclipse off Guadeloupe. We ended up with the Fantome, Polynesia, Legacy, and Mandalay. Added to that was the new Star Clipper ship. We also added cruises to our offerings including the Dawn Princess and a Royal Caribbean ship.
In 1999 we went to Turkey for the first time. 33 people on private yachts for two weeks. Sailing past Ephesus, the Dardanelles and Bosporus into the Black Sea. Followed by two Africa eclipses.
We had a small group in Australia after 911. We saw a annular solar eclipse at sea on the Yankee Clipper. We had a summertime group on the Polynesia for the Venus Transit of 2004. 2006 was a big year with 84 people going to Turkey. I think is sold so well because it was off season and just a 8 night voyage. Part of that group went on to tour Western Turkey including most of the Churches of Revelation.
We had large groups in China for both the 2008 Silk Road Eclipse and 2009 repeat of the Baja Eclipse Saros cycle. The Pacific in 2010 and Australia 2012. Interestingly it was the same Dawn Princess and the same, but older Captain for the Australia Eclipse Cruise.
We have good arrangements with suppliers all over the globe. Dan has been to 30 countries. We are here to arrange you group tour, or for individual travel with our great suppliers.
Reviews
04/02/2013
Provided by YP.com02/25/2013
Provided by YP.comI went with Tropical Sails Cor to see the longest Total Solar Eclipse of this century appeared in China July 22nd. It was about 2 1/2 hours from the first contact to the end and the total eclipse lasted about 6 minutes. We were on the bus ready to go at 4:00 am. This was the first time our tour guides did anything on time. We left Hangzhou at 4:15 am. When we arrived at the reservoir two and half hours later, the parking lot was either half empty or half full. (And they wanted to leave at 6:00 am).
Tropical Sails Corp choose the right position, far from city and on a high altitude and wide places to avoid the rain and thick clouds in summer, and we give thanks for the co-operation of the weather. Three Chinese students at Hangzhou Senior High School traveled 1400 km along the eclipse path with gps equipment. Tianhuangpig reservoir near Anji, Zhejiang province is where Tropical Sails Corp observed the eclipse in a semi private marked off section on the dam. This was the number one site suggested by the students in their small publication.
What an exciting and perfect morning! The satellite image was clear at 3:00 am where we were going. The forecast was for showers and rain. As we climbed to 960 meters, all that was left were thin, wispy clouds, resembling fog.
Tropical Sails produced a fantastic solar eclipse experience.
More Business Info
Traveling should be a sense of adventure
- Hours
- Regular Hours
Mon - Fri: - Extra Phones
TollFree: 800-595-1003
Phone: 623-444-8195
- Services/Products
- Cruises, tours, tall ship cruises, resort packages, river cruises.
- Brands
- Apak Tours, Avalon Waterways, Globus, Jenman Safaris, MSC Cruises, Norwegian, Princess, Star Clippers, Ventus Sailing, Windjammer
- Payment method
- all major credit cards, check, paypal
- Location
- Located in Arizona Traditions, Surprise, AZ.
- Accreditation
Surprise Regional Chamber of Commerce
- Associations
- NACTA, CLIA
- Other Link
- Categories
- Cruises, Travel Agencies