John Maguire
John Maguire

Want to know how to travel in style, just like the pros? We check in with frequent fliers to find out how often they fly, their favorite destinations and what they never leave home without.

Name: John Maguire

Occupation: CEO President 

Hometown: Rutherford, NJ

Residence: Chester, NJ

College: University of Colorado, Boulder

College major: Political Science

Website: cruisedirect.com 

Twitter: @CruiseDirectInc

Facebook: CruiseDirect.com

PinterestCruiseDirect.com

YouTube: CruiseDirect

Short bio: John Maguire, Founder and CEO of International Voyager and CruiseDirect.com, started the companies in 2002, realizing that cruise lines were adding more homeports and the industry was rapidly growing and the need for a credible and knowledgeable online travel partner to help guide consumers through the cruise selection and booking process would be critical. Since its inception 15 years ago, CruiseDirect.com has assisted nearly a half million travelers book cruises and receives the highest customer ratings in the industry.

Maguire’s venture into the online travel business followed a steady career trajectory that began shortly after he finished college. His first position was with a travel media company which published more than 100 magazines and guidebooks for Caribbean islands and the airlines and cruise lines that served them. In 1995 he joined the then fledgling America Online and was integral in converting a travel-content channel into one of the first air, hotel and car online booking web sites. With this experience under his belt, Maguire later managed business development for the online ventures group of The New York Times, working with with Golf.com, Tennis.com, CruisingWorld.com and SnowCountry.com. He continued developing his online career at the search engine company Snap.com, which was later acquired by NBC.

Maguire then accepted a position as vice president at Idealab, an ecommerce incubator, where he acquired the entrepreneurial experience that he needed to compliment the rest of his expertise and start his own travel company.

Besides leading International Voyager and CruiseDirect.com, Maguire enjoys time with his family, traveling, technology, sailing, skiing, and scuba diving. He has visited 63 countries and six continents as well as traveled on more than 100 cruise ships. He is an avid sailor and has captained boats throughout the northeast United States, the Caribbean and Thailand. A New Jersey native, Maguire attended the University of Colorado at Boulder.

How often do you fly? Twice a month.

How many countries have you been to? 63

How many continents have you been to? 6

Earliest travel memory: Driving across the US in a station wagon with my family when I was eight.

Favorite American city: San Francisco.

Favorite international city: Hong Kong.

Least favorite country: Martinique.

I have no desire to go to: Angola.

Friendliest people in the world: Thai.

Country with the meanest immigration officers: United States.

Favorite World Heritage Site: Acropolis.

Favorite airline: Cathay Pacific.

Favorite aircraft type: 787 Boeing.

Aisle or window: Window—you can stretch your legs out better.

Favorite airport lounge: Amex Lounge MIA.

Favorite U.S. airport: FLL.

Favorite international airport: Singapore.

Favorite hotel: Peninsula Hotel Bangkok.

Favorite cruise line: Royal Caribbean.

Favorite travel credit card: Amex.

Favorite island: Phi Phi Island.

Favorite beach: Megan’s Bay.

Favorite National Park: Yosemite.

Favorite fancy restaurant: La Cirque, Bellagio, Las Vegas.

Favorite hole-in-the-wall: McSorley’s, NYC.

Favorite airport restaurant: CBGB’s, Terminal C EWR.

Favorite bar: Soggy Dollar Bar, BVI, Jost Van Dyke.

Favorite fruit: Blueberries.

Favorite food: Sushi.

Least favorite food: Broccoli.

Drink of choice (in the air and on the ground): Painkiller from St. Thomas or extra dirty martini.

Favorite travel movie(s): 180 Degrees South.

Favorite travel show(s): Anthony Bourdain.

Favorite travel book(s): Atlas Obscura.

Right now I am reading: “Vagabonding” by Rolf Potts.

Top 3 favorite travel newsletters/magazines/blogs: Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, USA Today Cruise Log.

Favorite travel website(s)—besides JohnnyJet.com, of course! TripAdvisor.com, tripit.comusatoday.com/travel.

5 things you bring on a plane: iPhone, neck pillow, book, laptop noise-canceling headphones.

What do you always seem to forget? Sunscreen.

What do you like least about travel? TSA lines.

What do you want your loved one to buy you from an airport Duty Free store? Havana Club rum from Cuba.

Favorite travel app(s): TripIt, FlightStats, Been, PriorityPass.

Most embarrassing travel moment: Flight back from Europe my son had to throw up and the line for the toilet was too long and he threw up over three different people in their seats as I tried to get him back to our seat to get paper bags.

I’m embarrassed I haven’t been to: Dubai.

Worst travel moment: Landing in Singapore after 24 hours of travel with my wife and three young children only for our cruise to be cancelled. It was a stressful experience, but led me to one of my favorite travel experiences. I chartered a sail boat and sailed to Phang Nga Bay.

What’s your dream destination? Antarctica.

Favorite travel charity: Coral Restoration Foundation.

Best travel tip: Get Global Entry and Priority Pass.

 

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