"Stumbled" across Matt Knowles/Sea Escape Travel when casually examining a trip from US to Australia for Fall 2025. From our first email, through first conversation - with inventory of our interests and locations and timing, through multiple meetups and reviews of plans... every connection prior to departure was professional, thorough, friendly, and accommodating. Matt gave us all the facts and all the "insider" tips to make our AUS trip beyond our expectations. While traveling, Matt was supportive of us when we contacted him abroad for a question or two - always friendly, professional and supportive. The trip was top-notch, and we attribute this to Matt's careful and attentive attention to our needs and planning details. Now home again in California, we've shared our top-notch experience with Matt at Sea Escape Travel with several friends who now want to go to AUS and work with Matt. We highly recommend this Agency. read more

I recently contacted Matt after searching for travel agents who specialize in Hawaii trips. Though I was asking for a *very* last minute booking to Maui for a larger group trip (5+ people), he was still willing to help me. He took the time to answer any and all of my questions and he was incredibly kind and helpful. Within less than 24 hours he came back to me with great options for flights, accommodations (we're talking oceanfront rentals!) and car rental. I was so thrilled because it's often so overwhelming to find these things online, especially when traveling with a number of people. And it's so nice to see one price tag for a package deal -- just makes it all so much easier! Unfortunately, we had to put this trip on hold...However, I really wanted to take the time to review Matt for his services. He definitely knows the ins & outs of Hawaii travel. I know that when the time is right and my family and I can take the trip we will absolutely give Matt at Sea Escape a call for the booking. read more

Matt Knowles is AMAZING!!! I met Matt while working in the travel industry and of course just latched on to his great personality and outgoing demeanor. We've kept in touch through the years and as things come full circle it was time for me to book a honeymoon. It was a no brainer to reach out to Matt. With his knowledge and expertise in the industry, we ended up booking an incredible honeymoon to Playa Del Carmen. I never imagined I would go on a honeymoon to Mexico...but it was more than my husband and I could even imagine. We kept under budget, got to stay in over water bungalows, and had the best time of our lives! Thank you Matt for working with us!! read more

Where do I begin?! Matt is an amazing resource to have in your pocket if you're planning a getaway! My fiancé used Matt's services back in March to plan a surprise proposal in Fiji and Matt did not miss a single detail. From the air travel to the transfers over to our resort to everything in between, everything went perfectly without a hiccup. We arrived at the Fiji airport and were greeted by a gentleman who took us to our own private area to wait for our helicopter transfer to Tokoriki island! We received welcome necklaces (handmade by women in the village), fans, and bottled water. We were able to rest in privacy until it was time to catch our helicopter. We flew over the islands with one other couple before dropping them off at their resort and continuing on to our resort; Tokoriki Island Resort. The views were amazing and coming in on a helicopter is such an unreal experience. Matt didn't miss a single element when helping my fiancé plan, either. We happened to be visiting over my birthday and when arriving there was a beautiful "Happy Birthday, Kristen" writer in palms on our bed. We had the meal plan included in our stay and were able to book massages with spa multiples times a day! The resort is small and beautiful and everyone becomes family after the first afternoon there. When it was time to leave, once again, everything was perfectly laid out on our itinerary for us, all we had to do was follow it. Our resort shuttled us by boat to the ferry where we were brought to the main island. Once we arrived at the main island, Matt had a car scheduled that was waiting for us to transfer us over to the airport. We had all our tickets and items that were needed for traveling at our fingertips thanks to Matt! Easiest traveling experience we have ever had. If you're planning a big, eventful trip and don't want to be worried about missing a single detail, be sure to contact Matt at Sea Escape Travel! He will take amazing care of your and make sure all your wants and needs are met, ensuring the best vacation of your life! read more

Me and my wife around mid 2019 decided to go to Europe in the later part of the summer. Knowing we needed help in a short amount of time, we contacted several travel agents. Matt was the most professional of the people who reached back to us, and we are lucky we got his help! Immediately he let us know we were "behind" in our plans, nevertheless, Matt worked tirelessly for us to help plan a dream two week European vacation - the kind of which doesn't come around very often. Matt guided us along the way to decide on hotels, and the various attraction packages we could choose from. He helped us with valuable shortcuts like a Paris subway pass (something we might never thought of -- but it was crucial to have), getting us a flight from Rome to Paris, and even guiding us to the German railway system. All the packages we selected worked flawlessly! Our vouchers had zero issues, the private transfers arrived on time or in the case of an airport they had our name on display for us to find them, all the hotels were expecting us, this made it far less stressful had we done this all ourselves. What does this mean for you? Well you can enjoy your vacation that much more! Before we left, Matt visited with us and he provided counsel on how to prepare for a European trip and other info that we found invaluable. He guided us on how to deal with wifi for our phones, how and when to get currency, even how to pack for a long trip and lots of things and details that only someone who has done this a lot would know. Once we got back home, Matt sent us a welcome home message, great customer service takes on many forms. Would we use Matt again? Absolutely! If you are wanting to go to Europe or some other complex trip, Matt is who you need so that you and your wife can focus on the most important thing of your trip: the time you both spend together. Good luck! read more

We spent three weeks in Australia and did some of our own planning, but Matt helped us plan many short tours within the country as well as a couple hotels and flights. We were immediately impressed by Matt's knowledge of Australian travel as well as his efficiency in getting back to us and helping with plans. Matt is connected to top-notch tour operators in Australia, and we were extremely pleased with all the tours we took. The tour guides and companies went above and beyond the normal standard of service and imparting of knowledge about the locale and wildlife. Matt also threw in some fun unexpected extras that added delight to our journey. We highly recommend him and hope to work with him again! read more

This is the second time Matt helped us plan our vacation. The first time to Hawaii he was so knowledgeable and planned everything out for us perfectly. The second trip was to Cozumel, Matt again organized our trip answered all our concerns and found the flight and resort we wanted at a great price. Due to the bad weather our flight was canceled and Matt was on top of everything to make sure we got on the next flight. Our resort was contacted and allowed us a free extra day thanks to Matt. He answers all your text and emails immediately he is very helpful with information to make your trip one to remember. Matt will always be our trip planner and I would recommend him to everyone. read more

Matt is an incredible local resource. He has tons of knowledge and does a great job. Can't wait to work with him, you'll never make your own travel arrangements again once you work with Matt. read more

Save time and money while ensuring a quality trip. Available evenings, weekends, and holidays - when needed. When my teenaged college student was stranded in a remote area of Australia because her transfer to the airport didn't show, Matt called Overseas immediately and got a safe ride for her very quickly. Sea Escape Travel has managed travel for several family members. We have had amazing adventures and a few times when someone needed to get back home asap. Matt goes above the norm to take care of his travelers. read more

I've long been accustomed to making my own travel arrangements, but I am now happy to let Matt handle the details. He always does a great job, and it's nice to know he's in my corner if I need him. I won't plan a vacation without his help anymore. read more

Matt at Sea Escape was very helpful when it came to planning our honeymoon cruise. We had to do very minimal work. He was always there for us with any questions that we had, and trust me, we had a lot of questions. Kept on top of us to complete any and all documents we needed to get. Was always willing to go the extra mile and already discussing with him a future trip. Will write a follow up when we get back. read more

Matt was the best- We started in NZ- North Island for hunting stag and on to the Cook Islands for sun & leisure. Just one of the best vacations I have been on. 8 planes, hotels and ground transport and not an issue. My favorite part was every step of the way the trip just was better to WOW. Thanks read more

Matt Knowles at Sea Escape is the best! Not only does he have extensive knowledge in the travel business, but gets you amazing deals all while having great customer service! I will not book any vacation unless its through Sea Escape! read more

Our trip to New Zealand and Australia was wonderful with much thanks to our travel agent, Matt Knowles. Matt started by meeting with us to find out where we wanted to go, what we wanted to see and the level of activity we wanted. Once he knew all of our requests he put together the perfect personalized itinerary, taking everything into consideration. He was very thorough in making our plane reservations, transportation, accommodations along with securing all our tours and activities. Because of this, we were able to enjoy our vacation without having to worry. Being very familiar with the country Matt was always available to answer any questions and even gave us some additional suggestions that he thought we might be interested in along the way. If you are thinking of traveling to New Zealand and/or Australia, we recommend that you consider planning it with Matt. read more

Matt at Sea Escape Travel was an integral part of planning our honeymoon to Jamaica. Matt was very thorough, heard out our desires and plans, and then expressed all his thoughts and concerns. He did research, talked to others in the industry, and gave us options of countries/resorts to pick from during COVID that were largely open yet safe for travel and met all our desires for a tropical vacation. Matt booked all of our travel, reviewed all additional options, and kept things very simple for us. When our initially booked flight was changed, he was flexible with us to reschedule that flight to another airline that could better accommodate us. Matt even threw in a free upgrade that allowed us to bypass long lines at customs and immigration both into and out of Jamaica. Matt was very responsive while booking, during our trip (even checking in with us to make sure we made it to our destination) and has been providing great customer service after our trip. We ended up having to file a travel insurance claim (due to no fault of Matt's), and Matt helped us and kept us aware of where things stood the entire time. I can't say enough about how valuable Matt was as a resource to us. read more

My wife and I worked with Matt to schedule and coordinate our honeymoon. There's a LOT of ways to book this stuff directly without an agent, but we wanted to check with a travel agent who was familiar with the process so that we didn't make any mistakes. Originally, we had a budget and we were looking into both Fiji and the French Polynesia...Matt priced out the options and was fantastic to work with. We traveled to Tahiti, to Moorea, Bora Bora, and back home. Every time that we got off of a plane, bus, boat, etc, somebody was there to meet us and hand hold us to the next stop. Our honeymoon could not have run more smoothly and we owe that to Matt. Also, prior to us taking off, Matt made it very easy to step through the entire travel plans with him on the line to make sure that we felt very comfortable before taking off. Matt was great - the price was more than competitive to what we were trying to do independently, and everything ran very smoothly. Highly recommend Sea Escape Travel! read more

When it comes to traveling, Matt has you covered! He is the only travel agent I will go through and never travel without again. He has helped me on my last 4 trips, from scouting great deals to getting me the occasional free upgrade on rooms, and even having lots of suggestions as to what sort of entertainment I would enjoy the most while at my destination. He thinks of all the little details for me so I don't have to stress about forgetting to book something. Finding Sea Escape Travel was the best thing that ever happened to my vacations! Planning a trip used to be so stressful and now I can just kick back knowing he's got it handled. All of Matt's help has saved me money and time, and at no extra cost...there is no reason not to travel through him. If I could give him 10 stars I would! read more

My first impressions of Matt were great, unfortunately the reality of his assistance was not. While I was planning a cruise I learned that a travel agent could help, and booked with Matt.. However, he allowed the cruise to get cancelled nearly ruining a activation that I had already booked airline tickets and lodging for. Meanwhile, when he was notified of the cancellation he did not notify me, and not refuses to communicate. Fortunately, I was able to re-book (at $500 more then initially spent), but save yourself the trouble and do it right the first time- on your own. Matt is the reason travel agents are a dying profession. read more

Matt was very rude. Very unprofessional and I feel like he did not do his job when I got a call back two weeks after I called and left a message and told me only I called three days prior then began to argue with me about it. I have never called a travel agency before but I'm sure their job is not to tell the people who called to just look at airlines and hotels themselves and told me to come to a price and give me an estimate of a $2900 trip and tell me it's going to cost $6400 by his "calculations" hearing him slam his keyboard five or six times to add one day to my trip. Not to mention he hung up on me when I had one more question and stated I had another question and he scoffed and asked what it might be and hung up as soon as I started. I even called back and got no answer and not even on hold or anything. If you are looking for a travel agency I strongly recommend you go to another local agency for better service. I got a little bit of my trip with him but if I could give a half a star on this, I would. read more

Matt Knowles is the only person I would trust to organize a 'once-in-a-lifetime' trip for me and my husband on the other side of the world! Matt truly provides an excellent service with his extensive knowledge of the destinations he covers, and his deep passion for travel & adventure. Matt came to our house to discuss our dream trip to Australia and pulled out a map and gave us some insight into what all the major cities were like and helped us create a fantastic itinerary. Matt's choices when it comes to operators for activities/outings are top notch too, as he typically works with local independent small outfits that provide the same amazing service level that he does. Matt truly does deliver affordable luxury - we took a trip we will remember for the rest of our lives and Matt managed to make it happen for less than our initial budget! We even tried to re-create our itinerary on our own and discovered that we would have paid a lot more if we had booked the same trip ourselves! You really won't regret choosing Sea Escape Travel and Matt Knowles as your travel agent - he's awesome, he knows his stuff, and he's fun to work with. read more

We put off a trip Down Under for years due to being overwhelmed with all the details. We wanted independent travel with outfitters or guides here and there. We did not want a packaged tour on a full bus with 50 other people where they decide where to stop and how long to stay (although he can do that too if that is your desire.) We gave him our wish list and our interests and he came back with a proposed itinerary for us. He listened to us and was very responsive to our wishes. He proposed alternatives for us to think about, adding a day here, or skipping other places. We incorporated most of his recommendations which resulted in the trip of our lives! He put our minds at ease. His attention to detail, his customer service, his knowledge, and his responsiveness make him a broker rare to find these days. We will definitely use him in the future and highly recommend him to anyone, especially for the South Pacific. read more

We planned our entire wedding ourselves and when it came down to the honeymoon it was just the straw that broke the camel's back. I started looking into a travel agent and my mother has had the same travel agent for almost 20 years so we started through her. After 6 months of back and forth and never actually booking anything I started to look for someone more local that I could meet face to face. Queue Matt! We wanted to go to Tahiti (which is where my mother grew up and I had visited quite a bit as a child) but we just couldn't get a handle on all the things that could go wrong. Matt made everything seem so easy. He was straight forward, honest and above all knowledgeable. I really enjoyed being able to talk about things I remembered and if that still applied or if there was a better way (10 years since I had been to the island.) He was always available and not a day went by where he didn't immediately (and I mean within minutes) respond to any email, text or call. Matt listened to us when we needed to cut prices a little and got us the very best deal. I know there is absolutely no way we could have done everything for that price! We went to Tahiti and Moorea for almost 2 1/2 weeks and did everything we could get our paws on. Everything was so seamless right down to the tour excursions and rentals. It is always scary leaving the country for the first time as a couple but Matt really took all that fear away. Someone was waiting for us at the airport on arrival in Tahiti and explained everything and how we would always have someone if we needed help. I also can't tell you how many times a day I went back and looked at Matt's thorough travel itinerary to figure out exactly where we needed to be and when the next day. Overall, I will never travel without an agent again and Matt was by far the best I have ever seen. I have recommended him to anyone who will listen! Thank you Matt for making our honeymoon a dream come true! We are ever grateful to you! read more