Travel Expert
Dawn Bartizal | Solo Travel Club
Jean Melcher Travel
Bend, OR | La Jolla, CA
Hours of Operation
Monday through Friday,
9:00am-5:00pm PST and by appointment.
About
Dawn Bartizal is a travel advisor with Jean Melcher Travel, affiliated with Cruise and Travel Experts (CTE), a member of Signature Travel Network. After a successful executive career in pharmaceutical regulatory affairs, Dawn returned to her first professional love — travel — building on experience she gained during an earlier stint in the industry. The precision, attention to detail, and comfort managing complex, multi-party logistics she honed in regulatory affairs now shape the way she plans every trip for her clients — anticipating problems before they arise, tracking every detail, and keeping every moving piece on track from booking to return home. She brings a rare combination of meticulous planning skill and genuine, firsthand wanderlust to every itinerary she creates.
Dawn's specialties reflect the way she herself travels: actively, purposefully, and with curiosity. She has explored New Zealand extensively across multiple visits, including sections of all four major Great Walks, gone on safari across Africa, explored the islands of the South Pacific, and completed the Camino de Santiago — walking 120 kilometers of the Portuguese route. Her love for the water has taken her sailing across the Seychelles, the Greek Islands, Turkey, Tahiti, Tonga, and multiple Caribbean islands, canal boating through the French countryside, and cruising to destinations around the globe. This firsthand experience across so many styles of travel — active, nautical, cultural, and everything in between — gives Dawn an instinct for matching each client to the right trip, not just the right destination. Her passion for wellness and pilgrimage-style travel, active and experiential adventures, and off-the-beaten-path exploration further shapes the kind of trips she loves to design, whether that's a multi-generational family journey, a milestone celebration, or a solo traveler's next great adventure.
Dawn's current projects showcase the range of her work: a multi-family journey to Rome and the Amalfi Coast, and a 12-traveler group trip through Brazil's Paraty, Rio de Janeiro, and the wildlife-rich Pantanal and Bonito regions. She also brings hands-on experience with Nordic sauna culture and a growing specialty in polar and remote expedition cruises.
Dawn also brings a genuine understanding of solo travelers, drawn from her own experience welcoming them into her group trips. She knows that solo travelers often have different needs and priorities — from room configurations to feeling connected within a larger group — and she takes care to plan with those needs in mind. Whether someone is joining a multi-family journey or a larger group adventure on their own, Dawn makes sure they feel just as considered and supported as those traveling with a partner or family.
Based between Bend, Oregon and La Jolla, California, Dawn approaches every client relationship with the same care she brings to her own adventures — asking thoughtful questions, planning down to the logistical details, and staying personally invested in how a trip unfolds. Whether she's arranging a family reunion abroad, a solo traveler's dream itinerary, or a large group expedition, Dawn's goal is the same: to craft travel that's not just well-organized, but genuinely transformative.
Trafalgar Southern Capitals: City Meets Bush
5-Day Australia Tour from Sydney to Canberra to Melbourne
August 27, 2026
Rates: $2,543 per solo traveler
Visits: Sydney, Canberra, Wangaratta, Melbourne
Highlights: Sign up for a whirlwind Australia tour package packed with history, cities, and locals. Traverse remote country stations, connect with Canberra’s capital culture, explore Australian gold rush heritage, and immerse in Melbourne’s urban scene.
Includes: Four nights accommodations, all tours, tour guides, transportation 4 breakfasts, 1 lunch, and more
Book your own room on this tour with a 20% Reduced Solo Supplement fee!
Lindblad Expeditions
10-Day Galapagos Islands Expedition
National Geographic Endeavour II | July 2, 2027 |
Rates: $15,450 per solo traveler for solo stateroom
Visits: Quito, Ecuador
Highlights: Adventure by kayak, paddleboard, glass bottom boat, Zodiac, walk among wildlife, snorkel with sea turtles, observe tortoises and more.
Includes: All accommodations, regionally sourced meals, non-alcoholic beverages, daily shore excursions, expert-led lectures, use of exploration gear, open seating dining, and more.
Enjoy a 40% Reduced Solo Supplement on this voyage
Paul Gauguin
11-Night Cook Islands & Society Islands
January 2 or November 6, 2027 | m/s Paul Gauguin | Roundtrip Tahiti (Society Islands)
Rates: $7,930 per solo traveler
Visits: Moorea, Huahine, Taha’a, Bora Bora, Aitutaki, Rarotonga
Highlights: Slow down and let stress float away on secluded Huahine, where relaxation is the only item on your to-do list. Explore the local village on foot. Wander through lush rainforests. Float in crystal-clear lagoons. It's all at your fingertips.
Includes: Gourmet dining, premium alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, gratuities, entertainment, WiFi, watersports marina and more.
Book your own room on this tour with 0% Solo Supplement fee!
Silversea
10-Day Mediterranean Cruise aboard Silver Ray
April 14, 2027 | Silver Ray | Roundtrip Barcelona
Rates: $7,500 per solo traveler for solo oceanview stateroom
Visits: 9 Ports: Barcelona, Toulon, Cartagena (Spain) , Alicante, Valencia, Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca, Alcudia, Mallorca, Palamos
Highlights: Sail the rhythms of the Mediterranean on a journey of cultured Spanish cities and honey-colored islands, beginning and ending in Barcelona.
Includes: 24-hour gourmet dining, butler service, superb entertainment, and premium beverages, crew gratuities, WiFi and more.
Book your own stateroom with only a 40% solo supplement.
Roam by Tauck
10-Day South Africa & Mozambique Tour
October 7 and October 21, 2026
Rates: $19,616 per solo traveler
Visits: Cape Town, Lion’s Head, Marakele National Park, Benguerra Island
Highlights: “Castaway” experience off Benguerra Island. Hike to the top of Lion’s Head. Private Jeep Tour with Gourmet Picnic Lunch. Safari at Marataba Safari Lodge.
Includes: Tour Guides, Transportation, Airport and train Transfers, all hotel accommodations, select meals, sightseeing, on tour flights, Admission Fees, Special experiences
Book your own room with a 10% reduced single supplement fee!
Windstar Cruises
8-Night James Beard Foundation & Wine Cruise: Classic Italy & Dalmatian Coast
October 7, 2026 | Wind Surf | Rome to Venice
Rates: $7,182 per solo traveler
Visits: Rome, Sorrento, Giardini Naxos, Kotor, Dubrovnik, Trogir, Roinj, Venice
Highlights: Wander the ancient cobblestone streets of the Sicilian town of Taormina and along the famous fortifications of the medieval city of Dubrovnik, dubbed “paradise on earth.” Your cruise will explore some of the most beautiful coastline in the world, places of legends and heroes, inspiration for writers and poets – and in popular culture, filming locations for the popular HBO TV series “Game of Thrones.” The leisurely pace allows time to swim in crystal clear sea and discover hidden beaches; kayak or tour by Zodiac along untouched coastline; visit bucket list sights; and sip, dine, and otherwise discover local culture in three fascinating countries.
Includes: All meals including specialty restaurants, water sports marina, on deck on and on shore barbeques, entertainment and more.
Book your own stateroom with only a 20% solo supplement!
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
7-Night Seas of Serenity
February 9, 2027 | Seven Seas Explorer | Darwin to Bali
Rates: $7,599 per solo traveler for your own suite
Visits: Darwin, Australia; Kupang, Waingapu, Komodo, Lombok, Bali
Highlights: Sail aboard Regent’s Seven Seas Explorer on an unforgettable voyage from Darwin to Bali, with stops in West Timor, Sumba, Komodo, and Lombok along the way.
Includes: All meals including specialty restaurants, Unlimited shore excursions, unlimited beverages, fine wines, craft cocktails, specialty cocktails, pre-paid gratuities, unlimited WiFI, and more.
Book your own suite with only no solo supplement!
