About Us
A DREAM COME TRUE
SUN TOURS in Albuquerque was founded in 1978 with a vision of sightseeing tours with excellent quality and great value–tours on which people are treated with respect and kindness. Our growth into New Mexico’s largest tour operator is the realization of that vision. This SUCCESS is rooted in taking care of the details, earning our clients’ trust, and a commitment to excellence.
THE FINEST TOURS
SUN TOURS offers the world in worry-free comfort. Our travelers are in “good hands,” from the tour’s departure from Albuquerque to its return. SUN TOURS tour directors take care of every detail of the trip. Our tour directors are carefully chosen for their genuine warmth and caring and they create an atmosphere of congeniality and security in which our travelers can relax and enjoy themselves. “We’re with you all the way!”
SUN TOURS offers scores of tours yearly, from near to far, from New Mexico to exciting destinations around the world, from 2 days to 3 weeks. We use all modes of transportation: plane, motorcoach, cruise ship, train, ferry–whatever works best for the situation at hand! We research each tour in the United States and Canada, on location. The itinerary is then fashioned, mindful of the interests of our clients. For our overseas tours, we invest the same effort into choosing both an appropriate itinerary for each destination and a good, reputable tour operator.
ESCORTED CRUISES
SUN TOURS in Albuquerque offers great value in cruising. For each destination, we check with all the cruise lines to find the one that offers the most attractive itinerary, along with top quality and the best value. Our cruises are escorted from Albuquerque, so you can relax and let your escort handle all the details.
Why SUN TOURS?
SUN TOURS Escorted from Albuquerque
On domestic group tours, your Tour Director will be with you all the way, taking care of every detail, solving any problems that may arise, and enhancing the mood of the tour through his or he knowledge, personality, and interaction with each tour participant. On cruises or international trips, you will have an Escort – an experienced SUN TOURS traveler – to help you navigate through airports, collect luggage, and meet the ship or Tour Director at your final destination.
No Tipping!
Our no-tipping policy removes your concerns about tipping. Tips for the Tour Director, driver(s), local guides, and all other components of the tour package (except hotel maids) have been included in the tour price. Our Tour Directors have been instructed not to accept any tips.
Quality Hotels
SUN TOURS selects excellent hotels so that our travelers can rest well and be pleased with this important aspect of the tour.
Deluxe Motorcoaches
SUN TOURS always uses the latest model, deluxe motorcoach available. All are equipped with a restroom (except sometimes in Hawaii, overseas, and Mexico), a microphone, air-conditioning, and large windows.
Seat Rotation
Your Tour Director will explain the pattern of motorcoach seat rotation to you on the first day of the tour. It varies, depending on the number of tour days and the number of passengers. The pattern is selected by the tour director to be as fair as possible. We have developed a system that makes it easy to find your seat. We appreciate your cooperation.
No Smoking
Smoking is not permitted on the motorcoach at any time. Our policy of frequent rest stops will minimize the inconvenience to smokers. Also, most of our hotels are non-smoking.
No Long Rides
When we drive between cities, rest stops are usually scheduled at intervals of two hours or less. It does everybody good to stretch their legs every two hours.
Meals
Usually, overseas tours include most meals. Domestic tours include fewer. Cruises include all meals aboard the ship. SUN TOURS includes meals when there is a reason to include them, such as a welcome or farewell gathering, a special restaurant, or a dining entertainment package. Check each tour description for included meals. The codes for meals (shown, if applicable, on each tour day) are: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner.
For the Young at Heart
SUN TOURS designs its tours for the interests, tastes, and pace of the “young at heart.” You are “young at heart” if you have experienced a bit of life and have maintained your sense of wonder and enthusiasm to appreciate what the world has to offer.
Deposits / Cancellation Policies
Each tour has its own deposit requirement and cancellation fees, as shown in a box in the tour description.
Custom Group Tours and In-House Travel Agent
If one of our small group tours doesn’t fit your needs or time frame, we are happy to provide you with personalized travel planning services. Our in-house travel agent can handle whatever plans you’d like to make from cruising the azure waters of the Caribbean to exploring the snow-capped Swiss Alps. Whatever you have in mind, we can make it happen for groups or single travelers.
More questions? Read our FAQs!
Meet the Team – SUN TOURS in Albuquerque
Eric Rosenberg
President
A native of the Midwest, Eric has traveled extensively around the world over the past 35 years and enjoys a hands-on approach to operating the business. Besides exploring new places, in his free time, Eric enjoys hiking, tennis, gardening, and jazz music. He and his wife, Bonnie, have two teenage daughters, Leah and Sophia. Eric is a graduate of Northwestern University. Favorite travel destinations: India, Scotland, Turkey, France, Northern California, and the Sonoran Desert.
Eric Rosenberg
President
A native of the Midwest, Eric has traveled extensively around the world over the past 35 years and enjoys a hands-on approach to operating the business. Besides exploring new places, in his free time, Eric enjoys hiking, tennis, gardening, and jazz music. He and his wife, Bonnie, have two teenage daughters, Leah and Sophia. Eric is a graduate of Northwestern University. Favorite travel destinations: India, Scotland, Turkey, France, Northern California, and the Sonoran Desert.
Bonnie Rosenberg
Vice President, Client Services
Born and raised in the Chicago area, Bonnie has traveled around the world since she was very young. An architect and avid camper, her love for both urban and natural landscapes is evident in her passion for traveling to a wide variety of destinations. In her free time, Bonnie enjoys hiking, swimming, gardening, and cooking. Bonnie, Eric, and their two teenage daughters relocated from Chicago to Tucson in 2017. Favorite travel destinations: Israel, Scotland, Italy, Turkey, and the Pacific Northwest.
Melissa Lujan
Director, Cruise Department
Melissa will always be a Southern California girl at heart, no matter where she is. She moved to New Mexico in her early teens and traveled back every summer with her family, staying in beautiful hotels and spending days planning their adventures. This love for curating experiences ultimately paved the way for Melissa’s thriving career in the hotel and travel industry, where she channels her enthusiasm to help others embark on their own journeys of a lifetime.
Julie Valdez
Cruise Consultant
Julie, from New Mexico, has lived in six other states and abroad in Switzerland and Spain. She has traveled extensively in the U.S., Europe, and Mexico, and visited Saudi Arabia. Despite her travels, The Land of Enchantment holds her heart. She has four daughters and four grandchildren. With 27 years in the Hospitality Industry, Julie’s love for travel, meeting new people, and live performances inspires her. A foodie, she enjoys new restaurants and recipes. She fulfilled a dream by living on a 36′ sailboat in San Diego for 2.5 years, learning to sail with a racing team. She believes life opens doors if you dare to approach them. Bon Voyage!
Maria Fast
Tour Program Manager
Maria was born and raised in the Far East of Russia. There, she worked as a TV news broadcaster/editor/journalist and traveled all over the world. Following her daughter to the U.S., she moved to New Mexico over a year ago and joined the SUN TOURS team, blending her passion for travel with her professional life. Her favorite destinations are Japan, Spain, France, Thailand, and Bali.
Maria Jayson
Director of Operations & Tour Director
Maria grew up in New Jersey and from a young age she loved to see new places. During her time at Northeastern University in Boston, MA, she lived abroad in Spain and Costa Rica. When she graduated college she pursed her love for travel by moving to NY and becoming a luxury Travel Consultant. Throughout her life she has explored over 30 countries and is most familiar with Europe & Central America. During the pandemic she moved out west and fell in love with the Arizona winters and wonderful people. Her hobbies include dancing, yoga, sustainable living, eating, and meeting new people. Some of her favorite travel destinations are Morocco, the Southwest USA, Spain, & the Caribbean Islands.
Gay Huybrechts
Cruise Consultant
Melanie Thomas
Senior Travel Advisor
Originally from East Tennessee, and a resident of Albuquerque for 35+ years. After attending The University of New Mexico, she began pursuing her extensive career in the travel and hospitality sectors. Her goal at Sun Tours in Albuquerque is to make your travel experience uniquely yours, ensuring that every detail of your custom itinerary will be handled with the utmost professionalism and care. During her free time, she enjoys spending quality time with her toddler, gardening, and pursuing her dreams by traveling with her family. Her favorite destination is the next one she has booked!
Christie Rutherford
Client Services Coordinator
Clay Benard
Tour Director
Clay was raised on a Mojave Desert ranch and has 35 years in the tour industry after a music career in Los Angeles, where he earned a scholarship and joined Musicians Union Local 47. Now in New Mexico, he transitioned from a trolley driver to managing tours in Santa Fe. Clay is also an avid cyclist, painter, continues his music composition, and is a proud grandfather to Hazel.
Ed Dey
Tour Director
Ed developed an interest in foreign countries and cultures growing up in the Washington D.C. area. (There are more than 175 diplomatic embassies in our nation’s capital). This interest transformed into a desire to learn and grow through travel. He hitchhiked across Canada and the US twice back in his early 20s. Later he budget back-packed around the world. Ed has been a professional tour director for over 25 years and led over 500 tours. He enjoys taking care of people. His favorite travel destination is the road less traveled.
Scott Benedict
Tour Director
Scott, a seasoned traveler with visits to 49 U.S. states and over 25 countries, is an educator with an M.Ed. from Bloomsburg University. He and his wife, Stephanie, parents to Zack and Ally now residing in Tucson, cherish their roles as grandparents. Scott’s passion for adventure and learning extends to outdoor activities, scuba diving, global volunteering, reading, and triathlons. His top travel spots include Iceland, Switzerland, Honduras, Morocco, Yosemite, Utah, and exploring barrier reefs underwater.
Ceptembre Anthony
Tour Director
Ceptembre “CJ” Anthony has lived in the beautiful Southwest all of her life! A graduate of the International Tour Management Institute and Loyola Marymount University, CJ is a certified and licensed Tour Director with over 20 years of experience. She is lucky to have a wonderful husband, Art, who loves to cook for her and their two children. Her hobbies include classic films, theatre, reading, hiking, and dancing.
Phyllis Swenson
Tour Director
Phyllis, from Los Alamos, New Mexico, developed a love for travel during a 1973 Trans-Siberian Railway trip. With a Bachelor’s in Architecture from the University of Arizona, she’s traveled extensively, including a 3-year tour in Germany with the Air Force. Since 2017, she’s lived full-time in her RV, exploring most of the 50 states. With strong ties to New Mexico, Phyllis is thrilled to call Sun Tours her homebase. She enjoys skiing, pickleball, biking, gameplaying, and exploring new destinations like Iceland, Australia, Japan, Brazil, and Alaska.
Jay Barasch
Tour Director
Jay was born in New Mexico and has lived here as an adult since 2005. He has been trained as an attorney and teacher, and has been leading group tours for three years. He has been described as having an infectious enthusiasm for his subjects. He also has extensive experience in public speaking and storytelling, with a passion for finding and relating the human stories and relatable motivations that make history come to life for travelers.