When ready for vacation, Royalton Travel is ready to help 

by Erica Peterson 

Royalton Travel Services recently took a trip of its own, moving from North Royalton to Hinckley. 

Owner Tom Prusnek said last year, he and part-owner Nelda Gajdos were looking for a new home for the travel agency, which had been in business for more than 25 years on Ridge Road near Route 82. 

“We didn’t need quite as much space anymore,” Prusnek said. “We were looking for another place, one that was more affordable.” 

They relocated to 29 W. 130th St., in the Lamplighter building. Office Manager Nancy Martin, who lives in Brunswick, drove past the place on her way to work every day. She noticed a “For Lease” sign, pulled over to get the phone number and gave it to Prusnek. 

When he went to call, he noticed something strange: the number was already in his phone. Turns out he knew the building’s owner, Eric Daugherty, through their love of cars. Both are members of the Corvette Club in Cleveland. 

In fact, Prusnek’s son Tom worked with Daughtery’s son Dean when Tom was in college. 

The new place is a perfect fit, Martin said. “We get a lot of people who live in Hinckley, and they are happy because we’re closer to them now,” she said. 

Royalton Travel opened in 1994, when Prusnek and his then-wife, Christine (she passed away in 2000 from breast cancer), bought the Royal Ridge travel agency. Christine had experience as a travel agent. 

“We thought we would work it for a year and then could sell it,” Prusnek said. “After a week, it was so busy, we decided to keep it.” 

They remodeled and renamed the agency Royalton Travel Services. 

“Christine hired some grade school friends to work with her,” he said. “It was a like a family.” 

Today, Martin works at the office with employee Lucy Balasko. They relocated before the pandemic, but the current situation has kept Martin quite busy canceling and rescheduling trips. 

Prusnek said he successfully applied for the Payroll Protection Plan, which is helping small businesses continue operating during the pandemic. 

He said the coronavirus crisis is a perfect example of why Royalton Travel always recommends getting travel insurance. “If you’re spending thousands of dollars on a trip, it behooves you to take out some insurance to protect yourself,” Prusnek said. 

When people are ready to travel again, Royalton Travel is ready to help. It’s a Golden Apple agency, offering Apple Vacations, which are all-inclusive trips. Some of the more popular destinations requested are the Dominican Republic, Cancun and Riveria Maya, he said. It also books several cruises and trips to Europe, Prusnek said. 

“A lot of customers are itching to go someplace,” he said. “Gradually, things should open up. And when they do, we’re here.”  Contact Royalton Travel at 440-237-0404 or travelcentral@aol.com. 

Feature image photo caption: Royalton Travel Services Manager Nancy Martin and owner Tom Prusnek are settling into their new home in Hinckley. Photo by E. Peterson