Cruise Planners is the largest at-home travel agent network in the cruise industry, annually producing more than 100 million dollars in sales. With more than 700 franchises in 42 states, Cruise Planners has achieved Top Producer status with virtually every cruise line, offering its agents the highest commission levels and the opportunity to pass preferential pricing, along with professional service and support, to their clients.

Cruise Planners started in 1994 when three travel industry veterans joined forces to create a cadre of franchised travel agents to book cruises out of their own homes. The ideal appealed to people from many walks of life; teachers, real estate agents, travel agents, car mechanics, virtually anyone and everyone who was interested in starting an in-home business while providing an opportunity to travel around the world.

In 2004, Cruise Planners became an American Express Travel Services Representative agency. As a result, Cruise Planners agents have access to AMEX Mariners Club benefits such as additional special fares, Mariner's Hosts, exclusive pre and post cruise tours, free shore side events and elegant dining, additional shipboard credits, and more.

Now a standard model, the at home agent market has burgeoned into the mainstay of cruise booking resources. The days of dedicated, internal sales forces at brick and mortar agencies has faded and the newest technology, marketing support, cooperative advertising programs and advanced training is available to agents without having to go into an office every day.

Cruise Planners offers its members financial security, recognition and fine-tuned, well-run marketing programs, as well as a user-friendly web-based booking system to make selling cruises a snap. The company believes agents should concentrate on selling cruises, not creating marketing campaigns, so it developed several initiatives to ease the agents’ burden including:

• A completely customized consumer magazine, including information about cruise lines and tour companies as well as destination and industry articles. The magazine is published twice a year and delivered directly to the agent’s past and potential clients.
• More than 40 custom, personalized direct mail pieces;
• A lead-generating Web program with tailored websites to suit he individual needs of each agent
• Affiliation with American Express, offering agents the opportunity to ‘piggyback’ on national marketing efforts;
• The support of a Mentor Program for rookie agents to learn important skills like creating successful cruise events and how to conduct productive cruise ship inspections.

To further simplify business and increase sales, Cruise Planners now offers its own propriety software that is reliable, efficient and user-friendly. This technology includes accounting management, reporting methods, database management, managing customer lists, tracking advertising and promotion and creating collateral materials.

Throughout its tenure, Cruise Planners has earned several accolades, including Carnival Cruise Lines Travel Agency of the Year; Celebrity Cruises Southeast Travel Agency of the Year; Royal Caribbean International’s Cruisetours Top Producing Account of the Year and has been named no.1 Cruise Tour/Travel Agency category four years in a row by Entrepreneur Magazine.

Licensed, bonded, and insured, Cruise Planners is a member of CLIA (Cruise Line International Association), NACOA (National Association Of Cruise Only Agencies), ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents) and the BBB (Better Business Bureau).

For more information on purchasing a Cruise Planners franchise, please contact our Franchise Sales Department at (888) 582-2150, visit our website www.beacruiseagent.com or fill out our request for information form.