Cruise Planners Franchise Review: Want to Make Money in the Travel Industry?

Sponsored by Cruise Planners

Do you love to travel? Would you like to work-from-home and be your own boss? How about travel discounts and perks? If this all sounds good, keep reading this may be your work-at-home calling.

How to Work-From-Home as a Travel Agent

Traditionally, aspiring travel agents needed to attend a two-year or four-year program in the hospitality industry. And then often from there, they would need to invest additional time and money into a certification program. Throw in finding a host agency to work under, and the process can be long and drawn out. Today, there is a much quicker path to becoming a home-based travel agent, and that's through Cruise Planners.

Cruise Planners is an American Express Travel Representative franchise where you can learn the craft of being a travel agent in just six days! The great thing about joining a Cruise Planners franchise is you can work from anywhere (as long as you have an internet connection) you can work part-time or full-time, you get ongoing support and training, and you're working with a well-known established brand.

How Much Does a Cruise Planner Franchise Cost?

According to the Small Business Administration, the typical franchise investment is between $20,000-$50,000. With Cruise Planners, your investment is considerably lower at $10,995.

The Cruise Planners Franchise includes:

• An American Express Travel Representative affiliation
• 6-day, in-person training in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (includes lodging, airfare, most meals, and in-depth training)
• Access to over 500 online travel agent training courses
• Business development and ongoing support
• Marketing materials
• Web-based travel business management applications
• Social media page design and supplemental management
• Mobile tools for access on your smartphone or tablet
• Branded website
• Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) & International Air Transport Association (IATA) Memberships
• $1 million in errors & omissions insurance

Cruise Planners also offers discounts (25% off of the initial franchise fee) for first responders, military members, and their families.

What is a Typical Cruise Planners Franchise Salary?

With Cruise Planners, you don't just sell cruises, you also sell all-inclusive resorts, river cruises, hotels, excursions, land-based tours, transportation, passports, and more — and you'll earn a commission on each of these items. In fact, in 2017, Cruise Planners travel agents had $488 million in total sales! And according to Hot Travel Jobs, the average leisure travel agent salary is $46,777 and is currently on the rise.

Besides the commissions you'll earn — you'll also receive discounts on travel, complimentary upgrades, travel perks, and free trips!

What Are Cruise Planners Franchise Owners Saying About the Opportunity?

“I had no travel agent experience. Cruise Planners supported me with incredible marketing tools, live and recorded training webinars, and are there with me every step of the way.” — Maria Tilton

“After unexpected career changes, we wanted to fulfill our dreams of owning a business. Cruise Planners instantly helped grow our business with its marketing programs, technology, and business development support.” — Sheila & Chris Korte

“I took early retirement, but I wasn’t ready to retire. I’ve always loved to travel, and Cruise Planners offered me the independence, flexibility, and fun so I can travel with a different focus.” — Val Dorsey

My Cruise Planners Franchise Review.

There are a lot of great things about Cruise Planners, so let's start with the obvious, their reputation:

• Cruise Planners has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau
• They have consistently ranked as the #1 travel franchise by Entrepreneur Magazine
• They are an American Express Travel Representative

Besides having an excellent reputation, Cruise Planners also has a big heart. With their CP Cares Program, they've raised and donated over $1.5 million to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as well as other charities and philanthropic organizations.

Another thing I like about the Cruise Planners opportunity is the six-day, in-person training in Florida. This training allows you to understand the industry and have your questions answered on the spot. This program also gets you up and running in no time flat, so you can start earning money quicker.

Of course, the initial investment might be a barrier. But if you consider the cost of going back to school or investing in a traditional franchise, the cost is much lower. With Cruise Planners, there's no inventory to buy, no storefront space to rent, or employees to pay — which makes this a low-cost business to run as well.

If you're passionate about travel, I think the Cruise Planners franchise opportunity is an excellent option!

If you'd like to find out more about Cruise Planners, you can sign-up for one of their free career webinars here. Or you can request additional information here.

What questions do you have about the Cruise Planners franchise opportunity? Drop us a note; we'd love to hear from you!

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This post was sponsored by Cruise Planners and written by Holly Reisem Hanna. Please be aware we only promote advertising from companies that we feel we can legitimately recommend to our readers. See our disclosure policy for further information.