Press Release

Flexibility to work-from-home, industry-leading tools and an amazing reputation make Cruise Planners’ franchise model ideal for travel enthusiasts – no experience required 

Coral Springs, Fla. - For the 16th straight year, Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Representative, earned the ranking of No. 1 Travel Franchise to Own in Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500®, the world’s first, best and most comprehensive franchise ranking. Since 1994, Cruise Planners’ franchise model has given entrepreneurs the ability to run a travel business that fits their lifestyle, from part-time hobbyist to multi-million-dollar top producers.

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Cruise Planners, the nation’s largest home-based travel franchise opportunity, earned Entrepreneur’s No. 1 Travel Franchise to Own distinction for the 16^th straight year. Cruise Planners franchise owners, pictured at the company’s annual Convention in 2018, operate full-service travel advisors in all 50 states.

As the company enters its 25th year, Cruise Planners celebrates its franchise owners with the new “My Story” campaign, highlighting how franchisees from all backgrounds have found success with Cruise Planners. Unlike a franchise with a storefront and staff, Cruise Planners businesses can be run from anywhere and by only one person, giving franchisees flexibility. The franchise model is popular with those looking for a second career such as Sue Palenik who stated, “Getting laid off was the best thing that ever happened to me,” as it led her to be her own boss and work-from-home parents such as Scott Hammer who stated that with Cruise Planners, “my business is booming, but ‘dad’ is still my primary job title.”

Some of the benefits of Cruise Planners’ franchise include:

• A low start-up cost
• Turn-key marketing programs with both digital and print components to help attract clients
• An innovative proprietary technology system, CP Maxx, designed to handle booking, accounting, reporting and the tools needed to run a travel business from anywhere on any device with internet connection
• The home-based travel industry’s first-ever, voice-activated technology and mobile apps for both consumers and franchise owners
• On-going personalized training with a business development coach in addition to frequent virtual and in-person training opportunities

“We have grown to become more than just the nation’s largest home-based travel franchise, we are the overall top-awarded travel franchise,” said Michelle Fee, CEO and Founder of Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Representative. “Being named Entrepreneur’s No. 1 travel franchise for the 16th year in a row holds incredible clout as it proves we’re not a fad franchise for those looking to make a quick buck, we’ve been helping people build successful businesses while traveling the world for over 25 years.”

The Entrepreneur’s evaluation of top franchises takes into consideration costs and fees, brand strength, financial strength and stability, size and growth, and support. Over its 40 years in existence, the Franchise 500® has become both a dominant competitive measure for franchisors and a primary research tool for potential franchisees. Cruise Planners’ position on the ranking is a testament to its strength as a franchise opportunity and commitment to innovating on behalf of its franchise owners.

“While the franchise business model has changed little, the strongest franchise brands are constantly evolving and innovating to keep up with changing trends and technology,” says Jason Feifer, editor in chief of Entrepreneur.

“Our franchisees’ drive for success inspires all of us to always think big, think beyond, and never settle for the status quo,” Fee said. “Cruise Planners will continue to push the limits, create new programs and build new tools to keep our travel advisors at the forefront of the industry.”

About Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Representative

Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Representative, is the nation’s largest home-based travel agent franchise network in the travel industry. Cruise Planners operates a network of more than 2,000 franchise owners who independently book vacation and travel experiences for their clients. Headquartered in Coral Springs, Fla. since 1994, Cruise Planners supports its network of franchise owners with innovative marketing, booking and technology tools, professional development and training with the industry’s top executives. Cruise Planners and has been named the No.1 travel franchise by Entrepreneur magazine for 16 consecutive years and was also featured in Entrepreneur as one of the top 30 franchise innovators in technology. Consistently named as one of the Top Women-Owned Businesses by the South Florida Business Journal, Cruise Planners is on the Inc. 5000 list as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America, has been ranked as the #1 travel franchise by Franchise Business Review for 6 years and is recognized as one of the Top Workplaces by the Sun Sentinel.

Cruise Planners has achieved top producer status with every major cruise line including Royal Caribbean International, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line, MSC Cruises, Viking Cruises, Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, as well as many land vendors such as Travel Impressions and Sandals and Beaches Resorts. As an American Express Travel Representative, Cruise Planners maintains a reputation for quality and offers exclusive American Express Travel benefits such as Pay with Points. Cruise Planners has earned the American Express Travel Representative Excellence Award since 2004, as well as numerous marketing, technology, franchise and philanthropy awards including CLIA Travel Agency Innovator Award, an International Franchise Association FranTech award for innovation, Magellan Awards from Travel Weekly and Travvy Awards from travAlliance media. Cruise Planners celebrates diversity and supports our troops as one of the Top 50 franchises for Veterans according to GI magazine, the Top Franchise Brand for Veterans according to Franchise Business Review, one of the Top 25 franchises for African-Americans by Black Enterprise magazine and a member of the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association.