FAQ

How much money can I make?

SampleHubSpotUser@hubspot.com (Sample HubSpot User) — Thu, 16 Jan 2020 03:59:00 GMT

As with any business, this depends on several factors. While marketing your Cruise Planners^® business is important, the most important factor is you and the effort you invest in your business. We have franchisees who work their business five hours a week and those who work 80 hours. It’s completely up to you, but this too will affect your earning potential.

We have various training programs to help you add commas to your commissions – these are designed to help you upsell to higher-end products, add on commissionable elements such as travel insurance and pre- or post-hotel stays when travelers go on vacation, and more. There are also bundled packages you can sell through our CP Vacations program, offering a competitive advantage and earning you even more.

Also, Cruise Planners remains a leader with all the major cruise lines and tour operators, meaning you are earning the highest level of commission, just by being associated with Cruise Planners – not something that all other travel agencies can claim. Imagine having to start a business with the added responsibility of building and establishing a brand from scratch? Being a franchise owner under Cruise Planners, means you get access to start earning money with that built-in brand equity from the beginning.

As a franchise, we cannot tell you how much money you will make since there are so many variables and its up to you to work this business, but we will help you set goals and show you our proven system to reach them. During your due diligence period, you’ll have the opportunity to speak with other Cruise Planners^® franchisees about their experiences with running a home-based travel business. Click here for testimonials from our travel franchise owners.

How do I find my clients?

SampleHubSpotUser@hubspot.com (Sample HubSpot User) — Wed, 15 Jan 2020 04:00:00 GMT

We get this question more than any other. Building your database is a very important part of your Cruise Planners^® business. At STAR University training, you’ll learn about the need for community involvement, our free direct mail program, free weekly email campaigns, and an entire day learning how to market and advertise your business. Your best source is to start with friends, family, and business contacts and ask them for their business and referrals.

As a Cruise Planners^® Travel Advisor, you will be able to provide customers with personal service by planning their perfect vacation, so it starts with you and your contacts. Cruise Planners has many programs that help you with what is known as acquisition marketing. Between your free franchisee website as well as direct mail, social media, email newsletters and campaigns, print-on-demand postcards, and more, no one provides more resources to help you find customers than Cruise Planners!

From day 1 with Cruise Planners, you are able to use templates to share the news that you are a new franchise owner and now working as a travel professional with a customer-friendly mobile app, and access to the best tools in the industry. Also, many travel advisors find that sharing their own travel memories and vacations on social media help remind their potential clients that they are travel advisors who have a love for travel and drive engagement. Our Business Development team will work with you to customize your goals and building your customer database can be one of the first goals you set. Then, our lead nurturing email drip campaigns will help entice your database to close a sale.

There are many ways you can find clients - let's face it, everyone travels, you just need to get them to buy their travel from you.

Why do people need travel agents? Can’t they just go online?

SampleHubSpotUser@hubspot.com (Sample HubSpot User) — Tue, 14 Jan 2020 04:01:00 GMT

That’s a simple answer. The internet got too big. If you Google “cruise vacation,” you’ll see there are over 518,000,000 results. Travel trends change, cruise ships are larger, and there are more all-inclusive resorts worldwide than ever before. Travel professionals have the best deals in the best locations usually for less than ones listed online. Agents offer superior customer service, which is something clients can’t get online. Click here to see more benefits of using a travel agent.

What support will I receive after my initial training?

SampleHubSpotUser@hubspot.com (Sample HubSpot User) — Wed, 08 Jan 2020 04:03:00 GMT

Your ongoing training will never end. Our online virtual training platform, Cruisitude^® Academy, has hundreds of webinars, videos, and modules for your continuing education. All of our learning materials are on-demand and at your leisure. Along with Cruisitude^® Academy, we host four to six live webinars each week on different topics all associated with helping you grow your travel business. These too are housed for on-demand viewing so you can learn at your own pace. Also, all of the cruise lines and land suppliers have their own individual educational series as well. Some even reward you with free travel if you complete their classes! And we provide you the access to it all.

What does my 6-day STAR University training include?

SampleHubSpotUser@hubspot.com (Sample HubSpot User) — Wed, 01 Jan 2020 04:05:00 GMT

For all levels of the franchise, STAR University includes hotel accommodations, all breakfasts, lunches and most dinners, training materials, and transfers to and from the ship inspections held during the training week.

Where is the training held?

SampleHubSpotUser@hubspot.com (Sample HubSpot User) — Thu, 26 Dec 2019 04:08:00 GMT

Training is held in the beautiful city of Fort Lauderdale, FL, the cruising capital of the world.

After I say “yes” to owning a Cruise Planners® franchise, how soon can I start?

SampleHubSpotUser@hubspot.com (Sample HubSpot User) — Sun, 01 Dec 2019 04:14:00 GMT

You can start the day you finalize your franchise agreement. You’ll be immediately given a user ID and password to start your self-guided orientation process. During this time, we’ll activate your customized website and you can order your business cards and set up your new home-based office. You’ll start online training through Cruisitude^® Academy, then we will help you plan your in-person, hands-on training here in Fort Lauderdale, which we offer every two months.

Can I have someone else as part of the franchise?

SampleHubSpotUser@hubspot.com (Sample HubSpot User) — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 04:15:00 GMT

Yes you can. A Cruise Planners^® franchise is perfect for couples, business partners, life-long friends or families. There can be two owners and up to three associates per franchise. As your volume grows, you can add more people.

Can I work this business part-time?

SampleHubSpotUser@hubspot.com (Sample HubSpot User) — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 04:15:00 GMT

Absolutely! In fact, many people start part-time and transition to full time when they are ready. As with any new business, it will take some time to start seeing a return on your investment. How much time will that take? Well, that’s completely up to you! With the Cruise Planners^® franchise opportunity, you can work the business when you want and from where you want.

Do I need to have an office?

SampleHubSpotUser@hubspot.com (Sample HubSpot User) — Fri, 15 Nov 2019 04:16:00 GMT

You do not have to have an office in a traditional brick-and-mortar location, but we do recommend you set up a home office where you can run your business without any distractions.