Cruise Planners
Hospitality · Travel & Vacation Services
- Active units
- 3,008
- Royalty
- 3.0%
Franchised, year-end 2024
of weekly Net Sales
About Cruise Planners
Cruise Planners is a travel agency franchise based in the United States that specializes in cruise vacations. Founded in 1994 by Michelle Fee and Vicky Garcia, the company's headquarters is located in Coral Springs, Florida. Cruise Planners offers a range of products and services to its customers, including cruise vacations, land-based tours and excursions, travel insurance, and personalized travel planning. They work with a variety of major cruise lines, hotels, resorts, and tour operators to provide an extensive selection of travel options to their clients. On a global scale, Cruise Planners operates as a franchise, with over 2,500 franchise owners located throughout the United States. These franchise owners benefit from Cruise Planners' established relationships with suppliers and access to their proprietary technology, which includes a customer relationship management system and booking tools. Additionally, Cruise Planners has built several partnerships in the travel industry, such as with American Express Travel, which allows them to offer exclusive benefits to their customers. In terms of market position, Cruise Planners is one of the largest travel agency franchises in the United States and has consistently ranked as a top seller of cruise vacations. The company has received numerous accolades and awards for its achievements, including being named the top travel franchise by Entrepreneur magazine multiple times. In recent years, Cruise Planners has expanded its offerings beyond cruises to include land-based vacations and experiences. This strategic shift has allowed the company to cater to a broader range of travelers and increase its market reach. As of the latest information available, Cruise Planners continues to grow and innovate in the travel industry. They have embraced technology and digital marketing to enhance their customers' experience and maintain a competitive edge. Additionally, the company has adapted to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic by offering virtual and socially distanced travel experiences and implementing rigorous health and safety protocols. Overall, Cruise Planners is a prominent travel agency franchise in the United States, specializing in cruise vacations and providing a comprehensive range of travel services.
Key terms
- Franchise fee
$11k
- Brand fund
0.0% of Net Sales
- Local advertising
0.0% of Net Sales
- Veteran discount
4000.0% off franchise fee — $4,000 discount for qualified U.S. military veterans or first responders (New Travel Advisors)
Brand Percentile Rankings
Rankings compare brands in the same operating year. Fee and investment figures come from the FDD (2026 filing); filings on file: 2024, 2025, 2026.
Growth
- Total locations3124
Franchised units open at year-end
- New openings325
Gross new units opened during the calendar year
- 1-year unit growth rate3.9%
Net unit growth versus prior year
- 3-year unit CAGR5.7%
Compound annual growth rate of unit count over the trailing 3 years
- Unit growth ratio2.1×
Cumulative opens / closures through year-end
Unit economics
- Annual unit volume (Median)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- Annual unit volume (25th percentile)$98k
Total Sales are total fares before deducting commissions, markups, discounts, refunds, adjustments, credits, allowances, and non-commissionable amounts for dep…
- Annual unit volume (75th percentile)$593k
Total Sales are total fares before deducting commissions, markups, discounts, refunds, adjustments, credits, allowances, and non-commissionable amounts for dep…
- 1-year Median AUV growth rate—
Year-over-year change in median AUV
- Store-level EBITDA Margin—
Median unit-level EBITDA / AUV
Investment profile
- Estimated initial investment$11k
Midpoint of estimated initial investment range
↓ Lower is better - Time to open5 months
Midpoint of average time from agreement to opening
↓ Lower is better - Royalty rate—
Percent of net sales paid to the franchisor
- Sales-to-investment ratio—
Median AUV / estimated initial investment midpoint
- Cash-on-cash returns—
Median unit-level EBITDA / estimated initial investment midpoint. Steady-state estimate; year 1 returns will be lower as the unit ramps to median volumes.
Franchisee healthLocked
- Unit closure ratio
- Transfer vs. closure ratio
- Percent multi-unit franchisees
- Litigation rate
- EBITDA multiple on sales & transfers
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