2021 sales: $545 million
Previous ranking: 23
Employees: 98
3111 N. University Drive, Suite 800
Coral Springs, FL 33065
Phone: (954) 536-4160
Website Executives
CEO/FOUNDER: Michelle Fee
CO-OWNER/COO: Vicky Garcia
CHIEF SALES OFFICER: Theresa Scalzitti
CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER: Brian Shultz
SVP, STRATEGIC PLANNING: Scott Koepf
Company facts
* Privately owned company majority-owned by Michelle Fee and Vicky Garcia.
* A franchiser of home-based travel agencies, with 2500 franchisees.
2021 developments
* While cruise ships were not in service, shifted focus to land and domestic travel. Created a resort-booking tool and other selling tools for all-inclusive resorts and added new suppliers.
* During its 2021 convention, Cruise Planners unveiled 20 new initiatives. Among them is the SOAR Dashboard (SOAR stands for Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, Results), which is a business-analytics dashboard.
* Enhanced proprietary CRM tool, improving lead tracking and emailing reminders to help advisors stay on top of the many tasks of each booking.
* A new level of social media program called CP Pro Elite includes posting to Facebook seven times a week, Facebook digital ad boosts, directory listings and reputation management, all in one dashboard. The company has seen a big increase in social media posts, impressions and engagement.
* The Where2Next series of virtual, destination-focused events generated over $22 million of new business during the pandemic.
Looking ahead
* Compared with 2019, Cruise Planners is trending up 14% for the third quarter of 2022 and up 27% for Q4.
* It has already surpassed 2019 levels for departures this year.
* Bookings for Caribbean travel markedly increased in March and April.