Ep 4 - Cruising with Cruise Planners CEO with Michelle Fee

Welcome to the Luxury Travel podcast, where we explore the epitome of luxury travel with industry leaders. In today's episode, host Rodney George sits down with Michelle Fee, the founder of Cruise Planners. Cruise Planners is a network of Travel Advisors collaborating with multiple cruise lines, ensuring competitive pricing and effective client communication. Joining a Cruise Planners franchise offers advantages like accessing the best prices, perks, and the option to input desired costs; advisors proactively reach out when suitable deals align with clients' preferences. Cruise Planners' franchise model creates a win-win situation for clients and franchise owners. Clients benefit from competitive pricing, personalized service, and efficient communication. At the same time, franchise owners have the support and resources to offer exceptional travel experiences and build long-lasting relationships with their clients.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• [0:39] Rodney introduces Michelle from Cruise Planners
• [3:15] Cruise Planners is celebrating 30 years
• [8:01 Travel is not something you postpone just like you don’t save a good bottle of wine 
• [9:39] Tracking the gorillas - a dream vacation and Antarctica becoming a favorite
• [13:36] The dream of starting Cruise Planners, a discussion of AI,  joining the consortia of Signature Travel Network and an example of saving a client money
• [18:53] How a travel advisor can save the traveler money and how they go to bat for their clients 
• [24:15] What is the future of travel and discussion of the relationships between client and travel advisor and travel advisor and cruise companies and the software in place to save clients money

KEY TAKEAWAYS: 

• [3:24] Cruise Planners is a franchise model, meaning individual travel advisors can join the network as franchise owners. This setup allows for autonomy while benefiting from Cruise Planners' brand recognition and support.
• [5:26] COVID-19 impacted the travel industry immensely. However, we saw our franchisees grow their businesses because of the caliber of people associated with Cruise Planners. 
• [9:51] In South Africa, you can take a side trip to Rwanda and trek gorillas. Walking through the jungle, getting dirty with guides, and hatching away the trees and bushes is a fantastic adventure. And then, there they are—the silverbacks—mothers and babies. Amazing.

RESOURCES:

Luxury Travelers - Podcast

Luxe Travel - Website

Luxe Travel - Facebook

Luxe Travel - Instagram

Cruise Planners - Website

GUEST BIOGRAPHY: Michelle Fee

Michelle Fee is the CEO and Founder of Cruise Planners, the nation’s largest home-based travel franchise organization. Cruise Planners has over 2,500 advisors across the network and continues to be the most decorated travel company with accolades such as being the #1 travel franchise by Entrepreneur magazine for 18 years in a row and #1 in a category by Franchise Business Review and ranking #18 on Travel Weekly’s 2022 Power List. In addition, Michelle was honored as the first Executive of the Year at the 2021 Travvy Awards and is the Godmother of the river cruise ship AmaSerena.