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Cruise Travel Home Business:

You’ve gone on your first or your 100th cruise and loved it. Did you ever consider starting a cruise travel agency? You enjoy the searching for the perfect cruise for yourself and everyone around you. You like setting up and taking care of all the arrangements. If this sounds exciting and fun, why not profit from it, and start your own travel agency.

The travel industry currently shows $4 trillion annually spent in flights, cruises, cars, hotels and more. The amount is expected to continue growing as more people are living in two-income families and have access to more money. Why not take part of the $4 trillion for yourself, and let your travel home business pay for your next cruise.

If you have considered starting a home business, but are afraid to quit your full-time job, a travel home business is just right for you. You can start the business part time, and expand it slowly or quickly. No matter what the reason, this is a pajama job that will grow quickly and show results almost immediately.

Starting a cruise travel home business does have start up costs. Depending on the route you take to open your business will affect the start up cost of your home business, however, many have only minimal costs. These start up costs include national organization fees, software fees, and possibly affiliation fees, depending on how you want to work your business. You have many options available.

The first step is to start researching the the industry. Check out all websites and books published by National Organizations affiliated with travel and cruise agents, such as the National Association of Commissioned Travel Agents. These resources will give you information on affiliation with a parent travel agency as an independent contractor, and steps on how to pursue a travel home business from the ground up.

Either way you decide to go, it is best to create a brief general business plan. You can download a sample business plan from the Small Business Administration website, or go to the local office for a copy. This plan will help you understand what you will need to do to be successful and how to budget for profit. This plan is dynamic and ever changing and should be updated frequently.

Becoming affiliated with a large travel agency gives your business a few benefits. Some of the benefits include the reservation software training, support, updates, newsletters, and industry best practices. They have established industry connections all you need to do is find travelers.

Your travel agency will usually take off quickly, when associated with a large parent travel agency. You do not have to worry about setting prices for your services either. The parent company will set the prices and you will receive up to 50% of each reservation you book. This takes the anxiety and frustration out of worrying about profits and losses you have to contend with when setting your own prices.

The other option requires more work. You research reservation software, and talk to companies within the industry to establish connections. This option can have a higher start up cost and will take longer to show a profit for two main reasons. Until you get comfortable with the pricing of your services, you will have a trial and error phase that can create losses to your cruise travel agency. But once you get the hang of it, the profit is yours. Second, you have to contact hotels, car rental companies, airlines, cruise lines, and such and build relationships, which can take time.

However, it is not important which way you decide to start your travel agency. You will receive benefits as well as profits. These benefits may be better if you work with a travel agency but you get benefits either way. These benefits include up to 50% discounts on hotels and vacation packages, up to 70% discount on cruises, and much more.

If you decide to expand your travel agency to include other types of travel, it is much easier when associated with a larger travel agency. If you built your cruise travel home business yourself, you will need to make more contacts and create new relationships to be able to compete.

Now you have some information about a cruise travel home business. You need to look at industry periodicals, books, and websites to decide on your next step. In any event, this cruise travel home business will have your vacations and cruises paid for by your clients at discounted rates. For those who love to travel this business is perfect.

With 50 countries, more than 200 languages and dialects, and a written history dating to 700 B.C., the European continent offers a diverse range of cultural, historic and natural attractions. One of the finest ways to see all that Europe has to offer is on a cruise. From the Baltic to the Mediterranean, the Danube to the Seine, European cruises allow travellers to relax and enjoy their holiday.

The Mediterranean’s protected waters and sunny weather make it an ideal cruise destination. The sea stretches more than 2,000 miles from eastern Turkey to the Rock of Gibraltar. Cruise ships ply the Mediterranean’s blue waters year-round, stopping at popular ports of call such as Lisbon, Portugal; Barcelona, Spain; Marseilles, France; Messina, Sicily; Monte Carlo; and Monaco.

The Aegean Sea’s fishing villages and sunny coasts draw cruisers year-round. Explore the Greek and Turkish islands and coastal cities on wooden sailing ships known as gulets. Some are rustic and traditional, while others feature luxurious amenities. You’ll marvel at the turquoise waters and striking sunsets of the Aegean.

For a glimpse of unspoiled nature, head north to the Baltic Sea. The Baltic lies along the coasts of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden. Baltic cruises offer stops in the bustling metropolitan cities of Northern Europe, as well as views of the stunning beauty of the Northern fjords’ untouched coastlines.

In the southeast, the Adriatic Sea borders Bosnia Herzegovina, Croatia, Italy, Montenegro and Slovenia. Keep your eyes open for dolphins along the Dalmatian Coast, as well as tiny fishing villages, forested islands and rugged mountain ranges. Most Adriatic Cruises depart from Venice, Italy and operate between the months of May and September, taking advantage of warm summer weather.

If you’d prefer a river cruise, you’re in luck — Europe’s extensive river system offers picturesque views of cities, vineyards, farms, castles and medieval villages. The most popular river cruise destinations include the 280-mile Rhine, from Switzerland to the Netherlands; the 1,700-mile Danube, from Germany to Romania; and the 485-mile Seine, from Burgundy, France to the English Channel.

Ok, so you are over the age of 50 and now it’s your time to enjoy life. There’s absolutely nothing better than taking a cruise to wherever you want to go. There are essentially so many different cruise lines available today, that go virtually anywhere an individual would want to possibly go.

If you feel like going on a cruise through the Arctic you can, or perhaps a warmer climate is Read the rest of this entry »

If you don’t know about repositioning cruises, then you’re missing one of the best kept travel industry secrets. When the weather changes cruise ships are rerouted and cruises taken aboard these rerouted ships are greatly discounted.

For example, in the autumn cruise lines have to relocate their ships from Alaska to the Caribbean. Then in late spring they transfer them back to Alaska.Ships that cruise European waters in the summer travel transatlantic to the Caribbean in the late fall. The following spring they’re on their way back to Europe again.

So, instead of sailing empty, cruise lines offer discounts to passengers who take these repositioning cruises.

Why do they do this?

Well, most passengers like stopping at several ports in their journey. These voyages seldom do. So, to attract passengers the cruise lines discount the fares.

However, the cruise ships still have many of Read the rest of this entry »

You’ve seen the commercials, vast blue oceans, beautiful white ship, and people laughing. What a wonderful vacation, sailing the deep blue sea and visiting exciting ports of call. This is certainly a dream vacation, especially as you sit in your office cubical in the dead of winter and shiver while you answer complaint calls from clients.

Cruise ships are a means of travel with some substantial benefits. The key advantage of a cruise ship is that it does the “getting around” for you. They make it easy to visit several places in a single trip without the need to pack your belongings and sit in a car/train/bus/plane to travel to each one; your hotel room comes along with you, and even provides the transportation. Additionally, most meals are usually included in the price of the cruise.

Timing is Everything

The most important cruise line tip is to ensure that you get to the dock on time. Although cruise ships sail from an increasing number of cities, most people still have to fly to get to and from their port of departure. If you are flying from another city into the location of your cruise line, make absolutely sure that your flight lands with enough time for you to disembark, travel to baggage claim, find your luggage and then locate a shuttle or taxi to the dock of departure. The cruise line will not wait for passengers. They are on a strict schedule of departure and arrival; the boat waits for no one. If you miss the boat, you miss your vacation.

Another important and valuable cruise line travel tip is to read all documents provided by the cruise line and your travel agent. Unless your ship’s itinerary is confined to a single country, you need to prepare for a cruise like you would any other international trip, including passports. Prior to booking flights or making any other travel plans, thoroughly read all documentation provided in regards to your cruise.

There are important contracts, guidelines, requirements and procedures that must be followed prior to Read the rest of this entry »

Cruise ship travel is not for everybody. Although many enjoy cruises, some travelers prefer other types of vacations. Before going on a cruise, take time to consider whether or not this is the best method of travel for you. Be sure to research information about the specific companies you are considering as well as read reviews from other customers. Also consider talking to those you know who have traveled on cruises before and see if it sounds like something you would enjoy. It is important to get more information than just a recommendation from someone. What one person finds fun, you may not, so it is important to find out why a person did or did not enjoy a cruise ship experience.

Some do not enjoy cruises simply because of the nature of traveling on a boat. Those who are prone to motion sickness may not enjoy being on a boat because of the high likelihood of experiencing sea sickness. Severity differs for everybody, and sea sickness usually is not serious, but it can still be an unpleasant experience and can ruin a vacation. Consider whether or not this is something that concerns you. Medications and wrist bands help some who suffer from sea sickness, but they are not effective for Read the rest of this entry »

For people who love to travel, starting a travel agency specializing in cruises can be very exciting. Earning a living by talking about your cruise experiences and helping direct less experienced cruisers to the right vacation can be very rewarding. Many people are also attracted to the travel discounts you can receive by becoming a member of the International Airline Travel Agency Network (IATAN). Membership is available after earning $5,000 in commissions during the previous 12 month period.

It takes a little while to build your business. Great customer service and knowledge of the business are key ingredients to Read the rest of this entry »

When you think of taking a trip to another country, there is no doubt you immediately consider airline ticket prices. But, that was not always the most popular mode of travel. Before there were 747 jetliners to ferry people across oceans, the way to travel was by cruise ship. But when it came to the masses, they were not necessarily the luxury vessels we are used to seeing today.

Everyone has seen the blockbuster movie, Titanic. It tells a story about a couple that fell in love on the fateful ship before her sinking. While it may just be a story of fiction, it also gave you a little glimpse into what it was really like to be aboard this method of transportation years ago. As you saw in the movie, not everyone was treated equally aboard the cruise ship. There were the very elite customers who were served everything on a silver platter, but on the lower decks were those who were just hoping to get from one place to another and were forced to scrape by in an area where they were packed as tightly as a can of sardines. If you wanted to enjoy your trip, you had to be filthy rich.

Back in those days, there were not quite as many cruise liners as there are today. Those that were in existence were names that everyone knew. Some of the names you may recognize are the Lusitania and the Queen Mary.

For a while, the popularity of luxury cruise travel waned, but it had resurgence in the 1970′s. It was all thanks to a television show, The Love Boat. The staff on the television sitcom showed how great of a time passengers were having. They showed passengers relaxing, playing a number of fun games, meeting new friends over great meals, and getting to see new places. People started booking holiday cruises again hoping to cash in on some of the excitement. And for the most part the cruise lines delivered. They offered people a chance to stand on the deck and watch as they headed to new worlds, unexplored to them. In one trip they would allow those on board to see a lot of places they had never been before, and give them a great setting to talk about it at the end of the day. Some cruises didn’t even have an end destination, they merely were ‘cruises to nowhere’, a chance to experience cruise ship life for a few days. The trend never really died and has been popular ever since.

What is involved in a cruise has changed from the early years. While you can still take a transatlantic cruise, that is not the most popular choice. There are now a number of 3, 4, 7, and 10 days cruises to a variety of destinations. The accommodations are no longer just lush or poor, but instead a number of different cabin choices at a wide array of prices. Because of the variety, anyone today can enjoy a cruise, no matter what his or her budget.

Cruise One is one of the largest cruise travel retailers in the nation, and with it’s affiliation with World Travel Holdings, has become the largest seller of cruise vacations. With a franchise fee of anywhere from $9800 to $25,000(financing is available), the franchisee will become a member of the #1 ranked Travel Agency Franchise by Dun & Bradstreet’s Allbusiness Allstar Franchises. And a franchise that has also been recognized by Entrepeneur Magazines “top 500″ since 1998.

With your franchise fee, franchise owners will receive turn-key, personalized marketing programs. These marketing strategies include customized direct mail to cruise line co-ops, along with public relations initiatives to support your brand. Fairly vague. It is clear that the franchisee must assume the majority of the marketing onus to insure branding of their name.

As far as corporate support, the company provides a “boot camp” style training program to jump start your business. They provide on land and at sea training as well. They even have a mentoring program where you will be matched up with another franchise owner to share ideas. When it comes to the technological side of the business, customized websites, proprietary reservation systems and private itranet are provided.

Cruise One, with it’s excellent nationally recognized reputation, seems to be a viable franchise opportunity for someone looking for a home-based business. As long as the prospective business owner is willing to learn the latest network marketing and internet marketing strategies, and can adapt to the ever-changing techniques, this could be for you. However, this is a NEW age of home-based business entrepreneurship and network marketing. There IS a new model for success in Business ownership and opportunity that has emerged, creating massive success for individuals every day. Learn more about the power behind this business model by visiting http://Intermax2010.com.

Being an avid traveler, many have asked me where are my favorite vacation spots, and what types of vacation I dig. Of course, there is nothing like an opulent all-inclusive, where everything is included, although, for many, all-inclusive is also synonym to boredom and lack of activities. While this may be true in some cases, you may want to rethink this with a cruise. A cruise offers you the luxury of an all-inclusive, while giving you the opportunity to visit more cities and sight you would do in a regular trip.

If you’ve never taken a European cruise in the past, check out these 5 facts about them.

Fact #1 Efficient – A cruise allows you to see many cities and countries in a short time period

Fact #2 Comfort – Are you already tired by the idea of the unpacking, then repacking! With a cruise, unpack once, at the very beginning of the trip, and repack once, at the very end of the trip!

Fact #3 Affordable and economical – Pay once, and everything is included. Many trips include hidden fees too often forgotten – renting a car, food, cost of exchanging currencies, etc. Here, you do not have to worry about anything but the cost of the extra day trips you may want to take or souvenirs you may want to purchase through the trip.

Fact #4 The biggest downside of taking a cruise is the limited time you have at each location. Here, you don’t have the option of staying one more day in a specific location, because the ship will leave without you!

Fact #5 Another downside are motion sickness. If you know that you are highly susceptible to motion sickness, getting a room with a window and having some anti-nausea pills on hand can be a good way to prevent motion sickness. Fortunately, because of the size of the ships and the calmness of the water, the likelihood of motion sickness is close to nothing.