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Cruise Planners
Business ServicesEst. 1994Low CostLarge SystemEstablished

Cruise Planners

Home-based travel agency, America's largest, sub-$11K entry fee, no storefront needed.

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Min. cash req.
$10K
Min. net worth
$20K
Franchise fee
$11K
Royalty rate
3%
Units open
2.5K
Yrs. operating
32
Video

See it in action.

Overview

About Cruise Planners

Home-based travel agency, America's largest, sub-$11K entry fee, no storefront needed. Founded in 1994, Cruise Planners has grown to 2.5K units across the United States: a mature franchise system with a clear playbook, national brand recognition, and dedicated franchisee support from day one.

The brand operates in business services, a category that benefits from the secular shift toward outsourced business services and flexible work models.

With a 3% royalty and an initial franchise fee of $11K, the total investment is positioned for owners who value both an established system and fair economics. FDD available on request.

The model

How the business actually works.

01
Recurring revenue model with predictable monthly income.
02
Scalable operations; add staff capacity without adding locations.
03
Technology platform handles scheduling, billing, and CRM.
04
National marketing fund drives brand awareness in your territory.
Recognition
Entrepreneur
Franchise 500
2025
IFA
25+ Year Member
SBA
Approved System
FDD
Fully Disclosed
2026
FC Analysis
Favorable Royalty
Investment details

The full financial picture.

Initial franchise fee
$11K
Paid to the franchisor at signing. Grants territory rights and initial support.
Min. liquid cash required
$10K
Personal liquid capital verified before signing. Separate from any financing.
Min. net worth required
$20K
Total assets minus liabilities, verified through financial disclosure.
Estimated total investment
$21K – $51K
Includes fee, setup, equipment, improvements, and 3–6 months working capital.
Ongoing royalty
3% of gross revenue
Paid periodically. Covers ongoing support, systems, and brand development.
System size
2.5K active units
Active locations across the U.S., a measure of system maturity.
Years in franchising
32 years
Longer track record generally means lower risk.
SBA franchise eligible
Yes
Listed on the SBA Franchise Directory. Streamlines SBA 7(a) loan approval.

SBA financing available. Our funding partners pre-qualify you in 48 hours at no cost. You'll typically need 20–30% equity; SBA finances the rest.

Need Funding? Click Here →
Training

No prior experience needed.

Cruise Planners invests heavily in franchisee preparation. Here's what the training journey looks like.

Before you open
Two weeks at HQ
Immersive training covers operations, management, marketing, and technology. You leave knowing exactly how to run the business before a single customer walks in.
Opening week
On-site corporate team
A support team arrives at your location for your first 1–2 weeks. They work alongside you through live operations, troubleshoot, and refine your team in real time.
Months 1–6
Weekly coaching calls
Your regional business coach checks in weekly during your first six months. No question is too small; this is the period where habits and routines are formed.
Ongoing
Field visits + annual summit
Quarterly field visits from your regional rep, plus an annual franchise conference that brings the full network together for training and peer learning.
Is this for you?

Ideal candidate profile.

Comfortable leading a small team (5–15 people)
Sales, ops, or management background helpful
Liquid capital matching the minimum cash req.
Owner-operator for at least the first 12 months
Interest in growing to multiple units over time
Strong desire to follow a proven operating system
What happens next

The path to opening day.

Today
Request info
Submit the form on this page. Takes 30 seconds.
Day 1–3
Discovery call
A Champs consultant and the franchisor team walk you through the model.
Day 7–14
Receive the FDD
Federal law requires 14 days before any signing, so read it carefully.
Day 14–30
Validation calls
Talk to 5–10 existing franchisees. Free, unfiltered, unscripted.
Day 30+
Discovery day & sign
Visit HQ, meet the team, sign the franchise agreement.
In the press

Recent company news.

Visit website
Cruise Planners announces expansion into 12 new U.S. markets
Franchise Times · Jun 2026
Cruise Planners named to the 2026 list of fastest-growing franchises
Entrepreneur · May 2026
Cruise Planners rolls out a new franchisee training and support platform
QSR Magazine · Apr 2026

Illustrative headlines — a live news feed for Cruise Planners is coming soon.