Cruise Planners Gives Back Throughout the Year and This Holiday Season

Cruise Planners–American Express Travel supports national and local charities throughout 2013

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. – December 5, 2013 – Each year, Cruise Planners-American Express Travel, the nation’s largest home-based travel agent franchise network in the travel industry, makes an effort to give back through its CP Cares Program. This year was no exception and the company and the entire Cruise Planners family of travel agents and partners gave back in a big way.

“Our foundation is based on giving back and the spirit of giving pulses through our veins,” said Vicky Garcia, Cruise Planners-American Express Travel COO and co-owner. “It gives me chills to think about the families we have positively impacted, the medical research we helped fund and the children who will benefit from the generous donations from the Cruise Planners family.”

Below are the highlights of Cruise Planners’ CP Cares Program for 2013, which focused on its two major non-profit partners; The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Kids In Distress.

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: In 2013, Cruise Planners continued its mission to fight cancer on a national level by supporting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). Cruise Planners believes each fundraising activity it participates in on behalf of LLS is going to a great cause – finding a cure for blood cancers not someday in the future, but rather, today.

• LSS Light the Night Walk: Cruise Planners lead the “CRUISITUDE for a Cure” walking team and raised more than $4,000 at the LLS Light the Night Walk in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. in November 2013.
• Cruise Planners Store Sales: Cruise Planners is always introducing new merchandise for agents to purchase to commemorate its annual convention or training sessions throughout the year. The famous “bling” shirts are always hot sellers and this year, total donations from the merchandise were more than $30,000 in support of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
• CP Cares Raffle Tickets: Cruise Planners works with travel-industry partners who donated a variety of high-value prizes, trips and travel swag. Everything from cruises and airline tickets to TVs and iPads were auctioned off, and all proceeds were donated to LLS.
• LSS Raffle: This fall, Cruise Planners hosted an employee-only raffle that included prizes such as cruise-industry swag, bottles of wine and even some Cruise Planners accessories. The raffle’s proceeds help benefit LLS.
• Kids In Distress: This year, Cruise Planners supported Kids In Distress, an organization in Fort Lauderdale helping children who have been subject to child abuse, are in foster care, or have-low income and medical needs.
• Donations at Convention: All travel agents and vendor partners were invited to bring personal hygiene items and individually-packaged snacks for kids at this year’s Cruise Planners Convention.
• Thanksgiving Food Drive: Cruise Planners adopted five local families and provided bountiful baskets complete with a Thanksgiving meal with all the fixings, gift cards for turkeys, healthy snacks, toiletries, baby food and even diapers.
• Holiday Toy Drive: For the holidays, Cruise Planners collected gifts, toys, bicycles, clothes and treats to brighten the holidays for 16 South Florida children.

Recently, CEO and co-founder of Cruise Planners-American Express Travel, Michelle Fee was nominated as Woman of the Year for LLS, which will drive even more fundraising activities into 2014.

“This cause is near and dear to my heart,” Fee said. “I am committed to sharing our positive Cruise Planners’ Cruisitude™ with others as we raise awareness in support of LLS.”

About Cruise Planners–American Express Travel
Named No.1 Cruise Tour / Travel Agency by Entrepreneur for the past 10 years and recently featured in Entrepreneur as one of the top 30 franchise innovators in technology, Cruise Planners positions franchise owners for success by providing them with innovative marketing, booking and lead-generating tools as well as professional development and hands-on training with the industry’s top executives.

Headquartered in Coral Springs, Fla., Cruise Planners has achieved top producer status with every major cruise line. Accolades include a record 11 Magellan Awards from Travel Weekly in 2013, Special Needs Group Accessible Travel Advocate Power Partners™ for 2012, American Express Travel Representative Excellence Award for eight years in a row (2004 – 2011), American Express Agency of the Year (2010), Royal Caribbean International Home-Based Partner of the Year (2007 – 2012), Royal Caribbean International President’s Award for Overall Achievement for 2012, Norwegian Cruise Line Franchise Agency of the Year (2011-2013) and Home-Based Agency of the Year (2010), Celebrity Cruises Southeast Region Travel Agent Partner of the Year (2010), American Express Vacations Globe Award (2008 – 2012), Globus Family of Brands Premier Agency Partner (2009- 2012), Platinum Circle Member with Viking River Cruises (2009-2012), Regent Seven Seas Cruises Top Producer and International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association Member. For information, visit www.cruiseplanners.com.