CRUISE PLANNERS HONORED WITH FOUR GOLD AND SILVER MAGELLAN AWARDS

Cruise Planners/American Express, the nation’s largest home-based travel agent franchise network in the cruise industry, continues to raise the bar within the travel community winning four coveted Magellan Awards from Travel Weekly. The Magellan Awards honor the best in travel and the professionals working in the industry.   

“We are so proud and honored to receive these Magellan Awards,” said Michelle Fee, CEO and co-founder of Cruise Planners/American Express. “We have a top-notch team in place in our home office who strives to create innovative and unique tools to make it easier for our agents to achieve their marketing and sales goals. Being recognized by Travel Weekly for the third year in a row illustrates our commitment to the success of our agents as well as customer satisfaction.”

Cruise Planners was honored with two Gold Magellan Awards, one for its new agent training program, which provides new agents with the skills they need to start a travel business from home, as well as one for Cruise Planners University (CPU), an online learning tool that provides agents access to hundreds of training courses and top accreditations in the cruise industry. In addition, Cruise Planners won two Silver Magellan Awards recognizing its community outreach program, CP Cares, and its “Cruisidude” family-themed, integrated marketing campaign.

“We always have our agents in mind when we create distinctive marketing and advertising campaigns,” said Vicky Garcia, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Cruise Planners/American Express. “The recognition from Travel Weekly proves to us that we are on the right track when it comes to producing cutting-edge tools to provide world-class training to our agents, and the marketing initiatives that engage the consumer and keep them coming back to Cruise Planners agents for their vacation needs.”

About Cruise Planners/American Express

Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Services Representative, is the largest home-based travel agent network in the cruise industry with more than 700 franchise owners across the country that independently book cruises and associated travel. Named No.1 Cruise Tour / Travel Agency by Entrepreneur magazine for the past seven years, Cruise Planners positions franchise owners for success by providing them with innovating 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 Royal Caribbean International Home-based Partner of the Year (2007 - 2009); Regent Seven Seas Cruises Top Producer (2009); and American Express Travel Representative Excellence Awards (2004 - 2009). For more general information, please visit www.cruiseplannersfranchise.com.

Media Contact:
Holly Zawyer / Deseraé E. del Campo
Cheryl Andrews Marketing
P: 305-444-4033
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