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FRANCHISE RESALES

Buy an Expedia Cruises Franchise

Expedia Cruises is a full-service leisure travel agency franchise backed by Expedia Group. Founded in 1987 in Vancouver, Canada as CruiseShipCenters, the brand grew into a leading Canadian cruise retailer before partnering with Expedia Group in 2008. It opened its first US location in 2010 and adopted the Expedia Cruises name in 2020. The network now spans over 260 locations across the US, Puerto Rico, and Canada.

Each location is a retail storefront of roughly 800–1,400 square feet, typically in community shopping centers serving more affluent neighborhoods. Franchisees recruit commission-only independent contractors called Vacation Consultants, who sell cruises, flights, hotels, excursions, and travel insurance. Lead flow comes from walk-ins, local marketing, and cruise inquiries routed from Expedia.com, Expedia.ca, and Expediacruises.com within each franchisee’s protected territory.

The Expedia® Exclusive Staterooms program gives franchisees access to over 250,000 preferred staterooms blocked in advance at guaranteed pricing across the most popular sailings. This inventory advantage, alongside the Expedia brand name, gives franchise owners a meaningful edge over independent travel agents in the same market.

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Why buy an Expedia Cruises Franchise?

Buying an Expedia Cruises franchise means operating under one of the most recognized names in travel. Backed by Expedia Group, franchisees benefit from the parent brand’s consumer recognition and lead channels that independent agents must build from scratch. The multi-stream revenue model — cruises, land packages, flights, hotels, excursions, and insurance — means franchisees are not dependent on a single booking category.

The Expedia® Exclusive Staterooms program provides preferred stateroom inventory at guaranteed pricing across more than 11,000 sailing groups, setting franchise locations apart from other retail travel agencies. Marketing support is partially subsidized by cruise line partners, and franchisees receive a proprietary digital marketing toolkit. The Vacation Consultant staffing model, where agents are commission-only independent contractors, keeps fixed labor costs lower than a traditionally salaried agency.

Expedia Cruises Franchise Costs & Information

Based on 2025 data reported in the 2026 FDD

  • Brand Profile

    • Year Founded

      1987

    • Franchising Since

      1987

    • New Startup Cost

      $149,300 – $258,545

    • Avg. Resale Price

      Contact us for details

  • Franchise Fees

    • Initial franchise Fee

      $49,000

      for new territories

    • Transfer Fee

      $29,000

      $10,000 if existing franchisee in a different Travel Business

    • Royalty Fee

      9%

      of Gross Revenue

    • Marketing Fee

      4%

      of Gross Revenue

  • Unit Performance

    • Total Units *

      93

    • New Units Opened *

      4

    • Units Transferred *

      2

    • Avg. Unit revenue *

      $264,608

    * Based on 2025 data reported in the 2026 FDD

Expedia Cruises – Additional  Information

  1. Training & Support

    Franchisees receive 34 hours of classroom training and 94.5 hours of on-the-job training, including the 5-day Cruise Management Academy. Ongoing support comes from Franchise Performance Coaches, and operations are managed through the CruiseDesk CRM platform. A dedicated recruitment team runs national events and supports franchisee-hosted Discovery Nights to build Vacation Consultant teams. Marketing is partially subsidized by cruise line partners. Buyers of an existing Expedia Cruises location should confirm what initial training and CruiseDesk access transfers with the resale.

  2. Ideal Owner

    The strongest Expedia Cruises franchisees are outgoing, sales-oriented operators who enjoy building relationships with clients and leading a team of independent Vacation Consultants. Prior travel industry experience is not required, as training covers product knowledge and booking systems. The role suits someone comfortable with consultative selling, community engagement, and ongoing team development. Candidates should be prepared to actively grow their Vacation Consultant network and manage a client-facing retail environment in a more affluent local market.

  3. Recognition & Awards

    For the 11th consecutive year, Expedia Cruises has been listed as a top franchise by Franchise Business Review, ranking #17 overall and #3 in the Top 50 Large Franchises for 2026. Franchise Business Review has also named the brand to its Culture 100 list and Top Franchises for Women list. In 2024, the brand received five Travel Weekly Magellan Awards (three Golds, two Silvers) for marketing strategy and campaigns. Celebrity Cruises awarded Expedia Cruises its 2023 Partner of the Year — President's Award.

  4. Industry / Market

    The US cruise market is projected to reach approximately $7.58 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 12.9% through 2025–2030 (Grand View Research). According to CLIA, 21.7 million Americans are expected to cruise in 2026, with volumes up 29% over 2019 levels. Cruise travelers show strong repeat behavior — 90% of those who have cruised plan to cruise again — supporting a recurring-revenue dynamic for local travel agencies. Resale buyers should assess the territory's demographic profile and the existing center's client repeat rate.

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