Cruise Planners Does it AGAIN!

2020 may have been a very hard year in many ways and travel continues to lag behind where it was before the pandemic started, but I'm still very pleased to part of the Cruise Planners family!

After a year unlike any other, we’re proud to say that Cruise Planners achieved its 18th consecutive year ranking as Entrepreneur's No. 1 Travel Franchise among the Annual Franchise 500 -- the world’s first, best, and most comprehensive franchise ranking. We have strong relationships with all types of travel partners and stay up-to-date with its health and safety protocols. When the time is right, we're here ready to help you travel the world.

The Newest Travel Planner Magazine is Here - Digital Version

With 2020 basically a wash, are you ready to start on your 2021 vacation? The newest edition of our Travel Planner Magazine is hot off the digital press with the latest offers, specials, and promotions for a wide assortment of both land and cruise options which can be viewed right on my website. Remember...don't let the name of the travel franchise fool you - we book BOTH land and cruise vacations, and my team and I actually do book more land-based vacations than we do cruise-based, with a lot of our guests heading to Europe, Florida, Hawaii, the Caribbean, and Australia and the South Pacific each year! We are your LAND & Cruise Experts. We're grateful for the business that was booked for this year (sad it was mostly all canceled by COVID), and hope that you'll start planning with us for 2021 soon. Travel WILL resume. We WILL get beyond this virus. You WILL be able to enjoy traveling again sometime soon.

Click the link for your chance to win a 7-night cruise for two in a balcony!

View the Travel Planner: https://tinyurl.com/CPMagazineSummer2020

In the Top 5 Again this Month

What a treat to be in the Top 5 for sales in my category two weeks in a row! Thanks to Rachel Brolsma and Liz Chriscoe for once again helping us get there and make it happen. We love our clients and would love to help YOU plan an amazing adventure for 2020 or beyond. Travel makes an incredible gift, and helps you create memories to last a lifetime!

There's still time to give the gift of travel this Christmas!

Top 5 for Weekly Sales! Woo Hoo!

With so many others in the megastar category vying for the same spots, this doesn't happen often (if I recall two other times this year), but it's always cool when it does! We made the Top 5 for sales last week! Thanks to our wonderful clients, and a huge shoutout to both Rachel and Liz for their efforts in helping put us "on the board" for the week.

Looking for a Change? Want the Chance to be an Entrepreneur and Be Your Own Boss as an Independent Contractor?

I'm looking to grow my team once again. I have a great commission-based associate opportunity for the right individual who loves to work with people to help them realize their travel dreams, while also having the opportunity to get out to learn and experience more of what our beautiful world has to offer. You can learn more about it here. I'm looking for someone who'd like to do it full-time, but also open to part-time. This would be a great role for someone who is in a life transition - perhaps about to retire or looking to make a change of careers. Perhaps you know a stay-at-home mom who wants something extra, or is considering returning to the working world after raising her babies. This isn't a "job", but a chance to be an entrepreneur and be your own boss as an independent contractor.

Those who have travel sales and/or general experience are preferred, but not having such experience won't automatically rule someone out, either. Location isn't important to me, so they don't need to live near me at all, and can be located anywhere within the United States.

If you or someone you know would be interested - let's chat!

Learn more: bit.ly/CP_JoinOurTeam

Honored to Serve. Nice to be Recognized.

It's a small joy to be recognized and honored at our annual Cruise Planners Convention this week for my service on the Advisory Board (I'm in my second 3-year term), and for leading an improvement committee as well. For a large organization such as ours, it's a great privilege to have been voted in twice by my peers and to be involved behind the scenes, helping make things better for our body of franchise owners, yes, but ultimately for our valued clients and their all-important family vacations.

A Travel Agent's Work is Never Done.

I'm getting ready to head out to the airport for a week's conference in South Florida, and am busily trying to finalize some fabulous trip quotes for some great people before I leave. So many wonderful adventures to be enjoyed, and destinations to discover and explore! I love being busy, and I love helping people explore our great big beautiful world! Where can I help you discover something new?

#travelconcierge #exploretheworld #landvacations #cruiseplanners #morethanjustcruises #travelwhileyoucan #tomorrowisnotguaranteed

Where Might I Help You Go Next?

It's another busy day here at the New York Times Travel Show! Family Reunion cruises, The Galapagos, Spain, and Alaska have been my hot topics this morning as I have been helping people plan some amazing trips. Where might I help you go next?

#morethanjustcruises #yourLANDandcruiseexperts #itsvacationplanningtime

A Weekend of Fun Selling Experiences & Adventures for People to Getaway and Have Some Fun!

And the fun begins.... NOW! The doors will be opening in just a few moments and we're right up front by the entry doors, ready to sell amazing experiences for people to get away from their stress and some rejuvenation. If you're in the NYC area today, come see me! We're at The New York Times Travel Show at Javits Center.

The Internet & Travel Shows are for Looking...but TRAVEL AGENTS Are for Booking!

We're all set up and ready for a great weekend event! The hall is filled with so many amazing destinations and vacation opportunities from every continent on display this weekend at the show... but the best part is, I can help plan your amazing vacation to any of them! The internet and travel shows are for looking, but agents like me are for booking!!

#vacationtime #starttheplanning #CruisePlanners #Morethanjustcruises

Upcoming Travel & Adventure Show - Chicago

Hey hey Chicagoland peeps!...be sure to come out this weekend to the Travel & Adventure Show and see me at the Donald Stephens Convention Center. Our Cruise Planners booth will be right up at the front, and we'll have lots of show specials and offers to make your next vacation fabulous!

Valentine's Day is the Perfect Time for A Romantic Getaway. Plan Now!

In less than a month couples all over will be celebrating the most romantic day - Valentine's Day. There's still time to surprise your sweetie with a romantic getaway! Getting away as a couple, without the kids, is so very important! And Valentine's Day is a great time to make that happen. I'd be honored to help you treat your honey to a great getaway! Reach out by phone at 317.776.1733 or email me at clingren@cruiseplanners.com, or visit www.icanshowyoutheworld.vacations and let's get something booked for the two of you!

Thankful for Such a Great Organization to Be Part Of!

I'm bummed that I wasn't able to attend the annual Cruise Planners Convention going on right now in Miami, this year... but very thrilled that a couple of my friends have shared some of the exciting things revealed today that will enhance our businesses so much in 2017, including providing better resources and communication for both clients and us on this side of the business. Cruise Planners truly is the best in the industry and provides so many incredible resources for their franchisees. So even though I couldn't be there in person, I'm still pumped about the new things available today, and coming in the quarters to come that ultimately will help my team and I provide an even better experience for our clients! #CPCon16 #IAMCP

More Than Just Cruises!

I just returned from Beaches Turks & Caicos, and the AMEX More Knowledge Conference. During the conference, I was able to update and renew my Certified Specialist status for the Sandals & Beaches Resorts, and expand upon my first-hand knowledge of that particular resort, which goes a long way when talking with clients and potential clients about their vacation experience desires and needs. Attending on-site conferences, seminars and tours is an important part of continuing education within my chosen profession, just as it may be in yours.

I'm pleased to be a certified specialist, as well as a WeddingMoons Certified Specialist, which I first earned at Sandals Royal Bahamian, where I also had the pleasure of serving as best man in a wedding! Feel free to ask about that one!

Many people get easily confused by the name of my franchise - Cruise Planners. They tend to think that selling cruises is all we do... but it isn't. Did you know that my personal selling mix is actually about 60% LAND vacations, and only 40% CRUISES? I sell a lot of all-inclusive resorts, Disney & Universal vacations, honeymoons, rail, golf, and more... all in addition to the cruises that I sell. Please don't rule me out for your next vacation just because you see Cruise as the first word in the name!! Your business and referrals are greatly appreciated! You can learn more about what I do, and what I can help you with at: www.icanshowyoutheworld.vacations and it would be awesome if you would like my business page at

facebook.com/showyoutheworld

CP Boot Camp Continues

It's a full day ahead with panel discussions! On deck are American Cruise Lines, Clipper Vacations, Globus, Exclusive Group Travel, Trafalgar, and CP home office staff.

Great tips, education, and learning ahead to be sure!

CP Bootcamp - Day 1

At CP Boot Camp, learning updates on Adventures by Disney. Earlier was Celebrity Cruises. Later today will be Celtic Tours, Barbados, and technology stuff. Continuing education is so important to help make me better for my clients.

Having fun while learning, here in Ft Lauderdale!

Heading South for CP Bootcamp!

As shared on Facebook, I'm currently heading south to Fort Lauderdale for a conference with Cruise Planners. It'll be filled with wonderful learning opportunities from a wide array of our vendor partners. 

Tips on Thursday - My Trips and Mobile Apps

Whether you make the plans yourself or use the expertise of a travel professional to put it all together for you, traveling always comes with a few various bits and pieces of information that passengers must keep track of in order to keep it all straight - reservation or confirmation numbers, departure times, resort addresses, and so much more.  In the very technical world that we’re living in, it is a great benefit when you can download the information to your smart phone or tablet and have it all together in front of you.  And now with Cruise Planners~ Neverland Adventures Travel, you CAN! 

I’m pleased to announce that the highly anticipated Cruise Planners Mobile app has officially launched!  It is available NOW in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store for iPhone and Android devices (search term: Cruise Planners Mobile).

Cruise Planners Mobile is an excellent way to have all of your trip information in one place, via our existing MY TRIPS features found on my website, while also giving you the ability to stay in touch with your travel advisor (me) while on your trip should any unforeseen problem arise through secure messaging.  But not only that, with Cruise Planners Mobile you are able to:

• Search through current Travel Deals and Specials
• View day-by-day itineraries with port details and weather forecast / Google Maps (when available)
• View a detailed summary including reservation comments and attachments
• Share your trip details via email and social media (Facebook and Twitter)
• View a checklist of items to complete before the trip and check them off as they are completed
• Book your next vacation!

 The best part too is that both Cruise Planners Mobile and My Trips share a single login so you don’t have to worry about setting different login information or remember multiple logins. One login provides two ways to stay connected . 

Simply visit www.neverlandadventurescruises.com to set up your My Trips account, and then download the app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store and get started exploring the app today! 

 

stopher's stuff - The WONDER Begins Now

Greetings from sunny Florida!  Once again it’s time to set sail on another cruise adventure, and I’m sure this week will be filled with WONDER-ful new experiences and fun.  Yes, I’m setting sail on the Disney Wonder, leaving out of Miami, FL for a 5-night Western Caribbean itinerary.  This cruise will different from my last Disney cruise in October, (when my lovely bride came along with me) – different since my lovely bride is not coming along with me, rather I’ll have another travel professional as my roommate.  This is an Agent Education experience, so we’ll be in a conference room each day for a couple of hours at the least, and specific activities that we “recommended” to experience for ourselves. 

Just as my last Disney cruise was, this is a business research and building trip.  It is a FAM, or familiarization trip, offered to travel professionals, specifically to other CRUISE PLANNERS agents like me, so that we might experience first-hand the ships & itineraries for ourselves, so that we can then have a better understanding of what we sell – and of course, to be able to sell even more of it.  But beyond the deeply discounted price, there are no special perks that I’m receiving as a result of going on this voyage.  It will be interesting to be able to enjoy spending time with other Cruise Planners.  My roommate, in fact, acquired his franchise at the same time as we did, and went through initial training when I did.  So it will be fun to reconnect with him and spend the week together. 

Our itinerary includes stops in Grand Cayman and Cozumel.  Unlike the last cruise, I do not have any pre-planned port adventures, though Jeff, my roommate, has said that he’s been trying to get us to be able to explore a specific resort in Cozumel as an FAM tour.  So we’ll see if that works out or not. I was just planning to head over to the beach or something myself, so if we can get in to see a resort, great!  If not, I’ll just put on lots of sunscreen and head to the beach for a while. 

It’s been cold and snowy at home, so my family isn’t all too thrilled about me being able to escape winter’s cold while they have to stay home.  So for now, there will be no talk about the weather right now, except to say that it is a good deal warmer here than at home.  With that, I will bid you adieu, and hope you have a great week… I know my week will be WONDER-ful.

Until next time,

 

It's the Most Wonderful Time to Reflect

The Christmas season is definitely upon us.  From all of the in-store decorations that have been in many places since before Halloween, to the radio stations interspersing holiday tunes between their regular playlists, and the sights and smells around town.  It truly is the most wonderful time of the year, and my favorite season of all.  It also reminds me that I’ve now been in business for myself for well over a full year.  While it has been a year filled with challenges, it has been a very rewarding year; a transformative year; a fun year. I’ve learned a lot. I’ve sighed a lot (often at my own dumb mistakes), and I’ve drawn a great deal on skills and experiences culled from more than 20 years working within corporate America – often in roles that I held more than a dozen years ago.

As a sales guy the past year and a half, I’ve had to take a different view of the various seasons of the year than I ever did before when I worked in an office simply crunching numbers for the various commercial loan packages that I put together for years.  It’s been a fun ride getting to know what to “push” and what not to push, learning the ins and outs and realizing that oftentimes what might be a “sure thing” doesn’t always prove to be so.  My opinion of a sure thing doesn’t really matter, as I’m working to provide a broader base of appeal.  What really floats one person’s boat might fall flat with someone else.  That is really one of the main reasons why I expanded beyond just offering Disney products and services last fall.  While I still personally LOVE the Disney brand and all of its parks and resorts – the reality is – despite there being such a huge market for Disney vacations, Disney does not comprise the largest share of my business.  It was a sad realization for a Disneyphile like me, that while my personal sphere of influence includes a great number of fellow Disneyphiles… my market share for Disney products is relatively small compared to the other travel products that I can sell.  So while I maintain my Disney Specialist hat, ready to talk to anyone who’ll listen about Disney parks and resorts, I have to provide opportunities to a much broader spectrum. 

So with that in mind, I’d love to invite you back to my website.  I’ve expanded & revamped it once again recently, and have a wide array of products and services that just might appeal to you and your individual travel needs.  Whether you’re looking for Group Travel for your crafting group, church or other social group that you belong to – a golf getaway – a skiing vacation – sporting event travel – faith-based travel – Destination Weddings or Honeymoons – and so much more… I can help.  Through my relationship as a franchisee of Cruise Planners, I have affiliations and relationships with properties and destinations around the globe, for just about any experience you’re looking for.  I’d love to help you plan your next vacation, and help you create memories that will last a lifetime. 

Use this link:  http://partners.ncl.com/m/u7q3o

And finally, not to be without a little plug for some cool, limited time offers… Here’s a present that’s hard to resist – Norwegian’s 12 Days of Holiday Savings with different deals every day for 12 days.  I’ve got different deals every day for 12 days.  Be sure to check them out each day.  As I tell people so many times – you never know what deal will appeal to you and your needs. 

Until next time... Happy December!