Start a Expedia Cruises Franchise in 2024

Franchise 500 Rank: N/R Not ranked last year

Initial investment: $168K - $291K

Units as of 2023: 234 13% over 3 years

Whether it’s the exotic beaches in the Bahamas or the majestic mountains of Alaska, everyone has a dream vacation. Expedia Cruises is a travel agency that strives to make it possible for customers to identify the best deals when vacationing.

Founded in 1987, Expedia Cruises made a splash in the air, land, and cruise vacation market by offering innovative solutions. In less than four decades, the company’s sales grew, and in 2013, it acquired CruiseShipCenters International. After rebranding in 2020, Expedia Cruises began to focus on providing spectacular air, land, and sea vacations.

For clientele, Expedia Cruises may offer the best choices in pricing, with suggestions of the best vacation spots.

There are more than 225 Expedia Cruises locations throughout the United States and Canada.

Why You May Want to Start an Expedia Cruises Franchise

Traveling for leisure or business may seem glamorous, but planning a perfect trip is a lot of work for those working in the field. An ideal candidate for an Expedia Cruises franchisee is someone who understands that while vacations are thrilling, they also have risks and opportunities.

If you plan to start an Expedia Cruises franchise, understand that chaperoning travelers and cruise enthusiasts requires passion and dedication. With the company offering diverse options, you are expected to be dynamic and sensitive to customer needs at all times.

As a trusted brand, Expedia Cruises has been ranked in Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 multiple times in the past decade. This ranking is based on an evaluation of more than 150 data points in the areas of costs and fees, size and growth, franchisee support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability.

What Might Make an Expedia Cruises Franchise a Good Choice?

Expedia Cruises may be unique because of its wide variety of offers for customers who want to travel as hassle-free as possible. As experts, Expedia Cruises’ vacation consultants are expected to work with customers in an effort to create the perfect getaway experience. The best part about starting an Expedia Cruises franchise may be that people love traveling, and when they do, they tend to choose a reliable brand.

To be part of the Expedia Cruises team, you should make sure you’re financially ready for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. In addition, you should prepare yourself for ongoing fees that will include advertising, royalty, and potential renewal fees. Franchisees will also need to meet the company’s set net worth and liquid capital requirements.

How To Open an Expedia Cruises Franchise

Setting up an Expedia Cruises franchise starts by contacting the company and entering into a legal agreement. A typical franchise runs for five years, which is renewable if you meet the Expedia Cruises requirements. Franchisees are always expected to adhere to the Expedia Cruises franchise requirements that have been developed with efficiency in mind.

An advantage of the Expedia Cruises team may be that franchisees can secure exclusive territories. If you have favorite cruise destinations, you can cater to travelers heading that route, offering the best experience possible.

Opening an Expedia Cruises franchise may offer a more predictable outcome than investing in a completely new brand that could struggle to thrive in an already crowded and competitive industry.

Company Overview

About Expedia Cruises

Industry	Recreation
Related Categories	Travel Agencies
Founded	1987
Parent Company	Expedia Group
Leadership	Matthew Eichhorst, President
Corporate Address	1066 W. Hastings St., #900 Vancouver, BC V6E 3X1
Social	Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube

Business Overview

Franchising Since	1987 (37 years)
# of employees at HQ	100
Where seeking	This company is offering new franchises in the following US states: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming This company is offering new franchises in the following international regions: Canada
# of Units	234 (as of 2023)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Expedia Cruises franchise.

Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees

Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.

Initial Franchise Fee Definition: The initial fee paid to a franchisor to join their system What you need to know: Found in Item 5 of the FDD, this may be a flat fee, or may vary based on territory size, experience, or other factors.The franchise fee is an up-front (one-time) cost that a new franchisee pays to the franchisor. This fee is usually due at the signing of the franchise agreement and covers the right to use the franchisor's trademarks, name, and related business systems.	$39,000
Initial Investment Definition: The total amount necessary to begin operation of the franchise What you need to know: The initial investment includes the franchise fee, along with other startup expenses such as real estate, equipment, supplies, business licenses, and working capital. This is outlined in a chart in Item 7 of the FDD, showing a range of possible costs from low to high.	$168,250 - $291,245
Net Worth Requirement Definition: The minimum net worth you must have in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company What you need to know: Net worth is the value of a person's assets minus liabilities. Assets include cash, stocks, retirement accounts, and real estate. Liabilities include items like mortgages, car payments, and credit card debt.	$750,000
Cash Requirement Definition: The minimum liquid capital you must have available in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company.	$250,000
Veteran Incentives Definition: A discount or other incentive offered to military veterans who buy a franchise with this company.	15% off franchise fee
Royalty Fee Definition: A ongoing fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis. What you need to know: Most franchisors require franchisees to pay an ongoing royalty fee, which is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD. This fee is typically a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales, but may also be a flat weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	9%
Ad Royalty Fee Definition: An going fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis to support advertising or marketing efforts. What you need to know: This may also be called advertising fee, marketing fee, brand fund fee, and more, but the basic purpose is the same-- to support promotion of the brand systemwide. As with the royalty fee, it is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD, and can be a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales or a weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	4%
Term of Agreement Definition: The length of time your franchise agreement will last. What you need to know: Franchise terms are typically anywhere from 5 to 20 years in length, but are sometimes instead dependent on factors such as the term of your lease. Once your term is up, you may have the option to renew your agreement, typically for a smaller fee than the original franchise fee.	5 years
Is franchise term renewable?	Yes

Financing Options

Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.

Third Party Financing	Expedia Cruises has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, payroll

Training & Support Offered

Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.

On-The-Job Training	69.5 hours
Classroom Training	33.5 hours
Ongoing Support	Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings & Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security & Safety Procedures Lease Negotiation Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support	Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social Media SEO Website Development Email Marketing Loyalty Program/App

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed?	No
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit? Definition: The business can be run from your home and/or a vehicle, and it is not necessary to have a retail facility, office space, or warehouse.	No
Can this franchise be run part time? Definition: This business can be run by the owner on a part-time basis (less than 40 hours per week) and/or as a side business; it is not necessary for the business to be open/run full-time.	No
Are exclusive territories available? Definition: An exclusive territory is a fixed area in which you are given the right to operate and in which no other units of the same franchise may be opened. What you need to know: Territory size may be based on factors such as radius, population size, zip codes, and more. Details can be found in Item 12 of the FDD.	Yes