Technology Manager

From runway to sea: Cruise Planners lands Delta Vacations' Diamond Elite Award. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The top honor cements Cruise Planners' place as a leading travel network across air, land, and sea CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. (July 7, 2026) - When the world needs connecting, Delta Air Lines gets travelers there, while Cruise Planners advisors bring every part of the journey together. The South Florida-based travel agency franchise network recently earned Delta Vacations' Diamond Elite Award, recognizing Cruise Planners as one of the vacation provider's highest-performing travel agency partners. Diamond Elite is the highest level of recognition within Delta Vacations' travel agency partner program, honoring agencies that demonstrate exceptional sales performance, service and loyalty to the brand. Cruise Planners has earned the distinction several times during its more than decade-long partnership with Delta Vacations. "Our relationship with Delta Air Lines has been special from the very beginning, and receiving the Diamond Elite Award again is a tremendous honor," said Michelle Fee, founder and CEO of Cruise Planners. "While we may be best known for cruises, our advisors have always planned the entire vacation. Air is often one of the most complex parts of a trip, and many travelers do not realize their advisor can manage it alongside the hotel, transfers and experiences. This recognition speaks to the care and expertise our advisors bring to every journey, helping clients navigate the details and travel with confidence." Through Delta Vacations, Cruise Planners advisors can combine Delta Air Lines flights with hotels, resorts, car rentals, transfers, tours, activities and travel protection in one coordinated itinerary. The partnership gives travelers access to vacation options throughout Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe and the United States, as well as distinctive properties around the world. Cruise Planners advisors can uncover and secure air-inclusive vacation packages around each client's interests, travel style and budget, from treehouse-style accommodations in Costa Rica to design-forward hotels in central London. Cruise Planners advisors are trained to help SkyMiles members maximize eligible promotions, redeem miles toward qualifying packages or earn miles on their vacation, adding value as travelers pay closer attention to the cost of their trips. The partnership also gives Cruise Planners advisors access to Delta Vacations' portfolio, promotions, training, marketing tools and specialized booking support, helping them manage air-and-land itineraries involving multiple destinations and travel providers. When flight schedules shift, transfers change or a trip spans several hotels, the advisor remains the client's central point of contact before departure and throughout the journey. With more than 3,000 travel advisors nationwide and partnerships with more than 100 leading travel brands, Cruise Planners helps travelers arrange cruises, flights, hotels, resorts, tours, rail vacations, travel protection and customized experiences around the world. For more information on Cruise Planners or to find an agent, visit CruisePlanners.com. ABOUT CRUISE PLANNERS Cruise Planners was founded in 1994 and is the nation's largest home-based travel agent franchise network. As a leader in the travel franchise industry, Cruise Planners positions a nation-wide network of 3,000 franchise owners for success by providing innovative marketing programs, proprietary and cutting-edge booking and technology tools, as well as professional development and hands-on training with the industry's top executives. The company continues to be an industry leader and was named the No.1 travel franchise by Entrepreneur magazine for 18 consecutive years and was awarded by Franchise Business Review as "Best-In-Category" for 3 years. Cruise Planners received a 99% franchise owner satisfaction report from Franchise Business Review for 2023, 2024 and 2025. Franchise Business Review also ranked Cruise Planners #3 OVERALL on their list of Top 200 Franchises. Cruise Planners was recently featured in Entrepreneur as one of the top 30 franchise innovators in technology, has been consistently named as one of the Top Women-Owned Businesses by the South Florida Business Journal, is on the Inc. 5000 list as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America, and was recognized as one of the Top Workplaces by the Sun Sentinel. Visit its website, www.cruiseplanners.com, for more information or to view the complete list of awards and honors. For those interested in becoming a franchise owner, please visit https://www.cruiseplannersfranchise.com/.

Cruise Planners named on Entrepreneur's Top 10 Franchises and Franchise Business Review's Top Franchises for Culture lists. The nation's leading home-based travel franchise earns major national accolades from Entrepreneur and Franchise Business Review, recognizing both its strength as a business opportunity and its franchisee-first culture CORAL SPRINGS, Fla., June 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Cruise Planners, the nation's largest home-based travel agency franchise network, is celebrating two major national franchise industry recognitions, earning a coveted spot on Entrepreneur's 2026 Top 10 Franchises in Every Industry and Franchise Business Review's 2026 Top Franchises for Culture list. Together, the national honors spotlight Cruise Planners' continued leadership as a standout franchise brand, recognizing its strength as a business opportunity for aspiring travel professionals and its supportive community that empowers its nationwide network of travel advisors. Cruise Planners earned the No. 2 ranking in the Recreation category on Entrepreneur's 2026 Top 10 Franchises in Every Industry list, featured in the May/June issue of Entrepreneur magazine. The ranking highlights top-performing franchise brands across major industries, further confirming Cruise Planners' position as one of the most compelling franchise opportunities in the travel and recreation space. In addition, Cruise Planners was named on Franchise Business Review's 2026 Top Franchises for Culture list, also known as the Culture100. Franchise Business Review's rankings are based on independent surveys of more than 29,000 franchise owners who evaluate their franchisor's leadership, support, collaboration, culture, and overall satisfaction, providing valuable insights for prospective franchise owners as they consider their next business opportunity. "To be recognized by both Entrepreneur and Franchise Business Review is incredibly meaningful because these honors speak to who we are as a brand," said Michelle Fee, Founder and Executive Officer of Cruise Planners. "Entrepreneur's recognition highlights the strength of our franchise opportunity and broadens our reach to those seeking a business that allows them to explore the world through travel. Franchise Business Review's Culture100 award reflects the strong culture of mutual support, mentorship, and leadership of our franchise owners, and we are incredibly proud to be celebrated not only for our growth and innovation, but also for the culture and support system that make Cruise Planners so special." Both recognitions come as Cruise Planners continues to invest heavily in its proprietary technology, marketing, training, and personalized support that help franchise owners grow successful travel businesses. From its award-winning Home Office Team to its collaborative advisor community, Cruise Planners has built a franchise model designed to help entrepreneurs thrive in the high-growth travel industry. The Franchise Business Review Culture100 recognition further reflects the company's ongoing commitment to fostering a franchisee-first environment where travel advisors feel supported, connected, and empowered. Cruise Planners' Home Office Team works closely with its network to provide education, resources, supplier partnerships, marketing programs, and proprietary technology that allow advisors to serve clients better and scale their businesses. "At Cruise Planners, success is about creating an environment where our franchise owners feel empowered and excited about the future of their businesses. These awards are a celebration of our entire network and the momentum we continue to build together," said Theresa Scalzitti, Chief Operating Officer of Cruise Planners. About Cruise Planners Cruise Planners was founded in 1994 and is the nation's largest home-based travel agent franchise network. As a leader in the travel franchise industry, Cruise Planners positions a nation-wide network of 3,000 franchise owners for success by providing innovative marketing programs, proprietary and cutting-edge booking and technology tools, as well as professional development and hands-on training with the industry's top executives. The company continues to be an industry leader and was named the No.1 travel franchise by Entrepreneur magazine for 18 consecutive years and was awarded by Franchise Business Review as "Best-In-Category" for 3 years. Cruise Planners received a 99% franchise owner satisfaction report from Franchise Business Review for 2023, 2024 and 2025. Franchise Business Review also ranked Cruise Planners #3 OVERALL on their list of Top 200 Franchises. Cruise Planners was recently featured in Entrepreneur as one of the top 30 franchise innovators in technology, has been consistently named as one of the Top Women-Owned Businesses by the South Florida Business Journal, is on the Inc. 5000 list as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America, and was recognized as one of the Top Workplaces by the Sun Sentinel. More information and the complete list of awards and honors can be found at www.cruiseplanners.com. For information on franchising, visit https://www.cruiseplannersfranchise.com/ SOURCE Cruise Planners Franchising, LLC Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PR Newswire. USA Newshour takes no editorial responsibility for the same. PR Newswire is a distributor of press releases headquartered in New York City.