Sell and Sail FAQ
Can I sell cruises part-time?
Yes. Many sellers start part-time from home alongside another job and grow from there. Be a Travel Agent has a part-time path designed for that.
Do I need to cruise to sell cruises well?
It helps a great deal, which is why the trade offers FAM trips, seminars at sea, inspections and agent rates. But plenty of selling skill comes from training and from listening to clients.
How soon can I go on a FAM trip?
It depends on the organiser’s eligibility rules, which often look at your credentials and recent sales. Focus on selling first; invitations follow active sellers.
Is a seminar at sea a vacation?
No. It is a working trip with sessions and tours, though you do experience the ship as a guest. Organisers expect you to attend.
What do I need to sell cruises from home?
A quiet workspace, reliable phone and internet, a booking home such as a host agency, and an understanding of any seller-of-travel rules in your state.
What should I sell first: ocean or river cruises?
Start with whatever your first clients ask for. Ocean cruises reach the widest market; river cruises suit travelers who want smaller ships and more time in towns. Both are learnable, and many sellers end up offering both.
How do I find my first cruise clients?
Most sellers start with people who already know them: friends, family, colleagues, clubs and community groups. Good service to those first clients brings referrals.
Do I need my own website?
It helps clients find and trust you, but it is not required on day one. Be a Travel Agent’s full-time path includes a website as part of its package.
Does Sell and Sail run trips?
No. Sell and Sail is an independent guide in the Smart Traveler network. Trips are offered by cruise lines, tourism boards, host agencies and industry groups.
A Realistic Picture
Selling cruises from home is a real business with ordinary business work: answering messages, keeping records, following up and learning constantly. The trips are a genuine part of the trade and a pleasure when they come, but they reward sellers who are already busy. Start with the selling, and let the sailing follow.
If that sounds like the kind of work you would enjoy, the next step is choosing how much time to give it: a few hours a week alongside another job, or a full-time business from the start. Both are common ways in, and both begin with the same basics described on this site.
Keep going: Cruise Agent University for training and certifications, Master Cruise Counselor for CLIA’s advanced levels, Cruise Selling for the case for cruises, and Cruise Industry Jobs if you are weighing a job at sea. For your clients: the Official Cruise Directory, the Official Travel Directory and Best of the USA.
Ready to Sell, and One Day Sail?
Be a Travel Agent helps you start selling cruises from home with a host agency, training and support.
Become a Travel Agent