Travel Agent FAM Trips
Familiarization trips are working trips. Here is how they work and how to earn an invitation.
Start Selling CruisesA FAM (familiarization) trip is a trip arranged for travel professionals so they can experience a product — a ship, a resort, a destination — and sell it with first-hand knowledge. Travel agent FAM trips are one of the oldest traditions in the trade.
Who Runs Travel Agent FAM Trips
| Organiser | What the FAM usually shows you |
|---|---|
| Cruise lines | Ships, cabins, dining and how a line runs its days, sometimes alongside ports |
| Tourism boards | A destination: hotels, attractions, transport, local suppliers |
| Resorts and hotel groups | Room types, facilities, weddings and group space |
| Host agencies and consortia | Partner products chosen for their members, often with training built in |
| Tour operators | Their tours and land arrangements, often before or after a cruise |
Who Qualifies, and What Is Expected
- Proof that you sell travel. Organisers commonly ask for an industry ID or your agency’s credentials, and some look at your recent bookings with them.
- Full participation. Site inspections, presentations and scheduled activities are part of the deal.
- Follow-through. Many organisers hope to see you sell their product afterwards; some ask for a short report or social posts.
- Professional conduct. You represent your agency the whole time.
Getting the Most From a FAM
Go with questions your clients actually ask. Photograph cabins and spaces with notes, collect contact names, and write up what you learned within a day. Then use it: an email to past clients, a social post, a talk at a local group. A FAM that never turns into a sale is the one that does not get repeated.
Finding Travel Agent FAM Trips
Invitations usually reach agents through their host agency or consortium, a cruise line’s or tourism board’s agent newsletter, supplier sales representatives, and trade events. Registering on the agent sites of the suppliers you sell, and keeping your profile up to date, makes you visible when places open.
FAM Trip Etiquette
- Accept only trips you can attend in full, and cancel early if plans change.
- Keep to the schedule; hosts plan transport and site visits to the minute.
- Thank each supplier who hosted you, by name, afterwards.
- Share honest feedback when asked. Organisers value it more than flattery.
Cruise lines also train advisors on board in a more structured way — see seminar at sea — and in port, through ship inspections, covered by Cruise Agent University.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are travel agent FAM trips free?
Some are fully hosted, some are offered at a reduced cost, and some only discount part of the trip. Read each invitation’s terms: what is included, what you pay, and what you are expected to do.
Can I bring my spouse or a friend?
Sometimes, often at a different rate, and sometimes not at all. FAMs are working trips, so organisers set the rules on companions.
Become the Kind of Seller Who Gets Invited
Suppliers invite active sellers. Be a Travel Agent helps you get active.
Become a Travel Agent