New travel agency franchise Cruise Planners opens

Lorain native Dee Griffith said she has had a passion for travel her entire life.

After years of working as an accounting manager and salesperson, Griffith said she was in the market for a new line of work.

Following a trip to Atlanta, Ga., Griffith returned to Ohio this spring as a new prospective franchisee for Cruise Planners.

She said she signed up to become a franchisee Feb. 22 and officially was fully licensed by mid-March.

Based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Cruise Planners aims to help aspiring travelers get the most out of their next trip.

Griffith said Cruise Planners business is brand new to Lorain County.

“I was looking for some work to do, so I happened to go to Atlanta to visit a friend,” she said. “While I was there, I met up with a person that was part of Cruise Planners.

“She started telling me all about it, and I got really interested. So I bought into a franchise.”

Griffith said her role is more technical than customers might expect.

With so much to keep track of, Griffith said Cruise Planners makes each franchisee complete training courses before officially licensing them.

“It’s very technical,” she said. “People really do, they need a travel advisor.

“There’s so much there, and every day it changes. You could look up a cruise one day, and it’s this price, and the next day, it’s not that price.”

Cruise Planners wants to help each customer find their “dream destination,” Griffith said.

With a passion for travel herself, she said she wants to provide Cruise Planners customers with the same spark that she has.

“(Traveling) teaches you so much,” Griffith said. “It teaches you about different people and where they live, and how they live … the culture, and the cuisine, and the history; just so much.”

Griffith now works from home, and said the support from both the community and Cruise Planners has been “incredible.”

“If I can impart to my clients, my feeling, then I get them excited about what they’re planning to do, and help them find a great destination,” she said. “Travel is an investment; it creates memories that last a lifetime.”

Griffith and Cruise Planners will collaborate with the Lorain County Chamber of Commerce to provide clients with even more perks.

For now, those looking to get in touch with Cruise Planners’ Lorain franchisee can contact Griffith at dee.griffith@cruiseplanners.com.

“I just want people to know that they have a travel agent, another one, here in town,” she said. “I’m busy just getting things going.

“I’ll be on Facebook very shortly. I’ve been thinking about all the ways I can just reach out to people.”