Our Travel Company

At Cruise & Travel Experts, our founders built the kind of travel company they themselves would want to be part of—a place where members come first. We prioritize prompt responses to your calls and emails and take the time to genuinely understand your business goals. When you join us, you’re never just a number; you’ll have direct access to our leadership team, reflecting the personal, family-business culture we proudly cultivate. We’re seeking passionate travel professionals who love working with people and are eager for personal and professional growth while enjoying every step of their journey.

Qualified members enjoy a wealth of benefits designed to boost your success, including affiliation with the renowned Signature Travel Network, providing industry-leading marketing tools and destination expertise. Our top-tier commissions and competitive splits ensure you’re rewarded for your hard work. Plus, we offer integrated technology supported by our responsive team, delivering seamless service. One major bonus? We cover your Errors & Omissions (E&O) insurance costs—a significant saving to protect your business.

Cruise & Travel Experts was founded by travel veterans Tom Baumann and Mark Schiffner, who envisioned a boutique travel company centered on a small, family-style environment—something after years in large corporations they truly wanted to be a part of again. Alongside President Jody Ryland, this hands-on leadership team brings over 30 years of combined industry experience and is dedicated to equipping each member with the tools and inspiration needed to grow their business. Our personalized support and commitment truly set us apart.

Qualified individuals can benefit from these Cruise & Travel Experts programs and services:

  • Signature Travel Network Affiliation:
    As a proud member of Signature Travel Network, Cruise & Travel Experts connects you to an exclusive travel agent member program packed with professional services you won’t find on your own. Enjoy exclusive vendor promotions, client amenities, a powerful cruise booking engine, specialized training programs, an inspiring annual conference, and valuable marketing opportunities.

  • Operational Support & Training:
    We take pride in our friendly, personalized support system. Whether you need assistance with vendor interactions, travel supplier questions, marketing strategies, or booking tools and reservation systems, our team is here to help. Plus, we offer regular training sessions to keep you updated on industry news, best practices, and valuable tips and shortcuts to make your job easier and more successful.

  • Top Tier Commissions & Competitive Commission Split:
    We extend a generous commission split to our members based on experience and sales history. TC’s and bonus commissions received from suppliers are paid to you at 100%.

  • Integrated Technology:
    At Cruise & Travel Experts, we provide our members with industry-leading technology tools designed to streamline your business and maximize your efficiency. Our flagship CRM, ClientBase Online, empowers you to manage every detail of your clients’ trips effortlessly—from reservations and groups to to-do lists, itinerary printing, and invoicing. With live connections to top third-party booking engines, ClientBase seamlessly passes client data and imports reservations directly into customer profiles, saving you time and reducing errors.

    Our Air, Car & Hotel Tool lets you search thousands of flight options with commissions clearly displayed, helping you get top earnings from all major airlines across hundreds of destinations. Plus, booking commissionable hotels and cars is quick and simple, keeping your workflow smooth.

    Stay connected and informed with our One World Intranet—a centralized hub for news, documents, vendor updates, training resources, FAM trip info, calendar events, and even member discussions to exchange insights and recommendations.

    With the Reporting Expert tool, you gain full transparency over your sales, commissions, and payments anytime you want—track invoices, unclaimed commission, and payouts with ease. Additionally, SigNet, Signature Travel Network’s intranet, gives you access to promotional offers, supplier intel, educational trips, and Signature University’s training portal, all curated for frontline advisors.

    Cruise advisors love Sig Cruise Pro, our real-time cruise booking engine powered by Odysseus, delivering accurate availability, pricing, and exclusive offers to enhance your sales.

     

  • Cruise & Travel Experts Member Events:
    Our bi-annual Cruise & Travel Experts Retreat is a can’t-miss event packed with invaluable training sessions led by our internal experts, engaging presentations, and quality time with over 20 vendor partners. Beyond the business insights, it’s a fantastic opportunity for our members to build personal relationships and network with fellow passionate travel professionals. Members repeatedly tell us this retreat is one of the most valuable experiences they have for growing their business.

    In addition, our members eagerly participate in the Signature Annual Conference each November, held at a desirable location that blends education with networking. This event brings together travel advisors from all over to share best practices, gain fresh insights, and enjoy curated networking experiences. Our Cruise & Travel Experts team always comes together there as a group, reinforcing connections and collective growth. Beyond these marquee events, members also benefit from ongoing learning opportunities through online webinars, the Signature Travel Expert Certificate Program, regional meetings, and inspiring educational journeys—so you’re always equipped to stay ahead in this dynamic industry.

  • E&O Insurance:
    Cruise & Travel Experts covers this cost for you, an expense you can eliminate!

Travel Advisors

Hear from our team

I would highly recommend Cruise & Travel Experts. Tom and the rest of the staff really care about helping us grow our business. They are always looking out for what will help us to improve what we can offer our clients. If I send support a question, then it is answered usually within 10-15 minutes.  I even feel comfortable calling the President of the company and having a chat and he always listens.

Donna McClaugherty , Cruise & Travel Experts Member

Because I have access to a myriad number of training resources, I am able to educate myself on all aspects of travel planning. The agents in this group see each other as colleagues rather than competitors; everyone is more than willing to help each other out with suggestions and recommendations.

Colleen Atherton , Cruise & Travel Experts Member

I have found such tremendous value in my attendance at the Cruise & Travel Experts’ Retreat this past May!
Not only by connecting with others in the CTE family, but I’ve used my notes and new BDM contacts a minimum of 5 different times with positive outcomes. Attending Retreat makes all the difference by providing me with the best tools to operate my business as a professional.

Cindy VanDeHei, Cruise & Travel Experts Member