Expedia CruiseShipCenters Drops Anchor in Hingham

HINGHAM, Mass.– Planning a vacation has just become a whole lot easier for families on the south shore of Massachusetts. With the desire and expertise to help their community find the right vacation, local entrepreneurs Holly, Jeff and Jacquelyn Barisano have opened a new Expedia CruiseShipCenters franchise at 18 Shipyard Drive, Hingham.

Expedia CruiseShipCenters – part of Expedia Inc., one of the largest travel companies in the world – offers cruise vacations and much more through its 200-plus locations across North America. Customers are able to choose from seemingly endless vacation possibilities over land, sea and air, including customized trips, coach and rail tours and travel insurance – all at Expedia prices.

In addition to the research and booking features available on their local website, Holly, Jeff, daughter-in-law Jacky and their team offer personal travel consultations in person, through email or over the phone, so customers always have the freedom to book when, where and how they choose.

“I look forward to working with the community to help them find the cruise or vacation that is a perfect fit for their needs,” said Holly. “The Internet can become overwhelming when trying to plan a vacation. With so many options available, customers really want to speak to an expert. Our team of travel consultants are expert's at explaining the differences between ships, cruise lines and itineraries, to help our customers find the vacation that’s perfect for them.”

Expedia CruiseShipCenters travel consultants are provided with extensive ongoing training and marketing support which allows them to become navigators of spectacular vacation experiences, even with no prior travel consultant experience. “We are actively recruiting travel consultants to work full-time or part-time, from our retail center,” said Jeff. “Our agents have the freedom and flexibility to build their travel business on their own terms with the power of Expedia behind them.”

Opening Expedia CruiseShipCenters Hingham is a homecoming of sorts for Holly, who became a travel agent after college 34 years ago and before having three children. After 10 years at home with her boys and working as a mobile travel consultant, she pursued another career as a medical assistant, but always wanted to come back to the travel industry. Her husband Jeff has a varied resume that includes construction, hair salon owner and automotive technical writer with one constant – helping people do what they want to do. Jeff’s love of travel and adventure was the impetus for him becoming a private pilot.

Jacky, who manages Expedia CruiseShipCenters Hingham, rounds off the team with her technical knowledge, her warmth and compassion and her vast knowledge of the world. Jacky may even be a familiar face; she’s a professional model who has appeared in Maxim magazine, several clothing catalogues, runway fashion shows and television commercials, as well as the opening scene of the Academy Award-winning film “The Social Network.”

According to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the industry shows no signs of slowing down, with nearly 24 million passengers expected to sail in 2016, a dramatic increase from 15 million just 10 years prior. CLIA notes member cruise lines are scheduled to debut 27 new ocean, river and specialty ships in 2016 for a total investment of more than $6.5 billion. In addition, travel agents are experiencing a higher demand for cruise travel, with eight out of 10 CLIA member travel agents expecting an increase in sales in 2016 over last year.

For more information or to research vacation options, visit www.cruiseshipcenters.com/en-us/hingham/home or call 781-791-7729.

About Expedia CruiseShipCenters

Expedia CruiseShipCenters provides exceptional value and expert advice for travelers booking cruises and vacations through its network of over 200 retail travel agency franchises. As part of the Expedia, Inc. family of brands, the company’s 4,200 Vacation Consultants sell a wide range of vacation products including cruises, flights, hotels, vacation packages, tours, excursions and more. The company has been navigating spectacular vacation experiences for customers across North America for more than 28 years. For more information on Expedia CruiseShipCenters, visit www.expediafranchise.com.

Expedia is either a registered trademark or trademark of Expedia, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other logos or product and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners. © 2015 Expedia, Inc. All rights reserved. CST # 2029030-50 and CST # 20893-43