Expedia® CruiseShipCenters Drops Anchor in Bay Ridge

Planning a vacation has just become a lot easier for families in Bay Ridge. With the desire and expertise to help their community find the right vacation, local entrepreneurs Ash Ibrahim and Karina Kocot have opened a new Expedia CruiseShipCenters franchise at 7618 3rd Ave.

Expedia CruiseShipCenters – part of the Expedia group family of brands – offers cruise vacations and much more through its 225 locations across North America. Customers are able to choose from numerous vacation possibilities over land, sea and air, including customized trips, coach & rail tours and insurance – all at Expedia prices. In addition to the research and booking features available on their local website, Ash, Karina, and their team offer personal vacation consultations in person, through email or over the phone, so customers always have the freedom to book when, where and how they choose.

“We look forward to working with the community to help them find the cruise or vacation that is a perfect fit for their needs,” Ash and Karina, owners of Expedia CruiseShipCenters in Bay Ridge said. “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 Vacation Consultants are experts at explaining the differences among ships and cruise lines to help our customers find the vacation that’s perfect for them.”

Expedia CruiseShipCenters Vacation Consultants are provided with extensive training and marketing support which allows them to become navigators of spectacular vacation experiences, even with no travel experience. “We are actively recruiting Vacation Consultants to work full-time or part-time, as a home-based agent or from our retail center,” claims Ash and Karina. Our agents have the freedom and flexibility to build their travel business on their own terms with the power of Expedia behind them.”

Having met on a cruise, the married team, Ash and Karina, share a great love and passion for travel. Ash, a retired police sergeant and Karina having worked on a cruise ship for six years, shared a dream of owning their own business and a love for travel, especially cruises. The couple has combined their leadership and industry experience with the Expedia brand and is ready to make their mark in the community.

According to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the industry shows no signs of slowing down, with more than 25 million passengers expected to sail in 2017, a dramatic increase from 15 million just 10 years prior. CLIA notes member cruise lines are scheduled to debut 26 new ocean, river and specialty ships in 2017 for a total investment of more than $6.8 billion. In addition, travel agents are experiencing a higher demand for cruise travel – a recent study reveals that travel agent usage hit a six-year high in 2016.

For more information or to research vacation options, visit www.cruiseshipcenters.com/bayr... or call (718) 748-8687.