Compass Tours

What Compass Tours does

Compass Tours is a privately held, Milwaukee-based online travel company that operates a cruise excursion booking platform connecting travelers with vetted local tour operators and guides. The platform indexes excursions across 65+ destinations in 100+ countries spanning Europe, the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii, Asia, South America, Australia/New Zealand, and the Mexican Riviera, and integrates with 20+ cruise lines (including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, Princess, Celebrity, Holland America, MSC, Viking, and Azamara) so that cruise passengers can search tours by cruise line, ship name, and departure date. The core product is a web-based marketplace with a structured catalog of food tours, adventure activities, helicopter excursions, beach days, and private vehicle tours; the technology stack is a standard booking and content platform without disclosed AI, API, or mobile-app components.

The business model is transaction-based: Compass Tours sells guided tours and excursions directly to consumers through its website and via a B2B Travel Advisors partnership program with a dedicated registration portal, and earns revenue as an intermediary between travelers and local operators. Pricing follows a unit, pay-as-you-go model with sample excursions ranging from $132 per person for an adventure activity (Maui Zipline) to $249 per person for a shared food tour (Eat Like Emily In Paris), $499 per person for premium helicopter/glacier experiences, and $1,004 per group for full-day private tours. Group Travel Services and a Vendor Partnership Program extend the offering to corporate and special-interest groups and to supply-side operators.

The company is co-owned and co-founded by Marissa McGourthy and Melanie Roland, both with 15+ years of travel industry experience, and the broader team is described as small with 30+ years of combined industry expertise. Compass Tours is bootstrapped with no disclosed institutional funding, parent company, or acquisition history, and operates from a single headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. BBB accreditation is maintained. There is no disclosed revenue, headcount, or growth metric.

Name

Compass Tours

Legal name

Compass Tours

Website

https://mycompasstours.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Compass Tours is a privately held Milwaukee-based online marketplace that books cruise shore excursions and guided tours across 65+ destinations in 100+ countries, serving cruise passengers, group travelers, independent travelers, and travel advisors via direct-to-consumer and B2B channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tour and Excursion Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (56152)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Shore Excursion Operators (Tours & Activities) (THAEAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cruise Travel Agencies & Specialist Cruise Consultants (THAEAFAB), Cruise Shore Excursion Operators & Port Services (Agency-led) (THAKAKAJ)

Keywords

• Cruise shore excursions
• Guided tour booking
• Excursion reservation platform
• Travel advisor partnerships
• Global tour marketplace

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tour and Excursion Sales: Compass Tours generates revenue through the sale of guided tours, excursions, and travel experiences across global destinations. Customers purchase individual tours at varying price points, with revenue collected at time of booking. The company acts as an intermediary between travelers and local tour operators/vendors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Compass Tours operates an online booking platform for cruise shore excursions and guided tours across 65+ destinations worldwide, acting as an intermediary between travelers and vetted local tour operators. Customers can search tours by cruise line, ship name, destination, or departure date and purchase directly through the website or via registered travel advisors. The platform also offers customized group travel services and a B2B vendor partnership program for local operators.

Product overview

Compass Tours operates a unified cruise excursion booking platform that connects travelers with local tours and experiences across 65+ destinations in 100+ countries. The core product is an online marketplace where users can search excursions by cruise line, ship name, or destination and book tours directly. The platform integrates a Travel Advisors partnership program for travel agents, Group Travel Services for customized group bookings, and a Vendor Partnership Program for local tour operators. Featured excursion types include food tours, adventure activities (ziplining, helicopter tours), cultural tours, beach days, and private vehicle tours across regions including Europe, Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii, Asia, and South America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cruise Excursions Platform Online booking platform for cruise shore excursions and tours across 65+ destinations worldwide, allowing travelers to search by cruise line, ship name, destination, or departure date and purchase tours directly online. Targets cruise passengers, independent travelers, and travel advisor partners.
• Eat Like Emily In Paris 3-hour immersive food tour through Parisian neighborhoods featured in Emily in Paris, including the Pantheon area, Luxembourg Gardens, and Rue Monge/Rue Mouffetard markets. Shared small-group format with a maximum of 10 people, starting at $249 per person. For cruise passengers and independent travelers visiting Paris.
• Camp Maui Zipline Tour 2.5-hour family-friendly zipline adventure on Maui's North Shore featuring seven ziplines across eucalyptus forest canopy, with heights up to 70 feet, speeds up to 40 mph, and access to the Camp Maui WWII Museum. Starting at $132 per person. For cruise passengers and independent travelers visiting Maui.
• Helicopter Glacier Landing 2.5-hour helicopter flightseeing tour over the Juneau Icefield with a glacier landing on Herbert Glacier. Includes 15-minute narrated flight, 20-25 minute guided walk on blue ice, and a Tlingit indigenous heritage experience. Starting at $499 per person. For cruise passengers visiting Juneau.
• Private Amalfi Coast Deluxe Full-day 9-hour private tour of the Amalfi Coast including Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello, with a private vehicle and English-speaking driver. Features coastal drives, walking tours, and local experiences. Starting at $1,004 per group. For cruise passengers, families, and small groups seeking a private premium experience.
• All Inclusive Beach Day All-inclusive beach club day pass in Cozumel featuring snorkeling at Dzul-Ha reef, kayaking, paddleboarding, domestic open bar, and Mexican cuisine buffet. Includes lounge chairs and snorkel equipment. For cruise passengers and independent travelers visiting Cozumel.
• Group Travel Services Specialized group travel planning service for friends, family, corporate vacations, and special-interest groups, offering customized tour options, exclusive experiences, and group rates. For group organizers arranging multi-party travel.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• AzamaracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAzamara cruise line passengers can search and book excursions through Compass Tours by selecting their cruise line, ship, and departure date on the Compass Tours platform.
• Carnival Cruise LinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarnival Cruise Line passengers can search and book excursions through Compass Tours by selecting their cruise line, ship, and departure date on the Compass Tours platform.
• Celebrity CruisescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCelebrity Cruises passengers can search and book excursions through Compass Tours by selecting their cruise line, ship, and departure date on the Compass Tours platform.
• Holland America LinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHolland America Line passengers can search and book excursions through Compass Tours by selecting their cruise line, ship, and departure date on the Compass Tours platform.
• Norwegian Cruise LinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorwegian Cruise Line passengers can search and book excursions through Compass Tours by selecting their cruise line, ship, and departure date on the Compass Tours platform.
• Princess CruisescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrincess Cruises passengers can search and book excursions through Compass Tours by selecting their cruise line, ship, and departure date on the Compass Tours platform.
• Royal Caribbean InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRoyal Caribbean International passengers can search and book excursions through Compass Tours by selecting their cruise line, ship, and departure date on the Compass Tours platform.
• Viking CruisescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerViking Cruises passengers can search and book excursions through Compass Tours by selecting their cruise line, ship, and departure date on the Compass Tours platform.
• Local Tour Guides and OperatorscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCompass Tours partners with hand-selected, local expert guides and tour operators worldwide. These verified local partners deliver tours and excursions, with Compass Tours handling the booking, customer service, and quality assurance.
• Travel Advisors/AgentscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTravel advisors and agents can register as partners to sell Compass Tours excursions to their clients. The company is committed to travel advisor success by delivering tours that exceed client expectations.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Klook: Asia-headquartered tours and activities platform with global expansion. Overlaps with Compass Tours in Asia (Tokyo), Europe, and Caribbean destinations, targeting similar independent travelers.
• Viator: Largest global tours and activities marketplace, owned by Tripadvisor. Directly competes with Compass Tours in cruise shore excursions and destination tours, with deeper supplier inventory and brand authority.
• GetYourGuide: Global tours and activities marketplace with strong mobile app and supplier network. Competes for the same independent and cruise-adjacent traveler demand across Compass Tours' 65+ destinations.
• Musement: Tours, activities, and museum passes marketplace (now part of TUI). Competes in destination tours and experiences across Europe and other regions where Compass Tours is active.
• Shore Excursions Group: Specialist cruise shore excursion operator with similar return-to-ship positioning. Closest direct competitor targeting the same cruise-passenger segment with comparable offerings and pricing tiers.

Others

• Cruise Critic: Cruise information portal and community with affiliated excursion booking content. Functions as both a potential partner channel and an indirect competitor for cruise-passenger excursion referrals.

Broad incumbents

• Booking.com Experiences: OTA-owned tours and activities inventory layered onto the world's largest accommodation booking funnel. Competes for the same destination-tour searches with much larger SEO and paid acquisition budgets.
• Royal Caribbean: Major cruise line whose own shore excursion program directly competes with Compass Tours for the same cruise passengers in every port on its itineraries - a key disintermediation risk.
• Carnival Cruise Line: Largest cruise line by passengers; offers proprietary shore excursions that compete with Compass Tours on the same Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, and European port experiences.

Emerging players

• TourRadar: Multi-day guided tour marketplace. Overlaps with Compass Tours' group and curated multi-experience itineraries, particularly in Europe and longer-format tours.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/compass-tours

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Compass Tours