What Great Adventures Inc does

Great Adventures Inc is a privately held, owner-operated full-service travel agency founded in 1989 in San Antonio, Texas. The company curates cruise, vacation, and hotel travel experiences for individual travelers and families, with a specialization in luxury and premium cruise products. Its core product portfolio includes a Cruise Search Platform aggregating 26,844 itineraries and 49,194 sailings across major cruise lines, a Vacations tour-package booking service, and Hotels & Resorts booking, supplemented by ancillary services such as travel insurance (via Travel Guard), visas (via CIBT), shore excursions (via Shore Excursions Group), and three digital travel magazines. A differentiator is the company's portfolio of hosted group sailings — curated featured voyages on Seabourn, Azamara, Silversea, and Explora Journeys — which include exclusive onboard credits, hosted events, and themed experiences (e.g., an LGBTQ+ Japan intensive).

The agency is led by founder and owner Ellen Sims and co-owner Monica, supported by a small team of senior travel advisors and a VP Marketing. Operating geographies span worldwide cruise and destination markets, though the customer base is overwhelmingly US-based individual travelers. The technology stack is conventional: a website with faceted cruise search, quote-request forms, affiliate links to preferred suppliers, and partner-provided booking portals. There are no APIs, no mobile-first products, no proprietary booking engine, and no documented AI/ML capabilities. Distribution is direct-advisor-led with a self-service website layer on top.

The business model is commission-based: Great Adventures earns transaction fees on bookings made through preferred supplier partners, leveraging its Signature Travel Network membership and direct relationships with luxury cruise lines (Viking, Regent Seven Seas, Silversea, Seabourn, Azamara, Crystal, AmaWaterways, Explora Journeys) to offer insider pricing and VIP perks. Pricing ranges from Moderate tier (under $1,500 per person) to Luxury ($5,000+), with featured hosted sailings priced between roughly $4,975 and $9,299 per person. Marketing is primarily through the company website, Signature Travel Network email, and digital magazine content — not paid acquisition at scale.

Name

Great Adventures Inc

Legal name

Great Adventures, Inc.

Website

https://greatadventures.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Great Adventures Inc is a 35-year-old, owner-operated full-service travel agency in San Antonio curating cruise, vacation, and hotel bookings for individual leisure travelers through preferred-supplier partnerships and hosted group sailings on luxury cruise lines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Travel Agency Services

NAICS

Travel Agencies (561510), Travel Agencies (56151)

akta.pro primary industry

Cruise Travel Agencies & Specialist Cruise Consultants (THAEAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Luxury & Expedition Cruise Specialists (THAKAKAE), Adventure & Expedition Custom Itinerary Planning (THAKAOAC), Retail Cruise-Only Travel Agencies (Leisure) (THAKAKAA)

Keywords

• Cruise booking services
• Luxury travel advisory
• Hosted group sailings
• Vacation package planning
• Preferred partner travel agency

Headquarters

HQ city

San Antonio

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Agency Commissions: Earn commissions on travel bookings made through preferred supplier partners including cruise lines, hotels, and tour operators. Works directly with partners to provide clients insider prices and VIP treatment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Great Adventures Inc is a full-service travel agency that curates and books cruise vacations, land tours, hotel and resort stays, and hosted group sailings for individual travelers and families. The agency operates through a team of senior travel advisors who provide personalized itinerary planning, with bookings generated via direct advisor consultation and self-service website search tools that route customers to preferred supplier partner platforms. Revenue is generated primarily through commissions earned on bookings made with preferred partner cruise lines, tour operators, and hotel suppliers.

Product overview

Great Adventures Inc is a full-service travel agency established in 1989, operating as a traditional travel advisory rather than a SaaS platform. The core product portfolio centers on a Cruise Search Platform enabling users to browse 26,844 itineraries across 49 cruise lines, complemented by Vacations (land tour packages), Hotels & Resorts booking, and Airline Check-In services. The company offers ancillary services including Travel Insurance (via Travel Guard partnership), Shore Excursions, Visa & Passport Services, and Digital Travel Magazines. Additionally, the company curates Featured Group Cruises (Hosted Sailings) including Seabourn Scandinavia, Azamara Japan, Silversea South Pacific, and Explora Journeys itineraries, which are marketed as enhanced experiences with exclusive amenities and onboard credits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cruise Search Platform A self-service cruise search and comparison platform surfacing itineraries across major cruise lines, destinations, departure ports, sailing dates, and ships, designed for individual travelers researching cruise options.
• Vacations (Land Tours & Packages) Booking service for land-based vacation and tour packages offered through preferred tour-operator suppliers, enabling travelers to explore destinations with curated package access.
• Hotels & Resorts Hotel and resort booking service featuring curated accommodations selected for comfort, location, and experience, offering travelers access to preferred supplier rates and VIP amenities.
• Hosted Sailing - Seabourn 7-Night Scandinavia Cruise 7-night hosted sailing aboard Seabourn visiting Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Belgium, including exclusive $300 per couple shipboard credit and the amenities of the featured Seabourn partnership.
• Hosted Sailing - Azamara 15-Night Japan Intensive Cruise 15-night LGBTQ+ themed hosted sailing aboard Azamara visiting Busan, Kobe, and Tokyo, including complimentary shore excursions, hosted events, and up to $1,000 per stateroom onboard credit.
• Hosted Sailing - Silversea 7-Night South Pacific Cruise 7-night hosted sailing in Silversea's all-suite accommodations with Butler service, complimentary beverages, inclusive dining, and $600 per couple shipboard credit in the South Pacific.
• Hosted Sailing - Explora Journeys 7-Night Mythical Isles Cruise 7-night hosted Explora Journeys sailing featuring suite accommodations and all-inclusive amenities covering meals, alcoholic beverages, gratuities, and WiFi, with September 2027 departure.
• Travel Insurance Trip protection coverage offered through a partnership with Travel Guard, including trip cancellation, medical expenses, evacuation, baggage coverage, and 24/7 emergency assistance for travelers.
• Shore Excursions Curated shore excursion bookings at cruise destinations including guided tours and local activities, offered through an affiliate relationship with Shore Excursions Group.
• Visa & Passport Services Visa application assistance and passport services facilitating international travel documentation, delivered through a partnership with CIBT Visas.

Quantifiable outcome

• Insider pricing and extra perks through direct partner relationships
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Abercrombie & KentcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPreferred partner providing luxury travel experiences and expedition tours. Great Adventures Inc offers clients insider pricing and exclusive perks through this partnership.
• AmaWaterwayscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRiver cruise partner offering European and worldwide river cruise itineraries. Provides exclusive hosted sailings and group rates for Great Adventures clients.
• American Cruise LinescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerU.S. river and coastal cruise specialist providing domestic cruise options. Partnership offers preferred pricing and availability for Great Adventures clients.
• Classic VacationsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLuxury vacation provider offering hotel and resort partnerships. Provides exclusive rates and VIP amenities for Great Adventures clients.
• Crystal CruisescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLuxury cruise line offering ultra-premium cruise experiences. Provides hosted sailing opportunities and elite client perks.
• Delta VacationsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAirline vacation package provider offering flight and hotel combinations. Partnership enables comprehensive travel planning and package deals.
• Project ExpeditionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAdventure travel specialist offering expedition experiences. Provides unique adventure travel options for Great Adventures clients.
• Rail EuropeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEuropean rail travel specialist offering train tickets and rail passes. Enables comprehensive European vacation planning.
• Regent Seven SeascoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLuxury all-inclusive cruise line offering ultra-luxury experiences. Featured partner with hosted sailing opportunities and exclusive amenities.
• Viking CruisescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPremium cruise line offering ocean and river cruises worldwide. Major preferred partner with extensive itinerary options and exclusive group rates.
• SeabourncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerUltra-luxury expedition cruise line offering intimate yacht-style experiences. Featured partner with hosted Scandinavian and other destination sailings.
• Azamara CruisescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBoutique cruise line focused on destination immersion. Featured partner hosting LGBTQ+ themed sailing and Japan intensive cruises with complimentary shore excursions.
• SilverseacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLuxury all-suite cruise line offering global itineraries. Preferred partner with all-suite accommodations and Butler service for every suite.
• Explora JourneyscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLuxury lifestyle cruise brand offering contemporary ocean journeys. Featured partner with inclusive Journey fare covering meals, alcohol, WiFi, and gratuities.
• Signature Travel NetworkcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAgency network affiliation providing marketing support, booking tools, email marketing capabilities, and consortium benefits including preferred supplier relationships.
• Shore Excursions GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerShore excursion provider offering curated port experiences. Affiliate partnership for enhancing cruise client experiences.
• Travel GuardminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTravel insurance provider offering trip protection plans. Referral partnership for client travel insurance needs.
• CIBT VisasminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVisa and passport services provider. Partnership for assisting clients with international travel documentation requirements.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• ProTravel International: Luxury travel agency network serving high-end leisure and corporate clients with curated itineraries and preferred-supplier perks. Comparable in customer segment (affluent leisure), supplier relationships, and advisor-led model.
• Dream Vacations: Cruise and vacation franchise agency affiliated with World Travel Holdings, offering advisor-led bookings across major cruise lines. Comparable as a small-agency-format competitor selling similar cruise packages to leisure travelers.
• SmartFlyer: Luxury travel advisory network specializing in curated, advisor-led bookings with strong preferred-supplier relationships. Closely comparable to Great Adventures in business model (commission-based, advisor-led) and customer base (affluent leisure travelers).
• Fora Travel: Modern travel advisor network combining digital booking tools with human advisors for leisure and luxury travel. Comparable in advisor-led cruise and luxury bookings, but with a stronger digital/tech layer that Great Adventures lacks.
• CruiseOne: Cruise-specialist travel agency franchise owned by World Travel Holdings, focused on cruise and vacation bookings through home-based advisors. Directly comparable in cruise-first product mix and advisor-led booking model.
• Cruise Planners: Cruise-focused travel agency franchise with a large advisor network and cruise-line preferred partnerships. Directly comparable in core cruise agency focus, commission-based model, and reliance on supplier partner inventory.
• FROSCH: Luxury leisure and corporate travel agency with strong preferred-supplier relationships and advisor-led service. Comparable in luxury positioning, advisor-led value proposition, and emphasis on exclusive perks and VIP treatment.
• Altour: Luxury and corporate travel management company with deep cruise and tour operator partnerships. Comparable in luxury leisure focus and advisor-driven service model, though larger in scale and with corporate travel exposure.

Broad incumbents

• American Express Travel: Large incumbent travel agency within American Express serving premium cardmembers with cruise, hotel, and tour bookings. Comparable as a luxury cruise and vacation booking channel but with much broader scale, corporate capabilities, and brand.

Others

• Signature Travel Network: Travel agency consortium of which Great Adventures is a member, providing supplier leverage, marketing tools, and booking infrastructure. Included as a strategic ecosystem peer rather than a competitor — relevant because its terms directly shape Great Adventures' economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/great-adventures-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Great Adventures Inc