This is a very long post. It outlines an idea I have, which was inspired by my work on this site, and is the reason for my creating CruiseAficionados.com. These are working notes, so take them with a grain of salt. Feedback is welcome.

Locally here in central Ohio, I'm working on what amounts to a social group whose members have a common love of cruise travel. The general idea is to create a large organization, with local chapters organized similar to university alumni chapters. The mother organization itself will remain technically neutral, anchored by an on line community which I'm working on now. That group, which by name, I am calling Cruise Aficionados (CA,) would charter chapters. The chapters can be sponsored by local travel agents, individually or in small groups. The chapters would have quarterly meetings, or more often, depending on how the clubs take root. A presenter from CA would provide a multi-media show and talk, sharing presentations of members cruises locally and otherwise, providing news and such of the industry, etc.

The idea is to get people to do what we all do after a cruise. Extend it. This provides that outlet. I'm not sure anybody talks about a cruise without wanting to book another. And for travel agents, its always a delicate thing to push people to lay out money for a deposit. The odds of getting people to go on a cruise obviously improve if they put the money down. Here, they basically prompt themselves to do it. The value to travel agents is in providing the framework from which they can gain from the environment.

For my part, I'm looking at Cruise Aficionados as the main face of something that would allow me to consult to travel agents and agencies, offer a battery of services, access to chartering their own chapters locally, etc. What I don't want to do is actually sell the cruises. That is for the agents.

The ultimate goal, or dream if you prefer, is to develop this as something I can do full time. Obviously that means bringing money in, while providing more than enough value to those whom it comes from. That guides some of my work on the chapter structure and such. The main principle of the organization is to remain neutral as to agents and such. Yet I also have to embrace them as a likely core of chapter leadership. Plus, there is the fact that providing oversight, on-site visits, presentations, and related services require my physical presence.

So to address the many varied interests, I'm looking at several key design features at the outset of operations.

Chapter titles will be standardized, such as Cruise Aficionados of Columbus, Ohio. However, the chapters will each take an identity. IE, “The Cruise Takers,” or “The Old Salts,” etc. Chapters will be given official geographic boundaries, but will have great leeway as to the location of members. Cruise Aficionados will reserve the right to create filler chapters, for the purpose of attracting chapter sponsors or members, or promote the organization to specific areas. Chapters need not have specific membership levels.

The chapters can be sponsored by either individuals, individual travel agents, or travel agencies. Agents or agencies can be acknowledged as official chapter sponsor, and are so recognized in various ways. Sponsoring agents or agencies would have geographic exclusive rights to sales leads generated by way of chapter websites. Sponsoring agents or agencies can enroll their own clients which have taken or are about to take cruises. Memberships for agent or agency clients will be strongly promoted as a means of adding value on top of the traditional newsletters, fanny packs, and other promotional items. Individuals and individual agents can seek sponsorships from outside business' as needed to support their operations and dues. Chapters will be required to accept members from outside the ranks of their clients, until, or unless local demand for more exclusive chapters based on common interests, business, or personal relationships.

Through Cruise Aficionados, group cruises will be coordinated between chapters, with sponsoring agents or agencies being able to piggy-back local trips with larger regional and national sales efforts. Said cruises and other events will be actively promoted by way of chapter news, websites, and the main Cruise Aficionados website.

Chapters will have defined officer positions, though for obvious practical reasons, those can be filled as required due to chapter membership levels. Chapters can remain dormant, so long as they are current with dues. The chapters will have annual dues payable by the chapter to Cruise Aficionados. Each chapter will have its own website, and within the main Cruise Aficionados website, its own message board section. Individual members' photos, cruise stories, and other related content would be exclusively presented by way of the chapter sites for a time. Each chapter would receive at least two annual visits and presentations by a Cruise Aficionados representative (myself in this case.)

Cruise Aficionados will reserve the right to draw chapter boundaries.

Members will technically be the property of Cruise Aficionados, as is the chapter itself. This will help provide oversight, and prevent either agents or agencies from being abusive of their status as sponsors. Members will have to be duly recognized by chapter leadership, but there won't be any specific requirements for membership. Chapter will have the option to levy dues from members, however there is no obligation, and could be substituted for donation for food at meetings, or whatever arrangement Cruise Aficionados approves. Dues in excess of $20 would be subject to a percentage payable to Cruise Aficionados. Chapter members are provided accounts with optional email services and other features as they are added.

There will be an “at-large” membership available for people not close to a physical chapter, or whom are not interested in being part of a proper chapter.

Members enrolled by sponsoring agents or agencies, who are also proprietary clients, will be able to permanently exclude those members from receiving promotions for competing agents or agencies. If those members change their membership status or chapter of their own accord, this agreement would be negated. Sponsoring agents and agencies can similarly enroll and enjoy exclusivity for members beyond their geographic area so long as they are previous or prospective clients.

At the outset, there will need to be a critical mass of chapters able and willing to go. I'm using the working number of 100 chapters as a basis for what would allow me to literally change jobs and do this. I can support that many groups without much issue, based on experience and the logistics involved.

With some changes to the level of personal visits and presentations, I can begin this sooner. Items such as proper incorporation, chapter manuals, support systems, and some technical can be done as this comes together. I'm projecting chapter dues at $600 per year, breaking that down to $50 per month, give or take discounts for full payments in advance. But for the early phase, and perhaps beyond for certain categories of chapters, I'd likely lower that amount enough to make it palatable to individuals wanting to get involved, but not then able to put a chapter together.

Expansion beyond 100 chapters is a given. Substantial technical development of the website, with major services being offered parties within and outside of the organization would be funded by the expansion chapters. If I can even get a hand full of chapters going, I'll be able to upgrade the main site with a commercial grade search engine, which would feed sales leads back to me, and thus to the agents whom the organization is supporting.

That is a basic overview of the idea. Other details, and there are many, are things I've generally worked out. I'm sure this is more detail than you might have wanted, but its the upshot of what is coming.

Sounds like a very exciting and large scale venture.