Expedia Cruises Sets a New Standard with Largest ANCHOR Meeting at Sea

May 08, 2026 // FranchisePR.com // VANCOUVER – With global travel projected to reach 85 million travelers in the U.S. alone, Expedia Cruises held its ANCHOR Conference. Held April 11-18, the conference was the organization’s full-service leisure travel host agency gathering and brought together attendees for a week of collaboration and alignment.

Centered around the theme “Stronger Together – Elevate and Accelerate,” the event took place onboard MSC World America and brought together nearly 1,000 franchisees, Vacation Consultants, supply partners, and corporate team members for a week of collaboration, education, and strategic alignment.

The event also recognized a number of Vacation Consultants at the Diamond Level, each achieving over $1 million in annual sales, and honored on stage. In addition, the conference highlighted continued activity across the network.

“The Expedia Cruises 2026 ANCHOR Meeting was our most successful ever,” said Matthew Eichhorst, President of Expedia Cruises. “Not only did we welcome our largest and most engaged audience to date, but I have never seen our distribution channel more energized about the opportunities ahead over the next decade. Each conference represents a moment when our industry and system come together to one place. These gatherings help move our industry forward by sharing best practices, strengthening relationships, and reigniting our collective passion for the business.”

With record attendance and a renewed focus on innovation, collaboration, and performance, the 2026 ANCHOR Conference frames Expedia Cruises’ activities in the travel franchise space. As the brand looks ahead, it remains committed to empowering its network and strengthening industry partnerships.

“At a time when the global travel market is seeing unprecedented growth, we unveiled new sales, marketing, technology and training initiatives to help our Expedia Cruises network capture that opportunity,” said Ealeen Wong, Senior Director of Strategy, Partnerships and Sales at Expedia Cruises. “From keynotes and one-on-one coaching to tradeshows and a day at Ocean Cay, MSC’s private island, our network is leaving more confident, more connected and better equipped to grow their business. We believe travel is a force for good, and ANCHOR doesn’t just celebrate results; it unlocks our next wave of growth.”

The announcement of a new AI-driven consumer website platform for all Consultants underscores Expedia Cruises’ continued commitment to innovation, complementing recent technology enhancements, including the introduction of a robust Consultant Dashboard and a Sales Pipeline powered by industry-leading Microsoft Power BI.

Expedia Cruises has received recognition from Franchise Business Review in 2026 and 2025 in multiple categories, noting a top position in various rankings within franchised networks.

Expedia Cruises operates as a full-service host travel agency in North America. Each franchise location offers a range of travel services, including cruises, all-inclusive resorts, tours, vacation packages, homes and villas, travel insurance, flights, hotels, cars, and activities.

SOURCE Expedia Group