Club Cruise™ announced it has been awarded 'Best Travel Agency – Best of the Best 2025' by regional newspaper readers, a community-voted honor recognizing the agency's long-standing reputation for trusted travel planning and client care. Jef Huber, President of Club Cruise™, accepted the award alongside Amanda Huber, marking a proud close to 2025 and reflecting traveler loyalty to local expertise and accountability.
'An award voted on by the community means everything,' said Jef Huber. 'Trust still matters in travel. We're grateful to the clients and neighbors who rely on our team, and we take that responsibility seriously—every trip, every traveler, every time.' This sentiment highlights a critical business differentiator in an increasingly digital and automated travel landscape, where personalized service and local accountability remain valuable to consumers.
Founded in 1991, Club Cruise™ has served Northern California and nationwide travelers for decades, evolving from early cruise specialists into a full-service travel agency known for hands-on planning, clear guidance, and proactive support. The agency helps clients reduce stress, avoid common booking pitfalls, and travel with confidence across cruise vacations, tours, and custom itineraries. As a full-service cruise & travel planning provider, their model demonstrates the enduring relevance of advisory services in complex travel purchases.
The agency's tenure provides a unique vantage point on industry transformation. As Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) members since 1991, Club Cruise™ has witnessed the cruise industry's dramatic growth. CLIA reporting shows the industry has expanded from approximately 4 million passengers in 1991 to over 40 million annually, reflecting cruising's rise into one of the world's most popular vacation categories. This growth represents both opportunity and increased competition, making trusted guidance more valuable for travelers navigating a vast array of options.
Looking ahead to 2026, Club Cruise™ is continuing to expand its cruise planning platform through the Viking Store by Club Cruise™, led by top Viking specialist Heather Viking. This initiative supports travelers seeking streamlined cruise planning with a higher-touch experience, particularly for services extending beyond the initial booking. The move indicates a strategic focus on deepening client relationships and capturing value in the post-booking journey, a segment often overlooked in travel retail.
The agency will also celebrate its 35th anniversary in 2026, with the team focused on reliability, results, and service worthy of repeat community recognition. Their government-authorized enrollment site, approved by IDEMIA, which includes a TSA PreCheck™ enrollment center, offers added trust and convenience that few travel agencies can match. This combination of community validation, specialized expertise, and ancillary services like travel planning and blogs creates a defensible business model in a sector facing disruption from online travel agencies and direct bookings.
For business and technology leaders, Club Cruise™'s recognition underscores several key trends. First, despite digital transformation, human expertise and local trust remain powerful competitive advantages in service industries. Second, data showing cruise industry growth from 4 million to 40 million passengers reveals significant market expansion where knowledgeable intermediaries can add value. Finally, the agency's evolution from a cruise specialist to a full-service provider with specialized offerings like the Viking Store demonstrates successful adaptation and niche development, a relevant case study for any business navigating market changes while maintaining core service values.
