MSC Cruises is awesome, but not a lot of people know about that… for now. It is the third-biggest cruise line in the world, just behind Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line, and ahead of titans like Norwegian Cruise Line. It’s known for its very affordable prices, the European design of its ships, and the great pizza onboard. Yes, having good pizza is essential, right?
Overview
MSC Cruises is still relatively new for North Americans, considering that its primary focus has been Europe. In fact, MSC Cruises is the biggest cruise line in both Europe and South America.
Do you know what’s awesome? MSC is starting to bet heavily on the United States with the launch of MSC World America in April 2025. This will be the sister ship of MSC World Europa and the biggest ship in the entire fleet. Maybe MSC World America will be the perfect entry ticket for Americans to finally experience the best pizza in the cruise business.
You can also help people achieve the vacation of their dreams with MSC. You’ll need to teach them about the company and tell them about the best entertainment options aboard, how dining works, and their main destinations. MSC World America is the biggest hit of 2025, so knowing it inside and out helps a lot too!
This guide will teach you everything you need to know about becoming a MSC Cruises travel agent. We’ll cover:
- Benefits of Becoming a MSC Cruises Travel Agent
- Skills Required to Become a MSC Cruises Travel Agent
- Finding a MSC Cruises Host Agency
- The Best Host Agency for MSC Cruises
- Tips for Those Starting Out
- Training Courses for MSC Cruises
- Getting Paid
- Free Stock Library
- MSC Cruises Travel Agent FAQs
Now let’s get started!
Benefits
MSC Cruises is Huge!
MSC Cruises is the third-biggest cruise line in the world, with a massive presence in Europe, and it’s set to expand further into North America in 2025. Do you know what being a huge cruise line means? Lots of commissions!
Sure, competition is fierce when travel suppliers are this big, but there’s a unique advantage to being an MSC Cruises travel agent: MSC is shifting its focus more and more toward North America, yet the number of travel agents in the region specializing in MSC Cruises is still very small compared to Europe.
If you’re in North America, making MSC a key focus could pay off big time in the future!
MSC is Expanding to North America
MSC World America is the newest ship in the MSC Cruises fleet, launching in April 2025. It marks MSC’s first major investment in the United States, with plans to introduce even more ships in the future to sail to the Caribbean and beyond.
MSC is a budget-friendly cruise line that many travelers still don’t know about. As a travel advisor, you have the opportunity to be among the first to specialize in MSC in North America, helping travelers discover this growing brand while selling hundreds of vacations aboard MSC World America and other great ships.
MSC Might Be the First Cruise Line for Many Travelers
MSC Cruises is known for offering affordable vacations, often at lower prices than Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Disney Cruise Line. There’s a good chance that many travelers considering MSC Cruises are first-time cruisers or those looking for a budget-friendly getaway.
This presents a great opportunity! As a travel agent for MSC Cruises, you’ll connect with many first-time cruisers, helping to grow your client base. Plus, satisfied guests may return to book with you again, whether for another MSC cruise or to explore other cruise lines in the future. Even better, they’re likely to share their amazing cruise experience with friends and family, bringing even more potential clients your way!
Skills
Of course, being a travel agent for any cruise line requires a certain set of skills, and if you want to specialize in MSC Cruises, there are some specific ones you'll need. Let’s take a look.
Communication Skills
Strong communication skills are essential for any travel agent, as you need to convey information clearly and concisely. When selling MSC Cruises, keep in mind that you’ll often be speaking with a diverse range of guests: those looking for budget-friendly vacations, first-time cruisers, European travelers, and guests interested in MSC World America.
That’s a lot to cover! For budget-conscious travelers and first-time cruisers, it’s especially important to explain the fundamentals of cruising, from how dining works to dress codes and other key details. Providing clear guidance ensures they feel confident and excited about their vacation and, above all, have tons of fun!
Get Ready to Book Trips in Europe
While MSC World America is the flagship ship in 2025, let’s not forget that MSC Cruises operates over twenty ships sailing globally, from South America to Africa, with a particularly strong presence in Europe. MSC is still the largest cruise line in Europe, making it a key market for travel agents.
If you want to maximize your earnings as an MSC travel agent, it’s crucial to understand the European guest and prepare to book vacations for travelers looking to explore destinations like the Mediterranean and the Norwegian Fjords.
Stay Up to Date with Everything MSC-Related
As a travel agent, you’re not just selling vacations, you’re also seen as a teacher and expert in the cruise industry. MSC Cruises is a massive brand, and while it’s impossible to know every detail about every ship, you should have a solid grasp of the basics and be ready to answer key questions confidently when speaking with potential guests.
You should be familiar with important details such as the dress code, general pricing, stateroom options, the MSC Yacht Club, onboard entertainment, and - most importantly - MSC World America, especially if you’re selling to clients in the United States.
- MSC World America
- Itineraries and Stateroom Prices
- The best restaurants onboard MSC Cruises
- Prices
- MSC Cabin Experiences
- The MSC Yacht Club
- Destinations
- …and more!
Finding a Host Agency
Hey, you’re already browsing one of the best host agencies around! We have a lot of information about MSC on our sister website, Famvia (including a preview of MSC World America!) and plenty of travel agents across the globe who can help you with this fun cruise line. We’d love to have you here, of course, but here are some tips for choosing a host agency:
Look for host agencies that:
- Have a good track record and good online reviews
- Offer an interview process and listen to you
- Share commissions with you fairly (typically starting at 70% for the travel agent)
- Are as open minded as MSC Cruises!
Best Host Agency
VacationLab is the best host agency if you want to focus on MSC Cruises, other cruise lines, theme parks, and even beach resorts. Here’s why!
- Wait, you don’t have experience as a travel agent? Hey, that’s fine, we're here to help you.
- We have a fun interview process and definitely listen to what you have to say!
- We offer SORS - our very own Travel Dashboard to help you manage bookings and travel rewards.
- We provide exclusive courses, like Mastering Travel Social Media, to support travel advisors from all around the globe.
- We offer a commission split starting at 70% (and going up as much as 80%!)
- We have hundreds of guides and reviews on our sister site, Famvia, covering major cruise lines, theme parks, and beach resorts. This includes MSC Cruises, where we have multiple guides talking about the company, dining options, stateroom options, itineraries, activities and more.
- We’re always ready to listen, chat, and lend a helping hand!
Tips for those starting out
Become a MSC Cruises Expert
So, you want to become a MSC Cruises travel agent and focus on selling your first few vacation onboard MSC World America, but you don’t know where to start your research? That’s fine. Everyone needs to start somewhere. It’s true that travel agents need to do a lot of research, but the good news is that nowadays we have something beautiful called the internet where information is at your fingertips.
VacationLab's sister site, Famvia, offers free guides and articles about MSC Cruises, providing detailed information in a fun and easy-to-understand way. You can learn a lot there, and the guides and articles include:
- Planning a Cruise on MSC Cruise Line
- Room Options Onboard MSC Cruise Line
- Dining Options Onboard MSC Cruise Line
- Activities Onboard MSC Cruise Line
- Itineraries and Destinations for MSC Cruise Line
- MSC World America Preview
- MSC World Europa Review
There’s a lot of information there, with dozens of pages talking about MSC!
Prepare for your Interview
This applies to any job you’re applying for, but it’s especially important for travel agents. You need to research not only the travel agency you’re applying to but also the travel supplier.
In this case, you should understand what makes MSC Cruises unique, such as its affordable pricing, strong presence in Europe, the upcoming debut of MSC World America in the United States, the MSC Yacht Club, and more. You don’t need to be an expert at the time of your interview - you’ll learn many details as you go - but you should be familiar with MSC Cruises’ key features and be able to discuss them confidently.
Remember to stay calm, ask questions to show your interest, and you’ll be on your way to becoming an MSC travel agent in no time!
Getting Paid
Commission Payout
Commission for regular bookings (individual reservations) is paid 14 days prior to departure, while group departure (when a travel agent books multiple cabins as part of a group) commissions are paid two weeks after disembarkation.
MSC Cruises Travel Agent Rates
While specific commission percentages are protected by NDA (“Non Disclosure Agreement”) between all travel partners/travel suppliers and the host agency, you can assume that commission percentages range from 10% up to 20% (depending on the type of booking).
Note: Cruise lines also deduct what are called “NCFs” or Non-Commission Fares and typically range from $100 - $250 per person.
Now let’s make a simulation, and take into consideration a 7-Day Caribbean Cruise with MSC Cruises:
- Total cruise fare: $2,500
- NCFs: -$500
- Commissionable portion: $2,000
- Base commission (16%): $320
- Your share at 80% split: $256
Let’s get a bit more specific, and take into consideration a 7 nights Western Caribbean cruise onboard MSC World America for a party of 2 adults and 2 children in a Yacht Club stateroom.
- Total cruise fare: $8,500
- NCFs: -$800
- Commissionable portion: $7,700
- Base commission (16%): $1,232
- Your share at 80% split: $985,60
MSC Cruises Travel Agent Salary
It’s difficult to pinpoint an exact annual salary for an MSC Cruises travel agent, as earnings depend on various factors such as the number of bookings, client base, and market demand. With the upcoming launch of MSC World America, MSC Cruises is expected to gain more attention, potentially increasing earning opportunities for travel agents.
On average, MSC Cruises travel agents can earn between $40,000 and $70,000 per year, though actual income may vary based on sales performance and commission rates.
Training
MSC Masters Training Course
MSC Masters is an online, multi-module training program designed to help travel agents learn about MSC Cruises and grow their business by successfully selling MSC vacations. This course covers MSC Cruises' history, fleet, and destinations, providing essential knowledge for travel advisors.
To qualify for special programs, you must complete the MSC Masters graduation exam.
You can access MSC Masters through the MSC Book website.
MSC Masters Perks for Travel Agents
Completing MSC Masters comes with exclusive benefits, including:
- Access to special travel advisor rates for MSC cruises
- Participation in exclusive travel advisor promotions
- Insights into travel advisor incentives
- Virtual ship tours for an immersive learning experience
- 3 CLIA elective credits
MSC Masters Course Requirements
To apply to the MSC Masters, you must first be part of a host agency. Then, simply head to the MSC Book website, fill out the required fields, and select the courses you’re interested in. The MSC Masters course is free.
CLIA Training
You might also want to look into CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association) and complete specific courses there. CLIA certification brings numerous benefits, as you can see here.
Free Stock Library
VacationLab gives you access to thousands of images and videos from major cruise lines like MSC Cruises and Royal Caribbean, theme parks like Universal Orlando and LEGOLAND, and beach resorts like Beaches Resorts.
By joining us, you'll also gain access to our exclusive database, making it easy to showcase images and videos to your clients based on what they’re looking for.
MSC Cruises Travel Agent FAQs
How do I become a MSC Cruises travel agent?
Easy! Start by joining VacationLab, completing the MSC Masters Training, and then you’ll be ready to book some awesome vacations!
Is MSC Cruises good for travel agents?
Yes! MSC is huge, with a big presence in Europe, and it’s starting to expand to North America now, giving you plenty of new commission opportunities. Let’s also not forget that MSC Masters also gives you discounts and perks on cruises after you complete the course!
Can I sell other cruise lines even if I’m a MSC Cruises travel agent?
Yes! MSC Cruises is an amazing starting point and will only get bigger, but you can also book other cruise lines like Disney Cruise Line, Carnival and Norwegian.
How Much Commission Do MSC Cruises Travel Agents Get?
Travel agents working with MSC Cruises typically earn between 10% and 20% in commission.
How Much Do MSC Cruises Agents Make Per Year?
It’s hard to determine the exact amount of money a travel agent makes, as many variables come into play. However, MSC Cruises travel agents make around $50,000 per year.
What is the best part about being a MSC Cruises travel agent?
MSC is huge, and always has opportunities for commissions. Other than that, remember that MSC World America is launching in 2025, and this ship might open the door for a whole new world of bookings with MSC!
What is the worst part about being a MSC Cruises travel agent?
MSC is huge, so the competition is fierce. It might also be a hard cruise line for travel agents from North America at first, since the primary market of MSC is still Europe. The launch of the MSC World America, however, might change that.
