You will use two completely separate platforms as an Atlas Coast agent. They have different logins, different purposes, and they do not sync with each other.

You will also use Dots for commission payouts (your W-9 and bank account setup). Your Dots invite arrives when you log your first booking in MyAtlas.

One of the first things you should do as a new travel agent is set up a dedicated email address for your travel business. If you are already using one, great. Just make sure it is the same address in both your Atlas Platform account and in MyAtlas, since the two systems do not sync automatically.

If you have not set one up yet, a free Gmail works perfectly. Something like [email protected]. Use it for everything: your Atlas Platform login, your MyAtlas account, every supplier registration, every client communication. Never mix it with your personal inbox.

Your Atlas Agent Dashboard, Atlas Academy, and Atlas Community are all open the moment your purchase is complete. No waiting, no approval step.

Your immediate priority: log in to the Atlas Platform at atlascoasttravel.com/dashboard and register for your onboarding session. MyAtlas does not unlock until you complete it, so the sooner you schedule it, the sooner you can start booking.

Your 1:1 Milestone Call is a 30-minute one-on-one session with an Agent Success Coach. There are exactly two valid moments to request it:

• You are preparing your first client quote or proposal and want a coach review before sending it
• You are ready to make your first actual booking and want a coach to walk you through the booking process in the supplier portal step by step

General questions, platform help, and supplier questions go to Office Hours, Atlas Academy, or [email protected], not to the 1:1 call.

Schedule your 1:1 at atlascoasttravel.com/training. The link is also in your Atlas Agent Dashboard under Training.

No. You are an independent contractor. That means:

• You set your own hours and work as much or as little as you choose
• You choose your own clients and run your business as you see fit
• You are responsible for your own taxes, including quarterly estimated payments
• Atlas Coast does not provide benefits, W-2s, health insurance, or guaranteed income
• Atlas Coast cannot tell you how to do your work or when to work

You will receive a 1099-NEC from Atlas Coast if you earn above the legal reporting threshold in a calendar year. Many agents form an LLC for liability protection and tax benefits. Consult a CPA before deciding.

You are in the right place. Most Atlas agents start with zero travel industry background. What matters is genuine enthusiasm for travel and a willingness to learn. Atlas Academy covers everything from scratch: how commissions work, how to use booking systems, how to find clients, and how to protect yourself legally.

That said, no barriers to entry also means training quality matters more here than in industries with licensing requirements. Agents who invest time in Atlas Academy before their first booking make fewer errors and build more confidently.

Yes. Many of your fellow Atlas agents are running their travel business alongside a full-time job. There are no booking quotas, no minimum sales requirements, and no performance thresholds. Your membership fee is the same whether you book one trip or fifty.

Many Atlas agents keep their day jobs and build their travel business on the side for months or even years before going full-time, if they ever do. There is no deadline and no pressure.

Your personal network is where almost every new travel agent finds their first clients. Family, friends, coworkers, social media followers. These are people who already trust you. Travel agents routinely report that their first 10 to 20 bookings come entirely from people they already knew.

A few approaches that work in the early days:

• Post a simple social media announcement that you are now a travel agent (template in your Content Vault)
• Tell people directly when travel comes up in conversation: 'I can help you with that' is the entire pitch
• Book your own travel through your agent account to build product knowledge and experience firsthand
• Complete supplier certifications in your niche so you can speak with authority when someone asks

The Booking Partner program is a supplement for agents who have already established a track record, not a substitute for building your own client base. Agents who rely entirely on leads without building their own pipeline tend to plateau.

You are not required to specialize, but almost every successful long-term agent does. Here is why:

• A niche makes your marketing significantly easier. 'I specialize in Caribbean all-inclusive resorts for families' is a complete marketing strategy. 'I book all travel' is not
• Specialization builds expertise faster. Agents who focus on one or two categories make fewer mistakes, build stronger supplier relationships, and earn higher certifications
• Clients self-select. People searching for a Disney cruise specialist trust a specialist more than a generalist
• Higher commission tiers at many suppliers are tied to booking volume in a specific category

Common niches for new agents: family travel, Disney (parks and cruises), Caribbean all-inclusive resorts, cruise-only, adventure travel, honeymoons and destination weddings, group travel, luxury travel.

A practical approach for your first year: book what comes to you while paying attention to what you enjoy most and where you get the most repeat clients. Your niche often reveals itself.

Completely normal. There is a lot of new information and feeling lost in the first few weeks is one of the most common experiences agents have. You do not need to learn everything at once.

The fastest path through overwhelm: complete your onboarding session before trying to do anything else. The sequence exists for a reason. If you are stuck on something specific, email [email protected].

Most agents are ready to book within 7 to 10 days of signing up. The things most in your control: complete your onboarding session as soon as possible, and spend time in Atlas Academy before your session so you arrive oriented. MyAtlas does not unlock until the onboarding session is complete.

Industry data consistently shows agents who hit these milestones within 30 days of joining retain and book at dramatically higher rates:

• Complete your onboarding session as early as possible. MyAtlas does not unlock until then
• Register with suppliers in your niche via the Supplier Directory, then complete their free agent certification programs (Royal Caribbean University, Sandals Academy, Disney College of Knowledge, etc.). Registration must come first: you need a portal account to access each supplier's training
• Log your first booking in MyAtlas: this triggers your identity verification, Dots payout setup, and 1:1 Milestone Call eligibility
• Introduce yourself in your regional Atlas Hub in the community
• Post your social announcement that you are now a travel agent (template provided in the Content Vault, which includes the required affiliate disclosure language

No. Atlas Coast does not issue employment verification letters because you are not an employee. You are an independent contractor.

If you need to document your work as a travel agent for a loan, rental application, or visa, here is what you may be able to use:

• Your ITA (Independent Travel Agent Agreement) as documentation of your contractor affiliation
• Your 1099-NEC from Dots (issued for earnings of $600 or more) as proof of income
• Bank statements showing Dots commission deposits as income documentation

Atlas Coast Travel Group launched in 2026, founded by Melissa Newman, a travel influencer, independent travel agent, and university professor with years of experience in the host agency space. Atlas Coast was built from scratch with the full infrastructure in place before the first agent was onboarded: CLIA and IATAN accreditation, E&O insurance, technology platform, training library, compliance, and banking.

You can read more about the founding story and the philosophy behind how Atlas Coast was built differently at atlascoasttravel.com/about.

You are an independent contractor operating under the umbrella of Atlas Coast Travel Group, an accredited host travel agency. Here is how to explain it to anyone who asks:

A host agency is an established, accredited travel agency that lets independent agents operate under its credentials and infrastructure. You bring your own clients and run your own business. The host provides everything you would otherwise spend years and significant money building: CLIA and IATAN accreditation, supplier relationships, a CRM, training, and back-office support.

To earn commissions from major cruise lines, resorts, and tour operators, you need formal agency accreditation. CLIA credentials, supplier agreements, state licensing, and more. Building that from scratch takes years and real money. Atlas Coast has already done all of that.

Atlas Coast holds one set of agency credentials: one CLIA number (00810443), one IATAN accreditation, one set of supplier agreements. Every agent operates under those credentials. This is standard practice across the entire host agency industry.

To a cruise line or resort, you are an agent of Atlas Coast Travel Group. That gives you access to their booking portals, commission structures, and preferred agent programs from day one, without any prior sales history of your own.

Because all Atlas agents share the same CLIA number, suppliers cannot tell individual agents apart by credentials alone. Your email address is the identifier that connects your supplier records to your MyAtlas records to your Atlas Platform records. If those emails do not match, commissions get lost.

This is why your dedicated travel agent email must be the same across every system. And if you ever change it anywhere, update it everywhere, including MyAtlas, which does not sync automatically with your Atlas Platform account.

Every booking should be logged in MyAtlas as close to the day you make it as possible. Bookings not entered within 90 days may result in the commission being forfeited, as supplier payments can arrive before a late entry is logged and the reconciliation window closes.

Both. Atlas Coast earns from monthly membership fees and from the 10% commission retained on self-sourced bookings.

Here is what your membership fee directly funds at Atlas Coast: the MyAtlas CRM platform, Atlas Academy course production and hosting, the onboarding webinar platform, CLIA and IATAN accreditation fees, Travel Leaders Network consortium membership, Atlas Platform hosting, Agent Success Coach compensation, and ongoing compliance (state SOT registrations, E&O insurance, legal). These are real operating costs that run whether you book one trip or a hundred.

This means our interests are directly aligned with yours. When you succeed, we earn more. The 90/10 split is designed to be one of the strongest in the industry precisely because the subscription model means Atlas Coast is not dependent on squeezing your commission to survive.

Atlas Coast is a member of Travel Leaders Network, one of the largest travel agency consortia in North America. Consortium membership gives Atlas agents access to preferred supplier relationships, elevated commission tiers, and exclusive promotions not available to independent agencies booking on their own.

In practical terms: some suppliers pay higher base commission rates to Travel Leaders Network member agencies than they pay to independent agencies. That difference flows directly to your 90% cut. You do not need to do anything to access this. It is part of what Atlas Coast provides.

Go to atlascoasttravel.com/dashboard and sign in with the email address you used when you signed up. If you have forgotten your password, use the password reset page to get a new one sent to your inbox. Bookmark this URL.

First: try your original signup email with Forgot Password. Go to atlascoasttravel.com/dashboard, click Forgot Password, and enter the email address you used when you originally signed up. A reset link will arrive within a few minutes. This resolves the vast majority of login issues without any staff involvement.

If you have genuinely lost access to that email address entirely, email [email protected] with your name and original email so we can help you regain access.

Go to atlascoasttravel.com/billing and update your payment card. You must be logged in to access this page.

Atlas Coast sends communications from two addresses: [email protected] (general updates, policy notices, commission alerts) and [email protected] (agent support). Add both to your contacts now and check that neither is landing in spam or your promotions tab.

Two options, both are valid:

• Two separate memberships: each person signs their own ITA, has their own credentials, and is paid separately through their own Dots account. Two separate monthly fees and two W-9s. Each person is their own independent contractor.
• One shared membership: registered under one person's name only. That person is the credentialed agent of record, signs the ITA, receives all payouts, and is legally accountable for all bookings. The other partner can assist with the work but is not the credentialed agent and cannot book independently.

There is no couples plan or household discount. Both approaches are completely valid depending on how you want to structure your business.

Your membership covers all of the following at no additional cost:

• CLIA agency credentials (00810443) and IATAN accreditation to book professionally and access supplier portals
• Access to Travel Leaders Network consortium pricing, meaning elevated commission tiers at dozens of major suppliers, available to you from day one
• Integrated credit card authorization and travel insurance acknowledgment forms built into MyAtlas: PCI-compliant, legally sound, no separate tool needed
• MyAtlas, your CRM and booking management platform, free for all active agents
• Atlas Academy, the full self-paced training library
• The Atlas Content Vault. Canva templates, social content, and client-facing resources
• Access to the Atlas agent community, organized by region
• Agent Success Coaches: Office Hours, Class is in Session, and 1:1 Milestone Calls
• Your public agent profile in the Atlas Coast agent directory
• Eligibility for the agent referral bonus

No startup fees. No annual contracts. No transaction fees deducted from your commission.

Atlas Academy is the self-paced training library included in your membership. 11 modules covering how the travel industry works, commission structures, supplier knowledge, booking mechanics, client management, marketing, compliance, and more. Completing it is optional, but strongly recommended.

Completing Atlas Academy unlocks three things:

• An Atlas Academy Certified badge on your public agent profile in the agent directory
• Eligibility to apply to become an Agent Success Coach, the peer mentors who run Office Hours, Class is in Session, and 1:1 Milestone Calls
• Eligibility to apply for Atlas Partner designation, a hand-selected group of agents who receive elevated visibility and Booking Partner leads

Apply for both programs at atlascoasttravel.com/apply. Access Atlas Academy from your Atlas Agent Dashboard or at atlascoasttravel.com/products/atlas-academy.

The Content Vault is a library of Canva templates, social media content, client-facing resources, and marketing tools. Access it at atlascoasttravel.com/products/content-vault or from your Atlas Agent Dashboard. Content in the Vault is licensed for use by active Atlas agents only and may not be used after your membership ends.

Every Atlas agent has a public profile in the Atlas Coast agent directory at atlascoasttravel.com/directory. Your profile is set up and managed entirely inside MyAtlas. Both initial setup and all future updates. There are no separate profile forms.

As soon as MyAtlas provisions after your onboarding session, log in, navigate to your profile, and complete it: name, photo, niche, specialties, and contact information. Any time you need to update it, log back into MyAtlas and edit it there.

The Atlas agent community lives inside the Atlas Platform, integrated with your training and resources. It is private, professionally moderated, and organized by region. Access it at Community Home or from your Atlas Agent Dashboard.

No registration required for Office Hours. Just show up any Wednesday at 6pm ET using the Zoom link in your Atlas Agent Dashboard or at atlascoasttravel.com/training.

Office Hours is the best place to bring specific questions: a confusing booking situation, a supplier you cannot figure out, a compliance question. Bring the real thing you are working on. No agenda, no judgment, no need to prepare.

Yes. Atlas Coast is not an MLM or uni-level program, and the referral structure is designed to make that unmistakably clear. We believe in rewarding agents who help grow the community, and the math is transparent:

• $100 base bonus when the referred agent is still active and in good standing at their 6-month mark
• Plus 50% of the commission overrides Atlas Coast received from that agent during their first 6 months
• Capped at $500 total per referred agent
• Claim window: no earlier than their 6-month anniversary, no later than their 9-month anniversary

Your referral keeps 100% of their own 90% split. The bonus comes from Atlas Coast's 10% override, not from your referral's earnings. No downline, no ongoing cuts.

Your referral link is in your Atlas Agent Dashboard at atlascoasttravel.com/refer. If you were referred by someone and forgot to mention it at signup, submit a correction at atlascoasttravel.com/referredme within 45 days of joining.

Submit the forgotten referral form at atlascoasttravel.com/referredme. You have up to 45 days from your join date to submit it. After that window closes, the referral credit cannot be applied retroactively.

The agent who referred you cannot submit on your behalf. It must come from you.

No. You do not need a separate website, LLC, or any other business infrastructure to make your first booking. Atlas Coast provides every agent with a public agent profile page in the Atlas Coast agent directory. That is your professional presence from day one.

Your profile is set up and managed entirely inside MyAtlas. Log in after your onboarding session, go to your profile section, and complete it: name, photo, niche, specialties, and contact information. All future updates happen there too.

Building your own branded website is encouraged over time but is not a prerequisite for anything. Many successful agents operate for months using only their Atlas directory profile before investing in a standalone site.

When registering with travel suppliers, they will ask for your agency's identifying information. Always use Atlas Coast's credentials. Never use your personal home address or information.

CLIA stands for Cruise Lines International Association, the major accreditation body for travel agencies in the cruise industry.

The agency CLIA number (00810443): Atlas Coast's accreditation. Use it when registering with suppliers and logging bookings. You have access to it from day one.

An individual IAM membership: An optional personal membership available at cruising.org for a separate annual fee. It comes with an EMBARC ID card, the physical agent ID accepted at FAM trips, ship inspections, and supplier events. You use it to access TA rates on your own personal travel. You do not need it to book for clients. Booking Partners receive annual reimbursement for this fee.

IATAN stands for International Airlines Travel Agent Network, the other major accreditation body for travel agencies, particularly recognized by airlines and a wide range of non-cruise suppliers. Atlas Coast holds IATAN accreditation, which means you benefit from it automatically when booking under our agency credentials.

Florida-resident agents must complete three compliance steps:

• Download the Atlas Coast Verification Letter template from your Atlas Agent Dashboard, fill in your name and join date only (do not change any other wording), and keep a signed copy on file
• Have a signed copy of your ITA (Independent Travel Agent Agreement) on file
• File FDACS Form 10211 (Florida Independent Sales Agent Application) directly with the state. $50/year, mailed to: FDACS, P.O. Box 6700, Tallahassee, FL 32314-6700. Link to the official form is in your Atlas Platform Dashboard.

Contact [email protected] with any compliance questions.

California has Seller of Travel laws that apply to agents who sell travel to California residents. Atlas Coast's California SOT registration is currently pending. Contact [email protected] for current guidance. This section will be updated when Atlas Coast's CA SOT is confirmed.

Hawaii has Seller of Travel requirements that may apply to agents who regularly book Hawaii travel. Atlas Coast's Hawaii SOT registration is currently pending. Contact [email protected] for current guidance.

Washington agents are covered. Atlas Coast's Washington State Out of State Seller of Travel license was issued May 22, 2026 (UBI: 606214170-001-0001). You do not need your own separate WA registration as an Atlas Coast agent, provided all bookings run through Atlas Coast's credentials.

Yes. Atlas Coast affiliate information must appear on your website and all print marketing materials including business cards. Approved logo files and required disclosure language are in your Atlas Agent Dashboard resource library. For clients in SOT states, our SOT information must also be displayed once confirmed for each state.

Atlas Coast carries an E&O (Errors and Omissions) professional liability policy that covers bookings made under the Atlas Coast Travel Group name and credentials.

MyAtlas is your CRM: the platform where you manage clients, log bookings, track commissions, handle credit card authorization, send insurance acknowledgments, and manage your public agent profile. It is free for all active Atlas Coast agents and unlocks after you complete your onboarding session.

Log in at myatlasgo.com. Your login credentials arrive by email when your account is provisioned.

You never handle a client's card number directly. MyAtlas generates a secure link you send to the client. They enter their card details on a secure hosted page. The data is encrypted before it leaves their device.

Before every booking is confirmed, clients must acknowledge whether they want a travel insurance quote or are declining coverage. MyAtlas generates a secure acknowledgment link you send to the client. They select their answer and sign with their full legal name.

MyAtlas captures their name, email, date, IP address, and browser information and permanently attaches the record to their client file. You receive a notification when they complete it. Send the acknowledgment before confirming the booking, pre-booking timing is what makes it legally meaningful.

In most cases, clients pay the supplier directly, either through a payment link the supplier sends, or by you entering their card information into the supplier's booking system using the MyAtlas credit card authorization workflow. You are not collecting money or holding funds. The money flows from client to supplier to Atlas Coast to you.

Annual travel insurance policies cover a traveler for an entire year. When entering one in MyAtlas, use the date of sale as the trip start date and 30 days later as the trip end date. Example: Policy sold July 15. Enter July 15 as trip start, August 15 as trip end.

First, confirm that at least 90 days have passed since the trip ended. Many suppliers do not release commission until 90 days after checkout, this is standard across the industry.

If 90 days have passed, submit a missing commission request at atlascoasttravel.com/missing with your booking reference number, supplier name, travel dates, and client name. The booking must be in MyAtlas and your Dots account must be active.

When a supplier pays commission on a booking you sourced yourself, Atlas Coast keeps 10% and pays you 90%. No transaction fees. No per-payout charges. No deductions from your share.

When you receive a lead through the Booking Partner program, the split on the first booking from that client is 80/20: you keep 80%, Atlas Coast retains 20%. Any subsequent bookings from that same client are treated as your own sourced clients: back to 90/10.

Example: A cruise line pays $500 on a self-sourced booking. You receive $450.

Commissions are paid on the 1st and 15th of every month, based on supplier funds received and cleared during that period. We do not advance commissions that have not yet arrived from suppliers. Balances under $25 roll to the next cycle automatically and never expire. There are zero fees deducted from your payouts, ever.

Payouts are ACH via Dots. Standard ACH delivery is 1 to 3 business days after the processing date, depending on your bank.

When you log your first booking in MyAtlas, you will automatically receive an email invitation from Dots, the platform Atlas Coast uses to deposit commissions directly into your bank account. Follow the steps in that invitation to connect your bank account and submit your W-9 electronically. Atlas Coast covers all Dots fees. Zero payout fees to agents ever.

Yes. Once you earn above the legal reporting threshold in a calendar year, Atlas Coast will issue a 1099-NEC automatically through Dots. W-2s, year-end tax documents, and 1099s are all handled inside Dots using the W-9 you submitted during onboarding setup. Atlas Coast does not provide tax advice. Consult a tax professional about how to handle self-employment income.

You are not required to form an LLC. Many agents start as sole proprietors and that is perfectly fine, especially early on. An LLC can offer liability protection and potential tax benefits depending on your situation. Consult a CPA before deciding.

Agents are liable for chargebacks, refunds, and debit memos resulting from their own bookings. If a supplier claws back a commission Atlas Coast has already paid to you, Atlas Coast will recover the amount one of two ways:

• Deduction from your next payout cycle: the cleanest method and the first option
• Direct repayment request: used if deduction would take longer than 30 days, or if you have already left Atlas Coast

You will receive written notice with the amount and booking reference. This is why your paper trail matters: credit card authorization, insurance acknowledgment, and all client correspondence protect you if a charge is disputed.

The lag exists because of how the travel industry works, not because of Atlas Coast. Commission flow has four stages, each with its own timeline:

• Booking to travel: a vacation booked today may not travel for 6 to 18 months
• Travel to supplier payment: most suppliers remit commission 30 to 90 days after the client's travel end date, not the booking date
• Supplier to Atlas Coast: Atlas Coast's finance team receives the check and reconciles it to your booking record in MyAtlas
• Atlas Coast to you: queued for the next 1st or 15th payout, then 1 to 3 business days ACH to your bank

For a typical booking, the realistic timeline from making the booking to receiving your commission is 6 to 18 months. This is industry-standard. Atlas Coast never holds commissions once they have been received from the supplier.

Confirm that at least 90 days have passed since the trip ended. If 90 days have passed, submit a missing commission request at atlascoasttravel.com/missing with your booking reference number, supplier name, travel dates, and client name. The booking must be logged in MyAtlas and your Dots account must be active.

A travel supplier is any company that provides the actual travel product: cruise lines, hotels, resorts, tour operators, vacation packages, travel insurance providers, and so on. To book on behalf of a client and earn commission, you create an agent account with each supplier. That account connects you as an Atlas Coast agent to their booking portal, establishes your commission rate, and tells the supplier where to send payment.

Suppliers fall into three registration types:

• No registration needed: You book directly by entering Atlas Coast's CLIA number or IATA number at checkout. Examples: Choice Hotels, Hyatt, Hilton, ACCOR. Available to you immediately.
• Self-register: Go to the supplier's agent portal, create your account using CLIA 00810443, and you are typically active within 24 to 48 business hours. Examples: Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Viking, Virgin Voyages, Disney Cruise Line, Marriott. Links and instructions for each are in the Supplier Directory.
• Host-register: Atlas Coast submits the registration on your behalf. You fill out a request form in your Atlas Agent Dashboard and the operations team processes it within 1 business day of your completing your onboarding session. Examples: Norwegian, Princess/Holland America/Cunard, MSC, Sandals/Beaches.

The full Supplier Directory tells you which type each supplier is and has the registration links for self-register suppliers.

Use your dedicated travel agent email address for all supplier registrations: the one you set up specifically for your travel business, not your personal email. When you first joined Atlas Coast you may have used your personal email to sign up. That is fine. But for every supplier registration, use the travel agent email you created for your business. This is the email that becomes your professional identity in supplier portals and the one that must match across all systems for commission reconciliation to work correctly.

BDM stands for Business Development Manager, the dedicated rep assigned by a cruise line, resort, or tour operator to support travel agents in your region. Your BDM can help with quotes, promotions, client escalations, ship inspection and FAM trip access, and supplier-specific training. As an Atlas Coast agent booking under our CLIA credentials, you have BDM access that unaffiliated solo agents do not.

Most major suppliers offer free online training academies for travel agents: Royal Caribbean University, Disney College of Knowledge, Sandals Academy, and dozens more. Complete at least two in your niche early on.

A booking takeover (sometimes called a transfer) is when a client booked directly with a supplier and they want you to take over as their travel agent so you can service the booking and earn the commission going forward.

Most major suppliers allow this within specific windows, but the rules vary significantly:

• Royal Caribbean: within 30 days of booking, before final payment
• Carnival: any time before final payment
• Norwegian (NCL): within 14 days of booking (the strictest)
• MSC Cruises: within 60 days of booking
• Celebrity: approximately 30 to 60 days (verify before quoting)
• Disney Cruise Line: within 30 days, before final payment. Commission reduces to 10% on transferred bookings
• Sandals/Beaches: within 30 days. The client (not you) initiates the email to the supplier
• Secrets/Dreams/Now (ALG): FIT transfers generally not allowed; workaround is rebooking

For a supplier not listed here or for help with a specific takeover, email [email protected].

Submit a supplier request at atlascoasttravel.com/supplier. The operations team will look into the supplier's agent registration process and follow up with you.

Not every supplier is documented at launch. The Supplier Directory will expand over time. If there is a supplier you regularly book or want to specialize in, the request form is the fastest path to getting it added.

First, check that you used Atlas Coast's agency credentials when registering and that the email matches your dedicated travel agent email. If the problem persists, email [email protected] with the supplier name, the email you used, and a description of the error. Do not create a second supplier account before contacting support.

Yes. Group bookings are one of the highest-revenue activities in travel agency. A group booking typically means 8 to 10 passengers traveling together, booked under one group contract with the supplier.

Group bookings often come with:

• Dedicated group pricing (sometimes lower per-person than individual rates)
• Amenity points that convert to cabin upgrades, onboard credit, or a free berth
• One complimentary spot for the group leader at a certain group size
• A dedicated group coordinator at the supplier

The booking process differs from individual bookings. Most suppliers have separate group departments and group booking forms. Your BDM is the right starting point for any group inquiry.

No. There are no booking quotas, no minimum sales requirements, and no performance reviews. You book as much or as little as you choose. Your membership fee is the same whether you book one trip or a hundred.

The only context where booking activity matters: the Booking Partner program requires a minimum of five completed bookings to qualify. Standard membership has no such requirement.

Generally yes, but the rules are based on your client's state of residence, not yours. The four Seller of Travel states: California, Florida, Hawaii, and Washington. Each has their own rules around fees.

For California, Hawaii, and Washington rules, review the specific requirements in Atlas Academy or email [email protected].

Yes, and we actively encourage you to build and use your own brand name. Operate as "Sarah Johnson Travel" or whatever name you choose. Your brand is yours, and building a recognizable personal brand in your niche is one of the best long-term investments you can make.

The only requirement is that all of your marketing materials include a disclosure identifying your affiliation with Atlas Coast. The standard language to use is: "I am an independent contractor and travel agent affiliated with Atlas Coast Travel Group."

Approved Atlas Coast logo files are in your Atlas Agent Dashboard resource library. What you may not do: misrepresent yourself as an Atlas Coast employee, imply you speak on behalf of Atlas Coast officially, or use Atlas Coast's name or logo after your membership ends.

Yes, always. Atlas Coast agents are independent contractors who build their own brand, choose their own business name, and market however they choose. Atlas Coast never requires you to operate under our name exclusively.

You are required to display Atlas Coast affiliate information on your website and marketing materials, but you can absolutely brand yourself as, for example, "Sarah Johnson Travel, an Atlas Coast Travel Group affiliate." Your brand is yours.

No. Your clients are yours. Atlas Coast does not market to, contact, or solicit your client relationships in any way. When you bring someone in as your client, they remain your client. Atlas Coast has no claim on them.

This is explicit in the ITA and a foundational commitment. Your book of business is your asset. If you ever leave Atlas Coast, you take it with you.

Yes, in most cases. Most suppliers allow agents to book personal travel through their agent account and earn the applicable commission, with the same 90/10 split as any other booking.

There are exceptions: some suppliers limit or prohibit commission on personal bookings, and some reduce commission rates on heavily discounted agent fares. Verify with each supplier individually.

Even when commission is limited, agent rates are typically still accessible. Booking your own travel is one of the most immediate financial benefits of being a travel agent.

Yes. FTC guidelines require disclosure whenever there is a material connection between you and what you are promoting. As an Atlas Coast travel agent, that includes:

• Mentioning specific suppliers, cruises, resorts, or vacation packages in your social content
• Sharing content you received from a supplier (FAM trip recap, press trip, comped experience)
• Any post where you have a professional or financial interest in what you are recommending

The Atlas Coast Content Vault includes social post templates with correct disclosure language already written in. Use them. Do not remove the disclosure language when you post.

Absolutely. Log the booking in MyAtlas just as you would for any other client, use the MyAtlas credit card authorization flow, and send the insurance acknowledgment. The rules do not change because you know the traveler personally.

Contact the supplier directly as quickly as possible. The sooner you act, the better the outcome. Most suppliers have cancellation penalty windows that increase as the travel date approaches.

Steps:

• Get the cancellation request in writing from the client first. An email or text is sufficient. Do not proceed without it.
• Review the supplier's cancellation policy (it should be in the booking confirmation)
• Contact the supplier's agent support line or your BDM (not the consumer line)
• Process the cancellation through the same supplier portal where you made the booking
• Cancel or close the booking record in MyAtlas after it is confirmed cancelled with the supplier
• If the client has travel insurance, help them file their claim promptly

Your first priority is making sure they are safe. For medical emergencies, local emergency services come first.

For travel emergencies (missed connections, supplier failure, natural disaster disruptions):

• Contact the supplier's emergency line directly. Most major cruise lines and tour operators have 24/7 agent support lines
• Email [email protected] with URGENT in the subject line
• Document everything: photos, emails, times, names of supplier reps you spoke with
• If the client has travel insurance, call the insurance company's emergency assistance line. Many policies include 24/7 concierge and emergency rebooking support

Your protection comes entirely from your paper trail. For every booking, maintain:

• All emails and messages with the client about the trip
• The MyAtlas credit card authorization record, completed before processing any payment
• The MyAtlas travel insurance acknowledgment
• The booking confirmation from the supplier
• Any change requests or cancellation communications, always in writing

Store everything for a minimum of 7 years.

Use the MyAtlas credit card authorization flow whenever you are the one entering a client's card details into a supplier portal. If the supplier sends the client their own direct payment link and the client pays the supplier themselves, no credit card authorization through MyAtlas is needed for that transaction. The supplier is handling payment directly.

Email [email protected] immediately. Gather your MyAtlas credit card authorization record, all booking correspondence, the supplier confirmation, and a summary of the situation. Send everything in your first email. Do not engage with the chargeback process directly or contact the credit card company yourself.

Stop. Reach out to support or your Agent Success Coach before proceeding. Travel fraud often involves urgency: a client who needs it booked right now, an unusual payment request, a deal that seems too good to be true. Trust your instincts. A 24-hour delay to verify is always better than processing a fraudulent booking.

Most suppliers require proof of agent status before granting TA rates. Your individual CLIA IAM membership (available at cruising.org, separate annual fee) comes with an EMBARC ID card that is the most widely accepted proof. Some suppliers also accept your Atlas Platform credentials. Contact support if you need a letter of affiliation issued.

Some suppliers extend discounted or complimentary rates to the immediate family members of travel agents, sometimes called companion rates or fam rates. This varies significantly by supplier and is not a blanket benefit across the board.

The best way to find out: check directly with the supplier's BDM or their agent portal. Some require you to book the travel yourself through your agent account. Most are not available for clients. Only for the agent and their immediate family.

FAM trips (familiarization trips) are heavily discounted or complimentary travel experiences offered by suppliers so agents can experience the product firsthand and sell it authentically. As an Atlas Coast agent under our CLIA credentials, you are eligible to apply. They are not guaranteed, most require an active booking history with that supplier. The more you book with a particular line, the better your access becomes.

A ship inspection is when a cruise line invites travel agents to board a ship in port and tour it before it sets sail. Most are free or very low cost and are coordinated through your BDM or the cruise line's agent portal. There is no substitute for firsthand knowledge when selling a product. Take advantage of these whenever you can.

Yes. Many cruise lines have agent loyalty programs offering points, onboard credit, upgrades, and exclusive recognition. These typically require completing the cruise line's agent training programs and grow as your booking volume increases.

Generally yes, though commission amounts are typically modest given the sailing is complimentary. Commission is calculated on the actual fare paid (often very low or zero), not the retail value. Check with the specific cruise line's agent portal or your BDM for details.

Beyond Atlas Academy, these free resources are widely used in the industry:

• Online Travel Training: onlinetraveltraining.com
• Travel Agent University: travelagentuniversity.com
• The Travel Institute: thetravelinstitute.com
• CLIA Agent Resources: cruising.org

Supplier academies (Royal Caribbean University, Disney College of Knowledge, Sandals Academy, and many more) are free and directly tied to earning higher commission rates.

Atlas Coast annual conference: Summit at Sea is Atlas Coast's annual agent conference, held aboard a cruise ship in Spring 2027. Details at atlascoasttravel.com/summit as they are confirmed.

Yes. Dual hosting during a transition period is common and we strongly recommend it. New bookings go under Atlas Coast from the day you join. Existing bookings already in your pipeline stay under your old agency until those commissions pay out.

Your client relationships belong to you, not to your old host agency. Let your existing clients know you have moved to Atlas Coast Travel Group. Most clients follow their agent, not the agency name on the paperwork.

You will need to re-register with suppliers under Atlas Coast's credentials. Supplier access is tied to agency affiliation, not to you personally. Self-register suppliers you handle yourself using our CLIA number. Host-register suppliers require Atlas Coast to submit on your behalf. Full instructions are in the Supplier Directory at atlascoasttravel.com/suppliers.

Supplier training certifications generally carry over without starting over. Your relationships with BDMs and supplier reps are yours personally and transfer with you.

Not all host agencies release bookings when an agent leaves. Whether yours is required to depends on your agreement with them. If they refuse, request it in writing. Contact [email protected] if you need guidance navigating this.

Yes. Create a fresh, dedicated travel agent email for your Atlas Platform account and use it for all Atlas supplier registrations as well. A clean email creates a clear break and prevents reconciliation issues between your two agency histories.

The Booking Partner program allows eligible Atlas Coast agents to receive travel leads generated through Melissa's content platform and social media presence. Any active agent who meets the eligibility requirements can apply at atlascoasttravel.com/apply. Meeting the criteria does not guarantee acceptance. Niche alignment and current lead volume are also factors.

The first booking from an Atlas-delivered lead is split 80/20: you keep 80%, Atlas Coast retains 20%. Any subsequent bookings from that same client are your own: back to the standard 90/10 split. Once you deliver an outstanding experience on a referred lead, that client relationship is yours.

To be eligible to apply, you must meet all of the following:

• Active Atlas Coast agent in good standing
• Minimum of five completed bookings (clients traveled, commission received)
• At least two supplier certifications completed
• Atlas Academy completed in full
• Commitment to ongoing training and certifications
• 24-hour lead response requirement met consistently
• No unresolved client complaints, ITA violations, or outstanding chargeback issues

Apply at atlascoasttravel.com/apply. Full Booking Partner expectations are documented at atlascoasttravel.com/atlas-expectations.

• Respond to every assigned lead within 24 hours. No exceptions. Failure results in the lead being reassigned.
• Update the lead's status in MyAtlas as they move through your pipeline.
• Do not charge any booking or planning fee to leads assigned through the program.
• Maintain active booking status and good standing with Atlas Coast.

Yes, for active Booking Partners who have maintained their status for at least 90 days. Pay your CLIA IAM membership renewal at cruising.org, then submit your receipt at atlascoasttravel.com/CLIA. The reimbursement is added to your next scheduled commission payment. One reimbursement per calendar year, active Booking Partners only.

Yes. Booking Partner status can be revoked for repeated failure to respond to leads within 24 hours, failure to update lead status, charging fees to Booking Partner leads, falling out of good standing with Atlas Coast, or significantly reducing your booking activity.

Agents who join during the Founders window receive two permanent benefits contractually locked in their ITA:

• The $39/month rate: for life, as long as your membership remains continuously active
• The 90/10 commission split: also locked for life for Founders agents

The Founders window closes at whichever comes first: 90 days from the July 1, 2026 launch OR 1,000 active members. Once that window closes, new agents enter at the Regular Rate of $59/month.

Yes. Atlas Coast's ITA contains no exclusivity clause. You are free to affiliate with other host agencies simultaneously. This is an intentional design decision, not an oversight.

The one condition: commissions are only paid to active Atlas Coast members. If you terminate your Atlas membership, pending payouts cease regardless of your affiliation elsewhere.

Yes. Your client relationships are yours and your data is portable. Before canceling your membership, export your booking history and client records from MyAtlas. Do this before your membership ends. Once access is revoked, you cannot log in to retrieve data.

Your clients are yours to take with you. Atlas Coast has no claim on any client relationships you built during your membership.

Cancellation is self-serve. Log in to your Atlas Platform account, go to atlascoasttravel.com/settings/cards, and cancel your subscription. Your access continues through the end of your current billing period.

The Atlas Platform handles failed payments automatically:

• When a payment attempt fails, the Atlas Platform sends you an email notification immediately and retries the charge
• If the second attempt also fails, your membership is auto-cancelled
• Your access ends at that point. There is no grace period after the second failed attempt

If your membership was auto-cancelled due to a payment failure and you want to rejoin, contact [email protected]. Note that you will re-enter at the Regular Rate.

Yes. Atlas Coast reserves the right to terminate any agent's membership at any time, with or without cause, and without prior notice. That said, the most common reasons for termination are:

• Fraud or misrepresentation in booking, identity verification, or any other aspect of the agency relationship
• Repeated chargebacks or debit memos indicating pattern booking errors or client fraud
• Using Atlas Coast's CLIA or IATAN credentials outside the scope permitted by the ITA
• Conduct that reflects poorly on Atlas Coast or its community, including public disparagement of the agency, its leadership, or other agents
• Violation of any applicable travel industry regulation or state law
• Any breach of the ITA
• Failure to meet the eligibility requirements or performance standards of the Booking Partner program or Agent Success Coach designation, if applicable

If you believe a termination was made in error, contact [email protected]. The governing state for any dispute under the ITA is Florida.

Several things change permanently when you cancel and rejoin, regardless of how long you were gone or why you left:

• Founders Rate ($39/month) is forfeited permanently. You re-enter at the Regular Rate, whatever it is at the time you rejoin. There is no reinstatement of Founders pricing under any circumstances.
• Grandfathered 90/10 commission split is forfeited permanently. If the standard commission split has changed by the time you rejoin, you enter at whatever the current rate is.
• Booking history is not restored. Your prior bookings and commission records in MyAtlas are associated with your previous membership. A new membership starts fresh.
• Pending commissions from your prior membership do not transfer. Commissions that had not yet been paid out when you cancelled are not recoverable after re-joining.
• Booking Partner and Coach designations do not automatically reinstate. You would need to reapply and meet the eligibility requirements from scratch.

The ITA is your Independent Travel Agent Agreement, the contract between you and Atlas Coast that defines the terms of your affiliation. It covers your commission split and how payouts work, how and when you can cancel, Atlas Coast's right to terminate for cause, what happens to your credentials when the relationship ends, and the governing state (Florida) for any disputes.

Review your ITA at any time at atlascoasttravel.com/ITA.

Commissions on completed trips where Atlas Coast has already received cleared funds from the supplier will be paid out in your next regular pay cycle. If your balance is below the $25 minimum, it will be paid out in full on exit regardless.

Commissions on trips that have not yet traveled, or where the supplier has not yet paid Atlas Coast, follow the normal supplier payment timeline. Canceling with active upcoming bookings means some commissions may be delayed or forfeited. Contact support before canceling if you have a pipeline of upcoming trips.

When your membership ends:

• Atlas Platform and MyAtlas access are revoked
• The Atlas Coast CLIA and IATAN credentials are revoked. You may not use Atlas Coast's accreditation numbers after your membership ends
• Atlas Academy and Content Vault access ends. These resources are licensed for active members only
• Your public agent profile is removed from the Atlas Coast agent directory
• Open bookings under Atlas Coast credentials where clients have not yet traveled: Atlas Coast takes over servicing of those bookings. You do not receive commission on bookings that complete after your termination date
• Commission payouts stop on your termination date. Any commissions Atlas Coast has already received from suppliers before your termination date will be included in the next payout cycle. Nothing after that.

Your clients are yours. Atlas Coast has no claim on any client relationships you built during your time with us. Export your booking history and client records from MyAtlas before your access ends.

No. Atlas Coast does not have a multi-level or downline structure. You cannot build a team, earn ongoing overrides on other agents' commissions, or collect a percentage of another agent's earnings. This is a foundational commitment.

There is a one-time referral bonus if you refer someone who joins and stays active for six months. One payment, done. Full details at atlascoasttravel.com/refer.

All questions go to one address and one number. Our team routes them internally. For most operational questions, email gets a faster and more thorough response than phone. Replying directly to any Atlas Coast email you have received will also reach us.

• Monday through Friday: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern
• Saturday: 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM Eastern (limited availability)
• Sunday: Email monitored, responses the following business day

Use general support ([email protected] or (321) 499-9575) for: account questions, login issues, billing, supplier access problems, commission inquiries, missing commission requests, and anything operational or transactional.

Use an Agent Success Coach for: guidance on building your business, help thinking through a specific client or booking situation, strategic questions about your niche, and 1:1 Milestone Call checkpoints.

Schedule a coach call through your Atlas Agent Dashboard at atlascoasttravel.com/training.

Call (321) 499-9575 or email [email protected] with URGENT in the subject line. We monitor after hours for genuine emergencies. If your issue can wait until the next business day, email is the fastest path to a thorough response.

Agent Success Coaches are experienced Atlas Coast agents who have completed Atlas Academy, have at least six months of travel industry experience, and applied and been selected to support newer agents. They are not Atlas Coast staff. They are your fellow agents, a step or two ahead of you in the journey.

Coaches run three recurring programs:

• Office Hours: every Wednesday at 6pm ET. Drop in with any question. No registration, no agenda. No prep needed.
• Class is in Session: first Thursday of every month at 6pm ET. A structured topic each month. No registration.
• 1:1 Milestone Calls: 30-minute one-on-one calls available before your first client quote and before your first booking. Schedule at atlascoasttravel.com/training.

Coaching is a paid per-session independent contractor role. Coaches are compensated through Gusto (separate from Dots, which handles agent commission payouts).

Coaches do not invoice Atlas Coast. After every session, coaches submit the session log form at atlascoasttravel.com/sessiontracking. Pay is reviewed, calculated, and approved on a per-session basis.

To be eligible to apply, you must meet all of the following:

• Active Atlas Coast agent in good standing
• At least six months of travel industry experience
• Atlas Academy completed in full prior to acceptance
• Comfortable on camera in a live group setting
• Reliable weekly availability for recurring sessions. This is not a fill-in-when-convenient role
• Commitment to ongoing training and continuous learning as new Atlas and supplier programs are released
• Ability to respond to agent questions with accuracy, professionalism, and genuine care

Apply at atlascoasttravel.com/apply. Full expectations for the coach role are at atlascoasttravel.com/atlas-expectations.

Coaches represent Atlas Coast directly to newer agents. That carries a higher standard of conduct than standard membership.

• Honest representation: represent your experience, credentials, and knowledge accurately at all times. Misrepresentation of any kind is grounds for immediate removal
• Agent-first conduct: every interaction must prioritize the agent's genuine interests, not what is easiest or most convenient for you
• Continuous learning: stay current with Atlas training programs as they are released and pursue relevant supplier certifications
• No disparagement: do not publicly or privately disparage Atlas Coast, its leadership, its agents, or fellow coaches. Disagreements go through proper channels
• Confidentiality: any information accessed about agents or Atlas Coast operations through the role must be kept strictly confidential
• Weekly availability: recurring sessions are a commitment. Consistently missing your scheduled sessions reflects on Atlas Coast and will not be tolerated

Coach designation can be revoked for any of the following:

• Falling out of good standing as an Atlas Coast member
• Consistently failing to maintain weekly session availability
• Failure to complete required Atlas training or maintain ongoing professional development
• Violation of ethics and professional conduct standards
• Conduct that reflects poorly on Atlas Coast or its community
• Any breach of the ITA