Cruise
CLIA Tracks 2019 Trends In New Report
CLIA has released its 2019 State of the Cruise Industry Outlook report predicting the top trends in cruise travel. Through industry research, travel insights, and taking the pulse of travel agents, CLIA foresees social media and restorative travel as top cruise travel trends in the coming year. In addition, the State of the Cruise Industry Outlook report reveals that the cruise travel continues to grow and contribute to the overall global economy. In fact, more than eight out of 10 CLIA-certified travel agents are expecting to see a rise in cruise sales in the next 12...
Silversea Launches Accessible Shore Excursions
Silversea Cruises has introduced accessibility-enhanced shore excursions. Through its partnership with Accessible Travel Solutions, a company devoted to expanding opportunities for disabled and senior travellers, the cruise line is offering new accessible excursions in nine destinations in the Caribbean and Central America, and additional shore excursions will be developed for the Mediterranean in 2019. The new partnership enables Silversea's disabled and senior guests to travel deeper in each destination, offering immersive shore excursions that showcase a destination's history,...
Legault Takes On Dual Role
Scenic Group Canada has announced the move of senior director of sales, Derek Legault into the dual role of director of national sales and BDM Southwestern Ontario. “After 25 years of working in the travel industry, four of them with Scenic, and living on Canada's west coast, I am very excited to be moving back to Ontario, focusing on fueling Scenic's and Emerald Waterways' continued growth with our national accounts and our trade partners,” Legault said. “Having worked in so many facets of the industry across Canada and originally coming from the trade side, I look forward to...
MSC Armonia in Miami, Set For First Sailing To Cuba
MSC Cruises' MSC Armonia has arrived in Miami, in preparation for its first ever sailing from the US to Cuba. MSC Armonia has begun sailing seven-night Caribbean itineraries year-round departing from Miami and calling at Montego Bay, Jamaica; Georgetown, Cayman Islands; and Cozumel, Mexico before arriving in Havana where it will overnight. “We are thrilled to be enhancing the opportunities for guests sailing from North America to explore the Caribbean in new ways, with MSC Armonia joining the revolutionary MSC Seaside and the elegant MSC Divina at PortMiami,” said Roberto...
Meet Mardis Gras, Carnival’s Newest and Largest
In a nod to Carnival Cruise Line’s rich history as “America’s Cruise Line,” the line has announced that it will name its new XL-class ship to be delivered in 2020 Mardi Gras, bringing back to the fleet the name of the first Carnival ship that entered service in 1972. In keeping with its tradition of fun, Carnival revealed the name to a nationwide television audience on the popular game show Wheel of Fortune on its signature Puzzleboard at the conclusion of the broadcast. Mardi Gras will be the largest Carnival ship ever constructed and the first in North America to be...
TravelBrands Offers 12 Days of Giveaways
From Dec. 6-21, TravelBrands Cruises, by Encore Cruises is bringing the holiday spirit by hosting Encore’s Favourite Things. For 12 weekdays, travel agents have the opportunity to earn daily bonus Loyalty Points. “To celebrate the holiday season, we wanted to host a giveaway for our dedicated agents,” says Nathalie Tanious, vice-president, TravelBrands. “Any agent who makes the qualified booking will automatically receive the giveaway of that day. This is our way of saying thank you to our travel agent partners in the season of giving.” The giveaways and qualifying...
Another Record Year For Port of Québec
The Port of Québec has concluded another successful cruise season with continued growth in number of passengers and cruise lines visiting. In 2018, the Port welcomed 230,940 visitors, a nearly 15% increase over the 200,000 visitors welcomed in 2017. The port has a goal of 400,000 passengers by 2025. In addition to its strong passenger growth, a record number of 156 ships called in Québec City this year, 14 of which embarked and disembarked at the port. Eight ships made inaugural visits, including Disney Magic, which visited Québec City in September. The cruise industry is...
Celebrity Edge Christened
Celebrity Cruises set sail into a new era yesterday (Dec. 4) as Celebrity Edge joined the fleet after a moving ceremony where the ship’s godmother, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai (pictured, second from left), was joined by all on board to “bless this ship and all those who sail upon her.” The naming event brought together more than 3,000 guests, employees, crew members and students to commemorate the debut of Celebrity’s first new ship in six years and first new ship series in more than a decade. Yousafzai, who is now a college student at Oxford University, is...