Cruise
CLIA Growing Global
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) reaches the ripe age of 40 this year and is now all grown up, representing the industry with one unified global voice, according to its chairman, Adam Goldstein, reports Montreal editor, Mike Dunbar in this week's digital edition of Canadian Travel Press. Having burst out of its North American bastion, the trade body for the shipboard vacation business now boasts additional representation in South America, Europe, Asia and Australasia, the president and COO of Royal Caribbean Cruises told a recent state of the industry press conference in...
Take The Long Way Home
Long-stay cruises are reaching new heights. According to a recent travel agent survey conducted by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), 37% of agents reported an increase in bookings of 14- to 100-day cruises. Longer sailings, including world cruises of several months, are increasingly popular among both retired and affluent travellers, according to travel agents. Agents also reported that the top advantage of long cruises is the ability to see many places hassle free, without having to deal with multiple airports and packing and unpacking. Travellers also like the exciting...
CLIA Names New VP of Trade Relations
Charles Sylvia will be joining CLIA on March 2 as vice-president of Trade Relations. Sylvia will work directly with travel agencies and agents, focused on CLIA member engagement and retention. He will be the primary liaison to CLIA’s Diamond and Gold Premium travel agency members, which is comprised of the largest travel agencies, hosts and consortia, and the sales and trade relations executives at CLIA member cruise lines. Additionally, Sylvia will drive the continued enhancement of the agent professional development and certification programs. Sylvia has more than 20 years of...
Carnival Vista to Operate Year-Round Out of Miami
PortMiami will be the year-round homeport for Carnival Cruise Line’s largest ship to date, the 133,500-ton Carnival Vista, when it launches six- to eight-day Caribbean cruises beginning in December 2016. Currently under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, Vista will introduce groundbreaking features such as SkyRide, a suspended open-air cycling experience; the world’s first IMAX Theatre at sea; Kaleid-O-Slide, the line’s first water tube slide; and RedFrog Pub, including the line’s first onboard brewery. Carnival will further bolster its position in Galveston,...
Get the Scoop on Hurtigruten Feb. 24
Agents interested in learning about Hurtigruten’s “The Most Beautiful Voyage in the World” without leaving their desk can now do so thanks to GLP Worldwide Expedition Travel and Tours, the Canadian representative for Hurtigruten. GLP is offering a free one-hour webinar on Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. (EST). Agents can learn about the “most beautiful voyage in the world” and all the different voyages Hurtigruten offers. “We recognize that agents are extremely busy, but at the same time there is a desire to learn about products that can earn them significant commissions and also...
Encore, Royal Caribbean Launch ‘Triple Play’ Promotion
Encore Cruises new “Triple Play” promotion with Royal Caribbean International gives travellers three special offers with each applicable booking, and rewards agents as well. Valid on all new bookings made by March 15 for departures up to April 30, when clients book any Caribbean sailing of six nights or longer – excluding Quantum of the Seas – in an oceanview stateroom or higher, they will receive: a US$100 onboard credit per stateroom; a specialty dinner for two at Chops Grille, Portofino, Gionvanni’s Table, Samba Grill or Solarium Bistro; and for clients who book a balcony...
Sail And Save With Royal Caribbean
While Valetine's Day may be over for another year, Royal Caribbean is still feeling the love. The cruise company launched a BOGO Wild offer that agents' clients who are looking for savings will love. From Valentine’s Day through March 10, 2015, travellers can get half off the second guest’s cruise fare when making a new booking in an Oceanview or higher-category stateroom with a full-fare guest on a five-night or longer cruise, plus up to $200 onboard credit per stateroom to spend on the ship. Passengers can apply their onboard credit toward a wide range experiences to further...
A Royal Rendezvous
Cunard kicked off the company's 175th Anniversary celebrations earlier this month by paying homage to the Queen Mary when the Queen Elizabeth docked in the port of Long Beach, California for the first time. The ship was greeted by enthusiastic well-wishers who were on hand for the festivities which included an emotional speech read by the Queen Mary's Commodore Everette Hoard to the gathered crowd about the history of the Queen Mary, currently celebrating her 80th year in public life. Whistle salutes between the two ships followed, and a dazzling fireworks display finished the day as the...