Displaying items by tag:CLIA

October’s Cruise Month campaign has unlocked record levels of engagement from both consumers and travel agents, producing its best-ever results in Australasia.

Cruise tourism has delivered more than $1.23 billion in economic benefits to the New Zealand economy during 2024-25, according to a report commissioned by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and the New Zealand Cruise Association (NZCA).

Cruise tourism has delivered more than $1.23 billion in economic benefits to the New Zealand economy during 2024-25, according to a report commissioned by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and the New Zealand Cruise Association (NZCA).

Cruise leaders and industry stakeholders last week joined New Zealand Tourism and Hospitality Minister, Louise Upston to discuss the direction of New Zealand’s cruise industry, putting a focus on close collaboration to achieve future prosperity.

Riverside Luxury Cruises has become the newest member of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) in Australasia.

The 22nd annual Cruise Industry Awards in Sydney on Saturday night reflected an increasingly diverse travel agent community in Australia and New Zealand, CLIA managing director in Australasia Joel Katz says.

‘We can see new faces and first-time winners in this year’s awards, which is a sign of the fresh talent emerging from within an expanded CLIA membership,’ Katz says. ‘At the same time, we can also see several well-established achievers in the Australasian cruise community – members who have consistently shown leadership and inspiration over many years.’

A highlight was the induction into the CLIA Hall of Fame of Stuart Allison, who is now based in the UK as P&O Cruises chief commercial officer. Allison was recognised for his longstanding industry leadership and his role in transforming the Australasian region into one of the world’s most dynamic cruise markets, most recently leading Princess Cruises as its Sydney-based senior vice president, Asia Pacific, UK & Europe.

Among the award winners were: Rising Star – New Zealand, Melissa Duder, House of Travel Taupo; Cruise Broker of the Year – New Zealand, joint winners Robert Schroder, Mondo Travel and Michelle Downey, Bucket List Travel; Cruise Consultant of the Year – New Zealand, Natasha Warfield, Toussaint & Turner Travel Associates; Cruise Agency of the Year, single location – New Zealand, House of Travel Kapiti Coast.

• Joint Cruise Broker of the Year Robert Schroder, Mondo Travel with Alice Ager, Uniworld
• Joint Cruise Broker of the Year Michelle Downey, Bucket List Travel with Alice Ager, Uniworld
• Meg Koffel, Princess Cruises; Deb Summers, ID Tours
• Brett Simon, Globus family of brands; Tracey Brennan, Regent Seven Seas Cruises
• Jacqui Kennedy, Pauline McLennan, Jayne Alldred, Celeste Ryall, Sheree Clements, all House of Travel at the CLIA Awards welcome cocktails
• Jeff Leckey, House of Travel; Asthika Ram, Royal Caribbean; Kylie Chapman, Ama Waterways
• PONANT’s Alan Wilcock with Cruise Consultant of the Year NZ Natasha Warfield, Toussaint & Turner Travel Associates
• Rising star NZ Melissa Duder with Megan Bishop, both House of Travel Taupo
• Karla Van Niekerk, North Shore Business Travel; Lydia Haydon, YOU Travel Bethlehem, Richard Crouch, Skyline; Kylie Crouch and John Willson, First Travel Group
• Jo Coolen of House of Travel Kapiti Coast, Cruise Agency of the Year (single location) New Zealand

Nine new cruise ships of 2025 will be showcased in an online education series for Australasian travel agents hosted next month by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).

The 2025 Ocean Debut Virtual Showcase will run from Monday 3 February to Friday 7 February 2025, with daily live online sessions presented by nine CLIA cruise lines. Each will outline facts and features of their ships, including dining options, entertainment, accommodation styles, public spaces, and what type of experience guests can expect.

The showcase is available exclusively to CLIA member agents.

The ships are: MSC Cruises – MSC World America, Windstar – Star Seeker, Norwegian Cruise Line – Norwegian Aqua, Aurora Expeditions – Douglas Mawson, Disney Cruise Line – Disney Adventure, Oceania Cruises – Allura, Princess Cruises – Star Princess, Celebrity Cruises – Celebrity Xcel, Royal Caribbean – Star of the Seas.

Participants will earn CLIA points and have a chance to win prize packs by tuning in live, collecting a codeword and completing a quiz.

cruising.org.au/CLIA-Events/2025-Ocean-Debut-Virtual-Showcase

Government taxes and costs applied by ‘gate-keepers’ like ports and councils on the cruise sector look set to reduce the industry’s total contribution to the economy by about $250 million this summer compared with the year before.

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Australasia has been named Most Outstanding Travel Industry Training Institution at Australia’s National Travel Industry Awards (NTIAs).

The New Zealand trade shone brightly at the 21st annual Cruise Industry Awards in Sydney on Saturday night, with House of Travel setting the pace early and the event ending with the induction of ISS-McKay New Zealand managing director Craig Harris, into the CLIA Hall of Fame.