June 2016 Travel Agent News

ISSUE 15
JUNE 2016
Contents
NEWS YOU CAN USE
Cruise tv – The Suite Life
Page 2
Take Notice of a New Market
Page 3
UPCOMING WEBINARS
You’re Invited To… Upcoming
Webinars
Page 3
TRAVEL AGENT TIPS
Eva Armstrong, MCC
Breaking Free Travel
Page 4
EVENT UPDATE
What You Missed: CLIA’s
Annual Cruise360 Conference
in Vancouver
Page 5
MEMBERSHIP
CLIA Announces New Member
Benefits
Congratulations June
Certification Graduates
Tips for Social: Be Visual
Page 6
2016 Certified Cruise
Counsellor Event for IAMs
Page 7
WHAT’S NEW AT CLIA
CLIA is Here to Help Answer
Your Client’s Tough Questions
CLIA’s Travel & Cruise
Magazine Released!
Page 7
WELCOME
A NOTE FROM CHARLIE
Hi, folks,
In recent weeks, we’ve announced several new partnerships, which provide new
benefits for you, our valued members. CLIA has partnered with Carey International,
Hilton Worldwide, Hyatt, Marriott International, Samsonite, Starwood Hotels and
Resorts, Universal Studios and Wyndham Worldwide, just to name a few.
These exciting new benefits, linked to your CLIA Agency ID Number or Personal ID
Number, benefit you in two ways: they save you money personally, and make you
money professionally.
CLIA has grown over the past 18 months, and leading brands in the global travel
industry have taken notice. These companies are becoming CLIA Executive Partners
because you – our Agency and Individual Agent Members – are important to them,
and they want to do business with you.
We encourage you to log into the My CLIA membership portal, often, as our CLIA
member benefits are ever-growing and ever-evolving. Take a look at them, use them
and get the most out of your membership. Read our emails and social media posts, so
you don’t miss out on any of the exciting efforts that we are doing on your behalf.
Even more importantly, we want to know which member benefits are most important to
you or when a member benefit requires our attention, so please email me directly at
[email protected]. Your feedback is important to me and the entire CLIA
Membership Team. It is our pleasure to help you.
Thank you for being a part of the CLIA global cruise community.
All the best,
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Page 8
MEMBER NEWS
Page 9
Charles A. B. Sylvia
VP, Membership and Trade Relations
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NEWS YOU CAN USE
CRUISE TV – LIVING THE SUITE LIFE
Cruise lines have raised the bar when it comes to
cabin suites, penthouses and preferred guest
services. From 24/7 butlers and private dining rooms
to preferred embarking and disembarking privileges
and wrap around balconies with 180 degree views,
living the suite life just got even sweeter for those
that choose to book a cruise suite.
There are many benefits to upgrading to a suite on a
cruise ship. Not only are suites generally larger than
state rooms, they also come with a variety of highend options, premium finishes and passenger
privileges. Examples include:
• Premium Services – Suite passengers are treated
like VIPs. Some cruise lines offer expedited
embarking and disembarking privileges, first class
flights and even private cars while at port.
• Exclusive Clubs, Dining and Fitness Facilities –
When staying in a suite, cruise lines offer guests
exclusive access areas ranging from clubs and
dining areas to spas and fitness facilities.
• In-Room Spa Treatments – Some of the cruise
lines offer suite guests unlimited lavish spa
services onboard while others even offer in-room
spa retreats.
• Special Suite Amenities – From expresso
machines and Jacuzzis to telescopes and pianos,
cruise line suites offer a variety of above-andbeyond amenities for guests.
• High-End Décor and Designs – Suites have been
designed with top-of-the-line finishes and details
ranging from designer linens and décor to marble
and mahogany furnishings.
• Personal Butlers and Suite Stewards – Guests in a
suite are often welcomed with personal butlers and
suite stewards. This level of service offers guests
valet service needs and help to assist with any
special requests.
• Complimentary Beverage Services – Booking a
suite on some cruise lines opens the door to the
mini bar. Some suite packages offer unlimited
beverages and even include the mini bar.
The latest Cruise tv video features everything your
client's will need to know about booking a suite. To
watch this month's full video, and to see other CLIA
Cruise tv episodes, click here.
You can share the videos on social media, or link to
them on your website using an embed code. To
request one, simply email [email protected].
Each CLIA Cruise tv video covers topics that your
prospects and clients might have questions about or
would like to learn more about. We encourage you to
use CLIA Cruise tv videos to help you educate clients
on their different cruising options
2
NEWS YOU CAN USE
TAKE NOTICE OF A NEW MARKET
The LGBTQ travel market is approximately six to
eight percent of total US travel spending and is
continuing to grow, yet it's been a relatively
untapped market for the travel agent community. As
a travel agent, it's important to constantly be on top
of emerging markets when it comes to both
destinations and client basis. Cruise lines have
begun to take notice and have already begun to
evolve their offerings to focus on this rising market.
Here are a few tips for working with clients from the
LGBTQ community:
• Select Destinations that are LGBTQ-Friendly –
It's important to research and educate your clients
on the itineraries and ports that are LGBTQfriendly. LGBTQ-friendly destinations usually
include larger cultural capitals, such as
Barcelona, Venice and Rome which are popular
for their nightlight and fine dining options. And
while the Caribbean remains a popular cruising
destination, Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao are
specifically preferred by LGBTQ travelers.
• Focus on the Luxury Market – Data has shown
that the LGBTQ community has a higher amount
of disposable income; therefor tend to prefer
higher luxury brands and itineraries. This includes
deciding what brand to place your clients on, what
suite options might best fit their needs and even
what dining preferences they might have.
• Research Niche Offers - With well-established
travel companies specifically focusing on LGBTQ
travel, options for the community are growing, and
cruise lines are taking notice. Several CLIA Cruise
Line members have hosted LGBT charters in the
past and often offer LGBTQ events on cruises.
Some of the lines include: Celebrity, Norwegian,
Holland America, Royal Caribbean, Windstar and
Azamara Crusies.
There are various full-ship charter companies that
focus on LGBTQ cruising options, for more
information, we encourage you to look at the UNWTO
report on LGBTQ tourism.
UPCOMING WEBINARS
YOU’RE INVITED TO… UPCOMING WEBINARS
New Partnerships and
Productivity Tools to Drive
Increased Cruise Sales
Thursday, June 30
1:00pm ET
Register Here
CLIA issued several
announcements about new
partnerships we’ve made
and how those partnerships
have resulted in additional
benefits. These exciting new
benefits, linked to your CLIA
EMBARC ID. Join us for an
informative webinar to learn
about these new
partnerships and benefits.
What’s New at AmaWaterways?
Cruise Ship Safety & Security
Thursday, July 14
2:00pm ET
Register Here
Thursday, September 8
1:00pm ET
Register Here
With two brand-new ship christenings,
a CLIA Hall of Fame Lifetime
Achievement Award, and the highest
rated ships in Europe according to the
new Berlitz: River Cruising in Europe
travel guide, AmaWaterways has
plenty to be excited about. Join this
webinar to hear all about the latest
and greatest from the award winning
cruise line, and be among the first to
learn about their new ship inspection
program.
CLIA Public Affairs will host a
webinar series on public affairs
issues impacting the cruise
industry. The information in this
webinar will assist travel agents
when speaking with clients on
public affairs cruise ship safety &
security. Travel agents who
participate will be able to earn credit
after the successful completion of a
quiz.
3
TRAVEL AGENT TIPS
EVA ARMSTRONG, MCC
Owner, Breaking Free Travel
1
4
Please give us a list/tips of your best
practices when it comes to selling cruise
vacations:
Please describe your career as a travel
agent.
Knowing is selling. By going on cruises and
experiencing the different brands, I can better
advise my clients which is the better choice for
them. The webinars, workshops and ship
inspections also add a great deal of information
and resources to share with my clients. My BDM
managers are most helpful in planning the right
itinerary for my client.
I started out in travel by taking the first class in
Travel and Tourism at a local college. I fell in
love with the travel world. I continued my
education and received my T & T certificate. I
then graduated to MCC and CTA certifications. I
have been on a learning quest ever since. I
graduated from working with other agencies to
owning my own home based agency.
I love my BDM networking groups.
5
2
How long have you been a travel agent?
From the start of graduation of Travel and
Tourism in 1996 to now.
3
Name a “highlight” in your career.
Being able to attend workshops and FAM Trips.
Experiencing the destinations that I would love
to send my clients to. The biggest reward for me
is to be able to describe with first-hand
experience, the destination my client will be
experiencing. The clients are very impressed
with my knowledge and expertise planning. My
highlight is having achieved my CLIA Master
Cruise Counselor education
Want to be featured in our Travel Agent
Tips?
Contact Sarah Kennedy at [email protected].
What is your biggest challenge when
selling cruise vacations and how do you
overcome it?
Fear of the deep water, being stuck on a “boat”,
boredom, etc. I generally send or present a DVD
of the experience and explain how safety is the
number one criteria of all cruise lines. I have
some of the same fears and talk about my own
experiences. How I avoid sea sickness by
different remedies and about the new ships and
configurations. It’s a floating hotel and they will
hardly know they are at sea.
6
How has your CLIA membership and/or
professional development helped you in
your career?
By offering up to date classes and sending out
monthly newsletters, I am kept in-the-know
about what's going on in CLIA and, the cruise
industry. And of course, by listing me locally on
the consumer website, I am easily accessible to
future clients looking to book a cruise vacation.
4
EVENT UPDATE
WHAT YOU MISSED: CLIA'S ANNUAL CRUISE360
CONFERENCE IN VANCOUVER
Earlier this month, CLIA hosted more than 1,300
attendees at our annual conference Cruise360 in
beautiful Vancouver, B.C.
The general sessions kicked off on June 2 with a
keynote presentation from CLIA Chairman Adam
Goldstein, President & COO, Royal Caribbean
Cruises Ltd., who delivered a strong and passionate
speech about his "Top 10 Lessons That Will Help
You Grow Your Business." The speech was
followed by a panel featuring top executives from
the world's leading ocean cruise lines.
Two new award categories were added to this year's
Hall of Fame, the first being the Agency Innovator
Award, awarded to a top travel agency that has
demonstrated innovation in their approach to promoting
the benefits and value of cruise travel which was
awarded to Cruises & Tours Unlimited. CLIA also
awarded Christine Brown with the Rising Star Award,
which is awarded to an individual travel agent who has
significantly impacted the travel agent landscape
through contributions to their agency, as well as
demonstrated their commitment to professional
development.
Over the six days, attendees participated in CLIA
Seminars, ranging from social media courses to
virtual ship inspections, and provided travel agents
with the tools they need to both achieve their newly
launched Certified Cruise Counsellor certification
and succeed in the travel industry.
Another highlight of the event was the Hall of Fame
Awards Gala where CLIA recognized two cruise
industry veterans—Rudi Schreiner of
AmaWaterways and Bill Smith of Virtuoso — as
2016 Cruise Industry Hall Of Fame award winners.
The event featured live entertainment from Norwegian
Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International and
Celebrity Cruises. Other keynotes throughout the week
included Edie Rodriguez, President & CEO, Crystal
Cruises and Arnold Donald, President & CEO, Carnival
Corporation & plc.
Thanks to our generous sponsors, Crystal Cruises and
PONANT Yacht Cruises & Expeditions, the recorded
general session livestreams are available here.
Pictures of the event can be found here.
See you in Ft. Lauderdale April 18-24.
5
MEMBERSHIP
CLIA ANNOUNCES NEW MEMBER
BENEFITS
CLIA is pleased to announce the
addition of the following partners to
our Executive Partner program.
These new partners are offering
exclusive benefits for CLIA
Individual Agent Members. CLIA
Members will receive commissions
from each new partner on
purchases made by their clients.
New Executive Partners include:
•
•
•
•
Carey International – The
newest member of the CLIA
Executive Partner Program,
Carey International pays
commission to CLIA Members
in addition to providing
personal travel benefits. Carey
International joins CLIA as a
Diamond Executive Partner.
Hilton Hotels & Resorts – As
the global leader in hospitality
with more than 530 hotels &
resorts across six continents,
and Hilton joins CLIA as a
Gold Executive Partner
member.
Hyatt Hotels Corporation –
Joining CLIA as a Gold
Executive Partner member,
Hyatt Hotels Corporation is a
leading global hospitality
company with a portfolio of 12
premier brands and 652
properties in 53 countries as of
March 31, 2016.
Marriott International – CLIA
recently announced a
partnership with Marriott to
provide qualifying CLIA
Members a variety of benefits,
including commissions on
qualified hotel bookings across
Marriott’s 19 brands. Marriott
joins CLIA as a Gold Executive
Partner member.
• Samsonite – Joining CLIA as a
Diamond Executive Partner
member, Samsonite’s Referral
Program pays commission to
CLIA Travel Agents. CLIA's
Samsonite Referral Program is
not only a value-add for CLIA’s
Travel Agent customers, but an
additional revenue opportunity
for CLIA Agents as well.
• Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Worldwide – Starwood Hotels &
Resorts Worldwide, Inc., joins
CLIA as a Diamond Executive
Partner member and is the most
global high-end hotel company
in the world.
• Universal Studios – Universal
Studios has been bringing
unique entertainment
experiences to millions of people
around the world and joins CLIA
as a Gold Executive Partner
member.
• Wyndham Hotels & Resorts –
One of the world's largest
hospitality companies,
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
joins CLIA as a Gold Executive
Partner member. With more than
55 brands, they offer individual
consumers and business-tobusiness customers a suite of
hospitality products and services
through its premier portfolio of
world-renowned brands.
These new benefits align with
CLIA's efforts to continually
enhance its membership offerings
and ensure that all Agent Members
are receiving the best deals in the
industry. For more information on
all the CLIA Member Benefits,
please log into MyCLIA here.
CONGRATULATIONS
JUNE CERTIFICATION
GRADUATES
Dawn Ogden, ACC
Eric McBean, ACC
Heather Butler, ACC
Henrietta Garlock, ACC
Josefina Genao, ACC
Kristi Howard, ACC
Linda Pfeiffer, ACC
Linda Slater, ECC
Melody Pauling, ACC
Michael Bonadonna, MCC
Nicholas Grecco, MCC
Norma Grecco, MCC
Sandra Pentony, ECC
Tracey Robbins, MCC
Vincent Pianalto, ECC
Vivian Bridges, MCC
Tip for Social: Be Visual
Always use an image or video
when posting content on
Facebook or Twitter. Visual
content is proven to be the
most engaging content. It is
one little thing that can make
a significant difference in your
reach and engagement.
Are you struggling to find
images? Here are three easy
to use sites that offer stock
photography for free:
https://pixabay.com/
http://www.freeimages.com/
http://getrefe.tumblr.com/
For more tips and resources,
please visit here.
6
MEMBERSHIP
2016 CERTIFIED CRUISE COUNSELLOR EVENT FOR IAMS
This fall, Cruiseport Boston will host CLIA’s first Certified Cruise
Counsellor (CCC) Event from September 23-24, 2016.
The Certified Cruise Counsellor Event is a two-day extravaganza
full of live training, live ship inspections, city tours, social events
and more! By registering for the event, you are automatically
enrolled in the Certified Cruise Counsellor (CCC) program and,
upon completing the courses, the ship inspection and associated
online quizzes, you will earn ALL of the education credits needed
to become a Certified Cruise Counsellor. This leaves only the
stateroom booking requirement to receive your certification. So,
join us in the great city of Boston for a weekend of learning,
mingling and fun!
Where: Boston, MA – Venue: TBD
When: Friday, September 23rd & Saturday, September 24th
To register for the event and to learn more about becoming a CCC, please visit here.
WHAT’S NEW AT CLIA
CLIA IS HERE TO HELP ANSWER YOUR CLIENT’S TOUGH
QUESTIONS
Take advantage of special member-only resources aimed at educating about
cruise industry issues and designed to give you with the knowledge and
information to answer customer questions. The industry has a great story to
tell regarding its environmental protection efforts, safety, security and public
health practices, and we are grateful that you, our travel agent members, help
share the facts.
CLIA has added resources to our Membership Resource Center to help you
address client questions on a variety of topics concerning cruising. Please be
sure to take advantage of these resources!
CLIA'S TRAVEL & CRUISE MAGAZINE
RELEASED!
This month, CLIA released its first issue of the global Travel &
Cruise magazine, in partnership with the Florida-Caribbean Cruise
Association (FCCA). Travel & Cruise gives insight into the innerworkings and happenings of the industry with exclusive content from
cruise line executives and prominent experts.
Click here to read the online version of this quarter’s issue.
7
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
AmaWaterways
Disney Cruise Line
AmaWaterways welcomed two brand new ships
to the line's fleet earlier this month, AmaViola
and AmaStella, during a christening ceremony
held in Vilshofen, Germany. The two new ships
were christened by prominent members of the
travel agent community, including Nexion
President Jackie Friedman as AmaViola's
godmother and Carole Smethurst, who owns a
top Virtuoso agency in Perth, Australia, as
AmaStella's godmother. AmaViola, which has
been sailing for AmaWaterways since April will
continue offering week long sailing along the
Danube, some partnered with Adventures by
Disney. AmaStella, following a charter, will begin
sailing the Danube in late September.
Disney Cruise Line has announced the Disney
Wonder will undergo a six week drydock in
Cadiz, Spain, adding a number of new
experiences for guests while refreshing many
current guest favorites. New additions to the
Disney Wonder will include the Marvel Super
Hero Academy, an interactive experience for
kids in the Oceaneer Club; Tiana’s Place
Restaurant, a southern style restaurant serving
up comfort food and jazz; and a new authentic
English pub located in the new After Hours adult
district. Following her renovation, Disney
Wonder will debut her new and refreshed
experiences on sailings from Galveston Texas to
the Caribbean.
Royal Caribbean
Silversea
Royal Caribbean has announced a $61 million
renovation program for Adventure of the Seas,
the most expensive renovation program of any
Royal Caribbean ship to date. The extensive
renovation, which is set to begin later this year,
will bring a number of new venues and options
to Adventure of the Seas. New waterslides, a
FlowRider, and children's waterpark will top off
the upper decks while new restaurants such as
Izumi Japanese Cuisine offers a new option for
diners. In addition, the line will add 100 new
staterooms to the ship, while refreshing every
current stateroom. The "new" ship will debut on
southern Caribbean sailings from San Juan
beginning in
November.
Beginning in March 2017, Silversea will begin
sailing two brand new itineraries throughout the
Galápagos Islands. The new, alternating
itineraries, approved by the Galápagos National
Park Service, will depart each week from San
Cristóbal aboard Silversea's 100 passenger
Silver Explorer. The new itineraries offer a
number of new ports of calls and sights as the
ship sails through the islands, including Las
Bachas Beach, where guests can spot flamingos
and turtles, and a circumnavigation of Kicker
Rock and Daphne Major, both major sites for
breathtaking views of exotic birds.
8
MEMBER NEWS
American Cruise Lines
American Cruise Lines' America Riverboat Christened in Louisiana
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Valor Inaugurates Port Canaveral’s Newly Renovated Terminal 5
Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Cruises Names New Expedition Cruise Ships: Xperience & Xploration
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines reveals new ‘South Africa Fly-Cruise’ adventure in January 2018
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Jewel Set to Call Australia Home in Fall 2017
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Back By Popular Demand: 2018 World Cruise On Seven Seas Navigator
Royal Caribbean International
Royal Caribbean’s Empress Of The Seas Arrives Home To Miami
Seabourn
First Steel Cut For Seabourn's Newest Ultra-Luxury Vessel, Seabourn Ovation, Due For Delivery In Spring
2018
Thomson Cruises
Thomson Launches TUI Discovery
Windstar Cruises
Windstar Cruises Announces New ‘Star Promise’ Initiative
Cruising.org
CruiseForward.org
CLIAGlobal
@CLIAGlobal