Clia Cruise Excellence Awards finalists revealed

The 2019 Clia UK & Ireland Cruise Excellence Awards finalists are revealed today ahead of a prize-giving ceremony in December.

The awards will be handed out during the annual Clia Forum to be held in the Cotswolds on December 18.

The ceremony recognises the many travel agents dedicated to helping the UK and Irish cruise market grow, which last year saw more than two million cruises taken for the first time.

The UK and Ireland cruise industry hit a record 2,009,000 cruises in 2018, surpassing the two million mark a year earlier than predicted and up two per cent from 2017.

Clia will announce the Travel Agency of the Year and the winner of the Outstanding Contribution Award during the ceremony.

The awards will be handed out by Clia UK & Ireland director Andy Harmer and Travel Weekly editor-in-chief Lucy Huxley.

Harmer said: “The annual Cruise Excellence Awards celebrates the hard work and dedication travel agents put in every day to ensure the continued growth of the UK and Irish cruise industry.

“The awards recognise the individuals and businesses who are committed to making significant contributions to the industry, from staying up to date with the latest trends, to finding ways to reach a new-to-cruise audience whilst also ensuring their repeat customers have cruise holidays of a lifetime.”

The Cruise Excellence Awards 2019 finalists are:

Rising Star Award Moresand T/A Paramount Cruises Delmar World Polka Dot Travel Cruise2 Now Lets Travel John Galligan Travel

Innovation Awards TTNG Cruise Club Hays Travel Fusion Cruise Fahy Travel

Online Travel Agency of the Year Iglu.com Six Star Cruises Cruise Village Cruise.co.uk Cruise 1st Love it Book it Cruise118

High Street Travel Agency of the Year Tailormade Travel Miles Morgan Travel Hays Travel Trailfinders Polka Dot Travel Kuoni Althams Travel Dawson and Sanderson Barrhead Travel

Cruise Advocate of the Year Jonathon Woodall, Hays Travel Paul Hardwick, Fred. Olsen Travel Bethanie Hulett, Iglu.com Lisa Henning, The Travel Network Group Mark Henderson, Travel2 Mairead Keegan, Click&Go

Travel Agent Manager of the Year Mandy Shillito, Miles Morgan Travel Lindsay Haslehurst, World Travel Holdings Trevor Ridler, Baldwins Travel Mary McKenna, Cruise Holidays Paul Hackett, Click&Go Sharon Fox, Barrhead Travel