Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is inviting travel agents to join a series of virtual seminars showcasing new ships due to set sail as the industry begins to restart after Covid-19.
The first of five free Clia Introduces webinars this spring will take place on Thursday, hosted by MSC Cruises and Ponant.
At each session, two cruise line representatives will host an hour-long session giving agents “insider information, as well as selling hints and tips”.
Each of the following five sessions begin at 9:30am:
- March 25: MSC Cruises and Ponant
- May 13: Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America Line
- May 27: Scenic Cruises and Avalon Waterways
- June 3: Royal Caribbean and P&O Cruises
- June 10: AmaWaterways and another line that is yet to be confirmed.
In addition to the webinars, Clia is reintroducing the virtual ship tours it introduced last year, which give agents expert onboard insight, in response to demand from the trade.
The free hour-long sessions are due to launch on April 8, 2021. They will also be held on Thursdays at 9.30am, over four weeks in April and May.
Four cruise line representatives per session will give the lowdown on ships that are either a firm favourite with UK passengers or largely based overseas. The line-up is:
- April 8: Carnival Cruise Line, AmaWaterways, Fred Olsen Cruise Line and APT
- April 15: Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line, Marella Cruises and Seabourn
- April 29: A-Rosa, Oceania Cruises, Princess Cruises and Nicko
- May 6: Amadeus, MSC Cruises, Silversea and Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection
Attendance at the virtual ship tours counts as credit towards Clia Level 2 (Ambassador) certification, in place of in-person ship visits. Each session counts as one ship visit, so attendance at three will meet the requirements of Ambassador-level certification.
Andy Harmer, Clia UK & Ireland director, said: “We are delighted to announce these sessions following a fantastic response from the trade to the virtual sessions we introduced last year. With cruise now firmly on the travel agent agenda, and all of us looking forward to its phased return, now is the perfect time to learn more about the amazing ships that will begin taking to the water soon.”
Register here.