CRUISE VACATION EXPERTS CAN BE FOUND AT
YOUR LOCAL CLIA MEMBER TRAVEL AGENCY

Because there is a world of choices available in the cruise industry, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) focuses on developing the experts to help consumers find the cruise vacation that is the best match for them.

Nearly 16,000 travel agencies are members of CLIA, the non-profit marketing association representing the North American cruise industry, and have access to the association’s extensive ongoing education and certification program, including personal cruise ship inspections and actual cruising experience. They are familiar with more information than ever before, including the 21 CLIA member cruise lines, the CLIA fleet of nearly 150 ships, the more than 1,800 worldwide destinations visited by cruise ships and the ever-expanding list of amenities available to travelers.

“We continue to develop and expand programs that provide travel agents with more information and more insight which they, in turn, can pass on to the consumer,” says Bob Sharak, CLIA’s executive director. “We are developing cruise vacation experts and, with the speed at which the cruise industry changes, we want to make certain they continue to be the ultimate source when it comes to cruise vacations.”

Travel agent knowledge of cruise products is enhanced by CLIA’s ongoing Cruise Counsellor Certification program. This extensive training program is designed to keep agents aware of both the latest sales techniques and the most up-to-date product information. Through the combination of training courses (available across the country and via the Internet or video) and personal cruise inspections and cruise experience, agents earn certification as Accredited Cruise Counsellors (ACCs) and Master Cruise Counsellors (MCCs) and are recognized as the experts in cruise selling.

In 2004, CLIA is expanding its training programs to create a new top level of cruise experts – Elite Cruise Counsellors (ECCs), which encourages agents to continue their sales and cruise product training and stay up-to-date on the latest in the industry.

CLIA is also recognizing the important and growing base of outside agents, independent contractors and home-based agents with the creation of a new travel agent associate category in 2004. This category will enable all agents affiliated with CLIA-member agencies to receive key communication, training, marketing and sales resources from CLIA and its member lines.

“This segment of cruise sellers has seen significant growth in recent years and CLIA wants to ensure that this important group has access to current CLIA and cruise industry information to help them be more successful,” says Sharak.

For more information about CLIA and cruises, visit CLIA’s website, www.cruising.org, then visit a cruise expert at a CLIA member travel agency. To find a nearby member agency staffed with ACCs, MCCs and ECCs, click on “Find a Cruise Travel Agent” on CLIA’s website.