CruiseWorld slates sessions, from training to TW Talks

Travel Weekly’s CruiseWorld will offer attendees a selection of more than 30 breakout sessions as part of the three-day conference, Nov. 15 through 17.

Attendees will be able to earn 25 CLIA credits; get Special Needs Group certification, Hawaii Specialist certification, Travel Institute training; and gain hands-on workshop training from nearly a dozen suppliers, including VAX Vacation Access, CCRA, Holland America Line, Carnival Cruise Line, Anchorage and Avalon Waterways. 

Travel adviser peers will lead a dozen different training sessions on Friday with wide ranging topics designed to satisfy a diverse audience of agents who are new to the industry, developing travel sellers and established business owners. Topics include marketing and sales strategies, social media, demographic markets, growth market opportunities and business boosters for every level of travel agency owner or independent agent.

“We carefully curated a program designed to address multiple business needs and satisfy the learning desires of our dynamic audience,” said Alicia Evanko-Lewis, senior vice president of events for the Northstar Travel Group, which operates Travel Weekly and CruiseWorld. “Our peer session leaders are proven successes in their own right and want to give back to the industry and help their peers and the overall industry to elevate and grow.”

A hallmark of the CruiseWorld general session includes one-on-one interviews by Travel Weekly’s Arnie Weissmann of the cruise industry’s leading CEOs. Weissmann will be joined by Frank Del Rio, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, On Nov. 15; Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. CEO Richard Fain on Nov. 16; and Arnold Donald, CEO of Carnival Corp. on Nov. 17.

This year’s CruiseWorld will kick off with a lively and entertaining Mastermind session, including eight of the top cruise industry sales and marketing executives. Confirmed speakers include Chris Austin, senior vice president of global marketing and sales for Seabourn Cruise Line; John Chernesky, vice president of North America sales for Princess Cruises and Cunard Line; Vicki Free, senior vice president of trade support and service for Royal Caribbean International; Eva Jenner, vice president of sales for Holland America Line and Seabourn Cruise Line; Joe Jiffo, senior vice president of sales for MSC Cruises; Camille Olivere, senior vice president of sales for Norwegian Cruise Line; Adolfo Perez, vice president of trade and sale marketing for Carnival Cruise Line; and Dondra Ritzenthaler, senior vice president of sales, trade support and service for Celebrity Cruises.

New to this year’s general session will be a series of TW Talks that will to bring industry leaders to the stage for quick hitting thought-leadership presentations. Leaders include the top executives of travel agency organizations as well as travel agency owners and others.

CruiseWorld is once again offering its Select Travel Advisor Recognition, or STAR program. The core component of STAR is a series of scheduled business meetings between exhibiting suppliers and prequalified travel advisers. Agents admitted to the STAR program will receive complimentary registration and hotel accommodation for two nights. Spots are filling quickly, with more than half already committed.

To view the full program, apply for STAR status or to register to attend, visit www.cruiseworldshow.com

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