CLIA celebrates its night of nights
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Australasia celebrated another massive year of cruising on Saturday.
Records were smashed at the 2014 Cruise Industry Awards at The Star Event Centre in Sydney, with the industry frocking up in their finest for the festivities.
With two new award categories in the mix, an unprecedented 19 award winners were announced across nine categories.
The night saw Western Australia’s Bicton Travel take out the top gong for 2014, Gold Agency of the Year, for the fourth time in five years.
Cruise Express Balmain took out the silver award, while Phil Hoffmann Travel Glenelg won bronze.
Ozcruising received the inaugural Online Agency of the Year award, while MTA’s Wendy Allen became the first mobile agent to be recognised at the industry awards night.
Recently retired journalist Ian McMahon, founder of Travel Bulletin and longtime editor of Travel Weekly, was welcomed into the CLIA Hall of Fame for his long running commitment to the industry as a trade editor.
CLIA Australasia Chairman Gavin Smith said the annual awards night was a chance for the association and its 34 member cruise lines to celebrate the outstanding contribution of local agents.
“As the Australasian industry goes from strength to strength, it’s no surprise that our 14th awards night was our biggest yet,” he said.
“With two new awards recognising the changing landscape of the industry and more than 500 industry members coming together to applaud their peers’ hard work and dedication, it really is the biggest night on the cruise calendar.”
In a moving tribute, Smith recognised former P&O Cruises New Zealand manager and CLIA board advisory member Shannon Currie posthumously for his decade-long contribution to New Zealand cruising.
Close friend and Seabourn NZ GSA Joe O’Sullivan accepted the acknowledgment on behalf of the Currie family, saying he played an instrumental role in the industry.
The sell-out gala event was again hosted by Channel 7 sportscaster and host of AFL Game Day Hamish McLachlan and Winners & Losers actress Melanie Vallejo.
An after party sponsored by TravelTek saw celebrations cruise well into the night.
Check out the full list of winners below, complete with some hot snaps of the cruising stars.
Cruise Agency of the Year – Australia
Gold: Bicton Travel, Perth WA
Silver: Cruise Express, Balmain NSW
Bronze: Phil Hoffmann Travel, Glenelg SA
Cruise Agency of the Year – New Zealand
Gold: Pukekohe Travel, Auckland
Silver: Cruiseabout Howick, Auckland
Bronze: Business World Travel, Wellington
Online Agency of the Year – Australia
Ozcruising
Online Agency of the Year – New Zealand
iCruise
Home Based/Mobile Agent of the Year – Australia
Wendy Allen, MTA – Mobile Travel Agent
Broker of the Year – New Zealand
Andrew Lennox, Flight Centre Travel Broker
Cruise Consultant of the Year – Australia
Martine Hero, Clean Cruising QLD
Cruise Consultant of the Year – New Zealand
Mark Smith, Lets Cruise
Rising Star Award – Australia
Ashleigh Fountain, Ozcruising ACT
Rising Star Award – New Zealand
Victoria Sherry, Cruiseabout Ponsonby
Agency Promotion of the Year – Australia
Holiday & Cruise Centre, Ballarat VIC – “Brand the Bus Campaign”
Agency Promotion of the Year – New Zealand
House of Travel Nelson – “The Biggest Cruise Event of 2014”
Network Promotion of the Year – Australasia
United Travel (New Zealand) – “Cruise Insider Magazine”
Media Award
Angie Kelly, Sun Herald Traveller – “The Sea Day Diaries”
CLIA Hall of Fame
Ian McMahon
Special Recognition for Services to the New Zealand Cruise Industry
Shannon Currie
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
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I would imagine all these agents were pleased when http://www.bestcruises.com.au were closed. They won the number 1 spot twice and in the top 3, i think approximately 5 times. They were the best cruise staff in Australia. Well done Rob Gurney, Elizabeth Gaines and all the exec team at Jetset/Helloworld for closing it down, $25 million turnover profitable company, pioneers in the cruise industry. I now work for another cruise agent, and the cruise agents were all pleased when it was closed. Biggest fail in travel industry.