Which agents are the cream of the cruise crop?
The countdown is on to the Cruise Lines International Association Australasia annual awards gala dinner, with the release of the agents from across Australia and New Zealand who are in the running to win.
The winners across the nine categories will be announced at the event at the Star Event Centre in Sydney on February 20.
CLIA Australasia commercial director Brett Jardine said “scores” of entries had been received, reflecting the growing interest in cruising throughout the region.
“It’s wonderful to see the competition for these awards increase year-on-year as the local cruise industry continues to expand. More and more agents are now selling cruise and are very keen to win industry acknowledgement for their achievements,” he said.
Guests at this year’s award will also be treated to a performance by “one of Australia’s leading singers”, thanks to joint sponsorship from gold supporters Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and World’s Leading Cruise Lines, CLIA revealed.
Emirates and Dubai Tourism are platinum sponsors of the evening, which will see Channel 7 sportscaster and host of AFL Game Day Hamish McLachlan return as MC for the third consecutive year.
Check out the finalists below:
Cruise Agency of the Year – Australia
Bicton Travel WA
Cruise Travel Centre NSW
Cruiseabout Kew VIC
King William Travel SA
Travelrite International VIC
Cruise Agency of the Year – New Zealand
Bon Voyage Cruises
House of Travel Orewa
Midday Travel
Pukekohe Travel
United Travel Bethlehem
Online Agency of the Year – Australia
Clean Cruising
ecruising
Ozcruising
Online Agency of the Year – New Zealand
Cruise Republic
iCruise
Lets Cruise
Home Based / Mobile Agent of the Year – Australia
Maxine Adams, MTA – Mobile Travel Agent
Caroline Ferguson, MTA – Mobile Travel Agent
Tracey Flower, MTA – Mobile Travel Agent
Broker of the Year – New Zealand
Nicola Sorensen, NZ Travel Brokers
Denise Fowler, The Travel Brokers
Andrew Lennox, Flight Centre Travel Broker
Cruise Consultant of the Year – Australia
Gary McCabe, Ozcruising
Alison di Paulo, Claremont Cruise & Travel
Kara Lane, Ecruising
Kathy Pavlidis, Cruisabout Kew
Cruise Consultant of the Year – New Zealand
Jill Gothard, Bon Voyage Cruises
Kylie Gutierrez, Cruiseabout Pukekohe
Helen Mahoney, Lets Cruise
Dennis Payne House of Travel Orewa
Rising Star Award – Australia
Emma Dunn, Ozcruising
Emma Giola, Phil Hoffmann Travel Glenelg
Breeana Perez, Clean Cruising
Rising Star Award – New Zealand
Tori Maxwell, Harvey World Travel Miramar
Amy McMillan, Cruise Republic
Rosie Scates, Cruiseabout Takapuna
Agency Promotion of the Year – Australia
Cruise Republic, “CLIA Cruise Week Sale”
My Travel Expert Nowra, “Girls Day Out”
Nexus Holidays, “Quantum of the Seas Promotion”
Agency Promotion of the Year – New Zealand
House of Travel “Grabacruise”, “Art Deco Weekend”
House of Travel Whangarei, “Melbourne for Northlanders Tour”
World Travellers New Plymouth, “Windstar & APT Campaign”
Network Promotion of the Year – Australasia
Hunter Travel Group, “Newcastle’s Cruise Sale Day”
Phil Hoffmann Travel, “Cruise Expo”
Travel by RACT, “Tasmania’s Cruise Sale Day”
Media Award
Mal Chenu, “Raid the Pantry”, Fairfax Traveller – Sun-Herald
Brian Johnston, “Mekong River Cruise: A Grand Adventure”, Fairfax Traveller – SMH/Age
Sue Wallace, “Vikings Were Here”, The Australian
Hall of Fame
To be announced on the night.
Image credit: iStock
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are you kidding ? An awards night for cruise customers.
Can’t think of anything our VIP clients would want to do less.
….i know it’s an agent awards but they should also recognise cruise customers who spent the most money in a single year.. it will be nice to invite them to the awards night… the publicity it will create will encourage return customers to book more cruises as it will make them feel important getting an award… just a thought you know..