CLIA kicks off summer cruise season with new magazine

Sydney, Australia - November 28, 2013: Celebrity Solstice, one of Australia's highest rated luxury superliners sails into Sydney Harbour Circular Quay at sunrise. Focus to ship

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) celebrated the start of a packed Aussie cruise season last night with the launch of New Wave, a magazine highlighting the industry’s commitment to sustainability.

The biggest names in the Australian cruise industry packed out Hacienda in Sydney last night and toasted to a blockbuster season with new vessels, extended visits and more than 60 ships.

Four CLIA cruise lines will introduce first-time arrivals this year, joining regular visitors, home-ported vessels and one new cruise brand making its debut in Australian waters.

“This summer will undoubtedly be one of the busiest and most diverse cruise seasons we’ve ever experienced in Australia,” said CLIA’s Australasia managing director Joel Katz.

“The choice in cruise lines and ships is broader than ever and the range of itineraries offered this year will ensure the economic benefits of cruise tourism are spread far around the country and throughout our region,” he said.

“This will be backed by significant infrastructure improvements in regional ports like Broome, Cairns and Eden, making them more attractive to both cruise lines and passengers well into the future.”

New to Australia this year is Dream Cruises which will operate its Explorer Dream in local waters for the first time. Sailing from Sydney, the ship will offer a series of Queensland coastal itineraries before crossing the Tasman for a season of New Zealand cruises from Auckland. It will then return to Sydney for a series of Tasmania cruises before returning to Asia via Cairns and Darwin.

Katz also announced a new consumer-focused publication that will be released by CLIA as part of its annual cruise month campaign.

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Called New Wave, the glossy magazine details some of the technological advances and personal stories stemming from the cruise industry’s environmental and community development initiatives.

“Worldwide, cruise lines are embarking on projects that aim to create lasting benefits for communities in the destinations they visit,” said Katz.

“They’re also working to minimise their impact on the environment, investing billions of dollars in measures to reduce emissions and protect the waters on which they sail.”

The magazine is available now and has been produced in partnership with Big Splash Media, publisher of Cruise Passenger. It outlines initiatives including the cruise industry’s commitment to a 40 per cent reduction in carbon emissions across the world fleet by 2030, and the US$22 billion being invested in ships with new energy-efficient technology and cleaner fuels.

Also featured are community initiatives including projects focused on reducing infant mortality rates in Papua New Guinea, boosting hurricane recovery efforts in the Caribbean, supporting local tourism businesses in Vanuatu and wildlife conservation measures worldwide.

New Wave will be included in the upcoming summer edition of Cruise Passenger magazine and can also be viewed or downloaded via the CLIA Australasia home page, www.cruising.org.au.

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