TravelManagers’ Great Cruise Debate leaves crowd in stitches

TravelManagers’ Great Cruise Debate leaves crowd in stitches

Capping the first day of TravelManagers’ 2022 conference was the great debate of the cruise industry: river vs. ocean, which one takes the cake?

The debate was moderated by the executive general manager of TravelManagers Michael Galaz, who hosted the director of sales at Norwegian Cruise Line ANZ Damian Borg, and the head of sales at Globus Peter Douglas.

The two marched up the aisles of the conference to triumphant music in comical sailor outfits, ready to take the stage. Once greeted by Galaz, Borg and Douglas exchanged banter to the crowd’s uproarious laughter and applause. A combination of phallic innuendos, gentle ribbing and even a brief mention of “it’s not the size of the ship, but how you use it” had the audience’s attention instantly.

The pair discussed passenger experience, what their respective cruises had on offer and why their forms of cruising provided a superior holiday.

The Great Cruise Debate underway | Instagram/travelweeklyau

Borg touched on NCL’s recently completed Norwegian Prima which ventured to Iceland and featured Katy Perry as the godmother of the ship, while Douglas discussed Globus’ array of upcoming and recently completed river cruises through Avalon Waterways.

There was even some audience participation with everyone being asked to stand up if they had gone on either an ocean or river cruise in their life, with the vast majority of the audience standing. Then the audience was asked who had been on both an ocean and river cruise, with about two-thirds remaining standing.

The audience was then asked who had been on both types of cruises in the past week, leaving one man standing, CEO of House Of Travel Joe Araullo.

The debate was concluded with Araullo discussing his cruising experiences and joining in on the banter with fellow debaters.

Latest News

  • Aviation

Low-cost Indian carrier SpiceJet continues to burn cash

It’s not just low-cost Australian carriers that are facing hardship. SpiceJet, India’s version of Bonza, recently announced a 72 per cent reduction in its net loss versus last year. But, despite this improvement, the airline has posted losses for six straight years. But it has secured board approval to raise up to INR 30 billion […]

  • Attractions

SAKA Museum recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places 2024

AYANA Resort Bali’s newly-opened cultural and events centre, SAKA Museum has been recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places list for 2024. Part of AYANA Bali’s resort destination, the museum integrates Bali’s rich history with state-of-the-art facilities, making it the centrepiece for the island’s spiritual and cultural heritage. TIME magazine’s inclusion of SAKA Museum in […]

  • Cruise

Silversea taps Barbara Biffi as senior vice president for global sales

Ultra-luxury and expedition cruise travel brand, Silverseas, has announced Barbara Biffi as its new senior vice president of global sales. Biffi joined the company in 2007, holding numerous positions and gaining a deep understanding of the brand, the preferences of its guests and its strategic goals, the company said. An Italian national with a wealth […]

  • Technology
  • Travel Agents

Amadeus welcomes FCM Travel as new reseller partner of Cytric Easy

Cytric Easy, the travel management tool embedded in Microsoft Teams, is to be integrated into FCM Travel portfolio. Amadeus and FCM Travel have extended their Cytric distribution agreement to include Cytric Easy. With this new agreement, global travel management company FCM Travel, becomes a reseller of the innovative travel management collaboration solution embedded into Microsoft […]