Which agents are the cream of the cruise crop?

Smiling young woman enjoying her day on a ship and looking at view.

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

Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

    Latest comments
    1. ….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..

agents clia cruise

Latest News

  • Destinations
  • News

APT Launches 2025 Asia Adventures

APT has launched its Asia Adventures for 2025, including new luxury holidays in India, Sri Lanka and Japan. Five new tours lead guests to the highlights of India, including a seven-night cruise along the rarely travelled Lower Ganges aboard the Ganges Voyager. Further south, Sri Lanka’s greatest destinations are revealed on a new 15-day Land […]

  • Cruise
  • Luxury
  • News

Seabourn announces Western Kimberley Traditional Owners as Godparents of Seabourn Pursuit

Seabourn has named Western Kimberley Traditional Owners, the Wunambal Gaambera, as Godparents of the ultra-luxury purpose-built Seabourn Pursuit. It is the first cruise line to appoint Traditional Owners as godparents of a ship. Seabourn Pursuit embarks on its inaugural season in the Kimberley region this June. The naming ceremony will take place on Seabourn Pursuit’s […]

  • Luxury

Malolo Island Resort opens brand new Spa

Fiji’s Malolo Island has added another string to its bow – opening its $1.3 million day spa on Thursday, 18th April 2024. (Lead Image: matriarch Rosie Whitton with spa staff) Located at the edge of the resort’s luscious patch of tropical rainforest, the new “Leilani’s Spa” adds another level of elevated experiences to Malolo’s already […]