WHEN BOOKING A CRUISE, WHO YOU GONNA CALL?
A CLIA-AFFILIATED TRAVEL AGENCY, OF COURSE!
Because the cruise industry is more sophisticated and varied than ever, it is incumbent upon travelers to look to the experts when choosing a cruise that will perfectly suit their needs: a travel agent who has been trained to distinguish the finer nuances between each line and ship in today?s cruise marketplace.
Travelers planning a seagoing vacation should seek the advice of the professionals at the more than 16,300 travel agencies affiliated with Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). These agents not only represent the most experienced and highly trained professionals in leisure travel today, but they are also on the inside track of the newest cruise industry information, itineraries and special offers.
?Booking a cruise is not like booking an airline seat ? a cruise vacation is not a commodity,? said Terry Dale, president and CEO of CLIA. ?CLIA-affiliated travel agencies play a crucial role by explaining all of the features, attributes and choices available on a cruise for first-timers.?
CLIA agents also provide detailed information and premium services for experienced cruisers. Cruise vacations enjoy among the highest satisfaction ratings of any vacation, in part because of CLIA-member travel agents. ?Because each cruise line and ship is unique, CLIA-trained agents are best prepared to identify the cruise line and ship that will perfectly match their clients? specific vacation needs,? Dale said.
The numbers speak for themselves: Today, there are more than 150 ships sailing in the fleets of CLIA?s 19 member lines, and a staggering 62 of those ships have been introduced to the North American market since 2000. In 2004 alone, CLIA member lines introduced 10 new ships and travel agents made approximately 90 percent of all cruise sales. Through ship inspections and seminar-at-sea programs, CLIA agents receive hands-on training aboard some of today?s newest ships. And, only CLIA-affiliated travel agencies are eligible to achieve three exclusive levels of certification. Accredited (ACC) and Master (MCC) Cruise Counsellor credits are earned through a combination of training seminars, cruise experience, attendance at CLIA co-sponsored and -endorsed conferences, ship visits, participation in the CLIA Institute, and more. The association?s newest level of certification, Elite Cruise Counsellor (ECC), further ups the ante on training, demanding an even higher level of course and program work. Jeff Gordon, MCC, and president of The Gordon Group in Davie, Fla. is in the process of obtaining his Elite designation. ?I take the CLIA training very seriously,? he said. ?Very simply, anybody who takes enough time and energy to complete the courses is someone who cares enough about being the best that they can be ? and presents themselves to their client as the very best.?
Gordon tells travelers that cruise-selling agents need to be certified similarly to professionals in other professions. ?If you look for an accountant, wouldn?t you choose someone who took the time to become a CPA?? he asks clients. ?I tell travelers that, just like a lawyer or a CPA, I went through certain schooling for my CLIA designations.?
Monika Dysart, MCC, the Midwest business manager of Plantation, Fla.-based Sixth Star Travel, has been affiliated with CLIA for 18 years. ?You always have to keep updating your knowledge,? said Dysart, who is based in St. Louis. ?You really need to know your stuff with ACC and MCC designations. CLIA-affiliated agencies care about, and are committed to, the industry they?re in. The CLIA training has given me the confidence to clearly qualify my clients and get them on the right ships.?
Susan Reder, president of Woodland Hills, Calif.-based Altour Classic Cruise and Travel, who was just named to CLIA?s first ever 25-member Travel Agent Advisory Board (TAAB), believes a travel agency?s affiliation with CLIA provides travelers with ?an extra guarantee. It simply gives clients that added confidence that they?re not dealing with a fly-by-night company.?
Fellow TAAB Board Member Evan Eggers, president and co-founder of 02Cruise.com in Londonderry, N.H., said all his agents are required to earn ACC and MCC designations. ?When you?re looking for someone you know is a cruise expert you look for a CLIA agency. ?Cruise expert? is synonymous with CLIA,? he said, adding that only CLIA agents are able to distinguish the discerning differences between ships and lines. ?While one cruise ship keeps you burning the midnight oil with non-stop fun and another rejuvenates you with blissful serenity, most ships offer some of both,? he said. ?Travelers have to rely on cruise experts ? CLIA agents ? to help them discover the cruise that perfectly fits their vacation personality.?
