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Registration For Cruise3Sixty 2009 Is Now Open |
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With Early Sell-Out in 2008, CLIA Encourages Agents to Sign Up Early |
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) today opened general registration for travel agents to attend cruise3sixty in Fort Lauderdale, April 2 - 5, 2009. A record 2,200 travel professionals met in Fort Lauderdale March 7 - 9 this year for CLIA's fourth annual cruise3sixty conference and officials fully expect next year's show to sell out well in advance.
'This year's cruise3sixty broke all records and we're looking forward to 2009 to do the same,' said Terry L. Dale, CLIA's president and CEO. 'We're excited to see that cruise3sixty has become one of the premier events in the travel industry and judging from this year's phenomenal demand, the hottest ticket in town.'
A pre-registration period opened on March 10 for agents that attended this year's cruise3sixty conference as well as interested agents who signed up on the cruise3sixty Web site. 'Nearly 400 travel professional have completed their registration for 2009 in the past three short weeks, so we urge everyone to register as soon as possible to secure their spot for cruise3sixty 2009,' added Dale.
Dale noted a number of advantages to registering early for cruise3sixty, including a special 'early bird' rate and first choice for high-demand ship inspections and seminars. Equally important, cruise3sixty participants have access to outstanding educational opportunities.
Early bird registration rates are available now for registrants, with an additional discount available for those using their American Express cards. Graduates of CLIA's certification programs may register for $99, CLIA member travel agencies pay $139, and non-CLIA members may register for $169. Registration fees are $10 less in each category ($89, $129, and $159, respectively) if booked with an American Express credit card. Registration includes admittance to the trade show, general sessions, ship inspections, educational programming, receptions and all meal functions.
Agents attending cruise3sixty in Fort Lauderdale last month had plenty of accolades for the show. 'cruise3sixty offers more in one weekend than any other travel conference out there,' commented Barbara Rice with CruiseOne Inc. in Fort Lauderdale. Ruby Cade of RCADE Travels in Conyers, Ga. described cruise3sixty as a 'one-stop travel industry event bringing together education, networking and business alliances.'
Whether agents had been in the business for 20 years or two months, they found cruise3sixty to be a valuable resource in building their business. Barry Fisher of SeaMaster Cruises in Minnetonka, Minn. said, 'As a new agent, I learned the potential for future business.'
CLIA's Travel Agent Advisory Board members also believe in the opportunities for agents at CLIA's cruise3sixty conferences. Speaking on this year's educational sessions, Michelle Fee, of Cruise Planners in Coral Springs, Fla. said, 'CLIA's cruise3sixty training is one of the most professional seminars in the industry. At Cruise Planners we stress the importance of understanding the travel industry and the significance of good training. cruise3sixty certainly helps our agents gain the knowledge that's needed to run a successful business.'
Sherry Kennedy, owner of Vacation Shoppe, Inc. in Satellite Beach, Fla., emphasized the value of cruise3sixty's trade show and its participating vendors and cruise lines. 'The variety of destination vendors has increased over the years and it is tremendously helpful to speak with them and gather maps, property guides and tour options. For 2009 I look forward to the new ships available for inspections, more destination specialist classes and, of course, the fabulous Cruise Industry Hall of Fame Gala.'
For more information on CLIA's 2009 cruise3sixty, visit www.cruising.org or www.cruise3sixty.com. Vancouver, British Columbia, will be host to the 2010 conference.
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