Category Archives: Cruises

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Australasia and Cruise Club Vacations announced their partnership whereby Cruise Club Vacations has been appointed as the first Executive Partner (travel and tourism) for CLIA in Asia. Commenting on the appointment, Tarique Hussain, Director, Cruise Club, said, “By appointing Cruise Club as the first Executive Partner (Travel & Tourism) for CLIA in Asia, the partnership recognises the contribution Cruise Club has made in the Indian industry in training and empowering travel agents to grow their cruise business from India. Our appointment with CLIA further endorses the opportunities in the market and reinforces our focus on training our travel partners in India.” He further elaborated that India is one of the fastest growing source markets for cruise lines and Indian guests are now expanding their horizons from mainstream and popular cruises and moving to exploring luxury, expedition, river and small ship cruising as well. Peter Kollar, Head of International Training & Development, CLIA, added, “CLIA is the world’s largest cruise industry trade association and is dedicated to promoting the cruise travel experience; educate and train its travel agent members and promote and explain the value, desirability and affordability of a cruise holiday. We value the focus on training that Cruise Club brings and through this partnership, Cruise Club will work with us and represent CLIA at regional cruise trainings, along with introducing it to the Indian travel industry.”

Recognising the potential in the Indian outbound cruise market, Global Anchor Cruises has partnered with Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the world’s largest cruise industry trade association, to impart cruise training and offer CLIA’s accreditation programme to Indian agents. Ian Banerjee, Partner Global Anchor Cruises, says, “I am happy that we are associated with CLIA to impart its world-class cruise training and accreditation programme to Indian agents and ensure that they are well equipped to meet the arising demand for cruise products and sales knowledge. Global Anchor Cruises will now promote the CLIA membership to all current and new travel partners. As a member of CLIA Asia agents become an active partner in a global organisation representing the fastest growing segment of the travel industry.” CLIA Asia’s Managing Director, Joel Katz, says, “India’s cruise market is the youngest in the world with an average passenger age of 37, and continues to grow with more passengers now coming from tier-two and even tier-three cities. Global Anchor Cruises understands, as we do, that a well-educated cruise travel agent is paramount to the growth of cruise in the region, and together we are dedicated to ensuring that this education is available to all agents across the Indian landscape.” CLIA recently entered the Indian market, providing travel agent members in India who join CLIA access to an extensive range of cruise industry training at no further costs outside the annual membership fee. A membership in CLIA will allow agents exclusive access to the CLIA Accreditation Program, the industry benchmark for consultants wishing to specialize in the cruise sector. It will also extend unlimited usage of the CLIA Learning Academy, including cruise sector training, destination …

The Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with Ministry of Shipping will prepare an action plan for development of cruise tourism in India. MOT intends to promote cruise shipping and tourism in a big way and will be an important element of the Incredible India 2.0 campaign. The Netherlands-based consultant Bermello Ajmali has prepared a report on cruise tourism in India, which has a low penetration rate in the sector. During the National Workshop on Cruise Tourism conducted by MOT and Ministry of Shipping, Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping, Government of India, said, “The report prepared on cruise tourism by the foreign consultant will be discussed and the action plan will be ready in next 3-4 months. Next year is going to be very good for cruise tourism in India.” At present, India has a very small share in world cruise tourism market, as against 23 million passengers globally in 2016. Various stakeholders from the ministry of tourism, Shipping ministry, Bureau of Immigration, Central industrial Security Force (CISF), department of Revenue (Customs) and policy consultants etc. came together to discuss the nuances of the action plan to be put in place. Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Minister for Tourism, Government of India, said that cruise tourism will be a game changer for tourism sector as it helps in foreign exchange earnings as well as job creation. Rashmi Verma, Secretary-tourism, Government of India, informed that in 2013-14 only 103 cruise ships visited India which increased to 158 in 2016-17 and in 2013-14, 80,645 cruise passengers disembarked in India which grew to 191,725 passengers in 2016-17. She said, “This workshop is a landmark in promotion of cruise tourism in India and …

Mumbai Port will soon be among the three Indian ports in the country that will be able to offer e-visa facilities to international cruise passengers. Revealing this, N.S. Rathor, Chairman, Western Region and Regional Chapter Chairman, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), says, “I was part of the meeting between Sanjay Bhatia, Chairman, Mumbai Port Trust, and the Bureau of Immigration officials who have principally agreed to allow the port to offer e-visa facilities by December 2017. Currently, only Mangalore, Goa and Kochi offer this.” Talks are on to offer this service from Chennai seaport soon. Foreigners will then be able to enter India through five seaports — Mumbai, Kochi, Chennai, Goa and Mangalore — with electronic visa (e-visa), in addition of 16 airports where the facility is available.

Ark Travels recently organised a training workshop for travels agents in Mumbai. The event was organised in collaboration with United Travel Agents (UTA) and witnessed the participation of over 100 travel agents. Agents were informed about the products and services offered by Ark Travels, which included a presentation on Star Cruises, Dream Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Regent Seven Seas, Oceania Cruises and Club Med, a French resort vacation company. The training workshop is part of Ark Travels’ strategy to connect with their network of agents. The event was organised keeping in mind the current trends and demand for cruise vacations. The highlight of the event was the announcement about Singapore Airlines as the official airline partner for the second edition of ‘The Big Bang Nautical Fiesta’. Kishan Biyani, Managing Director, Ark Travels Pvt Ltd. said, “Today training workshop has become immensely important as industry is witnessing tremendous demand and supply gap. Travel agents are aware about cruise tourism as a segment, but are unable to encash on such a booming travel niche. We intend to start our pan-India training workshop from June 15, 2017.”

About 50 travel agents gathered at Mumbai’s Ballard Pier to get onboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s luxury cruise ship called Seven Seas Voyager that made its way from Bangkok into the Indian Ocean and onwards to Rome. The agents were from Mumbai as well as other cities like New Delhi, Gujarat and even Bengaluru. They did a ship inspection followed by a sit-down lunch at one of the ship’s fine-dining restaurants while interacting with Steve Odell, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. Promoted as the most luxurious ship ever built, Regent Seven Seas was docked in Mumbai for two days and had 99 per cent occupancy.

Celebrity Cruises is eyeing the Indian cruise market for its newly introduced ship-Celebrity Edge, which will begin sailing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Eastern and Western Caribbean region in December 2018. Represented by TIRUN Travel Marketing in India, the cruise line has opened its early bird bookings and is luring the ultra luxury market in India. Talking about the expectations from the India market, Ratna Chadha, Chief Executive, TIRUN Travel Marketing, says, “We are not looking for the masses. It is those customers who see value in our offering and are looking for an experience that only we can offer them. The industry and in general and our distribution partners in particular are required to break the myths surrounding cruising in India. It is only then will people see the value in this segment, which is definitely not a niche product.” The new ship has introduced a new concept of Infinite Staterooms that take the entire room right to the vast sea’s edge, informs, Apple Woo, Head- Sales and Marketing, Celebrity Cruises. The ship offers 1467 staterooms with double occupancy capacity of 2918 out of which 918 are Edge Staterooms with Infinitive verandas. The ship also has 176 suites, an increase to 12 percent from Celebrity’s other ships, adds Woo.

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), a US-based cruise industry trade association, in partnership with Singapore Tourism Board in India, has launched its accreditation programme that was developed over the last five years. It is currently being used in Australia, New Zealand, UK and the Europe markets. It is targeted at any travel agent or tour operator who sells cruise packages. Peter Kollar, Head, International Training & Development, CLIA, who was in Mumbai to announce the launch said, “We have opened our membership to the Indian travel trade and it is the first market in Asia that we have done this. We see India with a huge potential as a source market for cruising. The travel agents need to convince the travellers to cruise. For that to happen, they need to believe in cruising and be educated about the segment.” The accreditation, he adds, is comprehensive. “We start off with a general form of accreditation which is learning about basic skills and knowledge that one needs to sell cruising. It then evolves into a more senior level certification called Ambassadors and then a Masters. Its not just for training. Travel agents actually have to also experience cruising. We take them for ship inspections, engagement through events, etc.” Annie Chang, Director, Cruising, Policy & Planning Group, Singapore Tourism Board, added, “We approached CLIA to come to India and offer its membership and accreditation program. We have also worked on the module to customize it to the India market. We know the India market, they don’t. So we not only brought content to this module but also our expertise in the India’s cruising market.”

In 2016, Singapore reported 1.2 million cruise passengers with a double digit growth of 16 per cent as compared to 2015, out of which 100,000 were from India, an increase of 29 per cent over 2015 figures. Recognising the potential that the segment holds, Singapore Tourism Board (STB) organised the second edition of its India Cruise Forum in Mumbai which was attended by 120 people. “India is a key source market for cruising out of Singapore. STB will continue to work closely with in-market partners to raise awareness of cruising as a great holiday option and sustain the growth of Singapore as a cruising hub in South East Asia. According to a consumer survey conducted in Mumbai, 34% of young Indian families are willing to spend INR 100,000 – 200,000 on a cruise holiday and 98% of the 500 travellers surveyed are open to a cruise from Singapore. There are exciting opportunities ahead and we will continue to partner with our travel trade and cruise partners to grow Singapore’s cruise Industry and promote its strong destination appeal,” said G.B. Srithar, RD SAMEA, STB. The day-long forum featured a thought provoking panel that touched on the challenges and opportunities of Growing India’s Cruise Travel Market, led by G. B. Srithar, Regional Director for South Asia, Middle East & Africa (RD SAMEA), STB with panelists Nalini Gupta, Managing Director, Lotus Destinations (GSA of Costa Cruise India), Naresh Rawal, Vice President Sales, Genting Cruise Lines – Star Cruises, Dream Cruises and Crystal Cruises, Suzanne Perreira, Senior Vice President Sales, Trade Relationships and Communications, Thomas Cook India, Anita Raja, Regional Manager – South India, TIRUN Travel Marketing and Harshali Darpel, Senior Manager – Western …

Star Cruises has announced the new homeport deployment of SuperStar Gemini to Laem Chabang in Thailand. It will be based in Laem Chabang International Terminal beginning 17 December, 2017 through to 27 April, 2018. Ang Moo Lim, President, Star Cruises, said, “We are excited to announce Star Cruises’ return to The Land of Smiles with the deployment of SuperStar Gemini at Laem Chabang. Our long history with Thailand stretches all the way back to 1995 when we first called upon Phuket and,today, we are proud to be able to call Laem Chabangour new home come 17 December this year. Thailand has the largest number of tourists of all ASEAN countries and the two airports of Bangkok serve more than 85 million passengers every year,” added Ang.“This is a perfect location for fly-cruise passengers and we will work closely with inbound agents to package cruises with land vacations – providing tourists yet another reason to visit Thailand.  We will make Bangkok the “Gateway to IndoChina” due to its superior air and tourist infrastructure.” During her deployment, SuperStar Gemini will embark on three-night cruises to Sihanoukville and Ko Samui, departing every Sunday, two-night cruises to Sihanoukville, departing every Wednesday, and two -night cruises to Koh Kong Island, departing every Friday.