Following the recent UK Government announcement that cruise lines can once again operate internationally, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is helping prepare operators for the return of overseas sailings.
CLIA is running a series of ‘summer schools’, with the next sessions due to take place this month. The sessions – which will comprise product updates and training briefs, delivered via cruise lines, and destinations – will now include the latest international travel news.
Three summer schools are scheduled:
* 12th August, MSC Cruises and Celebrity Cruises
* 19th August, Oceania Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, APT and Port of Seattle
* 26th August, Amadeus River Cruises, Fred. Olsen and Carnival Cruise Line.
In addition, CLIA had previously arranged two agent-dedicated ‘selling cruise days’, which will give the trade insight and advice from expert speakers and panels.
These will now cover both domestic and international sailings, with the first seminar taking place in Southampton on 4th November and the second in Dublin on 11th November.
Commenting on the UK’s announcement, Ben Bouldin, CLIA Chair for UK & Ireland (pictured), said: “The international travel announcement is fantastic news for everyone within the cruise community, and it is a thrilling prospect to once again be able to offer guests the opportunity to sail the world.
“The last 18 months have been hugely challenging for the UK cruise sector. The industry came together and a lot of people have worked incredibly hard to reach this point. We also appreciate the co-operation shown by UK Government Departments throughout this process.
“The cruise industry has shown its resilience and has risen to the challenge by reinventing the cruise experience while preserving what makes a cruise holiday so special,” he said.
International cruising resumption follows the successful restart of domestic cruises earlier this year. Cruise lines have been sailing round Britain since May, while around 800,000 guests have travelled on sailings globally during the past 12 months, CLIA said.
