The timing of Travel Weekly's CruiseWorld is critical this year, as the cruise industry sets its plan to restart and re-engage with the industry. CEOs, Presidents and sales and marketing executives (more than 40 leaders) will be live to share their plans at CruiseWorld to help the industry understand and move forward after the recent lifting of the No Sail Order by the CDC.
Registration is still open for the virtual event, which is taking place Nov. 11 through 13. Click here for the full agenda.
"Our industry needs to come together to chart our course forward and the incredible presence of industry leadership is a clear indication of the necessity to talk to the travel advisor community," said Alicia Evanko-Lewis, executive vice president of Global Events for Northstar Travel Group.
General session conversations led by Travel Weekly's editor in chief Arnie Weissmann will address sailing plans, safety protocols and projections for 2021. General sessions will include conversations with cruise line CEOs Arnold Donald of Carnival Corp.; Richard Fain of Royal Caribbean Group and Gianni Onorato of MSC Cruises. There will be opportunity for live Q&A with these leaders so advisors can have their questions answered.
All Carnival Corp. presidents will be present on Wednesday, Nov. 11: Gus Antorcha, the president of Holland America Line; Christine Duffy, the president of Carnival Cruise Line; Josh Leibowitz, the president of Seabourn; Simon Palethorpe, the president of Cunard; Jan Swartz, group president of Princess Cruises and Carnival Australia; Mario Zanetti, chief commercial officer of Costa Cruises and president of Costa Group Asia.
Thursday morning features a conversation with MSC Cruises leadership: Ken Muskat, executive vice president and chief operating officer, and Michelle Lardizabal, senior vice president and commercial sales officer.
Thursday afternoon includes Royal Caribbean Group leadership: Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International; Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, president and CEO of Celebrity Cruises Inc; Mark Conroy, managing director, Americas, for Silversea Cruises; and Carol Cabezas, COO of Azamara.
Friday morning will welcome Windstar President Christopher Prelog. The afternoon leadership will include Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings' executives Jason Montague, president and CEO of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, and Harry J. Sommer, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line.
Sales and Marketing leadership will also be there to share their plans for the travel advisor community and your clients.
On Wednesday, the "Masterminds" session will include: Katina Athanasiou, chief sales officer of Norwegian Cruise Line; John Chernesky, senior vice president of North America sales for Princess Cruises and Cunard Line; Vicki Freed, senior vice president of sales, trade support and service for Royal Caribbean International; Lardizabal of MSC Cruises; Adolfo Perez, senior vice president of global sales and trade marketing for Carnival Cruise Line; and Dondra Ritzenthaler, senior vice president of sales and trade support and service for Celebrity Cruises.
Friday morning river cruise leadership will include: Marilyn Conroy, the executive vice president of sales and marketing, North America, for Riviera River Cruises; Pam Hoffee, managing director of Avalon Waterways; Marcus Leskovar, the executive vice president of Amadeus River Cruises; Walter Littlejohn, senior vice president and managing director of Crystal River Cruises; and Gary Murphy, senior vice president of sales and co-owner of AmaWaterways.
Friday afternoon a luxury leadership panel will include Carmen Roig, the senior vice president of marketing and sales for Crystal Cruises; Steve Simao, the vice president of sales for Windstar Cruises; Steve Smotrys, vice president of global sales for Seabourn; Randall Soy, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Regent Seven Seas Cruises; and Nikki Upshaw, senior vice president of sales and trade marketing for Oceania Cruise.
A bonus to the virtual format is that all sessions will be recorded for viewing at a later date. Event content will be accessible only to registered CruiseWorld attendees through the end of 2020.
In addition to a tremendous representation of industry leadership, CruiseWorld will include a selection of 35 breakout sessions, many led by fellow travel advisors sharing their success strategies for the future. The full event agenda can be viewed here.