CLIA Introduces Training Program for Agency Managers, Execs

CLIA Introduces Training Program for Agency Execs, Managers
CLIA has introduced an Accredited Cruise Manager (ACM) designation for travel agency executives and managers who are not fulltime selling agents. The ACM program involves a course of study, seminars, and a case study as well personal experience with cruising and ship inspections. Past cruise experience, training courses completed, and product knowledge may be used to fulfill some requirements. Participants must work in a leadership capacity, not a fulltime sales position, in a CLIA-member travel agency. Agency executives, directors, accounting or marketing managers, e-commerce professionals, trainers and others are eligible. Enrollment fee is $70. For information, www.cruising.org or call 800-372-2542 for a faxed application.

Princess Enhances Online Booking Engine
Princess Cruises has added two features to its POLAR Online booking engine in response to requests from travel agents. Agents can now use the system to electronically apply a client’s deposit/credit to a specific booking; previously agents had to call Princess when their clients wanted to use the credit. Also, a list of all group space allotted through an individual consortia can now be viewed by users online. POLAR Online shows groups created by consortia as as well as groups created by agencies. Princess and Cunard Line also have debuted a Spanish-language version of POLAR Online, including all sailings and system functions. Most help documents on the system have also been translated into Spanish. Japanese and Portuguese versions of POLAR Online are in the works. In other Princess news, the line has reinstated calls to Egyptian ports that were previously removed. The line’s first scheduled Egypt port of call is for May 15.

Holland America Announces 2012 Europe Season
Holland America Line’s 2012 summer Europe season will feature seven ships sailing 44 itineraries on 103 departures. Highlights of the season include four new itineraries and five maiden ports of call (Durress, Albania; Fowey, England; and Eidfjord, Kirkenes and Ulvik, Norway). New itineraries are: 20-day Portugal, Spain & Canary Islands; 17-day Spanish Rhapsody; 7-day Norwegian Fjords; and 14-day Venetian Empire. HAL’s 2012 Europe season also includes more overnights in Barcelona, Hamburg, Istanbul, St. Petersburg, Stockholm, Dublin, Reykjavik, Amsterdam, Venice, and others.

Carnival Breeze to Debut in June 2012
Carnival Cruise Lines will debut the Carnival Breeze next June with a summer schedule of 12-day Mediterranean sailings. The ship will reposition to Miami in November 2012 where it will operate year-round six- and eight-day Caribbean itineraries. The Carnival Breeze will feature WaterWorks, the line’s aqua park; SportSquare, an open-air recreation complex with ropes course, mini golf and outdoor fitness area; the Lanai, a wraparound promenade with whirlpools extending over the ships’ side; and the RedFrog Pub, which recently debuted on the Carnival Magic.

Royal Caribbean Unveils 2012-13 Caribbean Program
Royal Caribbean International’s 2012-13 Caribbean season will include four- to 12-night itineraries departing from nine drive-market U.S. ports. Departure ports include Port Everglades, Port Canaveral. San Juan, Bayonne, Baltimore, New Orleans, Galveston and Tampa.

Silversea Renames Expedition Ship
Silversea Cruises has changed the name of its expedition ship from Prince Albert II to Silver Explorer. The decision was made in response to the success of the line’s expedition program, which could lead to the addition of more expedition ships, according to Silversea chairman Manfredi Lefebvre.

Orion Expedition Partners with Borneo Orangutan Preserve
Orion Expedition Cruises has partnered with the Borneo-based Orangutan Foundation International to give Orion II guests exclusive access to Camp Leakey, the orangutan preserve seen in the recent IMAX film Born to be Wild. Guests on three Borneo voyages (Sept. 30, Dec. 29, and Jan. 8) will be able to visit the camp and participate in escorted tours of the Orion feeding station and the Infant Care Centre and Rehabilitation area.

Costa Favolosa Prepares for Sea Trials
Costa Cruises’ newest ship, the Costa Favolosa, has entered drydock in Italy. Debut is scheduled for July 2011. The ship is undergoing the final stages of construction, including cleaning and coating the hull in preparation for sea trials, which will be conducted in May. When Costa Favolosa enters service in July the 3,800-passenger ship will be the 15th vessel in the Costa fleet.