Cruise Lines International Association
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is the world's largest cruise industry trade association with representation in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australasia. CLIA represents the interests of cruise lines and travel agents before regulatory and legislative policy makers. CLIA is also engaged in travel agent training, research and marketing communications to promote the value and desirability of cruise holiday vacations with thousands of travel agency and travel agent members.
CLIA North America is comprised of 26 cruise lines and 10,500 travel agencies representing more than 35,000 individual travel agents. In addition, more than 120 of the most innovative suppliers of goods and services to the cruise industry make up CLIA’s Executive Partner Program.
CLIA’s primary roles are to:
- ♦ Promote the cruise product to both travel agents and consumers.
- ♦ Provide cruise selling agencies the highest level of professional sales training and marketing support and promote the value of a CLIA member travel agency to the traveling public.
- ♦ Raise awareness about the cruise experience through its travel agent training, public relations and promotions.
- ♦ Advocate the industry’s legal, legislative and technical positions to key domestic and international regulatory organizations, policy makers and other industry partners to foster continued growth of a safe and secure cruise industry.
- ♦ Monitor and participate actively in the development of domestic and international maritime policies and regulations.
- ♦ Actively protect the marine environment with minimal impact on the ocean, marine life and destinations.
Why Plan your Cruise Vacation With a CLIA Travel Agent?
Because travel agents, particularly those affiliated with Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), are the traveler's best resource for planning a cruise vacation!
Nearly 16,000 travel agencies across the U.S. and Canada are affiliated with CLIA. These travel agencies join CLIA for sales and cruise product training, for information on current cruise vacation trends and to be kept informed by CLIA'smember cruise lines on cruise news and special offers. By being a CLIA affiliate these travel agencies have chosen to specialize in cruise vacations and, by doing so, they are especially qualified in helping you choose the perfect cruise and getting you the best vacation value.
CLIA affiliated agencies take advantages of many CLIA programs in order to better serve their customers including:
- ♦ Attending up to 19 three-hour CLIA classroom training programs
- ♦ Viewing up to 15 CLIA training videos/DVD's
- ♦ Completing up to 24 CLIA'S internet based training courses
- ♦ Studying the CLIA cruise vacation textbook
- ♦ Attending CLIA's advanced training academy - The CLIA Institute, at Cruise3sixty
- ♦ Attending CLIA endorsed cruise conference for training seminars and familiarization with cruise lines and cruise ships.
And, many travel agencies are proud to have CLIA Certified Cruise Counsellors on staff. Earning the designation of an Accredited Cruise Counsellor, Master Cruise Counsellor, or Elite Cruise Counsellor, these travel agents have completed a rigorous curriculum of cruise sales training and have personally sailed, or inspected, a wide variety of cruise ships. By working with a CLIA Certified Cruise Counsellor, you can be confident that many of the cruise vacations they recommend are based on personal experience.
Our last bit of advice - take a vacation from planning your vacation - visit a CLIA affiliated travel agency soon because - You haven't lived until you've cruised!
The above text is quoted directly from the CLIA website. Premier Custom Travel is proud to be a CLIA-certified travel agency and all of our agents have achieved at least the Accredited Cruise Counsellor designation.
 | ELITE CRUISE COUNSELLORS ON STAFF Christopher J. Grum, ECC/CTC/LCS/CSS |
 | MASTER CRUISE COUNSELLORS ON STAFF Scott S. McAlister, MCC/LCS/CSS |
 | ACCREDITED CRUISE COUNSELLORS ON STAFF Michelle B. McAlister, ACC |
 | LUXURY CRUISE SPECIALISTS ON STAFF Christopher J. Grum, ECC/CTC/LCS/CSS Scott S. McAlister, MCC/LCS/CSS |