CLIA sets course for Cruise Week
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is gearing you for this month’s UK & Ireland annual trade-focused Cruise Week (September 15-21).
Three days in the preceding week (9, 11 and 12) will feature six ‘Get ready for Cruise Week’ webinars, during which river and ocean cruise lines will outline their campaign incentives and latest news.
Over 40 cruise lines and 3,000 travel agents have now signed up to participate in the week, which will continue the theme of #BeyondExpectations, first introduced at the CLIA Conference in May.
The week includes “The UK’s Biggest Cruise Event” on September 16, which will see both agents and cruise lines host customer-facing events, internal training, ship visits and social media campaign launches. Their efforts will be combined to help support the largest-ever cross-agent cruise gathering, with over 1,000 agencies expected to take part.
Multiple prizes will be awarded to agents who actively support Cruise Week, across categories including best window or shop display, social media campaign, internal training event, customer-facing event and overall campaign.
Andy Harmer, Managing Director of CLIA UK & Ireland, said: “Cruise Week is all about shining a spotlight on the incredible role our travel agent community plays in bringing cruise holidays to life. The trade is at the very heart of our industry, and the training, sales tools, events and incentives on offer this year give them even more ways to inspire customers and grow their business.
For more information, go to https://trade.cruising.org/uk-ireland-clia-cruise-week or head to the CLIA UK Travel Agent Facebook Group.
New staff room the prize for Ambassador champ
Ambassador Cruise Line’s new ‘We Sea You’ trade incentive, which launched on September 5, will see one agent win the top prize of a staff room makeover to create their own bespoke Ambassador Lounge.
Running until September 30, 2025, winning agents will get a shout-out on the Ambassador Cruise Line Trade Partners Facebook group and win a Love2Shop Voucher worth between £15 and £100.
The incentive is designed to reward actions such as securing high value bookings, showcasing Ambassador offers in window displays, and social media posts that help build brand awareness and growth in booking numbers.
Called ‘From Terminal to Tranquil: The Ambassador Makeover’ will see the winning agency’s staff room transformed by new comfortable seating and essentials like a new coffee machine, kettle, toaster, microwave and an air fryer.
The agency will also receive a new fridge filled with goodies, new crockery and cutlery, plus an Ambassador noticeboard and other branded touches.
Members of the Ambassador Trade Team will deliver the goods to the winning agency and help set up their brand-new lounge, followed by drinks and a takeaway to celebrate.
There is no formal entry process – Ambassador says its trade team will ensure that any agents that they see going ‘above and beyond’ are in the running.
Karen Cameron, Head of Trade (Interim) at Ambassador Cruise Line, says: “Every time agents go above and beyond this month they will be in with a chance to win one of the fabulous prizes on offer. This incentive is our way of recognising all that they (agents) do for us – we at Ambassador see you, we celebrate you and we reward you!”
https://www.ambassadorcruiseline.com/travel-partners/
Cunard set to debut Come from Away
Come from Away, the Tony Award and Oliver Award-winning show, is to feature at sea for the first time.
Cunard will present the show, a Music Theatre International, during Queen Elizabeth’s maiden Caribbean voyage which departs on October 16, 2025.
The show, which interprets the remarkable true story of the 6,579 air passengers grounded in a small Canadian town in the wake of 9/11, and the Newfoundland community that invited these ‘come from aways’ into their lives, first debuted in 2015. It has since won numerous awards for its runs on Broadway and in London’s West End.
Katie McAlister, President of Cunard, said: “We are very excited to bring Come from Away to Queen Elizabeth for her maiden Caribbean season. It’s a show that resonates deeply with audiences, celebrating compassion and connection – values that we share at Cunard.”
John Brant, Producer of Come from Away, said: “Even after 10 years, it’s still incredible to see the impact this show has on people. Now more than ever, we believe it’s important to gather friends and family to see it together, with the hope that it inspires them to find common ground in their lives”.
Come From Away will be performed in Queen Elizabeth’s Royal Court Theatre twice during each voyage, with matinee and evening performances available.
cunard.com
Windstar’s art, seamanship and wellness cruises
Windstar Cruises has launched a collection of themed voyages for the 2025/2026 season, in response to what it says is a rising demand for special-interest travel.
These include art and sketching, tying a bowline (a method for creating a fixed loop at the end of a rope that can be easily undone) and dancing under the stars at a pirate party or deck BBQ.
“What I love about these new themed voyages is how they turn the whole ship into part of the adventure,” said Janet Bava, Chief Commercial Officer of Windstar Cruises.
Windstar’s Masterpieces at Sea voyages will see artists sharing presentations about the inspirations behind each piece.
On select sailings, an acclaimed Fountainhead artist will be on board creating a mural or large installation in real time, transforming the ship into a floating gallery.
Beyond the ship, Windstar enhances the journey with curated art-focused excursions – think Gaudi’s architecture in Barcelona or Picasso’s legacy in Málaga – led by the guest artists on board.
A Brushes and Tapas sailing on November 14, 2025 starts from £2,045pp, while the Mediterranean Island Mosaic cruise on August 13, 2026 is priced from £2,411pp.
Windstar’s Knot Your Average Crossing voyages celebrate the tradition of life under sail. On these one-of-a-kind crossings – setting sail beginning November 2025 – guests can step up to the flying bridge and take the helm, learning age-old seamanship skills from the crew. Days at sea are filled with engaging enrichment programmes: bridge and deck officers lead hands-on workshops in knot tying, chart reading and star mapping, while distinguished guest speakers bring maritime history to life.
On the sailing from Lisbon to St Maarten, historian and journalist Joseph Novitski will deliver a series of lectures on piracy naval order and the origins of the U.S. Navy. The cruise departs November 18, 2025 with prices from £2,184pp.
More 2026 sailings and other enrichment speakers will be announced.
Wellness and “transformative” experiences at sea will feature in Windstar’s Mind, Body, Spirit Collection. These include yoga classes, personalised wellness programmes and nutrient-rich juices and smoothies.
Cruises featuring the above include Naturally Costa Rica, sailing on January 25 2026 and priced from £2,059pp.
