It has been a devastating year for the travel industry, particularly cruises, but executives speaking at the Dream Vacations, CruiseOne and Cruises Inc. virtual conference were optimistic about the future.
The conference, themed 2020 Vision, kicked off Nov. 9 with Debbie Fiorino, COO of parent company World Travel Holdings, and Drew Daly, senior vice president/general manager, expressing hope for the day the executive team and the many travel advisors could meet in person once again. The in-person 2020 conference has been postponed until Nov. 13-20, 2021, aboard Celebrity Apex.
However, they acknowledged that the industry could expect a huge influx of pent-up demand when cruising does sail again, especially now that there are positive signs of an effective COVID-19 vaccine.
"We have the vision of what the future is, and the future is bright," Daly said. "The travel and cruise industry will rebound and recover. And guess what, we get to be part of that amazing recovery!"
Brad Tolkin, co-chairman and CEO of World Travel Holdings, thanked the many suppliers who paid commissions to travel advisors on cruises canceled by the pandemic. And he said he looks forward to "the greatest build-up of demand we will ever see and have ever seen."
The Dream Vacations, CruiseOne and Cruises Inc. conference always attracts high-profile executives. Taking the virtual stage this year was Richard Fain, chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, who sat down for a conversation with David Crooks, senior vice president of product and supplier relations for World Travel Holdings.
In addition, video messages from Frank Del Rio, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, and Arnold Donald, CEO of Carnival Corporation & plc, expressed gratitude for the travel agent community, as well as a sense of optimism and resilience for the industry.
On Nov. 10, Crooks will host an cruise line executive panel featuring Dondra Ritzenthaler, senior vice president of sales, trade support and service, Celebrity Cruises; Adolfo Perez, senior vice president, global sales and trade marketing, Carnival Cruise Line; Katina Athanasiou, chief sales officer, Norwegian Cruise Line; and Vicki Freed, senior vice president, sales, trade support and service, Royal Caribbean International.
Also appearing will be John Chernesky, senior vice president, sales and trade marketing, Princess Cruises and Cunard Line; Michelle Sutter, senior director of national accounts and field sales, Holland America Line; and Michelle Lardizabal, senior vice president and commercial sales officer, MSC Cruises.
The virtual conference also will include plenty of fun activities, such as mixology classes with GOGO Vacations and with Princess Cruises master mixologist Rob Floyd. Also on tap are cooking demonstrations from Virgin Voyages' John Diorio and Norwegian Cruise Line's Gina Garrett.
Conference attendees are normally treated to a special production from the onboard entertainment staff. However, this year, attendees will watch musician Toby-Joe Reilly perform in the English Pub on Royal Caribbean, and comedian Tommy Drake will do stand-up in Carnival's Punchliner Comedy Club.
For more information on Dream Vacations and CruiseOne, click here. For more information on Cruises Inc., click here.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
