PHOTO: From left to right; Tricia Lum, National Accounts Manager, Royal Caribbean International; Kevin Weisner, Senior Vice President, Cruise Holidays International; Nickyla Marso, Account Manager, Vendor Relations, Cruise Holidays International

Just like in Hollywood, awards season hits the travel industry, too.

Cruise Holidays’ 2013 Annual Convention aboard Norwegian Breakaway in Nov. gave out top awards to suppliers that are akin to the People’s Choice awards. North American Cruise Holidays’ franchise owners voted on their favorite suppliers and gave the honors to: AmaWaterways for best River Cruise Line of the Year; Celebrity Cruises for Premium-Luxury Cruise Line of the Year; Royal Caribbean International for Contemporary Cruise Line of the Year; and Travel Guard the only award to go to a Non-Cruise Supplier of the Year.

Franchise owners used their discretion when voting but the criteria included: ease with which to do business, product quality and local support.

At the awards ceremony, representatives of the suppliers personally accepted the honors. 

This is the second year that AmaWaterways has won the award for River Cruise Line of the Year. It is only the second year since the award has been in existence.

“We added an award category for River Cruise Line of the Year in 2012 because of the skyrocketing popularity of river cruising, and it continues to demonstrate an increasing, vitally-important role in the business of our franchise owners and agents,” said Kevin Weisner, senior vice president. 

Gary Murphy, AmaWaterways’ vice president of sales said that this award only helps to ensure that the level of customer service for the agents at Cruise Holidays and their clients will be maintained.

“It’s very gratifying to be recognized in this way for our superb customer service, which is something everyone at our company takes enormous pride in providing,” said Murphy.

Celebrity Cruises was also a back-to-back winner in its category, Premium-Luxury Cruise Line of the Year. “We cherish our long-term, mutually beneficial relationship with Celebrity Cruises,” said Weisner.

“Beyond their hard-working team, our franchise owners and agents also appreciate their highly effective, travel agent-friendly promotions such as ‘123go!’ that have helped increase their value proposition even more in the past year.

"In fact, these kinds of promotions are truly ‘pro-agent’ as they deliver added value to the consumer without eroding the price point. This helps cement Celebrity as a brand that’s worthy of premium pricing while simultaneously yielding better commissions for our agencies—that’s good for both of us.” 

This is the seventh consecutive year that Royal Caribbean International was named either the best contemporary cruise line or easiest cruise line to work with by Cruise Holidays.

“With exciting products, including their existing fleet as well as the Quantum class being launched in 2014, Royal Caribbean’s ‘wow’ factor continues to delight our franchise owners, agents and clients," Weisner said. "Additionally, despite external and economic pressure to do otherwise, Royal Caribbean has shown unwavering support to the agency community and Cruise Holidays. Plus, their onboard experience is one that we rely on to bring our customers back time and again."

Vicki Freed, senior vice president of sales, trade support and services for Royal Caribbean International thanked Cruise Holidays for the award and for their “role in delivering WOW vacations.”

“Royal Caribbean’s ‘Loyal To You Always’ commitment to valued travel partners such as Cruise Holidays drives us to help agents sell more vacations and owners grow their franchises," Freed said.

Awarded the only non-cruise line supplier honor for six years running, Travel Guard beat out 30 other suppliers – not just travel insurance companies but tour operators, ground transportation businesses and shore excursion companies.

At the awards ceremony, franchise owners and frontline agents shared positive stories about travel insurance saving the day.

“It is exciting to be recognized by franchise owners in such a competitive category," said Travel Guard senior vice president, sales Scott Ackerman. "Travel Guard is committed to providing the exceptional level of service that Cruise Holidays franchises and their customers have come to expect from us. Thank you!”