CLIA Unveils 2024 Hall of Fame Winners

by Sarah Kuta
Last updated: 2:35 PM ET, Fri April 19, 2024

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has unveiled its 2024 Hall of Fame Cruise Industry Award winners.

The award ceremony took place during CLIA’s Cruise360 conference in Fort Lauderdale this week. Travel advisors who attended also got to watch entertainment provided by member cruise lines: Norwegian Cruise Line cast members performed songs from the hit musical “Million Dollar Quartet,” while Royal Caribbean performers offered up selections from the “Wizard of Oz” and “Mamma Mia.”

Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, was honored with a lifetime achievement award for being a lifetime champion of cruise travel who has made monumental contributions to the cruise industry. She was introduced by Josh Weinstein, chief executive officer of Carnival Corporation & plc.

Christine Duffy and Charles Sylvia at CLIA's Cruise360

“I am especially proud of the work we have done collectively at Carnival, men and women, to put women into leadership roles at our company,” Duffy said while accepting the award. “I have always been an advocate for women in the industry, and while I have often been recognized for being the first woman—to lead Maritz, to lead CLIA or to lead Carnival—the reality is the decisions to put me into those roles were made by men who told me that they recognized my talent and my potential. And they put the best person in the job, not the best woman.”

John Lovell, president of Travel Leaders Group, was also awarded a lifetime achievement award at the event. He was introduced at the awards ceremony by Vicki Freed, senior vice president of sales, trade support and service for Royal Caribbean International.

John Lovell and Charles Sylvia at CLIA's Cruise360

“Everyone who’s interacted with John, me included, can say without a doubt that his kindness has touched us in some way and made us feel very lucky to know him,” said Freed. “He is truly generous in his spirit and always wants to lend a hand.”

Travel Planners International was awarded the Travel Agency of the Year award for 2024. Erwin Hernandez, senior vice president, accepted the honor on the company’s behalf. CLIA gives the award to a member agency that has demonstrated innovative and visionary leadership in their approach to promoting cruise travel, growing their cruise travel sales and supporting their affiliated travel advisors.

Erwing Hernandez and Charles Sylvia at CLIA's Cruise360

Michael Akana, a travel advisor based in Half Moon Bay, California, was named this year's Elite Cruise Counsellor of the Year. The honor is given to an individual CLIA member who has earned Elite Cruise Counsellor or Elite Cruise Counsellor Scholar status—the highest level of certification offered by CLIA. They must also have met sales requirements and made a contribution to the travel agent landscape.