Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) UK & Ireland has made a number of announcements and updates at its annual conference in Southampton.
*All details correct at time of publish (5 June 2026)
Over 800 delegates from across the trade heard from Andy Harmer, managing director UK & Ireland, who confirmed:
The second cohort of CLIA Cruise Champions will graduate on June 26 in Birmingham, following the successful completion of their expedition cruise or river cruise programmes. Applications for the class of 2027 will then open in September.
The Expedition Showcase will return for a second year to Svalbard in July. Five ships will be available for attendees to visit:
– Greg Mortimer, AE Expeditions
– HX Spitsbergen, HX Expeditions
– Silver Endeavour, Silversea
– SH Vega, Swan Hellenic
– Le Commandant Charcot, Ponant
A full day of business sessions, a coastal wildlife boat trip, sightseeing tour, dining at local restaurants and a visit to the world’s northernmost brewery will be on offer. Delegates will be accompanied throughout by the expedition suppliers.
A Luxury Cruise Summit will be held on September 4 in Southampton. The event will comprise a guided ship visit of Oceania Marina, business sessions onboard and a networking dinner the previous evening.
CLIA has announced a ‘Seattle Awaits’ fam trip, new for 2026. Arranged in partnership with the Port of Seattle, Visit Seattle, Virgin Atlantic and Delta, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and Travel Weekly, it will have a destination theme and is aimed at senior sales, commercial and product managers.
Including return flight options from London, attendees will be invited to explore Seattle with a three-night city stay. The schedule will include ship visits to Eurodam and Star Princess as well as hosted evenings. A three-night stay in Washington state will then take place, with hosted activities, guided tours and dining.
The event opens for applications shortly.
A River Cruise Forum in Manchester on October 6 and a Yacht & Small Ship Forum in Birmingham on October 7 have been arranged. Both will have a full day of business sessions and product training.
The CLIA Conference runs until June 6. It is the largest UK travel agent of its kind in Europe, and includes business sessions and a networking trade fair. The business sessions were joined by Rob Rinder MBE, professional criminal barrister, media personality and author; and Carly Telford, retired goalkeeper, former Lioness and media pundit.
The next two days feature a sailaway party and up to two ships for delegates to visit, from an overall choice of six:
– Queen Anne, Cunard
– Britannia, P&O Cruises
– Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Cruises
– MSC Virtuosa, MSC Cruises
– Oceania Insignia, Oceania Cruises
– Seven Seas Grandeur, Regent Seven Seas Cruises
An optional ‘New to Selling Cruise Day’ was yesterday on offer to agents.
In addition, yesterday also saw over 60 colleagues from across the cruise industry take part in a New Forest bike ride, in aid of the Family Holiday Charity. It marked the highest ever turnout of riders, with participants cycling either 100km, 50km or 20km and a target to raise £10,000.
Andy Harmer said: “The range of initiatives announced today underlines our ambition to make 2026 our most impactful year yet for trade engagement. Whether via ship visits, specialist training, networking opportunities or flagship events, we’re continuing to invest in helping agents develop their expertise and unlock new sales opportunities across every cruise sector.
“It’s also fantastic to see such strong attendance at this year’s conference and a record number of participants taking part in our charity cycle ride. The cruise community is built on collaboration, and events such as these demonstrate both the strength of the industry and the willingness of colleagues to come together, support one another and give something back.”
Visit www.cruising.org for more information.
