2023 Day 3

Friday, November 3

All times are listed in Eastern Standard Time. Program is tentative and subject to change.

8:15am – 10:15am General Session

Breakfast, sponsored by Sandals

Gary C. Sadler, Executive Vice President of Sales and Industry Relations, Unique Vacations Inc.;

Coffee Chat with Mary Pat

Adolfo Perez, Senior Vice President - Global Sales & Trade Marketing, Carnival Cruise Line and Mary Pat Sullivan, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Partnerships, Northstar Travel Group

Pitch Perfect: Groups

Suppliers will join two top-selling travel advisors for a live selling session. The advisors will pitch potential client opportunities and travel troubleshooting experiences and the suppliers on stage will sell these travel advisors on the best experience for the customers. The goal of these live sales sessions is for the attendees in the audience to hear the supplier pitch, watch the advisor ask follow-up questions and truly see how a perfect customer experience is curated.

Panelists include: Margarita De La Cruz, Cruises Business Development Manager, Oceania Cruises; John Diorio, Vice President, North American Sales, Virgin Voyages; Lucien Echavarria, Director of Sales and Strategic Partnership, USA & Canada, Majestic Resorts; Jermaine Humphrey, Director of Sales, Playa Hotels and Resorts; Monica Medina, Director of Global Leisure Sales / South Central -  USA, Sandos Hotels & Resorts
Moderated by Kristy Durso, Owner, Incredible Memories Travel and Angela Hughes, Owner, Trips & Ships Luxury Travel

A spotlight on Windstar Cruises

Presented by Chris Prelog, President, Windstar Cruises

A moment with Allianz

Presented by Jeff Schafer, Regional Sales Director, USA, Allianz Partners

10:30am – 11:00am Peer-to-Peer Sessions, sponsored by Holland America Line

Diving Into Charters: The Process & The Profit
Have you been pondering chartering a small ship in Croatia or the Caribbean, but hesitant to take the plunge? Or perhaps you wish to host a large group on the Rhine and are unsure if chartering is the way to go. You do not need hundreds of clients to host a successful (and profitable) charter. In fact, charters can be extremely profitable with less than 20 couples! This class goes over the basics: including setting up the charter, pricing to sell, and marketing. All of which are fundamentals you can use whether on land or at sea.
Presented by Suzy Schreiner, Owner, Azure Blue Vacations

Exploring Kindness and Well-Being in your Travel Business with ALG Vacations®
ALG Vacations® is honored to be a part of CruiseWorld. Moreover, we are passionate about spreading kindness, and we’ll be discussing why this philosophy lies at the heart of everything we do. As part of this workshop, you’ll have the incredible opportunity to meet with our Wellness Guru—David Pritchard—and together, we’ll craft your personalized 2024 Kindness Contract, while ensuring your personal health and wellness are fully nurtured throughout your travel and beyond. Let’s embark on a journey of exploration, kindness and well-being together!
Presented by Lisa Doss, Director of Sales, ALG Vacations; Victoria Redwine, Business Development Manager, ALG Vacations; David Pritchard, ALG Health & Well-Being Coach

Why Selling Diverse Tour Products & Experiences Should Be a Priority for Sellers of Travel
The 2022 National Travel & Tourism Strategy includes supporting the development and marketing of diverse tourism products and experiences across the United States to domestic and international travelers. Brand USA's recent Multicultural Multiplier Cultural Diversity Study confirms a global demand for diverse tour products and experiences such as Black cultural heritage tours and Native American experiences. How can sellers of travel get prepared and positioned to offer new diverse tourism products and experiences to clients? What tools are available to help promote and sell niche products and experiences? Come join the conversation!
Presented by Stephanie Jones, Founder & CEO, Cultural Heritage Alliance for Tourism, Inc.

Navigating Succession Planning: Securing the Future of Your Travel Agency
As the owner of a thriving travel agency, planning for the future is essential to ensure the long-term success and sustainability of your business. This peer-to-peer discussion revolves around the critical topic of succession planning, highlighting the personal journey of our speaker who successfully facilitated the transition of their family’s business to the next generation and trusted successor. Join this engaging discussion to secure the future of your travel agency and leave a lasting legacy in the industry.
Presented by Sanya Weston, CEO, Your Premier Travel Service Group

11:15am – 11:45am Peer-to-Peer Sessions, sponsored by Holland America Line

Connection and Calm in the Midst of Chaos
Can we agree that travel is a bit chaotic these days? We are working harder than ever before. Let's face it, we didn't sign up to be firefighters! No matter how hard we try, we just can't control every single detail of our client's travel plans. When things go as planned...we celebrate the victories! But what about when things don't go as planned? Do you struggle with how to communicate with unhappy and irrational clients? Are you frustrated by constant itinerary and flight changes? Are you up at night thinking about your never-ending task list or wondering what disaster awaits you the next day? If so, this workshop is perfect for you. You'll come away with strategies to manage those difficult clients, constant unknowns, interruptions, distractions and disruptions. You'll learn to make meaningful connections with your clients, suppliers, and colleagues, and that feeling of chaos that consumes you will soon turn to calm. 
Presented by Christen Perry, Owner, Classic Travel Connection

Building Creative Cruise/Land Itineraries
Maximize and round out your cruise bookings for individuals and groups; this session explores creative pre/post land package add-ons that can be as or more profitable than the cruise component. With airfare being the biggest cost driver, provide options to stay longer, explore more and experience more. We’ll discuss sample itineraries and how to position the expanded land packages with your clients and prospects. 
Presented by Debbie Brown, Owner, SB World Luxe Travel

Lessons Learned from a Seasoned Agency Owner
Are you a travel agency owner looking to take your business to new heights? Join this workshop where speaker Jade Monzo, seasoned agency owner with 60+ ICs, shares a wealth of industry experience gained from the daily ins and outs of booking and servicing clients. The workshop will focus on:

• Specialization for Success: Discover the power of travel specialization and how it can unlock hidden potential for your business. Learn how to define your target audience through specialization.

• Social Media Mastery: Harness the potential of social media to grow your business exponentially. By focusing on best practices and organic growth, you can maximize your impact without spreading yourself too thin.

• Client Security: Protect your business from potential fraud and client-related challenges. By sharing red flags to look out for when booking unfamiliar clients, you’ll be empowered with the knowledge to safeguard your agency and provide a secure experience for your customers.

Presented by Jade Monzo, Owner, Rope Drop Travel

Your Home Office - Maximizing Your Productivity, Functionality & Comfort
Working from home as a travel professional can be a fantastic opportunity to enjoy a flexible work schedule while helping others plan their dream vacations. However, it is crucial to have a well-designed home office that meets your needs, maximizes your productivity and provides you the comfort and ambiance you deserve. Hours and hours of your time will be spent in your home office. Designing and setting up your work space is paramount to your success.
Whether you are a new Travel Professional or have years of experience, a home office creation or renovation can spawn an exciting new routine and increase your productivity. Let’s dive into the key things to consider and pay attention to when creating your home office!
Join Joanie Ogg, CTC, MCC as she shares her insights, experiences and tips about the importance of a professional workspace as a Travel Professional and how to maximize your days when working from your home office!
Presented by Joanie Ogg, Founder/Co-Owner, Travel Professional News

12:00pm – 12:30pm Peer-to-Peer Sessions, sponsored by Holland America Line

Enhancing Travel Services and Customer Experiences with GPT Chat
Learn to explore how GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) chat can revolutionize your travel services and elevate customer experiences. By leveraging this powerful technology, you can effectively manage your time, automate repetitive tasks, and provide prompt responses to common inquiries, allowing you to focus on delivering personalized interactions that leave a lasting impression on your clients.
Presented by Sanya Weston, CEO, Your Premier Travel Service Group

Discover the Secret to High-Performance Travel Group Sales
Are you ready to take your travel group sales to the next level? The secret to high-performance travel group sales and unlocking the possibilities of exponential growth in travelers and extraordinary revenues is in this masterclass. Position yourself and your team at the highest level of competency with our chart-topping strategies, sharp techniques, and stellar plans. Turn those dream trips into captivating adventures, with exceptional organization and remarkable experiences. Receive all the advice you need to boost levels of performance in a recognizable way that wins positively for travelers and suppliers alike. Gear up and gain those bountiful results brought about through sophisticated insights gathered from years in the trade.
Presented by Angela Hughes, Owner, Trips & Ships Luxury Travel

The Power of Branding 
Every brand has a story to tell. What is yours? Is your brand crisp, clean, and effective? Or is it poorly designed, needs work, and has trouble standing out in the industry. Your story is everything - tell it. In this session come hear the ins and the outs of how branding can change the game for your organization.
Presented by Adam Duckworth, President and Founder, Travelmation

Reframing Accessibility
Accessibility is perhaps the most misunderstood area of travel. With somewhere between 19-26% of individuals diagnosed with a disability, accessibility affects everyone. Come learn from an industry expert about common myths concerning those with disabilities, and how to welcome in travelers looking for accessible destinations. Accessible travel is a $57.4 billion market, and we cannot afford to overlook it. In this session, I will give you 5 questions you need to be asking all travelers, as well as tools to needed to make sure that your clients are adequately accommodated.
Presented by Kristy Durso, Owner, Incredible Memories Travel

12:45pm – 3:15pm General Session

Lunch, sponsored by Norwegian Cruise Line

Impact Moment with Jenn Lee

Presented by Jenn Lee, Vice President Trade Engagement and Support, Travel Planners International

Presidents Panel

Andrea DeMarco, President, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, David Herrera, President, Norwegian Cruise Line, Frank Del Rio Jr, President, Oceania Cruises
Moderated by Arnie Weissmann, Editor-in-Chief, Travel Weekly

Pitch Perfect: Adventure/Expedition

Suppliers will join two top-selling travel advisors for a live selling session. The advisors will pitch potential client opportunities and travel troubleshooting experiences and the suppliers on stage will sell these travel advisors on the best experience for the customers. The goal of these live sales sessions is for the attendees in the audience to hear the supplier pitch, watch the advisor ask follow-up questions and truly see how a perfect customer experience is curated.

Panelists include Erica Richey, VP, Performance Marketing & Growth, Seabourn; James Rodriguez, President & CEO, Atlas Ocean Voyages; Kristen Steele, Vice President, National & Key Accounts, Avalon Waterways | the Globus family of brands; John James Vavrina, Managing Director, North America, Exoticca
Moderated by Adam Duckworth, President and Founder, Travelmation and Christen Perry, Owner, Classic Travel Connection

3:15pm - 4:30pm Princess Cruises 2024 Kickoff

Come Feel the Love with Princess and get ready for 2024.  Learn about the various programs & initiatives we have in place to show our appreciation and help make 2024 your best year ever! We want to help you grow your business with Princess! So please join us for cocktails, music and fun.
Presented by Carmen Roig, Vice President of Sales, Princess