Why Plan your Cruise Vacation With a Travel Agent?

Because travel agents, particularly those affiliated with Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), are the traveler's best resource for planning a cruise vacation!

Nearly 17,000 travel agencies across the U.S. and Canada are affiliated with CLIA. These travel agencies join CLIA for sales and cruise product training, for information on current cruise vacation trends and to be kept informed by CLIA's 23 member cruise lines on cruise news and special offers. By being a CLIA affiliate these travel agencies have chosen to specialize in cruise vacations and, by doing so, they are especially qualified in helping you choose the perfect cruise and getting you the best vacation value.

CLIA affiliated agencies take advantages of many CLIA programs in order to better serve their customers including:

• Attending up to 17 three-hour CLIA classroom training programs
• Viewing up to 14 CLIA training videos/DVD's
• Completing CLIA'S internet based training courses
• Studying the CLIA cruise vacation textbook
• Attending CLIA's advanced training academy - The CLIA Institute, at Cruise3sixty
• Attending CLIA endorsed cruise conference for training seminars and familiarization with cruise lines and cruise ships.

And, many travel agencies are proud to have CLIA Certified Cruise Counsellors on staff. Earning the designation of an Accredited Cruise Counsellor, Master Cruise Counsellor, or Elite Cruise Counsellor, these travel agents have completed a rigorous curriculum of cruise sales training and have personally sailed, or inspected, a wide variety of cruise ships. By working with a CLIA Certified Cruise Counsellor, you can be confident that many of the cruise vacations they recommend are based on personal experience.

To find a cruise specialist in your area, look for the dark blue and gold CLIA seal, which designates an "Official Travel Agency of the Cruise Industry". Or, click onto the Cruise Expert Locator on this web site to find a CLIA affiliated travel agency and a Certified Cruise Counsellor.

Our last bit of advice - take a vacation from planning your vacation - visit a CLIA affiliated travel agency soon because - You haven't lived until you've cruised!