AN INTERVIEW WITH C.L.I.A.'S CEO

Recently we wrote about a new blog from Christine Duffy, president and CEO of the Cruise Lines International Association. Ms. Duffy was kind enough to answer a few questions for Cruising Squared about her blog, which you can find here. Here's the Q&A:

Christine Duffy

Cruising Squared: What were the reasons behind creating this new blog?
Christine Duffy: “I wanted to create the blog to communicate with anyone interested in cruising. I want to be able to offer my insights and perspectives on a timely basis to those interested in learning more about our growing industry, whether they’ve never taken a cruise or they’ve taken 100 (and some have!) More and more, people are turning to the Internet for information. I think it is important to provide a place online for stakeholders to get information on our industry, directly from the source.”

CS: What do you hope the blog will accomplish?
Ms. Duffy: “I hope the CLIA CEO Blog will help people learn more about the cruise industry, and foster interesting dialogue through engagement with guest bloggers, commenters, and readers on ideas and issues relating to cruising.”

CS: What are the major issues CLIA is currently addressing?
Ms. Duffy: “CLIA focuses on all aspects of the cruising industry, such as the ever-changing globalization of cruising, training top-notch travel agents, and innovation to go above and beyond when it comes to environmental stewardship so everyone can continue to enjoy those beautiful ocean views! Right now, CLIA is focused on further strengthening what is an already exceptional safety record, packaging and marketing the plethora of specialty and theme cruises our lines offer, training the next generation of travel agents, and helping deliver more meeting and incentive business to our cruise line partners.”

CS: What’s the most satisfying aspect about your job?
Ms. Duffy: “Cruising is one of the safest, most affordable and enjoyable vacation experiences available today. I am proud to represent an industry that provides such great value and experiences to consumers who want to see the world and spend time with their family and friends. The cruise industry has so much to offer to so many! At CLIA, we say that there is a cruise for everyone and that’s what makes my job so exciting. The cruise industry is a dynamic, growing global industry and we’ve only begun to scratch the surface. There are so many different choices in itineraries, price, and length of cruise. Also, there is no other vacation experience that boasts a satisfaction rate of 94%!”

Thank you again for your time and we are certain everyone who loves cruising will find your blog a welcome addition to the cruise scene! -- Pam and Gerry