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In October, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and the cruise industry celebrate CLIA Plan a Cruise Month.

People ask: “What is CLIA Plan A Cruise Month?”

Traditionally, many travelers book next year’s cruise vacation in October. Cruise Lines International Association (better known as CLIA) is the world’s largest cruise industry trade association and a leading authority of the global cruise community. CLIA and its member cruise lines highlight cruise holidays each October in this annual event.  CLIA Plan a Cruise Month is a global initiative and a great way for cruise specialist travel agencies, cruise lines and industry partners to showcase that nowadays, there is a cruise for every style and budget. And in October, both river cruise lines and ocean cruise lines make some of their best special offers and savings available to the customers of CLIA’s member agencies.

Q Cruise + Travel is an official CLIA Member Travel Agency

As a long-time official CLIA member agency, Q Cruise + Travel’s Chicago-based cruise specialists are also certified by CLIA.  Our cruise travel advisors carry certifications like Accredited Cruise Counsellor (ACC), Master Cruise Counsellor (MCC) and Luxury Cruise Specialist (LCS).

As Cindy D’Aoust, president and CEO of CLIA puts it: “Travel agents play an important role in the vacation experience for both new and seasoned cruise travelers, and can help cruisers create the most unique and personalized trip. Agents are an integral part of the cruise industry and those interested in cruising will find working with an expert leads to the best overall experience and vacation satisfaction.

CLIA: The Top Five Reasons to Use a Travel Agent to Book a Cruise Vacation:

1. A Totally Tailored Trip: Today, there are more cruise vacation choices and experiences than ever before making it possible for travel agents to tailor trips to each client’s travel preferences. For example, Francophiles with a penchant for cuisine? An agent can help book a perfect Parisian cruise and maybe even provide tips for finding the best crepes and macaroons during onshore excursions.
2. In Expert Hands: Travel agents are a wealth of information with plenty of real world travel experience. Agents can provide incredible advice for making the most of a cruise like the best onboard cafes or cruise ship activities for children as well as expertise on travel insurance, dining times and cabin location.
3. Deals & Discounts: Many travel agents have access to deals and discounts that aren’t available to consumers booking directly. Agents sometimes have the ability to book in bulk so clients are privy to lower pricing for booking through an agent.
4. Perks & Personalized Travel: There really are more perks when working with travel agents! Many agents can offer clients incredible perks like complimentary bottles of wine, vouchers for free specialty meals, prepaid gratuities, and onboard spending money. In addition to fun extras, agents can also arrange personalized travel details for cruisers like gluten-free dining or post-cruise travel back home.
5. A Stress-Free Travel Experience: For a stress-free travel experience, travelers should contact a CLIA Certified Cruise Agent. These accredited cruise counselors are committed to providing the best travel experience for every client every time.

Where can you find the best “deals” for CLIA Plan a Cruise Month?

We consider ourselves the cruise specialists in Chicago, so of course our team is very familiar with all the offers and special deals offered by our cruise line partners. On top of that, we have access to our Virtuoso promotions and extras – so if you’re thinking of a cruise, just give us a call.

You can also take a look at our special cruise offers listed on our website.