The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has announced Summit at Sea 2018, an event for all stakeholders in the cruise industry, taking place from October 11-14 aboard Royal Caribbean International ’s Symphony of the Seas . The event dates were announced at CLIA’s Annual Business on the Beach , held at Seatrade Cruise Global last March before more than 450 CLIA executive members and cruise line executives. The three-night cruise will visit Civitavecchia (Rome), Naples, and Barcelona—three important Mediterranean destinations—highlighting the significance of ports and destinations within the cruise community.
“We are thrilled to be hosting CLIA and preparing such a prominent global event as the Summit at Sea 2018 aboard our newest ship, Symphony of the Seas,” said Stuart Leven, Vice President EMEA and Managing Director of RCL Cruises Ltd.“ With experts from all sectors of the industry in attendance, what better setting to learn and network than on the world’s largest and most innovative cruise ship? We look forward to welcoming them.”
The Symphony of the Seas , the cruise line's newest ship, brings together new and distinct experiences that will continue to offer adventures for guests of all ages, new dining concepts, water, air, and ice activities, and impressive family suites. The Symphony of the Seas earned the title of the world's largest cruise ship when it debuted in March 2018 for its inaugural European season. During their time on board, attendees will have access to behind-the-scenes tours, networking opportunities, and the chance to connect with others during the voyages. Previous editions of the summit were held on Cunard Cruise Line 's MSC Preziosa and Queen Elizabeth .
The event is part of CLIA's revamped Executive Partner Program, which currently has more than 340 partners including ports and destinations, travel, tourism, supply and professional services companies.
“Over the past few years, we’ve continued to see growing interest in the Executive Partner Program, and I firmly believe that’s due to the creation of new and engaging events for our community,” said Bo Larsen, SVP, Strategic Partnerships. “The summit is about bringing together a high-quality audience and content, because when there’s representation from every part of the industry, you can have meaningful conversations that drive progress in our sector.”
