A 20th member of the CLIA Hall of Fame was inducted, while 15 awards were handed out at the largest Cruise Industry Awards night ever staged in Australasia. Read on for all the winners.
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) held its 23rd annual Cruise Industry Awards at the International Convention Centre (ICC) Sydney on Saturday evening, with close to 600 guests making it the largest event of its kind ever mounted by the Australasian cruise industry, according to CLIA.
The 15 awards were chosen from 83 finalists across Australia and New Zealand, with around 1,200 nominations received from across the CLIA membership. That figure is the highest the awards have ever attracted, and a significant jump from the roughly 800 nominations received for last year’s 22nd awards.
Who were all the 2026 winners?
- Cruise Consultant of the Year – AU – Tina Wheelock, Cruise Express
- Cruise Consultant of the Year – NZ – Lisa Wharfe, Pukekohe Travel
- Rising Star of the Year – AU – Jason Rigg, Phil Hoffmann Travel Glenelg
- Rising Star of the Year – NZ – Flynn Cox, Travel Associates Howick
- Home-Based (Mobile) Cruise Consultant of the Year – AU – Lauren Jenkins, MTA-Mobile Travel Agents
- Cruise Broker of the Year – NZ – Trish Seeherr, TS Travel Ltd
- Media Award – ANZ – Lee Tulloch, The Australian (“Greenland Immersion”)
- Cruise Agency of the Year (Multi-Location/Brand) – ANZ – Ignite Travel Group
- Cruise Agency of the Year (Single-Location) – AU – Main Beach Travel
- Cruise Agency of the Year (Single-Location) – NZ – Pukekohe Travel
- Online Cruise Agency of the Year – ANZ – Clean Cruising
- Agency/Agent Cruise Promotion of the Year – ANZ – My Cruises (“Explorations by Norwegian”)
- Small Network Promotion of the Year – ANZ – House of Travel Papamoa Group (“Small Ship Cruising Travel Showcase”)
- Large Network Promotion of the Year – ANZ – Travel Associates (“The Travel Associates Film Festival”)
- Cruise Month Promotion of the Year – ANZ – Globe Trotters Cruise & Touring (“Explore, Discover, Cruise”)
Gavin Smith becomes CLIA’s 20th Hall of Famer
Gavin Smith, the Sydney-based Vice President and Managing Director Australia and New Zealand at Royal Caribbean, was announced as the 20th member of the CLIA Hall of Fame by Peter Little, Chairman of CLIA in Australasia and Senior Vice President and Country Manager for Carnival Corporation.
Smith opened Royal Caribbean’s first Australian office in 2008 as Managing Director and has led other cruise brands in the region, including as Managing Director of P&O Cruises Australia. He has also served as CLIA Australasia Chairman on multiple occasions, according to CLIA.
“Gavin has played a defining role in the evolution of our local cruise sector over many years, helping guide its growth from what was once a relatively small regional market into the major international cruise hub we know today,” Mr Little said.
“He has been a strong advocate for collaboration, for the travel trade and for the long-term success of cruising in this region.”
CLIA Executive Director Australasia Joel Katz said Mr Smith had been a defining figure in the Australasian cruise industry for several decades. “His commitment to this region and his unwavering support for our industry and its people have made an extraordinary difference,” Mr Katz said.
What did CLIA say about the record nominations?
“This year has brought our biggest-ever awards night, and we’ve never before had so much involvement from our travel agent members across Australia and New Zealand,” Mr Katz said.
“The excitement around these awards is a reflection of the record number of members we now have in Australasia and the enormous opportunity our community sees in cruising right now.”
With the theme ‘The Greatest Showman’, Saturday’s event was hosted by entertainer Tim Campbell and featured more than 100 singers, dancers, and other performers.
KARRYON UNPACKS: With 1,200 nominations and close to 600 at the gala, CLIA’s 23rd awards underscore the depth of the cruise travel advisor community in Australasia. For advisors, the winners list is worth noting: the agencies and individuals recognised here are the ones cruise lines are watching, and the promotional campaign winners offer a playbook for what’s cutting through with customers right now.
