Four international cruise line executives will open CLIA’s Cruise360 Australasia 2026 conference at the International Convention Centre Sydney on 17-18 September, has confirmed.
Cruise Lines International Association’s (CLIA) Cruise360 Australasia 2026 conference opening session will bring together leaders from Windstar Cruises, Swan Hellenic, Quark Expeditions and Azamara.
Spanning small-ship, expedition and luxury cruising, the panel, under the Cruise360 Australasia 2026 theme, ‘Future Ready. Client Ready. Cruise Ready.’ will give Australasian travel advisors a global read on where the market is heading.
Who is on the Cruise360 Australasia 2026 panel?
The four international panellists are Windstar Cruises Managing Director of Global Commercial Helen Beck, Swan Hellenic CCO Mario Bounas, Quark Expeditions President Sam Seward and Azamara Cruises Chief International Sales Officer David Siewers.
CLIA Executive Director in Australasia Joel Katz said each leader will apply a global lens to the current cruise landscape.
“Together, our international panelists represent an incredible amount of experience from different areas of the cruise spectrum, which will give us a fantastic snapshot of the world cruising environment and the opportunities available for travel advisors,” he said.
“This session will kick-off Cruise360 with a highly relevant conversation, covering areas like product evolution, consumer trends, international deployment and what advisors in Australia and New Zealand need to consider as they pursue commercial success.”
What advisors will take away
The Cruise360 Australasia 2026 panel session promises an executive view of where cruise demand and product development are heading, what international brands are seeing in consumer behaviour and how advisors can use global context to build commercial focus locally.
It will also cover the opportunities likely to shape the next 12 to 24 months, including the expedition segment that is drawing a new generation of solo women travellers.
Cruise360 Australasia runs across two days at the International Convention Centre Sydney, including an industry cocktail event and an exhibition showcasing CLIA cruise lines, destinations, industry suppliers and CLIA Executive Partners. Further program details will be announced soon.
KARRYON UNPACKS: With Australian cruise numbers back near record highs, a travel trade panel drawing on small-ship, expedition and luxury brands gives CLIA member cruise specialists a rare global reference point to sharpen how they sell in the year ahead.
