Dream vacations and cruiseOne national conference amazes with marTech innovations

Tuesday, November 7, 2023

During the Dream Vacations and CruiseOne National Conference aboard the Carnival Celebration, Senior Vice President and General Manager Drew Daly, along with Vice President of Marketing Alicia Linden and Vice President of IT Sandi Szalay, discussed the past year and future prospects for the travel agency franchise.

Linden highlighted the successful marketing campaigns, such as boat billboards along the Florida coastline, national HULU commercials, and the Times Square billboard in Manhattan. Linden assured more opportunities in 2024, including regional TV placements, national commercials on streaming services, and additional regional digital billboards.

During the conference, Daly discussed the success of the award-winning groups application, reporting a more than double increase in group sales compared to previous years. Szalay shared updates about the MarTech team’s enhancements to Cruise Control, the proprietary CRM and booking platform. She also unveiled plans for customizable and optimized websites for Dream Vacations and CruiseOne travel advisors, marking the next major MarTech project in 2024.

During the general session, David Crooks, Senior Vice President of Product & Operations at World Travel Holdings, held a Q&A session with Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy. Crooks also led a panel called “Spill the Tea,” featuring suppliers who shared updates and changes within their brands:

• Barbara Julian, Key Account Manager, Celebrity Cruises
• Koreen McNutt, SVP Sales and Trade Relations, MSC Cruises
• Robert Coleman, Vice President Sales, Holland America Line
• Chris Posada, Director of Strategic and National Accounts, Norwegian Cruise Line
• Carmen Roig, Vice President Sales, Princess Cruises
• Adolfo Perez, SVP, Global Sales & Trade Marketing, Carnival Cruise Line
• Vicki Freed, SVP, Sales & Trade Support & Services, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line

Under the theme “Focus,” Debbie Fiorino, Chief Operating Officer of Owned Brands for World Travel Holdings, emphasized the importance of maximizing control and minimizing distractions.

Fiorino, chief operating officer of owned brands for World Travel Holdings said, “During my address at last year’s Forward Conference, I posed the question, ‘how could we progress and improve every single day to ensure we are winning?’ This year, our travel advisors proved they know how to move forward and how to win.” Fiorino highlighted that successful individuals design their lives by eliminating negativity and distractions, allowing them to concentrate on what works and serves their goals effectively.

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