Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has confirmed that Cruise Week 2026 will run from 14 to 20 September, kicking off its annual push to get travel agents, cruise lines, and industry partners promoting cruise holidays to a wider audience.
The trade-focused campaign is one of CLIA’s flagship annual initiatives, designed to lift consumer awareness of cruising as a holiday option and give agents a dedicated window to spotlight offers and expertise. Throughout the week, participants are encouraged to engage customers across multiple channels — in-store promotions, social media, digital platforms, and consumer press — rather than through a single centralized event.
A Collective Push Across the Trade
CLIA UK & Ireland Managing Director Andy Harmer framed the week as a shared opportunity for the cruise sector to showcase what makes ocean travel distinctive. He noted that agents have found inventive ways to participate in past editions, whether through storefront activity, live events, or simply sharing their personal enthusiasm for cruising with clients.
Harmer added that the campaign isn’t reserved for large-scale activations — even modest efforts from individual agencies can help move the needle, and CLIA is inviting the whole trade to take part in whatever format suits their business.
CLIA, whose global headquarters sits in Washington, D.C., with regional offices spanning the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Australasia, has run similar trade weeks previously, including a European edition held in Rotterdam. Full details on how agents can register or participate in the 2026 UK edition are expected to be released closer to the date, Travel Extra reported.
Part of a Busier CLIA Calendar
Cruise Week 2026 lands amid a packed schedule of CLIA trade events. The organization’s own events calendar lists in-person member and partner gatherings running through late August and September, alongside its broader slate of summits, showcases, and policy roundtables aimed at cruise industry professionals worldwide, according to CLIA’s official events page.
For travel agencies and transport operators that work cruise-adjacent routes — airport transfers, port shuttles, and pre- and post-cruise ground transportation — Cruise Week’s promotional window is typically a useful moment to align marketing efforts with the wider industry push, since consumer interest in cruise bookings tends to spike alongside agent-led campaigns.
CLIA said further specifics on how to get involved in Cruise Week 2026 will be announced in the coming weeks.
