Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA)

Cruise Executives and Industry Experts Tell How to Increase Business at FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show Workshops

Pembroke Pines, FL (August 30, 2016) –The FCCA is pleased to announce topics and panelists for workshops during the FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show, taking place in San Juan, Puerto Rico from September 26-30. Led by panels of cruise executives and knowledgeable industry experts, the workshops will focus on key elements—including shore excursions, safety and security best practices, and purchasing—along with insight from cruise line presidents and CEOs to help attendees increase their cruise tourism business.

“We have interacted with our 19 Member Lines and our Platinum Members to create workshops that will help attendees maximize their business with cruise lines,” said Michele Paige, President, FCCA. “From the private to public sector, the workshops, like the other meetings and networking opportunities at the event, will directly apply to the wide range of attendees.”

“This is a valuable opportunity for destinations and operators to learn how they are being affected by and can take advantage of the industry’s latest developments,” said Micky Arison, Chairman, Carnival Corporation & plc and the FCCA. “I look forward to interacting with attendees and sharing input to help them optimize this opportunity.”

Arison will attend the event and participate in the CEO Roundtable, which will grant insight into the latest and upcoming trends, and how it applies to private and public stakeholders, as the high-level panel answers questions tailored to the region and audience, with other participants including Orlando Ashford, President, Holland America Line; Adam Goldstein, President and COO, Royal Caribbean Cruises Limited (RCCL); and Richard Sasso, Chairman, MSC Cruises (USA) Inc.

“Today’s Shore Excursions” will tell what is happening in today’s shore excursions from those who know it best: executives representing the major cruise lines. Moderated by Amilcar Cascais, Vice President, Tour Operations, Carnival Cruise Line, it will include panelists like Christine Manjencic, Vice President, Destination Services Operations, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Ltd. (NCLH); Tom Anderson, Director, Global Port Development, RCCL; Arnaldo Zanonato, Senior Manager, Port Adventures, Disney Cruise Line; Lisa Jensen, Manager, Shore Excursions, Holland America Group; and Valentina Pietropaolo, Manager, Shore Excursions, MSC Cruises (USA) Inc.

The panel will include presentations about their brands and how they approach shore excursions, along with input from tour operators providing excursions to those brands, and discuss matters like fulfilling the needs of larger ships bringing 5,000+ passengers, enticing repeat cruisers to repeat shore excursions, and the importance of a collaborative structure between cruise lines, port operators and tour operators.

The FCCA collaborated with Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA), Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) on a workshop that will review best practices for safety and security measures involving destinations and ports, with examples of successful initiatives and ideas on developing protocol from the individual and agency level to an all-encompassing plan. Moderated by Frank Comito, CEO and Director General, CHTA, the panel will include Rick Murrell, CEO, Tropical Shipping, USA; Bud Darr, Sr. Vice President, Technical & Regulatory Affairs, CLIA; Russell Daya, Executive Director, Global Port Operations & Developments, Disney Cruise Line, and FCCA Operations Committee Chairman; Stacy Pallot Shweky, Manager, Care Team, Carnival Cruise Line; and Roberto Levenstone, Port Safety Manager, Port St. Maarten.

There will also be a workshop focusing on supplying to the cruise industry as part of the new Purchasing Initiative. The interactive workshop will outline the importance of sourcing in cruise destinations’ local markets and how companies can optimize this opportunity. Moderated by Michael Jones, Vice President, Strategic Operations, RCCL, and FCCA Purchasing Committee Chairman, the panel will include Julia Brown, Chief Procurement Officer, Carnival Corporation & plc., and Carl Robie, Sr. Vice President, Supply Chain & Logistics Management, NCLH.

The workshops are just one way that the FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show will help attendees learn about the cruise industry and how to maximize its impact. The event, the biggest cruise conference and trade show in the Caribbean and Latin America, will gather 1,000 cruise industry stakeholders and 100 FCCA Member Line executives for an agenda balancing business sessions with networking, promoting and exhibiting opportunities, including preset one-on-one meetings, evening events to meet cruise executives, and a trade show featuring exclusive executive viewings and events like the FCCA Table Tennis Challenge hosted by Adam Goldstein.

Created in 1972, the FCCA is a not-for-profit trade organization that provides a forum for discussion on tourism development, ports, safety, security, and other cruise industry issues and builds bilateral relationships with destinations’ private and public sectors. By fostering an understanding of the cruise industry and its operating practices, the FCCA works with governments, ports and private sector representatives to maximize cruise passenger, crew and cruise line spending, as well as enhance the destination experience and increase the amount of cruise passengers returning as stay-over visitors. For more information, visit F-CCA.com and @FCCAupdates on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.