Aquila’s Port Excellence Program
A consultative workshop on port readiness for servicing the cruise industry, designed for new and emerging ports

The Reality
As the cruise industry continues to experience incredible growth, new ports are emerging that are eager for a piece of the cruise business. However, many new ports are unsure of how to get into the business, or even if their ports are ready to meet the diverse needs and high expectations of the cruise lines. If a port is not ready for cruise business before they approach the cruise lines, they may quickly be dismissed.

The Vision
Being successful in hosting cruise ships means assessing the readiness of the port and developing a strong port readiness strategy that includes learning what the economic benefits are, identifying which segments of the cruise market best suits the port and region, and taking key steps to ensure the cruise industry’s many expectations are met. Aquila’s Port Excellence program will lead to this success.

The Program
The Port Excellence program is a customized consultative workshop on port readiness. It will examine the readiness of a port, identify the developments necessary for servicing the cruise market, and offer innovative ways to improve the port for the cruise industry and to grow the cruise business.

The Benefits
Customized for your port, your consultative workshop will be led by industry experts and cover topics that are relevant to your unique situation. The workshop would include conversations on how the industry operates; the region’s strengths and weaknesses; what opportunities exist from the perspective of the cruise lines; and recommendations for moving forward with “next steps”, including identifying any needs for training, developing product and gaining further knowledge. A confidential written report outlining findings and opportunities would be issued as a follow-up to the consultative workshop.

The Trainer
The Port Excellence program is presented by Aquila Tours, a Canadian tour operator with 25 years of experience in the travel industry and 20 years of providing excellence to cruise lines and their passengers. With award-winning shore excursions and tour guides who were named best in the world by Dream World Cruise Destination magazine in 2003 and 2008, Aquila is highly respected within the cruise industry and is often named as one of the best tour operators in the world by cruise executives. Their clients include Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Crystal Cruises, P&O Cruises, Fred Olsen Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Cunard Cruise Line, Silversea Cruises, and many more.

For more information about Aquila’s Port Excellence program, contact Beth.