Celebrity awards honour 'exceptional hard work' of cruise agents

12 Jan 2023by Will Payne

Celebrity Cruises has honoured the cruise trade and industry figures during its annual Travel Agent Appreciation Awards.

Will Payne

Former TTG senior reporter

Will Payne

Former TTG senior reporter

Dame Irene Hays, chair of Hays Travel, won the Outstanding Contribution Award (Image credit: Steve Dunlop)

The event, held at Searcys at the Gherkin in London, saw more than 70 travel partners attend and eight awards presented to groups and individuals to celebrate their commitment to the line and the wider industry.

The awards were hosted by Celebrity Cruises’ outgoing vice president and managing director EMEA, Jo Rzymowska, and sales director for UK and Ireland, Claire Stirrup.

Winners of an Above and Beyond Award included Cruise.co.uk, which was commended for its "innovative go-to market campaigns"; Hays Travel, for its approach to investing in training and development; and Love It Book It, which focussed its TV channel marketing campaign to drive Celebrity sales.

Midcounties Co-Operative took home a gong for deepening its partnership with the line, Stewart Travel for developing a bespoke Celebrity Cruises strategic plan, The Cruise Village for going "above and beyond" to deliver personalised service and Travel Counsellors for "selling on value and not on price".

Dame Irene Hays, chair of Hays Travel, won the Outstanding Contribution Award for being an "ambassador for the travel industry, an exceptional leader whose influence is immeasurable, and most notably, a passionate advocate for championing young people to be the best they can be and to get the most they can out of life".

This year’s awards marked the final time Jo Rzymowska will preside over the annual event before stepping down in June

Rzymowska said: "2022 was an incredible year for Celebrity Cruises with the launch of the industry-leading Celebrity Beyond in the UK, and the news that a stunning Edge-Series ship, Celebrity Apex, will be homeporting in Southampton from 2024.

"These achievements are testament to the brand’s confidence in the UK market, owing to the incredible support of our travel partners."

This year’s awards also marked the final time Rzymowska will preside over the annual event before stepping down from her role in June.

"This year’s awards are also particularly poignant for me as I think beyond just the last 12 months and back as far as when I first stepped into my role for the dedicated Celebrity Cruises business back in 2014," she added.

"As I prepare to hand over the mantle in June, I’d like to add a note of personal gratitude to all of the travel partners and industry friends who have been vital to the success of our business during my time at its helm."