Cruise Holidays Awards Agents, Names President's Circle Members

Cruise Holidays celebrated the achievements of its top agencies in a special awards ceremony during the network’s 2009 Annual Convention.

“We are proud of our Cruise Holidays stores and travel consultants for using Cruise Holidays programs and services to their advantage, which are not only helping them weather the current economic storm, but will continue to help them be more successful in the future,” noted Mark Schiffner, vice president of Cruise Holidays.

The Golden Anchor Award

The franchise network’s most prestigious award was presented to Cruise Holidays of Lawrence Park (Toronto, Ontario) and its owners, Dianne and Peter Neubauer. The Golden Anchor award celebrates the one store that stands out because of the following attributes: they must participate in Cruise Holidays programs; attend Cruise Holidays meetings and conventions; use Cruise Holidays tools to attain greater profitability; contribute to the success of the network by generating ideas or participating in focus groups; and generally be willing to help other franchisees reach their goals. The agency has been serving travelers for more than 15 years and joined Cruise Holidays in 2002.

The Top Producing Store Award

Mimi and Mark Comfort, owners of Cruise Holidays of Kansas City, MO won the Top Producing Store award. which is given to the store with the highest sailed revenue during the previous year, from July to June. A large part of Cruise Holidays of Kansas City’s success can be attributed to its highly skilled travel consultants. Five of the store’s travel consultants were honored with the award for Outstanding Individual Sales Achievement during the convention (see more details below). Cruise Holidays of Kansas City opened in 1988.

The New Store of the Year Award

Cruise Holidays of Clarkson (Mississauga, Ontario) are the rookies of the year. The store owners, Zaneta and Joe Rochemont, relied on their passion for classical music and creative marketing techniques to help launch their business. For their first group sailing, they organized an opera cruise, which they promoted heavily via a local classical music radio station. Since that time, their group business has flourished and continues to feature some opera and classical music sailings. The Rochemonts opened their store in 2007. The New Store of the Year award was open to all stores that had a full year of sales in 2008.

Outstanding Sales Achievement

Cruise Holidays bestowed Outstanding Sales Achievement awards upon 13 exceptional franchise owners and travel consultants across North America.

1st Year Winner: Bob Wolf, Cruise Holidays of Paramus (New Jersey)

2nd Year Winners: Gloria Currie, Cruise Holidays of Southlake (Texas); Rhonda Parker, Cruise Holidays Pacific (Victoria, BC); Samuel Spencer, Cruise Holidays of Calgary Centre (Alberta)

3rd Year Winner: Kitty Tam, Cruise Holidays of Scarborough (Ontario)

4th Year Winner: Gail Buddenmeyer, Cruise Holidays at the Stateline (Seekonk, MA)

5th Year Winners: Patti Edwards, Cruise Holidays of Kansas City (Missouri); Cassie Johnson, Cruise Holidays of Kansas City (Missouri); Helene Kaplan, Cruise Holidays of Marlboro (Englishtown, NJ); Ira Kaplan, Cruise Holidays of Marlboro (Englishtown, NJ); Andrea Redding, Cruise Holidays of Kansas City (Missouri); Deb Smith, Cruise Holidays of Kansas City (Missouri); JoAnne Weeks, Cruise Holidays of Kansas City (Missouri)

Best Group Promotion

Cruise Holidays of Grand Rapids (Michigan) has been recognized for its excellence in promoting group travel. Their winning nomination was based on two French Polynesia diving trips orchestrated in 2008, aboard the Paul Gauguin. Cruise Holidays of Grand Rapids is owned by Kevin and Jodie DeVries.

President’s Circle Members

Cruise Holidays unveiled its 2009 President’s Circle of the top 20 Cruise Holidays stores. The award includes top revenue producers as well as stores with the top growth year over year.

We modified the criteria for this year’s President’s Circle to not only recognize our top revenue producers, but also to recognize stores with the highest growth,” said Mark Schiffner. “Both achievements are equally significant because it is important for our stores to continue to grow, and measuring both their revenue and growth against their previous year’s performance is an excellent way to do so."

This year, the following franchisees were honored as 2009 Cruise Holidays’ President’s Circle members:

*    Cruise Holidays of Alexandria (Virginia); Robert Miller & Jim Work
*    Cruise Holidays of Calgary Centre (Alberta); Samuel Spencer
*    Cruise Holidays of Clarkson (Mississaugua, Ontario); Zaneta & Joe Rochemont
*    Cruise Holidays of Flemington (Flemington, NJ); John & Lucy Brinster
*    Cruise Holidays of Etobicoke (Ontario); Krista Garney-Cluett
*    Cruise Holidays of Kansas City (Missouri); Mimi & Mark Comfort
*    Cruise Holidays of Lawrence Park (Toronto, Ontario; Dianne & Peter Neubauer
*    Cruise Holidays of Marlboro (Englishtown, NJ); Ira & Helene Kaplan
*    Cruise Holidays of Nanaimo (British Columbia); Shawn Kilner
*    Cruise Holidays of Paramus (New Jersey); Bob Wolf
*    Cruise Holidays of Scarborough (Ontario); Kitty Tam
*    Cruise Holidays of Shelby (Shelby Township, Michigan); Chuck & Katie Kratz
*    Cruise Holidays of Southlake (Texas); Mike & Gloria Currie
*    Cruise Holidays at the Stateline (Seekonk, Massachusetts); Joe & Kathy Petkunas
*    Cruise Holidays of Upland (California); Roz Towler & Bonnie Sibley
*    Cruise Holidays of White Rock (British Columbia); Nicky & Mel Armstrong
*    Cruise Holidays of Wichita (Kansas); Joe & Sharon Bye
*    Cruise Holidays of Williamsburg (Virginia); Bill & Theresa Reinagel
*    Cruise Holidays of Woodinville (Washington); Rich Skinner & Steve Sibley

All of the franchisees were honored during the 2009 Cruise Holidays Annual Convention aboard Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas on a cruise out of San Diego.

Visit www.cruiseholidays.com.