What makes winning a Cruise Stars award special? Previous victors describe why it’s a significant accolade.

Organised by Cruise Trade News, the Cruise Stars Awards recognise success and innovation, shining a spotlight on the brightest and best talent in the cruise industry.

Finalists will be invited to a prestigious lunchtime event in central London on 8 December 2023.

Here, winners from previous editions explain how scooping an award helped them in their careers.

Windstar Cruises head of UK sales Augustus Lonsdale (winner in 2017)

How did winning an award help you in your career?

I think it gave me confidence that I was doing the right thing – not just in the business I was working in, but also more generally in my career.

Of course, it’s been great to be able to mention it on CVs and LinkedIn, but the personal boost it gave me increased my motivation and drove me to achieve better things – that certainly was the biggest benefit.

Why are events such as this important? 

Having something focused specifically on our industry, where you know those judging and those viewing are colleagues who are as passionate as you are about it, makes being part of an awards like this extra special.

As an industry, we are particularly good at elevating our share of voice beyond the context of how large cruise is, but it’s a great honour to be judged and rewarded by people who know in detail the work you are doing.

Ambassador Cruise Line head of marketing Rebecca Jones (winner in 2018)

How did it feel to win an award?

At the time, I was quite shocked to hear parts of my submission being read out before my name was announced. There was a high calibre of finalists that year and I did not think I would stand a chance of winning.

Hearing why the judges had selected my submission to win was incredibly insightful as it was a different approach to traditional cruise marketing.

How did winning help you in your career?

After the cruise line I worked for went into administration during the pandemic, and then spending six months working for a dental practice, coming back into travel was incredibly difficult.

However, having such a well-regarded industry award on my CV was a good talking point for interviews, allowing me to explain my passion for the industry and how that passion had been recognised.

Scenic trade marketing and support manager Helena Gale-Hasleham (winner in 2019)

How did winning an award help you in your career?

Since winning the Cruise Line PR & Marketing Star award, I am fortunate to have progressed to trade marketing and support manager at Scenic & Emerald Cruises, and now manage a team of three in our Manchester head office.

I still love working in travel marketing and have been very lucky to work with a fantastic product, which has now grown to include four incredible ocean yachts.

What advice would you give to those considering entering this year?

It’s sometimes hard to remember all your day-to-day accomplishments or successes.

If you’re not sure what to include in your application and it feels a bit overwhelming, I’d recommend asking one of your colleagues to give you some ideas on the things they think you have done well – there will likely be several achievements you may not have thought of.

Entries are open and a full list of categories can be found on the Cruise Stars Awards website.