MIAMI, Fla. — Seatrade Cruise Global 2026 will serve as a platform for Aquila Center for Cruise Excellence to press cruise destinations, ports, and operators to strengthen the guest experience ashore through training, performance strategy, and industry dialogue.
Aquila will work from the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association booth throughout the April 12-16 conference, where it plans to engage destination leaders and cruise stakeholders on practical ways to improve service delivery, coordination, and visitor satisfaction beyond the ship.
Aquila brings training and awards focus to Seatrade Cruise Global 2026
Aquila is scheduled to present its annual Whalesong Destination Award on Tuesday, April 14, recognizing excellence in cruise destination performance and long-term investment in people.
The award honors organizations that show sustained commitment to improving the visitor experience through training, collaboration and community engagement. Aquila said previous recipients included ProColombia and Puerto Rico.
On Wednesday, April 15, Aquila Vice President Melanie Colpitts will moderate a panel on hidden performance gaps that can weaken the overall cruise experience. The discussion is expected to focus on issues such as port welcome, guest flow, service consistency, authenticity, and value perception.
Panelists are listed as Marie McKenzie, senior vice president of government and destination affairs at Carnival Corporation; Alexander Gumbs, chief executive officer of Port St. Maarten Group; Leyla Öner, CEO and co-president of Tura Turizm; and Matthew Weintraub, director of port operations at Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.
The session comes as cruise destinations face growing pressure to match onboard innovation with stronger shore-side execution. That includes building stronger and more sustainable shore experiences as guest expectations continue to rise. Aquila said destinations that move from reactive problem-solving to strategic performance management will be better positioned for the next phase of cruise growth.
Booth sessions aim to turn ideas into business results
Aquila is also scheduled to lead two 15-minute training sessions at FCCA booth No. 975 on Thursday, April 16.
The first, set for 10:30 a.m., is titled “Build It Right: Designing Experiences That Drive Demand” and will focus on creating authentic, market-aligned shore experiences for today’s travelers.
The second, scheduled for 11:30 a.m., is titled “Turning Meetings Into Revenue” and will examine follow-up strategies designed to build relationships and convert discussions into confirmed business.
Both sessions are free to Seatrade Cruise Global attendees, according to the organizers.
Aquila said its representatives will remain available throughout the week for meetings with industry partners as cruise destinations face rising expectations to deliver stronger, more consistent experiences ashore.
