Seven of the cruise industry`s most influential executives will offer rare insight into key issues facing retailers and cruise lines in today`s retail marketplace during the Cruise Market Forecast Forum at cruise3sixty, the must-attend global travel agent conference event. cruise3sixty takes place April 8 to 11 at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

cruise3sixty is sponsored by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the chief marketing and training organization for nearly 17,000 travel agencies and 19 major cruise lines serving North America. Cruise executives participating in the Forum will identify and discuss the latest trends and critical issues shaping leisure cruising`s fast-paced, highly competitive retail arena.

cruise3sixty`s Cruise Market Forecast Forum will feature the following executives: Frank Del Rio, president and CEO of Oceania Cruises; Bob Dickinson, president and CEO of Carnival Cruise Lines; Dan Hanrahan, president of Celebrity Cruises; Rick Sasso, president and CEO of MSC Cruises; Andy Stuart, CLIA chairman and executive vice president of
marketing, sales and passenger services for NCL Corporation; and Lynn Torrent, president and CEO, North America, for Costa Cruises.

Reprising his role from last year`s panel as moderator will be Rod McCleod, a respected industry leader widely known to agents from his tenure at Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Carnival Corp. The Cruise Market Forecast Forum is scheduled for cruise3sixty`s first general session, on Saturday April 8.

The CLIA Cruise Market Forecast Forum will provide attendees with the rare opportunity to hear some of the industry`s brightest minds discuss their view of today`s dynamic retail cruise marketplace and share what they believe will be the key factors to determine success going forward for CLIA`s travel agent partners and member cruise lines, said Terry L. Dale, CLIA`s president and CEO.

cruise3sixty will also feature many other one-of-a-kind opportunities to hear the industry`s highest-level executives expound on their views of the future of cruising. Micky Arison, chairman and CEO of Carnival Corporation & plc, Richard Fain, chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Gregg Michel, president and COO of Crystal Cruises,
will provide attendees with insight into their personal views of the leisure cruise industry of today and their visions of the future of cruise vacationing, at one-on-one Cruise Visionaries sessions.

Moreover, agents at cruise3sixty can acquire more crucial sales and product expertise through CLIA`s agent training courses - regarded as the industry`s Gold Standard - than will be available at any other travel industry gathering in 2006. cruise3sixty will also feature a bustling trade show floor, hands-on business and technology training opportunities and access to an impressive 14 CLIA member-line cruise ships for inspections.