Cruise Control

Day in the Life of Cindy D’Aoust, President and CEO of Cruise Lines International Association

A day in the life of Cindy D’Aoust, president and CEO of CLIA

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A TYPICAL workday for Cindy D’Aoust, president and CEO of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). The world’s largest cruise industry trade association, CLIA was established in 1975 to provide a unified voice and be a leading authority of the global cruise community; support policies and practices that foster a safe, secure, healthy, and sustainable cruise ship environment; and to promote the cruise travel experience.

D’Aoust first joined CLIA in late 2014 as executive vice president, and was appointed to president and CEO in March 2016. As head of the global organization — whose members include cruise lines, companies that work with the cruise industry, and travel agencies — the Washington, D.C.– based executive is tasked with keeping her eyes and ears focused on what’s going on in the world and staying on top of anything that may impact the cruise industry.

CONNECTED TO THE WORLD

_ With the goal of staying up to date on current events, D’Aoust is frequently checking newsfeeds on her phone and has CNN airing in her office at all times. Her staff includes lobbyists, technology experts, travel agent training professionals, and relationship managers, all ready to respond to the needs of members and situations that occur around the world.

“My days are different depending on the priorities, and there are so many different things that can create a priority,” says D’Aoust, whose office is three blocks from the White House. “We have to make sure our organization is very nimble.

“When people think of cruising, they think of beautiful ships and great destinations, but there’s a very serious side of the business,” D’Aoust continues. “Sometimes it’s change in priorities. Sometimes it’s reacting to a situation. That’s really what we have to prepare for every day. If we’re doing our job at CLIA, then very few people know about what we’re doing.”

For D’Aoust, 61, 12-hour workdays are the norm. She’s an early riser who likes to be in the office by 7 a. m. In addition to a 20- minute commute, her routine includes a stop at Starbucks for a Venti tea latte and biscotti.

“I’m pretty predictable,” she says, even if her office routine is not. At CLIA, communication is extraordinarily important, so she often begins her day with a call to CLIA’s European leaders, and often ends it talking to her team in Asia or Australia. She notes that she likes to use Skype for calls because seeing the person you’re talking to is more personal.

“We regularly touch base at department, regional, and global levels. There’s a lot of