I was in my mid-20s when I took my first cruise. I hadn’t been with Holland America very long when I was asked to escort the Wish You Were Here...? film crew – including presenter John Carter – to Alaska to experience one of our Land and Sea journeys.

So just a few months into my job I was suddenly sailing crystal blue waters, soaring between fjords in a seaplane and exploring glaciers by helicopter. The wildlife was even more impressive. We spied grizzlies lumbering across the plains, watched herds of caribou grazing, and in the water, seals played around us and whales slapped their tails, before diving to the depths below.

My one regret was that my husband could not come with me. But it’s fair to say that from that day on, I was hooked on cruise. Which is why I’m so excited for this year’s Clia plans, which for the first time involve a whole month’s focus on the sector.

Clia associations around the world launched Plan a Cruise Month on October 1, and the team at Clia UK and Ireland have been working closely with member cruise lines to showcase the worldwide destinations and choice of experiences that your clients can discover on a cruise. We all have one common objective – to create more awareness of cruise holidays. And to get more people to cruise.

This has already been an exciting year, with cruising in the headlines for all the right reasons. We’ve had some spectacular new ship launches and initiatives – including of course our very own Koningsdam. Nearly 1.8 million people chose to cruise in 2015 in the UK alone, and I believe there really is no better time to engage and convert your yet-to-cruise clients.

Each week in October will bring a focus on a different theme, starting with Family Friendly Cruise Week (October 1-9), designed to show why a cruise is a perfect holiday for children.

Discovery Cruise Week, which takes place between October 10-16, will focus on the “bucket list” destinations, which can be comfortably visited on a cruise.

October 17-23 will be River Cruise Week, highlighting the immersive experiences your clients can enjoy along the world’s waterways.

Finally, Luxury Cruise Week will take place between October 24-31, featuring the sector’s high-end offerings.

We want agents to be just as involved with Plan a Cruise Month as we are. Last Monday we asked them to tweet their favourite cruise destination using the hashtag #CruiseMonth and the response was brilliant. We hope the trade continue using this hashtag during Plan a Cruise Month to create more awareness over social media. Clia has also arranged a series of agent-focused initiatives, and from October 1, agents will have access to a choice of value-added offers from cruise line members.

We really need you, our travel agent partners, to get involved in Cruise Month. You have a huge influence on the cruise industry and are vital in getting our messages out to clients.

As for me, I’m busy preparing for a special anniversary of Holland America, with next year marking our 70th year sailing in Alaska. It’s many years later, but the memories of my first voyage are distinct. It might just be time to return – this time with husband in tow.

Lynn Narraway is chair of Clia UK and Ireland