Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Cruiseworld 2017 - Day 2 - 11/16/17

CruiseWorld 2017
Day 2 - 11-16-17



I can honestly say that the first day of Cruiseworld was fantastic! Although it was a pretty exhausting day with the classes and information overload, overall just needed time to process it all. Good thing we were able to have some down time last night.

Here is now the 2nd day of Cruiseworld and I am feeling ok but for some reason I started to feel under the weather.  Somehow the room I was in, even with the door open at night, was very dry and felt like I was getting a sore throat.  Uck!  Not a good way to start the day but I was determined to move forward and have some fun.  Another day of learning.

Kim and I met in the morning and headed to the convention center for the breakfast that was being sponsored by MSC.  MSC had a contest going for the picture submission of your best vacation moment and to put in some “swag” for MSC.  Since I didn’t have any swag, I made a shirt with the MSC logo and some bling.  I really went all out for this contest because the prize was a free 7-day cruise on the new ship MSC Seaside.  I was disappointed at MSC because one of the submissions that MSC picked as final submissions was plastered with photoshop pictures.  The contest rules stated that you could not do that.  In addition, someone during the contest made a minority comment.  Really people?  Get a grip.  Hey wouldn’t you know the individual who photoshoped their picture won?  Nice lady and fun but that is really unfair.  MSC you need to follow your own rules!  Trust me when I tell you… my picture was the BOMB and so were several others who should have won. 

Ok enough said about that and rant over. LOL.  After the MSC presentation which features the Miami Dolphin cheerleaders, again taking right from NCL’s Getaway inaugural and supposedly the godmothers of the ship, we went to the Carnival presentation.  Lots of fun and laughter and getting ready for the Trade Show and Ribbon Cutting!  


As Kim and I had to go separate ways into the Trade show, as part of the STAR program you have a certain amount of set appointments with different vendors, enabling you to get a one-on-one discussion about their product and how it helps your clients.  However, the Trade show is SOOO busy and so much is going on, it is very hard to keep those appointments.  I think that I was the only one who was able to as every time I went to an appointment, there on time, either the vendor was on the phone or talking to another travel agent and forgetting about the schedule of appointments that Travel Weekly has set up.  My personal opinion:  The STAR program should have let us in BEFORE the Trade show so that those travel agents who had appointments could meet those 5 minutes with that vendor without any disruptions or distractions.

   


So trying to keep the appointments I got to visit with some of my old colleagues and vendors I love so much and that take care of my clients.  Captain Lou is great and always has a great positive outlook.  He has helped me develop my business for quite some time now.  Then there is Norwegian Cruise Line!  How can I ever forget my favorite people, my girl Maria and Jason?  Visited with my Carnival girl Alicia and Jim from Special Needs Group.  Of course, you have to love Orlando from Holland America and Vicki Freed with Royal Caribbean.  You have not lived until you have cruised!!


        


Later on after all the walking, exhaustion, and carrying all the chachkas we received from all the vendors, Kim and I headed back toward the Hotel.   Later that evening, my colleague Jennifer with CIE Tours, invited us for dinner with her at the Irish Pub Eatery down the road.  Great food and good company as always.

So now that Day 2 is over, we have one more day left and then cruise ship inspections on Saturday. 


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#maralohatvl, #dedicatedtravelagent, #WeExist, #Cruiseworld2017, #cruises, #vacation, #fun

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