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Just back from London Cruise Show


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You can see by my signature how well that went for me today ;)

The RCCL stand is the first one you see as you enter. Good job manning that RCCL.... we had a short wait to see an agent to discuss our trip. By the time we left the show there was quite a queue!

Cruise Critic stand buzzing like crazy. Lovely to meet everyone. Not so sure about having my pic taken though. Stand down the left hand side as you enter the show.

Parking price is variable....NOT fixed at £10 but can be less if staying only 2 hours. Notes not accepted in the machines, just coins and bank cards. You can pay the attendants by notes at a desk just through the doors to the building.

Here's ElizaNessie :D

 

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It was great meeting up at the Cruise Critic stand. The show was good (but not as big as expected). I was asked to give some feedback to teh show. I suggested that it should be bigger and include more on the destinations and perhaps have stalls selling cruise wear and accessories. We'll see what happens next year.

The courtesy bus from Embankment is very good.

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Well, I knew that transport to Excell would present a problem. And did it just!!:eek:

 

Travelled circle line to Bank as advised on CruiseShow site. Then walked down many flights of steps, down platforms and finally after much frustration, found the DLR!! (Docklands Light Railway). Disembarked at Canary Wharf. Expected the shuttle bus to be there. No such luck. Lollipop man saying 'Excell' points me in direction of bus. Walk a fair way - another lollipop man to give directions and yet another. Over a bridge and......finally, a bus!! Get to Excell. Up stairs (of course) down long, long hallway lined with coffee shops etc and finally ...........arrived!! Much smaller than we expected. And since at least 50% of visitors were fairly elderly, not a very suitable venue. Many were complaining about how inaccessible the venue proved to be. The DLR stations for Excell were closed and so was the Jubilee Line Tube at Canary Wharf.

 

We had fun whilst there and I met some CCers at the CruiseCritic stand. Elizanessie was the first person I met and we immediately went off for a coffee. Got our priorities right!! I was given a CC luggage label- hurrah!! RCCL had by far the most space with its three products and the Royal Caribbean stand especially, seemed very busy. There were I think, six reservation reps and one receptionist on Royal alone. Tried to get info on a Solstice trip on their stand, but unfortunately, no-one was available on their stand, who could operate the computer - eek!!!! But now have the brochure!! Halfway there!!

 

The HAL stand was a joke - took about a quarter of a small stand. Silversea was OK as was Regent - neither very busy though.

Also met Legallady? and NorbertsNiece - Carolyn Spencer-Brown's Deputy from the US was friendly and amusing. Didn't meet Carolyn as she was taking part in a seminar on family cruising - last thing we wanted to hear about was kids on board. We are all well past that scenario!!

 

The organisers could have tripled their attendance figures had it been held in one of the hotels in the West End of London, as it wasn't a very big exhibition by London standards.

 

Certainly didn't require Excell and all its difficulties.

 

But a good day out - would we go again? You bet!! But because of the location of the venue, I think it was a missed opportunity to pull in new cruisers. Everyone we met was a diehard cruiser anyway!!

 

Going home was interesting as I decided to go on the DLR in the opposite direction, to Stratford where I could then catch the Tube back to near where I live avoiding Bank Station. Of course, I didn't realise when making the decision, that Stratford is the site of the future Olympics - and I had a birdseye view from the DLR. A huge building site of course, but they have part of the stadium going up. Stratford Station is very modern and built for the job - but I don't think it will prove large enough to handle Olympic crowds. I think the DLR, Tube and Railway converge there.

 

Nice Tube journey from there. Stopped off at Bond Street to get gift for my Mum in Selfridges (best store in the world imho!). Love it and it was buzzing - yes, even in our dire economic straits!! Walked home from there and collapsed with exhaustion!!

 

We won't be hearing from Elizanessie for a few days as she is staying in London. When I heard she had won a competition for the CruiseShow, I assumed wrongly, that it included transportation and accommodation. Wrong!! Just a free ticket. Hmm...... we all got them free anyway from the internet!! :D I think that's the devotion of a Royal Champ - puts her money where her mouth is!!

 

-----------------------

Charter Member Royal PITA (Don't ask!!)

 

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Nina - super meeting you too!! What a shame you don't agree that I am a Royal Pita - I try so hard at it LOL!!!

 

I am really glad we went - it was fun to see everyone. I enjoyed the guy selling on the Arthritis Stand who told me his machine would make the blood pump through my body. He didn't go much on my reply though. I said I didn't need his machine, as if my blood wasn't pumping, I wouldn't be standing there, I would be dead!! We all fell about...............except him!!!

 

Now he might agree that I am....................A Royal PITA!!! LOL

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We're halfway through this weekend's Cruise Show in London. Editor in Chief Carolyn Spencer Brown and Editor Kelly Ranson met members at the Cruise Critic booth. Check out our photos from today's events!

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Nina - super meeting you too!! What a shame you don't agree that I am a Royal Pita - I try so hard at it LOL!!!

 

I am really glad we went - it was fun to see everyone. I enjoyed the guy selling on the Arthritis Stand who told me his machine would make the blood pump through my body. He didn't go much on my reply though. I said I didn't need his machine, as if my blood wasn't pumping, I wouldn't be standing there, I would be dead!! We all fell about...............except him!!!

 

Now he might agree that I am....................A Royal PITA!!! LOL

 

Hey if you really want to be a Royal Pita then who am I to stand in your way!! You carry on being a Pita if it makes you happy!!!

 

Ah now the Arthritis Stand, I passed it on my way round and thought I'd probably need to go back and visit after the show (I bet that guy thought you were a pita!! :D), plus I meant to go get a head massage!! However I wasn't in need of either thankfully!

 

Nina

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Is this just a cruise show or a travel show? I had an email from my friend at a dive shop in Bali telling me, and others, that she would be at a travel show in London this weekend....booth #30 I think.

 

Sounds like a fun time was had by all.

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Is this just a cruise show or a travel show? I had an email from my friend at a dive shop in Bali telling me, and others, that she would be at a travel show in London this weekend....booth #30 I think.

 

Sounds like a fun time was had by all.

 

The show was a cruise show, the first one ever in London. All the main cruise lines were there with the exception of Costa Cruises and MSC. There were plenty of specialist cruiselines, expedition companies. There were tourist boards from various destinations and all things cruising. We also had talks and DVD shows.

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Dear Norbert's Neice,

In good spirits!.. With not too much introduction needed and without a doubt you seem to gather a wealth of information and your visit to the show, does not prove me wrong - Highly commended!

On a more serious note though, I was delighted to read your sensible advice on a thread with your reply to my mention - not giving me much credit for the part - by not allowing myself to rely upon discounts only [by personal bias]

However without much hesitation I would accept any Special Offer that came my way by not taking too much advantage!

Well read? - enough said! I will however leave the finer details to you and

can only hop! hop! ONBOARD! and tap! tap! you for information!

I include you as a statistical friend on my profile by default!

I gather that you are a Member of the Board ,and I, only by means of my vocation in life used my tools to convey my work across a board or showcard as a Silent Salesman - hence my description Boardtalker which may seem presumptuous to say the least!

This may have to be my swan song and remain as silent as a shelftalker forever! or turn a blind eye believing that I may not get as many replies as I should due to my inflated title by first impression - when in actual fact I'm only a garden dwarf who does not suffer from any outstanding dominant or recessive genes.

My sailing date is in October therefore that may account for slow/no response.

However I am out there in need of good friends and repartee and the discussions on the Cruise Critic Forums are stimulating.

Regards,

Boardtalker.

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Hi Boardtalker, how are you? Have added you as a friend. I found a thread we were both on regarding booking T&C. Hope you've been able to resolve that.

Hellosailor : PITA indeed ;) Wish we could have stayed longer and chilled with you a bit more. Would have been fun!

With regards to the pictures of me that have been posted on this thread.... the camera never lies? BAH! I'm at least 28lbs thinner and 10 years younger than portrayed.

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Just returned from the London Cruise Show.

Very disappointing representation from Princess, very scruffy. They only sent one poor over worked girl who shared a stand with a travel agent. :(

RCL in contrast were the very model of professionalism. Wonderful stand, loads of staff who all looked the part. No MSC or Costa but Simon Calder was there saying nice things.

OK, so it’s only the first show. Lets hope they do better next year.

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