Coming Soon: London's 2011 Cruise Show . . . and the Cruise Critic Team

[LauraS]

Check out the latest UK News from Cruise Critic:

 

Coming Soon: London's 2011 Cruise Show . . . and the Cruise Critic Team

 

Continue reading for more details

 

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[mypleasure]

I hope it is better than the one I went to in Birmingham last autumn. I had a free ticket and begrudged paying for car park and petrol to get there. We were all the way round and out in a little over an hour. Pathetic little show.

[Clio1610]

I hope it is better than the one I went to in Birmingham last autumn. I had a free ticket and begrudged paying for car park and petrol to get there. We were all the way round and out in a little over an hour. Pathetic little show.

 

A Big DITTO from me too mypleasure......

 

Mind you the previous 2 at Earls Court & Excel were not much better....

 

Am being inundated with offers of Free Tickets already - Wont be accepting them....have no interest in going to this boring Show again.....

[nijh]

Ditto all the above.

 

Had offers of free tickets from various places - after Birmingham I wouldn't go even if they sent a car to pick me up.

 

Biggest waste of my time I ever had - and we even had plans to book, not just to look.

 

Get some paint, watch it dry - that's a much better use of your time.

[CRUISE Show]

Hi everyone, and thank you for the constructive feedback. As the organiser of the event we value your feedback that will enable us to develop the events.

 

Now in year three, we are very excited about the London 2011 CRUISE Show and believe that we have created an exciting platform for people interested in cruise to engage with the industry. Obviously Birmingham 2010 was a launch event and we will continue to grow and improve with the feedback that we get from visitors and the industry alike.

 

We feel it is worth mentioning that as cruising continues to increase in popularity, we are committed to organise the CRUISE shows as interactive showcases where people can meet and connect with the industry.

 

Thank you to those who support us, and please continue the feedback.

 

The CRUISE Show Team

[LauraS]

We're VERY excited to be participating at the cruise show again!

 

We were wondering, what would YOU, as cruisers, hope to get from attending the show? Is there something special you'd like to see or experience? Who would you like to meet? We'd like to know!

 

Laur

[Elizanessie]

We're VERY excited to be participating at the cruise show again!

 

We were wondering, what would YOU, as cruisers, hope to get from attending the show? Is there something special you'd like to see or experience? Who would you like to meet? We'd like to know!

 

Laur

 

I actually enjoyed the Cruise Show at Excel..although I did find it rather small and not a lot to interest me to be honest.

 

For me personally the bit I enjoyed most was meeting up with other CC members and meeting CC staff for the first time.

 

I also had a chance to chat with RCCL Executives and some agents who I had previously only chatted to in emails and on the phone...so nice to actually put faces to the names.

 

Sadly I can't make it to the show this year...(I am job hunting) I hope everyone who goes has a good day out...and hey maybe even book a cruise.

 

I wonder if there will be any special discounts for booking with RCCL at the Show?

[DreamflightPat]

Hi everyone, and thank you for the constructive feedback. As the organiser of the event we value your feedback that will enable us to develop the events.

 

Now in year three, we are very excited about the London 2011 CRUISE Show and believe that we have created an exciting platform for people interested in cruise to engage with the industry. Obviously Birmingham 2010 was a launch event and we will continue to grow and improve with the feedback that we get from visitors and the industry alike.

 

We feel it is worth mentioning that as cruising continues to increase in popularity, we are committed to organise the CRUISE shows as interactive showcases where people can meet and connect with the industry.

 

Thank you to those who support us, and please continue the feedback.

 

The CRUISE Show Team

Looking forward to the Cruise Show and meeting people from Cruise Critic. I did go to the one at the Excel, am pleased it is at Olympia this year.

[CRUISE Show]

We're VERY excited to be participating at the cruise show again!

 

We were wondering, what would YOU, as cruisers, hope to get from attending the show? Is there something special you'd like to see or experience? Who would you like to meet? We'd like to know!

 

Laur

 

 

Great idea, We look forward to receiving more ideas and feedback from CC members as with your input we can improve your visitor experience.

 

Thank you

 

The CRUISE Show Team

[mypleasure]

Great idea, We look forward to receiving more ideas and feedback from CC members as with your input we can improve your visitor experience.

 

Thank you

 

The CRUISE Show Team

 

 

The Birmingham show was too cramped making it difficult to get around. The stands need to be spaced a little further apart.

I would like to see stands from cruise related goods such as luggage, guide books, agencies not just the lines themselves and some better inducements to book there on the day.

 

There needs to be more there to engage me not just pick up a load of brochures and leave!

[mypleasure]

 

For me personally the bit I enjoyed most was meeting up with other CC members and meeting CC staff for the first time.

 

 

CC meet and Greet area? Is there one? Should there be one? At a food show I went to there was an area for subscribers to a magazine with seating and free tea/coffee. Good idea or damp squib?

[Elizanessie]

CC meet and Greet area? Is there one? Should there be one? At a food show I went to there was an area for subscribers to a magazine with seating and free tea/coffee. Good idea or damp squib?

 

At the Cruise Show at Excel a couple of years ago..there was a CC stand :D There was staff from the UK office and Carolyn the US Editor was there too. I spent most of the weekend at the stand...although at that time I wasnt a CC Host...I just wanted to be there and enjoyed chatting with CC members and staff.

 

There was even a CC contest..with prizes :D

 

I think a CC stand is a great idea...I wonder if they are having one this year?

[avenger]

How about mocked up cabins from cruise lines, then new cruisers can see what they are going to stay in. They are either amazed how big or small they are.

[avenger]

Free tea, coffee, cakes. Ohhh and how about that free cruise. Bath robes as you enter the show with chocolate in the pockets. Towel animals to take home.

[mypleasure]

At the Cruise Show at Excel a couple of years ago..there was a CC stand :D There was staff from the UK office and Carolyn the US Editor was there too. I spent most of the weekend at the stand...although at that time I wasnt a CC Host...I just wanted to be there and enjoyed chatting with CC members and staff.

 

There was even a CC contest..with prizes :D

 

I think a CC stand is a great idea...I wonder if they are having one this year?

 

There was no Cruise Critic stand at Birmingham.... Sounds like the presence of that stand made your stay an enjoyable one. I would enjoy the opportunity to interact with some of my cruise critic pals in a heartbeat. So nice to talk with folks who understand cruising and are not bored rigid like my friends are

[EJNutz]

I too was at the excel show and met Liz and the CC team. I think it would be great to have a CC meet n greet area. It would be a great opportunity to meet friends face to face for the first time.

 

The talks at the excel show were good and they should be kept. What let the excel show down was the location and the fact that most o the stalls were brochure pick up points. I would like to see each cruise line show off something special about themselves and try and tempt us into buying a cruise. How About providing food samples, wine tasting, towel displays. ice carvings etc. It should be more about a cruise experience rather than a brochure collecting event.

 

I too would like to see some stalls selling things e.g luggage, clothing etc.

 

I hope to be attending the show, will know for sure next week.

[Host Sharon]

Unfortunately I won't be able to make this one as I have a pre-arranged cruising folks get-together down here that weekend, but one suggestion I would like to see is maybe giving out tickets for day visits to look over ships. Sometimes you really don't want to have to book a cruise to find out if you like or don't like the ship!

[Goldryder]

Due to a 30+ hour trip to Buenos Aires on the 28th, I will not be going to London for the show this year....will be doing last minute bits & pieces that weekend and getting some sleep before leaving for the airport at silly o'clock on the Monday morning.

 

I might get there one day though, but so far my cruises have almost all been longhaul flights leaving on the Monday after the show......maybe next year perhaps, I don't fly to Singapore til the 12th April, so might wrangle my way to London if the dates work.

[Elizanessie]

Just a little reminder.

 

Posts where a TA is named will be removed as per CC Guidelines.

 

Thank you for your understanding.

[dj_spud]

Never been to a cruise show myself. Only been told negitive comments from freinds, Like the deals they offer you are no better than you can get anywhere else, There boring and over to quick.

I would like to judge this for myself, Has anyone got any postive comments? Im not keen on making a 300 mile round trip to be dissapointed and to come out after an hour! Many thanks John

[helpthejuggler]

We went to a show down in Portsmouth a few years ago and there was some interesting presentations but the stands were little more than handing out brochures, which I can't see the point of. I can have them sent to my home, see the info online or pick them up at an agent.

 

The organisers must have some idea of what they hope to improve as must the exhibitors. CRUISE Show suggested they were aiming to be interactive and there must be some advantage to attending. A few ideas from me

 

1) Offer bonus loyalty points for existing members of cruise lines loyalty programmes.

 

2) Onboard Credit voucher to be taken on your next cruise with that line (assume this would be time limited).

 

3) Invite feedback from loyal passengers on good/bad although CC does this already.

 

4) cruise lines could brainstorm ideas with experienced cruisers - perhaps if NCL has asked about non-opaque bathroom doors a few years ago?

 

5) Cabin mock-ups are a great idea

 

6) There are some very well known ports, how about photos/video etc on lesser visited ports. I cruise for the itinerary first so would be interested to hear about new ports or new attractions in existing ports.

 

7) Loads of ship refits planned? tell us what you are doing to existing ships - could tempt us to sail again on the same ship.

 

8) Food and drink samplers.

 

9) Collect ideas for the future of cruising

 

10) Behind the scenes info

 

11) Have a Cruise Show roll-call on the forums - make it a social event

 

Mark

[tony@stanton19.freeserve.]

Following the Birmingham Show last year, I don't know what it would take to persuade me to go to ANY cruise show ever again. It really was that poor and this seemed to be a very consistent opinion

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=26518460&highlight=#post26518460

 

It cost me around £100 in rail fares and food for what turned out to be a real disappointment. The cruise line stands were little more than brochure pickups with booking agents. nothing that you couldn't have got from a high street travel agent. There were a couple of interesting talks but there was no taste of the cruise experience. The only stand that looked like it had had some imagination and effort was the NCL one and that was let down by their newly created PCC's. There should have been food demos & tasting, cabin layouts, cruise entertainment and activity showcases.

There were so many absentees from the cruise lines and I looked for the non-existent Cruise Critic stand in vain. Considering they were a sponsor, I didn't even see their logo.

You couldn't get a seat in the food venue at lunchtime as bored people sat looking at their piles of brochures.

By mid afternoon the show was virtually empty as most people had done what little there was to do.

Maybe the London Show may be bigger and better. If so, it isn't very complimentary to those of us that chose to go to the Birmingham show as we are not worth the effort!

I certainly have not been tempted to take up the various offers of free tickets to go and see if London gets a better show.

 

On a positive note it was an interesting day out and we got to find out about some of the smaller, more specialised companies. Just a shame the big boys didn't come out to play

[tony@stanton19.freeserve.]

The Birmingham show was too cramped making it difficult to get around. The stands need to be spaced a little further apart.

I would like to see stands from cruise related goods such as luggage, guide books, agencies not just the lines themselves and some better inducements to book there on the day.

 

There needs to be more there to engage me not just pick up a load of brochures and leave!

 

 

Maybe a stand selling Rumrunners?;)

[Gothic]

Check out the latest UK News from Cruise Critic:

 

Coming Soon: London's 2011 Cruise Show . . . and the Cruise Critic Team

 

Continue reading for more details

 

More...

 

So how big has the show gotten? Reflecting the increase in popularity of cruise holidays across the U.K., the show has moved to a bigger venue (the Grand Hall) for 2011. Attendees can pick and choose among three theatres for a programme of free talks, lectures and Q&A sessions. Carolyn Spencer Brown, Cruise Critic's Editor-in-Chief, will be among speakers, which include TV personality and author Christine Hamilton and Travel Channel cruise expert Jonathan Beaumont.

 

Surely you mean "So, how big has the show become?" Or, alternatively, "So, how large is the show now, given the increase in the popularity of cruise holidays?"