blog post

Cruise Planners/American Express is moving “Full Speed Ahead”

Hola CPer’s!  We have to admit, day one of 2011 CP Con was beyond a success!  Hundreds of Cruise Planners travel advisors flew to Riviera Maya, Mexico, to kick start this annual event held for the FIRST TIME abroad at the all-inclusive El Dorado Royale!  What better way to begin our opening session than with an authentic mariachi band, dancers and Michelle Fee attempting to speak Spanish before hundreds of Cruise Planners travel advisors. Great job by the Home Office team helping her pull that one off! 

Even before the ballroom doors opened, CP advisors were lined up outside eager to experience what Home Office had in store for them this year. They got a special introduction to CP’s new “mascots”, Cruisidude and Pablo Cruz – two cute and fuzzy Muppets that definitely got everyone in the mood for a good time.

CEO and co-founder Michelle Fee started the morning by sharing words of inspiration for a successful 2012. Dressed in classic Cruise Planners’ “bling”, Michelle shared the company’s objective of investing in all of CP advisors by supplying them with new tools and resources that will garner future success and growth!    

Keynote speakers Dondra Ritzenthaler, senior vice president of sales for Celebrity Cruises and Ellen Bettridge, vice president, retail travel network for American Express, started things off with words of wisdom and encouragement for Cruise Planners. By expressing that in this evolving and thriving business, agents should strive to develop emotional connections and become “trusted advisors”. With an emphasis on client-to-agent relationship, CP advisors can strengthen their client base and continue to be a winning partner with American Express and preferred cruise line partners.

The big tech news of the day came from the newly appointed Vice President of Information Technology Brian Shultz, who revealed how eREZ is now going mobile and accessible from a smartphone, the new format and design of the web program, consumer online booking engine, the consumer app and eCONNECT, a direct connection between Cruise Planners and third party partners such as all the cruise lines and Access America, our insurance provider. eCONNECT will allow CP advisors to run their business more effectively and efficiently by going to one place to quote and book a cruise or insurance.

Have we mentioned our new partnership with Process Peak that will basically put CP advisors social media in auto pilot? Whew! We’ll save that for another post. It’s been quite a morning and that’s just the opening ceremony.

Day 1 continued with vender presentations from Carnival Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean International. The two most-anticipated events of the day were the panel discussions with cruise line and river cruise line executives. As always, Cruise Planners invited the top cruise executives to talk new ports of call, next generation ships and CP advisors business growth and deals with the cruise lines.

Must go and meet with hundreds of trade show partners now for great insider tips to grow 2012 business.

Beunas noches mis amigos.

Until tomorrow where day two will kick off with a breakfast sponsored by Norwegian (yum!) and breakout sessions with industry professionals and peers! More to come!!