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A couple of weeks ago Mom and I attended Mann Travels’ Travel & Cruise Show. It was our first time attending a travel show and I gotta tell you, we had a great time!
The show was located at the Charlotte Convention Center. I don’t know about you, but there is always a sense of excitement when going to a convention center. You know that there’s going to be a lot to see and do when you arrive and Mann Travels made you feel welcome.
There were a couple of spaces where you could just walk from vendor to vendor getting information about the travel company and all the deals they were offering. And in the center of it all were agents ready to help you book your next vacation. That’s a pretty sweet setup if you ask me!
We stopped at the Carnival Cruises table and spoke briefly with the rep there. She shared some fun ideas on things to do with my sorority’s fundraising cruise to the Caribbean. On the way to the Royal Carribean table, we got stopped by a magician who made us balloon wrist corsages.
We stopped by the Princess Cruises table and the rep there told us what excursions we should take at each stop on our already booked Alaska Cruisetour.
There was so much information available, you really had to develop a plan of attack.
We decided to do the following:
| 12:10 | Onstage Alaska (Theater 5) |
| 1:40 | Check out the New Celebrity Edge and Revolution (Theater 4) |
| 2:10 | The World’s First Discovery Yacht and more! with Scenic Luxury Cruises and Emerald Waterways |
Onstage Alaska
In this presentation hosted by Holland America, they spoke about the beauty of Alaska and the things you would do and see while on a cruisetour with their company. They showed the lodges you would stay at, the transportation you would take between each land destination and the itineraries you would take on the cruise portion.
While we are not booked on Holland America, the things they spoke about were identical to the Princess itinerary we booked. Sitting in this presentation almost made me want to skip my MSC cruise this summer and jump straight to Alaska!
Check out the New Celebrity Edge and Revolution
Due to a technical snafu, the presenter was unable to show us all the wonderful things about the new Celerity Edge and the refurbished Revolution. It didn’t matter though. The rep was very engaging and the Edge was a ship we planned to cruise once I read about its debut in 2018.
The World’s First Discovery Yacht and more! with Scenic Luxury Cruises and Emerald Waterways
We’ve never looked into cruising with Scenic, but the luxuries provided by this line is definitely attractive. Below are the luxuries included with just the standard suite:
- Unlimited, all day drinks
- 24-hour room service
- Airport transfers to and from the ship
- Complimentary mini bar, restocked daily
- Complimentary WiFi
- Pillow Menu ?
- l’Occitane toiletries, bathrobes & slippers
- Mac-Mini infotainment system
- Concierge service (arranging tickets, car service, onshore plans, salon & massage appointments)
- Shoeshine service
- Nordic Walking Sticks
I think I’m sold!
All in all, we had a really good time, learned a lot and collected lots of information to pour over.
If a travel show comes to your area, I highly recommend you attend! If you like great deals and discounts and are in the market for your next vacation, a travel show is just what you're looking for!
Have you ever been to a travel show? Share your experiences below!
