The dynamic Royal Caribbean duo: strategic account manager Colin Price and Western Canada BDM Shane Buksh.
Shiver me timbers! It’s Parisa Kerachi, Jessie Hamilton, Alli Guidi and Natalie Mousa from Transat Travel Coquitlam.
A fruity threesome: Bonnie Pedersen, Teresa Misic and Michelle Donders of Marlin Travel Lougheed.
Vanessa Mathia and Tracy Cheng of Expedia Cruise Ship Centers.
Say the word ‘Caribbean’ and -- other than white-sand beaches and swaying palm trees -- two things may spring to mind: Pirates of the Caribbean and Royal Caribbean International.
The pairing came together in perfect harmony at RCI’s ‘Caribbean Done Royally’ event at Coquitlam BC’s Hard Rock Casino this week.
Some 250 excitable travel professionals from across the Lower Mainland took up the invitation to dress in ‘Caribbean party attire’ to celebrate the evening, and while flowery shirts and Carmen Miranda-style turbans were a popular choice, it would seem that pirate attire is de rigueur among Western Canada’s travel agent community!
Hosted by dynamic duo Colin Price (strategic account manager) and Shane Buksh (Western Canada BDM), the lively evening showcased some exciting news from the Royal Caribbean brand.
The company’s exclusive island in the Bahamas, Coco Cay, is undergoing a $200 million revamp and being rebranded as ‘Perfect Day at Coco Cay.’ The cruise line is raising the bar with special ‘Thrill’ and ‘Chill’ sections, a waterpark with North America’s tallest waterslide, a beach club with over-water cabanas and the largest freshwater pool in the Caribbean. The revamp will be rolled out in three stages in December, May 2019 and winter 2019.
Perfect Day at Coco Cay is the first island in the company’s ‘Perfect Day’ Collection. The cruise line intends to have a selection of Perfect Day private island destinations across the globe. It also plans to introduce overnight on-island options.
The cruise line is also throwing an enormous amount of cash at its fleet and upgrading 10 of its ships over the next four years. Each of the 10 ships will be receiving a whopping $100 million facelift as part of the ‘Royally Amplified’ program.
The Royally Amplified ships will be overflowing with all the bells and whistles that your clients are sure to love, from Sky Pad bungee experiences and new sports lounges, to tiki-chic retro lounges and glow-in-the-dark laser tag.
And judging by the Coquitlam crowd’s response to this news, there’s nothing pirates enjoy more than glow-in-the-dark laser tag…
Vickie Sam Paget Western Correspondent
Hailing from the UK, Vickie Sam Paget is a travel and tourism storyteller located in Vancouver, BC. When she’s not on the road, creating engaging travel content or gazing at the North Shore Mountains, you can usually find her curled up with a good book or sipping a pint of the good stuff in her local Irish bar.
