Complete Cruise Solution attend Travel Counsellors 2008 Annual Conference in Marbella.....

Gill Smeal, Jo Cook and Caroline Moody from Complete Cruise Solution headed off to sunny Spain on Friday 21st November. After an early start (3am!) we arrived into Malaga along with 1200 others which included 800 Travel Counsellors, partners and other suppliers. On arrival at the top conference hotel the Gran Melia Don Pepe, we checked in and started making up 800 goody bags with flyers with all our Wave collateral and other goodies to give out at the Pow Wow!

At 8pm the Welcome Party started at Olivia Valere in Marbella, an amazing typically Andalusian venue opening its drawbridge to a magical world where our generous hosts from the Costa Del Sol showed us a little of what Spain has to offer with fantastic food, exciting entertainment and an amazing opening to Conference 2008!

After attending the welcome party we carried on with the CCS goody bags eventually finishing stuffing them at 1am! It was definitely time to get some rest....
The next day feeling somewhat refreshed after a good nights sleep, the main conference started at the Marbella Conference Centre including a welcome from David Speakman and our 8 minute CCS video which was shown to over 1000 people! WOW WOW WOW WOW.

The afternoon's main event was the Pow Wow where we had prime position at the front of the venue with a large stand and 800 bags to give out! This was a fantastic networking opportunity for us and we were delighted to see so many of our Travel Counsellors colleagues visiting us on our stand.

That evening was a free evening so we headed down to nearby Puerto Banus where all 1200 delegates had descended into Linekars bar as they were offering a discount for the conference, the evening turned into a typical travel Industry party and even Hugh Grant showed up! (need we say more!)

On Sunday the conference ended with a fantastic motivational speech from Annabelle Bond who climbed Mount Everest and then went onto scale all seven summits. That night we hosted 2 tables at the Gala dinner and awards where we were delighted that Caroline Howden who won the best Cruise Travel Counsellor 2008 was on our table - well done Caroline from all at CCS.
Finally on Monday after a busy but successful few days we bid a tearful farewell to our colleagues at Travel Counsellors as we headed back to Malaga airport for our return to the cold in the UK.

Thank you for a fantastic weekend Travel Counsellors - mucho gracias
We look forward to working with you in 2009.

Cumbria Cruises Get Raising for Children in Need

On Friday 14th November 2008 Cumbria Cruises joined in with the Charity fun in raising money for Children In Need.

The whole office dressed up in their Pyjamas for Children in Need, brought in their teddys and sold cakes to raise money for charity.

They raised a total of £56.54. Well Done!!

FIRST EVER CUNARD QUEEN VICTORIA CRUISE EXPERIENCE

Complete Cruise Solution Account Manager, Gillian Smeal led the first ever Cruise Experience onboard Cunard's Queen Victoria ship.

The cruise experience took place between 24th and 28th October and after the group flew out to Barcelona they cruised on to Monte Carlo, Livorno for Florence and Naples where they flew back to the UK. The group spent 4 nights on the ship and were wow'd with dinner in the main Brittania restaurant and Todd English Restaurant, visits to the exquisite Princess and Queens Grill, tours of the galley and bridge, afternoon tea in the elegant Queens room, shows in the spectacular Royal Court Theatre.

CCS set the agents a group task and the winning group of 4 were awarded with one of the west end style private Royal Boxes where they enjoyed a champagne reception prior to the show in their own exclusive lounge followed by champage and chocolates served in the box!

The positive comments below from the agents who were on the cruise experience show just how successful the trip was:

• Thank you so much for such an amazing trip. It was the best I had ever been on. And I am sure we have all made some friends for life. Amanda Bryan, Travel Counsellors
  I can't believe its all over, looking out of my window at the snow, not quite the same as Monte Carlo!!
  
• We all had a fantastic time and have some amazing memories that will stay with us forever, I just wanted to say a personal Thank you it was brilliant and I am truly converted !! Ann Spencer, Travel Counsellors


• Thank you so much for such a wonderful educational, I am not very good at saying too much but believe me this was one of the best trips that I have been on with some brilliant people.


• I can go on and on but I just want to say a very big thank you for being such wonderful hosts. Gina Embleton, Travel Counsellors


• Thank you! I had the best weekend of my life it was so much fun thank you so much. Rachel Varndall, Travel Counsellors

  

  

Noddy and Paddington Pay a Visit to the Complete Cruise Solution Team!

On Friday 24th October the Complete Cruise Solution team had some surprise visitors come to the office.
Noddy and Paddington Bear were in the area and wanted to pop in to see their favourite Cruise Sales team.
Noddy filled us in with all the news from the P&O Cruises ship Ventura and all the friends he has made onboard. He has been busy keeping all the guests entertained onboard!!

Watch out for more news from our cuddly friends!!

Complete Cruise Solution Win Big at the Travel Bulletin Awards

The Travel Bulletin awards were held on 15th September at the Landmark Hotel in London. Fiona Snow, Events and Training Coordinator, attended on behalf of Complete Cruise Solution and was pleased to be called up to the stage twice to accept awards.

P&O Cruises won the Star Mainstream Cruise Company and Waves of Wisdom won Star Online Training Course.

A great evening was had by all and a big thankyou to everyone who voted for us.

Baby Boom at Complete Cruise Solution!!

Emily Williams Gives Birth
Chaos was caused at Complete Cruise Solution's Sales Conference on 24th and 25th September when text messages were delivered to members of the team during Pieter Van Der Schee's Commercial Presentation, stating that Account Manager of the year Emily Williams was in labour.

At lunch the topic of conversation was will it be a boy or girl & how was poor Pete coping?
We did not have long to wait as messages were soon sent just before the end of the first day's presentations announcing the birth of Baby Ruby Jessica Williams.

Her CCS family are looking forward to having another Princess amongst them.

Lucy Holliday Gives Birth
Lucy Holliday Account Manager in the East Team gave birth to a gorgeous baby boy on Saturday 13th September . 12 days late Archie Jake McNeil was a whooping 9lbs 4oz.

Everyone at CCS is looking forward to meeting the new arrival.

Giles Hawke's baby girl no 3

Giles - Baby Number 3 !

Gile Hawke - Director of Sales is now the proud father of baby girl no 3. At 14:28 on Tuesday 2nd September Giles's wife Abi gave birth to a baby girl weighing in at 8lb 7oz whom has now been named as Madeline Amelie Hawke.

Many congratulations to all the proud parents.

Breaking News ........... Top East Lancs Cruise Agent Receives Tumultuous Homecoming!

Martin Hay of Go Cruise displays his support for the CCS Olympics Competition!!

Wii are Going For Gold

Whilst Britain have been winning Gold in Bejiing 1st 4 Cruising have been getting into the olympic spirit in the office too!!

Loving their chocolate medals and fortune cookies they have been working hard towards securing all the bookings they can for the Complete Cruise Solution Olympics Competition.

GOOD LUCK!!

It's a FAB Friday in the office!!

With the Bank Holiday weekend to look forward to spirits were running high in the Sales Team Office. Unfortunately though not long into the day the air-conditioning broke sending the office into high temperatures!

With no hope of it being fixed until Tuesday next week enthusiasm and energy was running low with concentration becoming a bit of a struggle!

In a bid to try and cool everyone down Sales Director, Giles Hawke kindly bought the whole office FAB Lollies!!

With energies restored everything was back on track!!

Lorraine Reveals All in Her Drawer!!

For everyone that has ever meet the fitness queen of CCS, you would know that all she lives off is salad, carrots and the occasional vodka!!

But what a suprise when someone caught Lorraine going in to her drawers to find that they were filled with crisps!!!