CruCon Happenings

CruCon Current
January 2015
CruCon Happenings
FEATURES

CruCon Happenings
T
his is such an exciting time for CruCon
and our guests. We are now several
months into our extended business and
 Featured Cruise Ship:
Quantum of the Seas weekend hours and the feedback has been
great. It is thrilling to know that this change
has meant so much to you. We are now
 Meet Our Executive
looking ahead to more changes in an effort
Team
to honor the requests we have received
throughout the years.

How was your Trip?
Taking Our Survey
Pays Off

Travel Quiz

ABCs of Cruising:
B is for Boarding

Photo Contest
are taking questions now. You will be able
to access the blog on 2/9/15 via our website
www.CruCon.com.
WAVE season is in full swing. This is the
time of year when the cruise lines and
CruCon pull out all the stops to bring you
the best cruise bargains. This year will
prove to be one of the most intense and
competitive ever. Many cruise lines will be
Our website was given a facelift as well.
adding various types of “value adds” such as
Many of you may have seen the recent debeverage packages, gratuities, and extra
sign changes to our site. It still has that fa- onboard credits while others will deeply remiliar feel but has been freshened up and is duce fares to your favorite destinations such
easier to navigate. Also, Sandy has decided as Europe and Bermuda and the Exotics
to have fun with “Sandy’s Top Picks” and
such as Asia and Australia.
“Deal of the Day”. These are hand picked Don’t forget to watch your email and our ads
offers that Sandy has determined are above for specials and bonuses exclusively for you,
the rest and they are updated daily.
our loyal past guests. We recently ran our
We will be adding a new feature to our web- popular $500/$100 gift card promotion and
site on 2/9/15 called “Cruise Chat with
now check out this NEW DEAL which was
CruCon”. We are excited to venture into featured in this past Sunday’s ad. Hurry, it
this new mode of communication with you. expires Saturday January 31, 2015!
This blog will give you a vehicle to ask our
Past guests who book a new 7-night or
cruise experts any questions you may have
longer reservation between 1/25/15 and
from the basics of cruising, to the changes in
1/31/15 receive a bonus $100 per cabin
the cruise industry as a whole, to the hapshipboard credit by referencing code
penings here at CruCon. Hopefully, the anCPG15. Remember, this is in addition to
swers will be both enlightening and enterour advertised website perks. Limit one
taining in this no holds barred forum. SO
per cabin.
JUST ASK! Please submit any questions or
topics you’d like to see featured on our blog It’s a great time to check off one or more
via email to Sandysblog@crucon.com. We destinations from your bucket list!
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Fea tu red C rui s e Ship :
A R evi ew of R oya l Ca ribb ean ’s Quantu m of th e S ea s
It was said onboard her inaugural sailing that if the Oasis of
to the robot bartender in the Bionic Bar serving up some
the Seas and the Celebrity Solstice had a baby it would be
drinks.
the Quantum of the Seas. She has the energy and enthusiasm
The food received rave reviews. Everyone
you expect from Royal Caribbean, yet
loved the choices of cuisine and the uniquethe class and sophistication of Celebrity
ness of the various restaurants. On the
Cruise Line. She is modern without beQuantum there isn’t one or two main resing pretentious, she is chic and cutting
taurants as traditionally found on most
edge, and she is most certainly deships. Instead there are a variety of smaller,
signed to dazzle you at every turn.
more intimate venues to choose from. SevSeveral members of the CruCon staff
eral are complimentary, where others may
were fortunate enough to sail on the
have a nominal fee. When we asked our
inaugural of the Quantum in November
staff which was their favorite, we got 12
2014. When they returned we asked
different enthusiastic answers so it appears
one simple question: What truly “WOWed” you about this
you cannot go wrong with any of them, although it appears
ship? We were unprepared for the
The Grande and Wonderland are the
overwhelming response. All were
definite front runners. The one retruly impressed by the physical
sounding piece of advice from all was
beauty of the vessel and her user
to definitely make reservations
friendly layout making it very easy
online prior to the cruise as spaces
to navigate around quickly. There is
are more limited and they can be
ample pool and deck space to acchanged once onboard if they concommodate everyone from the
flict with an event (if space availamain pool, the three tier adult-only
ble).
solarium, the indoor/outdoor pool
The Quantum does not lack for opwith its retractable roof if the
tions of accommodations. The ship is
weather is not perfect, not to menmainly comprised of balcony staterooms which are quite spation the three pools in the kid’s area which are sure to delight
cious and well appointed. The design is
fabulous utilizing every available spot for
even the youngest of cruisers.
storage such as above and below the bed
Many commented on the incredible level
and in the good sized dresser and closet.
of service they experienced from the
The bathrooms are surprisingly large as
time they arrived at the port in New Jerwell. If you are travelling with the entire
sey, with the lightning speed check-in
family you can take advantage of the inter
-connecting modular staterooms which
process to service onboard. The wait staff
offer the option to either be all together
in all restaurants and bar venues were
or allows you to enjoy private space. Consecond to none and accommodated any
versely, for the solo traveler, the Quantum
request made. Let’s not forget the stateboasts small studio style rooms with virturoom attendants who simply couldn’t do
al views of outside which tend to be more
enough for you, including making the
cost effective. For those looking to be tosignature towel animals. They were awed by the unique use of tally pampered, you should experience one of the suites from
technology from the wristbands that functioned as the key to the Junior with balcony to the two level Royal Loft. You will
get into your stateroom and means to pay for onboard items never want to leave.
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If you want to be a hero to your kids then simply book a
voyage on the Quantum, the activities for them are endless. The Adventure Ocean staff is amazing and skilled.
They have a two deck facility to keep all of the young
cruisers happy and busy for the entire cruise. Because
Royal Caribbean has partnered with DreamWorks your
children will be able meet their movie friends from Shrek,
Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon and Madagascar. Lucky little ones might also get the chance to dine
with these characters at breakfast. The older kids may
want to join an Xbox tournament on the five big screen
TV’s or have fun in the massive arcades.
If you can’t find your children or spouse, you might want
to head down to the SeaPlex sports complex. They may
be engaged in an exciting game of basketball or ping pong
or chasing each other around on the bumper cars or in
the roller rink. Still don’t see them? Look up as they may
be flying through the air at
an acrobat class or they
may be suspended over
the ocean on the North
Star—one of the most
unique and innovative
feature found on any ship.
Riding in a pod shaped
capsule, you are suspended 300 feet above the
ship. If you are brave
enough to open your eyes
you will be awed by the
360 degree view of the
ocean and surrounding area. For those looking for more
of an adrenalin rush, head over to Ripcord by IFly. This is a
sky diving simulator sure to delight. Here’s a helpful tip
for you, Ripcord does require you to take an hour long
pre-flight class so make sure you do that before sign up
for a flight time to avoid disappointment. If you are hungry while hanging out at the SeaPlex you can grab a bite
from the only Food truck at sea.
Our staff truly loved the ship, food, service and activities;
however, the one thing that they were all ultimately
blown away by was the entertainment. Even some who
swore they were not “show” people said the Quantum
changed their mind. The Broadway caliber performance
of Mama Mia was definitely a huge hit for all. But the
two performances that amazed everyone the most were
those unique to Royal Caribbean: Starwater and Sonic Odyssey. Starwater takes place in Two70 which is Quantum’s
one of a kind entertainment venue. This area in the aft of
the ship transforms from a meeting place by day with its
bars and restaurants to a state of the art showroom by
evening. Starwater is an intricate combination of human
performances, robotics, digital technology and imagination. After the show you shouldn’t leave as you can enjoy
“The Party” which is a dance fest after the show. Sonic
Odyssey is another Tour de Force for Royal Caribbean
where art and music blend seamlessly in this performance
where the Royal Theater is transformed into an earth
harp and the audience becomes its resonator.
Fear not, although this ship is at the cutting edge of technology you will also find all the traditional venues such as
the Vitality Spa, the Casino Royale, and countless
shopping options. For you
music enthusiasts, the
Quantum will not disappoint. Any style of music
can be found from sultry
Latin, to rockin’ country,
to classical and ballroom.
A favorite amongst our
staff were the 1980’s cover bands playing in the
Music Hall.
The best advice we have for you is to do your homework
in advance, pre-reserve your dining and shows (as it’s significantly more difficult onboard), download the Royal IQ
app on your smartphone for updates and more and once
onboard watch both the Cruise Directors morning show
and read the daily cruise planner for information on special opportunities and sign-ups for those activities you
can’t do prior to sailing.
It’s one thing to read about the Quantum in this review
but to truly do her justice, you must experience her first
hand.
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Meet Our Executive Team
This is the CruCon Dream Team. With over 50 years combined
experience in business, marketing, engineering and sales, these three
make running the $100M+ agency look like a breeze. The synergy created by Ms. Cleary, Ms. Adams, and Mr. Ahmadi would not be possible if not for their very unique talents and backgrounds that they bring
to the table.
Sandy Cleary, our founder and Pr esident, began Cr uCon in her
mothers basement nearly 20 years ago after leaving a successful career
as an aerospace engineer. To say Sandy is “hands on” is an understatement. She is literally the first one in the door each morning and among
From left to right: Royal Ahmadi, Vice President;
Sandra Cleary, President; and Deborah Adams,
the last to leave in the evening. She oversees every aspect of the company
Executive Vice President.
by monitoring the sales and customer service departments to see what our
clients are truly asking for. Because of this, we have expanded our product
lines to include Disney Cruise Line, and Viking River Cruises over the last several years, and just last month we introduced the
Globus Family Brands to our repertoire as one of the first non-cruise options for our guests. Keep your eyes open for more exciting changes to come. She also tracks all surveys received to see what we are doing right and also what changes and improvements you, our loyal guests, are asking for. Her true passion is marketing. She is the driving force of the marketing team and leads
them to deliver all of the deals you love!
Debbie Adams, Our Executive Vice Pr esident also comes fr om an engineer ing backgr ound. She joined Cr uCon in 1998,
after graduating from the University of Vermont in 1995 and never looked back. She recently had the opportunity to put her environmental/civil engineer skills to full use when she spearheaded the team in building our new headquarters and was responsible
for coordinating with everyone from the architects, builders, designers etc. She is an avid traveler and has camped in 49 out of 50
states and 9 out of 12 provinces in Canada. Traveling with her family at an early age helped pave the way for her interest in travel
today. She’s looking forward to one day traveling to Australia and the Scandinavian Capitals. She thoroughly enjoys being an
onboard ambassador and the voice of CruCon, while meeting many of our guests and being able to put a face to the name. On an
ordinary day she lends her talents to overseeing the accounting, human resources, and luxury agent teams. Ms. Adams is one busy
lady.
The final member of our executive branch is our Vice President, Royal Ahmadi. Mr. Ahmadi came to CruCon nearly 14 years ago
with extensive experience in hospitality and business management . He started at CruCon as a sales agent and worked his way up
through the ranks experiencing every department. By doing this, he has learned every facet of the company from the inside out.
He took on the role as Director of Operations five years later. He then managed a staff of approximately 60 employees and was in
charge of improving the operational systems and processes in order to promote efficiency, quality performance, consistency, and
productivity. When CruCon moved to New Hampshire from Boston, Royal was promoted to Vice President and was responsible
for growing the company to the 100+ staff we now employ. On a daily basis, Royal can be found here from morning until night
assisting and overseeing every department. His broad knowledge, sense for balance and his remarkable problem solving skills are
just a few attributes that he brings to CruCon every day.
With this dynamic trio leading the way, the sky is the limit for CruCon!
Each month we will be featuring different members of our staff voted on by you, our past guests. If you have a
favorite CruCon employee you would like to learn more about please let us know by emailing
Sandysblog@crucon.com.
4
How was your Trip?
E
veryone wants to know what you think! Really.
Though tracking customer satisfaction has evolved
over time, the question nearly every merchant wants answered is: “Do they like us?”
Exit surveys provided by the cruise line at the end of a
cruise rarely result in the cruise line contacting the guests
–whether responses were good or bad. These surveys are
usually used primarily for the ship’s staff—hotel director, cruise director, dining managers, etc. They are looking for trends that would indicate a high, consistent level
ruCon wants you to rate our performance each time
of satisfaction or dissatisfaction in a particular area.
you complete a sailing. It is our hope that you will
Changes are made (or not) according to the majority
share your thoughts with us at each opportunity. Not only
opinion that they receive. The information usually does
does it help us determine if we are up to par with our own
not leave the ship except in statistical format which can
high standards, it gives us a chance to make sure that from
lead to disappointment if a guest thought his/her comreservation to reservation we are meeting your needs and exments warranted action from the cruise
“..for every one person pectations.
line’s home office.
We have now revised our survey to include
Taking Our Survey Pays Off!
C
that speaks up, there
just ONE question: “Based on this most r ecent
“What do I do when I need a reare probably 50 others reservation, will you book with us again?” Don’t
sponse from the cruise line?” you
or more behind them be shy, we want to know the truth. We have also
ask. First, seek the assistance of our
included an area for any comments you may
that won’t say a
Guest Relations staff here at CruCon,
have—whether good or bad; a suggestion or idea;
word... your voice
especially if it relates to something we
or a concern about the ship (even if it is not dihelped arrange (your cabin, amenities,
could be the one that rectly related to CruCon). Nothing you tell us is
cruise tour, etc.). We’ll do our best to
makes a difference.” unimportant and EVERY survey is reviewed
help you. In some cases, though, it
by our Guest Relations team.
may be appropriate for you to send
Without hearing from you, we do not have an accurate
your concerns directly to the cruise line via snail mail.
barometer for measuring our successes and weaknesses.
This is by far the best and most reliable way to ensure
We want to continue doing what you love and evaluate the
that they receive your correspondence and the response
things you don’t. We even help our cruise line partners idenrate is nearly 100% without any assistance or follow up.
tify positive and negative trends with their brands through
We’ll always be here to guide you even if we cannot disharing your feedback with them (no personal information is
provided to the cruise lines).
rectly resolve or address the matter at hand. You can
count on us.
Remember, for every one person that speaks up, there are
probably 50 others or more behind them that won’t say a
word and have the same sentiment. Share your thoughts
and ideas as your voice could be the one that makes a
difference.
Look for an email from our Survey Team
about 1-2 weeks after you return home - We
look forward to hearing from you.
5
Answers Appear Below
Q1: Which cruise line introduced the
“private island” concept?
Q2: Who brought us the first cruise ship
and what was its name?
Q3: Which cruise line and ship features the first ever
“Lawn Club” (where real grass is grown on the top
deck of several of the line’s ships)?
Q4: To Celebrate its 50 years in cruising,
this cruise line had a float featured in
Tournament of Roses Parade on Jan 1, 2015
in Pasadena, CA. Which is it?
Q5: What ship is the first U.S. flagged ship in more
than 50 years?
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Q1: Norwegian Cruise Line in 1977-Great Stirrup Cay; Q2: Albert Ballin launched Prinzessin Victoria Luise in 1900; Q3: Celebrity ’Solstice
Q4- Princess Cruise Line Q5-Pride of America-Norwegian Cruise Lines
Insider
Tips
ABC’S of CRUCON—B is for Before you Board
P
Boston Cruise Port
lanning your vacation should be exciting. Avoiding common
5) Complete Your Online Check-in: Each cr uise line has an
pitfalls and being organized can help keep it fun and care free.
online check-in process. This expedites your check-in process
Especially in cruising and international travel, there is plenty to take
at the pier, as Homeland Security will require this information
to be submitted before you are allowed to board. Every cruise
care of Before You Board. Refer to this checklist to put your mind
at ease and optimize the time before you leave to prepare to have a
line has a different policy on when you must have the online
GREAT time away.
check-in complete but a standard rule would be no later than 3
days prior to your sailing date. In some cases, delaying your
1) Passport: Cr uCon r equir es that guests have a passpor t that
online check-in can mean delayed documents, the inability to
is valid at least 6 months after the cruise ends. Since passport/
get airline reservations ticketed, etc. So don’t delay.
visa requirements are constantly changing and are regulated by
the governments of the countries you are visiting, we recom6) Secure Your Home: This may seem like an obvious tip, but
mend you contact the consulates of the countries
many times the most obvious tasks can be skipped,
on your itinerary for the most up to date inforespecially in the midst of hectic lifestyles. If you
“...many times the have pets, it might be a good idea to get a friend/
mation. A certified visa and passport agency
most obvious tasks family member to house/pet sit. Or you can secure a
may also be helpful.
kennel. Doing this well in advance of your deparcan be skipped,
2) Travel Insurance: We str ongly r ecommend
ture will ensure that you won’t have to enlist last
that you purchase travel insurance to give you
especially in the minute help to watch Fido. Also, be sure to make
overall peace of mind before your cruise and duruse of your house alarm if you have one and lock up!
midst of hectic
ing your travels. CruCon works with Travel Insured International to provide you comprehensive
lifestyles.”
7) What to Pack: In your car r y-on (we recominsurance coverage. We don’t cruise without
mend at least 1 per person), you’ll want to include
insurance and neither should
your travel documents (i.e.
CruCon Employees getting ready to board the Emerald Princess
you! Ask your CruCon agent
passport, government issued ID,
for details when you book next.
boarding pass, and any other
travel documents that might
3) Airfare: If you don’t have the
have been necessary for your
luxury of living within driving
cruise), a change of clothes,
distance of the pier, you’ll need
bathing suit, and any medicato book flight .Understandably,
tions you may need. This way,
you might want to book airfare
you will not have to wait for
on your own but here are some
your checked bags to arrive in
reasons to consider booking
your stateroom before you can
with these cruise lines’ air prostart enjoying the ship. On
grams:
most 7-10 night sailings, there
Left to right: Heather, Rose, Colby
Celebrity/Royal Caribbean/Azamara
are 2-3 formal nights, maybe
“ChoiceAir” program: They guarantee the best value, assure that
more if the cruise is longer. For more information on formal
they will make every effort to get you to the ship, and provide flexinights and dress codes, check out the cruise line’s website for
bility in choosing your favorite airline and flights. Visit: Celebrity
details. Be sure to check out the local weather forecast before
or Royal Caribbean’s website for more information regarding
you leave home, too, so that you have a good idea of what to
ChoiceAir. You will have to have a valid cruise line reservation
pack.
number to book your air.
Princess eZAir Program: Princess eZAir offers competitive fares
and next-port protection, getting you onboard at the next available
port in the event you miss your embarkation. Some restrictions apply.
If you follow these guidelines, you should feel prepared and able to
relax pre-vacation. We wouldn’t want the stress of planning a cruise
to keep you from going! Now the last thing to remember, and this is
important: RELAX AND ENOY!
4) Hotel: Planning a visit a few days pre or post cruise? We
have partnered with Marriott. Visit our website or ask our
CruCon agent to book your Marriott hotel.
7
CruCon Cruise Outlet is running a Photo Contest
January 29, 2015 and ending February 28, 2015.

What to Enter: Submit photos from a cruise booked with CruCon. It may be on the ship, at
one of the ports of call, incredible scenery or whatever you would like . You don’t have to be in
the photo (but we'd like you to be!). Be creative, have fun and you could be the winner. Even if
you don’t win, your photo may still be used or featured by CruCon in the future!

How to Enter: Please submit your picture along with your full legal name and brief description
of where the photo was taken and email them to sandysblog@crucon.com. We will not accept
photographs submitted through the mail. You can submit multiple photos but please submit
them on separate emails. Before entering your photo, please review the contest’s official terms
and conditions. By submitting your photo, you agree to the terms and conditions.

Judging: Judging will take place on 3/1/15 and the winning photographs will be announced on
cruisechatwithcrucon.com at the end of the contest. The winner will be contacted via email.

Prizes: First place will win a $250 CruCon gift voucher to use onboard your next 7 night or
longer sailing! We will also award a $100 gift card to two runner ups. It will be the winner’s
responsibility to request that the gift card be applied to an upcoming reservation as we cannot
automatically apply it to any reservation.
Good Luck and Have Fun!
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