Nearly Packed and Ready to Go. :-)

Our next cruise departs a week on Saturday. Here in Europe we're still facing disruption from the Icelandic ash cloud that closed our airways for nearly a week. So we have an alternative plan to get to the port in plenty of time.

I enjoy planning and make a point of having my talks complete and loaded on my webbook way ahead. I carry back up copies of my PowerPoint presentations on DvD and flash drives - just in case. And I have my speaker notes filed and ready to roll.

When I take on a new SPEAKERSCRUISEFREE.COM assignment as an enrichment speaker I always like to tailor my talks to the itinerary. I will look at the links to our ports of call and ask for a rough indication of the nationality mix. That way, when I talk about cultural differences, life in the sun, the development of modern tourism, lifestyle improvement or economic overviews I do so with a talk that is tailored to my audience and to their cruise.

I'm not suggesting that I re-write every talk. But I do make a point of offering advice that is relevant. When I talk about the days of the Grand Tour, if we are calling into Rome I will point out the importance of the city as a Grand Tour destination a couple hundred years ago. When warning about the cultural pitfalls to avoid, if we are calling into the UK, with a largely North American audience I'll point out (with a smile) that over here a bathroom is a room with a bath tub in it and a restroom is a room with comfortable chairs in it. A lavatory, a toilet, a WC are what they say - but to be polite you might like to ask for the "loo"!! Or in Spain for "los servicios".

Kathy & I have got so much out of our free cruises since we signed up to SPEAKERSCRUISEFREE.COM. Great vacations and lots of wonderful new contacts.

If you are not already part of this outstanding network then do yourself a big favour and click HERE now.

Happy cruising - FREE,

Andrew