Cruise Shipping Miami Conference Begins Today

Last week was a world wind week preparing for Cruise Shipping Miami, a conference dedicated to the cruise industry. The complete program can be found here => http://www.cruiseshippingevents.com/miami/conference/conference-program?cid=IEM_V_03102013_HOU_AttMon.

The Saturday before was the Fort Lauderdale Mariner's Club ("FLMC") picnic and while it has nothing to do with Cruise Shipping Miami, it always manages to be the weekend right before Cruise Shipping Miami.

Me (center) with fellow WISTA Lesley Karentz (right), also a member of the FLMC.

My husband (far right) with fellow FLMC members Jonathan Dunleavy and Laura Sherrod.

This past Sunday was the Women's Leadership Initiative Inaugural Luncheon aboard the NORWEGIAN SUN. The Women's Leadership Initiative was established in 2012 by the U.S. Coast Guard Academy Alumni Association to create a fund and endowment to directly support women's leadership initiatives that provide mentoring, leadership training and networking opportunities for female cadets and alumni with the goal of increasing women's retention in the Coast Guard and providing a bridge for service personnel to achieve success following their Coast Guard careers. This event was co-sponsored by Norwegian Cruise Lines and WISTA USA.

My fellow WISTAs and I attending the Women's Leadership Initiative Inaugural Luncheon aboard the NORWEGIAN SUN.

These two events were a great segway to Cruise Shipping Miami, where cruise leaders and experts are meeting to discuss trends and the future direction of the industry at this annual conference in Miami Beach. Monday began with a series of roundtable discussions on tourism. The four-day conference continues tomorrow with cruise line executives holding a State of the Industry session (one of my favorite sessions). On the panel will be executives from Royal Caribbean International, Norwegian Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Lines, owner of the Carnival Triumph that spent days in the Gulf of Mexico disabled after an engine fire.

After Cruise Shipping Miami, I will be attending the Seafarer's House Golden Compass gala this Saturday night, honoring Roberto Giorgi, President of V. Ships. This is another great event that should not be missed...

Next week, I will hopefully have time to blog on the "scuttlebutt" of what occurred during Cruise Shipping Miami and the gala. What happens at these events does not always stay at these events...If you are interested in reaching me during this week, you may do so by emailing me at mov@chaloslaw.com.

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