Podcast appearances and mentions of Crystal Cruises

It's a late Sunday afternoon, the sun is shining, and the smell of freshly cut grass (and the inevitable hay fever) is drifting through the studio as I sit down to record this episode. After a whirlwind few months — including seven incredible weeks photographing on Crystal Cruises — it feels good to be back behind the mic, even if I'm a little sniffly. In this episode, I'm reflecting on the magic of authentic portrait photography, the rapid rise of AI in our world (and our inboxes!), and why the human touch still matters more than ever. Plus, there's news about upcoming workshops, a few tech tips for cleaner files and faster edits, and a good-natured rant about AI-generated podcast pitches. As always, it's a mix of stories, laughter, tech, and a reminder to stay creative — and stay human. Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, for more articles and videos about this beautiful industry. You can also read a full transcript of this episode. PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think! If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk.    Transcript   Introduction and Podcast Setup So it's Sunday afternoon, the sun is shining, and here I am late on Sunday recording this podcast and I'm recording it with the smell of freshly cut grass, uh, wafting in through the windows, which is gonna trigger my hay fever one way or another. Um and also the reason I'm recording it quite so late at this stage of the day. It's 'cause my neighbors have been cutting their grass and they do have the loudest petrol mower in the world. I'm Paul, and assuming I can get through this without sneezing, this is the Mastering Portrait Photography  

I have been intrigued as recent reviews of Crystal Cruises have been very positive, including it having the highest passenger ratings on Cruise Critic in the ultra-luxury category, better than Regent Seven Seas, Silversea and Seabourn. So, I decided to test Crystal Cruises out to see if they really are the best of the ultra-luxury lines. This is what I discovered   Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: https://www.patreon.com/tipsfortravellers and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and livestreams Visit my Tips For Travellers YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/tipsfortravellers

I have been intrigued as recent reviews of Crystal Cruises have been very positive, including it having the highest passenger ratings on Cruise Critic in the ultra-luxury category, better than Regent Seven Seas, Silversea and Seabourn. So, I decided to test Crystal Cruises out to see if they really are the best of the ultra-luxury lines. This is what I discovered. Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: https://www.patreon.com/tipsfortravellers and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and livestreams Visit my Tips For Travellers YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/tipsfortravellers

This week's Eye on Travel Podcast with Peter Greenberg - from the Forbes Travel Guide Global Summit in Monaco. In the second episode of a two part series, Peter discusses the fallout of Southwest's decision to get rid of free checked bags with Founder of View From the Wing Gary Leff. Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio - Owner of Crystal Cruises and Chairman of Abercrombie and Kent - chats about somewhat surprising changing definitions of vacation. Finally,  Robert Webster - Vice Chairman & President, CBRE Hotels Institutional Group - on who really owns your hotel and how that can impact your next stay. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week's Eye on Travel Podcast with Peter Greenberg - from the Forbes Travel Guide Global Summit in Monaco. In the second episode of a two part series, Peter discusses the fallout of Southwest's decision to get rid of free checked bags with Founder of View From the Wing Gary Leff. Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio - Owner of Crystal Cruises and Chairman of Abercrombie and Kent - chats about somewhat surprising changing definitions of vacation. Finally,  Robert Webster - Vice Chairman & President, CBRE Hotels Institutional Group - on who really owns your hotel and how that can impact your next stay. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Note to listeners:  We're currently on hiatus until Spring 2025, but we're replaying some of our favorite episodes each week until we return. And you're listening to one of those "encore" presentations right now. Jason Leppert, Cruise Editor for TravelAge West, has a long history onboard cruise ships. From embarking on Crystal Cruises’ inaugural voyage in 1990 to completing his 204th voyage just a few weeks ago, Leppert has spent more time onboard ships — and at sea — than most people do in their lifetime. And Leppert has turned this passion for cruising into a career. His blog, “Popular Cruising,” has more than 47,000 subscribers on YouTube, and he regularly represents the TravelAge West brand as he reports on the ocean, river and expedition cruise industries, in addition to penning firsthand reviews of cruises. In this episode of Humans of Travel, Leppert details his childhood growing up while cruising with his family, and how his early vacations led him to fall in love with the travel style. He recounts his journeys on more than 200+ cruises, and shares how he makes sure he relays an accurate and honest opinion of the ships he experiences for his readers and viewers. Finally, listeners will hear Leppert’s take on cruising’s sustainability initiatives, as well as how he addresses “cruise skeptics.” This episode was sponsored by Riverside Luxury Cruises. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Jason Leppert, Cruise Editor at TravelAge West Popular Cruising on YouTube ABOUT YOUR HOST Emma Weissmann is the Executive Editor of TravelAge West, a print magazine and website for travel advisors based in the Western U.S. She is also the co-host of Trade Secrets, a podcast created with sister publication Travel Weekly. TravelAge West also produces national trade publications Explorer and Family Getaways, as well as events including the Future Leaders in Travel Retreat, Global Travel Marketplace West, the WAVE Awards gala and the Napa Valley Leadership Forum. ABOUT THE SHOW TravelAge West’s award-winning podcast, “Humans of Travel,” features conversations with exceptional people who have compelling stories to tell. Listeners will hear from the travel industry’s notable authorities, high-profile executives, travel advisors and rising stars as they share the highs and lows that make them human.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send us a textThis week on The Joy of Cruising Podcast, I am delighted to welcome Kathy Lu of Explora Journeys. Let me preface my conversation with Kathy by pointing out that Explora Journeys was not even on my radar a few months ago. Then a series of events converged in a short amount of time. In November the Cruise Critic Awards came out and Explora Journeys was announced as respectively Best Cruise Line, Best Dining, and Best for Families in the luxury category. Mind you at the time of that announcement, a luxury cruise was on my bucket list—perhaps Regent Seven Seas, Crystal, Seabourne—Explora Journeys was not even in my thinking. Then I hosted Colleen McDaniel, Editor-in-Chief, Cruise Critic and asked her to reflect on cruising luxury cruise lines. Part of her response related to Explora Journeys, and I recall responding, “Wow, I have got some research to do.” That research led me to Kathy Lu.Kathy Lu is Explora Journeys' Business Relationship Lead, USA Southeast. Having spent 14 years at Crystal Cruises—first in Los Angeles, later in Miami—Kathy flourished in the brand's culture of excellence, in which respect for others was paramount and exceeding expectations was inherent within the team. From her beginnings as an administrative assistant, through promotions into a myriad of roles in strategic partnerships, international sales and marketing, and ultimately as Regional Sales Manager for the Southeast, Kathy has formed unique global perspectives and valuable insights into all facets of luxury tourism today. A playful and curious lover of travel who began cruising from a young age, Kathy has spent much of her life exploring the world. Her favorite destinations include Greece, Hungary, and Vietnam and her future-travels wish list includes iconic spots like South Africa, New Zealand, and especially Iceland; a broken ankle, occurring hours after stepping onto the land of fire and ice, cut her holiday short in 2021. Whether at home in Atlanta, in a fine restaurant, at a taco truck, or aboard a luxury ship, Kathy enjoys the foodie life and relishes opportunities to entertain. She loves contemporary art and Scotch whisky that is old enough to order its own drink. She's a friend to all canines, and she loves people, particularly her supportive family in Los Angeles. Kathy holds a bachelor's degree Relying on ship wifi is slow, unsecure, sometimes not available & at foreign ports travelers don't want to pay their carriers' high fees. Save $ with GigSky! Get a data package usable on the ship & in ports. Link to GigSky: https://gigsky.pxf.io/nloxor. For a 10% discount use code: joyofcruisingSupport the showSupport thejoyofcruisingpodcast https://www.buzzsprout.com/2113608/supporters/newSupport Me https://www.buymeacoffee.com/drpaulthContact Me https://www.thejoyofcruising.net/contact-me.htmlBook Cruises http://www.thejoyofvacation.com/US Orders (coupon code joyofcruisingpodcast)The Joy of Cruising https://bit.ly/TheJoyOfCruisingCruising Interrupted https://bit.ly/CruisingInterruptedThe Joy of Cruising Again https://bit.ly/TheJoyOfCruisingAgainIntl Orders via Amazon

Katie Thompson, senior vice president of marketing at Abercrombie & Kent, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report at last month's ILTM Cannes luxury show about the rebranding of Abercrombie & Kent, whose holding company A&K Group now includes Sanctuary Retreats and Crystal Cruises, in addition to a full range of tours, trips and experiences around the globe. Thompson explains why new logo and imagery reflects that combination. For more information, visit www.abercrombiekent.com. All our Insider Travel Report video interviews are archived and available on our Youtube channel  (youtube.com/insidertravelreport), and as podcasts with the same title on: Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Listen Notes, Podchaser, TuneIn + Alexa, Podbean,  iHeartRadio,  Google, Amazon Music/Audible, Deezer, Podcast Addict, and iTunes Apple Podcasts, which supports Overcast, Pocket Cast, Castro and Castbox.  

Send us a textHello, passionate cruisers! This is Paul and this week on The Joy of Cruising Podcast, I am delighted to welcome Melissa Davis, and have a conversation with her about how she grew from running Port Shopping Programs onboard cruise ships to providing Port Shopping information and running  to all cruisers as a private entrepreneur.After running shopping programs on Crystal Cruises, Regent, Oceania, Viking,  and Marella, and launching the first and only onshore shopping program on Viking River Cruises, Melissa decided to create an online recommended and guaranteed shopping program for all cruisers featuring Cruise Port Maps, and a long list of fabulous recommended and guaranteed retailers and brands in each port, and tried and tested attractions and best beaches. Melissa is the number one Online Port Shopping GuideAfter working with several amazing cruise lines and cruising a lot herself, Melissa was surprised to see not all Cruise lines provide accurate Port Maps when the ships arrive in port. She decided to put her Cruise Port Insider Secrets online so everyone could access it. Melissa's cruise ship career started as a Fitness Instructor for Steiner Transocean on the old Holland America Line Noordam. She couldn't wait for time off in port to explore the ports, and submerging herself in the culture and meeting wonderful people along the way. To this day she has artifacts, indigenous souvenirs and jewelry and art from these wonderful experiences. When a position came up as a Shopping Lecturer she jumped at the chance and for the next 7 years, she went to various cruise lines running lectures and helping cruise ship guests navigate the ports of call. Now Melissa has all these amazing Cruise Port Maps, and will tell you how to get yours free, as well as shop for wonderful products from each destination or snag a souvenir for a loved one back home.  Relying on ship wifi is slow, unsecure, sometimes not available & at foreign ports travelers don't want to pay their carriers' high fees. Save $ with GigSky! Get a data package usable on the ship & in ports. Link to GigSky: https://gigsky.pxf.io/nloxor. For a 10% discount use code: joyofcruisingSupport the showSupport thejoyofcruisingpodcast https://www.buzzsprout.com/2113608/supporters/newSupport Me https://www.buymeacoffee.com/drpaulthContact Me https://www.thejoyofcruising.net/contact-me.htmlBook Cruises https://bit.ly/TheJoyOfCruisingPodcast-BookACruiseUS Orders (coupon code joyofcruisingpodcast)The Joy of Cruising https://bit.ly/TheJoyOfCruisingCruising Interrupted https://bit.ly/CruisingInterruptedThe Joy of Cruising Again https://bit.ly/TheJoyOfCruisingAgainIntl Orders via Amazon

Ich war – man kann es nach über 15 Jahren in der Kreuzfahrt kaum glauben – zum ersten Mal mit Crystal Cruises unterwegs. In acht Tagen im Mittelmeer habe ich mir die Crystal Symphony genau angesehen und darüber sprechen wir in dieser Podcast-Episode. Crystal Cruises, das ist Luxus auf höchstem Niveau, mit exzellentem Service, großartigem Essen, beeindruckenderweise auch Top-Entertainment. Die Reederei hat eine sehr klassisch-traditionelle Herangehensweise, ohne dabei aber altbacken zu wirkt. Wir sprechen darüber, was das genau bedeutet und wie sich das an Bord der Crystal Symphony anfühlt. Themen sind der Service, das Essen, das Entertainment, was die Crystal Symphony zu bieten hat und viel individuellen Freiraum man an Bord hat. Wir sprechen über Zielgruppen und Publikum an Bord und Jerome entlockt mir eine seltene, vergleichende Aussage zu anderen Luxus-Reedereien. After-Show als Bonus und Extra-Podcast für unsere Steady-Abonnenten In der Aftershow diskutieren wir die neuen Passagierzahl-Rekorde, die von den Kreuzfahrthäfen Miami, Fort Lauderdale und Port Canaveral kommen. Deren Geschäftsjahr endet schon Ende September, sodass hier bereits Statistiken für 2024 vorliegen. Fast ein Drittel mehr Kreuzfahrt-Passagiere als noch vor der Pandemie, im Jahr 2019 verzeichneten die drei weltgrößten Kreuzfahrthäfen in Florida. Und auch fast 15 Prozent im Vergleich zu 2023. Wir diskutieren die Zahlen, ordnen sie ein und werfen auch einen Blick auf Europa und geben einen Ausblick auf die zu erwartende Entwicklung in den kommenden Jahren. Und wir sprechen darüber, warum gerade jetzt die Aktien der börsennotierten Kreuzfahrtunternehmen so stark steigen. Die After-Show, ebenso wie die werbefreie Version des Podcasts, ist ein besonderes Goodie [exklusiv für unsere Unterstützer via Steady](https://steadyhq.com/de/cruisetricks-podcast/about), das wir in einem eigenen, kleinen Podcast bereitstellen. Bei Steady finden Sie als Abonnent eine [genaue Anleitung](https://get.steadyhq.help/hc/de/articles/360002251118), wie Sie diesen Podcast abonnieren können. Werbefrei hören den Podcast all diejenigen von Ihnen, die uns mit einem Steady-Abonnement monatlich unterstützen. Den Podcast und die After-Show gibt es deshalb für Steady-Abonnenten an einem Stück komplett und ohne Werbeunterbrechungen über den personalisierten RSS-Podcast-Feed bei Steady – siehe oben.

Seeing a Colorful World of Entertainment Through Rosenblum-Colored GlassesIn this captivating episode of Big Conversations, Little Bar, hosts Patrick Evans and Randy Florence, joined by the delightful Glenn Rosenblum, dive into a dynamic and humorous dialog. Broadcasting remotely from their usual remote location at Skip Paige's Indio Taphouse, they explore the vibrant life and career of Rosenblum. Known as the Prince of Los Angeles Cabaret, Glenn offers a comedic retrospective on his journey in showbiz, from auditions to his gigs on Crystal Cruises. Listeners will love his colorful anecdotes, including a unique Thanksgiving spent with William Shatner filming a turkey frying safety video and cleaning the apartments for mysterious Washington insiders. The discussion is enriched with hearty laughter, genuine moments, and a peek into the intricate world of Hollywood and cabaret. As always, we thank the McCallum Theatre for being our gracious presenting sponsor. A hearty thank you, as well, to Vitara Wellness for sponsoring our Rapid Round Q&A segment. Enjoy this brilliantly entertaining conversation and much more on Big Conversations, Little Bar.#PodcastLife #BigConversationsLittleBar #PodcastLovers #InstaPodcast #ShowbizStories #CabaretKing #PatrickEvans #RandyFlorence #GlennRosenblum #WilliamShatner #TurkeyFryerFiasco #McCallumTheatre #ShowbizLife #PodcastHumor #BehindTheScenes #MutualBroadcastingSystem #LosAngelesCabaret #CrystalCruisesEntertainment

Jason Leppert, Cruise Editor for TravelAge West, has a long history onboard cruise ships. From embarking on Crystal Cruises' inaugural voyage in 1990 to completing his 204th voyage just a few weeks ago, Leppert has spent more time onboard ships — and at sea — than most people do in their lifetime. And Leppert has turned this passion for cruising into a career. His blog, “Popular Cruising,”  has more than 47,000 subscribers on YouTube, and he regularly represents the TravelAge West brand as he reports on the ocean, river and expedition cruise industries, in addition to penning firsthand reviews of cruises. In this episode of Humans of Travel, Leppert details his childhood growing up while cruising with his family, and how his early vacations led him to fall in love with the travel style. He recounts his journeys on more than 200+ cruises, and shares how he makes sure he relays an accurate and honest opinion of the ships he experiences for his readers and viewers. Finally, listeners will hear Leppert's take on cruising's sustainability initiatives, as well as how he addresses “cruise skeptics.” This episode was sponsored by Allianz Partners.  RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Jason Leppert, Cruise Editor at TravelAge West Popular Cruising on YouTube ABOUT YOUR HOST  Emma Weissmann is the Managing Editor of TravelAge West, a print magazine and website for travel advisors based in the Western U.S. She is also the co-host of Trade Secrets, a podcast created with sister publication Travel Weekly. TravelAge West also produces national trade publications Explorer and Family Getaways, as well as events including the Future Leaders in Travel Retreat, Global Travel Marketplace West, the WAVE Awards gala and the Napa Valley Leadership Forum.  ABOUT THE SHOW  TravelAge West's podcast, “Humans of Travel,” features conversations with exceptional people who have compelling stories to tell. Listeners will hear from the travel industry's notable authorities, high-profile executives, travel advisors and rising stars as they share the highs and lows that make them human.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listeners welcome back to the pod - today we will dive deep into the life of one of the most influential figures in the cruise line and maritime world. Our guest is a titan of the cruise line industry, a visionary entrepreneur, and a lifelong champion of global tourism his name is Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio.  Manfredi has transformed his family business into a global leader in luxury cruising. Under his leadership, Silversea Cruises expanded its company offering travel experiences across all seven continents around the world. In a strategic partnership with Royal Caribbean Manfredi orchestrated the sale of a ⅔ stake in Silversea for a whopping $1 billion in 2018. This strategic partnership not only elevated Silversea's brand but also marked one of the most significant deals in the cruise industry's history. And lastly, Manfredi is the Chairman of The Heritage Group which is a private equity company that acquired 85% of one of the biggest luxury travel companies in the world Abercrombie & Kent - whose founder Geoffrey Kent was on the podcast just last month.  Today we are going to dive into the life and mind of Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio.    00:12: Who is Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio? 03:42: Manfredi's Recommended Books      05:56: Manfredi's Starts a Cruise Line 13:01: How this Billion-Dollar Founder Spends his Time 15:05: The Biggest Challenge Manfredi Experienced was September 11, 2001.  18:56: Manfredi Takes Over the Family Business 21:18: Manfredi Pioneers the Luxury Cruise Industry.  24:39: Why Manfredi Loves Being an Entrepreneur 26:13: Manfredi's Career Chapters 29:59: Manfredi Orchestrated the Most Significant Deal in the Cruise Industry.  32:47: Manfredi & Geoffrey Kent Built the First Expedition Cruise Ship 34:59: Manfredi's Daily Routine 37:13: Advice Manfredi Would Give His Younger Self 37:58: Things to Look for in Executives and Partners When You Bring Them On  40:25: What is Manfredi Most Proud Of?   Contact Info: https://www.manfredilefebvre.com/ https://heritagemonaco.com/ https://www.silversea.com/ Transcript:   [00:00:12] Chris: Listeners, welcome back to the podcast today, and we will dive deep into the life of one of the most influential figures in the cruise line and maritime world. Our guest today is a Titan in the cruise line industry, a visionary entrepreneur, a lifelong champion of global tourism, and his name is Manfredi LaFavre D'Ovidio. Manfredi has transformed his family business into a global leader in luxury cruising. Under his leadership, Silver Sea Cruises expanded its company, offering travel experiences across all seven continents around the world. In a strategic partnership with Royal Caribbean, Manfredi orchestrated the sale of a two third stake in Silversea for a whopping 1 billion in 2018. This strategic partnership not only elevated Silversea's brand, but also marked. One of the most significant deals in the cruise industry's history. And lastly, Manfredi is the chairman of the heritage group, which is a private equity company that acquired 85 percent of one of the biggest luxury travel companies in the world, Abercrombie and Kent, whose founder was actually on the podcast last month. So if you haven't listened to that interview yet, make sure you check it out. And today we're going to dive into the life and mind of Manfredi. Listeners, welcome to the show. Manfredi, welcome to the show. How are you doing today? [00:01:34] Manfredi: Not too bad. Not too bad. Can I add something to what you said? [00:01:38] Chris: Please do. Add or take away. Whatever you like. [00:01:41] Manfredi: Well, what happened is that as soon as I did my deal with Royal Caribbean, I did buy, uh, Abercrombie Kent, which recently I brought up to 100 percent shareholding, and I sold to Royal Caribbean subsequently one further that I owned, uh, in, uh, Silver Sea in exchange of Royal Caribbean shares and acquired another cruise line, which is called Crystal Cruises. [00:02:04] Chris: Ah, I did actually read about that. Forgive me for not putting that in there. [00:02:08] Manfredi: No, so it's just, the story goes on. And before Silver Sea, we had another cruise line, which was called Sydmar. Okay. [00:02:17] Chris: Was Sid, was Smar the one created by your father or was Silver Sea created by your father? Uh, [00:02:23] Manfredi: Sid Smar was acquired by my father with me because I was working with him at the time. And we bought, uh, the Cruise Line, which was one of the first cruise lines ever. And, uh, Sid Bar built the first free purposely built cruise ships, which were built in Italian shipyard fi can and LA in France. [00:02:42] Chris: Great. So that [00:02:42] Manfredi: was the beginning. Then we got an offer we couldn't refuse. We sold Smar. And we started Silversea together with my father, which I took over shortly after. [00:02:52] Chris: And that was in the 90s, correct? [00:02:54] Manfredi: That was, uh, we started in 92, we acquired in 86, Sidmar, sold it in 89, started in 92, uh, 91, Silversea, and, uh, we're ordering the ships, and then we started operating in 94. [00:03:10] Chris: Incredible. [00:03:12] Manfredi: So, and then in 2018, uh, we, I sold to Royal Caribbean and I bought in 2000, uh, actually was in 2019. The negotiation started earlier 2019. I bought Abercrombie & Kent. [00:03:27] Chris: That's right. Incredible. Um, so Manfredi, I was told by a mentor of mine a long time ago that the, uh, difference between a wealthy person and the average person is the information that we put in between the two ears that we have. and what we choose to do with it. And I hear you're an avid reader, so if it's okay with you, I'd like to ask about what you're reading right now and some of the more impactful, uh, books of your life. [00:03:59] Manfredi: Yeah, I tend to read two, three books in parallel. So now I'm reading the Silk Roads, number one, the old Silk Road and the new Silk Road. Then there is a new book which was written about the oil industry and the energy markets, which is very interesting. I don't remember now the exact title. And then, you know, other things which went back in time. An interesting View of the history of the United States of America, which is unconventional view. Ah, [00:04:34] Chris: do [00:04:34] Manfredi: you [00:04:34] Chris: know who, do you know who the author of that book was? [00:04:38] Manfredi: I can let you know. [00:04:39] Chris: Okay. [00:04:40] Manfredi: Um, it was recommended to me and I bought it and it's quite interesting. [00:04:44] Chris: Do you have two or three books that were the most impactful in your life? [00:04:50] Manfredi: Yeah, you know, but probably I'm, I, I had once, um, hepatitis, so I was stuck in bed for a long time and I managed to read all of War and Peace, the whole story. It's a massive book. In today's world, it's very difficult to read at all. [00:05:10] Chris: Yeah. Okay. Anything else, any others? [00:05:17] Manfredi: Oh, this is the one that comes to my mind immediately. The other ones are, you know, I try to always read something which will leave me something, uh, in knowledge. [00:05:27] Chris: Yeah. [00:05:28] Manfredi: A book that I loved was, uh, A Hundred Years of Solitude. [00:05:33] Chris: I've heard of that one. [00:05:35] Manfredi: There's a life in this village in Colombia, which goes through the civil wars in the country. It's quite interesting. [00:05:42] Chris: Nice. Um, so I kind of want to start this off about, uh, going back to your, your past and your childhood. And I'm curious about the first moment that you realized you had a passion for ships and cruise lines. Uh, do you remember that moment? [00:06:03] Manfredi: I can, uh, reconnected because when I was 14, my father told us, uh, he was We're going on a cruise. Now it's 14, it's uh, what is it, 56 years ago. It was really at the beginning. Nobody knew about cruises. And, uh, he, because his friend had his cruise line, which was called Sidmar, and so we went to all the way to Mexico, Los Angeles, took the cruise down the Mexico coast, and, uh, that was the first impact with, uh, uh, cruising. But I've been involved in shipping all my life, because my father was a ship owner, a professor of university of maritime law, and a lawyer, and he was always involved with shipping. So it's been all our lives that we've been involved with ships, we had yachts, and so on. We had shipping companies, we had ferry companies, we had all sorts of things. But that was a crucial moment because we sold this company, where I subsequently went to work. When I was 18. And then, uh, you know, we, we bought it. So it was a chapter here. You know, you go on a cruise and you work for them and then you buy them. Yeah. And then you see them. I hear your father was quite a, an interesting figure and he was a lawyer and he actually helped create the maritime law in Italy. [00:07:24] Chris: , and then You, you, did he start the cruise line, , the very first cruise line venture that you guys owned, or did he acquire it and then continue to run it and it became the family business? [00:07:39] Manfredi: He, we acquired it. [00:07:41] Chris: Okay. [00:07:42] Manfredi: And then, and when we acquired it, we built the new ships. And then they were so beautiful and were so, so innovative that we got a very good offer and we sold it. And then we started SilverSea. SilverSea is the first one that we started. In the past, you know, I had worked in other businesses. My father, with his, uh, partners had bought a big shipping company, which was listed on the UK Stock Exchange, which owned ships. It owned a very large, uh, Ship broker company and, uh, insurance broker company called Clarkson. It owned Maritime Insurance company. So he was always, uh, involved in that. He even had a fleet of tankers in Saudi Arabia at the beginning of the seventies. [00:08:26] Chris: Oh really? can you share about your father's influence on you? You know, as a young man, I could imagine, and a boy growing up, I could imagine, uh, a father who, I think about the influence my father had on me. Right. And I can imagine you and your father had a cruise lines. He is part of the maritime industry, um, or he was at least getting involved in cruise lines at the time. , How did that have an effect on you as a young man? [00:08:55] Manfredi: I mean, that's, uh, fundamental. He was an extraordinary person, an extraordinary father. And, uh, he was lucky he had a wife who always, uh, put him on a, uh, how do you say it when you put somebody on a pedestal? Pedestal for us. So we always had, and because he was working all the time, he was traveling a lot, working, and he would, his Sundays were because he would take Saturday to work always. On the Sundays, his vacation, his day was to pass the day working in our playroom. So he had a desk. His children were playing around and he was there working. And that was his, uh, his Sunday. So, uh, you know, it's an example of, uh, dedication to passion, to work dedication. And, uh, but he was still very present to us because he was a symbol. for us. So, uh, we always looked up to him. And then he would sometimes take one of the children. For example, he, when he had some, uh, launch of a new ship, would take one children with him. And so he created some moments for us, which he was pretty much always linked his life with his business, but he involved us. So he got us very much attached. And especially my two sisters, they were deeply in love with him and the same with me. I mean, I adored him. And, uh, when I was, um, uh, 18, he said, Okay, you go to university, you will have a desk in the office next to mine. You can listen to all my phone calls, join all my meetings, read all my papers. Asked me every question, and any day in the week, Saturday, Sunday, during the week, and so that I did, and then he would send me to his businesses. He had many businesses in various countries, Mexico, England, etc, etc. So I would go three months in his businesses. And then come back and study and go on with the university and then work with him. And, uh, so it was a very tight relationship. [00:11:10] Chris: What do you think was the most impactful lesson that you learned from your father? [00:11:16] Manfredi: You know, the most is to be very respectful of the others. He was, uh, the most, uh, Curtis person you can imagine with everybody, and it wasn't linked to the fact if you had anything to exchange with somebody, uh, somebody who was relevant for his business or for any other reason. He would be the same with anybody from the lowest level and, uh, business community or the people working for him in service to the highest level. It was true that everybody with extreme kindness and courtesy. And, uh, and would always be, uh, responding to anybody. So, it was this kind of attitude. Very humble, simple, very successful man. Uh, an incredible brain, but very humble and simple. [00:12:06] Chris: So let's switch to the roles that you play in your life now. So you're the chairman of the heritage group, which, uh, a heritage groups, a private equity group in a travel and tourism sector. Um, you're the chairman and orbital solutions, Monaco co chairman. And I guess you said, uh, are you no longer chairman at Amber Cromby Kent, or are you still co chair there? [00:12:27] Manfredi: No, I'm, uh, I'm the chairman. Geoffrey. sold me the steak, and he is the co chairman. I don't know what his exact title is. He's the founder chairman, let's say. Okay. He's not actively involved in the running of the business. He's very involved in everything, which is the product. [00:12:49] Chris: . And then you're a member of the board of Bucksense Incorporated, vice chairman of Monaco Chamber of Shipping, um, member of the executive community of World Tourism and Travel Council, and member of the board of SKULD Skold. Is that what that's pronounced? Skold? Skold. The maritime school in maritime insurance company based in Oslo. So I'm, I'm curious with all those, those titles and accolades, where do you spend the most of your time? [00:13:18] Manfredi: Well, first of all, they evolved, you know, some are gone and there's some new ones. [00:13:22] Chris: Okay. [00:13:23] Manfredi: And I spend most of the time, reality, I divide myself between three things. One is where I have the most relevant business opportunity where I focus a lot. [00:13:35] Chris: Okay. [00:13:35] Manfredi: Was like, I try to make sure that that things they are done well and they get my support. I, I cultivate very, uh, mature and capable management and then, and want them to, to, to drive, but I'm there to help them and to know everything which is going on. In any case, that's the first thing, which is very important. The second thing is whenever there's something which is not going that well, it happens to follow my laps. Because this is what happens with owners, you know. So there I dedicate with the team and to solve whatever there are some problems and something which is not going as I would wish to solve it. And the third thing is the things which give me satisfaction. So there are a number of things which give me satisfaction and I dedicate myself to. So now I've been recently appointed by the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. as ambassador to UNESCO and for charity and philanthropy, which is something which is not going to earn me a cent. It's going to cost me, but it gives me satisfaction. I use my capabilities, my relationships, my, uh, dedication to, um, better cause. So it's a mixed, I have the freedom of choice. [00:14:51] Chris: That's good. I was going to ask, , you mentioned about, you know, if there's ever a problem in the business, it comes to you, it comes to your desk. [00:15:00] Manfredi: I didn't mention the new businesses. Of course, I mean, new investment. I follow also. [00:15:04] Chris: Yeah. Did you share with us maybe one of the biggest challenges that you've had in your career when it came across your table, , and how you decided to handle it? [00:15:17] Manfredi: Oh, there's a very clear example. September 11th. I was in a bank negotiating the refinancing of the financing. It's a new ships. And in the bank, they tell me, they come, somebody rushing in, come, come and watch on the television. So there, we were on television, in the bank, because CTF financing for the company. And we saw what happened. So you can imagine from that moment on, what can happen to the travel business. [00:15:51] Chris: Yeah. [00:15:52] Manfredi: The world shrinks. Every place which has a Muslim religion or Arab language, Is disappears from the world. You cannot go there. It's a small world and uh, uh, people don't wanna travel. If they want on a plane, they will look if there's anybody who looks suspicious. And, uh, actually for some time, planes were suspended. So that was a very tough time and you have to hold the company together. And, uh, going through, uh, you know, all sorts of difficulties. You dedicate your time there and, uh, and succeeded. And then, the cruise industry recovers very fast, so it bounced back. But for some time, it was tough. [00:16:39] Chris: How long was that time period? [00:16:42] Manfredi: There is, I think that you can, the turning point was when President No. 43 went on the aircraft carrier. [00:16:51] Chris: Okay. [00:16:52] Manfredi: It was like a liberating moment. [00:16:54] Chris: Ah, okay. [00:16:55] Manfredi: Confidence came back. It was like a fantastic case of how to rebuild confidence in the consumers. [00:17:06] Chris: And, , what are, what are some of the ways that you held the company together, at least the, the morale of the company together during that time? [00:17:20] Manfredi: You know, they, they, they have to see that you're on top of everything and you can find the solutions. And I think that my people were quite confident. I had additional resources of my own, which I could put in to support the company. But I was trying to have the company support itself as much as it could by itself. But I had good relationships, and I got some incredible, uh, support by people. Um, really incredible support by people based on their trust and confidence. [00:17:54] Chris: What do you think was harder on the cruise line industry, uh, 9 11 or COVID? [00:18:00] Manfredi: 9 11. [00:18:01] Chris: Yeah? How come? [00:18:04] Manfredi: Well, 9 11 was, uh, wasn't only a travel space. And during COVID, most of the businesses were still going well, if you think about it. Some businesses actually had an incredible success. During the electrical container business. Well, during 9 11, it was simply the world was paralyzed. And the governments did not find a way to intervene to support the businesses. It was very, very tough. [00:18:34] Chris: , I guess that makes sense. , so okay, let's shift gears a little bit and, and we talked about your father and his impact on your life. , can you tell us a bit about when you took the company over, , what was that moment like for you and what were some of the decisions leading up to that that made you guys decide it was time? [00:18:56] Manfredi: Well, the decision was because we made a family partition. So I got, uh, in the division of the family assets, I got that business, like several things. And how it felt, well, you know, I had already been working with it. So it wasn't something new. And we always been very close. So I was participating to everything. It became my baby, only mine. And, uh, of course it, it was, uh, it, I must say that, uh, that choice or that moment, the fact of taking over, so it changed my life. Because from being the son of a wealthy man with many businesses, taking care of them together with him, suddenly I had something that was mine and I had to grow. And so I identified myself a lot with that company, with that product, with that success. And it became, after all, today became my legacy. [00:19:53] Chris: I am [00:19:54] Manfredi: especially that I'm not the only the son of a wealthy man from a family which has because we are a family which with 200 years of industrial history. [00:20:05] Chris: Oh, really? [00:20:06] Manfredi: Yes. [00:20:07] Chris: I didn't know that. [00:20:08] Manfredi: It started in, uh, in Italy and, uh, at the beginning of the 19th century with paper industry, banking, a number of things. So I'm not only that, I'm, uh, and I'm not only the son of a very successful man. I had my thing and I did it successfully and I've become an expert in the field. , so which allowed me. When there was another opportunity to buy to, which was during the, at the end of COVID, the beginning of the Ukraine war, to buy crystal cruises, to do it with great confidence, because I, I knew all the levers of the business, I knew the people to choose to bring on board, I knew where to go to get support for the generating the revenue, etc, etc, to restructure the ships. So, I could do it very well because I had full confidence of my knowledge of that industry, and the people had confidence on my knowledge of the industry, so they give me a lot of credit. [00:21:06] Chris: A friend of ours, Mr. Geoffrey Kent, , told me to, that you pioneered the industry, , the luxury area in both normal and expedition. So I'd love to learn more about how you did that and your strategies behind it. [00:21:18] Manfredi: How we did that was, we had, Sittmer was a typical cruise line. At the beginning of the cruise lines, they were transatlantic operators. And when the transatlantic routes, uh, became dry, no more passengers because people were flying, and from Europe there was no more migration to the U.S or to Australia or to South America, those ships needed to have a new employment, and they were converted into cruise ships. So that was the, uh, the beginning of that industry. So when we bought it, we bought it in an industry which was at its beginnings. And we built these two ships, three ships, which were the first ones to be built purposely. So that was, uh, uh, the, the, really the moment in which, uh, we dedicated to that great, , vision, because it was my father's vision that that could have been a great industry and had a great future. And then so on. And then we bought into, uh, then we developed Silver Sea. And I remember when we asked my father, Daddy, what, what is it you? really wish for. And he was 92, I think. And he said, Oh, I wish that Silver Sea will have 12 ships. And I think that we had six, maybe. It was impossible for him to see 12 ships. [00:22:34] Chris: Yeah. [00:22:34] Manfredi: But it was part of the, of really the, the passion that he had and that he gave me, this passion of, uh, and, uh, looking forward always. Not making a calculation of what you're going to make out of it and how it's related to your life, but the project, the vision, what you're building was quite, uh, driving. [00:22:59] Chris: And how many ships do you guys have now? [00:23:02] Manfredi: No, now we just started again. So we have two ships. Now we have to grow it. We start a new chapter. You see what you do when you turn 70. Some people retire. [00:23:11] Chris: Yeah. [00:23:12] Manfredi: Not in my family. [00:23:13] Chris: You start another business. [00:23:15] Manfredi: You start another business. In our case, we started more businesses because we started . We bought Abercrombie & Kent, which we're growing very fast and very much. [00:23:25] Chris: Yeah. [00:23:25] Manfredi: And then we bought again, the cruise line that we have other businesses also, which we run. So it's, uh, it's simply the fact that, uh, what is it that you, that you gives you enjoyment? And, uh, is it to play golf or is it to have, uh, in the morning, wake up and think of the things that you're doing, the projects that you have, how you can accomplish things. And, uh, so in our case, that is because of my father, who started when he was a, who started when he was very young and at 92, he was, he lived until 98. So he was still, uh, when he was at 98, he would do, still the first thing he would ask me is how are the ships going? And so it's part of that. My, the first Lefebvre, the guy in the, uh, at the beginning of the 19th century. He died when he was 84, which for those times, that's a very old age. Because he got pneumonia coming back from the board of his shipping company. So it's in the DNA of the family to work, uh, until you, you go. And it's not a question you already have the money to live well. It's a question of money as an instrument of freedom and to, realize yourself, to to achieve the satisfactions that you're looking for. In my case, I give myself a lot of other satisfactions. But the number one. is to be an entrepreneur! [00:24:54] Chris: That's most important to you to, to be known for as an entrepreneur. [00:24:59] Manfredi: Not to be known to know myself, that I am, I wake up in the morning and I'm busy. I have a lot of things which, uh, interest me. [00:25:09] Chris: Yeah I have a lot of things which I do, which interests other people. If I wasn't an entrepreneur, I wouldn't be here with you. It's very true. So [00:25:16] Manfredi: it's a very strong connection with the living world instead of going into the. Sleeping world. [00:25:24] Chris: I'm curious if you weren't in the shipping business or anything related maritime, , what business do you think you would be in [00:25:33] Manfredi: investment banking? [00:25:35] Chris: Yeah. How come [00:25:37] Manfredi: I always liked it a lot, but investment banking, private equity. investing in businesses, selling businesses, advising people, uh, working on. I, I worked when my father sent me around. Uh, he sent me also to some investment banks for some time to learn, to learn how that work, that will work. I don't know [00:26:02] Chris: if you know, but, , on our podcast, we're interviewing founders, a hundred founders of a billion dollar companies. And I always ask each guest the same question. , and it is, if you're going to break your career into chapters, what chapters would they be? And what would you name them? [00:26:23] Manfredi: A chapter is number one is, uh, the chapter in which I was a golden boy. Which means I was, uh, living, uh, a very, uh, prosperous youth with a daddy who adored me and wouldn't deny me almost anything. [00:26:40] Chris: Okay. [00:26:40] Manfredi: So understanding this, I, uh, I kept and I developed a strong, uh, uh, desire of accomplishing by myself. [00:26:48] Chris: Okay. [00:26:49] Manfredi: That was the first part. Then the second part was, uh, being like, uh, uh, a stamp on my father's back. Okay. Following him everywhere and, uh, listening to him, et cetera, and working together with him. What [00:27:02] Chris: Were the ages for chapter two? [00:27:05] Manfredi: Yeah, you can say, you know, from when I started working with him when I was 19. So let's say 20. Okay. And 20 a decade. Then I started to have diversified investments. Then, uh, that's another age. And then there was the age, which I took over the, the Silver Sea. [00:27:29] Chris: How old were you then? Became [00:27:30] Manfredi: my baby. [00:27:31] Chris: How old were you then when you took over? Silver Sea? [00:27:35] Manfredi: We're talking about a year, 2000. So I was, uh, 47. Nice. [00:27:40] Chris: And any more chapters after Silver Sea? [00:27:44] Manfredi: Yes. It's a new chapter, which is the continuation in a way of Silver Sea, which is, uh, which is happening now. But now my chapter is entrepreneur, but my enterprise is The family wealth. I see myself as somebody who is, uh, administrating the family wealth, not only to increase it, or first of all, keep it as it is and possibly increase it, but also to make it such that it is well transmitted to new generations. So my following, and so this requires a number of choices, which are different in your, in your relationship with the business of themselves, because I was permanently on top of the business. Now I want to, uh, support the manager to grow so that they can deal independently for me, benefit from my presence, but eventually one day they can, the company can go by itself. Yeah. So I joined the company that way, and that's all I'm trying to do it. So I'm trying to diversify risk, enhance liquidity very much so that the liquidity is always there for the family. So it's a different vision. When you're an entrepreneur, you're 47 and you take risks, you want to expand, you have to grow, you have to make, you have to make a jump in the size of your business. You have to go from four ships to actually work two ships to 12, 14, 16 ships. Yeah. So the company is a hundred percent yours. You don't have a public markets, you have to compete with credit, you have to do this and that. So it's a, you know, I had to finance my ships, I had to fly to China because that was the best market. So you'll find always the solutions to get the things to function. But that's when you're the full entrepreneur, then now it's a, it's a much more stable approach. Yeah. [00:29:45] Chris: Makes sense. , your partnership with Royal Caribbean, it was marked as one of the more significant deals in the cruises history, uh, the cruise industry's history. can you tell us a little bit about the unfolding of that partnership? [00:30:01] Manfredi: Well, it was easy. I mean, it was, uh, it wasn't easy. I mean, it was a simple process. I was, I wanted to build more ships, so I decided to open the equity of my company to investors. I informed my competitors that I was doing it, so not to have gossips all the time around. And then, uh, someone from Royal Caribbean, uh, came and said, could we be your investor? They said, I thought about it and I said, why not? And then at a certain point in the process, it evolved from then buying the majority. And so that's, I did. And I had a, a, so a, a stake in the role in the company. But then Covid came and Covid made clear everything first, all that the company had to be absorbed into Royal Caribbean. Mm-Hmm. because of the financial situation. 'cause it was, uh, was not easy for cruise lines and uh, um, and because, uh. And when you are the full disponent of a business, then you can't learn and being somebody who just participates. Yeah. And so it was a good way. We find a great deal, great deal for them, great deal for me. And uh, I got a big chunk of Royal Caribbean shares, which I'm happy to have. And so that's how it evolved. And I could start, I could buy a Abercrombie & Kent and start my own business. [00:31:28] Chris: , was that a pivotable moment in your life? [00:31:30] Manfredi: Sure. I mean, you know, you, you decide that you don't want to be, uh, what was I saying? Sixty six year old retired person with all the banks calling you to invest your money and private equity funds and all of these people asking you to underwrite their funds. But having a very easy life. Uh, very comfortable and deciding now to challenge yourself and to do something new, which excites you every moment, which is exactly the opposite direction, no? You have a capital event. Capital events don't happen many times in the life of an individual. [00:32:10] Chris: Yep. [00:32:11] Manfredi: So it happens. At that point, you have to make a decision. Are you going to go into a new world, which is the world of the person who is either entirely or half retired? Yep. Or you'll find a way to go back into the world of being active in the colony. That's what I decided. I [00:32:33] Chris: think it was a good choice. , Geoffrey also told me, , to ask you about how you became his partner on the MS Explorer, um, which was the first expedition ship that was ever built. [00:32:47] Manfredi: Well, yeah, I mean, it was fantastic. Um, so Geoffrey had this company that he had developed, you know, Geoffrey, as you and your followers know, is a fantastic and unique person. And he wanted to go and send a ship to the Antarctic to propose, to offer to his guests, his clients, the opportunity to go and see the Antarctic. But he wasn't a ship owner. So, we were launch, starting to launch SilverSea at the time. And, uh, we were approached by his consultants, who were going to do the management of this ship, which is a company called V Ships, which is one of the major service companies in the shipping world. And they introduced us, so we made a partnership there, which lasted for two, three years. And then he kept it on his own, but by then we were good friends. And we became even more friends because, uh, then, uh, I, I was next to him and, uh, he was the chairman of WTDC, and I was like his right hand there. And then we developed all the segments for Abercrombie Kent doing services to the cruise industry. He started with us. So Abercrombie & Kent does a lot of the best quality, um, uh, pre post or excursions for cruise industries, part of its business. So that we did together and we became great friends and we always try to do something together. But he did some deals with other people in the meantime on the equity. And then one day, he told me, why don't you buy Abercrombie & Kent? And so that's what we did. And we still work together and, uh, we're, we're going tomorrow. We're flying on, uh, to one of the crystal ships. [00:34:39] Chris: Yeah. [00:34:41] Manfredi: We say two days on it and then we fly back. , so we were always, uh, we do a lot of things together. I mean, [00:34:48] Chris: nice. I'm curious on, you know, and I'm sure this is a hard question to answer, but, , I would imagine for most entrepreneurs, their day to day is very different. , I would imagine yours is similar. , do you have any regular structure you like to keep in your days, even though. You have a thousand things that are thrown at you every single day and you have to change up as much as possible. Some people, for example, you know, have the same waking time every day or the same sleep time or, , the same diet or, , All different types of things. Are there, are there any consistencies or daily rituals that you have in your life? [00:35:25] Manfredi: The daily ritual is a weekly ritual, which is doing the Luggage, so I'm always traveling. Yeah. What is a recurrent? I come back from a trip. I start packing That's the most Methodic thing I do all the time. [00:35:45] Chris: Pack. Pack and unpack. [00:35:47] Manfredi: Pack and unpack, pack and unpack. And then schedule from assistant, assistant, I have to do this, this, this, this, this. Work on the planning, work on how I'm gonna do this. I can fit, fit the meetings. That's the most thing. Um, I try to, if I can, to swim during the day, but uh, as I travel all the time, it's very difficult. [00:36:10] Chris: , what about, I'm curious about, you know, entrepreneurs, a lot of it depends on the entrepreneur. Some people sleep very little, , some people sleep, , a lot and then work hard throughout the day. How about yourself? Are you a heavy sleeper? Are you a light sleeper? Are you getting six, seven hours a night every night on the same time or is it fluctuate? [00:36:30] Manfredi: No, I'm basically going, trying to take six, seven hours every night, trying not to go to sleep too late. This morning I woke up at 6. 30. Yesterday I went to bed at 11. 30. It was seven hours. It was a very tiring day, so I was tired. Uh, but it can be six, it can be seven. Rarely goes above seven, unfortunately. I would like to have more sleep if I could. And, um, but it's normally very regular hours. [00:37:01] Chris: , any advice that you would give yourself, , your younger self that you didn't know when you were younger, say at the age of 20 or 30, that you know now that you wish you knew. [00:37:13] Manfredi: You know, and anything which is not real estate. Already built in the state business number one thing to look at is the people you're going to be working with as partners as executives, because that makes or breaks or fixes anything. So whenever you choose to deal with the wrong partners or whenever you, uh, appoint or go into a business without having the right person. You're going to have some problems. [00:37:45] Chris: Yeah. What are some things that you look for in a partnership or an executive when you, when you bring them on? [00:37:52] Manfredi: They have to be, first of all, they have to be trustworthy. They have to be honest, trustworthy. They have to be hardworking people. And if they're hardworking people competent, they can make a lot of money. [00:38:05] Chris: I'm not stingy. So you pay them well, [00:38:07] Manfredi: yes, they may. They, they have good incentives. [00:38:11] Chris: Have you ever noticed any, any, any ways that you identify individuals like that? You, you mentioned trustworthy, hardworking, is it through reputation that you hear from other people? Oh, this individual's trustworthy. Uh, he or she has built, you know, this business, or is it personal experience? Do you want to meet with them, get to know them really well, sit down with them, how they interact with you? [00:38:35] Manfredi: Well, you know, now the last, uh, oh, it's, what is it? 25 years more, 30 years. As I've been in the same business, it's much easier because I, I know the people that I'm going to retain, or I'm gonna promote, I'm going to delegate to. So it's, it's quite easy because 30 years since, uh, we started, uh, SilverSea Cruises now it's, uh, the same market. So the CEO of Abercrombie and Kent Travel Group, which includes Abercrombie and Kent. And Crystal Cruz is a person who has been working with me for 14 years. [00:39:13] Chris: Yeah. [00:39:14] Manfredi: She joined Silversea, and then when she was extremely young, now she's still very young, but she's in her beginning of her 40s, and she's the CEO of the group. I know her inside out, she knows me inside out. So just full trust, a hardworking person, work ethics are extremely strong. That's fundamental because mine are extremely strong. So I can't deal when people tell me balance of life. Balance of life is, is not compatible to be running a competitive business. [00:39:50] Chris: How many hours a day do you say you work from from the time you wake up to the time you go to sleep? [00:39:55] Manfredi: Yes, basically I work that seven, what is it called, seven days a week, , although I work always that it is divided between days in which I work more and days in which I work less. So there are some days in which I work less because it's a Sunday or it's a vacation. So I will be working less, but I will always be working. It doesn't, I think it never happens a day in which I don't take care of something. [00:40:25] Chris: what would you say you're most proud of? [00:40:27] Manfredi: Most [00:40:27] Chris: proud of my [00:40:30] Manfredi: friends, my friends. I am very proud of the fact that I have great friends with a strong friendship. And I tell myself there's something right that you can do if you have friends of such good quality that are so attached to you and you're so attached to them. [00:40:52] Chris: I think that's a fantastic answer. And a lot of people would probably want to know a little bit more about that. , When I would imagine trustworthy, , is something that's important when you look for friends. But what are some other things that when you look for friends or friendships that are important for you? [00:41:13] Manfredi: Well, you know, the first of all, there's a generosity in the relationship. [00:41:16] Chris: Yeah. [00:41:18] Manfredi: If the, if the relationships are transactional, there's something which compromises the friendship. So it's just, there can be transaction with friends, but that must not be the basis of a friendship. So trustworthy, uh, based on the sentiment of friendship, the, the interest of seeing each other because of what puts you together, that both have, uh, memories or of a present or of things that interest you, that you're interested in talking to them, uh, sharing with them. So this is, uh, the basic thing. [00:41:59] Chris: I think that's a great way to wrap up the interview Manfredi. , one more question. What else do you want to do? Say in the next 10 years of your life, what are your goals? [00:42:09] Manfredi: Is that there are three things in parallel. One thing I want to have this, Abercrombie & Kent travel group grow and, uh, become very interesting and I do fantastic things. It's such a beautiful business that we enjoy every moment of it. The second thing is. Organize the rest of the world and, and also Abercrombie & Kent ownership in such a way that it can survive me well. And the third thing is, besides doing these things, is enjoying many things that I like. I like to travel, I like to read. Uh, I like to be with my friends. And, uh, so. And I like to do things which are not only tied to a monetary benefit. You know, having been successful from a financial point of view has to buy you, first of all, freedom of choice. Freedom of choice is how you spend your time. So how I spend my time is important. And And spending it, developing the business that we have created, is a satisfaction. Spending it, organizing the wealth, in a way that it can then be at the benefit of the persons I love is a satisfaction. Doing other things, cultivating myself, traveling the world, visiting the world, etc., is a satisfaction. Having the freedom to dedicate part of the time to this without Having to be obliged by other things and having the substantial means to do it is part of the freedom of choice that success gives you. [00:43:45] Chris: Well said. Manfredi, I want to thank you so much for the interview and thank you for sharing your time and your wisdom with our listeners. I love how you wrap that up, talking about the freedom of choice and relationships in your life. So Thank you so much. We're, , honored to have you on the podcast and, we'll see you next time on the show. [00:44:05] Manfredi: Thank you so much. Bye bye. Ciao.  

Most travel advisors are familiar with Edyta Teper who, over the course of a nearly 30-year-old career in travel, held positions at Jet Set Tours, Carnival Cruise Line, Crystal Cruises, Virtuoso, Virgin Voyages and Travel2. She's a repeat winner of the TravelAge West WAVE Award for being a favorite sales representative, and now she's turned her attention to the Last Frontier, joining Space Perspective as head of global sales, trade partnerships. While there's no doubt that Teper is beloved by the travel advisor community, many may not know her unique backstory. In this episode of Humans of Travel, Teper reflects on a moment that changed her life forever: The day she left her home in communist Poland at age 10 with her then-28-year-old mother and 3-year-old brother, embarking on a multi-country journey that eventually led her family to Austria, where they sought political asylum. Listeners will also hear about Teper's moves to Australia (for high school and college) and Los Angeles, where she took an internship at Jet Set Tours in a move that kickstarted her travel industry career. Finally, Teper will talk about her latest venture: selling luxury spaceflight experiences with Space Perspective, which brings passengers to the edge of space during a six-hour ride up into the atmosphere in a space balloon. She'll share some common misconceptions about space travel, and give tips to travel agents who want to sell space tourism to clients. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Space Perspective Get in Touch With Edyta: edyta@spaceperspective.com ABOUT YOUR HOST  Emma Weissmann is the Digital Managing Editor of TravelAge West, a print and online magazine for travel advisors based in the Western U.S. She is also the co-host of Trade Secrets, a podcast created with sister publication Travel Weekly. TravelAge West also produces national trade publications Explorer and Family Getaways, as well as events including the Future Leaders in Travel Retreat, Global Travel Marketplace West, the WAVE Awards gala and the Napa Valley Leadership Forum.  ABOUT THE SHOW  TravelAge West's podcast, “Humans of Travel,” features conversations with exceptional people who have compelling stories to tell. Listeners will hear from the travel industry's notable authorities, high-profile executives, travel advisors and rising stars as they share the experiences — the highs and the lows — that make them human. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we're revisiting an all-time favorite episode with Thatcher Brown, Chief Commercial Officer & Head of Joint Yacht Operations at Marc-Henry Cruise Holdings LTD, Owner and Joint Operator of Four Seasons Yachts. Thatcher has extensive international hospitality and travel-related business experience from working in the U.S and Canada, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. He has held senior management positions in operations, brand strategy, marketing and product development with such international hospitality companies as Jumeirah Group, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, and Crystal Cruises. Throughout this conversation, Thatcher breaks down his career and the various impressive roles he has held. You will hear how hard work, relationship building, a willingness to learn, and seizing opportunities that came his way has contributed to his success. Connect with Steve on LinkedIn Check out Steve's new Wednesday morning live show - Good Morning Hospitality! RealTime Reservation Offer This episode is brought to you by our podcast partners at RealTime Reservation. Their inventory management system is best in class for hotels and resorts to manage their non-room inventory. The web-based application allows for creative upselling of overnight and daytime visitors with add-ons and pre-planned packages. Hotel guests and non-guests can reserve cabanas, pool chairs, activities, amenities, excursions, events, day passes, and much more. To learn more check them out here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

James Rich got a BFA in musical theater from Syracuse University. His performing credits include touring with Harry Belafonte (Backup Singer), the First National Tour of Rent (Benny), Saturday Night Fever on Broadway (Booth Singer), Off-Broadway, Regional Theater, Tokyo Disney Resort (Lead Singer/Vocal Captain), lead singer for numerous bands/orchestras in New York and Los Angeles, featured roles in national commercials as well as guest star roles on Everybody Loves Raymond and As the World Turns, as well as his one-man concert, When I Think About Love. Prior to Syracuse, he studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology (NYC), and got to put that training to use as an Assistant Costume Designer on the Emmy Award winning Season 2 of Dancing with the Stars, and Artistic Director for Randall Designs as well as the Costume Designer for That's Dancin' (Crystal Cruises) as well as numerous regional theater productions.

In episode 158, Chris shares the history and revival of Crystal Cruises> Baz and Chris then discuss the latest cruise news from around the world. Maritime History – Crystal Cruises Image Credit: Crystal Serenity @Martin Abegglen via Creative Commons Vote for us The Big Cruise Podcast has been recognised in the Listeners Choice category of the Australian Podcast Awards.  We would really appreciate your help with a quick vote. It will take you less than 30 seconds and you DO NOT need to live in Australia. Simply click on the link below. Search for The Big Cruise Podcast. Enter your […] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Frame – Cruise History        The story of how Crystal Cruises was reborn?    1) origins as a new company challenging the status quo of luxury cruising from 1988   2) The growth including the building of two luxury ships.    3) Rapid expansion from 2015 to add river cruising to their offering    4) The pandemic and shut down.    5) Parent company collapse and ships "arrested" in 2021    6) Unlikely saviour and rebirth of the brand. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bernie Leypold, senior vice president of hotel operations for Crystal Cruises, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report, about how Crystal completely refurbished the beautiful Crystal Serenity to return it to its former glory and then some. Leypold, a veteran Crystal executive, describes how he helped oversee the renovation of the ship, which took place in less than a year from when the Crystal brand was purchased by Manfredi Lefebvre D'Ovidio. For more information, visit www.crystalcruises.com. If interested, the original video of this podcast can be found on the Insider Travel Report Youtube channel or by searching for the podcast's title on Youtube.

Join Seatrade Cruise's Holly Payne and Rachel Wehrle in the latest episode of Cruise News & Trends, filling you in on all of the top news & trending stories from July 2023.Tune in as they discuss:New ships launching and newbuilds on the horizon from Explora Journeys, Seabourn, Crystal Cruises and TUI River Cruises Exciting New F&B partnerships and offerings from Virgin Voyages, Carnival Cruise line, Princess Cruises, and innovation at AIDA Cruises who are recycling food waste into beauty products on board!News & updates on the ever-expanding expedition marketYour upcoming Seatrade Cruise Events calendarPlus, so much more!

Marett Taylor, chief sales officer for A&K Travel Group and Crystal Cruises, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about the top selling points for the “new” Crystal, including fine dining at top specialty restaurants and the main Waterside restaurants; larger, redecorated suites; the same top service from a very experienced crew; and beautiful redesigned public spaces. For more information, visit www.crystalcruises.com If interested, the original video of this podcast can be found on the Insider Travel Report Youtube channel or by searching for the podcast's title on Youtube.

Donald Mason, Chief Financial Officer at Four Seasons Yachts with Marc-Henry Cruise Holdings LTD, joins Steve on this episode. Donald's prior experience includes Chief Financial Officer at Fort Partners, Chief Financial Officer at Crystal Cruises, and Director of Hotel and Marine Finance & Administration at Celebrity Cruises. Throughout this conversation, Donald talks about moving from his hometown of New York to Miami, where his interest for finance began, what his first role in hospitality was, how he began working in cruises, what led him to transition to each of his former roles, how he got to his current title at Marc-Henry, and so much more. RealTime Reservation Offer This episode is brought to you by our podcast partners at RealTime Reservation. Their inventory management system is best in class for hotels and resorts to manage their non-room inventory. The web-based application allows for creative upselling of overnight and daytime visitors with add-ons and pre-planned packages. Hotel guests and non-guests can reserve cabanas, pool chairs, activities, amenities, excursions, events, day passes, and much more. To learn more check them out here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rick Spath, cruise director once again on Crystal Serenity, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about the refurbished ship's return to service along with 80 percent of its former crew. Spath, who was cruise director of Serenity for the former Crystal Cruises, details how he and his fellow crew members are thrilled to be back onboard, how the ship delivers great entertainment and dining, along with larger, renovated suites, and how it continues to deliver a truly Crystal luxury experience. For more information, visit www.crystalcruises.com. If interested, the original video of this podcast can be found on the Insider Travel Report Youtube channel or by searching for the podcast's title on Youtube.

Cristina Levis, CEO of A&K Travel Group, parent of the “new” Crystal Cruises, talks with James Shillinglaw aboard the completely refurbished Crystal Serenity about why the company purchased the Crystal brand and its two ocean ships, Serenity and Symphony. Levis also tells why owner Manfredi Lefebvre D'Ovidio, former owner of Silversea Cruises, wanted to get back into a business his family has been in for many years. She details how Crystal Serenity was completely new and expanded suites, refurbished restaurants and  how 80 percent of the crew has returned to serve Crystal guests. For more information, visit www.crystalcruises.com. If interested, the original video of this podcast can be found on the Insider Travel Report Youtube channel or by searching for the podcast's title on Youtube.

Jacqueline Barney, senior vice president-global marketing for Crystal Cruises, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report at a lunch at Nobu Downtown in New York City to celebrate the renewed partnership between Chef Nobu Matsuhisa and Crystal, which will once again feature his restaurants aboard its two renovated ships. For more information, visit www.crystalcruises.com. If interested, the original video of this podcast can be found on the Insider Travel Report Youtube channel or by searching for the podcast's title on Youtube.

A new river cruise line, Riverside Luxury Cruises, has arrived on the Europe rivers this summer, and it's especially noteworthy because it's using the river cruise ships ships built and operated by the now-defunct Crystal Cruises. In this episode, host Rebecca Tobin and river cruise editor Nicole Edenedo talk with Jennifer Halboth, the president of Riverside Collection, Americas, about how parent company Seaside Collection discovered and acquired the Crystal ships, the direction Riverside will take, its plan to position itself in the luxury market, river industry trends, challenges and more. This episode is part of our summer series featuring some of our most memorable recent episodes. This episode was published Feb. 27, before Riverside began its first cruise season this spring, and has been edited for length and clarity. Episode sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic https://www.expeditions.com Related links: Riverside Cruises: https://riverside-cruises.com/web/en/ More former Crystal river ships are acquired by startup Riverside https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/Startup-company-acquires-more-former-Crystal-river-ships Riverside Mozart is christened in a surprise ceremony https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/Riverside-christens-Mozart-surprise-ceremony Service is a familiar tune on the Riverside Mozart https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/First-call-Riverside-Mozart      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Daniel Durazo, U.S. director of external communications for Allianz Insurance, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report at Seatrade 2023 about Allianz's new partnership with Azamara and Crystal Cruises as well as new covered reasons for trip cancellation and interruption. Durazo also reviews general advice on whether to get rental car insurance, what the rental car damage protector plans include, and what the latest is on Allianz's OneTrip Prime and OneTrip Premiere plans. For more information, visit www.allianztravelinsurance.com. If interested, the original video of this podcast can be found on the Insider Travel Report Youtube channel or by searching for the podcast's title on Youtube.

There are many European river cruise lines, but all are not created equally. Which is right for you? Wellness travel expert Barbara Tuckett gives an overview of six different cruise lines so that you can choose one of these amazing, luxury river cruises with confidence. At a recent river cruise conference in Budapest, Barbara toured the ships, spoke with the staff, ate the food, and experienced the services aboard ships from AmaWaterways, Amadeus River Cruises, Avalon Waterways, Scenic Luxury Cruises, Viking, and Riverside Luxury Cruises (formerly Crystal Cruises).  Find out the unique qualities of each, learn about the excursion types, and even about the typical demographic of the guests so you can find the best fit for you!Ready to book a European River Cruise? Contact Suite Dreams Travel. As your wellness travel experts, we take care of all of the planning, research, and arrangements, so that you can focus on the important part: creating memories and changing your life, one travel experience at a time. Website: www.suitedreamstravel.net Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suitedreamstravelTwitter: https://twitter.com/suitedreamstrav Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suitedreamstravel Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/suitedreamstravel

Sami starts his career on ships in 1990 with Cunard on the QE2 as a sommelier. He then goes to work for Royal Viking and Crystal Cruises as a Food and Beverage manager. With Renaissance he opens and closes all eight of the R-ships. He tells about working for Apollo Cruise Ship Chandlers, a Japanese charter company, a favor for a captain, good times in Australia, and crossing the equator.

A new river cruise line, Riverside Luxury Cruises, is arriving on Europe's rivers this summer, and it's noteworthy because it's using the ships built and operated by the now-defunct Crystal Cruises. Just last month it added the five purpose-built Crystal ships to its lineup, joining the former Crystal Mozart. In this episode, host Rebecca Tobin and river cruise editor Nicole Edenedo talk with Jennifer Holboth, the president of Riverside Collection, Americas, about how parent company Seaside Collection discovered and acquired the Crystal ships, the plan for rollout and itineraries, the direction Riverside will take, its plan to position itself in the luxury market, river industry trends, challenges and more. This episode was recorded Feb. 13 and has been edited for length and clarity. Episode sponsor: This episode is sponsored by ALG Vacations Related reports: More former Crystal river ships are acquired by startup Riverside https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/Startup-company-acquires-more-former-Crystal-river-ships New river line plays a familiar tune with former Crystal Mozart https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/New-river-line-plays-a-familiar-tune-with-former-Crystal-Mozart On the oceans, the new Crystal is launching with higher commissions and an A&K partnership https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/New-Crystal-higher-commissions  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's episode, Steve is joined by Thatcher Brown, Chief Commercial Officer & Head of Joint Yacht Operations at Marc-Henry Cruise Holdings LTD, Owner and Joint Operator of Four Seasons Yachts. Thatcher has extensive international hospitality and travel-related business experience from working in the U.S and Canada, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. He has held senior management positions in operations, brand strategy, marketing and product development with such international hospitality companies as Jumeirah Group, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, and Crystal Cruises. Throughout this conversation, Thatcher breaks down his career and the various impressive roles he has held. You will hear how hard work, relationship building, a willingness to learn, and seizing opportunities that came his way has contributed to his success. RealTime Reservation Offer This episode is brought to you by our podcast partners at RealTime Reservation. Their inventory management system is best in class for hotels and resorts to manage their non-room inventory. The web-based application allows for creative upselling of overnight and daytime visitors with add-ons and pre-planned packages. Hotel guests and non-guests can reserve cabanas, pool chairs, activities, amenities, excursions, events, day passes, and much more. To learn more check them out here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Barbara Muckermann, chief commercial officer for Silversea Cruises, talks with James Shillinglaw about Silver Endeavour , which was just christened in Antarctica this month. Muckermann details how the new luxury ship, which was acquired earlier this year from the assets of the former Crystal Cruises, provides Silversea with a true polar ship and gives the line more flexibility in developing itineraries. She also talks about the upcoming Silver Nova and Silver Ray as Silversea continues its rapid growth. For more information, visit www.silversea.com. If interested, the original video of this podcast can be found on the Insider Travel Report Youtube channel or by searching for the podcast's title on Youtube.

My guest is a unicorn in the music industry – a woman DJ who has been doing this gig for over 20 years when the industry was not very populated with women DJs. She is a visionary leader in this space and a beautiful spiritual woman who loves life, travel, dogs, and fun! And a love of shiny sparkly Disco balls and funky sneakers!   DJ Dayna (stage name) is a National DJ + Event Host serving major brands like Avon, Disney, Victoria's Secret, Lane Bryant, Discover, Crystal Cruises, & Macy's to name a few, is known for her high vibe music mixology entertainment and magnetic energy. TRUE to the word, BTW. She shares how by listening to her intuition during a cruise line gig became a life changing gift for a woman in her audience. To this day, the experience still wells her eyes up with tears. Reach out to her on IG: @DJDayna and www.djdayna.com. Tune in to her custom mixes at mixcloud.com/djdayna or listen to her styled playlists on Spotify. Let's discuss your next chapter and life purpose. Where do you want to land by Dec 31 and where are you headed for 2023?  Either DM on IG or send an email to support@marladiann.com to schedule a 30 min intro call.I'd love to know your takeaways -- connect with me on Instagram! Follow my podcast, leave a review at Apple podcast and listen weekly for a new episode. For even more inspiring life, career, and entrepreneurial strategies with FREE resources, go to www.marladiann.com/free

Jack Anderson, the former and now current president of Crystal Cruises, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about the plans to revive and return Crystal Cruises to its former glory. After the brand and its two oceangoing ships were purchased by Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio and his Heritage Group, and under new parent company Abercrombie & Kent Ltd., Crystal is now getting ready to be reintroduced to luxury cruise guests and travel advisors. Anderson details the plans for completely renovating the ships by next summer, marketing their sailings, developing new itineraries and re-establishing Crystal as a respected luxury brand. For more information, visit the still-under-development www.crystalcruises.com. If interested, the original video of this podcast can be found on the Insider Travel Report Youtube channel  or by searching for the podcast's title on Youtube. 

Ep108 OverviewIn Episode 108, Chris brings the answer to another listener question and a wrap up of the latest cruise news. Meanwhile Kabir joins the show from Canada to review his recent expedition cruise to the Great Lakes aboard Viking Octantis.Support the showListen, Like, Subscribe & Review on your favourite podcast directory.Share the podcast with someone you think will enjoy the showBuy Me A Coffee – This podcast is only possible thanks to our supporters, simply buying a coffee keeps us on air. It is just like shouting your mate a coffee, and we consider our listeners close mates. https://bit.ly/2T2FYGXSustainable Fashion – choose a TBCP design or design your own… all using organic cotton, green energy and zero plastic https://bit.ly/32G7RdhCruise reviewKabir joins the show at approx. 24:10 to talk all things Viking OctantisCruise Line: VikingShip: Viking Octantis https://www.vikingcruises.com.au/expeditions/ships/viking-octantis.htmlCabin Type: Nordic Penthouse (NP)Itinerary: Milwaukee – Mackinac Island – Georgian Bay (Parry Sound) – Georgian Bay (Killarney) – Georgian Bay (Frazer Bay) – Soo Locks Transit – Silver Islet – Thunder BayGRT: 30,000Guests: 378Crew: 256Viking Octantis (aft)Viking Octantis Hangar Launch in AntarcticaViking Octantis RestaurantViking Octantis Manfredi's CornerViking Octantis MamsensViking Octantis AulaViking Octantis Living RoomViking Octantis Spa PoolViking Octantis The ShelterViking Octantis Expedition CentralViking Octantis The LabViking Octantis The HangarFollow Kabir Follow Kabir (Cruise Director, Weather Presenter, Podcast Host and Vlogger) Website & Podcast: https://www.cruisedirectorkabir.com/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/travelwithkabircdInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/cruisedirectorkabir/Listener QuestionLeighton from Adelaide asks Chris, Where did Pacific Encounter and Pacific Adventure come from? Presumable they are not new builds?Cruise NewsP&O Cruises Pacific Encounter on the Way from Singapore to Join Flagship Pacific Explorer in AustraliaPacific Encounter, the latest addition to the P&O Cruises Australia fleet, today sailed from Singapore on her way to Australia, another step in the revival of Australia's $5 billion a year cruise industry.Pacific Encounter will sail into Sydney Harbour on August 2 where flagship Pacific Explorer is already home ported having become the first of Australia's home-grown cruise line to return home after more than two years.Encounter's time in Sydney will be a relatively ‘brief encounter' before heading to Brisbane where she will continue the long tradition of basing P&O ships at the epicentre of the Queensland cruise market.Pacific Encounter will depart on her first guest cruise from Brisbane on August 20, a 7-night Barrier Reef Discovery Cruise.Silversea acquires Crystal Endeavor Royal Caribbean Group has been confirmed as the purchaser of the Crystal Endeavor expedition yacht which was on the auction block following the collapse of Crystal Cruises parent Genting Hong Kong.The ship will sail under RCG's Silversea Cruises brand as Silver Endeavour – the fifth expedition ship in the line's 11-strong fleet – with the company paying USD$275 million for the vessel. The purchase price is significantly less than the USD$385 million which Genting Hong Kong paid for the ship's construction, making it the most expensive passenger ship ever built at USD$1.9m per berth.Endeavour, which was delivered to Crystal just last year has capacity for 200 guests, as well as a submarine and helicopter, which Silversea MD Roberto Martinoli said would no longer be part of its offering.She will sail in Antarctica in place of the 132-guest Silver Explorer, with guests booked on that ship to be moved to Endeavour.Costa Group Starts the use of Bio FuelsA few weeks after announcing the creation of its dedicated decarbonization department, the Costa Group, Europe's leading cruise operator with its two companies Costa Cruises and AIDA Cruises, and a member of Carnival Corporation & plc, has taken a major step forward in its decarbonization strategy by announcing that it will start testing the usage of biofuel aboard one of its AIDA Cruises ships.As part of its CO2 emissions reduction efforts, on July 21, 2022, AIDAprima became the first larger scale cruise ship to be bunkered with a blend of marine biofuel, which is made from 100 percent sustainable raw materials such as waste cooking oil, and marine gas oil (MGO) during its layover in Rotterdam. The cooperation partner is the Dutch biofuel pioneer GoodFuels. AIDAprima is currently sailing on seven-day voyages to the metropolises of Western Europe and to Norway from/to Hamburg.The current project represents an important milestone of the Costa Group's decarbonization strategy, which includes testing technologies and processes to improve the efficiency of the existing fleet.With the successful start of biofuel usage, it will be proven that gradual decarbonization is possible even on ships already in service. An important prerequisite to be able to use biofuels, however, is that it becomes widely available on an industrial scale and at marketable prices.Carnival Cruise Line Brings Texas Flair to Carnival Jubilee's Keel Laying CeremonyCarnival Jubilee is fixing to start sailing from Galveston, Texas, next year and Carnival Cruise Line's third cruise ship to be powered by liquified natural gas (LNG) got its first taste of Texas today with the keel laying ceremony at Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany.Wearing cowboy-shaped hard hats, Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy was joined by Meyer Werft Managing Director Bernard Meyer and Carnival's Senior Vice President of Newbuilds Ben Clement, among others, to celebrate the construction milestone by placing coins under a 375-ton keel block.The coins signify good luck for the ship and will remain under its foundation as the structure is built. One of the ship's lucky coins is an official ship coin, which commemorates an important part of Carnival history while celebrating its future by showing Carnival Jubilee alongside the original MS Jubilee from 1986. The coins will later be placed in a special compartment near Carnival Jubilee's mast as permanent fixtures of the ship.Carnival Jubilee will be the first Carnival Cruise Line ship built in Papenburg, Germany. Meyer Werft has already built four other LNG-powered ships for other cruise lines under Carnival Corporation. Carnival Jubilee will be Carnival's third ship to run on a liquified natural gas (LNG) technology platform. Carnival Corporation pioneered the introduction of LNG fuel in the passenger cruise sector as part of the company's ongoing commitment to sustainability and emissions reduction. Meyer Turku in Finland delivered sister ship Mardi Gras last year and will deliver Carnival Celebration later this year.Carnival Jubilee will begin sailing from Galveston in November of 2023 and will offer seven-day Western Caribbean cruise vacations with stops in Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico, as well as Mahogany Bay (Isla Roatan), Honduras.Virgin Voyages relaxes Voyage Well In response to the conclusion of the CDC's voluntary program, Virgin Voyages will continue to consider the recommendations set forth by the organization, while also adhering to the industry policies outlined by CLIA. As a result of this update, Virgin Voyages will remove the requirements for pre-embarkation testing.Virgin Voyages has responded immediately to the CDC's decision to discontinue their voluntary COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships and will mirror the rest of the travel industry in removing pre-embarkation testing for sailings from July 24 on EU sailings, and from July 27 on US sailings. Vaccine requirements will remain in place for both Scarlet Lady, operating out of the US, and Valiant Lady in the EU. Virgin Voyages is currently evaluating this policy and will announce further updates in the near future.Passenger and crew well-being is the major focus and they continue to follow the advice of their expert medical team. To clarify these updates:From the dates mentioned above, passengers will no longer be required to complete a pre-embarkation COVID test, applicable across the fleet, including US and EU operations.For US sailings, passenger vaccination requirements will now be marked at 90%. This opens the opportunity for passengers who are not vaccinated to contact Virgin Voyages' Sailor Services to book a sailing if these thresholds are met.Ship crew on all US and EU sailings will maintain their fully vaccinated status.Holland America Line Reveals Plans to Mark 150th AnniversaryOn April 18, 2023, Holland America Line is celebrating its 150th Anniversary — making it one of the longest-operating travel companies in the world. To commemorate the milestone, the cruise line is planning special events and activities, including two commemorative transatlantic crossings. The April 4, 2023, crossing has opened for booking, while the October 15, 2022, departure has limited space remaining.During the October and April 150th Anniversary Transatlantic crossings, Holland America Line is planning memorable experiences that will weave the company's history into the menus, activities, entertainment, special guest speakers and more.“A milestone like a 150th Anniversary doesn't come around often for most companies, and our celebrations will bring to life our century-and-a-half of amazing history,” said Gus Antorcha, Holland America Line's president. “Holland America Line has touched the lives of millions of people throughout the years — whether by bringing them to a new life in America or providing a once-in-a-lifetime vacation. We have some really special experiences planned over the next several months to honour our heritage.”150th Anniversary Commemorative Celebrations:15 crossing, 15 nights: Rotterdam VII will depart Rotterdam, the Netherlands, exactly 150 years to the date of the departure of Rotterdam I's maiden voyage, which took place before the company was incorporated. The crossing will recreate Holland America Line's first sailing, leaving from Rotterdam and visiting Plymouth, England, and Le Havre (Paris), France, before crossing the Atlantic Ocean to New York City for a rare overnight call; then it sails on to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.April 4 crossing, 16 nights: Departing Fort Lauderdale, Rotterdam heads to New York City for an overnight call; it will then spend eight leisurely days at sea crossing the Atlantic Ocean, calling at Plymouth and Dover (London), England, before arriving April 18 — Holland America Line's 150th anniversary — at Rotterdam for an overnight full of festivities.During the crossings, guests will be treated to a host of experiences, including commemorative historic menus and cocktails offering a taste of the brand's history, live music with special performances by guest artists, presentations reliving the history and roots of Holland America Line, and an Olympic-style event with classic cruise sporting activities and games.New York City Anniversary Event: Holland America Line will kick off its 150th anniversary year with a special ceremony aboard Rotterdam when the ship overnights at New York City Oct. 26, 2022, including a memorable stage performance to mark the historic night.Rotterdam Welcome: When Rotterdam arrives at Rotterdam in the Netherlands April 18, 2023, the ship will receive a grand welcome on its 150th birthday in the city of the company's founding. During the overnight call, guests and city of Rotterdam will help mark this historic milestone at an evening event on board.Additional Special Anniversary Themed Cruises: The anniversary year will include specially marketed cruises that help relive Holland America Line's history of exploration through unique ports visited. The cruise dates will be announced in the coming months and will include special programming for each voyage.Retail Merchandise: Limited-edition, specially designed 150th Anniversary retail items will be available in the shipboard shops.Le Commandant Charcot takes guests to the geographic North Pole for the first time!On Wednesday 14 July guests on board PONANT's Le Commandant Charcot, the world's first luxury icebreaker, reached the geographic North Pole, a first for PONANT passengers.14 July which coincidentally is Bastille Day, Le Commandant Charcot, reached the geographic North Pole. This is a highly symbolic achievement for PONANT, expert in expeditions to polar regions and the only cruise company sailing under the French flag.Indeed, last September, Le Commandant Charcot was the first French vessel to reach this latitude (90,00,000°). This time, the feat has been repeated with guests on board, who are living a unique experience in the footsteps of great polar explorers.Le Commandant Charcot is also the first hybrid-electric LNG powered polar exploration ship to accommodate scientific research teams onboard, providing them with dedicated work areas. She puts scientific research at the heart of PONANT's commitment and unique concept of travel.Navy Bronze Medal of Merit awarded to Captain Pietro Sinisi of Costa CruisesThe medal was awarded by the Commandant of the Italian Coast Guard by delegation of the Chief of the Italian Navy, Admiral Enrico Credendino, during the military ceremony held on the occasion of the 157th anniversary of the establishment of the Harbour Masters Corps, which occurred on July 20, 1865.As stated in the announcement, the prestigious recognition has been awarded because “on the occasion of the shipwreck of the motor vessel Kilic, on which a fire had developed of such magnitude that it could not be extinguished by the systems on board, Captain Sinisi, in command of Costa Luminosa, supported rescue operations demonstrating high expertise and uncommon nautical skills, contributing in an effective manner to the rescue of the 11 crewmen of the Turkish motor ship. Despite adverse weather conditions, Captain Sinisi was able to ensure the safety of his guests while simultaneously putting in place a timely intervention, which turned out to be providential for the success of the rescue operations. With his behavior, he brought prestige to the image of Italian Navy in the institutional framework.”The rescue that is referred to happened on November 21, 2018. At around midnight, Costa Luminosa – sailing south of the Peloponnese and heading towards the port of Katakolon – received a distress call from the Greek Coast Guard's Rescue Coordination Center. Commander Sinisi was asked to provide aid to the motor vessel “Kilic,” a cargo ship used to transport fish, which was in serious trouble due to an outbreak of fire on board. The crew of eleven men were rescued by a Costa Luminosa tender steered by Safety Officer Marco Genovese, and then transshipped to another cargo ship previously involved in operations by the Greek Coast GuardAnd more...Join the show:If you have a cruise tip, burning question or want to record a cruise review get in touch with us via the website https://thebigcruisepodcast.com/join-the-show/ Guests: Chris Frame: https://bit.ly/3a4aBCg   Chris's Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ChrisFrameOfficialPeter Kollar: https://www.cruising.org.au/Home Listen & Subscribe: Amazon Podcasts: https://amzn.to/3w40cDcApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2XvD7tF Audible: https://adbl.co/3nDvuNgCastbox: https://bit.ly/2xkGBEI Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/2RuY04u I heart Radio:  https://ihr.fm/3mVIEUASpotify: https://spoti.fi/3caCwl8 Stitcher: https://bit.ly/2JWE8Tz Pocket casts: https://bit.ly/2JY4J2M Tune in: https://bit.ly/2V0Jrrs Podcast Addict: https://bit.ly/2BF6LnE Hosted on Acast. 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A review of a 10-night cruise on Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas. This was a Baltic cruise from Northern Europe that was very port intensive. We get a bow-to-stern review of the cruise ship and the itinerary.  Richard has cruise news on:  CDC drops cruise ship program for cruise ships  One cruise line takes a public approach to get more to sail while the other drops negative testing Royal Caribbean Group purchases a former Crystal Cruises ship  A couple spends 1,000 days on one cruise line  Record cruise week in Central Florida  Listener Question: I have a treatment booked in the spa, does this mean I'll be able to use the thermal suite that day? 

A review of Royal Caribbean Odyssey of the Seas. This is one of the newer Royal Caribbean ships that made its North American debut in November 2022 and is spending the summer sailing the Mediterranean.  Richard has cruise news:  Carnival adds two more ships to its U.S. lineup  Crystal Cruises returns after bankruptcy  Carnival Corp brand drops pre-cruise testing  Disney Wish readies for its July debut from Port Canaveral  Norwegian delays another ship because of supply chain issues  Listener Question: We are looking to try our first Celebrity Crusie next year and currently pricing them out. I know it's all-inclusive pricing, but the only issue is we gave up drinking years ago. Is there a way to get a lower fare if we want to opt-out of the drink package? — Linda  --- Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net  Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed.  Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.

Most travel advisors are familiar with Edyta Teper who, over the course of a nearly 30-year-old career in travel, held positions at Jet Set Tours, Carnival Cruise Line, Crystal Cruises, Virtuoso, Virgin Voyages and Travel2. She's a repeat winner of the TravelAge West WAVE Award for being a favorite sales representative, and now she's turned her attention to the Last Frontier, joining Space Perspective as head of global sales, trade partnerships. While there's no doubt that Teper is beloved by the travel advisor community, many may not know her unique backstory. In this episode of Humans of Travel, Teper reflects on a moment that changed her life forever: The day she left her home in communist Poland at age 10 with her then-28-year-old mother and 3-year-old brother, embarking on a multi-country journey that eventually led her family to Austria, where they sought political asylum. Listeners will also hear about Teper's moves to Australia (for high school and college) and Los Angeles, where she took an internship at Jet Set Tours in a move that kickstarted her travel industry career. Finally, Teper will talk about her latest venture: selling luxury spaceflight experiences with Space Perspective, which brings passengers to the edge of space during a six-hour ride up into the atmosphere in a space balloon. She'll share some common misconceptions about space travel, and give tips to travel agents who want to sell space tourism to clients. Note: This episode is sponsored by Windstar Cruises. INSIDE THIS EPISODE 02:00: Meet Edyta Teper, head of global sales, trade partnerships for Space Perspective 3:30: Teper believes that relationship-building and supporting the travel advisor community has led to her success. 05:45: Teper reflects on her early life in communist-run Poland.  09:00: At age 10, Teper and her family escape Poland and seek political asylum in Austria. 15:00: Teper shares a defining moment in her life, when she experienced true kindness from border patrol agents in Austria. 18:00: Teper attends Star of the Sea, an all-girls school in Australia. 23:00: While earning a degree in travel and tourism management, Teper heads to Los Angeles for an internship with Jet Set Tours, a move that kickstarts her travel industry career.  27:45: Teper shares her past successes with other roles within the travel industry. 30:00: Listeners will learn about Space Perspective, the world's first luxury space tourism flight that takes clients to the edge of space. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Space Perspective Get in Touch With Edyta: edyta@spaceperspective.com ABOUT YOUR HOST  Emma Weissmann is the Digital Managing Editor of TravelAge West, a print and online magazine for travel advisors based in the Western U.S. She is also the co-host of Trade Secrets, a podcast created with sister publication Travel Weekly.  TravelAge West also produces national trade publications Explorer and Family Getaways, as well as events including the Future Leaders in Travel Retreat, Global Travel Marketplace West, the WAVE Awards gala and the Napa Valley Leadership Forum.  ABOUT THE SHOW  TravelAge West's podcast, “Humans of Travel,” features conversations with exceptional people who have compelling stories to tell. Listeners will hear from the travel industry's notable authorities, high-profile executives, travel advisors and rising stars as they share the experiences — the highs and the lows — that make them human.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cruise News Today — April 18, 2022. Australia's cruise industry has finally reopened after being closed for over 700 days. After four weeks of hull repairs, Norwegian Escape has finally set sail again. You can own a piece of now-bankrupt Crystal Cruises as many of their items are going up for auction this spring.  The stock market was closed for Good Friday, it reopens later this morning. 

We get a review of Disney Dream. This was a three-night cruise from Port Canaveral to Nassau, Bahamas, and the private island Castaway Cay.  Dan Skilken from TripInsurance.com drops by discussing the importance of travel insurance over the past few months, including the Crystal Cruises' bankruptcy, Norwegian Escape running aground, CDC lifting cruise travel advisory, and canceling an Eastern European vacation because of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.  -- Thoughts or questions? doug@cruiseradio.net  Want daily cruise news? Subscribe to the Cruise Radio News podcast feed.  Get in-depth cruise news and industry insight at www.cruiseradio.net.  

On this week's episode, we're talking about Crystal Cruises, which stopped cruising after its parent company, Genting Hong Kong, filed in January to wind up. For this talk, host Rebecca Tobin and news editor Johanna Jainchill go back in history to talk about the founding of the cruise line and some of the standards and philosophies that made it such a success. Crystal Cruises was founded in the late 1980s by Japanese shipping company NYK, and its founding president, Art Rodney, put together a team of executives, two of which you'll hear from on this episode: Dietmar Wertanzl, its first hotel director and later the senior vice president of hotel operations, and Art Sbarsky, the first senior vice president of marketing. We also asked two travel agents, Susan Reder of Frosch and Richard Turen of Churchill and Turen, who is also a columnist with Travel Weekly who has written about Crystal, to talk about the line from the perspective of their clients: why cruisers came back time after time and why they loved to sell Crystal. This episode was recorded Feb. 18 and has been edited for length and clarity. We've included a few of our recent reports on Crystal, but also check TravelWeekly.com for updates on the status of the line and its ships. Related reading: Legal Briefs: Obtaining Crystal refunds not as easy as ABC Shedding tears over Crystal -- then and now Crystal Cruises is reportedly shutting down Reports: Crystal Cruises ships seized in the Bahamas After Crystal pauses cruising, agents wait, watch and wonder Genting Hong Kong says it's out of cash, files to wind up See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Topic begins at (0:21:10) mark: Major controversy at Hustler Casino Live after player "skillsrocks" appears to have been looking at one opponent's holecards.... (1:24:48): Gambling coaching scammer Christopher Mitchell gets his YouTube channel terminated, PFA member AHoosierA wrongly blamed.... (2:49:30): A Vegas tourist won a $229k jackpot, didn't realize it due to a malfunction, and had to be tracked down by Nevada Gaming.... (3:04:36): Druffytime Theater: Three 2000s online poker chat stories -- a hooker, a bribe, and an Italian gangster.... (3:59:23): ACR player "EddieTowne23" claims the site stole $10,600 from him and won't tell him what happened.... (4:42:46): Massive Pokerstars/Foxbet outage in New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania now four days running.... (5:02:07): Crystal Cruises ships seized, two known poker figures among angry passengers.... (5:40:36): More NFL Vegas trouble: Saints' Alvin Kamara arrested for assault in Las Vegas.... (5:45:57): Over $3 billion in bitcoin seized by feds.... (5:59:44): Crowdfund Fraud Alert: Gofundme attempted to steal $8 million raised for Ottawa trucker protests.

On the week's episode Kathleen from Plenty of Sunshine Travel met with Peter from Crystal Cruises. We discussed how their ships have one of the largest ratios of space per person. We also discussed various itineraries including cruises on the Danube, Rhine and Moselle as well as an amazing itinerary in Dutch and Belgium areas. . With some amazing limited-time opportunities including a 15% deposit and final payment 120 days prior to sailing. But, the best news is that on each and every sailing on the Crystal Mozart there are many solo suites. This is on every itinerary including the Christmas Market cruise! . For more information on this cruise and to obtain a quote, please send me an email at info@PlentyofSunshineTravel.com or fill out this form https://bit.ly/3mxFUNd and I will get back to you. . If you would like any assistance with planning your own cruise with Crystal Cruises or any of my other cruise chats please reach out to me at info@PlentyofSunshineTravel.com If you want to see the images on this episode and to see the movie that Peter and Kathleen discussed come to our YouTube channel HERE . . . . Search #PlentyofSunshineTravel on Facebook or Instagram to see our posts. .#Crystal #CrystalCruise #nosinglesuppliment #LuxuryCruising #EuropeCruise #CrystalRiverCruise #CruiseWithMe

Is anyone out there a fan of magic, card tricks or mind reading? If so, I think you'll especially enjoy today's guest. Now don't worry, even if magic is not your thing, I'm still confident that you'll feel uplifted and motivated after tuning in to this episode of the show. Allow me to introduce Ben Whiting. Ben is an award-winning magician, actor, and playwright turned speaker. As an entertainer, he performed in over 30 countries, had multiple television appearances, and his clients included the likes of Crystal Cruises and Oprah's HARPO Studios. Recognizing his passion for helping others, Ben began focusing on keynote speaking and leadership development. In 2016, he delivered his first TEDx talk and was hired by a leadership development firm shortly thereafter to deliver leadership training around the globe. Within two years, he moved from leadership trainer to senior consultant at the firm. His leadership consulting clients have included international companies like UNiDAYS, as well as Fortune 50 corporations such as Schlumberger. Today, Ben runs his own consulting firm employing magic and entertainment as tools to teach and inspire corporations, nonprofit organizations, and educational institutions around the globe. Get ready to learn how to connect like a mind reader. Highlights of the episode: - Action trumps planning and done is better than perfect - How you can connect with your clients like a mind reader - What it's like to perform street magic in downtown Chicago - The secret sauce to developing your craft, no matter what it may be Ben's recommended reading list: - Unleash the Power of Storytelling: Win Hearts, Change Minds, Get Results by Rob Biesenbach - Born Standing Up by Steve Martin - The Thought Leader's Practice by Matt Church - 1,000 True Fans by Kevin Kelly - Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell - The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins - The Getaway Car by Ann Patchett - Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller For more information on Ben, visit his website: http://www.benwhiting.com/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe to the show: Apple Podcasts EricRMueller.com Spotify --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ericmuellershow/support

Anna Magzanyan is Chief of Staff to the Executive Chairman and Head of Strategy and Revenue for the Los Angeles Times. In our conversation, Anna speaks about her childhood and her move from Armenia to the United States. We learn about Anna's journey from agency work to her success in media, including CEO of the Los Angeles Business Journal, and most recently, Chief of Staff at the Los Angeles Times. Notably, despite her awards and title success, Anna doesn't feel like she has made it (yet!). She reminds herself that everyone's position is replaceable, so never stop learning! Tune in as Anna reveals what advice she would tell a former version of herself. Plus, we talk about the importance of listening to your body, taking rest days, and creating an energizing morning routine. In This Episode: [02:30] Moving from Armenia to the United States – Anna speaks about her childhood experiences.  [12:15] Anna speaks about her journey from working at an agency to becoming the Chief of Staff for the Los Angeles Times.   [29:15] Anna still hasn't felt like she made it; everyone's position is replaceable, so you have to learn continually.  [33:25] How Anna measures her success at the Los Angeles Times.   [40:05] What Anna would tell a former version of herself.  [50:00] Anna gets up at 4:30; we talk about her successful morning routine. Key Takeaways: Lifelong learning will help you adapt to unforeseen changes.  The ability to negotiate is critical for women in the workplace; never settle for less.  Pay attention to your thoughts and be less self-critical.  Listen to your body and rest when you need to.  Bio:  Anna Magzanyan is Chief of Staff to the Executive Chairman and Head of Strategy and Revenue for the Los Angeles Times. Having previously served as The Times' Vice President of Advertiser Marketing and Events, Magzanyan returned in 2020 following nine years working in digital, broadcast and print media. Prior to rejoining The Times, Magzanyan was the publisher and CEO of the Los Angeles Business Journal where she led year-over-year audience and revenue growth during her three-year tenure. She has also held executive roles in marketing and partnerships at the Hollywood Reporter and iHeart Radio, and was a strategy and business development consultant for the Houston Chronicle, Cretan Pearl Resort and Omnia Media, among others. Before beginning her career in publishing, Magzanyan worked in marketing and advertising with clients including Ketel One, Crystal Cruises, Tourism New Zealand and Union Bank. She was honored by the Armenian American Chamber of Commerce as Corporate Woman of the Year in 2011 and recognized with the Los Angeles Times' Publisher's Award in 2006 for the launch of The Envelope portfolio and in 2008 for the Tribune Pre-Print Initiative. Connections: For more Anna Magzanyan, follow her on Twitter. Also be sure to check out the LA Times on Instagram.  Check out our website, Potential to Powerhouse, for more details and to learn about past, present, and future guests. Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter, and join our Facebook Community for a deeper connection with the P2P tribe. Grab your free copy of our guide, 4 Daily Habits Essential to Becoming a POWERHOUSE Entrepreneur, and don't forget to subscribe to our show and leave a rating and review. Do you know any other female powerhouses that could benefit from listening? If so, please let them know to follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever they like to listen to valuable audio content. Until next time… High Five!

Your hosts Tamoy Thelwell and Chris DeBonis sit with Crystal Cruises Strategic Business Development Manager – South Florida, Andy Fuentes to talk about the future of Crystal Cruises and small ship, luxury cruising. Episode highlights: Crystal Cruise update: when will ships sail again Crystal Clean+: Enhanced safety protocols to keep passengers and crew members safe World Cruise update 90 day no deposit offer on all Crystal Cruise Voyages If you are interested in Crystal Cruises or have questions about anything discussed in this episode, contact us Email: hello@goluxurycruiser.com Phone: 1-888-404-5531 FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram @goluxurycruiser Twitter @goluxurycruiser Facebook: GO Luxury Cruiser

"Chief Impossibility Officer" Joe M. Turner is the founder and principal speaker and performer at Turner Magic & Keynotes, providing world-class corporate entertainment and insightful keynotes for clients across the United States and worldwide. A summa cum laude graduate of Mississippi State University, Joe's corporate experience is primarily in the area of change management and human performance. He was a manager in Accenture's global change management consulting practice and later served as Vice President of Associate Development for Bank of America. As a speaker and entertainer, Joe leverages the impact of the illusion arts to captivate, communicate, and connect audiences and ideas. He has won numerous awards as a performer and speaker in the United States and abroad. He performs around the world, from the Hollywood Magic Castle to the London Palladium, as well as on Crystal Cruises. He has been seen on Good Morning America, Nightline, CNN Headline News, and countless other broadcasts both locally and internationally. He and his wife have a daughter and a son, and reside near Atlanta, Georgia. Learn More About Joe - Click Here