Ports. Ships. People

Welcome to #CruiseChat

The official Twitter Party for cruisers! New here? Check out the basics and be sure to check the schedule.

The Buzz

#CruiseChat Topic: Cruise Information Resources

Join us on January 25 at 2 pm ET and #CruiseChat will help you sift through all the great resources available to assist with the cruise process.

Information Overload!

Back in the day, if you wanted to take a cruise you would go to the local travel agency, get a brochure and start planning the trip of a lifetime. Now, with instant 24-hour access to information, life can get a little complicated.

Cruise vacations are complex. Ships are not alike and on all ships, there are numerous experiences available. So, how on earth is a person suppose to make a decision?

Objective

Upon completion of today’s #CruiseChat, participants should be able to access at least three resources that will help them find usable cruise information.

Meet the Contenders

These are the most popular resource areas:

• Cruise review sites from travel media
• Cruise blogs from cruise enthusiasts
• Mobile Apps
• Online cruise communities
• Print: Books and magazine articles
• Video: YouTube, DVD

One big happy family

Meet the players working together to help make sense of the cruise process:

• Cruise Lines
• Travel media
• Travel bloggers
• Consumers
• Travel Sellers
• Vendors supporting everything you will need while on a cruise or in port.

In the Spotlight: Cruises for Less

From Simon at Cruises For Less our Spotlight partner:

In recent years, the Internet has exploded with cruise information, from ship reviews to comprehensive travel agency sites to cruise line-sponsored video channels where passengers can upload their cruise video for the world to see.

When you’re planning a cruise vacation, how do you sort through all the noise? Who do you turn to for advice? What sources do you trust and rely on to give you accurate, unbiased information? Or do you prefer to stay offline when you plan a cruise, relying on cruise line brochures and guidebooks?

Thank you Cruise For Less for that great summary.

Resources from around the web

• Avid Cruiser – cruise reviews, port profiles, destination discoveries
• Cruise Radio – Broadcasting live from ships or from the studio. Subscribe to their  weekly show on iTunes.
• Cruise Line Fans – Online cruise community

If you like CruiseChat, make sure to like AvidCruiser Facebook Fan page too.