Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/22095
and relationships between the cruise lines and the destinations’ governments, while continuing with the one-on-one meetings, workshops and Trade Show. The day culminated at the deca- dent Dominican Republic Night Extravaganza at the Sans Souci Cruise Terminal. Thursday was another successful day, as the attendees con- 17TH ANNUAL FCCA CRUISE CONFERENCE & TRADE SHOW IS A GREAT SUCCESS Delegates fromall over theworld and every facetwithin the private and public sectors, along with roughly 100 cruise exec- utives,began to gather in SantoDomingo onMonday,October 25th for the FCCAConference&Trade Show. The start of theConferencewasmarked by the FCCAGolf Classic,which brought together some of the key players of the cruise industry and its destination partners in teams of four to discuss the latest trends and gather business advice over a friendly game of golf.The day also allowed for the attendees to situate themselves and for theTrade Show participants to pre- pare their booths for the crowd composed of nearly 1,000, while the FCCAPlatinumMembers had a chance to start their one-on-onemeetings. Tuesday was the official grand opening for theTrade Show, with the audience gathered to see some of the best offerings from the Caribbean, LatinAmerica,Europe and more. It also marked the beginning of the one-on-one meetings and work- shops that continued all the way through the Conference’s close. It also officially commenced the event with the Conference Opening Ceremony,which sparked enough inter- est in the Dominican Republic to reach its president, Leonel cluded their meetings and workshops and began to make plans to pursue the relationships formed throughout the event and possibly to attend next year’s event in San Juan, Puerto Rico, taking place from October 3-7, 2011. The night closed with a cocktail reception and a closing party to make the participants completely comfortable as they finalized this year’s discussions and prepared for the times ahead. For more information – www.f-cca.com. DELIVERY OF ALLURE OF THE SEAS Royal Caribbean International took delivery on October INTERNATIONAL TAKES ROYAL CARIBBEAN 28 of the newest addition to the cruise line’s fleet,Allure of the Seas, from STX Europe in Turku, Finland. With Captain HernanZini at the helm,Allure of the Seas departedTurku the following day, starting the 13-day countdown to herU.S.debut into her homeport of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, FL onThursday,Nov. 11. Allure of the Seas joins sister-shipOasis of the Seas as the world’s largest and most revolutionary cruise ship. Royal Caribbean’s strategic alliance with DreamWorks Animation, featuring new onboard parades, ice shows, aqua shows and experiences with the filmstudio’s beloved charac- ters, along with the at-sea debut of the Broadway production Chicago: The Musical, and Royal Caribbean Productions’ Fernandez, who was able to listen to the speeches of the Honorable Francisco Javier Garcia, minister of tourism; Michele Paige, president of the FCCA; Kevin Sheehan, CEO ofNorwegianCruiseLine and chairman of theFCCA;Richard Sasso, president and CEOofMSC Cruises; and the winners of the FCCA Foundation’s Essay Contest. The ceremony also commemorated the Dominican Republic’s culture with song and dance fromCarnival and awelcome party at theMuseo de las Casa Reales. Wednesday brought together the CEOs, presidents and ministers for privatemeetings to foster further communication 50 new Blue Planet aerial production and Ice Games ice show, offer guests unparalleled entertainment options. Allure of the Seas also boasts 26 dining options, including the first ever Starbucks at sea; a new fine dining experience at 150 Central Park, created by The Culinary Institute of America alumna Molly Brandt; Samba Grill Brazilian steakhouse; Rita’s Cantina, a casualMexican restaurant offering the widest selec- tion of margaritas at sea; and the Boardwalk Dog House, an outdoor hot-dog specialty counter. For additional information travel professionals should visit www.cruisingpower.comor call (800) 327-2056. Black Meetings & Tourism November/December 2010: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com