Major cruise lines, travel agencies and social media influencers tuned in to Travel Weekly's annual cruise-themed Twitter chat, which was timed to coincide with the kickoff of the CruiseWorld conference.
This year, the chat theme was on cruising in the Caribbean. The region has been in the spotlight since hurricanes Irma and Maria wreaked devastation on several islands this fall, and the cruise lines and Caribbean tourism groups have been impressing on agents and travelers that the region is open for business.
One of the most retweeted tweets of the chat was from Carnival Cruise Line:
Throughout the hourlong session, which ultimately drew nearly 30 million impressions, tweeters traded tips on must-see ports of call, favorite hardware, private islands and small/luxury ships.
When it came to visiting areas affected by Irma and Maria, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention weighed in on areas hardest-hit by the storms:
(The chat also took a detour from Caribbean cruising to talk about other topics, such as river cruising.)
The chat's final question asked participants to tweet ways that agents and travelers can help the Caribbean recover.
TWchats takes place monthly on Twitter. The next scheduled chat is on luxury-travel trends, Dec. 20.