Rousing Detroit Cruise Brings People from all Walks Together

Some would call it inspiring, some exciting, but this year it would be called both. The awesome beauty of the Detroit skyline could not be ignored at the MCAI Detroit 5th Annual River Boat Cruise, held this August 2008, in Downtown Detroit. While the Diamond Jack River Boat set sail from Hart Plaza, amid a bright sunny day, the sun soon set and gave way to the perfect temperature for a great cruise. The crowd, a mix of media related industry people, with the exception of the FOG’s (friends of Gary P.) came out to enjoy networking in an informal atmosphere that turned into a great social gathering.

Cruise attendees mixed and mingled with old friends and swapped stories and information with new ones. This year’s event was not only attended by members, media and television related folks, but by actors, producers, directors and others from the film community. We won’t list any celebrity names since we consider all of our attendees celebrities; nevertheless, we had our share of Hollywood by way of Michigan cruisers. It was an intimate crowd this year but that did not stop folks from partying until the captain came up and literally closed us down. Party goers were not deterred however, and continued down to the club on East Jefferson to keep the festivities going.

Although the cruise is an evening of fun, guests were serious about joining the festivities, so serious that one literally ran down the boardwalk to jump on just as the boat was about to pull off and another tried but didn’t quite make it, and wished us well by cell phone as he sat stuck in traffic. The annual cruise is an opportunity for members and nonmembers alike to munch on appetizers, converse over drinks and dance until the boat returns to it destination dockside. It is also a chance for people to learn more about us, what we do, who we do it with and how it benefits all involved. Not everyone attends the cruise to network, drink and dance the night away though. Some look forward to the carefree sailing, because it affords the ability to sit, relax and enjoy the peace and tranquility the ride on the water allows. You have three decks to choose from-to dine, mingle, chill or dance.  Cruisers watch Canada or Detroit and wave at people on land. The top deck is where the dj spins the sounds and gets the people out of their seats. It is also the place the raffle is held and we thank our sponsors for their donations.

Next year we’re going to ask if we can have an extra hour for all those hot steppers that don’t know how to leave the dance floor when the boat stops moving. An understanding captain may allow us to do the hustle on the top deck until dawn, but if it’s raining and our captain is all business, we’ll be doing the Cupid Shuffle on the Boardwalk. No worries, whether we extend the cruise next year or not, those diehard MCAI cruisers will enjoy themselves immensely wherever, whenever. We hope you’ll join the fun; it’s a party you don’t want to miss!

MCA-I is an international organization of media communication professionals that strive to provide forums for education, resources for information and opportunities for networking. Our goal is to offer a membership that affords members benefits, skills and the connections needed to succeed in a highly competitive market. For more information on MCA-I, upcoming events or to learn how you can become a part of this vital organization, visit us at: http://detroitmcai.org