Quilt Camp at Sea creating friendships at sea, one quilter at a time!!  

In June 2010, Quilt Camp at Sea will be sailing on its 17th quilting cruise!  Len Tobin, the owner of Quilt Camp at Sea, exclusively organizes quilting cruises through his affiliation with Travel Leaders/Travel Center, Inc. so he and his wife (a quilter) are able to share their love of cruising with those who also share her love of quilting.  The decision to add another "career" to his resume (he is a retired Army officer and State of Washington Retirement Systems Analyst) came at the urging of his wife and her quilting friends who wanted to sail on a quilting cruise that would provide the "ultimate" quilting cruise experience - one that did not require them to travel with their own sewing machines and would offer than classes for just a few hours during the cruise.  After extensive courses and specialized cruise-specific training, Len attained his Master Cruise Counsellor certification through the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) and later was selected as the winner of the 23rd Annual Cruise-A-Thon's "Greatest Group Hits" award!  Quilt Camp at Sea's affiliation with Travel Leaders/Travel Center, Inc. provides the benefit to those booking with Quilt Camp at Sea of having the services of a full service travel agency readily available for arranging airfare, hotel accommodations, and other services.  Every Quilt Camp at Sea cruise is an escorted cruise because Len feels the only way to ensure that the years of planning and extensive details required for a successful cruise will be  followed through by the suppliers and vendors associated with the cruise is for the organizer to actually be onboard the ship.  The pre-planning phase for each cruise usually begins two years prior to the sailing date and requires the involvement of not only the the cruise line and other suppliers but also input from many in the quilting community in order to meet the needs of quilters onboard the cruise.   It is the careful attention to every detail that sets Quilt Camp at Sea apart from others - attention that can only be accomplished by a company whose entire focus is on organizing cruises for quilters!  Many of the quilters who have sailed time and time again with Quilt Camp at Sea have become like an extended family to Len, his wife, and to the support staff of Quilt Camp at Sea.  Even "first time" quilters are often amazed at the lengths Len and the staff of Quilt Camp at Sea will go to in seeing to the needs of their guests - like the quilter who shared with Len's wife during the pre-cruise welcome party at the hotel the night before sailing that she had forgotten to pack an over-the-counter ointment she would need while on the cruise; despite the pouring rain outside, Len walked several blocks to a local drug store to purchase a resupply for her!

You may find others offering similar cruise itineraries at lower prices - but once you sail on a Quilt Camp at Sea cruise, Len feels certain you will find you definitely get the best value available on a Quilt Camp at Sea cruise!Not only does Quilt Camp at Sea provide quilting classes with nationally recognized and award winning instructors who create comprehensive and pre-cut kits for each of their classes, each cruise features a special guest author, artist, or other notable celebrity well known within the quilting community, extensive door prize drawings throughout the cruise, and special gifts that make each cruise unique.  Quilt Camp at Sea cruises feature an onboard quilt shop and the highest quality sewing machines with knowledgeable machine vendor support staff available to assist those who may not be familiar with the brand of sewing machines being used in the classrooms.  Thanks to the support of Clover, many basic supplies will be available at each sewing station for all 2011 and 2012 quilting cruises.  The focus of Quilt Camp at Sea cruises remains the same even after 17 cruises - creating friendships at sea, one quilter at a time!!  Len does not feel Quilt Camp at Sea's commitment to hosting an event that promotes this camaraderie would be possible without dinner seating together as a group and a wide range of other activities and events throughout the cruise providing quilters the opportunity to meet, socialize, and share a memorable experience.  In addition to Len Tobin, the owner of Quilt Camp at Sea, the cruise organizing staff of Quilt Camp at Sea is comprised almost entirely of quilters - including quilt shop owners, quilting instructors, and vendors whose input is essential to ensuring the needs of the quilters sailing on Quilt Camp at Sea cruises are met (and hopefully exceeded!!). 

For details about Quilt Camp at Sea's upcoming cruises, please see the links below: