What happens when 3,000 attendees get off a cruise ship, the event app loses its superpower, and one person decides Nassau is apparently a choose-your-own-adventure? This went from "fun port stop" to "please tell me Bob is back on the ship" real fast.

Host Jen Santos chats with Kelly Burhop, senior lead event technologist at Sound Planning Meeting and Events, on this episode of Mayhem & Method. Kelly is here to share the very specific chaos of running a large employee event across two cruise ships.

What starts as a smart, cost-saving, cohort-based event format quickly reveals one tiny problem: push notifications do not work when your attendees are off the ship, away from Wi-Fi, and wandering around Nassau like they missed the memo.

What follows is a very event-pro blend of mobile app logistics, group scheduling gymnastics, maritime check-ins, security team heroics, and the classic post-event realization that yes, you now need a contingency plan for "what if no one receives the message?"

Top Takeaways from Kelly & Jen's convo:

• Wi-Fi is not a communication plan. It is a communication hope with a login screen.
• If attendees can wander, one of them absolutely will. Build the plan for Bob.
• A cruise ship event can be surprisingly efficient… right up until your app, your cohorts, and international port logistics all decide to test your blood pressure.

Links:

theburhopper.substack.com

Connect on LinkedIn @kellyburhop

This episode was produced by Audiotocracy Podcast Production.