RBA Reunion Cruise - Recap

I received an invitation to attend a reunion with my former employer of twenty years, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers.  I had no idea when I got a reunion invitation, they were inviting Cec and I for an all-expense cruise to Alaska on the Celebrity Eclipse with 275 other former and current employees and one guest.  We were upgraded from a standard balcony to an Aqua Class cabin.  Just to clarify, all balcony cabins are the same size, but Concierge and Aqua Class come with benefits.  We've done Concierge but never Aqua Class.  Aqua Class comes with its own restaurant, Blu.  It's a healthier eating option and a lovely dining room.  We are also entitled to:  

• Unlimited access to spa areas
• Welcome drinks
• Daily canapes
• A pillow menu
• Bathrobes
• Yoga mats
• Priority check-in
• Spa showers

The Ritchie Bros 'Classic' Package is a pricing strategy that includes four amenities (Meals, Classic Drink Package, Tips and Basic Wi-Fi) in your cruise fare.  They paid for everything!  

 HOSTED BY DAVE & RUSS RBA REUNION AUGUST 13-20, 2023 

Discover the Award-Winning Celebrity Eclipse, an opulent luxury cruise that transcends all your expectations! Experience the ultimate adventure as you embark on a remarkable journey through the Last Frontier of Alaska. Board your elegant ship at Vancouver and take a scenic route down the spellbinding Inside Passage, a path bejeweled with breathtaking glaciers, shimmering waters, and the most picturesque vistas imaginable. Discover the untamed beauty of Icy Strait Point, home to a diverse array of wildlife including majestic humpback whales and brown bears. Get ready to indulge in a journey of a lifetime as you explore Alaska's mysterious wilderness, set amidst a backdrop of sheer luxury and comfort. A trip down memory lane xxxxx@gmail.com 

We are thrilled to host our partners, friends, and colleagues to celebrate the great auction company we built together. Not a day goes by without us reminiscing about the wonderful times we shared on our journey of achieving excellence. We worked hard, had everything we owned on the line, but always found time for a little fun. Taking care of our own, and our customers, was paramount. Ritchie Bros Auctioneers became the gold standard against which all other auction companies were compared. 

Please kick back and enjoy this special week as we get lost in the memories and celebrate the present. Our heartfelt appreciation to everyone who contributed to the success of Ritchie Bros Auctioneers! 

Warm regards, 

Dave & Russ

Kick back and enjoy is what we did.  We would walk to a venue on the ship, and it would take 45 minutes to go thirty feet with all the hugs and reminiscing!  Every elevator we got in, we met someone else.  We all received name tags which really helped because I talked on the phone with everyone in our satellite offices, so rarely knew what they looked like.  That was twenty years ago, and people changed!

We received a "goodie bag" while boarding at Canada Place.  In the bag among other things, we received:

The black reunion book is three hundred pages!  It starts with a welcome letter from Dave and Russ and the history of the company from 1958!  We all submitted pictures and memories from RBA so everyone who attended has their story along with some great memories of their time with RBA.

Last night we all gathered for the last time to say our farewells.   It was so difficult to watch those who live in the wildfire areas.  I personally know ten couples who are evacuated and many more that as far as they know they are on evacuation alert.  All their flights to YLW have been cancelled and they had no idea what they were going to do.  One long term friend said "the Chevron gas station is gone and we live down the street"!  We sat for dinner last night with a former VP and his wife.  He apologized for using his phone at dinner.  He was checking on his home!  It was heart wrenching.

We are home and have so many memories, all wonderful.  Here is a group picture taken yesterday.  It's not the professional one but taken from a phone.   It's only employees and look at how many of us there were: