I thought it would be a good idea for you to know a bit about me and my motivation for putting this event together. My name is Francin and for those of you who do not already know me, I am the Head Admin for the BG Masters backgammon ladder. By profession I've been a Travel Executive for over 25 years and have managed many major travel houses including branches of Ask Mr.Foster, Carlson and Thomas Cook agencies in Canada. In addition I have been a Travel Director for the Federal Government Of Canada's Travel Office at Foreign Affairs in charge of the travel requirements of federal ministers, diplomats and diplomatic couriers worldwide.

I am a travel editor for a Canadian newspaper as well as have written freelance travel articles for such magazines as Redbook, Canadian Living, Cosmopolitain, Travel and Leisure and Cruising. I've participated and been a contributing editor in numerous "Travel Travel" televison specials in Canada and am in the process of writing a book on the best hotels worldwide which is due out in 2002.

My travel specialty has always been the cruise industry and  I am the President of my own travel consulting firm, The Grand Voyager, which handles mainly upscale and specialized luxury, leisure travel focusing primarily in corporate and  incentive group cruises. These center around social-interest groups, executive business meetings and sales campaigns, and professional continuing education at sea in the fields of medicine, law and finance. Based in Montreal we handle any venue, whether it be an Around-The-World cruise, yacht charter in the Galapagos, Trans-Atlantic crossings, barging in France to a luxury Caribbean Cruise.

Personally I have taken over 52 cruises both for business and pleasure to the Caribbean, Bermuda, Antartica, Alaska, Europe, Mexico, the Mediterranean, Russia, Scandinavia, Egypt, South America, Canada & US, Asia and Africa.

A few years ago I discovered Backgammon online. I made many friends  playing this fabulous and frustrating game and thought it would be great to finally meet them in person. It was then that I got the idea to organize a group cruise for my Backgammon friends. I thought this would be a great way for me to combine my two favorite pastimes, backgammon  and cruising while having fun finally meeting my internet friends while on vacation.  Last year several of us met on a cruise and it was fabulous !

Thus began the concept of the yearly Backgammon At Sea Tournament.......