Corporate Travel Destinations

While smaller meetings and events on cruise ships are all well and good, there is another option that is actually even better for those who truly have a need: chartering and/or buy-outs.  Ship charters are surprisingly affordable, as it gives the cruise company a chance to earn their overhead without spending as much on marketing, but there is so much more to consider:

• Some meetings need to be secretive by nature, and buy-outs/chartering ensures that none of the other passengers might be eavesdropping. On the other hand, companies that host cruise meetings where others can see them might not only seem more open and honest, but they may seem more attractive to investors.
• A buy-out of all cabins on an existing cruise ensures complete access to all facilities at all hours. In short, you are calling just about all of the shots save for the course. Even then, the captain of the ship might be amenable to arranging longer stays in Port A and skipping Port B.
• Complete concierge services is also typically available on charters. This should be no surprise since the concierge usually serves the guests. Since all the guests are your invitees, all you have to do is kick back and relax and let someone else sort out their problems.
• There are big and small charter cruise ships available. Do not worry if all you have are a hundred or so participants as there are smaller cruise ships that are ideal for the task at hand. Even a smaller cruise ship is still an enormous floating meeting and entertainment facility.

Some travelers swear by self-catering accommodations and would not dream of spending the night in a hotel during business or leisure travel. Other travelers cannot stand the thought of not having 24-hour reception, 24-hour room service, at least one on-site restaurant and concierge services.

Self-catering lodgings have either kitchenettes or fully-equipped kitchens, and often have other convenient amenities, such as laundry facilities, DVD and book libraries, swimming pools, fitness centers and reserved, private parking. They range from urban apartments to country cottages and offer more privacy than hotels. However, they usually do not offer the same range of amenities and services that guests will find when staying in luxury hotel rooms.

Self-catering apartments are ideal for holding small business meetings and entertaining clients and prospects. Additionally, the ability to cook some meals in the apartment – rather than dining out for every meal – is a cost-saving measure that is convenient and appealing to many travelers. Of course, a nice hotel room is also good for entertaining potential clients and customers, but a private apartment has the added benefit of giving the impression that your company maintains an apartment for use by its employees when they travel on business. This type of impression will not go to waste on prospects of a particular ilk and can assist in leaving a positive image of your company in your prospects’ minds.