Corporate Travel Destinations

Cruise meetings might sound lavish and expensive, but the opposite is true: not only a cruise meetings often more affordable than the alternatives, the truth is that cruise meetings are far more trendy and chic while offering tangible benefits to businesses. In today’s business environment it pays to have a little bit of panache and know when to use it. Meetings on cruise ships might be just what it takes to close that big deal or to impress investors. Here’s why:

• Cruise ships have to be updated more frequently than hotels in order to stay relevant. This is even true when comparing cruise ships to hotels in Las Vegas and Atlantic City, locations famous for the short lifespan of their local hotels.
• Cruise ships also tend to be better maintained than their land-bound counterparts. This is almost a requirement that they need to impress visitors who are often initially concerned about trying something new and different.
• Most business class passengers on cruise ships are treated like royalty, which is only a tiny step above how normal guests are treated. This means that you spend less time planning and reacting, more time analyzing and moving forward.
• A change in conditions, such as being on a gorgeous cruise ship and surrounded with a mixture of business and pleasure, is often enough to change the decision making process of individuals that are on the proverbial fence.

There are many metaphorical closed doors in the business world. Worse, there are doors that are sealed tight. There are ways to open those doors, even those that seem sealed shut. One such way is to consider sending invitations to a cruise event. After all, requests for meetings and invitations to conferences can be ignored by many but few will turn down an invitation to travel on a cruise ship. In fact, most people would consider an invitation to travel aboard a cruise ship to be an honor. Here are a few points to consider:

• Most cruise ships are all inclusive – This means that a single price covers almost every a guest could want. Whether you are inviting all-star employees in an attempt to build morale, stubborn clients, potential clients, or intransigent suppliers, everyone invited to cruise events/meetings will feel like they are highly valued.
• Almost nobody can resist the opportunity to take a cruise – This is one of the main reasons why cruise events and meetings have such high attendance rates. Simply put, a hotel is possible for most people to resist.
• Special events can extended the irresistible nature of a cruise – most meeting and/or event planners are more than happy to schedule special events for members of a large group. Those that could resist a cruise might not be able to resist a cruise plus a little something extra.

When most people think of meetings, they imagine themselves stuck within the confines of four walls sitting around a table for several hours. For this reason, when a meeting planner suggests the idea of meetings at sea, some organizations may balk at this notion. Many mistakenly believe that a hotel or resort would be most budget-friendly than a cruise ship charter. From conference rooms equipped with the latest in technology to on-board rock climbing walls, a cruise ship charter can offer an organization a fresh perspective on meeting spaces.

Group cruise planning is a great way to get employees outside the four walls of the conference room and motivate them to be more creative and innovative. For example, meeting at sea may be held in suites or villas with their own private decks. For organizations looking for team-building exercises, a cruise ships can offer mixed-use sports decks for employees to participate in a variety of activities. A meeting planner should keep in mind that event planning does not have to be held in a venue with the traditional four walls. In order for organizations to encourage their employees to look beyond the four walls, event planners have to look beyond the four walls, too.

When it comes time to plan a large corporate retreat, savvy meeting planners and/or event planners need to consider at least four different factors.

Distance & Travel – how far will the destination be from all parties? Remember that organizations with far-flung offices will need to find ways to transport the relevant from those offices to the destination in question. This can become an expensive venture rather quickly, but planners can mitigate this by planning ahead.

Scheduling & Jet Lag – Corporate travel is always a combination of work and play. Whether it is a cruise meeting, incentive travel, or a retreat, event planners should always try to strike a balance between work and play. Remember that jet lag may be a factor to contend with, so start off slow with events and meetings if possible.

Allergies & Location – Planning an outdoor event or a team-building getaway in the woods might sound great until Susan in accounting turns out to be allergic to the grass and Bob from sales cannot stop itching for some reason. Remember to consider allergies before planning any corporate event. If guests are being brought into the event, be sure to inquire as to their health needs.

Food & Drink – Many corporations prefer to self-cater, but it does not really matter who does the catering if those who have certain dietary needs are not being met. With vegetarian and vegan lifestyles becoming more popular, and a handful of religions taboos on foods, it pays to spend a good deal of time on food.

Have you ever questioned why or if employee incentive travel is more advantageous than a cash bonus? Is there more to incentive travel than just compensating employee(s) for a job well done?

Discerning the things that motivate your employees is a crucial feature of conducting business. It is crucial to learn just what motivates each person as an individual. If the incentive were a trip, where would your employees like to visit? Would they like to be pampered with a spa vacation, go on a cruise to exotic destinations, or is he more fascinated by out-of-doors activities such as water sports or golf? Modifying the incentives you offer is more likely to push employees to do their finest to get the trip.

Incentive travel is an aspect in keeping valued employees members. It is more cost effective to retain skilled individuals working for you rather than to train new people on a regular basis. Thanking employees for a job well done is something else that should not be overlooked. Those two words can stimulate workers on toward a common goal, particularly in difficult times.

Team efforts that earn a wonderful trip for the team involved promote the weaker members to work toward the capability level of the stronger team members. Contests can stimulate but they can also make staff to work against each other. Cooperative efforts many times get more valuable results and turn out employees who are more loyal too.

An all inclusive cruise meeting is one great way to motivate and thank employees. Putting together a corporate event such as a conference or a business meeting at sea makes a lot of sense, especially when it comes to getting the greatest value from the investments. Cruising can literally slash the cost of land based venues by 25-40%, allowing planners to persevere with today's shrinking budgets. Why not make your next corporate incentive event a meeting-at-sea?

Seasite.com, the first online group cruise planning resource, allows event planners to capitalize on the value of all inclusive cruise meeting and incentives. Cruising can slash the expense of land based venues by 25-40%, allowing planners to persevere with today's shrinking budgets. Why not make your next corporate incentive a meeting at sea? Take a look at Seasite.com today!

Corporate meeting and event planners in search of a venue in the Boston area may want to take another look at the Holiday Inn Select in Woburn, Massachusetts. Located just 12 miles north of Boston and just 12 miles from Logan International Airport, this hotel offers 8,500 square feet of meeting and event space centrally located in the 128 technology corridor. There are 11 renovated meeting rooms, including conference facilities that are well-equipped with video conferencing capabilities, LCD projectors, DVD players, wireless Internet access, flip charts and markers, slide projectors, microphones, lecterns and whiteboards.

The Grand Ballroom provides 3,800 square feet to accommodate up to 400 guests, while slightly smaller events can be held in the 3,200-square-foot Middlesex Ballroom, which accommodates up to 300. Group and event packages are available and include complimentary shuttle service in the immediate area and to Anderson Station, where guests take the Logan Express to the Logan International Airport.

Corporate travel packages are available for your guests in need of accommodations, including in-room work stations with free Internet access, use of a full business center at no cost, fitness center, free local shuttle service, a complimentary copy of USA Today each weekday and on-site dining.

For more information, or to book your next event, visit www.hotelbostonwoburn.com.

For oceans of information, visit www.landrykling.com or www.seasite.com or call 800-448-9002.

The green meeting movement is in full swing and many companies are scrambling to make their meetings and corporate events as eco-friendly as possible. This can boost their public image, shows their commitment to limiting their impact on the environment and can make attendees feel good about the efforts being put forth; however, it can also mean higher pricing. In fact, the fear of significantly higher prices is one of the main reasons that other companies are not taking more steps to green their corporate meetings, events and travel. There is s a perception that going green automatically means doubling your event expenses and, while this certainly does not have to be the case, there are good reasons why some folks think this.

The problem is green gouging. Just like any new trend, there are some folks who see this as a way to make more money and are hiking up prices on organic or local food, sustainably-sourced products and other necessities for green events. Meeting and event planners should expect a slightly higher price on some environmentally-friendly items, which is completely justifiable; however, some venues are taking advantage of this opportunity to freely overcharge folks who care about their event’s impact.

Oftentimes, this can result from the fact they do not have the vendors to meet the needs of folks who need organic or locally-grown food and other essentials. This can be avoided by opting for venues that are just as committed to eco-friendly meetings as you are, and that already have established relationships with green vendors.

The island of Aruba is part of the Dutch Antilles located in the Caribbean just north of Venezuela. Every year, tourists are drawn to its sun-soaked shores to enjoy relaxing beachside vacations filled with water sports, long walks on sandy beaches, sipping cocktails under a beach umbrella and SCUBA diving in the crystal clear waters of the nearby coral reef off of De Palm Island. A cruise terminal and international airport are located on the island, allowing corporate travel planners and event planners to include this Caribbean paradise as part of a group cruise, or as a single corporate travel destination. The Reina Beatrix Airport (AUA) is just 2.5 miles from Oranjestad, which is also the home to the main cruise port, which is located just a short five-minute walk from the city center.

The main cities on the island are San Nicolas and Oranjestad, each of which offers a variety of meeting and event venues, with two of the most popular resort hotels on the island being the Aruba Gold Coast and the Occidental Grand Aruba. Popular attractions and activities available on the island include water sports, horseback riding, biking, bird watching at the Bubali Bird Sanctuary, the weekly Bonbini Festival at the Aruba Historical Museum and an 18-hole championship golf course.

Whether you are planning a group cruise, incentive travel package or corporate event, you simply cannot go wrong with Aruba.

It is one thing to know your way around your favorite venues that happen to be on land, but corporate travel planners who incorporate cruises into their corporate meeting and event planning, incentive travel planning or other corporate travel endeavors should pick up a bit of shipboard lingo to show that you know your stuff, or at least to help you fake it ‘til you make it while planning your onboard events.

Here are a few of the terms that it is helpful to know when onboard:

Aft – toward or at the rear of the vessel
Amidships – toward or at the middle of the vessel
Below – Beneath the main deck
Bow – the front of the vessel
Bridge – the navigational control center of a ship
Companionway – interior staircase
Free Port – a port with no customs or duty
Galley – ship kitchen
Gangway – ramp or stairway between the ship and dock
Helm – steering apparatus
Port – the left side of the ship when facing the bow
Starboard – the right side of the ship when facing the bow
Tender – a small vessel for passenger transportation when at anchor

Of course, these are just a few examples of the many terms used on ships, but this should be enough to get you started on the road to immediately understanding what the cruise ship staff says when discussing the location of your attendees’ rooms or meeting rooms, or where they will meet you to show you around your event venue.

Seasite.com is designed for meeting and event planners who want more control in the cruise sourcing and planning process. It’s the fastest and easiest way for group organizers to master the world of cruising, building on all that’s been learned by Landry & Kling, who are credited with being the first distribution channel between the cruise industry and corporate America. Now, 28 years since their startup, they have responded to changing times by creating Seasite.com, with innovative cruise sourcing tools that enable meeting planners and other travel intermediaries to be more pro-active and confident in booking group cruises. Seasite group pricing is the same as booking direct, with the advantage of impartial Cruise Advisors to assist as needed.