Corporate Travel Destinations

Large events, meetings, and seminars have traditionally be scheduled at conference centers and/or hotels, but that is all changing now. Cruise ships are the new ‘it’ place to host events of almost any size, for many good reasons. Here are a trio of very good reasons to consider:

• Go places, do things – One of the top reasons to opt for cruises over more traditional meeting environments is the fact that cruise liners take your places while you work instead of taking you to places to get work done. Add to this the limited distance between work and play, and cruises are nothing if not efficient and convenient.
• Amazing facilities – Hotels come in different quality levels, usually measured in stars. Cruise ships are an all-star affair, and every passenger is made to feel like an all-star. Putting a dollar value on having meeting participants felt like that are having their every whim met is nearly impossible.
• Affordable – Meetings and events held on cruise liners are surprisingly affordable. Why? Because one companies is providing everything. Instead of distributing the overhead of a catering company, a hotel, and a conference center over each participant, cruise liners have a single overhead to distribute. It is all about cost of customer acquisition, and that is what makes cruise meetings affordable.

There are many reasons for corporations to plan events close to their base of operations, but those reasons might be overshadowed by the benefits of selecting far away destinations. Here are the top four reasons to plan a corporate meeting far from the office.

1. New scenery and events shake things up, and there is nothing that will help get the creative juices flowing better than change. Staring at the same walls every day has employees trapped in the same rut, and an exciting change is likely to yield exciting results. A trip to the local park might not be as exciting as business cruise to a sun-drenched tropical getaway.
2. A cruise event might also be a great idea, as it combines both work and play. Team building exercises tend to work best when participants know each other well. Is there anything better than well-planned corporate travel/events to encourage teamwork?
3. Inclusive travel options mean that a cruise meeting or weekend retreat can be had at a fixed price. No more haggling, no more uncertainties, just a known quantity. This will keep the event planning sessions short and the accountants happier as well.
4. Employees, partners, and supplies may all appreciate incentive travel options. Rewarding performance and loyalty are excellent ways to build rapport.

There is a misconception among some segments of the corporate meeting and incentive travel industry that cruises are an extravagantly expensive option for corporate meetings and travel. On the contrary, opting to plan your next corporate meeting onboard a cruise ship can be quite cost-effective and can result in significant cost savings when compared to corporate meeting destinations that are land-based. This is particularly true when travel and event planners take advantage of enticing packages available when planning meetings with multiple attendees. The cost savings can be even greater if most of the attendees live near a port or cruise terminal, avoiding the need for air travel.

The idea of attending a corporate meeting at sea event is also much more exciting and appealing to attendees, which results in them actually looking forward to the trip, rather than dreading yet another event where they spend hours locked in a boring meeting room in Omaha or Kansas City. Onboard activities and entertainment are an excellent way to wind down after a long day of meetings, and offer plenty of options for days off. Stopping in interesting ports of call also adds appeal to shipboard corporate travel, and allows attendees to spend time enjoying attractions, dining, entertainment and shopping off the ship as well.

Plan your next corporate meeting on a cruise ship and you will find that attendees will be happier and more productive as they enjoy the opportunity to both work and play onboard.