Meeting Planner Careers

All-inclusive cruises are a great way to do business and have a holiday. Cruise meetings also make a great incentive for employees. Knowing how to select the cabin that suits your personality or agenda can make the cruise experience much more enjoyable. These are the cabin types from least to most expensive. Check your cruise line’s brochure for more details.

Location and windows (or lack of windows) can determine how much a cabin will cost. Standard cruise ship cabins are the least expensive. They are inside cabins without a porthole. The décor is tasteful but modest and fewer amenities are offered than with other cabin types. For example, the bathroom will be quite small, with a shower only. An outside ocean view cabin will of course contain a portal, but everything else is the same.

Balcony cabins are a bit larger than standard cruise ship cabins. The balconies are often too narrow for a lawn chair; however, opening the sliding glass door will allow the sea air to fill the cabin. These cabins may include a curtain that can be drawn to separate the sitting area from the sleeping area.

A suite includes a sitting area and a bedroom and is the largest cabin space. The bathroom is larger and is equipped with a tub. Most of the time, a suite includes a balcony.

Cruise ships are best known for their luxurious amenities and travel to exotic locations. Although sometimes criticized for their actions by the media, the cruise industry continues to help people affected by natural disasters. The Celebrity Eclipse is the latest case in point.

This solstice class cruise ship canceled at least the first part of her launch festivities in order to help travelers stranded due to the effects of recent volcano activity in Iceland. Celebrity Cruises are working with UK tour operators to arrange passage back to England for travelers who have not been able to return due to flight cancelations and airport closings. At least 2000 people, some of whom have been stranded for seven days, will sail back to England and enjoy the amenities of this ship.

Cruise ships have a history of offering aid in times of crisis. In January 2009, the Royal Caribbean delivered desperately needed food and supplies to earthquake victims in Haiti. Carnival Cruise ships rented out three of their vessels to shelter victims of Hurricane Katrina. The Ecstasy, Holiday, and Sensation provided shelter for seven thousand weary people who lost everything to the hurricane. In 2009 when Typhoon Ketsana hit Manila, Star Cruises, Princess Cruises, P&O Cruises of Australia, and others committed resources and money to help victims of this natural disaster and the subsequent tsunami.

Cruise ships are a marvelous way to take a vacation and employees rave about all-inclusive incentive cruises. The ships are more elegant, classier, and more fun than ever before. Here are a few things about cruise ships you may not have known:

• The biggest cruise ship is the Freedom of the Seas, part of the Royal Caribbean fleet. She weighs 160,000 tons, measures 1,112 feet long and 184 feet wide, and boasts 15 passenger decks.
• The Olympic Voyager travels on average at 27 knots, which puts this Royal Olympic ship at the head of the fast lane.
• Did you know that Disney cruise ships are painted black, white, yellow, and red? The color palette is based on none other than Mickey himself.
• The Royal Caribbean Freedom Class ships feature an ice rink. Can you imagine learning to ice skate at sea?
• The Queen Mary is considered the most haunted cruise ship ever to set sail. She is permanently docked in California, but staff and guests have reported wet footprints around the pool when it was completely empty. Some people heard an infant crying in an empty playroom; others saw a woman in a lovely evening gown dancing in the Queen’s Salon when it was empty.

Many stunning wedding portraits feature a bride and her wedding party standing in a gazebo. The structure of a pavilion is a lovely backdrop to the bride, showing her off in all her glory. It is an element of the ceremony that reflects the bride’s personal style and can be elegantly understated or a vision of complex artistry.

Tulle, ribbons, flowers, strands of lights – there is almost no end to the types of material used to decorate a gazebo. It will be a focal point of the wedding and should serve to enhance, not overshadow, the bride. Decorative touches may reflect the season or the theme of the wedding. Flower arrangements can be placed on the ground surrounding the gazebo reflecting the bride’s bouquet. If the bride loves candles, opt for battery-operated candles. The effect is still soft and becoming without the worry of tulle and greenery catching on fire.

Occasionally, gazebo owners will not allow any material to be taped or stapled to the structure. If that is the case, be sure and have lots of ribbon available to secure material, ivy, and flowers into place. Pipe cleaners are another tool for securing decorations. Be creative and joyful and the gazebo will reflect the beauty of the occasion.

One of the most important aspects of any meeting is ensuring that the team arrives on site. No one wants the guest speaker or the corporation president stranded at the airport and meeting planners often go to great length to make sure that doesn’t happen. Every member of the team is important; every individual is entitled to a smooth transition from the train station, airport, or hotel to the meeting site.

Ground transportation is the face of the convention. People remember how they are treated when a limousine, town car, or shuttle arrives to whisk them to their destination. Does the driver collect them as if they are part of the baggage? Does he greet the team and help them load the baggage into the trunk of the vehicle? Eye contact and a pleasant manner create a good first impression.

Is the driver on time? It is much better to be half an hour early than ten minutes late. Conventions often convey a heightened sense of energy and anticipation. Everyone wants to be on time for the events that are the most important to them. Ground transportation can be as creative as a horse drawn carriage or as conventional as a minibus, the important thing is to get the team to the event.

Saturday, May 8 is the third annual National Train Day. Trains play an important part in the history of the US and many other countries. They are a convenient, relaxing mode of travel. Train travel continues to increase in a popularity that is partially fuelled by ever-increasing airline prices. Stable prices are another incentive to travel by train, especially in the Northeast Corridor.

Many airline customers feel the sting of baggage charges. This has not been an issue for train travelers; Amtrak allows each passenger to check 150 pounds of luggage (3 bags at no more than 50 pounds each) free of charge.

It’s more convenient to travel by train. Simply arrive 30 minutes early and stroll to your platform; you don’t have to stand in line or run through a security check. If you must work on the ride into the office then you will enjoy the high tech friendliness of train travel. Train travel allows the riders to read the daily newspaper, enjoy a leisurely cup of coffee, or admire the scenery. Each passenger enjoys more room than they would on an airplane and moving about is not dependent on an ok from a seatbelt sign.

Don’t forget to check train schedules when planning your next meeting. Train travel reduces costs and increases productivity.

In 2011, Disney’s third cruise line will set sail on the high seas. Like her sister ships, the Disney Magic and the Disney Wonder, the vessel is a combination of classic cruise ship design infused with Disney magic. An all-inclusive cruise on this family themed cruise ship is a perfect reward for members of hard working corporate teams who prefer to spend vacations in a fun-filled G-rated environment.

The Disney Dream offers the best in luxurious suites and family fun. Entertainment on this vessel is unlike anything offered on other cruise ships. First run movies, live shows, and even a roller coaster at sea are just part of the things adults and children can enjoy on this vessel. Disney also provides youth clubs for children and young adults of all ages. There are three swimming pools to suit every need: one for children, one for families, and one for adults. Adults can enjoy a quiet meal in the adults only lounges and nightclubs or choose one of the family dining areas.

The Disney Dream will cruise to Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, as well as Nassau and Key West. Select from a 3, 4, or 5-day cruise and relax. When you consider a corporate incentive cruise geared toward good clean fun, think Disney.

Have you ever encouraged an employee to think outside the box? It’s good advice, but what does it mean and how does one do it? Thinking outside the box is simply viewing a problem from a different perspective. One of the benefits of conducting a meeting outside the office is that often one’s mental perspective changes when his body finds itself in new surroundings.

The Canopy Tower Ecolodge in Panama is a wonderful example of a change in perspective. The lodge is a 40-minute drive from Panama City, situated in a neotropical rainforest. The Canopy Tower was formerly a radar post built by the United State in 1965; in 1996, ownership of the Canopy Tower reverted to Panama.

Guestrooms are situated on the first and second floors of the Canopy Tower and the third floor houses the library and internet facilities. Above the third floor is the observation tower. Fifty feet above the ground, the tower allows visitors a 360-degree view of the magnificent Soberania National Park. Almost 600 species of birds can be spotted from the Canopy Tower including many varieties of parrots, hummingbirds, vultures, herons, hawks, and tanagers.

Allowing team members to view the world from a fresh perspective, in a beautiful, natural setting can relax and inspire them to fresh ideas for the business. Let the Canopy Tower Ecolodge inspire your team to greater things.

Spring opens the door to the busiest time of the year for wedding planners. The following 3 qualities can make you a sought after wedding planner: be a good listener, be organized, and be kind.

The best wedding planner is a skilled listener. Sit quietly; take notes, allow the couple to express their dream wedding in detail. You may have to pull one or both of them back to earth, but for the moment, be willing to listen to plans for a clown themed wedding, a Bride of Chuckie theme wedding, or a Star Trek wedding event.

Organizational skills are essential for any event planning. Organization is literally the life’s blood of a wedding planner. Every detail is put down on paper, including a back-up plan for the inevitable glitches. If the people around you are losing their minds, but you are calm and organized, chances are you are a wedding planner.

A little kindness goes a long way toward smoothing out difficulties. Accidents happen, delivery trucks break down, things just happen. Even if or especially if someone is in the wrong, be kind. She will be more willing to help make things right if she doesn’t feel cornered. Kindness is the mark of a professional.

Meeting and convention planners need many skills to function effectively in a very hands-on professional career. Many have bachelor degrees in meeting management. However, the biggest part of training is on the job learning from a seasoned planner. Nevertheless, there are additional skills that can open doors for a meeting planner.

Mastering a second or third language is always a wise investment for a meeting planner. This often includes building a knowledge base about the customs and geography of targeted countries. Communication is a core skill for meeting planners; knowing a second language builds confidence, increases client base, and demonstrates your ability to go the extra mile.

What software does the company use? Can you just get by or are you competent with the software? Company software should be second nature to a meeting planner; after all, it is a vital tool of the trade. Take some extra classes and earn the rank of expert. Hone your Internet skills; the World Wide Web is constantly growing and changing, adapt right along with it.

Keep current with technology. Cell phones, PDA’s, net books, and hand-held GPS systems are tools every meeting planner needs to use confidently and competently. Combine these tools with social networking skills and you will be at the head of the meeting planner class.