Meeting Planner Careers

It’s no secret that ambiance and scenery help to create the proper mood for an event, but now a study by The Deck at the National Theatre confirms just how important it is for meeting planners in selecting a  location.  The study was highlighted in the article, Planners prefer room with a view, says research,  in which participants were asked to identify the leading factors when selecting a venue for their event.  Among their choices were: scenery and setting, ambiance, flexible facilities, quality of catering and service.  For a large majority, scenery and setting ranked higher than quality of catering and service. 

“The survey also revealed that given the right vista, bookers are also very keen to utilise outdoor spaces, whether for pre-dinner drinks, backdrops for photographs, a change of scenery or simply a breath of fresh air.”

When you think about it, it actually makes perfect sense.  The one sure fire way to create a memorable event is to host it at a memorable location.  Setting and ambiance definitely set the tone and create the energy that will fuel the event.  More importantly, the announcement of an event to be held at a unique location tends to create anticipatory buzz and increased participation. 

Let’s try this example…   

You receive two invitations for corporate events.  One function is being held at a local high-end hotel.  You know the drill, cocktail reception in the lobby waiting area, open to the ballroom with standard setup, rubber chicken and mediocre service. Second function is being held aboard a cruise ship.  Private reception on deck, ocean breeze blowing, sky blanketed with a thousand stars, to be followed by gourmet meal in a lavish dining room and ending the night with a spectacular Broadway-style show.    Which would you get excited about attending?  Now what if the cost for the second option was comparable to and in many cases less than the first?   

Cruise ships are also able to provide one thing many hotels simply can’t…CHOICES.  Whether you want an outdoor reception in the middle of the ocean, a variety private meeting venues with state of the art equipment (included at no additional cost), or a customized program for your guests, cruise ships can usually accommodate most requests.  In addition, with the world as your backdrop, there’s no better way to create the perfect ambiance and setting.

Given the limitless possibilities, is there any reason not to CRUISE into your next corporate event or meeting?

As a meeting planner, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the details and forget the most important one of all: the attendees. Being herded from one session to another, with minimal breaks in between to barely answer voicemails and emails, it’s no wonder why attendees often feel like just another number. Part of the purpose of gathering employees at conferences and meetings is to have them interact, share ideas and build stronger bonds. Unfortunately, that seldom seems to happen and part of the fault may lie in the actual organization of the event.

As Jeff Hurt writes in Do You See Your Conference Attendees?,  “You need to schedule time in each education session where participants can talk with each other about the content. Where they can share their experiences. Their success and their failures.” 

One powerful way to impact how your attendees interact with each other is the location and atmosphere of the event. A cold, sterile ballroom or conference room does little to inspire interaction and camaraderie. Team building activities in such environments are also limited, confined and largely overdone.

Instead, how about having participants bond over an exciting Zip-line ride or a rock climbing adventure aboard an innovative cruise ship? Many unique team building experiences can be found on a cruise ship that simply can be duplicated in a conference room. It’s a proven fact that when attendees are interactive, they become much more receptive to the message you are trying to convey. 

From a meeting planner’s perspective, cruise ships offer the best of all worlds under one roof. Dedicated conference rooms with state-of-the-art A/V equipment are available for meeting/educational sessions. Themed lounges and meeting venues can be reserved for private receptions. A variety of dining options on cruise ships rival the best of city eateries. While Las Vegas and Broadway caliber entertainment options are bound to leave your attendees enthralled and amazed. The best part of it all?   All these amenities are part of the standard fare. 

Your attendees want to know that you took effort in planning an unforgettable event. They need to know that it isn’t about cramming them into a room just to bombard them with information then send them on their way. At the end of the day, every conference attendee wants to feel like they’re special for being a part of the experience. They need to feel you valued their time as much as they do. So with that in mind, think outside the box. Plan something unique and make their experience a reflection of your creativity.

Are you constantly looking for ideas to develop meeting attendance? Are appealing corporate travel destinations sometimes just not enough to create the excitement and enthusiasm crucial to generate the desired results? Although opting for destinations in Mexico, South America, The Caribbean, The Bahamas or other inspiring locations are generally sufficient to have attendees tripping over themselves to guarantee their attendance, on occasion you need something particularly special to really attract people.

Unforgetable, once in a lifetime experiences are the most excellent way to ensure that your event attendance will improve, such as world-class sporting events, an all inclusive incentive cruise, rare exhibits or concerts put on by musical icons are all sure to boost interest in your next corporate incentive meeting or event.

A cruise event is one of the best ideas if you really need to inspire employees. Your event participants will never fail to remember the thrill of visiting several exotic destinations and merely unpacking one time. In addition increasing attendance, incentive trips such as an all inclusive incentive cruise can be much easier on the incentive travel budget, too.

Meetings at sea can save up to 40% over a comparable land-based hotel venue, and furnish wonderful onboard facilities and dining choices. Additionally, cruise ships are being constructed with events in mind, e.G. Dedicated meeting facilities, leading-edge technology, flexible public spaces and large theaters that can seat as many as 1,600 people.

Meeting space and A/V equipment are complimentary with nearly all cruise lines, and the dedicated meeting facilities provide groups more privacy and technology. Fresh new meeting venues such as a cruise ship’s magnificent show lounges, comedy clubs, and culinary centers can generate creative thinking and team building. And there is no shortage of fun activities and challenging sports facilities for your incentive group to take part in between meetings, offering tons of motivational appeal (and bragging rights) for attendees of every age. Built-in activities for spouse/guest programs save you planning time and money. Family incentive cruises are easier and far less costly than land-based programs, and teens, who typically resist family trips, find cruising allows them more freedom, friends and food than any alternative venue.

If you are planning a corporate incentive travel package, make it easy for yourself and delight your attendees when you go to Seasite.com start planning cruise meeting package.

If you are a meeting planner searching for an exciting, innovative new venue for an upcoming convention, conference or trade show that will ensure great attendance, you should consider hosting your next event on a cruise ship. Whether you opt for a dockside charter or an event at sea, cruise ships – which can accommodate up to 5,000 people – will significantly increase the appeal of your event.

Attending a convention on a cruise ship will be something different and exciting for most people, and will be alluring enough to convince any indecisive people that they should definitely attend.

Cruise ships offer a self-contained venue with all of the services and amenities you require to host a successful event or meeting at sea and can be planned in a way that will support a variety of event budgets. Cruising also provides the opportunity to have a willingly captive audience for your event, especially if you opt for a full-ship charter, which allows you to customize the entire venue and schedule, including liberal logo placement to increase awareness and recognition of your brand.

Cruise events are also much more cost effective than a land based venue, since cruising is typically all inclusive. In addition to lodging, meals and entertainment, cruise ships offer state-of-the-art meeting facilities and equipment, decorations, and other items which are included on a cruise ship but will generally cost extra at a land based venue. A cruise event can cost as much as 40 percent less than a land based venue.

When you opt to host your next conference, trade show or convention on a cruise ship, it is sure to be a memorable event that will have the attendees talking about you and your planning services long after they are back on shore, ensuring that they will remember your company name the next time they are in need of event planning services.

An all inclusive cruise event can save you up to 40% compared to land based venues since so much is included. Meals, meeting rooms, A/V, coffee breaks, activities, entertainment and even room service are part of the all-inclusive cruise fare.

One of the most important aspects of an incentive cruise is choosing the right ship. There are several types of ships from which a business may choose when planning meetings at sea. The type of sailing vessel chosen for this type of corporate travel will depend in large part upon the number participants. There are 4 basic ship types from which a business may choose: mega ships, mid-size ships, small ships, and yacht-like ships. Each of these ship types can offer many advantages to those embarking on incentive travel and gives businesses the opportunity to customize the cruise event for their participants.

Mega ships typically offer 3-day, 4-day, and 7-day cruises. These ships can accommodate up to 4300 passengers comfortably. They offer many entertainment venues, dining options, and are equipped with the latest in audio visual equipment. Mid-size ships can accommodate up to 1600 passengers. Incentive cruises on ships of this size can be customized and personalized to meet participants needs and desires. Small ships can accommodate up to 1000 passengers. Participants will enjoy a high level of services, and these ships often visit more exotic destinations. Yacht-like ships can accommodate up to 400 passengers. These ships are ideal when luxury accommodations and services are desired.

There are several types of ships from which a meeting planner can choose when group cruise planning for a company or organization. While all types of cruise ships offers great accommodations, dining, and entertainment, some ships are better equipped to handle meetings as sea. Companies that are considering a ship charter may want to choose a premium ship for their incentive cruise. There are numerous benefits to cruising on a premium ship. When event planning, a meeting planner should highly recommend that organizations choose a premium ship for their incentive cruise.

A premium ship charter will have dedicated spaces in which the organization can hold their meetings and presentations. These room are spacious, inviting, and equipped with the latest conference technology. Best of all, these rooms are always complimentary. Not only do the meeting rooms offer attendees plenty of space, but the staterooms are also larger on premium ships. A premium ship's stateroom are comparable to fine hotel accommodations. In the stateroom and throughout the ship, attendees can stay connected with Wi-Fi hot spots. Cell phones may also be used while attending meetings at sea when using a premium ship. Furthermore, premium ships also have unique on board venues, exceptional entertainment, and the best in award-winning dining.

Many people are striving to “live green” in every possible way and that can include wedding and honeymoon plans. It can be a dilemma for a couple who don’t want to give up their dreams of a romantic honeymoon cruise. They want the dream but not at the expense of the planet. The good news is that several cruise lines are doing their part to reduce their carbon footprint and working to keep the oceans clean.

The Celebrity Solstice Cruise ship has 216 solar panels that power the elevators and 7,000 LED lights. It isn’t enough to power the ship, but certainly is a step toward the right direction. The vessel is aerodynamic, making her more fuel efficient, and has a water filtration system that purifies water before it is dumped into the ocean. Tin, aluminum, and glass are recycled as well. A Caribbean cruise on the Celebrity Solstice is a good choice for green couples.

The first cruise line to earn a Green Star notation environmental award was the Italian line, Costa. Costa works with the World Wildlife Fund to protect marine habitats, decrease energy use, and educates staff and guests on environmental issues. Each of their 15 vessels is designed to be a floating palace complete with beautiful woodwork, art displays of all kinds, and marble adornment throughout the ship.

To book a group for a cruise wedding, Seasite.com offers group cruise planning.

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.

You may be wondering why you would want the assistance of a cruise advisor when planning your next cruise event. If you are a meeting or event planner you should not need any help planning an event on a cruise ship – right? While you may be an excellent meeting planner well-versed in planning events in a variety of venues, it never hurts to make your job easier by using systems put in place specifically to assist you in planning group cruises.

Using group cruise planning tools and cruise advisors, like those available through Seasite.com, can make your planning process much simpler and more convenient. Employing these useful tools can also assist you in finding the right ship for your event and help you enjoy significant cost savings. For example, one of the handy search options available on Seasite.com allows you to peruse meeting space grids to determine which ship will best meet your needs, and their E-RFP allows you to easily send your RFP to multiple cruise lines, with the added benefit of them following up on the RFPs for you.

When you can receive this kind of personalized attention and assistance without paying any more than you would have when buying direct, there is absolutely no reason to not take advantage of these great services and tools – and plenty of reasons why you should.