Meeting Planner Careers

If you just got out of a meeting with the boss who just happens to want the company’s first cruise event planned, then you might be a little panicked. All that time making friends with the powers that be at the local hotels and conference halls cannot prepare you for this. Don’t worry!

Here are some simple steps to planning the perfect cruise event:

Start by trying to get a good handle on how many people will be attending.

Will any (or all) of the participants need you to schedule additional travel?

Are there special needs that any of these people have that need to be addressed? Examples include dietary needs, special access requirements, and even placement on the ship.

Determine a suitable meeting schedule and create a few backup schedules that may or may not happen depending upon conditions and attendees.

Try to think of unique events that can be used to help people unwind and relax while on the cruise. Some of these ideas can be translated into really unique meeting ideas.

Go to Seasite.com to plan a group cruise.  They will take the workload off of you with unparalleled group cruise planning tools and resources.  One electronic RFP will get you the quotes you need.

At this point there should be a lot less work on your plate! Congratulations, this cruise event is going to be a success!

Some clients have special needs or desires. That’s all part of event planning and you learn to go with the flow.

Most hotels can adapt to any physical or dietary need with enough advance notice. A small number of clients will insist on accommodations that totally fit in with their lifestyle. What if your client is vegetarian and prefers a vacation with like-minded people?

This can be an interesting challenge. Many omnivorous restaurants offer vegetarian alternatives to their meals but finding a resort that actually caters to vegetarians gets a little tricky. Veggie Snow is a good resource for finding resorts that specialize in ski trips especially for vegetarians and vegans. You can book a trip in Austria, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, or the United States.

Wait, France? The French are known for many things but not their vegetarian cuisine. La Source Ski and Adventure Ltd. promoted and sponsored the first Veggie Snow tour. Just because it is vegetarian does not mean the chef has to forsake his beloved cream, cheese, or butter.

Special needs are not insurmountable problems for the experienced meeting planner. It may take a bit more web surfing to accommodate these clients but it’s well worth the effort.