 |
|
Landry & Kling’s Jo Kling Joins Cruise Industry Advisory Board
First Representative of Corporate/Incentive Market to Cruise Industry
MIAMI, FL (April 20, 2010) – A leading force in the world of cruise meetings and incentive cruises, Jo Kling, CEO of Seasite.com and co-founder of Landry & Kling Inc., was recently invited to the Cruise Lines International Association’s (CLIA) Travel Agent Advisory Board, to represent the corporate/incentive market.
Serving through 2012, Kling will provide a seasoned perspective on cruise industry issues and trends as they relate to meeting professionals, and will serve as a CLIA spokesperson on cruise meetings as she is the only one on the 23-member TAAB exclusively representing the cruise meetings/incentive market. Other members represent the entire spectrum of cruise selling operations, from the Host Agencies to independent home-based retailers and online agencies, to major “bricks and mortar” travel retailers.
“I hope to hear from cruise meeting specialists and incentive cruise buyers so I can represent their interests on this board to the 25 member cruise lines.” said Kling. “The potential in the meeting and incentive market is huge, and if all of us who are devoting resources to this sector work closely together with the cruise lines we can really make a difference.”
Last year 14 new ships entered service, 12 more will be christened in 2010, and another 9 new ships will appear in 2011. New sources of cruise passengers are needed to fill this capacity so cruise lines are more eager than ever to attract meeting & incentive groups. There’s evidence of this in their affordable group package-pricing, more short itineraries, more US home ports, and now – they’ve added the first representative of the corporate/incentive market to the CLIA advisory board.
Kling was invited to the CLIA board because she and business partner, Joyce Landry, have been advocates of cruise meetings since 1982 and were inducted into the 2009 CLIA Hall of Fame for their pioneering role in this sector. Also in 2009, they launched Seasite.com, the first online cruise portal for meeting and event planners. Through this industry tool, event planners of all kinds now have easy access to 35 cruise brands in one comprehensive site including ship sourcing, meeting and function room capacities and dining details not published elsewhere -- not even on cruise line web sites.
Commenting on the 2010-2012 Travel Agent Advisory Board selection, CLIA’s president and CEO Terry Dale said: “We are deeply indebted to the professionals who consent to serve on the TAAB. Their experience in selling cruises provides CLIA’s member cruise lines with invaluable insight and direction as they play a major role in shaping our business strategies going forward.”
About Landry & Kling and Seasite.com
Landry & Kling Inc., cruise event specialists and pioneers of the meetings-at-sea concept, provide turnkey solutions and custom cruise logistics for ship buy-outs, incentive cruises, all kinds of meetings-at-sea and dockside ship charters for global events. Landry & Kling recently launched Seasite.com, the first online cruise platform for meeting and event planners. For oceans of information, visit www.landrykling.com or www.seasite.com or call 800-448-9002 to speak with a Cruise Advisor.
About CLIA
The nonprofit Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is North America's largest cruise industry organization. CLIA represents the interests of 25 member lines and participates in the regulatory and policy development process while supporting measures that foster a safe, secure and healthy cruise ship environment. CLIA is also engaged in travel agent training, research and marketing communications to promote the value and desirability of cruise vacations and counts as members 16,000 travel companies. For more information on CLIA, the cruise industry, and CLIA-member lines visit www.cruising.org.
|
|
Landry & Kling Announces Seasite.com Online Community Powered by i-Meet
Social Media Strategy Launches for Planners and Suppliers;
Technology Partnership Connects Customers, Embraces Open Communication
MIAMI, May 5, 2010. Cruise event specialists Landry & Kling Inc. have announced a strategic partnership between their company Seasite.com, the first cruise portal for meetings and events, and i-Meet.com, the professional and social network for meeting and event planners and suppliers.
The partnership introduces a unique, online community on i-Meet.com for Seasite.com users and prospects worldwide. Leveraging i-Meet’s fast-growing network and social media platform, Seasite’s online community will feature industry leading technology, group special interest “hot spots”, and provide a way for people to connect and interact with over 20,000 industry professionals around the world.
“Our customers have expressed an interest in a community-based social platform to complement Seasite’s cruise sourcing and planning tools,” said Jo Kling, CEO of Seasite.com. “We are excited to be partnering with i-Meet and its meetings industry-specific social network approach; we can now deliver a unique experience to our customers that’s in line with the way people do business today.”
“It’s really a very natural progression to introduce social networking to cruise meetings customers,” said John Pino, i-Meet’s Founder and CEO, “and marrying Seasite’s cruise sourcing technology with an online communications and collaboration channel enabled through i-Meet’s global community of planners, buyers and suppliers will create advantages for everyone.”
“Facebook and Twitter are important to our overall social media strategy, but with our new Seasite online community, we’re giving our customers and users an expanded experience in i-Meet’s global community,” said Jo Kling “This is an industry first that will allow our users to network with other professionals and communicate what’s on their minds.”
The partnership will allow the growth of active mini-communities for i-Meet and Seasite.com members based on their areas of interest. The groups will be hosted and administered by Seasite’s expert cruise industry professionals. “Friend-ing” others, “following” suppliers, and subscribing to and publishing blogs will round out the experience.
About Landry & Kling and Seasite.com
Landry & Kling Inc., cruise event specialists since 1982, recently introduced Seasite.com, the first online cruise platform for meeting professionals. Seasite is an industry sourcing tool to search, select and plan group cruises, with access to 35 cruise lines in one site, meeting-friendly search criteria, e-RFP’s, meeting/function room capacities, dining details and other unique tools available nowhere else. Visit www.seasite.com or www.landrykling.com
About i-Meet
Created by the Founder of StarCite, www.i-Meet.com is focused on building the industry’s most relevant worldwide online community for the meeting and event industry. With 20,000 members from 130 countries around the world to date, i-Meet brings social networking, web 2.0 tools, work flow and relationship opportunities, and industry intelligence to its members and suppliers. Visit i-meet.com
For further information, contact:
i-Meet.com: Chip Stockman
cstockman@i-meet.com
(610) 999-2186
Seasite.com: Maureen McKeon
mmckeon@seasite.com
(305) 661-1880
|
|
Top 5 Reasons Travel Buyers Use Seasite.com
Miami, FL (Jan. 28, 2010) – Planning a meeting at sea requires searching for detailed ship information and not always finding what you need. Now, with Seasite.com, the first cruise portal for meetings and events, incentive cruise and group travel buyers will find all the ship data they need in one place – at no cost.
“Everyone who procures group travel should bookmark Seasite.com to simplify cruise sourcing and planning” said Jo Kling, CEO Seasite.com.
Seasite.com provides 24/7 access to all cruise brands, so that you can:
1- Search and compare cruise options; then create an online RFP and submit it to multiple cruise lines. (Seasite’s group pricing is the same as booking direct.)
2- Find ship data never before offered online or in print, such as:
- Meeting/function room capacities
- Details about private group dining
3- Identify the cruise lines most committed to groups, and search their mini-sites (all laid out the same -- when you’re familiar with one, you’re familiar with all.)
4- Search for a cruise anywhere in the world by any date range. Sort your results by meetings-specific
criteria.
5- Refer to the Knowledge Center to answer all your questions, e.g.
- What will your group travel budget buy?
- What’s a typical budget for an Association cruise?
- How do Cruise vs. hotel costs compare, including tax deductibility?
For cruise sourcing, visit www.seasite.com
|
|
GROUP ORGANIZERS SEE 7 REASONS
TO BOOKMARK SEASITE.COM
Miami, FL (Jan. 21, 2010) – Planning a group cruise requires searching for detailed ship information and not always finding what you need – even on the cruise lines’ own web sites. Now, with Seasite.com, the first cruise portal for meetings and events, group organizers can find all the ship data they need in one place – at no cost.
“I’ve bookmarked Seasite.com – it’s invaluable in selecting the right ship for a group and to verify it’s a good fit before I present it to my client,” said Millie Evans, President/CEO Alliance Incentives and Meetings. “And for operational planning, it has all the info I need – which isn’t on cruise line web sites.”
Seasite.com provides 24/7 access to all cruise brands, and the most content-rich and searchable database for the cruise industry, so that planners can:
1. Find ship data never before offered online or in print, such as:
- Meeting/function room capacities
- Dining room seating, and details for private group dining
- Outdoor group function areas
- A/V equipment lists
2- Search, compare, and save favorite cruises; then create one RFP and submit it to multiple cruise lines. (Group pricing is the same as booking direct.)
3- See the cruise lines most committed to groups, and search their mini-sites (all laid out the same -- when you’re familiar with one, you’re familiar with all!)
4- Search by ship name for a chronological list of future Itineraries and Basic Ship Information, and find it faster than a brochure.
5- Search for a cruise anywhere in the world by any date range (as short as several days or as long as several months). Sort your results by meetings-specific criteria.
6-Refer to the Knowledge Center to answer all your questions, including these:
- What your group cruise budget will buy?
- Sample budget for an Association cruise?
- What’s the distance between cruise port and air port?
- Cruise vs. hotel cost comparison, including tax deductibility?
7-Discover a list of “Cruise Gems” – those rare, hard to find, short cruises.
“Everyone who plans group travel should take a good look, and bookmark Seasite.com if they want to simplify cruise sourcing and planning” said Jo Kling, CEO Seasite.com
For more information on Seasite.com, A Landry & Kling Company, visit www.seasite.com or call 888-713-1371.
About Seasite.com/Landry & Kling
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 cruises. Seasite group pricing is the same as booking direct, with the advantage of impartial Cruise Advisors to assist as needed.
|
|
10 HOT CRUISE TRENDS AND ‘WIIFY’
(What’s In It For You, the Meeting/Event Planner)
By Josephine Kling, CEO, Seasite.com
(Cruise meetings trailblazer, Jo Kling, is CEO of the newly launched Seasite.com,
the new cruise portal designed for all types of group organizers.)
MIAMI, FL (January 12, 2010) For the cruise industry, 2009 was extraordinary in that 13 new ships set sail, including two new intimately-sized luxury vessels plus the largest ship in the world. And, with 14 new ships on order for 2010, don’t expect a slowdown anytime soon. As we head full throttle into the New Year, here’s what we see as the Top 10 Cruise Trends for 2010 and, more important – What’s In It For You (WIIFY) – the Professional Planner.
1) ECO-FRIENDLY SHIPS: Cruise lines are taking advantage of the latest environmental technology to reduce their carbon footprint. Among the initiatives: advanced wastewater purification, LED lighting, solar power, products made from recycled materials, and air emission reductions. The new Celebrity and MSC ships are proving that green is beautiful. To read more about cruise line environmental initiatives go to seasite.com/KnowledgeCenter/environmental.
WIIFY: If you’re concerned about keeping your meeting green, you can feel good about planning a program on an eco-friendly cruise ship.
2) SPECIALTY STATEROOMS: In the past, cruise ship accommodations meant ocean view or inside cabins, balcony staterooms and a few larger suites. Today cruise lines are much more creative. Spa suites on Carnival, Celebrity and Costa feature exclusive access to the spa’s thermal suites, hydrotherapy pool, herbal steam rooms, or spa restaurant as well as extra in-room “spa” amenities. Holland America introduced lanai cabins with back doors leading out to the Promenade Deck. Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas has two-deck loft cabins and staterooms facing the outdoor Boardwalk and Central Park neighborhoods. And today’s cruise ship accommodations are every bit as up to date at hotels with luxurious bedding, big pillows (Silversea features a choice of eight different pillow types and two aromatherapy pillow covers), bed scarves and flat-screen TV’s.
If privacy is a priority, NCL’s Garden Villa Suites feature access to a private courtyard, while MSC’s Yacht Club offers an elegant “ship within a ship” – Italian designer suites with their own separate concierge reception, lounge, and swimming pool all serviced by 24-hour butlers. And remember, no strangers off the street can stroll through the ship’s lobby to see whose meetings are posted on their “reader boards”.
WIIFY: Book your incentive group meeting attendees or VIP’s in specialty staterooms for the ultimate in exclusivity, privacy, luxury and recognition.
3) MORE MEETING FACILITIES: Ships are being built with groups in mind, e.g. dedicated conference facilities, leading-edge technology, flexible public space and spacious theaters that can seat up to 1,600 people. Carnival Dream’s multi-functional 4,700 square-foot conference center “The Chambers” can be used as a single large meeting room for 232 attendees or converted via air-walls into three separate meeting rooms. Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas’ Conference Center can seat 369 attendees in total, or divide into 4 smaller meeting rooms.
To see how ships measure up, Seasite.com provides meeting & function room capacity charts plus dining room & speciality restaurant capacities – data that’s not published elsewhere, not even on the cruise line’s own websites. So cruise planning for groups is now easier than ever.
WIIFY: Unbelievable cost savings! Meeting space and AV are complimentary with all cruise lines except one. Dedicated conference facilities give groups more privacy and technology. Fresh new meeting venues such as magnificent show lounges, comedy clubs, and culinary centers can spark creative thinking.
4) FLEXIBLE DINING, MORE CHOICES: Several years ago NCL introduced the concept of “Freestyle Dining” with open seating, flexible dining hours, casual eateries, and a variety of specialty restaurants. Celebrity has brought back the highly personalized tableside cooking, carving and flambé reminiscent of the Trans-Atlantic era for their upscale specialty restaurants. Other lines have adopted the relaxed dining trend – Royal Caribbean jumped onboard with “My Time Dining” option, and Carnival offers “Total Choice Dining”. Regent and Silversea Cruises have enhanced their specialty restaurants (including dinner on deck) along with their ever popular “Dine when and with whom you please” philosophy. Other trends: elegant, reservations-only supper clubs featuring dancing after dinner; and more international options – from Teppanyaki and sushi bars to gourmet French bistros, Spanish tapas bars, and Italian trattorias.
WIIFY: Included meals and snacks mean huge cost savings. Menus designed to accommodate special diets, along with a variety of restaurants with international cuisine, make planning group dine-around’s a snap (some surcharges may apply for specialty restaurants, but still a bargain for fine dining – and no transportation worries or costs!)
5) SHIPS GO HIGH TECH: With wireless areas now standard and increased cell phone coverage on ships, you don’t have to leave your Blackberry or laptop home. Other high tech touches: Oasis of the Seas’ digital signage, touch-screen directories near every elevator bank, and interactive HDTV’s in the staterooms; Royal Caribbean’s Royal Connect smart phones to help parents track kids onboard; and Carnival Fun Hub – the cruise industry’s first shipboard social network.
WIIFY: You and your attendees can surf the Web during your cruise, stay connected with family and friends, or continue to conduct business from the comfort of your stateroom.
6) INNOVATIVE ONBOARD ACTIVITIES AND FACILITIES: Oasis of the Seas introduced seagoing “neighborhoods” – take a walk through Central Park with real grass and trees, or stroll down an old-fashioned boardwalk with carousel. More ground-breakers: an onboard zip-line suspended nine decks high; giant seaside theaters with laser shows and water acrobatics. In 2010, NCL Epic will feature the first rappelling wall at sea, and Disney Dream’s combination roller coaster/water slide will take brave riders above and over the edge of the ship. Another welcome development from most lines: more evening dance parties on deck amid colored lights, splashing fountains and sultry music – very romantic!
WIIFY: No shortage of fun activities and challenging sports facilities for your group to enjoy 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.
7) ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES: Already a feature on the luxury lines, now the Celebrity Life “Savor, Discover, Renew” series is available on their Solstice-class ships (Solstice, Equinox, Eclipse, Silhouette and one more to follow). Culinary classes, health and wellness programs, language study, digital workshops and “Smithsonian journeys” are just a few of the learning opportunities.
WIIFY: When not in meetings, attendees can stretch their minds as well as their bodies. They’ll enjoy exploring topics that interest them during their cruise, and will appreciate returning home with new skills along with the memories.
8) AMAZING ENTERTAINMENT: Stay onboard for Las Vegas acts, Broadway shows, and themed nightclubs. NCL continues to raise the bar with the first “big top” theater-in-the-round at sea and the award-winning theatrics of Blue Man Group booked on the Epic for an extended engagement. Meanwhile, Oasis of the Seas brings Broadway to sea with a three-year run of Hairspray and a Broadway-caliber cast worthy of the high-energy production.
WIIFY: With a cruise, you won’t have to worry about an entertainment budget –because you don’t need one! Fabulous diversions, included with your cruise, will keep your attendees entertained without breaking the bank (once again, no transfer worries or expenses!)
9) MULTI-GENERATIONAL APPEAL AND “ADULTS ONLY” ZONES: Ships cater to all ages, with expanded spas and fitness centers, innovative onboard facilities, more high-tech features, and a variety of entertainment choices that rival Las Vegas, Broadway and South Beach. Ships are expanding kids programs with age-specific activities and facilities. New teen programs include spa treatments and shore excursions. Even babies get to cruise with Royal Caribbean’s “Royal Babies” (infants 6 – 18 months) and Royal Tots” (18-36 months).
Cruise lines are also adding kid-free zones to their ships. Carnival introduced “Serenity” areas for grown-up relaxation and pampering; the new Carnival Dream boasts an 11,250 square-foot, 2-deck high Serenity area for adults. The 2-deck high Solarium on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas features a pool and cantilevered whirlpools suspended above the ocean. NCL’s Epic will introduce Posh, an exclusive, adults-only South Beach-style beach club on top of the ship.
WIIFY: No need to worry about planning activities that span the generations. Now more than ever, cruise ships offer facilities and amenities to please all your meeting attendees – from Boomers to Generations X and Y. Ships are also ideal for family programs with age-appropriate kids programs and venues, as well as exclusive areas of the ship just for adults. Note to the frugal planner: kids sail for free on family-friendly MSC ships.
10) HOME PORT ADVANTAGE: With increased demand for “drive-to” meetings, cruise lines have responded with more close to home ports. Ships sail from over 22 U.S. cities, including East Coast ports in Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Tampa, Jacksonville, New York City, Port Liberty (Bayonne) NJ, Norfolk, Philadelphia and West coast ports in Los Angeles, Long Beach, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle; and from the Gulf Coast – Galveston, Houston, Mobile, New Orleans.
WIIFY: Slash your travel budget by reducing the cost of airfare. Planners and attendees can now enjoy the convenience and savings of driving to their meetings without sacrificing the excitement of a new cruise destination and foreign adventure.
For cruise ship dining and meeting room capacities, an online RFP for cruises, an in-depth Knowledge Center and more information on Seasite.com, a Landry & Kling company, please visit www.seasite.com or call 888- 713-1371 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 888- 713-1371 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.
About Seasite.com/Landry & Kling
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. Visionaries who led the way in seagoing corporate meetings and incentives, founders Joyce Landry (CEO, Landry & Kling) and Josephine Kling (CEO Seasite.com) ignited the corporate market for cruises by spearheading the meetings-at-sea concept back in 1982. With their exclusive focus on events and meetings-at-sea, they have played a crucial role in advancing the cruise ship as a viable meeting venue and creating a whole new focus for the industry. Now, 28 years since their startup, they have responded to the changing times by creating Seasite.com, with online sourcing tools that will allow the meeting planner community to be more pro-active in confidently handling cruises.
|
|
MIAMI, FL (March 18, 2010) – Longtime cruise meeting and incentive specialist Landry & Kling Inc. – who last fall launched Seasite.com – has appointed Mark Phillips to the new position of Chief Operating Officer. Phillips, founding team member at StarCite, Inc. and, most recently, Managing Director/Vice President, International Markets for StarCite, will leverage his broad meetings industry contacts and expertise to deepen Landry & Kling’s penetration of the global MICE market and accelerate the use of Seasite.com, the first online cruise portal for meeting and event planners.
Phillips’ appointment to this pivotal new role is “a defining moment for our company,” said Jo Kling, CEO Seasite.com. “Mark’s track record with StarCite paves the way for Seasite’s strategic relationships with travel professionals around the world who want to add cruise venues to their portfolio to reap the benefits and ROI of the underutilized cruise sector.”
“His global sales and operations know-how will be a tremendous benefit to our company“ added Joyce Landry, CEO Landry & Kling “and, since leaving StarCite, Mark has been consulting with Financial Times 1000 companies on initiatives to improve operational efficiencies and global reach. This exposure has multiplied the assets he brings to Landry and Kling.”
As COO, Mark will assume day-to-day oversight of both Landry & Kling and Seasite.com, including business development, marketing, strategic partnerships and all operations. This reorganization will allow owners Kling and Landry to focus on strategic growth initiatives, key relationships and diversifying cruise products as the company anticipates exponential growth. Current products range from simple cruise sourcing/brokering via Seasite.com, to Landry & Kling’s custom planning for incentive cruises and ship charters, and cruise logistics for global events using floating hotels.
Landry & Kling tapped Phillips to enhance the electronic product capabilities of Seasite.com as well as expand their international footprint, as he did with StarCite, developing offices in the UK, Germany, Australia, Hong Kong and China. Phillips’ extended experience with Strategic Meetings Management Programs and Strategic Sourcing initiatives will enable Landry & Kling and cruise line partners to bring a new voice into meeting industry conversations which typically have not included cruises in the past.
Additional expertise gleaned from 8 years in the hotel industry will enable Phillips to find unique solutions and opportunities for Landry & Kling/Seasite clients as well as partner suppliers, based on his first hand experiences at Hilton International Hotels and Cunard Hotels as Rooms Division Manager, Group Technology Representative , Front Office Trainer and Manager.
Phillips has been an active member and speaker for key industry organizations including MPI, ACTE, NBTA, HSMAI and HEDNA. He is a former board member of the Hospitality Industry Software Council and contributes frequently to media outlets as a topical expert on global meetings, small meetings, expense tracking, audit and compliance issues.
“Landry & Kling owes its success to a corporate culture that is driven by passion, professionalism, creativity and the willingness to revolutionize and reinvent,” states Joyce Landry. “Mark has a reputation as an innovative leader. That, along with being extremely focused and strategic, are among his many attributes that will help take us to greater heights”
|
|
Cruise Specialist Landry & Kling Appointed to Sell Floating Hotel Packages for World Cup 2010 in South Africa
Ship Charter Specialists Will Handle Sales in U.S. & Latin America; Two Premium Cruise Ships Will Visit Three Ports on World Cup Circuit
MIAMI, FL (March 16, 2010) One Ocean Club has appointed Landry & Kling, Inc. as their exclusive representative in the U.S. and Latin America to market and sell floating hotel packages for the prestigious World Cup 2010 in South Africa. Landry & Kling was chosen because the firm originated the dockside housing phenomenon and has decades of experience utilizing cruise ships as floating hotels.
As the official sales agent for the U.S. and Latin American regions, Landry & Kling will offer a variety of secure and luxurious housing packages on board two premium Holland America Line ocean liners, MS Westerdam and MS Noordam. The two vessels will provide a total of 1,900 sleeping rooms. During the month-long event beginning June 10, 2010, the ships will be dockside at Cape Town, Elizabeth, and Durban for key matches. The 3,800 on-board guests will have the opportunity to attend games in World Cup stadiums in all three locations with transport available to other matches.
Packages will rival similar four- and five-star hotels with added benefits such as top level security, included entertainment on board, and all meals in a choice of restaurants. Shipboard guests have the advantage of only one check-in and transport from venue to venue, as well as the option to experience South Africa with concierge-assisted land excursions.
“The value for attendees staying on board is unmatched, given a cruise ship’s all-inclusive offerings, comfortable surroundings and highest levels of security and service, as well as transport between venue cities and stadiums”, states Joyce Landry, CEO of Landry & Kling. “While individual bookings have been selling rapidly, we are delighted to partner with One Ocean Club to secure blocks of cabins that would be attractive for soccer clubs, sports marketing companies and corporate groups.”
To promote the floating hotel World Cup packages, Landry & Kling has launched www.WorldCupCruise.com. The web site offers information on packages, cruise ship accommodations, match schedules, venues and booking details. Package pricing starts from $645 per person, based on double occupancy. For group planning assistance, contact Landry & Kling at 800-448-9002 or +1-305-661-1880.
About Landry & Kling
Landry & Kling Inc., specialists in cruise event services, are credited with being the first distribution channel between the cruise industry and corporate America. Visionaries who led the way in seagoing corporate meetings and incentives, founders Joyce Landry and Josephine Kling ignited the corporate market for cruises by spearheading the meetings-at-sea concept back in 1982. With their exclusive focus on cruise events and meetings-at-sea, they have played a crucial role in advancing the cruise ship as a viable meeting venue and creating a whole new focus for the industry. Landry & Kling leads the field in cruise ship charters for global events and “floating hotels” (e.g. for the Jacksonville Super Bowl and Summit of the Americas in Trinidad) in addition to incentive cruises and all kinds of meetings at sea. Now, 28 years since their startup, they have responded to changing times in the meetings industry by creating Seasite.com, the first online cruise portal designed for meeting/event planners and group travel buyers. Partners Landry & Kling were inducted into the Cruise Lines International Hall of Fame in 2009.
|
|
Miami, FL – June 2008 – Last month, Miami-based Landry & Kling released a survey that might just put some resort managers and hoteliers out of joint. Their latest pricing survey, a cost comparison between a 4-star all-inclusive cruise meeting and 4-star resort meeting, comes at a time when the meetings industry is divided by whether or not it’s being impacted by the weaker economy. But while the analysts analyze, it is a reality that marketing and event budgets are under much closer scrutiny. Cut-backs might not be as aggressive as in other industries, but the fact remains – meeting planners are looking for more value; they’re looking to deliver successful meetings and exceptional incentive travel programs with shrinking or landlocked budgets.
Landry & Kling’s cost comparison reveals a number of jolting facts; holding a 200-person meeting aboard ship is almost $100,000 cheaper than on land. Or that a cruise event virtually eliminates the F&B line item, which can account for almost 40% of a meeting’s budget. And from an intangible perspective, meetings at sea offer participants a far-wider variety of activities, experiential programs and exotic choices in one place – all designed to produce a highly memorable (and productive) experience. That is, after all, the purpose of corporate meetings, team building events and incentive travel programs in general.
According to Jo Kling, president of Landry & Kling and pioneer of the meetings at sea concept, planners looking to get more bang for their buck should also consider cruise events as a great way to structure a European travel incentive program. Contracted in US dollars instead of the obscenely costly Euro, planners won’t lose any sleep over currency fluctuations.
A Tidal Wave of Savings
While hosting corporate events and incentive programs aboard these “floating hotels” was an underutilized option in the past, the current climate is also propelling smaller and mid-sized companies looking for value-add programs without a painful price tag, to get on board.
Landry & Kling’s cost comparison is now available by clicking here.
With almost 13% of 2007-’08 corporate meeting budgets ranging from $100k-$500, expect to see a lot more planners turning the tide on this “recession” by holding their meetings at sea.
#
|
|
MIAMI, FL – April 20, 2008 - Wondering if your meeting, incentive trip or group event would be feasible aboard a cruise ship? Landry & Kling, the South Florida-based travel services firm that specializes in cruise events, incentive travel and meetings at sea, has unveiled a nifty new tool for determining just that. The simple online “Ship Shape Quiz”, is a brief list of questions that can be completed in 30 seconds, with instant results showing the “feasibility score” of staging an incentive trip or corporate event aboard a cruise ship.
If any company is qualified to determine which corporate meetings or events are workable at sea, it would be Landry & Kling, based on 25 years’ experience in the cruise event and travel market. Founded by Joyce Landry and Jo Kling, the company helped establish and define cruise-based incentive programs, and has been inventing new ways to stage all kinds of meetings and corporate events at sea ever since.
According to Corporate Meetings & Incentives magazine, 34% of readers had used a cruise for an incentive program and an astounding 72% said they planned to. Landry & Kling believes that the most likely source of planners’ hesitation is uncertainty about translating a traditional corporate event to a cruise environment. For example “do ships have adequate meeting facilities for my group?”. With the new Ship Shape Quiz, Landry & Kling is providing a useful tool for meeting planners to open up a whole new array of cruise travel opportunities that have proven to be successful in motivating and rewarding top performance.
Evidence of incentive cruises success is offered by Maritz Travel, the St-Louis based motivation company whose research among incentive winners concluded that” the most important attribute of an incentive program was destination type, with cruises (36%) and beach/sun/water locations (31%) the most motivational”.
Any planner is free to take the Ship Shape quiz: http://www.landrykling.com/quiz/cruiseQuiz.htm
# # #
|
 MIAMI, FL (June 10, 2008) Landry & Kling Inc, pioneering specialists in incentive cruises and meetings at sea, announce the return of Karyn Altman who will serve as Vice President of a soon-to-be-launched new venture – the first online marketplace for cruise meetings and events -- which will bring innovative ship sourcing technology and other online resources to cruise meeting planners. Altman served as director of sales during her previous tenure at Landry & Kling from 1990-1995.
“It’s great to be working with Karyn again, her energy and ideas are a big asset not to mention her many connections in the industry” said Josephine Kling, interim CEO of the new company.
With over 20 years in the corporate and incentive industry, Altman most recently served as director of national accounts at Starcite Inc., the world’s largest provider of on-demand global meetings solutions. Prior to Starcite, she spent five years as president of her own event marketing and production company. Previously, she served as director of sales at McGettigan Partners, (now a division of Maritz Travel).
“I am thrilled to be reunited with Landry & Kling, and very happy to be back in the cruise industry”, said Altman. “Most importantly, this opportunity enables me to combine my cruise expertise with my most recent experience in meetings technology. Also, being an integral part of the launch of a brand new venture enables me to rekindle the spark of my entrepreneurial spirit.”
Altman has served on meeting planner advisory boards for Meet Aruba and for the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, the executive board of the South Florida Chapter of Meeting Planners International and as Education Co-chair of the 2005 SFMPI South East Educational Conference in Naples. She began her hospitality industry career over 25 years ago with a Boston-based wholesale tour operator.
|
|
.jpg) Miami, FL May 10, 2007 - Diversity Business.com, the nation's leading multicultural internet site, recently named Landry & Kling Cruise Event Services among the "Top 500 Diversity Owned businesses in the United States (Div500)".
The Div500 is the 7th annual listing of the Nation’s Top 500 Diversity Owned businesses. Ranging in revenue size from $11.8 million to over $2.6 billion, the companies represent all business sectors including technology, manufacturing, and professional services such as corporate event planning. See a complete list of winning companies at diversitybusiness.com.
Large organizational buyers throughout the country who want to increase their spending with diversity owned companies use the Div500 list. They recognize buying products and services from diversity owned companies positively impacts business. Small and Diversity-owned businesses contribute over $1.4 trillion in sales to the U.S. economy.
“It’s an honor to be recognized by DiversityBusiness.com”, said Jo Kling, President, who accepted the award on behalf of her company at the publication’s recent annual meeting in Las Vegas. “Incentive travel programs represent a significant line-item in the corporate budget, so meeting management people are happy to discover they can procure a cruise ship charter or business cruise through us.”
About Landry & Kling
Landry & Kling Cruise Event Services is the business-to-business resource for incentive crusies and all types of cruise meetings and team building, ship charters and meetings at sea. The company is also certified as a diversity supplier by WBENC (Women's Business Enterprise National Council) is based in Miami, the Cruise Capital of the World, and is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Find oceans of information at www.landrykling.com
Launched in 1999, with over 32,000 members, DiversityBusiness.com is the largest organization of diversity-owned businesses throughout the United States that provide goods and services to Fortune 1000 companies and government agencies. Its research appears in Fortune, Forbes, Business Week and numerous other publications. The site has won national recognition and numerous awards for its content and design. DiversityBusiness.com is produced by Computer Consulting Associates International Inc. (CCAii.com) of Southport, CT. CCA was founded in 1980 by CEO Kenton Clarke.
|
.jpg) Miami FL, April 26, 2007- Landry & Kling Cruise Event Services celebrates their 25th anniversary this year thanks to the trust of their meeting-planner clients, and the cooperation of cruise line partners and suppliers who made their track record of innovative cruise events possible.
“At first, meeting planners doubt their programs can be adapted to the cruise environment” said Joyce Landry, CEO, “but the way the cruise lines accommodate our unusual requests, and trust us to try things never done before impresses our corporate clients. It opens their eyes to a new world—and that brings the industry more future business.”
Early mentors told Landry & Kling there wasn’t enough cruise business to warrant specialization but now, 25 years later, there’s quite a bit of evidence to the contrary. Research by CLIA, (Cruise Lines International Association, www.cruising.org shows the cruise industry is the most exciting growth category in the entire leisure market. Since 1980, the industry has averaged an annual passenger increase of 8.1% per year. The awakening of the corporate and incentive cruise sector is one of several factors contributing to that growth.
Company founders Joyce Landry & Josephine Kling ignited the corporate cruise market beginning in 1982 and have consistently been the most visible industry spokesmen for cruise meetings ever since.
“I recall they created quite a buzz speaking at the Seatrade Conference in 1986”, said Chris Hayman, Managing Director—Seatrade. “They dangled a bunch of carrots from the podium, challenging cruise lines to match hotels in rolling out the red carpet for corporate groups”. www.seatrade-global.com
Over the years Landry & Kling established a reputation for innovation based on many firsts:
- Introduced many Fortune 500 companies to cruising for the first time.
- Planned the first dockside ship charters used as "floating hotels" for global events in cities with insufficient hotel rooms in: Jacksonville for Super Bowl, Boston for DecWorld, New Orleans during the American Heart Association's annual meeting and the Caribbean for Cricket World Cup.
- Negotiated many first-time cruise solutions for corporate groups such as side-by-side ship charters, half-ship charters, and sit-down dinners on deck for over 1800 guests – none of which had been executed before by the cruise lines involved.
- First to establish a strategic cruise alliance with a meetings industry giant, Experient (formerly Conferon Global Services) who chose to partner with Landry & Kling as the most cost- efficient way to ensure successful cruises for their clients. "Teaming up with industry leaders known for quality, professionalism and innovation such as Landry & Kling is simply good business" said Rick Binford, CMP, Senior VP, Chief Marketing Officer, Experient. www.experient-inc.com
Partners Landry & Kling met while working at Holland America Line. Later they formed their business to serve as the first distribution channel between cruise lines and corporate America. “Cruise lines didn’t have corporate & incentive departments then”, said Jo Kling, President; “so we decided to get out there to educate everybody – we pitched stories to the media, spoke to the meetings industry, appeared on TV, wrote magazine columns, a newsletter, anything to get the word out to event planners that using a cruise venue instead of a hotel enables them to do more -- with less stress and lower budgets.”
Cruise lines and competitors have come and gone during the past 25 years, but Landry & Kling has survived by adapting to market changes prompted by technology, terrorism, and economic downturns. Their vision of growing the business by selling to a public entity, and the opportunity 7 years later to buy it back now gives them the best practices of both large and small companies. Through it all, Landry & Kling has maintained consistently high standards of service because of their long-time professional staff.
“They study ships, they know the senior players in the cruise industry and they’re able to get access, quite frankly, better than anyone I’ve ever known in the industry” said David Morris, Executive Vice President, Silversea Cruises; “this is an industry that requires energy and passion and they’ve got both.”
For more about cruise meetings and charters, ship procurement and other cruise event services, there is an ocean of information online at www.landrykling.com or by phone at 800-448-9002.
|
MIAMI, FL-- September 19, 2006 -- Landry & Kling Meetings At Sea, specialists in ship selection & cruise event management , proudly announces three staff members have just officially achieved the Certified Meeting Professional designation (CMP) by the Convention Industry Council. This is the meetings industry’s highest standard of professionalism.
“These employees met the professional experience requirements, and undertook the challenging CMP examination to enhance their credentials, further clarifying what sets us apart” said Cyndi Murphy, Landry & Kling’s VP Finance & Operations. “There are so many people offering cruise-meetings on the internet, event planners would be wise to compare credentials and experience of travel suppliers’ ownership and staff before choosing a company to work with…”
Landry & Kling’s three new CMPs are Marisol Rangel, Johana Mejia, and Darrell Drason – all cruise industry veterans who can now add “CMP” after their names, as many of their clients do.
Marisol Rangel was one of Royal Caribbean’s earliest incentive specialists for 5 years before joining Landry & Kling in 1996. Her exclusive focus for the past 10 years as Senior Program Manager has been to anticipate the needs of busy meeting and incentive planners who have to provide an exceptional cruise experience their group participants couldn’t duplicate on their own.
Johana Mejia worked for 4 years in port operations, first for Premier Cruise Line and later for Cunard/Seabourn where she created specialty tours and programs for ship charter clients and incentive groups. She joined Landry & Kling in 2001 as a Program Manager, customizing plans for incentive groups and full ship charters in cruise destinations all over the world.
Darrell Drason went to sea during summers in college as a youth counselor then sports director for Celebrity Cruises, and later worked shore-side coordinating their ship charter programs. After 5 years he joined Landry & Kling as a Program Manager in 2001 and has recently moved into an Account Executive role where he brings a wealth of cruise event experience to his clients.
About the CMP Program: Regarded as the premier certification program in the meetings industry, the CMP designation recognizes those who have achieved the industry’s highest standards of professionalism. The examination tests the candidates’ knowledge and proficiency in meeting management. In addition to passing this rigorous examination, candidates must also demonstrate employment in the field as well as responsibility and accountability for successful meetings. Established in 1985, the CMP Program is designed to increase the professionalism of meeting managers in any component or sector of the industry, recognize and raise industry standards, and increase the value of these practitioners to their employers and individuals to whom their services are provided. A Certification Board designated by the Convention Industry Council governs the program and serves as a voice for stakeholders who have an interest in maintaining a high meeting industry standard.
Those who want to know more about site selection for ships and cruise event management can find oceans of information at www.landrykling.com or toll free by phone at 800-448-9002. Landry & Kling Meetings At Sea is a women-owned business founded in 1982, and based in Miami, FL -- the cruise capital of the world. The company was recently certified as a diversity supplier by WBENC (Women’s Business Enterprise National Council).
|
|
Miami, FL Dec 21, 2006 -- Landry & Kling Meetings At Sea, recognized specialists in cruise meeting services, recently launched a new website developed just for event planners and incentive travel buyers. The content of this website is 100% focused on ship selection, planning and delivery of specialized cruise events and ship charters -- Landry & Kling’s exclusive focus for 25 years.
Thousands of travel suppliers compete online for the attention of meeting planners. Fortunately, the internet makes it easy for planners to compare suppliers, and Landry & Kling’s website clearly separates them from the pack.
On this website, www.landrykling.com real planners speak in flash video clips about their experiences with corporate/ incentive cruises. Users can pick up tips and insights from the clips, and from the site’s “Success Stories” about high-profile events using ship charters. The site will expand users’ cruise industry knowledge via news, planning tools, and ideas drawn from Landry & Kling’s insider perspective.
The site also offers the most recent information on tax deductibility for cruises, and shows destinations available by season; plus photos of many different types of function rooms, and video footage (not available elsewhere) of real incentive winners at awards presentations onboard. Planners can also hear their peers describing initial concerns about cruising vs. their actual experiences.
Busy planners looking for a “one-stop” source for cruises can compare Landry & Kling’s track record, and depth of experience saving clients’ time and money for all kinds of events at sea including incentive cruises, conventions with kids, corporate meetings, continuing education, customer recognition and special dockside “floating hotel” programs such as Jacksonville’s 5 ship charters for Super Bowl 2005.
In today’s highly competitive world, what differentiates a cruise provider is the ability to do more with less, on a consistent basis. This new website will reassure any planner who’s wrestling with cruise-feasibility issues or complex requirements that Landry & Kling’s service can help them find the right cruise solution for every situation.
“When it comes to cruise procurement”, said Jo Kling, President of Landry & Kling“, savvy buyers know that working with us is like cloning themselves, and adding a dollop of cruise clout. After all, if you want your guests to have a unique memory-maker experience, you have to turn a plain vanilla cruise into a hot fudge sundae – and that’s been our claim to fame for 25 years.”
Landry & Kling is a business-to-business cruise resource for meeting and event planners worldwide. Services include ship selection & contract negotiation, cruise planning and on-site management. The company was recently certified as a diversity supplier by WBENC (Women’s Business Enterprise National Council) and has been named one of the “Top Small Businesses in the United States for 2006 by DiversityBusiness.com”. Landry & Kling Meetings At Sea is based in Miami, Florida, the Cruise Capital of the World.
For more about site selection for ships and cruise event services, planners can find oceans of information online at www.landrykling.com or by phone at 800-448-9002.
|
Landry & Kling Meetings At Sea now Certified as a "Women Owned" Supplier -
A Valuable Distinction for Organizations that Track Spending with
Diversity Suppliers of Meetings and Incentive Travel Programs
Miami, FL - June 14, 2006 - Landry & Kling Meetings At Sea, a business-to-business resource
specializing in ship selection, ship charters, and cruise event management recently completed their
national certification as a Women's Business Enterprise by the Women's Business Development
Center - Florida, a regional partner of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council
(WBENC).
Many corporations and government agencies track their spending with women-owned businesses
and
other "diversity" suppliers to demonstrate a commitment to fostering diversity. And, because
travel for meetings and incentive programs usually involves sizeable budgets, it's an added benefit to
choose
WBENC certified suppliers such as Landry & Kling - leaders in their field for 25 years.
Founders Joyce Landry and Jo Kling were recently named as two of the ten top women making a
difference in the incentive industry today by Incentive magazine's May 2006 cover story. To learn
more about Landry & Kling's leadership role in the meetings/incentive cruise industry and to
sample some of their company's success stories, please visit www.landrykling.com
About WBENC
The Women's Business Enterprise National Council is the nation's largest third-party-certifier of
businesses owned and operated by women in the United States. WBENC is a resource for the more
than 700 US companies and government agencies that rely on WBENC's certification as an
integral part of their supplier diversity programs.
WBENC's national standard of certification is a meticulous process including an in-depth review of
the business, its records and an office inspection. The certification process is designed to confirm
the business is at least 51% owned, operated and controlled by a woman or women. In this case,
Joyce Landry and Josephine together own, operate and control the business 100%.
|
Miami, FL May 17, 2006 - Landry & Kling Inc., specialists in meetings at
sea and cruise event management since 1982; today announced that Steve
Milo has been named Director of Sales.
Milo will oversee the Landry & Kling sales department, developing cruise
incentives and meetings with many of the worldÕs largest corporations.
Milo has 18 years of sales experience in the meetings industry. Most
recently, he spent eight years with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts as Senior Sales Manager,
representing both Disney Cruise Line and DisneyÕs convention resorts to the corporate and incentive
market.
Prior to his tenure with Disney, Milo spent three years at Landry & Kling as Account Executive for
the northeast US region. MiloÕs previous experience includes sales positions with Royal Caribbean
and Marriott Hotels.
ÒWe are pleased to welcome Steve back to Landry & Kling as our new Director of Sales. His
combined cruise and hotel experience and strong Disney management training will be a tremendous
asset for the future growth of our company,Ó commented Josephine Kling, President.
Miami-based Landry & Kling, Meetings At Sea is a business-to-business resource offering ship
selection and cruise program management services for Fortune 1000 companies and independent
meeting planners worldwide. Services include incentive cruise management, meetings and special
events at sea.
Joyce Landry, CEO & Josephine Kling, President, were recently honored by Incentive Magazine who
named them two of the top ten Òbrightest women in the industryÓ in the May 2006 issue.
|
Landry & Kling Made the Vision of "Super Bowl on the River" a Reality
MIAMI, FL. - Landry & Kling, known for planning corporate events at sea, helped set
an historic precedent in Jacksonville Florida when they took on the challenge of chartering
a fleet of ships for four days dockside at Super Bowl XXXIX last month.
ÒWe may be the smallest market ever to host a Super Bowl, but we think bigÓ, said
Michael Kelly, President & COO of the Super Bowl Host Committee. ÒOur biggest
challenge - a shortage of quality hotel rooms - sparked the creative idea of using cruise
ships as floating hotels along the St. Johns River. The ships not only brought extra
housing, but extra pizzazz to the annual event. That was the key to winning the NFLÕs
attention for Super Bowl XXXIX.Ó
Overnight, five exciting resorts floated into downtown Jacksonville, adding a total of
3,617 deluxe sleeping rooms, 35 bars, 25 entertainment venues, 15 restaurants, 15
nightclubs, and five health clubs and spas to the cityÕs infrastructure to help meet the
NFLÕs bid requirements during Super Bowl week.
ÒTo pull off a successful Super Bowl takes teamwork on and off the fieldÓ, said Joyce
Landry, President & CEO of Landry & Kling, Meetings At Sea. ÒWe helped turn
JacksonvilleÕs vision into reality by coordinating with over 20 different organizations
including federal, city, county and state agencies; transportation companies; the
Jacksonville SheriffÕs Office; security companies; the Coast Guard; Jacksonville Port
Authority, utility & waste management companies; and three separate cruise lines.Ó
Landry adds, ÒAny corporation who thinks their meeting requirements are too complex to
use a cruise ship should come talk with us. We made the ships work for Super Bowl, so
we can tackle anything now.Ó
As the exclusive management company for the ship charter project, Landry & Kling
successfully navigated numerous complex details to bring the five ships to Jacksonville.
Not only did the ships need to have top quality rooms and service, but they also had to
fit under JacksonvilleÕs scenic bridges. Other considerations included depth and length of
the vessels, as well as the cruise linesÕ flexibility to reposition vessels from their normal
routes and customize their 2005 schedules to call in Jacksonville.
ÒLandry & Kling was instrumental in helping us narrow down the options and choose
ships that would meet all of our requirements for this monumental event,Ó said Pat
Duncan, Director of Lodging & Accommodations for the Jacksonville Super Bowl Host
Committee. ÒThe job was enormous. It took a full year to identify, select and commit the
five ships, and almost four years from start to finish on Super Bowl Sunday.Ó
The five ships chosen - Holland AmericaÕs Volendam, Zuiderdam and Zaandam, the
Carnival Miracle, and the Radisson Seven Seas Navigator Ð provided an outstanding
variety of accommodations, dining and entertainment options for the NFLÕs corporate
sponsor groups housed aboard. And, to help the Host Committee offset their charter
investment, Landry & Kling negotiated with the cruise lines to offer dining and
entertainment packages for sale to the general public (through the internet and on-site
kiosks) so that Jacksonville residents and visitors could experience shipboard life
firsthand during this unprecedented ÒSuper Bowl on the RiverÓ.
One of Landry & KlingÕs most difficult challenges was to help transform the active
working cargo port at JAXPORTÕS Talleyrand Marine Terminal into a temporary
docking facility for three of the cruise ships, complete with a 32,000 square foot fabric
building for passenger check-in and baggage handling.
ÒLance Wieland, Landry & KlingÕs on-site Logistics Manager, had a privotal role in the
concept, design and construction of this terminal and the shuttle system required to
transport guests from the terminal through the cargo areas out to the three ships docked at
Talleyrand,Ó said Rick Ferrin, executive director of JAXPORT.
During Super Bowl week, Landry & Kling managed a professional staff of 40 and
coordinated over 1,000 volunteers on rotating assignments at three separate terminals and
on board the five ships. The company also served as the cruise linesÕ liaison with all of
the NFLÕs corporate sponsor groups housed aboard ship and coordinated over 60
shipboard events with their meeting planners.
About Landry & Kling Inc. -- Landry & Kling was founded in 1982 as the first
business-to-business resource for cruises. The Miami-based company offers a shipbroker
service as well as full program management for incentive cruise programs & meetings at
sea for groups ranging in size from 50 to 15,000 people. In addition to the Jacksonville
Super Bowl, Landry & Kling has organized other dockside charter programs in Boston,
New Orleans and Barcelona.
For more information on Landry & Kling, the most experienced cruise resource
for business events at sea, visit www.landrykling.com.
|
Miami, FL March 7, 2007 -- Landry & Kling Meetings At Sea, recognized specialists in cruise meeting services, recently launched a new website developed just for event planners and incentive travel buyers. The content of this website is 100% focused on ship selection, planning and delivery of specialized cruise events and ship charters -- Landry & Kling’s exclusive focus for 25 years.
Thousands of travel suppliers compete online for the attention of meeting planners. Fortunately, the internet makes it easy for planners to compare suppliers, and Landry & Kling’s website clearly separates them from the pack.
On this website, www.landrykling.com real planners speak in flash video clips about their experiences with corporate/ incentive cruises. Users can pick up tips and insights from the clips, and from the site’s “Success Stories” about high-profile events using ship charters. The site will expand users’ cruise industry knowledge via news, planning tools, and ideas drawn from Landry & Kling’s insider perspective.
The site also offers the most recent information on tax deductibility for cruises, and shows destinations available by season; plus photos of many different types of function rooms, and video footage (not available elsewhere) of real incentive winners at awards presentations onboard. Planners can also hear their peers describing initial concerns about cruising vs. their actual experiences.
Busy planners looking for a “one-stop” source for cruises can compare Landry & Kling’s track record, and depth of experience saving clients’ time and money for all kinds of events at sea including incentive cruises, conventions with kids, corporate meetings, continuing education, customer recognition and special dockside “floating hotel” programs such as Jacksonville’s 5 ship charters for Super Bowl 2005.
In today’s highly competitive world, what differentiates a cruise provider is the ability to do more with less, on a consistent basis. This new website will reassure any planner who’s wrestling with cruise-feasibility issues or complex requirements that Landry & Kling’s service can help them find the right cruise solution for every situation.
“When it comes to cruise procurement”, said Jo Kling, President of Landry & Kling, “savvy incentive buyers know that working with us is like cloning themselves, and adding a dollop of cruise clout. After all, if you want your guests to have a unique memory-maker experience, you have to turn a plain vanilla cruise into a hot fudge sundae – and that’s been our claim to fame for 25 years.”
##
|
Landry will serve as CEO, and Kling, who recently rejoined the company to partner with Landry in the buy-back, will serve as President. The two partners purchased 100% of the stock in Landry & Kling, Inc. and all of its assets from NLG.
“We’re extremely positive about the ever-expanding opportunities that are available in the cruise industry for corporate meetings and incentives,” Landry said, “and the timing is right for cruises to capture a larger share of that market.”
“Strategic partnerships are a key part of our plan going forward”, added Kling, “however, the company’s biggest asset is our own staff, many of whom remember when we were privately owned. By taking control of our own destiny and budget, the whole office has been re-energized.”
Landry & Kling was the first true cruise-specialist agency when it opened on New York’s Madison Avenue in 1982. “Industry executives told us there wasn’t enough volume to support specialization, but our business plan targeted corporations from the start”, Landry recalled. Landry & Kling were promoting corporate cruises even before cruise lines established their own corporate and incentive departments.
The company relocated to Miami in 1988. It was acquired seven years ago by publicly held Travel Services International (later re-branded as My Travel), which was sold to Airtours, a U.K. public company. Airtours sold its cruise divisions to NLG, the Boston-based giant, in 2003.
Miami-based Landry & Kling Meetings At Sea is a business-to-business resource offering ship selection and cruise program management services for Fortune 1000 companies and independent meeting planners worldwide. Services include incentive cruise travel, meetings and special events at sea. In February 2005 the firm managed the largest single-client charter event in history: five vessels chartered to the Host Committee in Jacksonville to serve as floating hotels and entertainment venues for Super Bowl XXXIX.
Landry & Kling is the only ship charter specialist recommended by Douglas Ward, author of the prestigious Berlitz Ocean Cruising and Cruise Ships, the industry’s definitive guide, now in it’s 20th year.
For more information on a corporate incentive cruise or meeting, call us at 800 448 9002 /
305 661 1880 or e-mail inquiry@landrykling.com.
|
|
|
