Meeting planners are masters of the art of sprezzatura—making something difficult look effortless and graceful. Juggling internal pressures, budgets, creative flow, intricate webs of details, venues, vendors, and schedules is standard, for planners who prefer meetings that stand out and exceed everyone’s expectations. Choosing the right venue and partner for the right meeting or event can make all the difference, which perfectly illustrates the reasons why meeting planners love cruise ships.
Planners who work with Landry & Kling to hold meetings on cruise ships are deeply satisfied. Not only is a cruise ship an ideal locale for a multi-faceted meeting, charter, or event, but we bring decades of expertise to stand beside our clients—guiding, solving, and supporting planners at every step.
Ten Reasons Meeting Planners Prefer Cruise Ship Programs
In many cases, from the perspective of the CEO, the planner, and the participant, cruises beat land-based events for most groups. Experienced planners have many reasons why; here are ten of the most compelling ones.
1. Cruises Are the New Frontier for Meetings
The vastness of the ocean and the seemingly endless horizon is a good framework for the seemingly infinite number of ways planners can customize meetings and events at sea. They can choose from large ships, medium ships, small ships, and yacht-like ships. These vessels represent every type of guest experience, from ultra-luxury to contemporary. Cruises are versatile, and when a group decides to charter an entire ship, the itinerary can be whatever planners would like it to be. What’s more, the service and onboard experiences built into each ship’s unique offering make it in many ways an endless frontier, as compelling and captivating as one’s imagination.
2. Budget Control and Savings
There’s no need for planners to spend money to bring in décor or entertainment for receptions and group events. Throughout a cruise ship, the décor, lighting, and music are already part of the aesthetic.
Rather than manage multiple venues, hotels, meeting spaces, and entertainment options, planners who choose cruises can work with one point of contact—Landry & KIing—to negotiate and streamline rates in the contract. Inevitably, this leads to savings. Every meal is included in the price. Every ship has different offerings, and Landry & Kling has a list for planners who prefer to know all the possible offerings before the contract even comes into play.
3. Creative Meeting Spaces
The cruise industry knows the appeal that ships hold for planners and it has become just as important, when a cruise line is planning a new ship, to consider meeting spaces, as it is to design staterooms and suites. With the variety of public areas that exist on cruise ships—conference spaces, indoor and outdoor bars and lounges, theaters, a solarium, a library, art galleries, even some restaurants during off hours—the possibilities for where and how to activate any sort of meeting at sea are enticingly broad.
In a charter scenario, nearly every public area on the ship can become a customized meeting room. The retail area can become a reception area with passed drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and models walking the room to showcase the items being sold or a company’s own products. Any restaurant can be a meeting room. Certain suites can be set aside for private meeting space during corporate retreats with executive huddles or brainstorming sessions. Meeting and incentive planners who work with Landry & Kling soon discover how to make the most of every available space.
4. Simplified Planning
Cruise ships are known for highly attentive service. The more luxurious ships offer especially personalized service. The crew members who work on ships are experts in their jobs, and the operations of ships are often seamless. With such an exceptional foundation already built into the experience, planners find collaboration with shipboard teams to be efficient and energetic. And, for all the time the group will be onboard, the planner doesn’t need to figure out transportation logistics. Everything is happening within the boundaries of the ship. Wellness experiences are available. Any meeting at sea is instantly elevated with the proximity to the ocean and its tranquil, healing properties. With charters in particular, a restaurant can be a meeting room by day and a top gastronomical venue by night.
5. All the Extras: Meals, Entertainment, Activities
Dining options on every oceangoing cruise ship, and even on some smaller ships like those that offer luxury river cruises, are meant to delight palates and connect people over the simple joy of sharing a meal. During a cruise event, a planner doesn’t have to worry over what to serve each night. On a ship, full complimentary menus and multiple venue choices are always available. No worries about special diets or meal restrictions—the ship will accommodate them all.
When it comes to service, a cruise ship outshines a banquet room, as there’s more waitstaff on board. On a ship, one waiter will serve roughly half that amount of people. In addition, a wine steward, head waiter and maître d’ are all available to cater to restaurant guests.
Wellness continues to rise in popularity, and every ship has some version of a wellness program. For some, it’s a spa area and fitness center, some with hydrotherapy. And, the big ships offer multi-level sports decks and outdoor walking and jogging tracks. Morning and sunrise yoga can be an ideal way for planners themselves to relax during an event, or to encourage attendees to begin or end their day with intention.
In the evenings, planners will find a variety of complimentary entertainment options, like intimate live performances, Broadway-inspired productions, comedy, and cultural performances.
6. Destinations
If a planner knows that the attendees at a meeting or incentive program love to travel, then a ship might be the right way to immediately earn their excitement and fully engaged participation. Not only is the ship itself an incredible tool for creating memorable, customized events that offer attendees layers upon layers of experiences, but the fact that the ship moves makes it a richer experience than a land-based one. Attendees need only to unpack once, and as part of their experience with a meeting, event, or charter, can see multiple places, taking in a variety of natural scenery, cultural highlights, cuisines, and experiences in each place. A single meeting at sea might take participants to five or more different Greek islands, or just as many (or more) different Caribbean countries. Land-based resorts, hotels, and conference centers simply cannot compete when it comes to the richness of the travel experience itself.
Destinations can make meetings on ships so much richer than they already are. When event planners explore whether they might want to charter an entire ship, they discover that cruise ships offer an entirely more dynamic experience than a land-based one. One of the strongest reasons why this is true is the fact that between the embarkation and disembarkation points, planners can customize itineraries completely. Landry & Kling has decades of experience and can help planners decide how to bring destinations into the overall experience in a way that leaves participants feeling energized and excited about being part of the group.
7. Enhanced Attendee Focus
Just as the venues on a ship are no further apart than the bow and the stern, the participants, too, are a ready-made audience. They don’t have to worry about taking the train in an unfamiliar city to arrive at the morning session in time to find the meeting venues, or whether they should walk back to their hotel after dinner. The entire premise of being at sea brings a carefree element that for many planners makes cruises top of the list when it comes to selecting the perfect place for their group.
8. Increased Networking Opportunities
On a luxury ship, especially medium and large ships, attendees, whether part of an incentive travel group, a corporate event, or a ship charter, may find themselves enjoying the perfect blend of space and proximity to one another. Perhaps they will spot one another and chat over morning coffee, discover a shared love of pickleball, or enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail in the lounge. Being on a ship makes networking natural, authentic, and easy.
9. Multi-Generational Appeal
Families of all shapes and sizes love cruise ships, because there is a sense of “something for everyone,” and a way to stay connected while allowing people to do what they like individually, too. An incentive program that invites attendees to bring their families is especially successful on cruise ships. Many cruise lines have developed a full range of children’s programming that makes the experience fun and immersive for every member of the family. Days at sea are known for offering a multitude of activities for all interests and ages.
10. Security
Security is another reason why ships float to the top of a planner’s list when considering where to hold a meeting or incentive trip. The cruise industry is known for taking extraordinary measures to keep all guests and employees safe and secure.
Security begins in the port, which is similar to an airport. Luggage is screened, passports are checked, and room cards are scanned for boarding. Security at sea is much more extensive than that found at a land-based venue such as a hotel or resort.
FAQs
Are there any budget benefits to using cruise ships for meetings?
So much of the experience is built in, that planners will find that their budgets are far more streamlined for ship-based meeting and incentive events than those on land.
What should planners consider when choosing a cruise for their event?
The bottom line is that there are so many things to consider, like destination, number of days, number of attendees, size and level of service, and more, that an expert like Landry & Kling is the best asset a planner can have in choosing a cruise line for their event or program. We delve deeply into the client’s requirements and find the best ship, the right ship, for each unique event.
How do planners handle connectivity and technology on ship cruises?
More and more ships offer shipboard wi-fi from a satellite service. Landry & Kling can help planners ensure that their contract considers the connectivity needs of the group and, for those cruise lines where it is not complimentary for all guests, that it’s built into the budget.
