Incorporating health and wellness into meetings and incentive travel programs is not a passing trend – it’s expected! Meeting professionals and attendees want to stay active, healthy and focused during their program. When the IRF (Incentive Research Foundation) released its 2019 Wellness in Meetings and Incentive Travel Study, it revealed:
Meeting planners reported high rates of personal enthusiasm for health and wellness in their meetings. Perhaps even more importantly, planners reported that their clients and companies would agree “wellness is a critical focus.”
For Healthy Meetings & Incentives, Just Add Water!
There are endless ways to incorporate elements of health and wellness into your meeting at sea or incentive cruise program – because they’re built right in! Cruise ships have all the elements in place for healthy food choices, active excursions and group activities, access to onboard health venues and robust fitness facilities, and watersports marinas.
One more wellness element to add to your meeting or incentive – the experience of nature – is also free and accessible during a cruise. Take advantage of your ship’s spacious decks and outdoor venues to plan your receptions, dinners or parties on deck or meetings.
5 Awesome Cruise Ship Wellness Programs
In order to satisfy healthy and active lifestyle demands, cruise lines are stepping up their wellness programs – both onboard and ashore. Here are five of the best examples.
1. Virgin Voyages “Vitamin Sea” Program
Virgin Voyages is introducing “Vitamin Sea” wellness on Scarlet Lady. The program will include group fitness classes (complimentary with the cruise fare), as well as several wellness-focused public spaces that include:
The Crow’s Nest, a sundeck for sunrise and sunset yoga with 360-degree views; The Runway, a running track in Virgin’s signature red; The Athletic Club with an outdoor training zone; and The B Complex, a space with areas for strength, spin, yoga and cardio training, all with ocean views.
2. Celebrity Edge Spa & Fitness Center
On their newest ship, Celebrity Cruises promises “a holistic wellness journey like no other on land or at sea”. The Spa on Celebrity Edge offers more than 22,000 square feet for guests to renew, restore, and reinvigorate. Inspired by nature, The Spa uses state-of-the-art technology to infuse restorative natural elements into all the spaces, therapies, and experiences.
The Celebrity Edge Fitness Center features floor-to-ceiling windows to keep guests connected to the sea while they work out; plus the latest, state-of-the-art weight machines and cardio equipment to take their fitness to the next level.
3. Regent Seven Seas Wellness Tours
The wellness program on Regent Seven Seas ships invites your attendees to enjoy a complete holistic experience – from complimentary fitness classes and healthy gourmet cuisine on board to Wellness Tours ashore.
For example, they can practice yoga against a stunning backdrop in Taormina, or practice meditation on the idyllic island of Palma de Mallorca. Many of the Wellness Tours are included as part of Regent’s Free Unlimited Shore Excursions.
4. Lindblad Expeditions Wild Adventures
Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic “Wild Escapes” is a collection of 11 action-packed shorter voyages designed to let guests experience wildness, wellness and wonder in less time. Destinations include Costa Rica, Baja and Sea of Cortez, Galapagos Islands, Belize, Alaska, and Iceland.
For example: During a 4-night “Wild Baja Escape”, your group will wake each morning to yoga on deck or a boot camp beach workout. Afterward, they can snorkel with sea lions, explore the coastline by kayak and stand-up paddleboard, and join activities led by the onboard wellness instructor.
5. European River Cruises Offer Wellness and Fitness
There are plenty of ways to stay fit while cruising European rivers like the Danube, Rhine, Seine and Douro. During a Uniworld Boutique River Cruise, start the day with yoga on the sun deck or take a TRX Suspension Training class with a certified onboard wellness instructor.
Uniworld’s “Let’s Go” excursions feature guided walking, hiking, cycling, kayaking and golfing tours, as well as gondola rowing and more
AmaWaterways offers a variety of immersive wellness activities led by professionally-trained Onboard Wellness Hosts. Your attendees can join group fitness classes, participate in active excursions, and attend informative wellness lectures.
AmaWaterways ships are equipped with a fleet of bicycles, a fitness room, whirlpool or swimming pool and a walking track. Spa massage rooms help relieve tension and a hydration station with infused citrus and gemstone water helps cleanse the body of toxins.
Meeting Planners Need Health & Wellness, Too!
It’s not just your meeting attendees who need to maintain their healthy lifestyles. The IRF Wellness report confirms that meeting planners themselves are stressed! And according to a report released by CareerCast, event planners made it to the top five on the list of “The Most Stressful Jobs of 2018”.
Begin Planning Your Healthy Meeting or Incentive Cruise Today!
No matter what your group size, budget, or meeting requirements, Landry & Kling can help you find the perfect ship and itinerary for a flawless event! To get started (or just learn more), give us a call at 305-661-1880, send an email to inquiry@landrykling.com, or request a group or charter quote.
