“She stood in the storm, and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails.”
This inspirational quote from Elizabeth Edwards could have been written about our CEO, Joyce Landry. When cruise lines abruptly ceased operations due to the pandemic in March 2020, Landry & Kling’s core business – cruise meetings and incentives – was also put on hold.
But Joyce was undeterred. Our visionary co-founder “adjusted the sails” to find new business opportunities and keep the company afloat. As a result, Landry & Kling Global Cruise Services has expanded its service capabilities beyond the corporate market to include workforce accommodations and specialized vessel charter projects. Our new tagline says it all: “If we can’t find a suitable vessel for you, no one can!”
When a writer from the Miami Herald began researching businesses for a story about how cruise industry professionals have been coping since ships stopped sailing, she naturally reached out to Joyce Landry. The article by Taylor Dolven, “Cruise Industry Workers Ready for a Restart”, was published on April 26, 2021.
The article describes how Joyce was forced to pivot from Landry & Kling’s core pre-pandemic business – organizing corporate meetings, events, and incentives at sea. Under Joyce’s direction, our company turned its focus on sourcing and organizing floating accommodation and workforce housing vessels.
“We’ve been in ferries, barges, sightseeing boats, research vessels,” Joyce Landry said. “We’ve gotten involved in chartering all kinds of unusual vessels for unusual purposes. “
After all of Landry & Kling’s bookings for 2020 were canceled, Joyce hired contractors in other countries and began to focus on developing global business. The Miami Herald writer mentions that while Joyce is eager for cruise ships to resume sailing with new health and safety measures in place, she’s also excited about the new specialized charter business our company has acquired.
“Anyone who is an entrepreneur is an entrepreneur for a reason,” she said. “You’re not going to throw in the towel because some outside circumstances changed your business. You shift, you change.”
