Landry & Kling Ship Charters

FAQs

Have questions about chartering a ship? The Landry & Kling global ship charter experts are here to assist you. You’ll find answers to Frequently Asked Questions about ship charters below.

What is a cruise ship charter?

A cruise ship charter refers to the complete buyout of a ship for private use for a specified number of nights. This charter includes all staterooms, function space, dining venues, and facilities. Corporations, government entities, event promoters, travel management or marketing companies, and private individuals typically arrange these charters.

What are the advantages of a ship charter?

• Exclusivity & Prestige: Renting a private ship offers an unparalleled experience that attendees can’t replicate on their own. It is viewed as having higher value and prestige.
• Undivided Attention: With only your group onboard, you and your attendees will receive the full attention of the ship’s entire staff.
• Camaraderie & Networking: Since everyone on board is part of your event, you can increase engagement and meeting attendance, create networking opportunities, and build relationships onboard and ashore.
• Security: With no outsiders allowed, a cruise ship charter provides exceptional privacy and security.
• Branding & Customization: You have the flexibility to display your logo and signage throughout the ship. You can also tailor the cruise experience to include specific meals, entertainment, activities, group events, and itineraries.

What does a ship charter include?

Most cruise ship charter rates typically cover the following:

• All ship accommodations
• Meals in complimentary dining venues (additional charges may apply for specialty restaurants)
• Access to all public areas
• Meeting/function rooms and A/V equipment (technical service fees may apply)
• Fitness and sports facilities
• Most onboard entertainment and daily activities
• Ocean or river transportation to ports of call
• Port charges and fees

Most luxury cruise lines include alcoholic beverages, complimentary Wi-Fi, butler service in top suites, and upscale stateroom amenities. Other cruise lines and river companies may offer shore excursions and free Wi-Fi.

What types of ships are available for charter?

Ships of all sizes and types are available to charter, including:

• Large and mega-size contemporary ships (up to 2,500 rooms)
• Small luxury ships, sailing ships, and megayachts (40 to 150 rooms)*
• River cruise vessels (50 to 125 rooms)*
• Premium Expedition ships (40 to 100 rooms)*

*Learn more about chartering a small, river, or expedition ship.

What are the most common types of ship charter programs?

Private ship charters are used for various events and projects, including:

• Incentive travel and recognition cruises
• Corporate meetings and Association conferences
• Special interest/theme cruises or music festivals at sea
• Corporate anniversaries or milestone celebrations
• New product launches or trade shows
• Executive retreats
• Consumer promotions
• Dockside charters for supplemental housing during city-wide events
• Temporary workforce accommodations
• Disaster relief or humanitarian assistance

Learn more about ship charters for corporate meetings, incentives, and events.
Learn more about ship charters for dockside accommodations, and disaster/humanitarian aid.

What is a Dockside Charter?

Dockside accommodation charters involve using cruise ships as “floating hotels” when there is a shortage of available accommodations during a city-wide event, global sporting event, or government summit in a port city. The chartered ship remains docked at the pier and serves as lodging for the required number of nights.

At Landry & Kling, we’ve managed more dockside charters worldwide than any other entity.

These include major sporting events such as the Jacksonville Super Bowl (5 ships), World Cup Cricket in the Caribbean, and the RIO Summer Olympics. In addition, we’ve sourced ships and provided logistics support for prestigious government summits, including the Fifth Summit of the Americas in Trinidad (2 ships), the COP 26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland (2 ships), and the G7 Summit in Glasgow, Scotland.

Learn more about dockside accommodation ship charters.

How much lead time do I need for a charter?

The sooner you start planning, the better. Most cruise lines finalize their itineraries for public sale a year to 18 months in advance. If you want to customize your itinerary or charter for a shorter duration than what’s published, please contact us even earlier.

Can I customize my ship charter event?

When you charter a ship, you can customize nearly every aspect of your cruise to align with your program objectives and achieve your goals. This includes daily activities, menus, daily newsletter, entertainment, custom signage, and even ports of call and shore excursions. Use your logo to brand the ship’s public spaces. Landry & Kling’s qualified and experienced team can guide you on what can be negotiated at little or no cost. We’ll provide creative ideas to make your program unique and memorable.

What does a ship charter cost?

The cost of a ship charter depends on several factors, including the ship’s total number of staterooms, destination port, specific period of time for the charter, quality of service, cruise date, lead time, and overall market demand. For a specific quote based on your needs, call Landry & Kling at +1 (786) 594-0732 or contact us for a complimentary consultation.

What are the financial requirements for a charter?

When you hire a vessel for a specific time, the ship charter will typically require an upfront, irrevocable deposit and a financial commitment to pay for the entire ship, secured by a Letter of Credit from a bank approved by the cruise line. The conditions of the charter contract will also outline a specific payment schedule for additional payments. Landry & Kling can request alternate custom payment arrangements on your behalf if required.

Ship charter vs. group cruise: what to consider

When you charter a ship, you pay for all the ship’s facilities, so your number of attendees should closely match the ship’s double occupancy capacity. If your numbers fall below that number, you may be responsible for meeting additional per-person onboard revenue fees and prepaid gratuities.

Consider booking a group cruise instead of a charter if:

• You cannot sign an irrevocable letter of credit that guarantees full payment (though cruise lines can be flexible).
• You’re uncertain about how many people will qualify to participate in the cruise program or how many will likely buy your special interest cruise to cover your costs.
• The ship with the right number of rooms is unsuitable for essential needs, such as not having enough space in the largest function room, not sailing to a preferred destination, or if the ship type or price is inappropriate.
• There is insufficient lead time, and cruise lines have already published their itineraries and booked passengers on your preferred ship.

How do I find the right ship to charter?

When considering a charter, the first step is to determine which ships best fit your number of attendees/guests and your program requirements. What destinations and dates would be most appealing? How many sleeping rooms do you need? What’s your budget? How much function space is required? 

Call the ship charter experts! Save yourself time and stress. Landry & Kling is the only call you need to make. We’ll quickly sort through the hundreds of possibilities to recommend the best ship options based on your requirements and our charter project experience.

Why not book directly with a cruise line?

Each cruise line is prepared to tell you about their ships and services. But they won’t compare and contrast all the best cruise ship options or provide an impartial assessment of which ships are best suited to address all your requirements. Unless you have the time to research the industry to identify relevant ships and lines, narrow your choices, then call each cruise line for quotes; and unless you know the ins and outs of cruise negotiations and shipboard operations (which differ significantly from hotels), you’re at a disadvantage in trying to do it all yourself.

Why should I use Landry & Kling to source a ship for my charter program?

With decades of experience in chartering ships, Landry & Kling is uniquely qualified to provide an unbiased assessment of all your ship options and support you throughout the project. Our partnerships and resources extend throughout the world  When you partner with Landry & Kling, you’ll receive impartial recommendations and expert planning advice designed to save you time and money, reduce risk, and ensure the success of your program. Our negotiation service includes help securing the best possible terms and amenities and the most competitive charter rates.

What charter services does Landry & Kling provide?

Our services include objective ship recommendations and expert contract negotiations based on decades of experience. Your dedicated Program Manager will liaise with the cruise line and serve as your single point of contact for your cruise event or dockside accommodation charter.

Additionally, we offer optional services to support you, such as day-by-day logistics planning, on-site staffing for program execution, port services, customized website development and online registration, financial management, and much more.

Learn more about Landry & Kling’s portfolio of personalized services.