Why are So Many Groups Using Cruise Ships for Their Meetings?
In a couple of articles, we’ve discussed the advantages of chartering a cruise ship (whether it’s a full charter or partial charter) for large companies or groups to use for training sessions or meetings. The following chart lists many of the benefits attached to using a cruise ship for your group’s meetings. We hope you’ll find the information helpful.
| Why are So Many Groups Choosing to Meet on a Cruise Ship? | ||
| Land-only venues | Cruise ship | |
| Travel Efficiency | Much time each day is spent just getting to and from the hotel to the meetings/meals | Meetings, entertainment, and meals all continue while the ship moves from place to place. |
| Menu Flexibility | Pre-paid meals at hotels are limited in variety | Menus are wonderfully varied. Many ships now even offer different types of restaurants. |
| Transportation Needs | Depending on group size, transfers can be nightmarish to arrange since they can involve different airports and different hotels. | Airport transfers become much simpler as every attendee is going to the same place - the ship. |
| Pairing Exotic Enticement with Comforts of Home | Too ofen the enticement of fascinating land-based venues also means added frustration with currency, drinking water, language, unfamiliar customs, and different appliance requirements. | Cruise passengers can rely on safe water, consistent voltage needs, a crew accustomed to accommodating passengers from various countries, and most ships now have eliminated the nuisance of trying to figure currency exchange rates by setting up one-time-payment and accepting most major credit cards. |
| Luxury of venue already assumed | Hotels vary in rating-to-actuality status and are often totally unknown to the potential attendee. | Because cruise ships already have the reputation of luxury, the ship itself becomes a big part of the attraction. |
| Easy adaptation to varying group sizes | Too often, small hotels often lack facilities that groups want and mammoth hotels are devoid of any sense of community. | Cruise ships vary in size, to accommodate groups from 20 to 2000 or more. Yet, planning allows comaradie to develop, informal spontaneous discussion groups, easy traffic flow, and a variety of room types to suit varying tastes. |
| Variety of destinations | Land-based group gatherings are typically single-city, with "extensions" to other nearby areas offered as options at additional cost | Cruise ships move from port to port, offering built-in variety. |
| Cost control | Many costs such as airport transfers, inter-venue transportation, and number of meeting rooms are extremely difficult to pre-determine without losing deposits. | Many of the costs are either set (such as meeting rooms) or eliminated (such as inter-venue transportation! |
If you’d like to discuss the possibility of chartering a ship for your organizations next meeting, please contact Rhonda Sand at 1-800-975-7775 or email her.
