Incentive - September 2011

Cruises
Another look at why your next incentive ought to be on a ship

The staterooms on Norwegian Cruise Line’s Epic are said to reflect those of luxury resorts

goes over their program budgets from earlier years line by line, pointing out how they could save by doing a cruise program.

Those planning inter-
national incentives would
do well to remember that
the U.S. dollar is king
onboard. “There’s no
fluctuation in exchange
rates to worry about,” says
For most planners, the desired destination
is the starting point, followed by group size.
Landry, in turn, starts by pricing out both
charter and non-charter options for clients.

To some, charters are sine qua non. “You have privacy and complete control over the activities on the ship,” says Landry. Charter groups can be as small as 80 people and as large as 700. The sweet spot is groups ranging from 220 to 500 attendees, because they can be accommodated by many different cruise lines and ships.

If chartering a ship is too far outside your
Incentive programs have been coming back, and shipboard programs are no exception. “We’ve seen an increase in
both serious inquiries and business,” says
Joyce Landry, CEO of Landry & Kling, a
facilitator of cruise meetings and events.

budget, consider booking private or semiprivate space on a large cruise ship. Many ships allow groups to rent their spa decks for receptions. Also, consider that a crew can turn an ice rink into a trade show floor faster than you’d think.

Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas have “neighborhoods” (large themed sections on the ships) that can be reserved for large events. The Epic, Norwegian Cruise Line’s megaship, has a block of 120 solo cabins with a common area suitable for groups.

You could always book the old-fashioned way—buying a block of rooms and leaving participants to their own devices—but Landry cautions against this. “At the very least, arrange a private cocktail reception or, better yet, drinks with the captain,” she says, before adding, “Royal Caribbean has a behind-the-scenes tour they run, and you go everywhere—the engine room, the bridge, crew quarters, and galley. They don’t advertise it; you have to ask.” ■