Celebrity Cruises has perfected the art of “modern luxury” – especially when it comes to meetings and group events. Beautiful state-of-the-art conference facilities, banquet space and built-in technologies are a few of the many reasons why Celebrity Cruises is the perfect destination for your next corporate meeting, sales incentive or group function. With the modern luxury experience already included in your cruise, there’s never been an easier way to plan the perfect event!

Learn more about Celebrity Cruises.

One of the most frequent requests we hear from our clients is “More short itineraries, please.” Four and five night cruises from close-to-home ports are popular options for quick meetings.

But you might want to take another look at week-long cruises, especially when you’re planning an incentive travel program or more complex meetings. Sometimes, more really is better – for the success of your program and a healthy return on investment.

Here are the top 5 reasons to book a 7-night cruise for your event:

1. More Motivation = Successful Incentive Program

When it comes to motivating sales and on-the-job performance, nothing beats a  7-night cruise to an alluring destination. A shorter cruise to more commonly visited ports just doesn’t have the same sizzle factor. A few extra days will give your attendees more time to relax, enjoy in-depth destination experiences, and make stronger connections. They’ll return to work refreshed and invigorated, with a renewed sense of loyalty to your organization.

 2. No Additional Time Out-of-Office

A typical 4 night cruise sails from Monday to Friday, while 5-night cruises depart Monday and return on Saturday. Most 7-night itineraries follow a Saturday-Saturday or Sunday-Sunday pattern, so your program participants won’t lose additional days out of the office by cruising for a week. What they’ll gain is more weekend fun, meaningful travel experiences and quality time with each other.

3. Better Mix of Business and Pleasure

A typical 7-night cruise include visits to five ports and two full days at sea, ideal for scheduling your meetings and business sessions. Your attendees will have more time for adventures ashore – and shared travel experiences lead to increased camaraderie. Days at sea are also great for team-building events, casual meetings with colleagues, sports activities, or just relaxing in the spa or on the pool deck. And with all the included activities and entertainment on board, you won’t have to worry about planning guest/spouse/family program activities – they’re built right in!

4. Greater Variety of Ships

There’s nothing like the prospect of sailing on a sparkling new ship to motivate performance, create excitement, and boost conference attendance. Short itineraries that are less than 7 nights are rarely offered on new or deluxe ships. Choose a 7-night cruise you’ll have your choice of fresh new ships, sailing vessels, mega-yachts, expedition ships, plus upper-premium and deluxe all-inclusive ships.

5. More Destination Choices

Typical 4 & 5-night cruises from Florida and the Gulf Coast sail to the Bahamas and close-to-home Caribbean islands. Short cruises to Bermuda are popular choices from Northeast ports, while 4-night Baja Mexico cruises sail from Southern California.

But when you consider 7-night cruises, your destination variety is virtually unlimited! You and your group can sail deep into the Caribbean, explore Alaska, visit Northern Europe, Eastern or Western Mediterranean, Costa Rica or South America  - even more exotic islands of Hawaii or Tahiti.

Ready to Plan Your Cruise Event?

We’re ready to help you choose the best ship and itinerary to meet your program requirements. Click here or give us a call at 800-448-9002 /International: 1 -305-661-1880 . Or, send us an email for more information: inquiry@landrykling.com.

Cruises are no longer just for fun – there’s some serious business being conducted at sea! 

More meeting and event planning pros are discovering that cruise ships are terrific venues for corporate meetings, incentive travel programs, and group events of all types and sizes.

The cruise specialists at Landry & Kling have been helping organizations plan successful cruise programs for over 30 years, and they’ve put together a list of the most popular types of events at sea - including a few you probably never thought of. Here is a brief summary:

Top 10 Most Popular Types of Cruise Events

1. Incentive / Employee Recognition Cruises

Only 24% of the U.S. population has been on a cruise, and the all-inclusive nature of a ship makes a cruise incentive especially appealing! Read a few incentive cruise success stories.

2. Customer Appreciation Cruise

A ship’s self-contained environment makes cruising ideal for relationship-building; and with a variety of  on board dining venues, bars, lounges and theaters, you’ll have plenty of opportunities for entertaining your customers.

3. Business Meetings

Today’s cruise ships offer meeting planners complimentary use of dedicated conference centers, flexible meeting space and built-in A/V. Unique spaces and new destinations also lead to creative thinking and increased camaraderie. Read a few meeting at sea success stories.

4. Conferences, Conventions and Trade Shows

With capacity for up to 5,000 people, a ship is a convenient, self-contained venue that can add pizzazz to increase attendance and control cost.  Read about a few trade show at sea success stories.

5. Continuing Education at Sea

Planners of medical, legal and other professional continuing education programs are using cruise ships to increase attendance and boost satisfaction ratings.  Here are two continuing education at sea success stories.

6. Executive Retreats

For the ultimate in security and privacy, consider a small ship or yacht charter. If a full-ship charter isn’t feasible, take a look at the “ship within a ship” private cruise ship enclaves.

7. Theme or Special Interest Cruises

An affinity, themed or special interest cruise is the best way to bring like-minded people together to share and celebrate their common interest. Ships provide a budget-friendly alternative to land-based venues. Read about a few successful theme cruises.

8. Fund Raisers at Sea

Universities, hospitals and other organizations motivate donations through travel programs that earmark a portion of the cruise price for a worthy cause.  Rock Legends II Cruise is a successful example.

9. Full-Ship Charters

For the ultimate security and prestige, charter a vessel for your organization’s exclusive use. The opportunities for customization are limitless. Read a few full-ship charter success stories.

10. Dockside Charters or “Floating Hotels”

If there’s a shortage of hotel space for a city-wide convention, sporting event or global gathering in a port city, consider a dockside charter to accommodate the overflow. Read about successful Dockside Charter programs.

 Read more about the Top 10 Types of Cruise Events.