11 Oct 10 What Meeting Planners Need to Know About Cabins and Meeting Options on Cruise Ships

Most people liken planning a cruise to planning to regular event planning with a few twists. One of those twists occurs when it comes time to figure out who is sleeping where. There are a few things that many people might not know about cabins on cruise ships, and some questions people may not ever think to ask when planning meetings at sea:

• Less expensive cabins are usually priced on a per-bed basis and assume that two people are sharing a cabin. This pricing system might seem a little deceptive to people that do not do their homework, but it is often possible to upgrade to a single passenger cabin for a small fee.
• Similarly, it is often possible to lock out the second passenger by paying a modest fee. This can be done at nearly any time prior to departure and sometimes even post departure if there is room remaining.
• Meeting rooms are typically available around the clock but larger conference rooms might have time restrictions that can only be removed by booking in advance. Some cruise companies have a 2 or 4 week policy regarding booking these larger rooms so book as early as possible.
• Remember that catering options and preferences also need to be handled well in advance so figure out menus for special events early on if possible.

Tags: Catering, Clock, Cruise Companies, Cruise Ships, Event Planning, Homework, Many People, Meeting People, Meeting Planners, Meeting Rooms, Menus, Options, Passenger Cabin, Time Restrictions, Twists