27 Oct 10 The Value of Meetings at Sea for Participants
When many people start planning meetings at sea they forget to remember that the meetings are as much for the company as they are for the participants. The participants are usually the main focus of the meetings at sea, so they should certainly never be forgotten in the shuffle. Here is how participants might view the value of a meeting at sea:
- It is a chance to get out of the office and away from the normal office routine – This is both good and bad, but it can be turned to the advantage of the host with proper planning. Do not simply hold meetings as normal aboard ship, hold exciting meetings with fresh coffee and fruit. Consider alternative meetings such as the spinning room, or one of the pools onboard the cruise liner. Keep business moving forward but strive to do so in a more relaxed manner.
- Time to see the world – The world is truly an amazing place and cruise ships get to see some of the best views ever. Scheduling a sunrise or sunset meeting while amazing views are available via the windows is a poor idea at best.
Tags: Advantage, Amazing Place, Cruise Liner, Cruise Ships, Focus, Fresh Coffee, Many People, Meeting At Sea, Nbsp, Office Routine, Participants, Pools, Poor Idea, Sea People, Shuffle, Spinning Room, Sunrise, Sunset
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
23 Jun 10 Meeting Planners Are in High Demand
With the economy not being in the best of shapes, many people are looking for new jobs that are less disposable and/or difficult to outsource. Meeting planners are actually both. The two primary reasons for this are fairly simple: humans have a basic need to meet over business issues, and competition for lucrative business options continues to increase year after year regardless of the economic situation.
The best reason is arguably the fact that humans have a basic ability to measure honesty, intent, and integrity. That ability can only be used in person, and no technology has come up with a workaround for this. Even the latest video conferencing technology is simply no substitute for an in-person meeting. For this reason alone, meeting planners will always have a job in modern business culture until technology can manage pull off a modern-miracle.
As business continues to become increasingly competitive, meetings become increasingly important. This means more competitive meetings that do not skimp on the polish and niceties, and that in turn means that meeting planners will not only continue to be essential but also a valued part of the company. Since few companies can cut off their noses despite their faces, it would seem that meeting planners are likely to stick around and be valued parts of companies for the foreseeable future.
Tags: Business Culture, Business Issues, Business Options, Economic Situation, Economy, Faces, Foreseeable Future, Honesty, Integrity, Job, Lucrative Business, Many People, Meeting Planners, Miracle, New Jobs, Niceties, Noses, Shapes, Video Conferencing Technology, Workaround
16 Jun 10 Cruise Meetings are Affordable
When many people think of cruises, they do not think about work. While everyone is free to have their own mental images to do with as they wish, the fact is that cruises are actually cost effective solutions for holding meetings in many cases. In fact, there are entire industries where few options for hosting meetings or events make as much sense as cruise meetings do.
Consider the alternatives for a moment, and a better picture will emerge. Renting hotel suites and a banquet hall can be expensive and somewhat bland. Add to this expenses related to catering and entertainment, and even basic meetings hosted at a hotel and/or conference center can become very expensive indeed. All of these facilities are available on a single cruise liner at prices that cannot be matched; it is like putting all of the resources under one roof, managed by a single business.
Anyone who knows a good deal about businesses and pricing can probably appreciate the value of allowing a single company to leverage its size and buying power to return the lowest cost possible. This not only makes cruise meetings a very practical alternative to hotels and/or conference centers, it makes cruise ships significantly more fun. Add to this the incentive value of bringing top talent, partners, and clients on the trip, and it is clear why many organizations host their meetings and events at sea.
Tags: Banquet Hall, Cost Effective, Cruise Liner, Cruise Prices, Cruise Ships, Cruises, Effective Solutions, Few Options, Hosting, Hotel Suites, Hotels, Many People, Meetings And Events, Mental Images, Single Company, Talent Partners
02 Apr 10 Sparking Interest in a Cruise Meeting
An all-inclusive cruise is an exciting spin on meeting planning. Participants are well aware meetings formats may center on focused blocks of hard work and it becomes all too easy to forget how to relax. One way to generate excitement for an upcoming cruise meeting is to educate the group about life on board and at their ports of call.
This will be the first cruise experience for many people in the group. Add a list of commonly used “ship slang” to the packet of materials provided to each participant. A simple game of ship speak bingo can break the ice and give group members a chance to get to know one another. By the time the game is over, participants will feel confident that they know their fore from their aft.
Go beyond the standard travel brochure and create guides give group members a few helpful hints on local social graces. These could include: how much and who to tip, how to stay please and thank you in the local language, suggestions for appropriate dress, and portable currency exchange guides. A section discussing which situations are friendly photo opportunities (or not) will give camera buffs something to mull over. Good manners are easy to pack, improve communication, and guarantee a welcome on a return trip.
Tags: Bingo, Camera Buffs, Communication, Cruise Experience, Currency Exchange, Excitement, Good Manners, Group Members, Helpful Hints, Many People, Meeting Planning, Participant, Participants, Photo Opportunities, Ports Of Call, Return Trip, Simple Game, Slang, Social Graces, Travel Brochure
Advertisement
Corporate Meeting Planner Resources
- Cruise line Expansion in Chinese Market Good News for Meeting PlannersChina is becoming a popular destination for MICE events due to its rich cultural heritage, beautiful natural landscapes and most of all - its high economic growth. Everyone wants to do business in China right now. Naturally, that translates into lots of meetings, trade shows, conferences and other events. According to The China Incentive, Business […]
- Time to step out of the ZoneSo often we find ourselves repeating the same patterns both professionally and personally because it feels “safe”. While that perceived safety may or may not be real, it explains why so many people feel their lives are in a rut. It is that comfort zone that so many long for that ultimately is their worst enemy. In order […]
- Stimulating Your Attendees in a Positive WayAfter reading the article Boost the Brain Computer, Don’t Crash It, I got to thinking about how foods definitely have an effect on mood and concentration. Anyone who has ever seen a child at a birthday party, loaded with candy, snow cones, cake and soda can attest to the fact that while the sugar will […]