23 Jul 10 Can Your Company Afford NOT to Hold Cruise Events?
If you have been looking at cruise meetings as an alternative that is not cost-effective, then you may be missing out on some of the math. Here is how you should be looking at the whole picture: even if your company does not pay for the meals and entertainment of participants at a meeting or event, then someone else might. IF given the choice between a cost effective cruise or a compensated hotel with continental breakfast, which would you choose? That’s right, you’d go with the cruise ship, and that is exactly what other people would do 9 out of 10 times.
When you consider all that cruise ships offer, they are truly a bargain destination for meetings. Those that look only at hotels and conference centers might forget this, and may be completely insensitive to the fact that they are actually costing their customers, partners, clients, suppliers, colleagues, or even branch offices to incur expenses simply to participate. This might be the cause of barriers to successful events and productive meetings, so be sure to evaluate your strategy carefully in this regard.
Also remember that cruise events are typically cost effective when measured against landlocked alternatives. The all-inclusive prices can often be lowered when booking multiple cabins, and there are plenty of compensated bonuses to be had. These bonuses, such as a massage in the spa, can be used as incentives to further enhance the profitability and success of a cruise.
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21 Jun 10 Great Reasons to Hold Cruise Events
The truth is that just about everyone wants to go on a cruise at one point in time, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to do that with the mounting pressures of work and family. Luckily there are cruise events that can be held for nearly any reason, and those events could prove to be irresistible to anyone who has ever wanted to sail away from their problems. Here are *** great reasons to hold a your next even on a cruise ship:
Everything is included – No more trying to coordinate rooms, catering, and events; cruise ships have this taken care of. In fact, many cruise ships have a helpful planning staff that can handle everything from travel to special needs and requests.
Complete and total care – No other event venue is as self-contained yet complete as a cruise ship. A world-class gym, spa, restaurants, casinos, theaters, places for the children to play and more are all included.
Accessible to everyone – It would be harder to find a venue that was as friendly to those who are differently-abled as a cruise ship.
Elevators and ramps are everywhere, making a cruise liner very accessible.
No need to worry – Unlike destinations on land, everyone on a ship is a tourist. No more thieves or pickpockets to worry about.
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22 Jan 10 Serve Your Clients Better by Taking Care of Yourself and Your Staff
Providing absolutely stellar meeting planning services is your main goal, as it should be. That is the only way to keep your clients coming back for more and to encourage satisfied clients to refer others to you for your services. You read the trade mags, attend seminars, stay up-to-date on the latest industry news and constantly seek out new, innovative ways to wow your clients and continuously upgrade the meeting planning services you provide.
All of these things are essential to your success; however, all of the knowledge and new ideas in the world will not help your company reach its full potential if you and your staff are overworked, tired and on the brink of burnout.
Here are four things you can do to take care of yourself and your staff, which will result in happier workers and happier clients:
1. Reward yourself and your staff by implementing incentive travel programs.
2. Treat yourself and your staff to a day at the spa once a year, once a month or as often as your budget will allow.
3. During staff check-ins, don’t just ask about which deadlines have been met. Also ask how they are doing with their workload and stay updated on non-work goings-on that might influence their work-life balance.
4. While your staff might be small, company-hosted family picnics or outings are still a fun, effective way to let off steam and create a family-friendly work atmosphere.
Tags: Brink, Budget, Burnout, Family Picnics, Incentive Travel Programs, Ins, Knowledge, Latest Industry News, Main Goal, Meeting Planning Services, Rsquo, Seminars, Spa, Staff Check, Steam, Success, Work Atmosphere, Work Life Balance, Workload, Wow
30 Nov 09 Increase ROI on Meetings & Events
Most meeting planners have probably already read about how companies want more value than ever before from their conferences. While this can create more work for you, there are some things you can do to work out the kinks long before they happen.
Think Replacement
If you need to help the company keep expenses at a minimum, replace these meeting parts:
- Replace the reception with a working lunch — this will let people meet and network, as well as enjoy a meal together.
- Replace the open bar idea with team building exercises or mind storming training–these programs have a much better chance of improving the ROI than a bunch of drunk employees blowing off steam.
- Replace entertainment with a spa wellness trip. You will have more refreshed folks ready to work.
- Replace land based venues with a cruise meeting, and save as much as 40%. Cruising is all-inclusive, so planners may be surprised to know that meeting rooms, meals, A/V equipment and luxury accommodations are all included in one low price.
Think Reduction
What if the customer says, "Okay, these cost savings are great, let's get rid of the reception, evening entertainment, and and welcome reception open bar meet-and-greet! So what do we do on the last day, then?"
Get rid of it. Tell your client that not only will she not need to make the usual expenditures that don't improve ROI on the cost of the meeting, she can eliminate the last night's hotel bill as well.
By just replacing the non-ROI generating activities and events, you have already increased the value of the meeting. Your client will be grateful for that for a long time. And happy, satisfied clients translate to more meeting planning business for you in the future. So, it pays to find every way to cut out unnecessary expenses and increase meeting ROI for your clients.
Explode meeting ROI with a cruise event. Cruising offers a savings of as much as 40% of the cost of hotelvenues, since a cruise is all inclusive. Go to Seasite.com to use the state-of-the-art cruise meeting planner, and make your next company event a cruise event!
Tags: Amp, Better Chance, Blowing Off Steam, Conferences, Cruis, Cruise, Evening Entertainment, Events Planners, Expenditures, Hotel Bill, Kinks, Long Time, Luxury Accommodations, Meeting Planners, Meeting Planning, Meeting Rooms, Quot, Roi, Spa, Team Building Exercises, Unnecessary Expenses, Welcome Reception, Working Lunch
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