Special Report on Cruise Meetings
All Aboard: Southern Cruise Ports Deliver Meetings By Sea
As an independent meeting planner based in South Florida’s Boca Raton, there’s one thing that Dan Meister, CMP, president of Meister Meeting Services Inc., can assertively say he’s an expert on, and that’s cruise-based meetings. “We have planned several incentives on cruise ships with positive experiences,” Meister said. “Because of the inclusive pricing, great destinations and entertainment, cruises represent one of the best values and can really help stretch an organization’s travel dollar.”
The attraction to cruise travel is fueling a growth in the cruise industry, according to the Cruise Lines International Association, which recently reported that there’s been a heightened interest in cruise vacations revealed in the record number of ships—100—that have or will enter service between 2000 and 2010. Furthermore, cruise lines are enhancing their meeting services to respond to this growth.
Celebrity Cruises in Miami is leading the way in enticing planners to hold meetings at sea. Through its new Corporate Amenities Selection program (CAS), planners can select from an array of amenities for meeting attendees. “No other cruise line has packages that differentiate corporate groups from affinity or promotional groups,” said Ron Gulaskey, director of corporate sales and charters. Just launched is the cruise line’s e-newsletter, which will help meeting/incentive planners stay informed about Celebrity’s group-based offerings.
| South’s Waters Bounty With Day Cruises
For more intimate, short-termed cruise meetings, the South offers a variety of lake, river and bay-based cruises. Here’s some to check out: - Capital Cruises in Austin, Texas, offers private dinners, parties and meetings cruises as well as land based corporate group outings and picnics, bat watching tours, and team building exercises and rents smaller boats to individuals.
- Cabana Club in Pensacola Beach, Fla., a waterfront banquet facility, provides beach marina cruises tailored to each event.
- Yacht Starship Dining Cruises in Tampa, Fla., is able to host corporate parties, group functions, weddings and special events.
- Grampa Woo in Mobile, Ala., seats 65, can be boarded directly from the Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center, and offers dinner and reception cruises.
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Royal Caribbean International, with its new Miami-based ship Freedom of the Seas, has been recognized as a leader in cruise meetings business. National Business Travel Association (NBTA) Executive Director and COO Bill Connors, CTC, said, “Royal Caribbean has been on the cutting edge in the cruise industry in terms of wanting to engage corporate travel managers and planners. Their new ships are clearly designed with group and conference business in mind.”
Disney Cruise Line in Port Canaveral, Fla., has announced plans to add two new ocean liners to its fleet, which are scheduled to launch in 2011 and 2012, according to Anne Hamilton, vice president, resort sales and services for Walt Disney World Resort and Disney Cruise Line. These new additions will more than double the line’s passenger capacity, meeting the demand for Disney’s growth in meetings business aboard its cruise line, Hamilton said. “We’ve consistently seen a broad range of bookings, from meetings, incentives and full-ship charters to the full spectrum of leisure group programs. We’ve even hosted international trade shows aboard the Disney Wonder. And, Disney cruise ships are very popular for weddings and family reunions.”
Carnival Cruise Lines, which offers ships throughout the South’s ports, has expanded its “Preferred Awards” program, which enables businesses to purchase the cruise line’s all-inclusive cruise certificates to reward top employees and encourage customer sales. Also, the company now has a website dedicated exclusively to meeting planners, www.carnivalmeetings.com. Director of Corporate and Incentive Sales Lori Cassidy said, “With our purposely built meeting facilities aboard our new vessels along with our desire and willingness to be flexible to accommodate the needs of meeting planners and meetings at sea, we are seeing a marked growth in our meetings business.”
South’s Cruise Ports Stay Active
Although many of the large cruise lines’ headquarters are located in Miami, there are many cruise ports situated across the South.
- Jacksonville, Fla., offers year-round cruises aboard Carnival Cruise Lines’ Celebration from the JAXPORT Cruise Terminal. Passengers can choose from four-day cruises to Freeport and Nassau or five-day cruises to Key West and Nassau, according to port officials.
- Along with being the homeport for Disney’s cruise ships, Florida’s Port Canaveral offers cruises aboard four Carnival ships and three Royal Caribbean ships.
- In April, Norfolk, Va., will open the Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center, a facility that will offer more than 35,000 square feet of high-end event space, according to Stephen Kirkland, manager of cruise operations and marketing for Cruise Norfolk. “Once the Half Moone is opened, we certainly anticipate closely coordinating with the cruise lines’ groups and meetings departments. We often have large meeting groups between 350 to 500 people booked onboard ships leaving from Norfolk.” Norfolk offers cruises aboard Royal Caribbean International’s Empress of the Seas and Carnival Cruise Lines’ Carnival Victory.
Charleston, S.C., offers cruises aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Majesty and Carnival Cruise Lines’ Carnival Victory, according to Suzanne Wallace, director of sales for the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB). Wallace reported that there is much wedding and reunion business being booked aboard both cruise ships as well as corporate/incentive meetings groups.
- The recent recipient of Porthole Cruise Magazine’s Editor-in-chief Award for Best Comeback Port, New Orleans is making waves in the cruise industry, according to Erica Papillion, communications coordinator for the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB). In October 2006, the port opened the $37 million Erato Street Cruise Terminal and Parking Garage, home to Carnival Cruise Lines’ Fantasy, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Sun and Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas.
- Porthole Cruise Magazine honored another Southern cruise port in its February issue, naming Mobile, Ala., the Best New Homeport, said Bill Panoff, publisher and editor-in-chief. “Because of its beauty, history, attractions and location, there’s no doubt that Mobile will continue to attract the cruise lines and their passengers.” The port is home to Carnival Cruise Lines’ Holiday.
- Galveston, Texas offers cruises aboard Carnival Cruise Lines’ Ecstasy and Conquest, Princess Cruises’ Grand Princess, and Royal Caribbean International’s Rhapsody of the Seas. Royal Caribbean International’s Voyager of the Seas will begin offering cruises this December through April 2008. Melody Smith, director of tourism for the Galveston Island Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), said, “Weddings tend to be the most common groups booked on the cruise ships, but we have seen an increase in incentive group bookings as well.” Steven Cernak, port director, remarked that the port is constantly expanding its cruise terminal facilities to boost group bookings.
Before You Book
Despite the many enticements for holding cruise meetings, there are several reasons for carefully researching before deciding to plan your meeting at sea. Laurie Winkelmann, director of meetings at Jaguar Meeting Management, said, “ I think a meeting on a cruise ship would be great, yet I’ve never done it because of an inner ear illness one can get from going on a cruise called Mal de debarquement (MdDS), which creates a real equilibrium problem after you finish the cruise.” Wikipedia.com describes MdDS as a rare condition usually occurring after a cruise, airplane flight, or other motion event with symptoms that include a persistent sensation of motion and other symptoms.
Another ailment issue to address is seasickness. Nancy L. Bull, executive assistant/meeting and event planner for NCB (formerly National Cooperative Bank), described her dilemma at sea. “My sister and I were on the lower level of the ship, and the waters were rough. The first morning we both woke up extremely ill as we didn’t use our Dramamine (over-the-counter motion sickness medicine) before retiring and, of course, it was then too late. We didn’t begin to feel better until the third day at sea.”
Besides certain medical issues, Kelli J. Cottrill, event planning manager for West Virginia’s Stonewall Resort, reminds planners to consider the weather when booking a cruise. “Meetings aboard cruises are weather sensitive. If it’s bad weather, this can alter the success of a cruise event.” Typically, rates for cruises are reduced during hurricane season because of the increased threat of severe weather in the tropics.
Meister recommended, “Meetings and events have to be scheduled around days at sea since participants don't want to be stuck in a meeting room when everyone else is in port touring around.”
