An incentive cruise can be an excellent way to reward top performers, motivate employees, and save money on travel costs. With typical land based meetings, companies will incur expenses for things such as accommodations, airfare, meals, entertainment, and meeting services. All of these expenses, when paid for separately, can be quite costly. Because company budgets may be more restricted now than they were in the past, incentive travel may not even be on a company's radar. However, it is very important that companies do not suspend incentive travel du to finances. A meeting planner can help companies plan incentive travel, such as a ship charter, that will be enjoyable and affordable.

There are many services that are typically included on an incentive cruise that make meetings at sea ideal. Inclusive services that make an incentive cruise unique include things such as: complimentary room services and in-room movies, round trip airfare and transfers, all meals including snacks and a midnight buffet, production shows, cocktail receptions, and other types of special shows. Cruise shops also provide things such as basic audio/visual equipment, computer equipment, and choice of meeting rooms that may include theater seating as well as light and sound. Meeting planners can assist companies with incentive travel such as ship charters.

It is no secret that cruise ships are ideal for hosting meetings and conferences. They offer a number of benefits, including all-inclusive pricing, significant cost savings over land-based events, built-in entertainment and stellar meeting facilities. With the recent growth in popularity of river cruises, meeting planners are now beginning to contemplate the feasibility of holding meetings on these smaller vessels that cruise the rivers of North America, South America and Europe. On one hand, river cruise meetings they offer an appealing option that provides a more intimate setting, a unique experience and that much-coveted, all-inclusive pricing, but on the other hand, can they provide the amenities and meeting space required for your event?

River barges and boats, by their nature, are much smaller vessels and are a far cry from the floating city atmosphere of oceangoing vessels. Intimate settings for meals, which are often prepared by and eaten with the captain or the captain’s spouse, limited onboard activities and services, and minimal free space are all characteristics of river cruising. Because of this, planning business meetings to take place during a river cruise will take some research and planning. If you are opting for a larger paddlewheel riverboat cruising a river in the South, you will likely find that holding onboard meetings is a viable option; however, some of the smaller river barges that cruise the rivers of Europe may not have the space available to hold a meeting for more than just a handful of people – and will almost certainly have no audio-visual equipment.

If you are determined to host your next business meeting on a boat, a full-size, oceangoing cruise ship will always be your best bet, but with a little planning and preparation, a river cruise is also possible when planning smaller meetings and events.

Hosting a business meeting on a cruise ship not only ensures stellar attendance, it also can make your job as a meeting planner simple and convenient. At the same time, your company or client can enjoy cost-savings of up to 40% over a land-based event at a resort hotel. Cruise ships are now well-equipped to handle meetings at sea and will be standing at the ready with group discounts, business meeting packages and everything you need for a successful meeting when you contact them.

Part of the simplicity of holding business meetings at sea is that the accommodations, entertainment, meals, meeting venues, audio-visual equipment and décor are all included for one upfront price and can all be arranged without having to contact multiple vendors and negotiate multiple contracts. Opting for a cruise ship meeting allows you to choose from a wide array of possible destinations, as well as offering you the opportunity to select the cruise length that will best suit your event budget and planning needs. Depending on the size of your group, you may also be able to choose a half or full ship charter, which allows for a more personalized experience.

If conducting your next business meeting on a cruise ship sounds appealing, visit Seasite.com to learn everything you need to know about hosting meetings at sea and to take advantage of convenient group cruise planning tools.

If the next meeting you are planning is going to be held in the Seattle or Redmond Washington area, think about selecting an entirely new sort of venue. Everyone has been to a convention center, a hotel meeting room, and a rented hall multiple times. Increase the buzz level about your next project by booking the meeting into a movie theater. Big Pictures can host your small or mid-sized groups, allowing them to walk the red carpet to your event in a style that is anything but meeting generic.

Plush, comfy couches, state of the art audio-visual equipment, and a sound theater that puts to shame the squeaky feedback of convention center microphones are only part of the package Big Picture offers. Your guests will have the entire theater to themselves and themed events are easily accommodated. When attendees are relaxed and comfortable, they feel more creative and energized.

A theater setting offers new possibilities for meeting entertainment. Big Pictures offers catering and provides cocktails. Imagine relaxing into the TempuPedic theater seats with a cocktail and a bucket of white cheddar Champagne popcorn and enjoying a private movie screening or musical event. Book your next meeting with Big Picture and your clients will remember you as a star.