Incentive travel has proven to be a very important and cost effective way to motivate entire groups of people, but many people have shied away from incentive cruises because of the perception that cruises are simply too expensive. If this sounds like you then go grab an accountant and crunch some numbers and you will probably find that it is almost impossible to beat a cruise once everything is considered properly. Here’s what you need to look at:
• Cruises are generally all-inclusive, a fact that means less time is spent planning. How many hours of company time can be saved by not planning everything? Add them up and add them to the scales of financial feasibility.
• A cruise gives people the chance to relax 24/7 from the time they arrive until the time they depart. Put a dollar value on the relaxation factor and add that to the equation.
• Since cruises are almost uniformly all inclusive, there is no risk of issuing a company credit card nor is there a problem to be had when the recipient(s) discover that they should have brought cash along with them and feel that the ‘gift’ is now costing them money.
• The value attached to an employee, partner, supplier, or other person that is singing your praises to their colleagues versus the cost of advertising to those people in the same manner. Nothing beats word of mouth advertising for a reason, and cruise incentives are extremely cost effective even if only measured in this one way.

Any company that is reviewing its incentives and bonuses needs to keep an eye on the bottom line while simultaneously trying to find the best value possible for their spending dollar. It is simply a question of economics, but that does not necessarily mean that an affordable trip to Nebraska is going to seem attractive. A cruise on the other hand is almost always a great travel option worth considering and can be surprisingly affordable. Here’s why cruise travel should be on the incentive plan of any company with travel incentive options:

• Incentive cruises are all inclusive, meaning that they are incredibly easy to budget.
• All inclusive means no need to give spending money and collect receipts or give out a prepaid company credit card.
• Cruises are almost universally considered to be enjoyable which probably explains why they have been around for so long.
• Cruises can change the recipient(s) perceptions of the company dramatically, and not in the same way that a ‘fun’ vacation to Nebraska might do the same. A partner might become more amenable to agreements, an employee more loyal, a supplier more reliable, and so on.
• Regardless of the outcome of a cruise, the recipient is likely to sing the praises of the company to any and all that will hear. Nothing beats good word of mouth, nothing.

Incentive travel can be quite successful for companies if it is used and planned responsibly. One of the greatest misconceptions about incentive travel is that it is used to reward “good” work. Fortunately, most competent and conscientious adults do not require incentives to simply do their job and do it well. Incentives, if used properly, can induce more than good work in employees. It can actually foster new behavior, which can help a company rise above and beyond their current levels of productivity. Of course, travel incentives must be something in which employees will be interested, and that is why companies should consider cruise events as travel incentives.

A ship charter can provide a completely different environment that may be conducive to creative thinking. Instead of mulling over old ideas and rehashing failed plans, an incentive cruise may be just what employees need to get a fresh perspective. A fresh perspective can lead to the new behavior that companies need and cherish. Meetings at sea could open a world of possibilities as employees explore exotic destinations and escape the daily grind. Seeing the world with new eyes on an incentive cruise, employees may gain a sense of understanding they did not have beforehand.

Cruises have always had an air of luxury of extravagance, dating back to when the first cruise lines began to offer elegant vacation options, rather than simply providing seafaring voyages for transportation purposes. While most people still consider a cruise a luxury experience, present day cruises are actually quite cost-effective and convenient for incentive travel packages, meetings at sea, conferences and trade shows, and other corporate events.

Aside from the cost savings and easy of planning that cruises provide, here are ten additional advantages of choosing a cruise for your next event or travel award:

1. Cruises offer personalized, attentive service, which enhances participants’ experience.
2. Cruises offer inclusive packages that assist planners in sticking to the defined travel budget.
3. Cruises provide a fulfilling, exciting travel experience for employees at a variety of income levels.
4. This exciting travel option is highly motivating for staff and encourages increased performance.
5. The self-contained environment makes event planning easy and convenient.
6. Planners can offer their participants multiple destinations with no additional effort.
7. Sharing an exciting travel experience is ideal for teambuilding.
8. Cruises offer all of the luxuries of resort hotels with the added value of foreign destinations.
9. Entertainment options abound, providing participants with plenty of activity options that the planner does not have to organize.
10. A contained environment ensures that more attendees will show up to onboard meetings and events.