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.

The entire business world has been turned upside down and it is consequently time to look at a lot of old ideas and question them. One misconception that many people have is that cruises are only for personal pleasure. Au contraire mon frère, cruise meetings are certainly in style these days. Consider the following reasons:

• Employees are jumping ship and starting their own firms more than ever. Why? Because the pressures of having to do more with less and no raise in sight is driving them to such acts. Would it hurt to schedule a business cruise meeting instead of a landlocked hotel meeting? The results could save employees.
• Businesses are having to do more with less, and cruise meetings are all about more for less. More unlimited food, more entertainment options, more meeting rooms with unparalleled views, and more unique situations in which to get the creative juices flowing, all for a price that may turn out to be substantially less than trying to replicate the same effects in hotels and convention centers.
• Suppliers and customers are also looking for the best deals, and a cruise meeting is a sort of concession for them that might keep contacts happy while they still pay the same price. It may all be a big tax write-off anyhow, so why not consider taking this particular ball and running with it?

We all know that plants assist in cleaning indoor air and are nice to look at, but can they really improve meetings in a way that is meaningful and worth the effort?

Plants can be used in both temporary and permanent meeting locations; however, using them at various venues requires meeting planners to transport the plants to different locations and to find a place to store and care for them when not in use. This is going to be too much of a hassle for most meeting planners who already have plenty to manage, but if you plan on-site meetings that are held in regularly used meeting rooms plants may be a viable option.

Aside from cleaning the air and creating a healthier environment, plants are also perfect for creating a more relaxed meeting venue and taking away some of the sterile feeling that is common among nondescript meeting spaces. Dull, drab meeting rooms with little décor and stale air drain the energy of attendees quickly and make for a very long meeting; however, by adding a few well-placed plants to the room, you can create a more welcoming environment that is more comfortable and energetic, which can lead to greater productivity. Plants are also inexpensive, which makes them a much more affordable option for livening up a room than more expensive options, such as new furnishings or artwork.

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 hotel venues, since a cruise is all inclusive.

An all inclusive cruise event can save you up to 40% compared to land based venues since so much is included. Meals, meeting rooms, A/V, coffee breaks, activities, entertainment and even room service are part of the all-inclusive cruise fare.

When planning meetings and events, the venue is often the first selection made in the planning process. Selecting the right venue that has the amenities and meeting rooms to meet your clients’ needs is paramount to a successful event and must be determined before other aspects of the meeting can be planned. Due to the importance of meeting venues to your event planning process, using the same venues on a regular basis and developing long-term relationships with your contacts at these meeting venues will make your job easier, will ensure that your client receives topnotch service and can save money.

When you use the same venues regularly you will become familiar with exactly what they offer, will know what to expect and will benefit from venue staff being able to anticipate your needs. You can also receive discounts for booking multiple meetings and may even get priority for popular dates. When you build relationships with meeting venue staff, you will also naturally begin to build relationships with local vendors and will likely get tips from the staff on which vendors provide exceptional service or great prices. When you can call a local caterer and tell them that you were referred by your contact at a local hotel with which they often do business, you are much more likely to get a great price and great service, making your job easier and helping you keep your clients happy.

Site-inspecitons are essential to planning a successful meeting.   Marriott.com offers a meeting planning checklist that is comprehensive and helpful,including site inspection.  Here are some things to consider when inspecting a site:

• Virtual tours – don't let distance hold you back.  Many venues offer virtual property tours.
• Guest rooms – try them out.  Ask to see the different categories of rooms to see the actual differences.
• Meeting rooms – How will your setup work? What is the distance from the meeting room to banquet facilities, restrooms and guest rooms. 
• Food and beverage – where is the banquet kitchen located?  What is the F&B minimum?
• Parking facilities – Is there adequate parking if your attendees are driving? Is it secure? What is the cost per day?
• Safety – Get a copy of the venue's safety plan.  Does it cover all your needs?
• Security – Are there in-room safes?  Do elevators require key access so that only registered guests can access the lodging floors?
• A/V - Do they offer the equipment and technology you need for your meeting and for your attendees?  What are the costs?

Do a detailed site inspection to avoid surprises.

Cruising can provide an excellent travel perspective to incentive winners.  An incentive cruise offers a variety of ships from which to choose, and luxury amenities such as spas, gourmet dining and sports facilities, in addition to meeting rooms.  

Planners will appreciate the pricing structure, as well.  Cruise meetings typically offer a savings of as much as 40 percent over land based hotel venues, since everything is included in one price.

Incentive travel buyers may choose one of three cruising options:

1. Full-ship charter – customization options are virtually unlimited with a full-ship charter.  Incentive buyers may charter a ship for groups of 50 to 1,000 or more people.  They can have the ship fly the company flag, select the itinerary (within certain limits), create their own shipboard agenda, and much more.
2. Half-ship charter – usually incentive planners will charter by deck or by cabin category.  They may also reserve a dining room or one seating exclusively for their group.
3. Groups – no customization options, a group cruise experience is similar to that of a hotel or resort incentive experience, but at as much as 40 percent less.

All inclusive pricing allows incentive buyers to get more for their budget on sea than on land, thanks to the all inclusive aspect of cruising. 

Seasite.com, the first online group cruise planning portal, allows planners capitalize on the value of cruise meetings and incentives. Cruising can slash the cost of land based venues by 25-40%, allowing planners to persevere with today’s shrinking budgets. Why not make your next corporate incentive event a meeting-at-sea ? Take a look at Seasite.com today!