When group cruise planning, a bigger cruise ship is not always better. While larger ships can be extremely advantageous, for some groups a more intimate setting on a smaller charter ship is preferable. Even though some charter ships may be smaller, these ships still feel spacious and very accommodating. By choosing a smaller ship for an incentive cruise, businesses can create a more personalized experience for cruise event participants. Smaller charter ships still offer amenities such as sizable conference rooms, fitness facilities, lounges, panoramic ocean views, and spas. By choosing a smaller ship for an incentive cruise, participants will not miss a thing.

One of the most significant advantages of smaller charter ships is their ability to dock in destinations that are not oft-visited. In many cases, these ships can dock in exotic destinations not available to larger cruise ships. Cruise event participants may be greatly motivated by corporate travel that is out of the ordinary. Visiting exotic destinations on a ship charter that feels intimate but roomy will likely be high on the list of participants' preferences. While this type of cruise may seem like it would be more expensive than a larger cruise ship or land venue, businesses may be surprised at their affordability.

If you have seen one hotel, you have practically seen them all. While hotels can be quite beautiful and offer fine dining experiences, there is nothing all that unique about staying in a hotel. For this reason, employees may not be genuinely motivated by incentive travel if the destination is a hotel in a large city. However, a floating hotel is a different thing altogether. Instead of choosing a land venue for a business meeting, consider holding the meeting on a cruise ship. The cruise ship or floating hotel is an excellent venue for meetings at sea and can offer choice business amenities and services.

A ship charter can offer companies and organizations significant savings and provide employees with a break from the everyday norm. Individuals can choose to stay in a hotel room any time they like; however, staying aboard a cruise ship is not an every occurrence. A group cruise planner can make an incentive cruise easy and affordable for a business. A cruise meeting on a floating hotel may be just the things employees need to experience a burst of creativity and innovation. Inspired by majestic, beautiful, natural surroundings, a cruise event on a floating hotel can be profitable for everyone involved.

While we would all like to believe that if you plan it they will come, that is not always the case with corporate events and meetings. Employees and executives have so many meetings and events to attend in any given week that it can sometimes take a little extra effort to ensure that they will show up at yours. Fortunately, there are several simple ways to increase the appeal of your corporate events and business meetings, which will increase attendance and show your client or boss that you know what it takes to deliver the results they need.

Here are five tried and true ways to increase attendance at corporate meetings and events:

1. Invite an enticing guest speaker. Whether it is a trendy guru or a respected leader in your field, adding an enticing guest speaker to the line-up will significantly enhance your event’s appeal.
2. Choose an appealing venue. Folks grow tired of going to the same venue for meetings and events repeatedly. Switch things up by opting for a museum, theme park or cruise ship to increase interest.
3. Serve alcohol. While you might not want to serve alcohol during the annual stakeholders’ meeting, you can certainly arrange for a cocktail social afterwards. Alcohol always seems to increase the appeal of any event.
4. Arrange exciting entertainment options. People love to be entertained, which makes this an easy way to get folks interested in attending your event.
5. Stay in touch prior to the event and ask for confirmations. Send out regular reminders and updates as the date approaches to keep your invitees interested and involved. And, do not be afraid to ask them to confirm their attendance prior to the event.

When we think of cruise ships in the corporate meeting and event planning world, we usually think of business meetings at sea, conferences held while traveling up the coast or incentive cruises that stop in multiple ports. However, we often overlook the many benefits of using cruise ships for stationary events – as floating hotels, which allows you to take advantage of simple, convenient event planning and reap the money-saving benefits of hosting your event on a ship without ever leaving port.

Whether you are looking for accommodations for out of town participants, a large venue for a conference or trade show, or several smaller meeting spaces for an executive retreat, employee training or award ceremony, you may want to consider a cruise ship venue. Just as you would when planning an event at sea, this allows you to take advantage of one upfront cost and easy planning for catering, equipment, décor, meeting spaces and, if needed, accommodation. Hosting a meeting or event on a docked cruise ship can be particularly cost-effective if your company or client is headquartered in a port city. Attendees can then be responsible for their own transportation to and from the venue and the need for arranging lodgings will be minimal.

Hosting your next meeting or event on a cruise ship in port will add a unique appeal for attendees and can result in significant cost savings for your client or company.

You are a corporate event planner that is darn good at your job and can put together a topnotch conference, team-building experience, executive retreat or upscale gala with one hand tied behind your back. But, what do you do when one of your best clients suddenly asks you to plan his wedding and you have no experience or connections in this niche? Before you start to panic, take a moment to consider the connections you already have and how you can use your corporate event and travel planning skills to plan a wedding that will impress your client and go off without a hitch.

The thought of finding an appropriate venue for the ceremony and reception, ordering floral arrangements, planning a menu, finding a wedding DJ and reserving accommodations for all of his out of town guests may not seem like a simple task, but with one simple decision you can make wedding planning a breeze, even if you have never planned this type of occasion before now.

By convincing your client that a luxury cruise is the answer to his wedding planning needs, you will slide right back into your comfort zone and will be well on your way to successfully including wedding planning into your current skill set. A cruise wedding is a convenient way to take care of catering, venues, accommodation, entertainment, flowers and décor in one simple step, and is a luxury option that will truly impress your client and make him think you put endless hours into getting everything just right.

To make your wedding cruise planning even easier, visit Seasite.com and use the convenient group cruise planning tools available. You just might find that it is time to add wedding planning to your list of offerings.

Whether your corporate event lasts for two days or two weeks, there are bound to be certain points where participants begin to get edgy, stress begins to take its toll, or energy and attention begin to wane. Even in the most interesting meetings this can happen, which can lead to lower productivity and decreased satisfaction among attendees. This is why savvy corporate meeting and event planners have begun to include spa treatments in their event schedules. These luxury extras are an excellent addition to meetings and a great way to perk up attendees, relieve stress and prepare them for a few more hours at the table.

This growing trend is particularly popular at resort hotels that house spas on the premises, which also makes the inclusion of spa treatments much easier to organize. When the equipment and staff necessary to conduct spa treatments is already in place, only minimal planning is required to provide this added luxury to your event. Popular options for spa treatments during meeting breaks include chair massages, foot massages, head massages and mini, instructor-led yoga sessions and stretching breaks.

If your venue does not have an in-house spa, you can still incorporate spa treatments into your event with ease by finding a local, mobile team of spa service providers or contracting with a local spa that can send over staff and equipment.

You do not have to make every meal a stylishly themed function when planning your next corporate meeting or incentive travel package, but there should always be at least one fun food function, and possibly more. Of course, creating a memorable meal takes more time, effort and money, but it is well worth it to ensure that your attendees will be talking about your event for months or years to come.

Even if you are working with a slim budget, or have many other planning components that require your focus, you can plan a themed function with ease and for less by working with your venue using these three tips:

1.  Ask the venue about special arrangements of relationships they may have with local entertainment options. This may result in a lower cost and will make ease the booking process.
2. Inquire about what the venue has on hand in regards to event logistics. For example, if they have tables, chairs, linens and A/V equipment you may be able to negotiate use of these items into your contract, or add it for only a small additional expense. 
3. If you are planning your event at a theme hotel or a venue in a popular destination, they will likely have event décor on hand that matches their theme or is typical of the location. For example, you can be fairly certain that a tropical-themed hotel in Hawaii has luau décor.

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.

Success is often in the small details. What things do you make note of when you visit a location as a potential corporate meeting place? Before you go onsite, evaluate your client’s needs, size of the group, and any special needs that need to be addressed.

Make your appointment for the site inspection and make notes about everything. Have a site inspection checklist ready with important points you want to observe or cover in the evaluation of the venue. Here are a few examples:

• the overall condition of the facility- What is your first impression?
• carpets – Are they in good condition and clean?
• furniture – Is it shabby, worn, or does it smell of cigarettes?
• conference rooms – What is the feel of the room? Is it big enough to suite your client’s needs? Don’t forget to look up; lighting can be critical.
• rooms – Ask to see the best and worst rooms available. Make sure your client isn’t booked into one of the worst rooms. Check the room out thoroughly and don’t forget to check out the bathroom. Turn on the shower and note the water pressure.

Other points such as wireless Internet, teleconferencing capabilities, and audio visual needs will also be covered in the inspection in addition to overall cost.