Meetings at Sea

Cruises offer the best overall value for businesses planning an offsite meeting or designing a special event for their employees, partners or clients. Modern cruise ships also provide the perfect social environment for professional groups to mix and mingle. After meetings your group can dine together in a gourmet restaurant, gather by the pool for sun and fun, experience a Broadway show, and much more. Participants who want a break from company action can retreat to the spa, find privacy on a secluded balcony, or enjoy a book in a well-appointed alcove. Many companies encourage their employees' families to come too since there are plenty of activities to entertain the spouse and kids, including extensive youth programs run by trained counselors.

Benefits of Booking a Meeting at Sea

Groups often get the best overall value -- if you plan well in advance -- particularly when you factor in special group amenities like complimentary wine or champagne, chocolates, cocktail parties, shipboard credits, casino credits, spa services, and private gatherings. Cruise lines will also work to brand your company's event at every opportunity with items such as ice sculptures of your corporate logo. For full charters, cruise lines will even let you set your own itinerary! To take advantage of group benefits, you must book the entire group through our Group Department.

What's Included?

On a typical cruise your group will get:

• Stateroom accommodation
• Access to business facilities and meeting rooms
• Transportation to interesting ports
• Gourmet dining
• Vegas- or Broadway-style shows
• Discos, clubs, bars
• Pool, water sports
• Fitness center, exercise classes, spa
• Youth programs
• Movies (theater and in-room)

Business Facilities Onboard

• Large and small conference rooms with variable lighting and food & beverage services
• High-speed internet access
• Digital projectors
• Audio systems
• Showrooms for group presentations
• Informal gathering venues

The Planning Process

All successful meetings at sea require the involvement of a company travel manager. This professional is responsible for designing the meetings and events the company desires onboard and communicating booking details like the payment process, documentation requirements, and dining requests to all participants.

With My Cruise Fare, you will get a highly trained group specialist who will be your single point of contact for the planning and booking process. Your group specialist will even create a personalized webpage for your group where participants can get answers to questions about the cruise.

Onboard Host or Hostess

In many cases, My Cruise Fare will also provide an experienced host or hostess to accompany your group. From the beginning of your trip to the end, the host will assist with logistics such as air travel and transfers to and from the pier, facilitate meetings and activities including team building and entertaining group games, resolve issues that may arise on board, and generally serve as your advocate.

Tax Savings

Businesses may be able to write off meetings at sea as a business expense. We encourage you to verify this with your tax professional.