Hispanic Enterprise - October/November 2007 - (Page 23)

ost business meetings and sales incentive trips take place in hotels, resorts or convention centers. But for a little more adventure and a far better view than a windowless conference or banquet room can offer, why not cruise the Caribbean or Mediterranean, or see the spectacular Canadian Rockies or American West during your meeting instead? More companies and associations are taking to the seas and the rails, and enjoying it, experts say. Why? Cruise ship meeting or incentive trips tend to cost less than hotels or resorts of comparable quality because the ship cabins, meals, conference rooms and entertainment are in one all-inclusive price, say cruise industry experts and consultants. Ships come in different sizes, of course, from M The SilverWhisper The Seabourne * EXECUTIVE CRUISE TRAVEL, WHETHER FOR MEETINGS OR INCENTIVES, TENDS TO COST LESS THAN RESORT STAYS. Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas, the world’s biggest luxury cruise ship at 160,000 tons, to small deluxe cruise lines like Silversea Cruises, SeaDream Yacht Club, Seabourn Cruise Line and Windstar Cruises, with suites for up to 200. There are even smaller lines, like American Safari Cruises, whose yachts with space for up to only 39 passengers cruise Mexico’s Sea of Cortes and Alaska’s Inside Passage. Prices range from the very high-end (Crystal Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises), to moderate (Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line) to budget (easyCruise, mainly for young people, from the same entrepreneur as easyJet, the budget airline). Cruises vary in length HISPANIC ENTERPRISE from a few days in the Caribbean to 10 days and longer in the Mediterranean or Scandinavia and Russia. Ships offer a host of different of experiences, from cooking classes on board with top chefs on Crystal Cruises to lectures with lifestyle experts such as Ted Allen, the food and wine expert from the NBC/Bravo TV show Queer Eve for the Straight Guy on Silversea. There’s golf aboard about threequarters of the ships that belong to the Cruise Lines International Association, such as Carnival and Princess Cruises, and surﬁng simulators and rock-climbing walls on Royal Caribbean. For privacy reasons, many companies or associations charter a yacht, a section of a ship, or even an entire cruise ship for their exclusive use. That way, participants can share conﬁdential information without fear of being overheard, and avoid bumping up against hundreds of vacationers and retirees. Groups that charter ships and yachts have the added advantage of being able to customize the 23 October/November 2007

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Hispanic Enterprise - October/November 2007

Hispanic Enterprise - October/November 2007 Contents BIZBUZZ: Business Briefs Trendsetters BIZTECH: Personally Digital BizLife - Travel: The Mobile Meeting Motoring: Is What You Drive, Who You Are? Q&A - Fact Tank for the Hispanic Population Hispanic Commerce Cover Story: Tiles with Style Success & Motivation: Grammy Whammy Finance: Talking Code Event: Masterminds NCLR Report - Improving your Triple Bottom Line Politics & Government: Keep on Truckin' Managing: Avoiding an Identity Crisis Franchising: Beyond the Brand Finance & Investing - Talking Money Movers & Shakers Regional Report - Louisiana, Louisiana Chamber Focus - On the Island of Enchantment

Hispanic Enterprise - October/November 2007

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