Smooth Sailing
Business meetings ship out to sea.
Cruises aren't just for honeymooners anymore. As bigger boats hit the seas, more company meetings are setting sail.
Although the trend is still emerging, several lines confirm that business meetings are one of their most promising new markets. Orlando, Florida, cruise consultant Laura Bennett says while most get-togethers remain affinity groups like the Elk's Club, she's noticed an increase in smaller companies taking cruises en masse.
"Meeting on a ship can be more desirable," Bennett says. "It's great for team- and morale-building."
Cruise line officials list other benefits, too. Rich Steck of Royal Caribbean International says new ships are equipped with meeting and convention facilities offering the audiovisual equipment found in the best hotels.
Another plus: You can turn cruises into working vacations by allowing spouses and children to tag along. But don't worry, many ships offer kid's programs designed to keep Junior happy while his parents work--or play.
Christopher Elliott is a writer in Los Angeles and a columnist for "ABC News Online."
Contact Sources
Bennett & Co., (407) 425-6040, prfirmfl@aol.com
Royal Caribbean International, 1050 Caribbean Wy., Miami, FL 33132, http://www.rccl.com
Entrepreneur Editors' Picks
-
James Dyson Created 5,127 Versions of a Product That Failed Before Finally Succeeding. His Tenacity Reveals a Secret of Entrepreneurship.
-
7 Meaningful Ways Your Business Can Honor Memorial Day
-
Breast Implants Left This Founder With Debilitating Symptoms, So She Launched an Intimate-Apparel Line That Goes Beyond Buzzwords
-
Kids in the Hall's Bruce McCulloch Says TikTok Is the New Punk Rock
-
'I Am Not a Diversity Quota,' Says the Founder Disrupting the Dessert Category
-
Memorial Day Is a Time for Remembrance, So What's With All the Mattress Sales?
-
Pharrell Williams, Contemporary Artist Nina Chanel Abney and Brand-Builder Shaun Neff Announce Launch of Game-Changing NFT Platform