Corporate Boat Cruises Mix Business And Pleasure

By Adriana Noton

One industry that is gaining steam is the provider of corporate boat cruises. These smaller cruise lines and yacht leasing companies are attracting more business through better advertising, deluxe services, and fantastic rates. Encouragingly, more and more corporations are joining in the trend and booking mini-cruises for their employees and clientele.

If you research corporate boat cruises into any search engine and you will find dozens of companies vying for your business. Overall, they are pretty much the same with the exception of some pricing and a variation in the amenities offered. There are also companies who specialize in yacht rentals that may meet the same need. Most of the cruise and yacht companies are willing to negotiate a price should you have special needs or requests.

Corporations that normally utilize in-house facilities or hotel suites and conference rooms are now joining the cause. The main reason is that small cruise lines can now compete with hotel rates and in many ways, offer greater value. The amenities a cruise ship or yacht can offer are in most cases vastly superior to that of a hotel.

A great way to get top performance from your team is to offer an incentive. A full day or even a half-day on a Cruise ship or yacht will bring out the best in your sales force. The office Christmas party takes on a completely new meaning when everyone gets together on a small cruise boat and heads out to sea. There are so many applications and package ideas that they are too numerous to name.

Some cruise lines have an older and quainter fleet of vessels that are like floating museums restored to their original luster. Others sport modern ships over one hundred feet long and use up-to- date technology like GPS and satellite TV. Whether your tastes run from nostalgic or conventional, corporate boat cruises have something to offer everyone.

The cost of a small cruise ship compared to hotel facilities is close. The cruise ship is a few hundred dollars more but many of the extras that you would pay a hotel are included in the cruise package making it the better value. Just like hotels, pricing ranges from cruise company to cruise company. On average, $1.000 to $4.000 is about standard depending on the length of the cruise and the entertainment or dining package included.

Virtually every corporate boat cruise business has an event manager that you will speak with when inquiring. This person will guide you through the entire process from your first contact to the actual experience. These professional salespersons are highly trained and very good at making sure you get the most bang for your buck. They specialize in hospitality and corporate events right down to the details of what food is served, staffing, and destination planning.

Here are a few tips you may need when you book your first corporate boat cruises with business or pleasure in mind. Have all your eggs in one basket as this will limit the time and amount of calls in which you will have to be involved. Know your dates but be ready to be flexible. This may mean you will have to plan your corporate cruise well in advance of the initial call. Being prepared is the hardest part of booking a corporate cruise. Be prepared to have some fun as well. - 31514

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