Meeting rooms can be configured to your specifications with free AV equipment provided.
The fresh and extraordinary environment onboard a cruise ship, coupled with the mystique of the ocean, frees people from the mindset of their day-to-day grind and empowers them to bond, to learn, and to feel inspired.
The incredible flexibility of the facilities onboard today's cruise ships, and the group-friendly business practices of the cruise lines, mean that any type of group can set sail to success:
- Group sizes can range from 16 passengers to more than 3,000.
- Seminar groups can dazzle their invitees with a seminar at sea.
- Corporate executives can strategize in privacy and without interruption.
- Sales departments can host their annual "president's club" trip, or arrange individual incentive cruises, for top performers
- Marketing departments can hold customer or business partner educational and advisory board meetings.
- Any group looking for an exceptional environment, with all of the necessities one would expect, can break out of the ordinary by holding their meeting at sea.
All the Facilities You Need
You may be surprised to discover what's available onboard today's cruise ships to make your event an incredible success:
- Showrooms suitable for everything from large lectures to full-scale production shows
- Dedicated conference centers that can be set aside for your group for the duration of the cruise
- Trade show halls suitable for setting up standard 10x10 booths
- Breakout meeting rooms with built-in AV
- Satellite-based high-speed Internet access for as little as 20 cents per minute
And don't be held back by common misperceptions about cruising:
- Cruise lines are not all the same. Whether your group prefers an action-packed Las Vegas-style atmosphere, or a formal Four Seasons style experience, our specialists can suggest a ship to match.
- Cruising is not just from Florida. Although a Florida departure may be a perfect choice for you, cruises now depart from about 150 cities worldwide, including more than 25 in the US alone from New York to San Francisco.
- Cruising is not regimented. Years ago cruise lines realized that passengers want options. Take dining as just one example...today's ships may have 10 different dining venues--from sushi bars to tapas to New York-style steakhouses.
The Most Cost-Effective Choice
Another well-kept secret is the cost effectiveness of a meeting at sea, generally significantly less expensive than a comparable resort vacation:
- Meeting, convention, and breakout space is free
- Standard AV equipment is free (microphones, sound systems, video/computer projectors) unless you're putting on a large production event
- Food served in the standard dining rooms is free
- Private receptions are usually free
- The cruise fare includes not only the stateroom, but also dining except for premium items, a variety of live entertainment (such as, depending on the ship, Broadway-style shows, singers, dancers, acrobats, pianists, jazz and other live bands), a huge variety of onboard activities from the sedate (bingo, art auctions, outdoor "drive in" movie screenings) to the sporting (volleyball, basketball, ice skating, fitness facilities) and the hair-raising (rock climbing, bungee trampolining).
- Literally hundreds of excellent trips, 3 nights and up, are available starting at less than $80 per person, per night, double occupancy, including taxes and fees.
For the ultimate in control and prestige, full-ship charters can be arranged for group sizes starting at about 70 double-occupancy rooms, up to 1,750 rooms. You'll be able to dictate just about everything about the onboard activities, and even--within certain parameters--the itinerary.
Get the Holland America Cruise Superstore Advantage
We're your cruising Destination Management Company. Our goals are simple: for your group cruise to be an unqualified success and to make you, the professional meeting planner or group organizer, look like a superstar. How we're ready to help:
- Ship selection. Our proprietary database of cruise itineraries and current cruise pricing includes virtually every sailing, for every ship and cabin type, for every major cruise line. We can narrow down your choices rapidly to a few options that will fit the needs and personality of your group. Because we work with all the major cruise lines, our advice to you will be unbiased.
- Contract negotiation. We'll help get the best pricing, terms, and value-added amenities, from the cruise lines.
- Seamless planning. You'll work with a group cruise expert from start to finish. For larger groups you'll have direct access to our customized internal project management system so you can see the status of every aspect of your group at each step of the way.
- Promotional assistance. If your large group requires promotion, such as an invitational seminar at sea, we can assist with generating targeted media lists for press release distribution and the creation of other promotional materials.
- Online booking. If your group would benefit from it, we can provide customized Web pages for your group, plus online booking. This can be a major time-saver for the group organizers.
- Free added value. We want each of your group members to find the activities most enjoyable to them at each port of call, so we provide your group a detailed Port Insider's Guide, customized just for your trip.
- Port contacts. Would you prefer private experiences or tours in ports of call? We have the contacts to arrange them.
- Top-level access. As a large seller of cruises, we have executive access at the cruise lines to get things done, and solve problems, that would be impossible for others.
- Reliable. Major media outlets, from USA Today to the Wall Street Journal to CNBC-TV, have relied on us for our cruise expertise. We have an unblemished record with the Better Business Bureau's stringent Online Reliability Program. Finally, we are one of only 25 cruise sellers in the country nominated to the advisory board to the cruise industry itself.
Get Started Today!
We want to be very easy for you to work with. We're happy to consult with you whether you're interested in brainstorming about a possible future group, or if you have already have a firm group that needs to be locked in now. Please contact us, or email groups@surecruise.com with as much of the following information as is available, and one of our cruise group experts will contact you promptly for a free, no-obligation introductory consultation:
- Your contact information and a convenient time for a group specialist to contact you
- The type of your group and its estimated size, if known
- The length of the trip you prefer, the date range, and in what region, if known
And Keep Informed
Also consider joining our group organizer email newsletter just for prospective group cruise organizers like yourself. It explains all the ins and outs of group cruising, and includes occasional promotional offers that apply only to group bookings. Click here to join!
Two-level showrooms can accommodate full-scale productions.
Setting sail facilitates open-minded thinking and learning.
Space for trade-show-style exhibits can be made available.
You'll have access to breakout space from large meeting rooms, to executive boardrooms.
Dedicated conference centers are available to provide the state-of-the art facilities you need.