On The Cover - February 2007

Carnival Cruise Lines’ Las Vegas-style extravaganzas keep attendees clamoring for more. Photo courtesy of Carnival Cruise Lines

There must be something in the water. More and more travelers are finding the thought of taking a cruise simply irresistible, and here’s proof. According to the Cruise Lines International Association, the industry is poised for record growth. Seven new ships were launched in 2006, and nine more are expected to make their debut this year.

This growth is good news for planners because it means there are now even more options for holding successful meetings and incentive programs at sea. Not only are cruise accommodations getting more and more luxurious, but the number of amenities and activities seems to expand with the christening of each new ship. And thanks to enhanced technology, even ship-to-shore communications are better than ever. That means attendees will be more likely to “get on board” with the program because they won’t have to leave their beloved laptops, cell phones and Blackberries behind.

Selecting The Right Cruise
With more than 150 vessels and a wide range of ship capacities, price points and itineraries to choose from, selecting the right cruise for a program can require some pretty skillful navigating. Even planners who have countless years of experience planning land-based programs may not know all of the right questions to ask. At times like this, it pays to turn to an expert for advice.

Shari Wallack is president of Buy The Sea, a Plantation, FL-based cruise brokerage firm that specializes in the meetings and incentive industry. “The push for cruises is really coming from the people who win incentives,” she explained. “A lot of times, the corporation will send out a survey asking ‘What do you want to do next?’ People keep requesting cruises. With the newer ships coming out with more meeting space, with better technology, with Blackberry capacity and cell phone access, it’s becoming more and more popular not just for incentives, but even for meetings.”

Wallack’s mission as a cruise broker is to match the right ship to the clients’ needs. “We are not paid a retainer, so we can remain completely unbiased, only bringing RFPs to a cruise line when the client’s needs match their products,” she explained. “We do not cost the client money. We get paid by the cruise line. They recognize that we are like an extension of their sales force. In most cases, the rates we provide are the same rates the client would get by calling the cruise lines directly.”

When the chips are down on a Princess Cruise, it’s a good thing — attendees enjoy Las Vegas-style fun onboard playing Blackjack. Princess Casinos offer the full complement of table games, slots and even bingo to entertain beginners to experts. Photo courtesy of Princess Cruises

“It’s a good partnership,” said Elena Rodriguez, CITE, director of incentive and charter sales for Princess Cruises. “For us, the business that comes from cruise brokers is business that we wouldn’t normally get through other avenues.”

“We match the product to the client,” Wallack stated. “I save the client time and aggravation. We see or sail each cruise product on a regular basis, allowing us to give up-to-date information on the condition of the vessels, their service levels, food quality and entertainment. We also have very strong relationships with all departments at the cruise lines and know what can and what cannot be negotiated on a client’s behalf. Being based in Fort Lauderdale allows us to meet with both ship and office personnel at most of the major lines when issues arise that need immediate attention.”

Lynn Averill, second vice president of travel and conferences for National Life Group in Montpelier, VT, met Wallack several years ago. “She kept in contact with me and sent me marketing materials to whet my appetite,” she explained. “I felt strongly that at some point we would have to seriously consider a cruise for our top producers…mainly to recommend an exciting incentive destination, as we had used many of the top resorts in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. I liked the idea that the cost was inclusive of F&B, and was working with Shari to educate her on the profiles of our groups so she would be in a better position to recommend the right ship.”

Expert Advice
Timing was everything. “It just happened that she e-mailed me about the first all-suites/all-balconies ship being built (Seven Seas Mariner) and when I looked at the pricing, it was the right time to make the recommendation to management. We chartered the ship twice,” Averill explained.

She shared another example of how Wallack’s expertise as a cruise broker has helped her. “Shari has been working with me on a top incentive for 2008. All of the vessels we were looking at had the itinerary we liked, however, pricing was higher than we could afford. Next thing I know, we have a charter opportunity on a vessel I had never heard of, with a fantastic itinerary and more affordable than the others, so we are seriously considering it,” she stated.

After enjoying the advantages of working with a cruise broker, Averill won’t have it any other way. “I always work with Shari because she has the expertise of dealing with the cruise lines, plus she knows what’s available. I let her do the work!”

The Viking River Cruise Line’s 75-cabin Viking Pride, built in 2001, cruises at a speed of nearly 14 mph down Germany’s Rhine River during the Grand European Tour. Photo courtesy of Viking River Cruises

Gimmicks
“Most corporate and incentive buyers know the difference between a Marriott, a Hyatt, a Westin, a Ritz or a Four Seasons,” Wallack explained. “Just like hotel companies, cruise lines are all very different from each other. However, if a client only does a few cruise programs a year, they may not be as familiar with the specialties of each product.

“Every cruise line has a gimmick, something that keeps their clients coming back over and over again,” she continued. “With Carnival, it’s fun and entertainment. With Royal Caribbean, it’s adventure, action and out-of-the-box experiences. With Celebrity, it is elegance, sophistication and cuisine. With Princess and NCL, it’s freedom to make choices without set dining times or dress codes. Holland America took the whole ‘Westin Heavenly Bed’ concept to a whole new level onboard their cruise ships, including many more creature comforts in their cabins.

Norwegian Cruise Lines’ newly launched Norwegian Pearl offers adventuresome attendees a 30-foot rock climbing wall, an industry-first four-lane bowling alley, basketball, volleyball and tennis courts, golf driving nets and a jogging track. Photo courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Lines

“And then, of course, you have the entire luxury line of cruise products with Crystal Cruises, Silversea Cruises, The Yachts of Seabourn, Regent Seven Seas Cruises and SeaDream Yacht Club,” she added. “Each of those has its own special niche. They are all high-end, but that does not mean they are all alike. There is another group of boutique products that don’t fit any particular category. Ships in the Disney Cruise Line, Star Clippers Cruises, Windstar Cruise Line, Viking River Cruises and Peter Deilmann Cruises are especially unique and not well understood.”

Viking River Cruises specializes in all-inclusive tours of the great rivers of Europe, Russia and China. Peter Deilmann Cruises also offers European river cruises. One of its ships, the five-star Cezanne, features an intimate setting with just 50 cabins and original artwork throughout as well as a ratio of one crew member for every 2.5 passengers, the highest of any river cruise. And anyone who thinks that Disney Cruise Line only caters to the family market, may be surprised to discover that there’s a complete conference center and dedicated convention services manager on board.

“I think the most important thing is that companies need to follow the same thought process as when they pick hotels — by brand experience wanted,” said Ron Gulaskey, director, corporate sales and charters for Celebrity Cruises.

Matching Expectations
“Cruises should be bought from macro to micro,” said Michael J. Hurwitz, CITE, president of United Incentives Inc. in Philadelphia, PA. “When you take the giant world of cruises, I would suggest beginning with the destination and then match the product up to the expectations of the group and the socioeconomics, the demographics and the lifestyle of the group.”

He shared a few examples. “A three-night cruise out of South Florida could be very alluring to one group of people and have no motivation to another,” he continued. “By the same token, an eight-night cruise to the Baltic would motivate one type of group and have no interest to people who just want to hang out in the sun somewhere.”

Attendees enjoy one of the many Cultural Enrichment Programs presented by experts onboard Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, which also offers an array of modern luxuries and amenities, including the only Canyon Ranch SpaClub on the seas. Photo courtesy of Queen Mary 2, Cunard Cruise Lines

“We do quite a few cruises,” Hurwitz explained. “When we’re dealing with Celebrity or Royal Caribbean or Carnival or one of the large mainstream cruise lines, we certainly do it ourselves, and we enjoy a terrific relationship with the cruise lines.” But his firm relies on the services of a cruise broker when looking for something different.

“We find that the knowledge of a company like Shari’s is broader than ours, and they have firsthand knowledge of certain products we know of, but have not experienced firsthand,” he said. “They’re very often a great help in narrowing down the choices for us.” As an example, he cited two river cruises on the Danube that his company chartered in the past year.

Wallack described the challenge of comparing ships. “Just picking up a brochure will not tell a buyer what they really need to know,” she stressed. “It will give them ‘the company line’ and a description of the onboard facilities and services, which is not enough to make the right choice. An educated buyer will look at all options before making the right decision for his or her program, but he or she needs to know what those options are. It is easy to miss some of the lesser-known products without doing a great deal of homework.” That’s where an experienced cruise broker can be invaluable.

“A cruise line rep, and I was one, will make the product fit that client,” she said. “They’ll take a size eight shoe and make it fit on a size 10 foot. They have to make that sale. I’ll take a size 10 foot and find size 10 ships.

“You also have to know your group well enough to pick the right product,” she explained. “Do they want to dine together every single night, or would they prefer to be independent? Do you need lots of function space for group events? Would you prefer the total exclusivity that a charter offers, or does your group ‘play well with others?’ How well do the demographics of your group match the profile of the ship’s other passengers?”

Matching Group Size
To keep a group from getting lost in the crowd of a large ship, Wallack advises carefully matching the size of the group with the size of the ship. “If you have a group of 500 passengers, they will feel like a much larger fish on an 1,800 passenger ship as compared with a 3,800 passenger ship. I am also a big fan of full ship charters, as the only passengers onboard are either the ship’s crew or your invited guests.”

Another advantage of working with a cruise broker is the ability to get an unbiased opinion of the onboard experience, since site inspections don’t give the full picture. “You can do a site inspection in port, but you miss out on the dining and the entertainment,” Wallack explained. “With a ship, part of what you’re buying is the experience. How do you do that without sailing? I have sailed on every one of these ships, with the exception of one to the Galapagos Islands, so when I get on the phone, I can say, ‘Let me describe the experience on that ship. Does that sound appealing to you?’ ”

Wallack gave an example of how she works with clients. “They can tell me, ‘We want to do a five-night cruise in the month of March in the Caribbean, and we don’t want to spend more than $1,500 per person, including air, and we like to stay in Hyatt hotels.’ They’ve just given me everything I need to know. Off the top of my head, I usually know the answer. I get on the phone with the client and say, ‘Here are four products. Two of them aren’t going to work for you and here’s why. The other two will work really well. Let me tell you about them.’”

Clients can also determine the extent of the involvement they want their cruise broker to have in their programs. “Some clients just want us to get them through the contract,” Wallack said. “Some want their hand held through the operational details, and some want us onsite. It’s up to them.”

The choice of cruise ships for meetings and incentives continues to expand. In May, Princess Cruises is schedule to launch its new 3,100 passenger Emerald Princess. As one of its many amenities, the ship will offer “Movies Under the Stars” on a 450-square-foot screen near one of the pool decks. The screen can also be used for video game tournaments.

“We have the newest fleet in the industry,” Rodriquez said. “And we are literally in every part of the world from Alaska all the way around the world to Tahiti. Our average group size is about 250 passengers, but we accommodate everything from 10 passengers to 3,100 which would be a full ship charter.

Groups can sail to St. Thomas, Europe or the Mediterranean on the Wind Spirit, a Windstar Cruise ship known officially as a motored-sail yacht. Photo courtesy of Windstar Cruises

“I handle Cunard, as well, which is the Queen Mary 2,” she continued. “It’s the largest ocean liner afloat. We’ve had great success in the financial and automotive industries with the Queen Mary 2. I’ve actually chartered the ship a number of times because that ship is like no other in the world. It’s the only ship where the ship is the actual destination, from the Canyon Ranch SpaClub on board to the planetarium to the extensive lecture program that we have onboard to the 10,500-square-foot ballroom.” The Queen Mary 2 voyages between New York and Southampton, England. The transatlantic crossing takes six days and guests typically return by air.

Claiming the highest guest-to-space ratio in the industry and offering one staff member for every two guests, Celebrity Cruises is well equipped to give incentive winners the “Celebrity Treatment.” As Gulaskey explained, “Just think about your last hotel or resort meeting where after the last event of the evening the entire sales force either hung out bored at the hotel bar or all got in a bunch of taxis and spread out across the city. With a Celebrity Cruise, they can go to the Elemis Spa, go to the casino, go shop in our incredible shops, attend a Broadway show, visit the Martini Bar, sit in a hot tub or go to their room for 24-hour complimentary room service.”

Cell Service
Celebrity Cruises, which also offers gourmet dining and state-of-the-art conference centers, is adding two new 700-passenger ships this year. Wi-Fi Internet access is available throughout its ships, and beginning in mid-2007, guests will be able to use their cell phones onboard with the exception of main dining rooms and theaters.  Celebrity offers groups such amenities as wine with dinner in the dining room and a stateroom folio credit. The company is getting ready to announce its new expanded offerings for the corporate market.

Norwegian Cruise Line recently launched the Norwegian Pearl, a 2,400-passenger ship that features an industry first — a four-lane bowling alley. The ship also features a 30-foot rock climbing wall, a sports deck with basketball, volleyball and paddle tennis courts, golf driving nets and a jogging track. These sports facilities offers guests an ideal way to work off some of the calories they consume at the ship’s 10 restaurants, and 13 bars and lounges.

Seattle-based Windstar Cruises operates three sailing yachts that call at 100 ports throughout Europe, the Caribbean and the Americas. The company just added cell phone service to its 156-stateroom Wind Surf, and will add service to its 74-stateroom Wind Spirit and Wind Star yachts later this year. In addition to hosting smaller groups, the yachts can also be chartered to deliver an even more exclusive experience.

For more adventurous groups or the environmentally minded, International Expeditions, based in Helena, AL, offers small cruises that focus on nature travel. The list of exotic destinations the company offers includes the Amazon and the Galapagos Islands. “It’s not like a conventional cruise,” explained Ralph Hammelbacher, the company’s president. “Our version of entertainment tends to be stargazing or looking at wildlife. We don’t even really call them cruises; they’re more in the nature of expeditions and small ship travel.

Evolution
“We have a beautiful ship called the Evolution,” he continued. “It holds 32 people but it’s a lot of ship for 32 people.” The company offers full ship charters and can accommodate smaller groups, as well. “The other thing that works is when it’s offered as a reward to individuals. They can choose from a whole menu of possibilities, and anyone who chooses to go to the Amazon or the Galapagos really wants to be there. That works out extremely well.” International Expeditions cruises typically run from four to seven nights.

In her more than 20 years in the cruise industry, Rodriguez has seen the offerings only get better and better. “Today, what you have onboard ship is really a floating resort hotel with the best of the best amenities that any land-based resort could offer,” she said. For meeting and incentive buyers, it’s just a matter of determining which “floating hotel” is the best fit for their group.

Wallack jokingly compared choosing the right cruise to picking a husband or wife. “What can’t you live without? Is it good looks? A sense of humor? Tell me the three things you can’t live without on a cruise and we’ll make the rest of it work. No one has the time to get on the phone with six cruise lines and figure it all out. What we will do is guide you in the right direction. I’ve never had a group come back and say ‘We made the wrong choice.’”    C&IT