Tired of the same old meeting place? If you’re looking for a fresh new meeting or incentive destination that’s cost-effective, convenient and motivating, Carnival Cruise Lines means business.

With more ships, more short itineraries, more balcony staterooms, and more drive–in ports, Carnival offers a variety of value-driven options to accommodate your meeting needs and your bottom line.

You can hold your shipboard meetings in a variety of unique venues with audio-visual equipment included – free of charge. All the fun of a Carnival cruise plus meals, onboard activities and entertainment are included in your cruise fare. Worried about staying connected at sea? Carnival’s got you covered with wireless access available throughout their ships.

NO NEED TO FLY, HAVE YOUR MEETING AT SEA

Did you know that over 50% of the U.S. population is within a five-hour drive of a Carnival homeport? With a choice of 22 ships sailing from 15 convenient home ports in the U.S., your attendees will enjoy the ease and cost savings of their next meeting-at-sea. Plus, the savings from not buying airline tickets can be used for customizing onboard programs. Carnival makes meetings-at-sea affordable and the experience of a lifetime as your clients visit beautiful destinations in the Caribbean, Bahamas, Alaska, Hawaii and Europe.

Here’s a sampling of new ships and itineraries on tap for 2011:

New Carnival Magic Sailing from Galveston – In May 2011, the newest 3,690-passenger “fun ship” will launch a series of Mediterranean cruises from Barcelona before moving to Galveston for year-round 7-night Caribbean cruises. Carnival Magic will offer a host of exciting amenities, including a spectacular water park, an exclusive adults-only retreat area, a wrap-around promenade with whirlpools that extend over the ship’s sides, expansive spa, and wide variety of accommodation choices.

More Bermuda Cruises – Carnival will offer 6, 7 and 8-night voyages to Bermuda from four popular eastern US homeports – Baltimore, Norfolk,Va; New York and Charleston S.C.

First Year-Round Cruises from Charleston – 2,056-passenger Carnival Fantasy will sail year-round from Charleston, S.C. with 5, 6 and 7-night cruises to Bahamas and the Caribbean.

More Cruises from New Orleans – 2,974-passenger Carnival Conquest will offer three different week-long Caribbean options from New Orleans, while Carnival Ecstasy, which carries 2,052 passengers, will operate year-round 4 and 5-night Caribbean voyages.

Alaska Cruises Departing from Seattle – for the first time, Carnival is operating 7-night Alaska cruises round-trip from Seattle on 2,124-passenger Carnival Spirit.

CUSTOMIZING YOUR CARNIVAL CRUISE PROGRAM

Carnival offers a number of great options to help customize your meeting or incentive program. For example: private hotel check-in and onboard hospitality desk,  welcome letters from the captain, and personalized stateroom gifts.

Or perhaps you’d like an ice sculpture depicting your company logo at a private reception, a group photo. or customized desserts. How about hosting your VIP group in the elegant and upscale steakhouse restaurant? For something really special, you can arrange private shore tours, customized beach events, or even a private golf tournament. These options can make a great experience even more memorable for your group.

Large group? Charter a Carnival ship! Nothing is more impressive than a privately chartered ship.  Since you “own” the ship, virtually every aspect of the cruise can be customized for your group. You have options on ports of call, the schedule of activities and events, what dishes will be offered on the menu, and which shore excursions will be offered.

CARNIVAL CORPORATE UNIVERSITY

Training, Coaching and Teamwork at Sea

Give your group a dynamic learning experience by hosting a training session aboard your ship. Carnival’s corporate training programs set themselves apart from typical land-based venues with unique meeting spaces, captivating interiors and first class facilitators. Attendees will find that their shipboard sessions are more lively, fun and memorable than those found in any hotel or resort, and you’ll be amazed by the unmatched team-building atmosphere.

Set a Course for Success

• Carnival Corporate University is a fun, relevant way to enhance teamwork and build leadership skills
• Participants learn new theories and techniques that can be implemented immediately
• The average cost is typically lower than similar land-based programs
• Professional trainers and developers are industry leaders with strong credentials

Fun, highly interactive 90-minute programs are tailored to your group’s specific business needs, including:

Creativity by Design
The focus of this session is creativity, incorporating fun-filled activities, while providing insight and tools for team building, problem solving and stress reduction.

Charting the Course – Leadership
A highly interactive, energetic leadership and coaching program. The sessions are lively and fun, filled with valuable information that benefit participants both professionally and personally.

Cruising to Communication
This fun and challenging session will shine new light on the “how-to’s” of successful communication, building verbal and non-verbal communication skills and navigating through the basics of communication.

When you book a Carnival ship for your corporate event, this is one meeting your attendees will never want to end!

Learn more about Carnival Cruise Lines here, then click on Carnival Cruise Search to find a ship for your next meeting or incentive.

Filed under: Cruise News, Meeting & Incentive News, Miscellaneous