The Challenges

There were four major challenges that Landry & Kling’s new client, Filip Pawelka, brought to the table:

Perception Issues: As Brunswick’s marketing manager for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Filip had to convince his colleagues and decision makers that meeting at sea was a viable option. Cruise ships were perceived as being too expensive – period. This is not an incentive program, he was reminded, but a distributor meeting with solid, bottom-line objectives. The focus should be on training, support, and business growth – not fun. (More on the “fun” issue later.)

International Attendees: Another consideration: this was an international event. Meeting attendees would include exclusive Brunswick distributors from 18 countries throughout Europe, the Middle East and Asia, as well as a few from North America. Past program destinations included cities like Bangkok, Prague and Cape Town, so a cruise ship – particularly one sailing in the Caribbean – would be an out-of-the-box venue choice.

Single Accommodations: The Brunswick attendees needed solo accommodations – would this be financially feasible on a ship? Filip understood that cruise lines normally charge a single supplement fee of up to 200% for single occupancy cabins that are intended for two or more passengers.

Time and Space for Meetings: And finally, there needed to be ample space and appropriate facilities for meetings, as well as plenty of dedicated meeting time. An itinerary that included multiple days at sea in addition to appealing ports of call was a critical requirement.

The Solution

After uncovering Brunswick’s concerns and requirements for their distributor meeting, the L&K team had the perfect cruise solution: Norwegian Epic, sailing seven nights in the Caribbean. And Filip had to agree. Here’s why:

Value: Remember those “too expensive” perception issues? Filip went back to the table with a venue that was way more cost-effective (and more inclusive) than the five-star hotels they were accustomed to using.

Single Accommodations: Norwegian Cruise Line revolutionized the industry when they introduced The Studios on the Norwegian Epic, featuring urban-inspired accommodations designed for solo travelers with no additional single supplement fee. The Brunswick attendees also enjoyed exclusive access to the Studio Lounge, a relaxed and trendy spot where they could socialize, share ideas, and grab a coffee or cocktail after meetings.

Meeting Matters: Norwegian Epic’s seven night itinerary offered the perfect “surf and turf” balance for the Brunswick group. Three full days at sea provided ample time for meeting content, so attendees were free to enjoy optional excursions or days at leisure in St. Martin, St. Thomas, and the Bahamas.

The ship also provided excellent facilities and meeting space to support Brunswick’s business objectives and group events. Another bonus – use of meeting space and Audio Visual equipment was included.

Although the Norwegian Epic program was longer than their typical distributor meetings, the attendees loved having more time to network, build relationships, and digest the program content. Oh, and visiting multiple tropical islands along the way was a huge plus!

Built-in Fun: Brunswick made it clear they didn’t have anything against including a bit of fun in their program; they just didn’t want to pay for it. But guess what? On the Norwegian Epic, the fun was built right in!

After their meetings (during those three days at sea), attendees enjoyed fun days in port, and had plenty of complimentary activities and recreational facilities to choose from on board the ship. Not to mention a variety of evening entertainment options including Blue Man Group, Second City Comedy, live music clubs, South Beach-style dance parties…the list goes on.

And Here’s the Twist

If there was ever any doubt about Norwegian Epic being the perfect ship for the Brunswick meeting, here was the clincher: six Brunswick Bowling lanes onboard the ship (another first at sea). And one of the attendee’s companies had even installed them – how cool is that? A Brunswick group event at the Bliss Bowling Alley was a highlight of the program.

Other articles you might like:

The seven cruise line innovations for breakthrough meetings

Five ways NCL adds value and zip to your meetings

How to plan sensational events on a shoestring budget

Here’s an excerpt from Allison’s article:

A floatel is what you use when you need a few thousand extra hotel rooms at your meeting destination. And Joyce Landry is the person you call to get it.

Landry’s got a line on all the major cruise ships, many of which she has booked as floating hotels (that is, floatels) for major international conferences and sporting events. CEO of Landry & Kling, Miami, Landry adds that cruise ships don’t just provide extra accommodations – they also offer supplemental meeting space.

Cruise Ship "Floatels" in Trinidad for CHOGM Global Event

To read the full article and find out how “floatels” provided infrastructure for the 2009 Summit of the Americas in Trinidad, go to www.meetingsnet.com.

In her article, Ms. Montello reminds readers that now is the time for meeting and event planners to capitalize on the value-added features of a cruise: included meals, activities, entertainment, meeting space and AV. So true! Jo referred the journalist to our cost comparison chart that clearly demonstrates how a meeting at sea can save 20 to 40 percent when compared to a comparable land venue.

Microsoft Computer Science Conference on Disney Cruise Ship

Ms. Montello also notes that cruises make a planner’s job much easier, a fact our corporate clients can attest to. With no menus to plan, entertainers to hire, spouse programs to cost out and organize, or transfers to arrange for outings, a cruise program once again saves valuable time and dollars.

We are happy that the article also includes a case-study of a Microsoft conference that Landry & Kling planned and executed on the Disney Wonder. Our client from Microsoft told us that the all-inclusive nature of the cruise made it extremely cost-effective. In fact, those going to another computer science conference at a land-based property spent twice as much as those sailing on the Disney ship.

Here’s an excerpt from Andrea Montello’s article:

A floating conference, complete with games, appearances by Minnie, Mickey, and Goofy, is more popular than ever, even in this era when price and perception are paramount. Miami-based Landry & Kling, a company that has been focusing on meetings and incentives aboard cruise ships since 1982, handled the program.

The Fourth International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games was held April 26–30, 2009 aboard the Disney Wonder and was completely sold out. Approximately 400 attended from 33 countries.

Read the full article: TheMeetingMagazines

Seasite is pleased to recommend AVW TELAV. This innovative technology company, based in Montreal, has extensive experience providing supplemental AV support on cruise ships. In 2009, sister company Landry & Kling worked directly with the company in Trinidad during two prestigious global events: V-SOA (Fifth Summit of the Americas) and CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting).

During the Summit of the Americas, AVW TELAV provided simultaneous interpretation and audio visual for media feeds and coverage in 10 rooms in four languages. In addition, they outfitted the ships’ dining rooms and specialty restaurants – not normally used for meetings – with built-in AV, including large format presentation monitors. AVW TELAV once again provided critical AV and technical support for the CHOGM event on two cruise ships that were docked in Trinidad as “floating hotels” and meeting venues. The company supplemented the cruise lines’ existing equipment with additional conferencing systems in a variety of locations onboard both vessels.

You can read more about AVW TELAV and their corporate meeting services at www.avwtelav.com, or contact us for references.