Meetings at Sea on Cruise Ships

Cruise Ship Safety

2012-02-01T11:18:00.000-08:00

I know many people are concerned about cruise ship safety after the graphic pictures and news of the Costa Concordia. Certainly, the reckless acts of an errant captain damaged the image of the industry and raised legitimate questions. I can assure you that the cruise industry as a whole enjoys one of the best safety records of any type of travel. This one incident is not reflective of the high level of safety cruisers enjoy. Please review and feel free to share the following link for more information on safety which may be helpful.

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/video/6684758-travel-expert-mark-murphy-offers-cruise-safety-tips/

I am confident in the safety of cruise ships. In fact, I am leaving this Sunday to escort a large group on a seven day western Caribbean cruise on the new Carnival Magic. I would not recommend to any customer doing something I wouldn't do myself. Cruising is like any other activity where you are together with thousands of other people. You have to exercise reasonable care and caution and not place yourself in a position of vulnerability. As far as ships go, modern ships are equipped with high tech, sophisticated state-of-the-art safety equipment. If view of the Costa incident, procedures and practices are under serious scrutiny so it is probably safer to cruise today than any time in recent memory.

There have been no price reductions in the industry as a whole I am aware of because of the Costa incident. To the contrary, demand has remained very strong. We will of course monitor pricing and if we find anything that will benefit your booking we will make every effort to apply it.

The sinking of the Concordia is a definite blemish on the cruise industry. If you have a person like the captain who engages in stupid, reckless behavior, he should be held strictly accountable and in my opinion spend time in jail. I also believe Costa should be held accountable as they hired and retained the captain in spite of what appears to be previous problems he had. There is no excuse for that. However, those who cruise or are considering a cruise should not lose sight of the overall stellar safety record of the cruise industry.

Presentation to Decision Makers

2010-11-03T10:58:00.000-07:00

Have you been assigned the task of determining whether a meeting on a cruise ship is right for your company? If so, we can help you. Click on the "Request Proposal and Quote" on the right side, fill out the form completely and forward it to us for a complimentary decision making aide.

Once received, we will send you a detailed PowerPoint presentation that answers the most commonly asked questions and concerns about meetings on ships. It will make your job of convincing key decision makers that a meeting at sea on a cruise shipit is a cost effective, cost efficient way to conduct your event and one that participants will enjoy a lot. We are always available to assit you with additional information and to answer any questions you might have.

Why Choose Us?

2010-10-26T10:38:00.000-07:00

We know you have choices in selecting a company to coordinate your meetings. Here are a few reasons we believe we are the right choice for your event. We have:

Specialized experience with cruise ship meetings.
Experience in conducting combined cruise ship meeting and incentive programs with companies.
Extensive knowledge of meeting planning processes and its unique application in the cruise industry.
A commitment to high quality.
Achieving maximum cost efficiency and cost effectiveness
A commitment to your success and satisfaction.

Planning, organizing and structuring a meeting, conference or workshop at sea on a cruise ship is significantly different than planning a cruise vacation or conducting a similar event at a land resort. Many meetings at sea have been ruined because they were booked by travel agents who did not have the knowledge or experience to know what to ask or what to do in planning the event and the significant pitfalls to avoid. Not all ships are created equal when it comes to meetings at sea. We know which ones work well and which ones to avoid.

In addition, we can arrange private group shore events in the various ports as well as customized transportation, both pre and post cruise. Many of our shore side excursions can be tied into team building activities or other themes consistent with your meeting objectives.

State Department To Hike Passport, Visa Fees

2010-06-30T09:46:00.000-07:00

The U.S. State Department on July 13 will raise the price for visas, passports and other consular services—some by more than $300—to reflect what the department determined is the true cost to provide such services.
For an adult passport, the State Department will begin charging $110—$35 more than the current price—plus a $25 execution fee, which is not retained by the department. Meanwhile, the cost for some visas will jump by even greater amount. For example, an employment-based immigrant visa will cost $720 under the new pricing scheme, compared with the previous $355.

The department's Bureau of Consular Affairs in June 2009 completed a study to assess the full cost to the government to process and issue visas and passports, calling it "the most detailed and exhaustive ever conducted by the Department of State." Following that study, the department "established the true cost of providing these consular services, which by law must be recovered through collection of fees," the State Department said this week.

Inspired Journeys Launches New Enrichment Vacations Program and Website

2010-04-14T10:45:00.000-07:00

Inspired Journeys Inc., parent company of Meetings on Ships, has launched a new website at http://www.enrichmentvacation.com/ to provide Personal Enrichment Programs to clients wishing to vacation with purpose. The programs are designed around highly interactive discussion formats on topics related to contemporary issues we all face in day to day life. The programs compliment the whole Meetings on Ships structure and we utilize ships that have dedicated meeting and conference facilities to maximize the experience. Included in the Enrichment Vacation Program is a Challenge Series for those who like the competitive nature of popular games such as Scrabble and Bunco. More games will be added as interests is expressed.

Help Wanted

2010-04-01T21:26:00.001-07:00

Inspired Journeys Inc, parent company of World Voyager Vacations has launched a new division focusing on Personal Enrichment Vacations. The new division was created to provide leisure travel experiences with purpose and personal growth opportunities. It is structured to go beyond standard enrichment program offerings by providing a stimulating Salon focused format.
Programs are designed for the intellectually curious who are looking for stimulating and interesting discussions on issues and challenges we confront daily in our lives. Issues such as ethics, values, principles of quality living, healthy and strong relationships, effective parenting and dealing with conflict and stress are a few of the issues we present in an interactive discussion group setting. Our goal is to facilitate understanding and critical thinking about things that matter in our lives. While we encourage spirited and lively discussions, it must always be in a way that respects the dignity, feelings and views of others. We value diversity of views and opinions in a thoughtful process. Our programs are designed for free thinking, open minded people who like to think things through.

In addition to issues oriented discussion forums, we also offer a variety of educational trips focusing on history, culture, culinary, wine, architecture and wildlife. The new website for Enrichment Vacations is slated to launch later next week.

If you are interested in becoming a discussion facilitator or seminar presenter within the context of the program structure described above, please send a brief biographical profile detailing your expertise to:

Jerry Vaughn
President & CEO
Inspired Journeys Inc
PO Box 24780
Federal Way, WA 98093-1780
information@enrichmentvacation.com

How Can We Save Your Company Money?

2010-03-30T10:09:00.000-07:00

Companies spend billions on corporate meetings in the U.S. every year, yet only a small percentage have this sizable but fragmented spend under management. An interesting statistic gathered from StarCite: 80% of meetings are planned in advance but account for only 50% of a company’s meeting budget. It’s those last-minute meetings, perhaps planned spur-of-the-moment, that eat away at half of a company’s program expenditures.

It’s the smaller meetings, those 50 people or less, that are open to the greatest exposure to loss, and those account for 2/3 of all company meetings. These meetings are usually planned outside of the normal channels, i.e. not through the meeting planning department and instead by personnel in other departments. The reasoning for the loss is five-fold:

1. Smaller meetings are generally sourced by non-professional planners (perhaps a secretary, administrative assistant or marketing coordinator at the firm).

2. They are usually overlooked by upper management.

3. There is no reporting, feedback or tracking of these smaller meetings and their attendee costs, so there’s no accountability structure in place.

4. Because they are not sourced professionally, cost leveraging opportunities are missed (for example, the booking of multiple programs with one vendor, which often result in cost-savings, is not present).

5. The shorter lead times leave less chance for cost comparisons, and ensuing negotiations. Under the gun, planners are forced to just accept what hotels offer to them.

Our Solution:

We provide skilled knowledgable meeting management to ensure you get the best return on your expenditure. We work with your key people to ensure we meet your objectives in a timely and efficient manner.

The Power of Positive Discipline - Incentive Programs Work!

2010-02-15T23:01:00.000-08:00

Too often when someone says the word “discipline,” the immediate reaction is that someone must be in trouble. In fact, discipline has almost become a dirty word for many people. Nothing could be further from the truth. Understanding discipline is critical to being a successful leader and manager. Discipline by definition is training and is derived from the Latin word disciplina, meaning teaching and learning. It is also defined in the Merriam Webster Dictionary as training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character.

Discipline is generally held to be in three distinct forms in an organizational context. These are:

1. Preventative Discipline - Preventing problems by carefully hiring the right people, thoroughly training them not only in the techniques of the job but also in the parameters of appropriate and desirable organizational behavior and ethical standards and in the organizations policies and procedures that ensure work is performed to the highest standard.

2. Corrective Discipline – Correction, sanction and punishment for performance or behavior that is inconsistent with organizational standards and detrimental to the good order of the organization. It serves as an example to others of the negative consequences of improper or substandard activity. Retraining to positive behavior and performance is the key objective.

3. Positive Discipline – Reward and recognition for good and desirable performance that enables the company to meet or exceed it’s goals and objectives and serves as an example to others of the value of positive contribution.

Employee Incentive Programs are molded around the concept of positive discipline. They can take many forms and are easily adaptable to virtually any kind of business. Properly structured and administered, incentive programs don’t cost the company money; they make the company money by improving the bottom line through achieving or exceeding goals that ensure your success.

However, a word of caution is appropriate as you think about creating an incentive program. Simply throwing money or goodies at people and expecting better things is absolutely the least effective approach and is doomed to failure before you toss out the first dime. Incentive programs must contain many key elements to be successful. You must carefully define exactly what it is you want to achieve, the means by which you are going to do it and set realistic and achievable goals that your employees can meet with diligent work and honest effort. The reward must be perceived as valuable by the employee otherwise there won’t be much enthusiasm to achieve it. A time frame must be established and a fair and objective measurement system must be in place so there is a high level of trust and confidence in it.

Once established and implemented, there may be some need for adjustment to deal with unanticipated issues or conditions that occur that are beyond the employee’s control. The goals that are set should be high and held to so you do not end up rewarding mediocrity or marginal performance. Nothing will demoralize and de-motivate your best employees faster than giving a non deserving employee who has not achieved a high standard a reward.

Once the program is underway, constantly reinforce good results and encourage your employees on. Once completed, make sure those who have succeeded are made to feel special and important and that you recognize their achievement.

The final step of course is the reward. Make it high in the “WOW” factor. This can best be done working with an experienced professional that can assemble a package that meets your budgetary constraints and delivers a high quality experience to the participants.

At the conclusion, jump right back into it and create a new program with goals that are a little higher. The employees will be enthused and ready to roll up their sleeves and get the job done because they have experienced the value of their hard work. Your company will continue in an upward spiral achieving more all the time.

For more information on Incentive Awards Programs, visit www.incentivetraveladvisors.com or www.meetingsonships.com or contact Jerry Vaughn, President of Inspired Journeys Inc at 877 836-1949 or information@meetingsonships.com

Meetings at Sea on Cruise Ships Proving to be Great Value

2010-01-28T12:47:00.000-08:00

In tough economic times, companies are searching for ways to conduct more cost effective meetings and to get the best value for the money they spend. While there are some good deals on room rates to be had at various hotels and resorts, when adding up food and beverage costs, event rooms, transportation, AV rental and entertainment, land based meetings can be pretty costly. For meetings where participants will be eating some meals on their own and may not be reimbursed, participation may be adversely impacted because many people are reluctant to pay the high cost of restaurant dining today.

Increasingly, more companies are finding that one of the best venues and values for company meetings are cruise ships where all food costs, lodging, entertainment and meeting space is included. Participant satisfaction rates are extremely high with cruise based meetings and that can translate to improved morale and comaraderie. Costly AV equipment is included and meeting facilities on many ships rival what is generally available on land.

Structuring meeting times around days at sea allows participants to enjoy ports of call and to have free time that is fun and interesting adding value to the experience for participants. Private shore excursions can be arranged for your group that can be customized and include team building activities, beach olympics and a variety of other activities.

Cruises most often used for business meetings range from three to seven days. While the Caribbean and Mexican Riviera are most popular, Alaska cruises from Seattle have seen a dramatic upsurge in meetings at sea business. Combining your business meeting with an Incentive Awards program can be a great combination that can help your business be more succesful and profitable. Properely structured and administered, these programs don't cost you money, they make you money!

For more information, visit the following websites. http://www.meetingsonships.com/ and http://www.incentivetraveladvisors.com/. To request to be contacted or for a quote on a meeting at sea for your business, click here.

Mixing Business With Pleasure for Profit

2008-02-24T23:09:00.000-08:00

Incentive Awards and Customer Loyalty Programs

Do you want to improve employee performance and contributions to your business? Do you have special customers you want to reward for their loyalty and purchases? Incentive Awards and Customer Loyalty programs are proven methods to increase profits and improve your bottom line. They can help you be more competitive in the market place and stave off loss of business to new competitors. Incentive Awards and Customer Loyalty programs are one of the most powerful tools available to businesses today.

Properly structured and executed, Incentive Awards programs don't cost you money, they make you money.

What can an Incentive Awards Program do for your business?

Increase sales and productivity by providing meaningful rewards that have high perceived value.

Research has shown well designed and executed Incentive Awards Programs can increase sales between 22% and 28% on average.

Promote loyalty and high morale with your employees which in turn produces a more stable workforce. Reduces costly turnover that is non productive and in the end, it will improve your bottom line.

The cost of the award in proportion to the increased sales volume is usually low leading to increased profitability of your company.

Important Points About Incentive Awards Programs:

A well-designed Incentive Program doesn't’t cost you money. it makes you money. It drives sales and motivates for extraordinary results.

Incentive travel programs work because they force companies to take a long, hard look at their products and services and the way they do business. They help companies identify specific challenges, design a strategy to meet those challenges and motivate key people to accomplish business goals.

Incentive Programs work because they recognize a fundamental characteristic of human nature - the love of a short-term reward for short-term behavior! “I’ll do it now if you’ll reward me now.” Or, “I’ll give you extra effort if you’ll give me extra reward.”

Request a Proposal and Price Quote for an Employee Incentive Program for your Company

Group Travel Can Be Like Herding Cats

2007-11-03T17:44:00.000-07:00

Group travel can be a fun and exciting adventure. Being with friends, family or other like minded people can provide memorable experiences that can build strong bonds. Organizing and planning the trip can be fairly easy if you do it right. However, you will come to appreciate the term “herding cats” if you take the wrong approach. We organize a lot of groups and believe me we have learned some lessons the hard way. Some of the mistakes you can make may be nothing more than a little nuisance or inconvenience while others can have significant cost implications. In still others, not paying attention to detail and staying on top of things can cause people to miss connections, end up with things that are different than they were expecting or can jeopardize the whole trip. Like anything else, experience pays so don’t be afraid to ask for help to make sure your group trip results in the participants coming back and saying “Wow, that was a great trip. I can’t wait to do it again!”

We have worked with a number of people who wanted to organize a group to travel together but they become so frustrated with trying to get people to agree on things and get firm commitments the whole thing falls apart. It doesn’t have to be that way if you just remember the basics. Here are a few tips for putting together a group trip so you can all have a good time and avoid complications along the way.

Use a small group (usually no more than three) to initially decide what kind of trip you would like to take, where you would like to go and things you would like to do. If you get too many involved, you will probably experience “analysis paralysis” and decisions may never get made. Make a list of your favorite things to do and think about options for the area you are visiting to appeal to as wide a range of people as possible considering age, lifestyle, budget and interest.

Once a destination has been selected and type of trip agreed upon, pick ONE person to be in charge. You've probably heard the old expression “too many cooks spoil the soup.” Same thing goes with planning. One person should coordinate the rest of the organizational task to avoid unnecessary duplication, confusing or conflicting information and wasting time and effort.

Allow plenty of time. We just completed our annual hosted tour of Europe with a group of 28 and that was planned almost 18 months before the trip ever occurred. We are doing our next hosted cruise and tour to New Zealand and Australia and that’s not until November of 2008. All the arrangements for it have been made over the last three months. As a general rule, you should allow at least a year for your group trip so people can secure the time off, budget, save and pay for the trip and allow others to join in.

Work with a travel agent who is experienced in working with groups and specialize in meetings and conferences at sea. It’s important to recognize that group bookings are much more complicated than individual bookings and often times amenities or favorable pricing is missed because the inexperienced person simply doesn’t know how or what to ask for. When traveling to popular places or abroad, it's best to involve someone who does this on a full time basis as they can typically point you in the right direction when planning. In addition, they can save you a lot of time, headaches and most of importantly money. They can do many things to make your life much easier such as providing Group Express Reservation Forms that collect all essential information required for traveling today and payments so you don’t have to become the collection agency. They will ensure that all the components are in place to make sure your trip goes smoothly. If your group is large enough they may even escort it to make sure every thing goes just right. The services of the agent don’t cost you anything generally as the vendor compensates the agent.

Make sure everyone in your group either has their Passport or applies for their Passport and any required Visas early. Unless you are traveling in the United States or Puerto Rico, you will need a valid Passport under new Federal guidelines with some very limited exceptions.

Make a list of estimated traveling expenses. Some resorts and cruises may advertise as “all inclusive” (but seldom are) and you still need to eat at the airports, buy souvenirs and pay for your day trips among other things. Also make sure your group members know about any dress requirements and the climate so they can pack appropriately.

Full Cruise Ship Charters:

2007-10-31T09:57:00.000-07:00

For large groups, a full ship charter may be the thing for you.

You can charter the entire ship for exclusive use by your organization. You can fly your own flag, choose the itinerary and daily events. Schedule your entertainment and conferences to your choice. Ship capacities range from 50 to 4300 passengers.

Chartering a ship for your group or event.

A charter gives you the utmost in privacy, exclusivity, and safety. For incentives or meetings at sea, you have the added plus of an environment that you control, so there are no concerns about a competitor being on board or participants going off-property and getting into accidents or (like you might find on a program at a resort). For a sold out city, special event or convention a “floating hotel” charter provides a unique solution that generates lots of buzz and excitement.
It gives you flexibility in designing the itinerary to suit your specific needs and objectives. On a charter, you can brand the program throughout the cruise without the ship’s staff having to balance concerns for the other passengers. This often means more creativity in customizing the itinerary, dressing up the ship and on-board functions as well as custom shore excursions for the group, plus you will find that you will receive more cooperation and care from the on-board staff and crew members if they only have your group to deal with.

Another plus a charter gives you is the flexibility you have with your numbers. Initially care has to be exercised in pinning down the maximum number of cruisers likely to participate as once you have commit to a charter you do not have to worry about penalties for downsizing the group, however, if your group does grow then you have a problem as the ship can only accommodate a fixed number of passengers. But since since the biggest headaches are always attrition, this removes one potential planning challenge.

The MV Explorer - A Purpose Built Ship for Meetings

Cost of Chartering?

It can be expensive, but it can also be very reasonable. It depends on many factors having to do with market conditions, the level of luxury you are looking for, the size of your group and other issues.

If you have some flexibility in sailing dates often we are able to obtain some very special rates. Low season, slow periods or a cancelled charter will sometimes allow us to obtain some exciting pricing for whole ship charters. Additionally, by buying the whole ship on a charter basis and taking the ship out of the companies inventory early on allows the cruise line to offer a per person per deim rate far below their brochure rate. Sometime, if they already have a charter booked which is going to leave them with odd days left over or, the ship will be out of its usual area, an economical charter rate can be obtained to "fill-in" these periods. We are the specialist in this field and with our in-house connections frequently hear of opportunities which do not come onto the open market. So as you can see a whole ship charter is not necessarily beyond your budget, call us, with our knowledge of the market we may find you what you want at a price that might surprise you.

How far in advance should you charter a ship?

The major cruise lines, generally set their itineraries one year in advance and then go to press with their glossy brochures. So, if a whole ship charter is your chosen option, we strongly advise you to make the decision well before that. If you want to design your own itinerary with specific embarkation and disembarkation ports, then the further out you commit the better your chance of obtaining what you want.

Cruise lines will in fact plan their ships itineraries around your charter if your charter is going to areas outside of their normal ports or operation. For example, great opportunities for charters exist when a cruise line repositions a ship after the cruise brochure has been published. Providing the cruise line has not sold an excessive amount of passengers on the cruise date you want to charter, they will "buy" these passengers off. This usually means offering them another date and some incentives by way of soft dollars or whatever. The cost of the buy off will be added to your charter fee, so once the decision to move ahead is made, the sooner you contract the charter, the cheaper it will be. However, there comes a point where the numbers do not work so the cruise line will not move those passengers in order to accommodate a charter.
Other issues to be aware of?

You need to be fully aware of the commitment you are making. A lot of work will go into the preparation and research of your charter both prior to contract and far more once you have committed. Different cruise lines have different contracts, but all will be expecting you to pay for the charter irregardless of what may happen prior to the sailing date. The cruise line, upon signature of the contract, will pull your cruise segment from its selling inventory. If you are customizing the itinerary, the line is building other cruise segments around your embarkation and disembarkation ports. So the penalties for cancellation are high, up to the full amount of the charter. Many cruise lines will do "due diligence" to see if you really are able to meet the commitment. Often they will require an irrevocable letter of credit for the whole of the charter fee.

With yacht charters it is important to be aware of the different contracts used. Some, such as the MYBA (Mediterranean Yacht Brokers Association) stipulate that ALL expenses related to your charter in the way of consumables (food, beverages, fuel, water berthing, all taxes, fees etc. which can amount to 25% or more of the charter fee) are additional to the charter fee, plus you will be expected to leave the crew a gratuity, which is today's age means something in the region of 15% of the charter fee depending on your satisfaction with the cruise. Beware of charter contracts that are loosely worded as you might end up having to pay for far more than you originally anticipated.

Summary:
Chartering a Ship: Here are some helpful tips:

1. Book well in advance. A year if possible... this will give your organization many more options (i.e. cruise lines, ships, itineraries etc...).
2. Find an Itinerary that works for your organization (i.e. Eastern, Western or Southern Caribbean, etc...). Keep in mind, if the ship has to relocate to accommodate your group for a particular itinerary, your organization is responsible to pay for the time the ship is in transit. Have an idea of how many days your organization would like to cruise and where you would like to depart from.
3. Have a ship in mind to accommodate your organization. If you have 1,000 employees, find a ship that will accommodate up to 1200 passengers, not a ship that will accommodate 2,000 passengers.
4. Important! Please be patient! Quoting Charter Rates takes a lot of work from the cruise lines and the Agency - they will not give a ball park figure! Some cruise lines will not even proceed with detailed rate information until they receive a letter of credit from your organization.
5. Very Important!! As previously stated... be prepared to submit a letter of credit to the cruise lines. Depending on the scheduling of your organization's cruise, at minimum, a letter of credit for a deposit will be required.
6. If your organization decides a last minute trip... it's okay! Even though we can not guarantee the space you will be requiring is available; we will research and do our best in finding the highest quality cruise to meet your organization's needs.

Request a Proposal and Price Quote for your Company

Incentive Awards Programs on Ships

2007-09-30T17:00:00.000-07:00

"Properly Structured and Executed, Incentive Awards Programs Don't Cost You Money, They Make You Money!"

What can an Incentive Awards Program do for your business?

Increase sales and productivity by providing meaningful awards that have high perceived value.

Research has shown well designed and executed Incentive Awards Programs can increase sales between 22% and 28% on average.

Promote loyalty and high morale with your employees which in turn produces a more stable workforce.

Reduces costly turnover that is non productive and in the end, improves your bottom line.

The cost of the award in proportion to the increased sales volume is usually low leading to increased profitability of your company.

Sales Incentive Programs Deliver Results:

Drive More Sales

Enhance Margins

Develop New Territory

Reduce Cost of Sales

Increase Profitability

Goal-oriented results

Two Focuses...

- on the employee

- on their results in specific campaigns

Employee Recognition Programs Deliver Results:

It drives sales and motivates for extraordinary results. Incentive travel programs work because they force companies to take a long, hard look at their products and services and the way they do business. They help companies identify specific challenges, design a strategy to meet those challenges and motivate key people to accomplish business goals.Incentive Programs work because they recognize a fundamental characteristic of human nature - the love of a short-term reward for short-term behavior! “I’ll do it now if you’ll reward me now.” Or, “I’ll give you extra effort if you’ll give me extra reward.”

Request a Proposal and Price Quote for an Employee Incentive Program for your Company

We can create either land based or ocean cruise incentive programs with a variety of vendors who will work with us to stay within your budget. Some examples of travel packages we can provide you are:Cruises - In addition to cruises to the Caribbean, we can provide cruises to these destinations - AlaskaBurmudaHawaiiMexican Riviera and Baja MexicoTahitiEurope
Cruise incentives are a great value because the stateroom, all meals and snacks, Broadway style shows and entertainment are included in the price. Cruising enjoys a leisure industry high 82% repeat factor. Cruise incentives are excellent promotion and fund raising tools. We represent all major cruise lines.

Land Packages to Las Vegas Hawaii Mexico Jamaica - All Inclusives - SPA Packages - Escorted land tours throughout the world.

Why should you consider an Employee Incentive Program for your Company?

1. Highly flexible. An Incentive Program can be structured for individuals or groups of all sizes and can be tiered for different performance levels. Using the award can be scheduled to meet the company’s needs and the employee’s desires.

2. The Incentive Program will be highly personalized to your company so you get maximum results.

We work with you to achieve your goals and objectives.Call Jerry Vaughn toll free 877 836-1949 or click here to request your free Powerpoint Presentation or booklet on creating Incentive Awards Programs for your company. Learn how this important and innovative tool can help you build a more successful and profitable business.

Choosing the Right Ship for Your Event

2007-09-17T14:55:00.000-07:00

Types and Sizes of Ships to Choose From

The world of cruising offers great flexibility for almost every size of group and event. From large mega-ships that bring thousands of guests to popular destinations; to smaller, more intimate vessels that offer incredibly personalized service and unique itineraries to seldom-visited ports. Which is best for your group? Here’s a helpful guide to each category to help you plan:
Mega Ships - 800 to 1500 Staterooms
These are glamorous new, state-of-the-art vessels with multi-story atriums, a variety of restaurants and entertainment venues, large & lavish production shows, the latest in a/v equipment -- many ships have multi-screen video walls, computer generated sound & light, dedicated conference space and well-equipped health clubs and spas. Lots of staterooms have private balconies. These seagoing resorts offer 3 to 7-night cruises, mostly in the Bahamas, Bermuda, Caribbean, Mexico and Alaska.
Mid Sized Ships - 500 to 800 Staterooms
Traditional style ships, these are what we now call "mid-size" (but not long ago they were "mega") These are mostly new though some are older but beautifully maintained and with fine character. Depending on group size, these ships can offer a high degree of service, as well as customization and group exclusivity than the mega-liners. Most have abundant activities, entertainment, and traditional shipboard dining -- one or two restaurants with two seatings for breakfast and dinner. These ships offer a greater variety of destinations than the mega-liners, which are restricted by their size.
Smaller Ships - 200 to 500 Staterooms

Most of these vessels cater to the well-traveled passenger and provide a very high level of service for a much higher cost. Many vessels in this category offer one seating in the dining room, the most leisurely way to dine. They are delightful for half-ship charters and full charters, depending on group size and timing of their more exotic itineraries in the Mediterranean, Baltic, Costa Rica, and Alaska.
Small Ships and Luxury Yacht Style Ships - 50 to 200 Staterooms
Brochures refer to them as "all-suite vessels", offering the ultimate in luxury accommodations, service and amenities. Most of these ships offer butler service and a very fine dining experience with food prepared "a la minute". Worldwide itineraries include Europe, South America, The Indian Ocean, Asia, only occasionally Mexico or the Caribbean, calling at the jet-set ports that attract yachts. Short 4, 5, and 7-day cruises are sometimes available, but longer voyages are the norm. Plan two years ahead for a charter to get a shorter length. This grouping includes motor vessels as well as beautiful sailing ships.
River Boats and Private Yachts - 15 to 200 Staterooms
A river cruise can take you on the Danube in Bavaria/Austria, the Rhone in France, the Nile, China's Yangtze, and even the mighty Mississippi. A glamorous private yacht is readily available in the Mediterranean, and occasionally in the Caribbean. Many of these vessels are new and offer a very high quality travel experience. They're perfect for in-depth sightseeing and a relaxed cruising pace, with minimal entertainment onboard. Ideal for charter -- you set the itinerary to suit your needs. If your people have been everywhere, this might be just right.

Cruise Ships are an Excellent Venue for Events

2007-08-16T01:50:00.000-07:00

Conducting meetings, conferences and workshops at sea on a cruise ship is an economical and efficient way to stage your event. You will be amazed at how easy and affordable it is to conduct an event on a ship compared to a land based venue. Many things you pay extra for on land are all included in the price shipboard. Cruises are highly poplular with attendees and helps make your event a roaring success. Select the length of cruise that is best for your business needs from 3, 4 ,5, 7 or 10 days and longer. Choose great itineraries such as Alaska, the Caribbean, Hawaii and Mexican Riviera that are sure to be a hit with conference attendees who experience a perfect blend of interesting, enjoyable ports of call with days at sea to conduct important business functions. For longer, more impressive events, Europe and the South Pacific offer outstanding opportunities. For large groups a partial or full ship charter gives you options that will make your event very special. As you explore our sight, you will learn about the advantages of doing your next meeting or conference at sea. Visit our Meeting Planners Section for detailed information. If you are concerned about tax issues, be surre to review our Tax section.

What You Can Count on From Us

2007-07-31T16:03:00.000-07:00

Our number one goal is to make your event an outstanding success. In order to accomplish that, we pay close attention to detail and ensure everything is just perfect. We will be onboard to ensure everything runs seamlessly. In addition, we provide the following services to you:

Research & recommend the right ship and destination to meet your business meeting needs and objectives.
Negotiate best rates and amenities to fit your budget.
Provide an experienced coordinator who serves as your day-to-day liaison with the cruise line, ground operators, air suppliers, hotel for early arrivals, etc.
Review and recommend how to adapt your program to a cruise environment and provide unlimited consulting throughout the entire planning period.
Customize the on-board experience with private events/excursions/parties
Develop the written operational plan, event orders, and timelines.
Anticipate needs, follow up on all details, solve problems, manage database of participants and provide all necessary manifests.
Coordinate awards, meeting needs. audio visual equipment, port activities and VIP requirements.
Create registration forms, invitations and other communication pieces.
Provide professional staff aboard ship to ensure smooth event managment.
Implement the program aboard ship (in conjunction with you and your team.)
Monitor budget, provide daily accounting aboard ship, and financial reconciliation at end of program.
Provide additional support including room gifts, signage, name badges, pier decor, gift baskets, logo items, and much, much more!

Our job isn't done until you are completely satisfied with your experience!
Experience counts. World Voyager has the experience to help you create a top quality business meeting, conference or workshop on a cruise ship.

Call Jerry Vaughn today toll free 877 836-1949

Advantages of Doing Meetings at Sea on Cruise Ships

2007-07-16T10:05:00.000-07:00

"An exciting new way of doing business that is cost efficient and cost effective and produces high participant satisfaction!"

Many newer ships have state of the art meeting and conference facilities that are far more cost effective than land based hotel facilities. Additionally, many venues on ships such as production theaters etc., would be extraordinarily expensive to create in a hotel or simply not possible to do and can be used for your events at no charge. Some benefits of shipboard events are:

1. Simplified coordination - details are taken care of for you. An onboard coordinator is assigned to work with you at no additional cost to ensure smooth operations. A World Voyager Vacations Meeting Division escort will be there working with you to ensure the most successful program possible. Special Hospitality/Registration desks can be set up for your group as well as cabin deliveries of Welcome Aboard gifts etc.. Daily bulletins will be delivered to your groups cabins and a special TV channel can be devoted to your group.

2. All transportation, meals and Broadway style entertainment are included which can save substantial dollars compared to doing these individually in a land hotel.

3. A variety of activities are available for all members of your group which leads to a more enjoyable and valuable experience.

4. State of the art equipment and facilities are included in the price. LCD projectors and other top quality audiovisual equipment is included in your cost. Rental rates at hotels for this type of equipment can be quite high.

5. Shipboard events overall are less costly than land based events on a per person basis. They are a great value. For example, the only charge for meeting room refreshments is a set up fee of approximately $10 for 20 people. A hotel would cost significantly more.

6. Special amenities can be tailored to best serve your group. A high level of customization is available including predominantly displaying and using your company logo on napkins, butter, and a variety of ways to showcase your company.

7. The opportunity to visit several places without the hassle of packing and unpacking.

8. Security is greater on board a ship than at a land based facility if security is an issue for your company.

9. If you’re having a business related meeting or seminar on board the ship, you will have higher participation by attendees who can’t skip out of your program to go play golf or be interrupted with phone calls, etc.

10. Special activities such as Beach Olympics and other group events can help foster team spirit and boost morale leading to improved performance in the work place. They are fun, exciting and can maximize participation.

Relaunch of www.meetingsonships.com

2007-06-29T14:51:00.000-07:00

World Voyager Inc, a Washington State corporation announced the relaunch of one of its core websites http://www.meetingsonships.com/. World Voyager President Jerry Vaughn said the site was relaunched to provide substantially more information in a more concise way to businesses looking to do meetings, conferences, conventions and workshops at sea on a cruise ship. Vaughn noted there is a substantial increase in meetings at sea attributable to the cost efficiency and cost effectiveness of cruise venues versus land based venues. The increased value coupled with a very high level of participant satisfaction makes cruise ships an ideal place to conduct business meetings according to Vaughn.

The website features a meeting planners guide, overviews of ships and itineraries and a pictoral display of meeting and conference facilities on ships. There is an extensive discussion of tax issues related to doing meetings on foreign flagged ships. Vaughn stated that he believes http://www.meetingsonships.com/ will be a valuable resource to meeting planners and group coordinators.

One feature of the site is a full presentation about Incentive Awards programs businesses can use to improve empoyee performance and productivity. Another presents information about customer loyalty programs that can drive more sales and profits for companies. According to Vaughn, properly structured and implemented Incentive Awards don't cost businesses money, the make money delivering higher sales volume and profitability.

For more information contact Jerry Vaughn, President World Voyager Inc 877 836-1949 or jvaughn@worldvoyagervacations.com

World Voyager Inc is a Washington state corporation specializing in leisure travel and business meeting and convention management. They operate two retail storefronts d.b.a. World Voyager Vacations in Federal Way Washington and World Voyager Vacations Cruise Center in Puyallup Washington. They also operate a specialized Alaska web travel business http://www.alaskacruiseagents.com/. World Voyager Inc was founded in 1999. Jerry Vaughn is on the Travel Agency Advisory Board of Cruise Lines International Association and writes a weekly travel column in the Federal Way Mirror newspaper.