A recent study conducted by EventSource, Landry & Kling, Meetings at Sea and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has found of 548 respondents, 79 percent of the planners said that they would consider holding their business events at sea. Notably, 68 percent do not take tax deductibility into consideration when planning events. Statistics on event lengths, types of events, group size and destinations were also gathered.

"The findings reinforce our belief that planners are open to cruising -- not only for incentives, but for all business events," said Joyce Landry, President & CEO of Landry & Kling, Meetings at Sea, a company that has specialized in corporate cruises since 1982. "This survey supports the growth trend our company has experienced over the last few years. It's also nice to see that planners are realizing that, regardless of tax deductibility, cruising is a viable alternative."  

“Most cruise ships can accommodate typical event needs just as easily as hotels,” said Ed Sarraille, President and CEO of EventSource, a meeting planning and corporate travel solutions provider. “Meeting room size, breakout rooms, meeting lengths and cost per meeting for cruise ships are addressed and negotiated just as they would with hotels.”

Corporate meeting planners accounted for 65 percent of the respondents, while 15 percent were independent planners or consultants. Other survey findings include:

• The most important factor considered when planning an event was location, followed by price/budget and service.
• 32 percent said "yes" and 46 percent said "sometimes" when asked if a spouse/partner was usually invited to events, verifying that sharing cabins on a cruise ship (vs. single rooms at hotels) is not an issue.
• 74 percent of the planners typically hold business events at a resort
• 50 percent use a convention center
• 12 percent currently use cruise ships as a venue
• 41 percent plan 1-5 incentives per year, 36 percent plan more than 13-50 meetings per year, and 50 percent plan 1-5 conventions/trade shows per year.

"With the all-inclusive nature of cruising, many meeting planners find that a cruise ship event can be more affordable than traditional meeting venues," commented Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, Associate Vice President, National and Corporate Sales, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd.

"The variety of destinations, dining options, activities, world-class entertainment and unmatched technical capabilities and meeting areas, make cruise ships an innovative and hassle-free option for planners." For an executive summary of the survey results contact: Richelle Taylor Marketing & Communications Manager Landry & Kling (305) 661-1880