Caribbean Event Planners

1. Seasite.com is the first and only web portal for the cruise meetings and incentive market. Until now, there has been no single, online platform dedicated to serving the highly specialized cruise meetings market. Seasite's innovative technology opens up the untapped world of cruising for planners, connecting cruise lines and meeting professionals like never before. Cruise sourcing can now be as easy and efficient as planning hotel events, and equally reliable - thanks to the tried and tested experience of Seasite's founders, Landry & Kling, the meetings-at-sea experts.

2. One source delivers it all. The tedious tasks of phoning and searching multiple cruise web sites in vain are gone, as Seasite provides impartial access any day, any time, to 35 cruise brands (over 250 ships), and its meeting-friendly search criteria even allows users to search for charters of a specific size, plus three other specialty searches. A simple click compares ship choices along with maps, itineraries, ship profiles and essential meeting planning data.

3. Data not found elsewhere. Planner's Guides offer comprehensive ship data harvested only for Seasite - never before published - not even on individual cruise line web sites. Planners will find meeting space grids, function room capacities, outdoor function areas, group dining information, photo galleries, an inventory of guest rooms by category, AV equipment, communications technology and more.

4. High tech/high touch. Rich data and sophisticated search technology lets planners "loose" yet "in control," providing 24/7 answers and ship-sourcing tools so they can become more knowledgeable planners and educated cruise buyers. At the same time, Cruise Advisors, who are trained by Landry & Kling, offer the expertise, backup and support to source and deliver with confidence.

5. Search, sort and conquer. Seasite's powerful search capabilities allow planners to drill down and refine searches by cruise line, ship rating, size, capacity of largest function room, cruise style (floating resort, boutique ship, sail ship, river boat), by port or day of departure, destination, cruise length and much more.

6. Unique eRFP process. Streamlining and simplifying what can be an arduous process, Seasite offers the first group cruise RFP online, all supported by Cruise Advisors. One single RFP is sent to multiple cruise lines, generating electronic bottom-line quotes for a quick and accurate "apples to apples" comparison.

7. Cost cutting and value driven. Cruise meetings can provide cost savings of 25-40%, and Seasite helps make that a reality. No longer is sourcing and planning a meeting or incentive at sea labor intensive and intimidating for those unfamiliar with the process. With Seasite, everything you need to research the possibilities and create a successful program is a click away (with expert Cruise Advisors at your service when needed). Seasite.com finally puts cruise sourcing on par with hotels, so group travel buyers can easily compare price/value - their main focus in today's economy.

8. The ultimate source for Do It Yourselfers (DIY). An indispensible tool for savvy DIY planners as well as those looking to learn more about cruise meetings and incentives, the Knowledge Center is a repository of information and advice designed for all levels of expertise. It includes operational checklists and timelines, comparison of using a cruise verses a hotel, how to overcome obstacles and myths about business at sea, distance between airports and seaports, sample day-by-day agendas, cruise contract terminology, a cruise event feasibility quiz; case histories and much more. Planners no longer have to rely on others to spoon-feed them information and ideas. A wealth of data and resources, driven by a robust search engine, allows 24/7 research and planning anywhere, anytime.

9. Creativity and inspiration. Seasite's "Great Ideas" section stimulates individuality, creativity and customization. An invaluable source of ideas, planners will find recommended "Gems," (rare and hard to find, short cruise opportunities), a "Top 10" list of best ships and itineraries for groups and "Quick Picks" with cruise ideas based on group size. Additionally, the all important aspect of on-board dining is transformed from challenging to exciting as Seasite provides the facts about dining facilities, seating capacities and exclusive use of specialty restaurants.

10. It's free. There's no cost or membership fee to use Seasite.com and pricing is the same as buying direct.

For more information on Seasite.com, A Landry & Kling Company, visit www.seasite.com or call 888- 713-1371.

The island of Aruba is not large, so it's very easy to get around. Most people arrive on cruise ships, but many arrive at Queen Beatrix International Airport via charter and scheduled flights. Cruise ships often dock at Aruba, as it is a popular cruise destination for Caribbean cruising.

While you may opt to get around to restaurants and nightclubs by taxi, many have discovered that Aruba's bus system is efficient, easy to use and quite affordable. The bus runs frequently between the main bus station in downtown Oranjestad and the entire hotel strip.

If you'd like to explore the whole island, you can rent a scooter, or a motorcycle. Car rentals are available, but most people prefer to rent a 4-wheel drive jeep because Aruba's terrain can be rugged in remote areas. Luxurious motorcoach tours are also available that will pick you up at your hotel.

Driving is on the right side of the road, foreign and international driving licenses accepted.

Caribbean cruises are the most popular cruise destination for incentive cruise travelers. Selecting where to sail - the eastern or western Caribbean - is one of the first decisions meeting planners must make when planning an incentive cruise vacation.

Most cruise travelers choose a 7-day Caribbean cruise for their first cruise experience. When you search the Internet or read cruise brochures, the most common itineraries offered are Eastern Caribbean and Western Caribbean. Which is better? It depends. Both itineraries offer cruisers the opportunity to sail, swim, snorkel, and shop. However there are differences. Here's a quick look at the two most popular Caribbean cruise itineraries.

Eastern Caribbean Cruises
Most ships with the eastern Caribbean 7-day itineraries embark from Florida. Ports of call typically include the Bahamas, St. Thomas, St. John (USVI), Puerto Rico, and St. Maarten/St. Martin. If you want to offer your clients less sailing (i.e. time at sea) and more shopping and opportunities to go to fabulous beaches, then an Eastern Caribbean itinerary might be more appealing. The islands in the eastern Caribbean are relatively close together, smaller, and the shore excursions are generally geared to beach or water activities.

Western Caribbean Cruises
Cruise ships sailing to the western Caribbean also embark from Florida, but also may embark from New Orleans or Texas. Ports of call on a Western Caribbean itinerary may include Cozumel or Playa del Carmen, Mexico; Grand Cayman; Key West, FL; the Dominican Republic; Jamaica; Belize; or Costa Rica. Since the ports of call in the western Caribbean are further apart, more sailing is usually involved on a western Caribbean cruise. So you typically will have more time at sea and less time in port. If meetings are to be included, your client may prefer this itinerary. The ports of call in the western Caribbean are sometimes on the mainland (Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica) or at larger islands (Jamaica, Dominican Republic). Therefore, the shore excursion options are more varied. You can explore ancient Mayan ruins, hike the rain forests, visit a coffee plantation, or go snorkeling or SCUBA diving in some unforgettable locations.

The Caribbean Sea is a cruise lover's heaven--blue seas, sunny beaches, and interesting ports of call. Your clients will enjoy all of these whichever direction they cruise. East and West are both great--and then there's the Southern Caribbean and Northern Caribbean....

Just a note, with the economic conditions, and clients becoming more and more cost conscious, an all inclusive cruise makes a great incentive travel alternative.

Planning corporate meetings and events can be quite tasking, however if the venue is something as beautiful and charming as the Caribbean region of the Bahamas, the effort is worth taking. An eternal favorite with business visitors and event planners, the Bahamas is a splendid business destination offering a wide array of delightful facilities and experiences.

Business can truly become a pleasure in the Bahamas. There are three main areas that you could explore for your business visit- the Grand Bahama Island, the Out Islands, and Nassau.

The beautiful Grand Bahama Island

Three things define the Grand Bahama Island- superb golf facilities, vibrant casinos, and cosmopolitan shopping. So whether you are a sports buff, shopaholic, or simply love to try your luck with gambling, this island has all that it takes to offer a splendid business vacation.

The hotels, resorts and other entertainment avenues of this island are up-to-date and well maintained. You are guaranteed a great time while you organize your corporate event in this engaging island.

The charming Out Islands

Marked with top class hotels that thrive on high-end service and excellent facilities, the Out Islands makes a superb destination for your next corporate meeting. Ideal for elite corporate groups looking for a great place to host an important corporate meeting, the Out Islands provides a favorable business ambience.

The entrancing city of Nassau

Characterized by an old-fashioned architecture that will keep you spellbound, this capital city and commercial centre of the Bahamas is a great choice for your next corporate event. Once you are done with business commitments, you have a lot to do and see around this attractive location.

Resplendent with interesting history, Nassau is absolutely fabulous in its old world appeal. You could take a pleasant ride on a horse drawn carriage and take in the many flavors of the city.

The streets of Nassau are lined with exciting shops where you can pick up some local hand crafted items and other trinkets. Nassau is truly a shopper's paradise.

The lively city also offers many options for team building activities that you could include in your event's agenda.

Corporate travel rewards can often be difficult to book. Trying to find out what an employee, retail partner, or prized client wants can be an exercise in futility. It's often hard to get an answer if you ask, and if it's supposed to be a surprise it's just a guess anyway on the part of the Big Boss.

One incentive cruise destination that has a high rate of success and approval is the private tropical island. Although it is generally a popular destination, the idea of the private island is sometimes forgotten. Anyone who wants to give the gift of relaxation, beautiful scenery, and peace should consider the private island part of an incentive cruise itinerary.

Private does not necessarily mean no choices. It doesn't mean your client will be marooned . It means that there are options. She can stay in bed in her ship cabin for the whole trip if she wants, or in ports lie on the beach and read, but there is sometimes golf, tennis, equestrian activities, and much more a short distance away.

While organizing a meeting at sea for your next corporate travel destination, you may need to take into consideration the prospect of including a stop on a private island as part of your tour. Some cruise lines now offer excursions to private islands, markedly. In the Caribbean, as a portion of their cruise itinerary. Though the cost of food, beverages, water sports equipment and other items will typically always cost more on a private island than they would at a usual stop for an onshore excursion while in port, there are many good advantages to selecting cruise lines that include destinations at private islands.

Private islands may occasionally be populated with other vacationers, but they are not packed with con artists or pickpockets, as are some public beaches, which delivers a more relaxed environment for your participants. Security is always there to safeguard that visitors will have no qualms about being mugged or having their belongings disappear if they turn their backs, and your participants can rest assured that the beaches will be impeccably clean and always pristine. Banana boat rides, scuba diving, snorkeling, massage and spa services, beverage bars and cafes are common features on private islands, making them an great selection for day-long beach entertainment, and possibly even organized events, depending on what type of agreement you can negotiate with the cruise company.

A meeting at sea is one of the top ideas if you really wish to energize employees. Your incentive event attendees will never forget the excitement of going to several foreign destinations and simply unpacking one time. Moreover to increasing attendance, incentives like an all inclusive incentive cruise will be much easier on the incentive travel budget, too.

Cruise events can save up to 40 percent over a land-based hotel venue, and extend remarkable onboard facilities and dining choices. Also, cruise ships are now being designed with conferences in mind, e.G. Dedicated event facilities, state-of-the-art technology, flexible public spaces and roomy theaters that can often accommodate as many as 1,600 people. With most cruise lines, convention space and A/V equipment are complimentary, and the dedicated meeting facilities extend groups more privacy and technology.

Venues like a cruise ship's unparalleled show lounges, comedy clubs, and culinary centers can stimulate creative thinking and team building. And there is no shortage of fun activities and challenging sports facilities for your incentive group to take part in between meetings, offering tons of motivational appeal (and bragging rights) for event participants of every age.

So you've always wanted to plan a cruise event. Maybe you thought it would be too expensive, though. Think again. Cruising can save as much as 40 percent of the cost of a land based event venue.

The cruise industry is growing faster than ever, and with this huge expansion comes more opportunities to save money on group cruise events. Those looking to book a cruise event can make a few smart decisions and save themselves a lot of cash without much sacrifice.

The first step is to look into ship charters if you are planning for a large group. For smaller groups this may not be feasible.

Do your research! Seasite.com offers the only group cruise planning portal online. You can source a group cruise event easily, with access to virtually every cruise line on earth.

While organizing a cruise meeting for your next corporate travel destination, you may need to take into consideration the option of including a stop on a private island as part of your program. Some cruise lines now offer excursions to private islands, markedly. In the Caribbean, as a portion of their cruise itinerary. Though the cost of food, beverages, water sports equipment and other items will typically always cost more on a private island than they would at a usual port of call for an onshore excursion while in port, there are many gratifying advantages to going for cruise lines that include destinations at private islands.

Private islands may at times be populated with other vacationers, but they are not full with con artists or pickpockets, as are some public beaches, which delivers a more tranquil setting for your attendees. Security is always there to safeguard that visitors will have no qualms about being mugged or having their belongings taken if they turn their backs, and your attendees can rest assured that the beaches will be impeccably clean and always pristine. Banana boat rides, scuba diving, snorkeling, massage and spa services, beverage bars and caf%uFFFDs are common features on private islands, making them an excellent pick for day-long beach entertainment, and possibly even organized events, depending on what type of agreement you can negotiate with the cruise company.

A meeting at sea is one of the most excellent ideas if you really wish to motivate employees. Your incentive event attendees will never forget the adventure of stopping at several foreign destinations and simply unpacking one time. Additionally to increasing attendance, incentives like an all inclusive incentive cruise will be much easier on the incentive travel budget, too.

Cruise meetings can save up to 40 percent over a land-based hotel venue, and extend excellent onboard facilities and dining choices. Also, cruise ships are now being designed with meetings in mind, e.G. Dedicated meeting facilities, cutting-edge technology, flexible public spaces and roomy theaters that can often accommodate as many as 1,600 people.
With most cruise lines, conference space and A/V equipment are complimentary, and the dedicated meeting facilities extend groups more privacy and technology.

Venues like a cruise ship's terrific show lounges, comedy clubs, and culinary centers can encourage creative thinking and team building. And there is no shortage of fun activities and challenging sports facilities for your incentive group to take part in between meetings, offering tons of motivational appeal (and bragging rights) for meeting participants of every age.

No matter if you are a corporate convention and event planner, a wedding planner or a corporate travel planner, a comprehensive grasp of group cruise packages and how they can benefit you and your clients is essential to successfully incorporating cruise ship venues and destinations into your planning services. It is one thing to have experience with sourcing cruises for executive retreats or incentive travel packages, but understanding the convenience and cost savings of taking full advantage of group cruise packages opens the door to sizeable budgetary benefits, as well as developing choices for the types of events you may think about planning on a cruise ship. From weddings with fewer than 10 guests to conferences at sea with a full ship charter, meeting, event and incentive travel planners will find that cruise ships can be a cost-effective option that offers noteworthy advantages and enhancements when compared to land-based events.

Opting for a group cruise event can result in up to 40 percent cost savings over going for a land-based venue and provides the added advantage of being perceived as a luxury option, even while costing far less than a typical luxury resort on land. Beyond the sizeable cost savings to be enjoyed with group cruise plans, planners will also find that organizing conferences at sea can be far easier than making arrangements for their land-based counterparts. Where events on land require planners to organize most components independently, including venue, catering, decor, entertainment and equipment, planning events on cruise ships is much simpler and more convenient. Cruise lines are well-versed in hosting events on-board and are well-equipped to provide everything you need for a successful event. From themed decor to audio-visual equipment, cruise ships already have all of the components you want, as well as built-in dining and entertainment options at no additional charge.

As soon as you have determined that group cruise packages are well-suited for your event and travel planning needs, the next step is determining the tools you need to make group cruise sourcing easy and convenient. It is essential that you are able to without difficulty attain the information you need, such as which cruise lines are a good fit for groups, the meeting facilities, accommodations and other pertinent ship data for particular cruise ships, and which cruise lines have options for the dates and destinations you require. It is also extremely advantageous to be able to compare cruise lines and ships side by side and to have the ability to create a single RFP that can be sent to each potential provider. These tools will make your group cruise planning even easier and will assist you in finding the best group cruise deals available.

This is why so many corporate travel and event planners have bookmarked Seasite.Com and regularly use the valuable group cruise planning tools available at no charge. Using these planning tools and booking group cruise deals through Seasite.Com allows planners to experience the same cost savings as they would when booking direct, with the added benefits of a comprehensive Knowledge Center and an abundance of information and planning tips to enhance their cruise sourcing experience.

Taking advantage of group cruise deals for your incentive travel or corporate event needs is an excellent way to stay within your travel budget, while providing participants with a rewarding, luxury travel experience and a topnotch meeting or event.