Cruises aren’t limited to having fun in the sun with the family. Many cruise lines are offering special meeting opportunities for the corporate market. Some offer overnight voyages, while others offer a night on the water. Many people don’t think of cruises as a location to host business meetings or corporate functions. Today, cruises are an up and coming venue because of their many desirable amenities such as catering and leisure elements. The company, Celebrity Cruises, declared that in the last year, there has been a dramatic increase in corporate bookings. In the last three years, the amount of corporate functions has doubled on Silversea Cruises. Now, 20% of their clients are in the corporate sector.
West End on the Thames is a London-based corporate events company that operates cruises along the river Thames. One of the ways they reach clients is through their blog which is linked to their website. Their blog explains why it is beneficial to have business on the water, as well as promotes different events happening around London. They describe how readers only get one chance to make the first impression on a client, and why it is important to impress them before you dive into the specifics of business. A client can enjoy breakfast with a view of historical London landmarks while discussing business.
Spirit Cruises is an American corporate cruise line that uses its “A Hull of a Good Time” blog to plan corporate events on the water. They promote their blog differently than West End on the Thames and sail in seven different cities. For example, Spirit Cruise’s posts may discuss a certain celebration or even a “how-to” theme. The interface of the blog is designed with artistic photos and bright colors. Each post has different tags that filter through to what a company specifically needs. For example, one of their posts describes different ideas for the perfect holiday event. They also include a video and a simple three step process, followed by a hyperlink to book your event. Despite Spirit Cruises and West End on the Thames’ different approaches for their blogs, it is evident that online presence provides increased opportunity for connecting with corporations.
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