Northstar

Special Report Cruise as an Incentive By Daniela Li-Ann Zanardi Silver Spirit - the ultimate in incentive travel I f your budget is generous and you crave something different from your stock standard hotel meeting, something truly memorable perhaps you should look into chartering your own cruise ship. Sounds luxurious. That's because it is, but it may turn out to be better value than it sounds despite the very exclusive and expensive connotations the proposal carries. Though chartering a cruise may appear to be pricey at fi rst, Silversea's comparison of a Mediterranean seven-night full charter of the Silver Spirit, actually appears less expensive. For 540 guests (270 suites) sailing from Monte Carlo to Barcelona compared to fi ve-star hotel with "run-of-house" rooms showed a saving of US$425,000 that is assuming you've planning your incentive for Europe ( see box attached) We take a look at Silversea 8 Cruises (voted "World's Best" by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler nine times) and its corporate incentive package. What makes Silversea attractive as an incentive is that its prices are all inclusive - many facilities that would be charged separately in a hotel - are complimentary. Hence, it takes the worry out of organizers who do not know what the fi nal bill would be. Its prices include: • world-class dining • beverages served throughout the ship and stocked in your suite's cocktail bar (including fi ne wines, champagnes, spirits, bottled water, specialty coffees and soft drinks) • cocktail receptions with canapés. • the use of show lounge, conference room and other venues for meetings and presentations also, audio and visual equipment • business break food and beverages, • 24-hour room service • nightly entertainment • transportation into town in most ports of call • activities and special events fi tness centre including equipment, and instructor-led classes in aerobics, yoga and Pilates. All these on top of the standard twice daily suite service with nightly turndown and butler service for all guests. Virtually everything is included with no hidden charges. All rooms come with ocean view and 80 % have their own private veranda. The ship also has duty free boutiques onboard, saving you the hassle of shopping whilst dragging your luggage behind you. Impressive, yes, also having everyone on one ship spares the organisers the time of having to deal with the logistics of getting everyone to the right place at the right time. Silversea Cruises has received many glowing testimonials from clients. "Silversea is unquestionably the fi nest pearl found in the ocean. Our guests were overwhelmed with the superior service, fabulous accommodation, outstanding food and top-notch entertainment. If you are looking for a high-end incentive, look no further than Silversea." said David Nelson, vice president, AFLAC Presidents Club Charter. "The onboard product is truly six-star plus. The crew was faultless and gave generously of their time to ensure everything was carried through to perfection. Without doubt, Silversea is in a different class." says Johny Wolf, marketing manager, Telecom Plus. Sarah Morgan, event manager, P&MM for Aviva UK General Insurance said "Nothing had prepared me for the incredibly helpful, fl exible and professional attitude of every single member of the staff on the Silver Whisper. Our every request was answered with incredible speed and effi ciency – with no hesitation even if it was a last-minute change. The staff managed a very complex pattern of arrivals and departures without a hitch." "Silver Cloud is large enough to accommodate our 100+ group but was cozy enough for us to bond and organize events without getting lost. But what separates Silversea (Silver Cloud) from the rest of the cruises we have been, was the wonderful service-minded crew and staff both on board and ground. They have helped us to discover not only luxury travel but created a memorable experience, formed friendships and touched our hearts." – Ms Mimi Gumelaty, director of marketing, Asia Pacifi c, Mary Kay Asia Services Limited. Silversea offers six ships of differing capacity: • the Silver Explorer – 132 • Silver Wind and Silver Cloud – 296 each • Silver Whisper and Silver Shadow – 382 each • the Silver Spirit - 540 All of them offer function rooms of different confi gurations. On average each charter last around six days, and Silversea does about 30 charters annually. Though charters are fairly infrequent in Asia, Silverseas did one in Antartica for a Chinese company on its expedition ship in 2009. For Silversea Cruises, its top 5 markets in Asia for leisure and business( in order of revenue) are Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and China. Around 30 percent of their January 2012 Courtesy of Silversea Cruises

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