To Mix Business With Pleasure....Just Add Water
TRAVEL EXPRESS corporate & promotional opportunities can help you meet your company's objectives.
Here are some examples of corporate groups:

• Seminars/Meetings at Sea
• Company Outings
• Sales Incentives
• Customer Appreciation Awards
• Employee Appreciation Awards
• Discount Employee Benefit

Looking for that creative twist to include in your next promotion? Searching for that 'something' that will motivate your staff, customers or members. You've come to the right spot! Not only is a cruise a time of your life experience but our corporate programs can help you achieve your business objectives, as well.

When you consider a business partnership with any company, you need to know as much as you can about their business. We have over 30 years experience in cruise travel services. Our staff has over 15 years experience with group movements, to destinations all over the world.

Our staff experience includes travel professionals that have personally handled international corporate, association and incentive groups of over 300 guests. If your group include's guests traveling from countries, speaking a multitude of languages, No Problem! CRUISES 24/7 can provide bilingual coordinators for Spanish, Russian, German and Japanese guest that may require these services.

CRUISES 24/7 is a proud division icon for the Travel Express Corp.. Our associates extensive expertise come from working in and with travel cruise operations world-wide. We deliver quantified value to our corporate clients by enabling them to measure the financial results of their customer/employee-focused initiatives and incentives.

Let us put to work our group experience both on land and at sea for your company. We encourage you to call us and learn more about CRUISES 24/7 and see why we are one of the internets most respected and trusted professional cruise services in the travel industry today.

With just one call to CRUISES 24/7, our staff can coordinate: transportation, transfers, accommodations, meals, entertainment, meetings, leisure activities and so much more.

For example, when you select a cruise for your next off-site meeting destination, our dedicated staff will review with you every step of your program and design one that meets your company's needs and expectations.

We can save your company money too!

Consider the savings that your company could expect when choosing a cruise for your next meeting destination. When you consider all the costs that are part of any land-based resort meeting, a cruise means value! Practically everything is included...which means no unexpected cost overruns, and no unexpected out of pocket expenses for your participants.

Additional savings on out of pocket expenses are also realized for your participants when you consider that a cruise provides around the clock dining options, in cabin room service, entertainment and shipboard activities. In addition cruise ships can facilitate programs anywhere from an eight member board meeting to a large convention. In most cases, meeting and conference facilities are available at no charge.

Site Inspections

You may want to inspect any of these cruise ships. You may visit them when in port by prior appointment. Or, as an example, you may experience the cruise itself, by booking voyage on the cruise ship of your choice. You will pay the minimum rate, but if the group at the agreed upon size materializes, you will be given credit equal to the cruise fare paid for your site inspection from the total invoice for the group sailing.

Revenue Generation

As your organization's meeting may be a revenue generating one, we can discuss why increased participation should be very important. CRUISES 24/7 will work with you in the design of a program for you to motivate individuals to attend and reward your organization when they do.

Promotion

To get the word out, we'll help you develop a promotional program that includes corporate newsletters, E-mail, sales flyers, and more.

There's a ship and sailing that's just right for everyone!

Once you have decided which cruise ship and the facilities that are best for you, we will work hand-in-hand with you on coordinating: transportation, transfers, accommodations, meals, entertainment, meetings, and your guests leisure activities.

Our business is predicated on developing solid customer relationships, for being proactive and responsive, and for going out of our way to meet your needs.

Individual Incentives
Looking to reward your top individuals, one at a time. After all, there's no motivation more powerful than being singled out. With an individual incentive cruise program, your participants can choose when they'll cruise, or even where they go. Or perhaps reward someone a cruise as an on-the-spot bonus for exceptional performance, or how about creating a multi-tiered incentive program with varying award levels? Winners could go on a 3-day Caribbean getaway, a 7-day Bermuda cruise or a 12-day Europe cruise. Nothing can increase motivation and productivity more than an individual incentive. It's the ultimate reward. Let us customize an incentive cruise program made just for you.

Group Incentives
Going on a cruise is like taking two vacations in one: the first-class treatment and facilities of a luxury resort, combined with the excitement of travel to exotic destinations. From cocktail parties to award ceremonies, a cruise is a great way to bring colleagues closer together, while everyone still has time to themselves. What's more, were professionals in the business of planning group and incentive travel, so relax: You're in the hands of experts here.

Meeting Incentives
No deadlines, no sales calls, no e-mails, no memos. Is this any way to conduct business? Well - actually, yes. Think of a cruise ship as a floating conference center complete with video and overhead sound and light capabilities, multi-image shows, theatrical special effects and more. Many ships have rooms that accommodate large sessions, breakout rooms and hospitality suites of all sizes. And since your associates can't stray too far when they're aboard ship, you can keep attendance higher and be more productive.

Full Ship Charter
For large groups, nothing is more impressive than a privately chartered ship. Since you "own" the ship, virtually every aspect of the cruise can be customized for your group. You can decide which ports the ship will call on, what dishes will be offered on the menu, and which shore excursions will be available. Choreographed stage shows can be customized for the company, or the ship can be renamed in the company's honor. The ship's Captain can even promote the company's chairman to the rank of Honorary Admiral in a full-dress ceremony. It's like having your own corporate yacht to do as you please, only better. Because aboard a cruise ship, there's so much more to do.

The Details
From business meetings to awards ceremonies, cocktail receptions, shore tours and theme parties, CRUISES 24/7 can customize every detail. Gift items such as shirts, caps or sunglasses imprinted with the Company's name; signature cocktail napkins, menus, and daily newsletters; custom nameplates on everyone's stateroom door; ice sculptures in the form of a logo; corporate ideas played over closed-circuit TV, "Welcome Aboard" notes from the ship's Captain ... unlimited opportunities to customize your incentive cruise. And you can count on us to deliver.

Services Guide
More than 20 items of interest to the meeting planner are featured in the guide, ranging from conference rooms to flip charts and easels.

Meeting planners can identify which cruise lines provide services such as meeting coordinators and facilities such as e-mail access, fax machines, copiers and computer equipment.

Charts of the 22 cruise lines show whether or not they have these items, if they are on all or some ships or if the items are available on a special-request basis.

What size groups can be accommodated?
Depending on the ship you choose, as few as 16 guests or up to a full-ship charter.

What's included in the price?
Your cruise fare will include stateroom accommodations, sea transportation, all your meals, entertainment and on-board activities.

What's not included?
Generally speaking, depending upon cruise line, air transportation, shore excursions, medical services, items of a personal nature such as bar beverages (except coffee, tea, or milk with meals or when expressly specified) gift shop purchases, photography, beauty salon/barber shop and spa services, gambling and service/porterage gratuities are not included in the cruise fare. Also not included are charges for passports, visas, inoculations, laundry, travel insurance, postage, telegrams, telephone calls and surcharges, any items of a personal nature, Guests are urged to read the cruise lines brochure and cruise line confirmation from the cruise line for complete details on what is or what is not included.

How does the cost compare to a resort?
The economies are evident. Not only because our prices are competitive, but because many of the services that resorts charge extra for are complimentary aboard our ships: meeting rooms, coffee breaks, meals, afternoon snacks, AV equipment, entertainment, theme parties, sporting events and many daytime activities, to name just a few.

How are private functions handled?
Your group's functions and cocktail receptions can be held either in public rooms or in private suites. Drinks and hors d'oeuvres can be provided at an affordable cost (gratuity included).

What about dining arrangements?
You may have , depending upon availability, all your group's members seated in one area of a dining room, with either assigned or open seating.

How are on-board purchases handled?
Drinks, spa services, shore excursions and shop purchases can all be charged to on-board accounts. You may either set up a master account for your group, or leave it up to individual participants to establish and settle their own accounts.

How can we handle tipping?
Gratuities for your group's dining room staff and room stewards are prepaid prior to sailing. A 15% gratuity is automatically added to all purchases in bars and lounges.

Are telephone and fax services available?
Yes, anyone from your group can telephone directly from their stateroom. In addition, worldwide telex, radiogram or fax services are available from most ships. The guest will be charged at applicable ship-to-shore rates. And aboard many ships, you will find internet access via the ship's satellite system.

Study: Biz Cruises Float With Meeting Planners

Foreign-flag cruise lines, which control over 90% of the berths serving North American passengers, represent an underused market for corporate meetings and incentive travel, according to the results of a survey conducted by Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. .....and others.
The study found that 79% of meetings planners would consider holding their business events at sea, and 68% do not consider tax deductibility when planning events.

Cruise observers have long maintained that foreign-flag ships make poor venues for corporate meetings because expenses tied to such gatherings are not tax deductible....

....The survey's sponsors said they recognized that it is likely that the planners did not relate to the tax deductibility question because "it is not an issue with domestic hotels and resorts." However, they added that the findings on the tax question "is an indicator of the attention, or lack of, paid to this subject by the majority of meeting planners."

Indeed, respondents said the most important factors to consider when planning an event are location (45%), followed by price and budget (38%) and service (21%).....

......The study also found that only 12% of respondents use cruise ships as a meeting venue vs. 74% who use land-based resorts.

"All of the elements are in place for these groups to use cruise ships. The amenities and level of service are comparable, both have a sense of exclusivity and both have an all-inclusive atmosphere."

"With the all-inclusive nature of cruising, many meeting planners find that a cruise ship event can be more affordable than traditional meeting venues," said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, associate vice president of national and corporate sales at Royal Caribbean.

"The variety of destinations, dining options, activities make cruise ships an innovative and hassle-free option."

The study was distributed via e-mail to 12,481 registered meeting planners as identified by EventSource.

To increase the response rate, an incentive of entry into a drawing for a seven-night Royal Caribbean cruise was included in the survey form. A total of 548 planners responded to the survey, a 4.4% response rate.

Other findings pointed to the cruise segment's growing exposure, desirability and market potential.

The survey found that while 82% of respondents had not held business events on a ship, 42% had been on a cruise before and 79% said they would consider holding an event aboard a cruise ship.

Of those who said they would not consider holding an event aboard a cruise ship, the most common reason given was "cost/budget," at 27%, followed by "not a professional atmosphere/too distracting," at 17%.

Also cited were "too confining," and "didn't like the inflexibility of arrivals/departures for attendees," at 11%, and "length of meetings," at 10%.....

......Overall, the survey concluded that many of the planners who responded to the survey fit within the cruise-candidate profile and that there is an interest in the market for cruise-ship venues.