Best Plan for Meetings at Sea
Planning a meeting at sea is not as difficult or as different as it might sound on the surface but there are still a few key differences to be aware of. Some of the best meeting planners keep the following advice in mind:
- Equipment and space for equipment is at a premium – It might be tempting to get that new 17 or even 18.4 inch laptop at a bargain price for the screen real estate it provides, but inexpensive laptops usually don’t perform that well. Spend the extra few dollars and get equipment that does everything it needs to do because carrying two of everything on a ship is not incredibly practical.
- Have backups – While carrying two of everything is not practical, make sure key information and key equipment does have backups. Equipment, especially laptops, can be a little flakey after taking a ride in the overhead storage bin of an airplane, so be prepared. Small things like USB keys get lost and are easy to replicate.
- Double check everything – leave nothing to chance from the equipment to the accommodations. If meals are important to guests, especially those on strict diets, then it is important to be sure to make arrangements as far in advance as possible to ensure complete success. The same rule applies for any supplies that need to be brought onboard such as decorations or promotional material. Most of these items must pass through an inspection process prior to being loaded onboard.
The best thing about meetings at sea is the all-inclusive aspect. Generally everything is included such as meeting rooms, luxury accommodations, meeting rooms and state of the art A/V equipment, gourmet meals, entertainment and activities.
