Carnival Australia Puts Cruising on the Meeting Agenda
Australia’s largest cruise operator Carnival Australia is broadening its horizons to entice more meetings and incentive groups to sea.
The move has been fuelled by an increase in corporate enquiries, along with a record-sized fleet, which opens the way for the cruise company to offer a wide array of ships and cruise itineraries worldwide.
Carnival Australia Vice President Market Planning Mark Barnes said the company had released a range of packages targeting the meetings, incentive and conference (MICE) market to meet growing demand.
Mr Barnes said the variety of ships available through Carnival Australia, which represents P&O Cruises Australia, Princess Cruises, Cunard Line, P&O Cruises World Cruising as well as Carnival Spirit’s Australasian deployment, meant there was now a vast choice of ships and destinations for business clients.
“As the cruise industry grows, more and more people are seeing it as a great environment for meetings, as it allows organisers and delegates to blend productive meetings with an inspiring and relaxing holiday,” Mr Barnes said.
“What’s more, the all-inclusive nature of a cruise also means it is very price competitive when compared to events on land, with the one cruise fare including accommodation, food and entertainment.”
With more than 30 ships on offer, the company’s trade umbrella, Complete Cruise Solution, has created a MICE specific brochure promoting the opportunity to hold meetings or host incentives in North America and Europe or closer to home in Asia and the Pacific Islands. Seven of the ships sail year round from Australia offering the options of groups cruising from their doorstep.
Recent groups hosted on local ships included a genealogy conference, a health and beauty event and a medical conference.
Mr Barnes said the available fleet offered a wide range of rooms for meetings, catering for groups from 20 to 1200 people, with the ships also able to offer groups themed functions and shows, as well as special shore tours in port.
“We think the new meetings push will be very popular as it gives event organisers a very exciting alternative to traditional meetings on land,” she said.
“Whether you are planning to hold a medical conference for 100 people in the Mediterranean, or to reward 50 top performing sales staff by taking them to the Pacific Islands, there’s a ship and a cruise to suit.”
For more information contact mice@carnivalaustralia.com