Celebrity Cruises has declared its intention to pursue more business events groups based in Asia from industries such as insurance, banking, global corporate groups.
At an event held in Hong Kong yesterday, Alexis Puma, its manager for international charter sales, said: “Cruising as an incentive has just started getting popular and we are keen to spread the word about our sailings.”
Magic Carpet platform
However, Puma acknowledged that most of the company’s cruises in Asia are 10 days or longer, and are too long for most of their business events clients. Regardless, she indicated that the company was able create something to suit their needs, via a ship charter, as well as a customised itinerary.
“However, the corporate group has to be fairly large given that our fleet capacity in double occupancy varies between 2,100 to 2,800 guests. Currently, we have two charters booked in Asia operating out of Japan with 2,160 guests. For this group, we took an existing deployment and tailor-made a seven-night journey for them,” Puma shared.
In Asia, Celebrity Cruises is currently courting Japan, Indonesia, Philippines, South Korea, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore.
The company will launch new vessels to further grow this segment.
The 2,918-guest Celebrity Edge, setting sail on December 16 next year, will sport the Magic Carpet platform cantilevered from the side of the 16-deck ship. The size of a tennis court, the platform will transform into a different venue depending on the deck it is located – a restaurant for 90 guests on Deck 16, an open-air expansion of the main pool area on Deck 14, an al fresco extension for a restaurant on Deck 5, and a luxury embarkation station at Deck 2. For groups, the space can be transformed into a bar, space for live music performances, or a private dinner function.
Two additional yachts – the 48-guest Celebrity Xperience and 16-guest Celebrity Xploration – will give planners 65 extra capacity and charter options for Galapagos Islands.
Puma said: “This is definitely a bucket list opportunity. For the MICE segment, it’d be an ultimate reward experience for super performers.”
Apart from team building events and group shore excursions, Celebrity Cruises is able to offer other perks such as complimentary meeting rooms, an all-inclusive beverage package, an onboard photographer, high-speed Internet at sea, and a complimentary daily programme.
