Cruise lines are upping the ante for meetings and incentives with immersive culinary experiences and a focus on shorter itineraries.
“Celebrity Cruises takes guests’ tastebuds on a culinary journey like no other with globally inspired flavors, locally sourced ingredients and all offerings made fresh daily,” says Katina Athanasiou, ECC, Sr. VP, Sales & Services, The Americas, Celebrity Cruises. “Our Edge Series ships have up to 32 dining and beverage experiences to explore, so guests can savor a new restaurant at every meal. We also have the most awarded wine collection at sea, winning Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence for 11 consecutive years.”
In 2022, Le Voyage by Daniel Boulud became the world-renowned chef’s first signature restaurant at sea when it debuted aboard Celebrity Beyond. Following its success, Celebrity Cruises has announced that Daniel Boulud signature dishes will now be available at Luminae, the exclusive restaurant for suite-level guests of The Retreat, as part of a culinary enhancement that will also include a new rotating dinner and dessert menu.
“Celebrity recently began offering 3- and 4-night Caribbean itineraries, building on guests’ enthusiasm for convenient escapes,” says Athanasiou. “These itineraries provide options close to home for a long weekend getaway, and can also be ideal for meetings, retreats and incentive trips while fitting into a busy work schedule. Following positive guest feedback, additional short Caribbean itineraries for the 2025-26 season were recently announced.”
Celebrity debuted its newest ship, Celebrity Ascent, at the end of 2023, which is currently sailing itineraries in Europe; while Celebrity Edge, the first of the Edge Series ships, will spend the summer season in Alaska where it completed its inaugural sailing in May this year. Celebrity Infinity completed a modernization in spring 2024, which added new Sunset Suites with expansive views and large private balconies, as well as a refreshed The Retreat Lounge and an expansion of its restaurant Luminae at The Retreat.
“For event venues, we provide the perfect corporate event space for any agenda,” says Athanasiou. “Consider the meeting spaces aboard our popular Edge Series ships as an example. From The Theater, with a capacity of up to 900 to the Connect Room, which comfortably seats 76, each space is multifunctional and highly customizable. We also have a dedicated event coordinator on board and unique and easily transformable spaces including private office space for event planners, dynamic mobile bars, WiFi packages for connectivity and more.”
Prevue caught up with Freddy Muller, AVP, Global Corporate, Incentive & Charter Sales, and Craig Jarrett, Director, Global Corporate, Incentive & Charter Sales for Royal Caribbean International to hear about new culinary offerings in the works, and how the cruise line is meeting the demand for MICE travel with shorter 3- to 4-day itineraries as well as multi-ship charters that can accommodate larger groups.
“I think the value proposition is still always in the forefront when it comes to cruising,” says Muller. “All the audio visual that’s included in our conference spaces is complimentary to these corporations, so the value can exceed 30-40 percent compared to a land-based event. We actually think we compete more against land destinations versus other cruise lines.”
“We just did a dual charter, which was two ships side by side,” adds Jarrett. “The capacity for those two ships could have been up to 10,000 people and they mirrored their itineraries. One ship left from Port Canaveral and one left from Miami, and then they met up in Coco Cay where they had a private island just for themselves and a private amphitheater for their event.
“Plus, because we have Starlink Internet, both ships were able to broadcast simultaneously ship to ship. So a speaker could have been aboard one ship, and part of the audience aboard the other ship, but it would have appeared that everyone was on the same ship. We’re not limited now to just one ship of 6,000 people. We can really compete with those big conventions if we need to,” Jarrett notes.
New dining experiences from Royal Caribbean include the Empire Supper Club, aboard Icon of the Seas, a Prohibition-era inspired multi-course fine dining journey that combines creative cocktail pairings with themed live jazz musical accompaniment. Menu items include oysters Rockefeller and Wagyu rib eye. New ship Utopia of the Seas will feature an immersive dining experience called Royal Railway. Designed to emulate the dining carriage of an upscale train such as the Orient Express, guests will enjoy a 5-course meal themed around locations projected on to LED screen windows. For instance, the sights of a cross-country journey through the Colorado Frontier paired with flavors of the West such as chipotle biscuits and short ribs.
Utopia of the Seas will also include The Mason Jar, a popular dining spot that first debuted on Wonder of the Seas. This Southern eatery features menu items such as lobster and crawfish gumbo, crab beignets and beef brisket, as well as innovative cocktails such as smoked peanut butter and jelly bourbons featuring a miniature PB&J sandwich garnish. Utopia of the Seas is also getting in on the food truck trend by placing a food truck on the ship by the pool area, adding to its complimentary dining options and increasing ease and flexibility for guests.
“If we had a group or a charter, and they’ve been on, let’s say, the brand-new Icon of the Seas and they really love the Empire Supper Club menu,” says Jarrett, “but they booked the Wonder of the Seas, which doesn’t have Supper Club, we can work with our team because we have that length of time where we could get the Supper Club menu put in the main dining room of their ship that night. Obviously, it wouldn’t be complimentary; it would be for the up charge of whatever the cost difference is. But we have no problem working with the F&B department like this—we’ve done it many times and it works very, very well.”
Utopia of the Seas will embark on its inaugural voyage in July this year and will be the sixth ship in Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class series. Powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) for sustainability, the new ship marks a step on the cruise line’s journey to introducing a net-zero cruise ship by 2035.
Summer 2025 will then see the debut season of Star of the Seas, the second ship in Royal Caribbean’s new Icon Class following the success of Icon of the Seas. A third ship in the series is also in the works but has not yet been named.
“Where do all the competition put their old and dated ships? In the short market, which is the 3- and 4-night market,” says Jarrett. “So we said, let’s turn this on its head and put our best ships in the short market. We know that people in the U.S. have a very limited vacation time, and we know they’re willing to do a really good product for three or four nights, so let’s give them the best instead of the oldest and the most dated.
“Incentives are also now often adding a meeting component, and in the 4-night market, having a brand-new ship with dedicated meeting space is something unique,” adds Muller.
“Crystal offers nine distinct culinary experiences for groups to indulge in,” says Matthew Boutwell, Sr. Director, MICE, Crystal. “Ranging from Umi Uma, the only Nobu restaurant at sea, to The Vintage Room for a private dining experience with exclusive wine tastings led by renowned sommeliers, each of our venues offers world-class dining, providing groups with ample opportunities to savor gourmet meals tailored to their preferences.”
In 2024, Crystal will add a collaboration with Beefbar, brainchild of restaurateur Riccardo Giraudi, to its F&B program. Known for its selection of prime cuts and innovative culinary creations, Beefbar has more than 20 locations around the world in cities such as New York, Mykonos, Paris, Milan, St. Barth and Hong Kong.
Also in October 2024, a unique 14-night sailing will depart from Quebec City to Fort Lauderdale, calling at ports on North America’s East Coast and featuring an exclusive performance by Gloria Gaynor as well as an intimate Q&A session with the legendary performer.
“At Crystal, we redefine the all-inclusive experience, providing planners with the assurance that every detail is meticulously tended to from the first interaction,” says Boutwell. “From dining experiences with complimentary group meals and privatized venues, wines and spirits at all our venues to a rich array of entertainment and enrichment programs and fitness classes, our commitment to excellence is evident in every aspect of the guest journey. With an industry-leading guest-to-crew ratio of almost 1:1 and personal butler service in all room categories, our long-standing, familial crew knows each guest by name and anticipates every wish.”
“Disney Cruise Line is continuously seeking new ways to enhance the experiences of our guests,” says Ashley Long, Cruise Director, Disney Fantasy. “One of our most recent additions, and my personal favorite, is the new culinary and wine experience, Prima Notte. Offered on the first night of the voyage in our adult-exclusive restaurant, Palo, Guests will savor an exquisite tasting of fine Italian wines complemented with a curated selection of bite-sized delicacies. It truly is a not-to-be-missed-experience!”
June 2024 saw the grand opening of Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, Disney Cruise Line’s newest tropical retreat on the island of Eleuthera, The Bahamas. The island integrates aspects of Bahamian storytelling, artistry and culture into the experience, including works by local artists and musical parades inspired by the Junkanoo traditions of the islands. Lookout Cay will also include the adults-only Serenity Bay, a beach experience with a dining area and private cabanas available for reservation.
Also this year, the cruise line will debut its newest ship, Disney Treasure, which will sail 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries beginning December 2024. The new ship will feature three unique dining experiences including Plaza de Coco, offering flavors of Mexico inspired by the movie “Coco”; Worlds of Marvel, offering global menu items inspired by the origins of Marvel superheroes; and 1923, named after the year that Walt Disney Studios was founded and inspired by Old Hollywood. The ship will also boast an exhilarating water coaster adventure featuring immersive special effects, as well as Broadway-style shows inspired by Disney movies such as “Moana” and “Beauty & the Beast.”
“Booking your group with Disney Cruise Line allows you to create a unique land-and-sea experience where you can host your attendees at Walt Disney World, in our world-renowned resort hotels and theme parks with access to professional development programs by Disney Institute and the production expertise of Disney Event Group, before or after the cruise,” says Tai Burgess, Sr. Sales Manager, Disney Cruise Line. “Our Disney Meetings & Events team is made up of experts at integrating business and entertainment to create unforgettable events that deliver on your business objectives.
“Additionally, our Disney Cruise Line ships craft every detail to ensure each member of the traveling party finds their perfect adventure. Each ship—and our private island destinations—are designed with dedicated areas for adults only, as well as families with children, which means Disney cruises are as perfect for adult groups as they are for family incentive programs. Unique, only at Disney, rotational dining experiences, where your dining team travels with your attendees, provides next level, personalized attention to detail throughout your voyage.”
“Elevated culinary offerings play a pivotal role in crafting a memorable experience with Virgin Voyages,” says Jason Maltais, Sr. Manager of Corporate and Incentive Group Sales, Virgin Voyages. “Complimentary specialty dining options featuring award-winning world-class cuisine using fresh ingredients to create made-to-order meals, from decadent steakhouse dining and trendy Mexican to our first-to-sea Korean BBQ grilling and fresh market-inspired fare, ensure that every aspect of the F&B experience is meticulously curated to delight discerning palates and elevate the overall sailor experience. Whether it’s a networking dinner under the stars or a lively gathering with colleagues at one of the onboard restaurants, Virgin Voyages ensures that every dining experience exceeds expectations, leaving sailors with lasting memories of gastronomic delight and culinary excellence.”
Debuting in September 2025, Brilliant Lady will set sail as the fourth and final vessel in Virgin Voyages’ Lady Fleet. New for this ship is an adapted frame, which will enable it to sail through the Panama Canal as well as navigate the glaciers and fjords of Alaska. Brilliant Lady will begin its inaugural season with 5-13 night sailings from New York City visiting ports such as Bermuda and Quebec City. Later itineraries will call at Los Angeles, Miami, Seattle, Mexico, Costa Rica and Alaska. The ship will include more than 20 F&B options ranging from Korean BBQ to Mexican cuisine. Wellness spaces will include a yoga perch with sweeping ocean views as well as a mermaid-inspired spa.
“Our exclusively adult environment fosters a sense of tranquility,” says Maltais. “Allowing attendees to disconnect from the stresses of everyday life and focus on connections, personal growth and relaxation. In addition, our always included amenities, which include all gratuities, onboard WiFi, complimentary specialty dining, all group fitness classes and inclusive basic beverages, allows Virgin Voyages to offer the strongest value proposition in the industry.”
Seabourn has upgraded its group booking process with the new Seabourn Enhanced Groups Program, designed to streamline and simplify the process for booking group sailings as well as increase value and flexibility.
The program will be effective for all groups for voyages sailing fall 2025 and beyond, and includes benefits such as Tour Conductor Credit allowing a 10th guest to sail at a reduced fare after booking nine full fare guests. The enhanced program also includes a renewed focus on sailings in the Accelerated Tier, providing an expanded list of select voyages that allows booking of seven full fare guests with the eighth guest sailing at a reduced fare.
For groups of up to 10 suites, no deposit will be required to hold an allocation of suites. For groups of 11 or more suites, a refundable deposit per suite will be required. Planners booking groups can also now hold more suite allotments to accommodate large groups with Seabourn directly in the online portal without any forms or approvals needed.
seabourn.com/en/us/chartersout; royalcaribbeanincentives.com; celebritycruises.com/groups-and-events/meetings; crystalcruises.com/events; disneymeetingsandevents.com; virginvoyages.com/group-cruise