Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1152980
B M & T ••• July/August 2019 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 37 tact for scheduling, trouble shooting, and sup- port for everything from meeting services to cocktail parties. Their Group Advantage Program (GAP) allows for 29 amenities to choose from making it perfect for customizing events. Holland and OPRAH Magazine have partnered to bring guests the soulful offerings seen in the pages of O Magazine. Holland iden- tifies benefits of meeting onboard to include: excellent security, meeting support services, including entertainment, and room service at no additional costs. African-Americans meetings large and small occur on land and water. Betty Jones, President of the Travel Professionals of Color (TPOC), working with the Greater Miami CVB, have planned their 2020 pre conference in Miami, and their conference aboard the Carnival Sunshine. As TPOC's second meeting at sea, they will cruise Havana, Cuba and the Bahamas, April 18-23, 2020. Jones identified one con and 4 pros to meeting at sea. The down side is that you lose people who do not like the sea. The benefits include budget flexibility without penal- ization. In her words, "there is no high food and beverage minimum without penalization, and the organization is not penalized for low room sales." The organization of travel agents and meeting planners experience the culture of oth- ers at ports of call that in turn they will share with clients. In addition, the international staff of cruise lines and ports of call allow for cultural exchange while taking care of the business of the meeting. TPOC focuses on history and heritage tourism. Jones added, "wherever we go we delve into history, and culture then demonstrate to our agents how to market cultural tourism to their A MEETING PLANNERS GUIDE FOR MEETING AT SEA A "Meeting Planner Guide" available on the Meetings on Ships website http://meetingsonships.com/ assures that conferences at sea are "An exciting new way of doing business that is cost efficient and cost effective and produces high par ticipant satisfaction! According to the guide, "Many newer ships have state-of-the-ar t meeting and conference facilities that are far more cost effective than land based hotel facilities. Additionally, many venues on ships such as production theaters etc., would be extraordi- narily expensive to create in a hotel or simply not possible to do and can be used for your events at no charge. The Meetings on Ships guide lists some benefits of shipboard events. They are: 1. Simplified coordination - details are taken care of for you. An onboard coordinator is assigned to work with you at no additional cost to ensure smooth operations. A World Voyager Vacations Meeting Division escor t will be there working with you to ensure the most successful program possible. Special Hospitality/Registration desks can be set up for your group as well as cabin deliveries of A favorite of foodies, music lovers and enthusiastic explorers, Holland America Line offers premium cruise experiences across the globe including Alaska, the Caribbean and Europe. Whether you're planning a meeting, conference or family reunion, let us do all the work to ensure a flawless event while you and your group enjoy an immersive vacation at sea. GREAT VALUES FOR GROUPS Complimentary audio/visual setup Complimentary meeting rooms Complimentary coffee/tea setup Dedicated ship coordinator No initial deposit for groups of fewer than 32 Plus, with our Charity Group Program you can earn donations for staterooms booked. Ask us today! Certain restrictions apply. For more information visit hollandamerica.com. Ships' Registry: The Netherlands. CONTACT BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, LISA BLAKE, AT 206-321-4470 OR LBLAKE@HOLLANDAMERICA.COM TO START PLANNING YOUR ON BOARD EVENT