George Gehl

I have been helping clients for years and have worked with Fortune 500 companies, as well as small start-up companies and associations, with cruise programs ranging in size from 8 cabins to full ship charters. I have also been the primary cruise resource for third-party companies and their independent planners, such as Prestige Resorts, Conference Direct, and Helms Briscoe, who outsourced 100% of their cruise requests to me for 20 years. I was one of the original 12 at the table when HB was founded. The following information generally applies to all cruise lines and ships, no matter where registered, where based, or where the ship operates. This is true whether Standard, Premium, or luxury brands. This is true of Sea Dream Yacht ships that accommodate 112 passengers and ships like Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas with a capacity of 7,600 passengers. Cruise programs are not simply “an event on a floating hotel.” The two venues are so extremely different that it is simply impossible to source a cruise with the limited information needed to source a hotel. The first question to ask is, “, “What do I need to know to determine if a cruise is even an option for my group?” Before completing an RFP, event planners considering a cruise option are strongly encouraged to review the FAQ’s page. Doing so will ensure that the specific needs for an event at sea are fully understood, enabling us or another source to focus on options or recommendations relevant to your specific event's needs.