Hotel Four Seasons Florence Dazzles

Four Seasons Hotel Florence

Finally we arrive in Florence on April 26, 2009. After almost 24 hours of flying, changing aircraft (triple connection for anyone flying from San Diego) we are swept away from the Florence airport via minicoach to The Four Seasons Hotel Firenze.  Weather is cool, but not uncomfortable; they announce local weather is 14 degrees Celsius. I am an idiot when it comes to translating Celsius to Fahrenheit, but if I was at home, I would say it feels around 65 degrees. I check with one of my travel mates, and they say its 57 degrees. At least there’s no rain.

 I know where I am instantly. The square and rectangular shaped buildings with the green shutters we pass instantly convey their geographic location to the weary traveler. It’s just like it looks in all the travel magazines.  Florence airport is an easy 30 minute drive to the center of town. You traverse through some farmland and pass old Tuscan farmhouses.

 Immediately after stepping into the beautiful hotel I knew the travel time and effort was well worth it. One word sums it up, amazing. You park on a very small and quiet street with towering trees. Private parks emerge on both sides behind gated walls.  The entrance is understated but the bell captain stands in attendance. You pass through glass entrance doors and are instantly transfixed into two fifteenth and sixteenth century palazzi centered by the largest private garden in Florence which is 13 acres. The garden now contains a pool, spa and fitness center. The design of these buildings made them very low key which helps preserve the beauty and tranquility of the area. One thing that makes this area so special is that you can return from a day of sightseeing exhausted and spend an hour or two in reflection and relaxation and it really revives.

 The hotel opened in September, 2008 but because of the lengthy and detailed 7 year renovation, it’s hard to believe you aren’t there to visit one of the Medici families.  I stayed in a Premiere room overlooking the garden, and it was well worth the upgrade. It gives you just a little more green space and is so pretty to wake up to every morning. Four Seasons Hotel Firenze offers 116 sun-filled guest rooms and suites – no two alike – located in both the Palazzo Della Gherardesca and the Conventino. Reflecting their rich architectural history, many suites feature original frescoes, friezes and hand-painted sculptured reliefs – blending Renaissance artistry with high-tech comfort

 The public areas and the meeting facilities contain museum quality frescos and artwork. Both ballrooms are simply fantastic. The Gherardesca Ballroom is in the main palazzo just up one flight of stairs. It was once the private ballroom of the noble family. Paintings on the walls and paneled ceiling date from the 18th century and include three large paintings framed by stucco cornices as well as six oval paintings above the doors. The three paintings depict notable events in the history of the family Della Gherardesca.  The Conventino Ballroom is a former convent church, and is the Hotel’s largest function room. What was the apse now forms a natural stage, and the former organ area overlooking the ballroom can be used for an audiovisual direction booth or for musical performances. The space’s perfect acoustics create a wonderful ambience.

 Relaxing grounds, natural beauty and close proximity to all that Florence has to offer makes this hotel a perfect one destination stop for five star incentive meetings and incentives. But it would not be fair to end this article without mentioning the very best part about this fantastic experience, the hotel staff. Each and every one of them will do all possible to make sure your stay is exceptional. They back up the five star facility with five star service. You will not go away disappointed.  I personally met the hotel General Manager, Patricio Cipollini. He calls his new hotel the first city resort, with a park, a pool and a short walk to the city center.  He also says he wants to dazzle his guests. I certainly was.

AtVantage Travel Reports on Regent Navigator

AtVantage Travel Report

Regent Seven Seas Navigator

Cruise Ship Update

Sailing on “Grand Mediterranean Cruise”

Rome, Italy to Istanbul, Turkey

 

Cruise included ports of:

Civitavecchia (Rome), Livorno (Florence), Monte Carlo, Monaco, Ajaccio, (Corsica),  France, Sorrento, Italy, Naxos (Sicily), Italy, Navplion, Greece, Santorini, Greece, Kusadasi, Turkey, Istanbul, Turkey

(Port narratives will be included in separate articles)

 

Seven Seas Navigator

Ship Information

Submitted on 12/15/08

 

We chose the Navigator for our fifteenth anniversary cruise for several reasons. We wanted an upscale cruise experience. We had sailed previously on Severn Seas Voyager on a seven night Aegean itinerary in a September timeframe which started in Venice and finalized in Athens in 2003. We raved about the cruise for years afterwards. The Voyager is the star of the Regent fleet because it is the largest (700 passengers) and newest of the ships (christened in 2002).

 

We wanted a ten or eleven day Mediterranean/Aegean cruise and the Navigator, however, was and offered this incredible itinerary. We decided on the Navigator even though we knew it was a smaller vessel (490 guests) and was launched in 1999.

 

The Navigator has a total of 252 cabins, eight passenger decks, 560 total feet. It is a small exclusive ship; all suites have oceanview cabins. The minimum cabin size is 301 square feet and the maximum suite is 1173 square feet. Guest space ratio is 67.3. 90% of Navigaor’s cabins have balconies.

 

Beds are full king size with feather pillows and duvets. Cabins have walk in closets, marble appointed bathrooms, a full bathtub and shower. Bathrobes are provided, hair dryers, TVS, CD/DVD players, refrigerators with your favorite liquor and soft drinks replenished daily. Penthouse A&B and all suites have butler service daily which includes 24 hour room service, pressing service, and nightly hors d’oeuvres.

 

The ship is in excellent condition however, there are a few quirks to look out for such as a limited amount of laundry rooms. You have to be quick and aggressive to grab a washer as they are more popular than a massage appointment during prime time on the only day at sea. The irons don’t work very well either and one of the two washers kept going on the fritz which didn’t help the situation at all. I thought I was being so cleaver and snuck down to the washer early one morning, threw in a load of dark clothes, came back 45 minutes later to find my dark underwear and pants covered in a fine down of white lint. Someone had washed their beach towel the night before and left it in the washer. I didn’t see the towel until it was too late.

 

Regent is known for its all inclusive policy which means once on board you don’t pay for liquor, soft drinks, bottled water. There is a no tipping policy on board as well. This makes for a very relaxed environment and it is such a relief not to constantly worry about pulling out your wallet for money or signing a check for a drink.

 

The itinerary was excellent. However, three things challenged our cruise. One was the exchange rate—no news here–at the time of sailing, the dollar was exchanging at 1 Euro to 1.65 dollars. During the cruise we got some relief and the Euro went down to 1.55 dollars. Another thing was the amount of children on the cruise. Whenever you cruise in the summer months, you are going to encounter children and families on board. However, the mix of families on board was not strictly American which helped, as no one group “took over” as sometimes happens when a large amount of one group or another takes over the personality of the ship. The third obstacle was the weather. Italy was experiencing a heat wave and no one can be totally ready for how incredibly hot and humid Italy can be during one of those times. Think of driving in a motorcoach with poorly functioning air conditioning for 1 ½ hours from Sorrento to Pompeii. Think of walking around the ruins of Pompeii in the equivalent of a Swedish sauna for two hours in unrelenting sun and crowds. Then another 1 ½ hours to a mediocre restaurant near Positano (billed as “lunch” in Positano). The road was so narrow and winding everyone was too sick to enjoy their food, even if it had been good. The best news was that it was another hour back to Sorrento. Once we got to Sorrento, we were dropped at a gift shop high on the hill above the port. We had to transfer once again to the port, then to a tender, and finally on board.

 

Needless to say, cruisers need to be extra vigilant about ship promoted shore excursions. When possible, talk to your travel agent about booking private tours, particularly if you are traveling in a small group so you can amortize the cost of the tour amongst several couples or family members. Private tours can be customized to fit the needs and interests of the participants and you will save so much time not sitting around to be called for your motorcoach, wating for the last person to board the coach, and find that one person who insists on taking too much time in the bathroom or gift shop.

 

The ship however, excelled in every other way. The dining room was outstanding both in food and service. I would recommend this ship to anyone wanting to get away and be pampered in style while celebrating a special anniversary or honeymoon. For more information, contact Marilyn Froggatt at AtVantage Marketing & Travel at 760-966-0173.

 

 

 

 

“Gold Country Viewpoint”

Vintner

California Gold Country Viewpoint

 

An article by

Marilyn Froggatt

September 1, 2008

 

 

I have always intended to visit California’s Gold Country but other destinations always came first like a trip to Big Sur, visits to Napa and Sonoma, golfing excursions to Palm Springs and summers at Lake Tahoe. However, this area always intrigued me, most likely due to colorful stories about the 49’ers and the boom towns that came and went faster than the gold mines underneath them. 

 

Once I decided on the trip, I was amazed at the vast amount of information available via AAA, California history books and travel magazines. Once in the region, the local material is also quite informative. The Gold Country even has its own designation on a site called www.visitcalifornia.com.

 

On the Visit California map, the region is appropriately named “Gold County.” It looks like a relatively small area but believe me, there is no quick visit. Spanning almost 325 miles from north to south, it covers a region from Mariposa on the south to Sierra City in the north. The purpose of this designation is to give credit to the impact of what the California Gold Rush did to California. California was not even a state when James Marshall discovered gold on the American River in January, 1848. From that date on you can find references to 546 original mining towns, out of which only 246 exist in some form or another today in California.

 

And yes, the discovery of gold did make a few people very rich. However, most of the miners did not come away with much. The towns that did survive did so due to the trade and services that were originally set up for the miners but flourished even after their departure as logging and ranching took over when the rush was over in the early 1860’s.

 

As I started planning the trip, I imagined days full of tours of old mining towns, lunch in wonderfully unique boutique restaurants, shopping in cute antique stores and stops along the way at new and flourishing wineries. I was also surprised and pleased to find wine tasting and tours as another option to fill your days.

 

I chose Jackson as my ground zero. After studying the AAA map, I knew I wanted to concentrate on what they call Southern Mother Lode. Since I booked my trip at the last moment, I needed a quick fix on finding a room. My AAA membership has a cool hotel booking site and within a few minutes I found availability at the Holiday Inn Express in Jackson for a members–only rate of $119/night. Breakfast was included.  I chose to drive up I-5 from my home in Oceanside but made a mistake in taking SR 26 from Stockton. A better alternative would have been taking SR 88 from Stockton as the road is much smoother. I took a lot of hairpin turns on SR 26, which was ok, but after driving for 8 hours already, I was ready for a break. The room was just fine, very clean with a young but helpful staff. The location is quiet and you can open the windows in the evenings for the cool breeze. There is no swimming pool which is blessing and a curse. While I would have loved a cool dip after returning from a full day of touring–it’s hot here in August—the peaceful evenings were a nice trade off. And, once the sun sets everything cools off and the mornings are just perfect. One gets tired of the gray mornings that are a part of most t days along the northern San Diego coastline, so seeing the sun first thing in the morning was a welcome sight.

 

You really need at least five to seven days to take this all in. And you must choose just one or two areas to overnight. I would recommend Sonora or Angels Camp to explore the southern area. Jackson or Sutter Creek is a good alternative if you opt to stay a little further north. Camping and RVs are also an option, but check out the campsites online as many can be very crowded during peak season. Because of the heat, you are going to want to get into the water somewhere during the day if you visit during the summer months. Check out swimming in some of the recreational areas or buy a day pass at one of the private camps along the rivers or lakes.

 

As I mentioned, there are some major new wine growing areas that accompany the Southern Mother Lode. One location is the Shenandoah Valley area in Amador County. Not only is the area growing in vast numbers of new wineries, it boasts some great event offerings during the summer months. Located just northeast of the town of Plymouth and Amador, the ‘Vine Times’ (vinetimes@inflightusa.com) offers a listing of 37 different wineries in its July, 2008 edition. Look on page 23. I visited Karmere, Sobon Estate and Toscano Winery & Bistro. I particularly enjoyed Toscano. Their building is quite elegant and they have a nice park like setting outside where you can sit and enjoy the view and a bottle of one of their Italian varietals.  

 

While passing through Sutter Creek, I ran into a local gentleman by the name of Michael Politi, owner of Sutter Creek Winery Tours. He offers custom 1989 La Salle automobile tours of the Amador region. To book one of his tours, contact him at 408-421-0941. Michael feels very strongly about the growth and appeal of the area. “Watch for other events offered in the Amador county area, like the Sutter Creek Annual Chili Cook Off and Car Show on Sunday, September 7, 2008. It’s from 11:00am – 5:00pm.”

 

For more information, go to: http://www.suttercreek.org/specialevents/chilicookoff/. Looks like it’s going to be a lot of fun. Also, private aircraft can fly in for the event to Westover Field. Amador’s Big Crush Harvest Festival is also coming up on October 4 and 5. Tickets are $30 in advance or $35 on event days. Attendees will be treated to gourmet foods, live music at many wineries and a big raffle for prizes. For more information on the Big Crush call 1-888-655-8614 or visit the website at www.amadorwine.com.

 

 

You need to have a good adventurous attitude about the sites you are going to visit. Everything is pretty casual and because you are in the Sierra Foothills, it’s going to get dusty. For the ladies, you may want to leave the cute shoes in the RV or hotel room. If you are planning to visit the mines you will need to be in sneakers or walking shoes. If it’s just lunch and some shopping in Murphy’s or Sutter Creek, put on your favorite sandals and go for it. 

 

The mother lode area was truly a new experience for me. I am sorry I haven’t taken more time before now to explore this hugely interesting location. The location hugs the Sierra Nevada and stays at a comfortable 1,500 -2,000 feet elevation in most areas. The air was crisp and clear. You are also within a half day’s driving distance to Lake Tahoe or Yosemite. A detour makes perfect sense when you are on your way to any of a number of final destinations in California. Take some time to learn about this very vital piece of California’s history.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Shaking Things Up – Part Four”

 

“Shaking Things Up”

Section Four

 

An Interview with JNR Incorporated–

Top Professionals Share How They Deliver the Wow Year After Year

 

This is the fourth of four sections on how meeting professionals create new and memorable programs, year after year, with the same clients.

 

 

JNR Incorporated

JNR Incorporated is a full service incentive marketing company headquartered in Irvine, California.  Jim Jalet, President and CEO developed the company over twenty seven years ago offering corporations the highest level of product and service available.  JNR’s sixty-five employees deliver award winning programs that produce exceptional results and lasting impressions.  JNR’s wide range of marketing programs include corporate incentives, incentive travel, meeting or convention, debit card program, merchandise and recognition, special event or entertainment.  Two of JNR’s top professionals were interviewed for this article.

 

 As event planning professionals, the one comment we both dread and love to hear is, ”How are you going to top last year’s program—it was fantastic!” 

 

Ever wonder how industry pros pull off their award-winning programs time after time?  The secret is a magic formula of client and product knowledge and a good degree of the old crystal ball technique—forecasting what will be new and exciting in the year to follow.  I interviewed two of the industry’s top event planners to see what they had to say on the subject.  

Economic Shifts

A great corporate event planner must accept and embrace changing times.  There are both external and internal shifts in client and national economics that can create an entire paradigm shift in an existing incentive program.  One of JNR’s top automotive clients has been offering a high profile travel award program annually for over ten years.  2008 is the first year Vicki can ever remember that that client will not be offering their program as a multi-destination cultural program in Europe.  “Not only did the client completely change strategic direction, they also changed the demographics of the winners at the same time.”

 

Adopting a new approach for 2008, the client combined top sales producers with parts and service achievers, which instantly changed the structure of the event.  “Because of the varied business disciplines involved, we needed to create a much more casual program—one that better accommodated a diverse group of attendees.  With our client’s selection of Hawaii as their destination, we will be replacing the museums and cultural opportunities with high energy activities and interactive evening events.”

 

European vendors are also developing offerings and strategies to help overcome the weak position of the dollar to the Euro.  “Hotels are quoting rates in dollars vs. Euros. They are guaranteeing an exchange rate for a prescribed period of time.  They are offering excellent deals in shoulder periods.”  Vicki also mentioned that she is exploring alternative locations to the first tier cities in Europe.  “Instead of offering Paris, for example, we might suggest a program in Carcassonne, France or Barcelona, Spain, where the dollar will go much further.

 

Cruises are also a popular trend for meetings and incentives to help stretch budget dollars.  You can purchase the cruise in U.S. Dollars and your exchange rate is guaranteed, regardless of the destination or cruise itinerary.  This provides a huge benefit for incentive planners looking for ways to maximize available resources.  “While you may have less flexibility for customizing the program, cruising will always be one of the most economical solutions for incentive clients. And, for marketing sizzle, a cruise can hit all the buttons, particularly if sun and fun cruise destinations are selected.”

 

 

Giving Something Back

“The socio-cultural phenomenon of people wanting to be larger than themselves is increasing yearly and is widely making its way into incentive programs,” Vicki observed.  “You will see the concept of sustainable events more and more in future programs.  Take for example SITE’s new Crystal Award Category called ‘Most Outstanding Sustainable Event’. They offered two new awards in this category in 2007.”

 

“I think it’s more than a passing trend when an organization like SITE acknowledges outstanding efforts in this area.  This is a sign that our incentive awardees want to be “bigger than themselves” and want this activity to be part of their incentive experience.”  The incentive industry might be a bit slower to react to this growing trend than in other areas of our society.  “But, as event planners and partners, we need to push our clients and tell them that it’s here to stay.  We are responsible for helping our clients change things up for their participants.  Yes, it’s still about awarding and being recognized, but we’re taking this concept to a new, broader level.”

 

Another approach that JNR embraced on a recent program was “Feeding a City”.  “Our industry needs to be very aware of how we impact the environment with our programs.  Another one of JNR’s clients was very concerned about excess food not consumed at their events and we found a way to donate the leftovers to a worthy cause.”  This type of outreach is highly promotable and creates that bigger picture focus that clients want to showcase not only to their participants but to the community and their respective industry as well.

 

 

Overcoming Speed Bumps

When asked about a trend that has created challenges for event planners, Vicki mentioned the phenomenon of “instant accessibility” of information on the internet.  The internet provides a wealth of information, and not all of it accurate, regarding rating and information on hotels and resorts, not to mention on airfares. “This instant information accessibility can be frustrating for the planners when we recommend certain Five Star rated properties and true incentive quality hotels or resorts to a client, only to have the client respond, “Why don’t you try this hotel?  It was given a great rating on a major travel magazine’s website.”

 

“The difference in a rating from a travel magazine and ratings that incentive companies rely on is tremendous,” explains Vicki.  “Travel magazine ratings are often Readers’ Polls and the information has been compiled from the FIT traveler.  Factors that we keep in mind, such as the ratio of group to FIT guests and the quality and reliability of the banquet and conference services department, just for starters, are not taken into consideration.  Unfortunately, our planners have the challenge of explaining the differences to the client.”

 

 

Alternative Destinations – Future Trends

For the meeting and incentive industry, travel trends are changing.  New and fresh

destinations that offer unique, once-in-a-lifetime experiences are being chosen over the tried and true choices like Europe and Hawaii.  More and more clients are asking about South America, in particular Buenos Aires and Peru.  Incentive travel experts need to be prepared to inform our clients about these locations.  Growth in Asia, China and Dubai is creating new perceptions and demand from clients.  This, coupled with the weak dollar and the desire for increased connectedness, is going to open up entirely new destinations and opportunities in the years ahead.  And, according to Vicki, “It’s not going to go away.  It will all depend on how it’s presented to the client.  The possibilities are endless.  We can offer these new and exciting locations as well as the opportunity for participants to come back feeling even more connected and rewarded.  It’s up to us as the professionals.”

 

 

 

“Shaking Things Up – Part Three

“Shaking Things Up”

Section Three

 

An Interview with JNR Incorporated–

Top Professionals Share How They Deliver the Wow Year After Year

 

This is the third of four sections on how meeting professionals create new and memorable programs, year after year, with the same clients.

 

 

JNR Incorporated

JNR Incorporated is a full service incentive marketing company headquartered in Irvine, California.  Jim Jalet, President and CEO developed the company over twenty seven years ago offering corporations the highest level of product and service available.  JNR’s sixty-five employees deliver award winning programs that produce exceptional results and lasting impressions.  JNR’s wide range of marketing programs include corporate incentives, incentive travel, meeting or convention, debit card program, merchandise and recognition, special event or entertainment.  Two of JNR’s top professionals were interviewed for this article.

 

 As event planning professionals, the one comment we both dread and love to hear is, ”How are you going to top last year’s program—it was fantastic!” 

 

Ever wonder how industry pros pull off their award-winning programs time after time?  The secret is a magic formula of client and product knowledge and a good degree of the old crystal ball technique—forecasting what will be new and exciting in the year to follow.  I interviewed two of the industry’s top event planners to see what they had to say on the subject.  

 

Starting at the Beginning—Create the Dream

 

Vicki Kern is Vice President, Planning for JNR Incorporated.  Vicki is responsible for a five member department that meticulously researches destinations, designs outstanding programs and negotiates rates and concessions on behalf of JNR’s Fortune 500 clients.  The pressure is always on for Vicki, with more than 250 meeting and incentive travel proposals created each year, often with very tight deadlines to meet client needs. 

 

Vicki is a well-respected executive at JNR, having been with the organization for a dozen years.  She is well known throughout the incentive community and serves as a Board Advisor to SITE (Society of Incentive Travel Executives) Southern California, and she is a member of the Four Seasons West Coast Incentive Advisory Board and the Fairmont Incentive Advisory Board. 

 

I had the opportunity to catch up with Vicki and pick her brain about how she develops fresh and exciting program components for her clients year after year. 

 

 

Keeping an Eye on the Trends

One of Vicki’s specialties is designing programs to showcase current trends.  She notes that food and beverage events are becoming more casual with a greater focus on networking.  “Clients are looking for a theme party or event that has a change of location throughout the evening.  We might start things out on a large scale, with the entire group being included, but as the evening progresses, the guests want to have a chance to interact and network with one another.  We like to add a second element to the evening, such as an after-glow party.  Some clients even offer a comedy club after an awards banquet to liven things up.”

 

Vicki adds, “There is definitely a movement toward high energy, interactive events.  Guests want to be part of the action.  In some ways, they want to be the entertainment.  Food and culture are not enough–guests like to do something else while they are attending a function.”

 

Celebrity chefs, exotic food and new preparations have been growing trends for some time.  Vicki is also seeing a demand for fresh and new approaches to seating.  Vignettes have gained popularity, with clients asking for more casual options to traditional seating, such as conversation pits, or pocket areas that create interest and variety. “In the fast-paced world of business, we’ve observed that our guests truly enjoy the opportunity to sit down and talk to each other.”vide ex

“Shaking Things Up” Part Two

 

An interview with JNR Incorporated–

Top Professionals Share How They Deliver the Wow Year After Year

 

This is the second of four sections on how meeting professionals create new and memorable programs, year after year, with the same clients.

 

 

About JNR Incorporated

JNR Incorporated is a full service incentive marketing company headquartered in Irvine, California.  Jim Jalet, President and CEO developed the company over twenty seven years ago offering corporations the highest level of product and service available.  JNR’s sixty-five employees deliver award winning programs that produce exceptional results and lasting impressions.  JNR’s wide range of marketing programs include corporate incentives, incentive travel, meeting or convention, debit card program, merchandise and recognition, special event or entertainment.  Two of JNR’s top professionals were interviewed for this article.

 

 

Bring to Life what is Already There

A good point to remember about incentive program planning is to not to re-invent the wheel.  Examine what your venues and locations already have to offer. Linda Cote, with JNR Incorporated, explains, “We wanted to fill the evening with more than the headline act.  Because you have to import so much décor and entertainment to an island like Kauai, events can become expensive and difficult to produce.  In discussing this with our client, we agreed it would work out well if we incorporated much of what was already at Kilohana.  We decided to combine some of the activities that Kilohana already offers, like the sugar train rides, the old plantation house and the shops.  We will bring in a tattoo parlor, dart boards, lounge furniture, pool tables, air hockey, flashing neon ice cubes, and neon caps to give the party some fun elements without incurring a tremendous amount of additional cost.”

 

 

How do you find the Wow?

JNR’s savvy incentive clients are also up on all the latest shows and trends.  Because of this, Linda stays one step ahead of them.  She tries to attend as many of the industry event trade shows as she can find time for. One example is the annual Event Solutions “Idea Factory/CaterSource” tradeshow and conference held every year in February.  Another, the International Association of Corporate Entertainment Producers (IACEP), offers an annual conference in September that includes three full days of fresh and exciting corporate entertainment productions.  At this year’s show, Linda reviewed 22 different shows in less than 72 hours! 

 

Linda also recommends staying in tune with the trendy TV shows such as “Dancing with The Stars” as you can get great new ideas.  Clients are watching these shows too.  “But”, she cautioned, “You have to filter out what will work and what won’t, and you have to make sure that you stay on top of the trends without slipping behind them.”  Gen X and Gen Y like groups like edgy talent like “Sugar Ray”, but these groups are too untested and many don’t work well as corporate entertainment.  One of the oldest and most reliable themes around is the old variety show concept.  “Think of how popular ‘America’s Got Talent’ has become, says Linda.  “Different acts, all within the same show add interest and variety. Get into the habit of watching the awards shows—from the Grammys to the Academy Awards. You will see emerging trends in décor, colors, textures and designs.  And the talent seems to go through trends as does the staging” 

 

“Watch for emerging talent trends as well”, she says.  “There’s Drum Jungle and Drum Café, and all the new electric violin acts like String Theory.  Surprise entertainment continues to gain popularity,” said Linda. She recommends becoming a close and personal friend to one or two trusted entertainment brokers.  These brokers can make or break an event for you and can be your best ally in a competitive and time-challenged world. 

 

Linda further recommends developing a knack for finding the most talented décor companies. You can search the local area where the event will take place or you can bring your décor company with you from locale to locale if you prefer.  Décor is the single most consistently important element that will give you an outstanding event production.  “You can change the mood in a flash”, says Linda.  “Stay on top of trends in décor, such as the new chameleon chairs.  True to their name, the chair can be changed with a different color or fabric and will change the mood of a room instantly.” 

 

Doing Things Differently

Try adding a few of these special twists recommended by Ms. Cote:  

 

1.  Consider splitting the awards recipients into two groups with awards presentations running simultaneously in two different rooms.  This can be done prior to the awards banquet.  Of course, you will need two different executives available a the same time to present the awards, but it will make the awards segment of the evening flow much quicker prior to the fun part of the evening.  When you meld the two groups back together for dinner, the awards have been distributed and then it’s time to eat, drink and celebrate success.

 

2.  Try scheduling the awards ceremony on the middle evening of the program rather than reserving it for the final night.  The Welcome Reception can be Night One, Night Two can be a free night and Night Three is the awards night. From there, Night Four can be a dine around night, and Night Five can be the theme party night. 

 

3.  To make a mandatory sales meeting a little more interesting, try putting the final night headline entertainer into the sales meeting as a keynote address speaker if your entertainer has speaking ability.  As an example, Mick Fleetwood offers both keynote  addresses and musical entertainment. 

 

 

Make Things Personal

Linda is always looking for the personal touch.  She adds it to the gifts that the winners receive to complete the experience.  For example, this year she commissioned a local artist on Kauai who creates handmade Koa gift boxes.  Boxes will be presented to the spouses and significant others of program winners during a special recognition breakfast to honor supportive partners.  Prior to that breakfast, the winners are e-mailed a template to write out their own personalized note of appreciation to acknowledge their spouse or guest.  Linda will print out these sentiments on a custom note card and enclose them in the boxes for guests to discover at the breakfast.  How special is that?!

 

 

 

 

Conclusion to Part One:

The ability to bond with clients and vendors simultaneously is a necessary skill as an event planner.  You have to pull the dream from the client and make it reality with your talented staff and vendors.  You learn to meld current trends into concepts and then actual productions at your chosen hotels and venues.  You take certain elements from past programs and make them seem like a fresh new production with just a few changes.  All this and more Shakes Things Up and delivers the wow the way you want it—year after year.

 

 

 

Sidebar—A Moment of Doubt

Linda shared a thought that even the most experienced of event planners can have a bad day.  When asked if she ever has a moment of doubt, she responded, “Of course I do.  Everyone does.  It’s the day when you come to work and while you are waiting for the computer to boot up you noticed your proofs did not come back the way you ordered them.”

 

Linda continued, “Then you find none of your vendors have responded to important e-mails from the day before and your phone calls have been left unanswered because they are out of town on another program.  And your client is out today because their child is sick.  It’s that moment when you feel no one is focusing on your project and you begin to wonder when they will.  And in the meantime, deadlines are looming.”

 

But when you are someone who delivers the wow like Linda can, you don’t lose faith in your vendors, even on an occasional bad day.  You know they share the passion and the vision and the events always turn out exceptional, year after year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shaking Things Up–Section One

 

An Interview with JNR Incorporated–

Top Professionals Share How They Deliver the Wow Year After Year

 

This is the first of four sections on how meeting professionals create new and memorable programs, year after year, with the same clients.

 

About JNR Incorporated

JNR Incorporated is a full service incentive marketing company headquartered in Irvine, California.  Jim Jalet, President and CEO developed the company over twenty-seven years ago offering corporations the highest level of product and service available.  JNR’s sixty-five employees deliver award winning programs that produce exceptional results and lasting impressions.  JNR’s wide range of marketing programs include corporate incentives, incentive travel, meeting or convention plannning, debit card programs, merchandise and recognition, special event or entertainment.  Two of JNR’s top professionals were interviewed for this article.

 

Shaking Things Up

 

As event planning professionals, the one comment we both dread and love to hear is, ”How are you going to top last year’s program—it was fantastic!” 

 

Ever wonder how industry pros pull off their award-winning programs time after time?  The secret is a magic formula of client and product knowledge and a good degree of the old crystal ball technique—forecasting what will be new and exciting in the year to follow.  An interview with two of the industry’s top event planners who work for JNR Incorporated revealed some intriguing insights into this challenging subject.   

 

Part 1 – Details!  Details! Details!

 

Linda Cote is a twenty year meetings and events industry veteran.  She has a reputation for being versatile, knowledgeable, and a perfectionist.  She is an undisputed favorite with her clients because they know without a doubt that she will bring them fresh and new approaches to their annual programs.  Her event planning background began at one of the nation’s top event companies headquartered in Los Angeles, California. That position lead to her being hired at JNR Incorporated fourteen years ago.  Linda’s proven abilities and experience have brought her to her current position at JNR as Special Events Director.  She bonds closely with her clients and reaches inside their psyches to discover their “dream” programs, which allows her to deliver extraordinary meeting and incentive travel programs year after year. Linda is also a Board member of International Association of Corporate Entertainment Producers. (IACEP)

 

As Special Events Director, Linda is responsible for overseeing the operations of an incredibly complex annual incentive travel program for one of JNR’s long-term clients.  This incentive program drew its first breath in the late 1980’s and has been running strong ever since.  In return for client loyalty, JNR faces the challenge that the program must take place each April in a Hawaiian island location.  While Hawaii offers a great mix of the qualities that any incentive planner craves such as great weather, a fun and sun location, experienced infrastructure and marketing excitement, it is still a challenge to offer a “fresh” and extraordinary program every time.   

 

 

When clients change their destinations geographically from year to year, the marketing challenge isn’t the same as it is when a repeat destination is selected.  While change isn’t always the solution, it does offer some advantages because the incentive marketing team can wrap the theme and campaign around the look and feel of each new destination.   

 

 

Extensive Site Inspections

When the destination remains the same, there are other opportunities, as well as challenges.  Linda Cote’s advice is to go the source, or in other words, go to the destination.  “You have to do extensive site inspections to discover special nuances and hidden treasures.”  One of the advantages that a return location offers is the opportunity to build a highly responsible and reputable “cast”.  Linda’s expert team of professionals  include a Hawaiian based décor company, a local DMC and production company.  This team meets every year with Linda and the client for this working site inspection.

 

According to Linda, “We started our brainstorming session immediately during the first hotel tour.  We generally begin in the ballroom that we are going to use for the awards banquet.  We check out ceiling heights, dimensions, light fixtures, wall and carpet colors.  We consider our options, and we turn challenges into opportunities.” 

 

After the hotel site inspection, Linda and the team visit each of the offsite venues because this program does a mix of on- and off-property events.  “We knew we didn’t want to offer another luau.  But, when we visited Kilohana, we liked the new luau pavilion that Fred Atkins has built.  Our team discussed options, and we came up with a great concept.  We created a retro Hawaii theme so we can include the look and feel of Kilohana and Kauai, but with a different twist.  From there, we’ll throw in the extra touches and creative details to make it fresh and exciting.” 

 

Linda had the client and all of her support suppliers in tow when they visited Kilohana.  One cast member mentioned that Mick Fleetwood, of Fleetwood Mac fame, now lives on Kauai and has a local Hawaiian band and show.  One idea led to another and soon they were working on the concept of a Mick Fleetwood show, backed by his local group to make it feel more authentic to the island theme. The production specialist was there to discuss how to make the show work in the new pavilion and the décor representative was on hand to provide décor and lighting magic.  They soon had the foundation for an outstanding theme party. 

 

 

 

Holland America Line – Zaandam Inspection

HOLLAND AMERICA LINE

INSPECTION – ms ZAANDAM

APRIL 18, 2008

 

 

Holland America Line is one of AMT’s (AtVantage Marketing & Travel Services) “featured” cruise lines.  On April 18, 2008 I had the opportunity to tour the Zaandam from the beautiful port of San Diego.  Many thanks to David Stockert, Director, Sales Training and Lori Eger, Business Development Manager with Holland America Line for their kind invitation to join them on the site.

 

The ms Zaandam was built in 2000.  Her sister ship is the ms Volendam, which was built in 1999.  The ship is an “R” class ship with Holland America.  (See my blog dated 5/2/08 for a complete listing of all ship classes with Holland America.)  All Holland America ships carry a particular theme.  The Zaandam’s is music.  The décor throughout offers surprising art and sculpture that will bring to mind some of the world’s best loved music.  Look for Bill Clinton’s saxophone under glass and you can’t miss the spectacular band organ sculpture that is the focal point of the ship’s three story atrium.

 

The ship has ten decks offering endless activities and amenities.  Everyone will enjoy the Rotterdam dining room which offers seating in a lovely two story configuration and is the ship’s main dining facility.  For a different dining experience, you can make reservations at the Pinnacle Grilll. 

 

Enjoy the sun and fresh air on the Lido Deck and pool.  There’s Explorations Café where you can order a cappuccino and check e-mail.  Many will opt for the a spa experience, at the Greenhouse Spa & Salon.  Sip a cocktail in the Crow’s Nest which offers panoramic views off the front of the ship.  The fitness center is roomy and sports new and shiny Cybex machines.  You won’t have to wait for a treadmill here!  Once you work off last night’s dinner it will be time to learn new cooking techniques in the Culinary Arts Center. 

 

Cabins were clean and spacious.  I recommend you opt to a Verandah Suite (284 sq. ft.) or a spacious Deluxe or Penthouse Verandah Suite on the Navigation Deck.  (563 or 1,126 sq. ft., respectively).  If you choose one of these last two options, you also are entitled to access to the Neptune Lounge which offers 24 hour library, coffee, tea and snacks and Concierge Service.

 

Facts: 

Year Built:  2000

Ship Class:  R

Year Refurbished:  2007

Tonnage:  61,396

Pax:  1,432

Crew:  607

Guest/Crew Ratio:  2.36

 

Overall Impression:

The Zaandam is a lovely, warm and elegant ship.  Touches of vibrant color and the musical theme give it a lively international ambiance.  You will find nice floral arrangements and excellent design and placement of public areas which give the ship great flow and accessibility.  There are many options for cabin upgrades.  All areas of the ship are clean and updated.

Cruise Line Update – Holland America Has A New Ship

Thirteen elegant mid-sized ships currently make up the Holland America line.  The oldest in the fleet is the ms Prinsendam which was built in 1988.  It was acquired by Holland America in 2002 and was retrofitted in 2005 to meet Holland America’s Signature of Excellence improvements.  The Prinsendam will go through another renovation in 2008 as well.  The Prinsendam holds 740 passengers and weighs 37,848 tons.  She was formerly called the Royal Viking Sun.  Because of its size, the Prisendam sails to more exotic and adventuresome ports.  Holland America ships

 

Holland American designates their vessels in categories depending on the age of the vessel.  Below Eurodam is the Vista class which includes the Zuiderdam, Oosterdam, Westerdam and Noordam.  Other classes of Holland America ships include “R” class vessels which are the Rotterdam, the Amsterdam, the Volendam and the Zaandam.  “S” class vessels include Statendam, Ryndam, Maasdam & Veendam.   

 

The newest in the fleet and the fourteenth vessel will be the ms Eurodam which will set sail in July, 2008 on its maiden voyage in Northern Europe.  Its 2008 season will offer cruises to Europe, Canada and New England.  The Eurodam is the first of the new Signature Class level of vessels.  Two more Holland America ships are slated for construction by the end of 2009.

 

The new ship will contain eleven decks, 112 suites, 596 verandah staterooms, a new Pan Asian Restaurant and Lounge, Explorer’s Lounge, an exquisite art collection called the “Dutch Golden Age—An Inexhaustible Tradition”.

 

The Eurodam will contain the fine Signature of Excellence enhancements found Holland America’s other ships such as the Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine Magazine.  The Explorations Café will offer lattes and internet powered by New York Times Magazine.  The ship’s music and book library can be found in Explorations as well.  Passengers will get a great night’s sleep on the “Mariner’s Dream Beds” made from Euro top mattresses.  The ship will feature an expanded Greenhouse Spa and Salon. 

 

For more information on this beautiful new ship or any other travel related questions, please feel free to contact Marilyn at 760-966-0173 or Marilyn@AtVantageMktg.com