EC Un-Plugged:

There are many things to consider when choosing a venue for a corporate meeting, team outing, employee morale booster, new product launch, convention, holiday party or any other office event:

Cost? Capacity? Convenience? All-inclusive packages? Event planning assistance? Flexibility? Food? Ambiance? Music? The list goes on.

You probably find some of these aspects more important than the rest. The office down the hall may look at things completely differently.

One thing’s for certain: our vessels offer it all. How’s that possible?
Let me explain.

Why is an Odyssey, Spirit, Mystic Blue, Elite, Bateaux or Atlantica Cruise the best venue for your business event?

1. Freshly-prepared dining pleases every palette (plated, buffets, food stations).
2. Music lends to a harmonious, peaceful atmosphere (live band, DJ).
3. Beautiful views inspire new ideas.
4. Undisturbed setting generates collaboration.
5. Unique on-the-water scenery quiets any distractions and makes your guests feel just that. Unique.
6. Flexible cruising times and docking locations fit your schedule.
7. Enhancement options (dining, entertainment, decor and more) make your event uniquely yours.
8. Your group of 20 to hundreds will feel special and taken care of by our friendly and attentive serving staff.
9. Event planners help every step of the way, so you can stay worry-free.
10. You pay one price for everything you need.

Think of this list as a beginning.
After you cruise, you will indeed uncover there’s more to be added. When we make it our job to give you event perfection, it is not only to your benefit, but to ours as well. We think once you bring your group aboard, you’ll be back. Again and again. And hopefully again.

Read below to learn a little about one of our newest shipmates. Welcome aboard Melisia!

Did you grow up in New York?
I was born and raised in Jamaica W.I., and migrated to Brooklyn, NY when I was ten years old. Although I love New York, Jamaica is always going to be the first answer when asked where I am from. I love Jamaica because of its perfect year-round weather and because a large portion of my family is still there. It’s where my roots and childhood memories lie!

What College did you go to? Why did you pick it?
I attended Boston College where I studied Communications. BC truly is a great university because it challenges students on all levels, especially academically. Helping others is a large part of BC’s culture, which was important to me when I began my collegiate career and still is to this day. The university offers many great ways to be of service to communities in need all over the world – from the Pulse Program to Service Immersion Trips to Nicaragua.

How did you hear about Entertainment Cruises?
After completing my internship at Edelman in December, I began to look for new opportunities in Marketing and Public Relations. I came across the Marketing Coordinator position at Entertainment Cruises on Monster.com (Monster.com really does work). I sent in my resume, not knowing if I would get a reply because I know right now so many people are looking for positions, and Marketing is a pretty popular field. But I got more than just a reply!

Had you been on the Spirit of New York, Spirit of New Jersey or Bateaux New York prior to getting this position?
While I was at BC I cruised on the Spirit of Boston. An on campus organization, AHANA Leadership Council ALC coordinated a boat cruise each year to welcome students back to campus, which I always made sure to attend!

What have you enjoyed most so far in your new role?
I am a self-starter, so helping to streamline the Marketing efforts for each brand in New York is what I enjoy the most. I also love the creative aspect of my new role.

What is the environment like at Entertainment Cruises?
The environment at EC is the best, simply because everyone is friendly and works together to help each other every day. I’m sure it is not only the OSS that fosters such a great environment, but also the types of people that work here.

I know you recently visited the Corporate Office in Chicago and went on the Spirit of Chicago with some members of the Marketing Team – how was it? Any fun stories from your Dinner Cruise?
The Spirit of Chicago is great. I cruised with the Marketing team on a Tuesday night and a senior citizen group from New Orleans was on the ship with us! I had more fun than I ever expected. The DJ was lively and got everyone on the dance floor! We were doing the electric slide and the cha-cha slide. It was also beautiful to see the older couples dance to slower numbers like At Last by Etta James and upbeat songs from the 50s and 60s.

How does the Spirit of Chicago compare to the Spirit of New York/New Jersey?
I would have to say the Spirit of Chicago is my second pick after the Spirit of New York. They are both great experiences with different but spectacular views.

Lastly, please tell us a little bit about yourself. What’s your favorite quote? Book? TV Show? Reality TV Show? Who do you aspire to be like? What do you hope to accomplish at Entertainment Cruises?
I am very excited to be at EC in this role. I get a sense of satisfaction every time I walk in in the morning and go home at night. A feeling I would not trade for anything.

I live by this quote because my grandmother would always repeat this to me and my cousins growing up.
“The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight. But, they while their companions slept were toiling upward through the night.”
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

When I am not at work I love to catch up with my family, listen to music – especially reggae, read magazines and watch the Food Network and HGTV.

I have always admired my grandmother and mother because of their strength as women. Outside of my family, I look up to Oprah and Michelle Obama because they’ve paved their own paths to the top in their respective fields and have remained grounded through it all.

At EC I hope to get familiar with all of our brands and reach new audiences that may have never heard about Entertainment Cruises. In addition, I hope to grow professionally whether through going back to get my Master’s or through company-wide programs.

Thank you Melisia, it’s been a pleasure getting to know you a little better!

Enjoy this funformative (yea, I just made up that word) entry from our Marine Operations Manager and Captain, Dave!

Many people are aware of the Marine Operations personnel onboard our Entertainment Cruises’ vessels. These are the men and women who greet customers on the dock, get them safely to their destination on the ship, and then safely navigate our nation’s waterways. It seems simple enough, but no one ever sees everything that the Marine personnel do behind the scenes. Here are just a few examples of what is accomplished during our daily life at work:

We try and make our passengers’ moments into memories.

• The Marine department typically makes first contact with our guests on the pier. It is our job to start their experience on the right foot. We do this by always speaking to the guests first and exceeding their expectations.
• Talking to guests in our Hospitality Zones (the line for the bar, bathroom, etc) is especially important in putting our guests at ease. We check on them while they wait and chat about where they are from and what brings them out on this particular day.
• Acknowledging birthdays and anniversaries at the gangway as the guests board is especially memorable (we even have a secret code).

When it comes to safety…

• The Marine department is trained and drilled to respond to all incidents, fires, man overboard and medical emergencies; the crew is always ready to lend a helping hand.
• We work in compliance with the United States Coast Guard to ensure the vessels are inspected annually and all machinery and life-saving equipment is in good working order.
• The Marine department acts as stewards or lifeguards of the ship. Always providing a watchful eye, their goal is to prevent all incidents and accidents, not just respond to them.
• Since we cruise so often on the same bodies of water, our local Coast Guard offices look to our captains and crew to be the eyes of the harbor and look for suspicious activity.

Quality is more than just important to us…

• The Marine department is generally in charge of all vessel renovations and upgrades; bathrooms, ceilings, floors, chairs, ovens, machinery, etc. You name it, we’ve been involved somehow.
• Since we cruise in the summertime, winter means painting and upkeep. The marine department is hard at work right now re-painting the interior and exterior of the ship, so by the time you take your cruise in our busy summer season, it’s set to impress. (Trust me, this is not the most pleasant thing to do during cold months.)

Jack of all trades.

• The marine department employees are responsible for all repairs onboard the vessel. Plumbing, HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning) machinery, etc; we are responsible for keeping everything in good working order so that our employees and our guests can have the most enjoyable time.

We comply with our environment.

• Before the first cruise of each day, the exterior of the ship is checked to ensure that it is clean of anything harmful that could run-off into our waterways.
• When the exterior of the vessel is cleaned, biodegradable soap is used to keep it looking great for our customers and to prevent anything harmful from going into the waterways.

As you can see, the beauty of working in the Marine Operations department for Entertainment Cruises is that every day presents you with different challenges and opportunities. Most of us started our careers with EC working part time as deckhands or mates and have continued working with EC ever since. There is just something mystical about working on the water.

I began in 2002 as a deckhand and became a licensed captain at the start of 2005. Ultimately, the desire to drive or pilot the vessel is strong. There is nothing cooler than telling someone you meet that your job is captain of a harbor cruise ship.

I hope this gives you some insight into the lives of the hard-working Marine Operations department here at Entertainment Cruises. We look forward to meeting all of our guests this year. We are a great venue to celebrate a special occasion, so I hope to see you on the water!

Capt. Dave

Thank you for your insight Dave! Quite interesting.