• September 9, 2025

Case Study: Making Waves with a Global Incentive at Sea

Case Study: Making Waves with a Global Incentive at Sea

Case Study: Making Waves with a Global Incentive at Sea 1024 683 micebook.

After delivering a five-star exclusive charter through the Aegean earlier this year, brand experience agency søster is predicting that cruising is about to have a major comeback – and it’s perfectly primed for incentives. We dive into how the experience was brought to life…

From pitch to program

The søster team had an established relationship with a global multi-level marketing client in the beauty and wellness sector, having delivered several successful events in recent years including a global incentive in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in 2024 for top performers from around the world.

Building on this partnership, the agency was invited to pitch for the 2025 global incentive. Knowing the client’s appetite for bold, high-profile experiences, søster identified an opportunity to pitch a cruise incentive with a full ship charter.

Paul Lake, Creative Experience Designer, explains: “We knew the client had run cruise incentives in the past, but not for a few years, so we felt that 2025 was the right time to reintroduce it. I knew Oceania Cruises had ships with the right number of cabins and operated at the right quality level, which led to us proposing M/S Marina”.

After initially considering an Athens to Istanbul sailing, the client was keen on the idea of a Greek Island experience, so søster worked closely with Oceania Cruises to create the perfect itinerary.

Designing the experience

“Having pitched for the incentive back in 2023, we were lucky that we had plenty of time, which is crucial when chartering a cruise ship. Ideally you want to contract at least 18 months out because that gives you more flexibility as they haven’t started selling to the public,” says Lake. “Once we knew we had the ship, and the date pattern, we worked with the ship’s planning team to put together a programme that matched our client’s objectives.”

There was just one condition from the cruise line – the ship had to visit more than one country, so Kusadasi in Turkey was added to the five-night itinerary, which started and ended in Athens, with stops in Mykonos, Rhodes and Santorini.

With around 850 attendees attending from every continent, embarkation and visa complexities required precision planning. “The day we set sail was the one we were most apprehensive about,” says Hayley Green, Account Director at søster. “There is not much flexibility with departure timings, so if someone’s flight were to be delayed, we would potentially have had to set sail without them. Thankfully, everyone made it.”

In addition to ensuring that all guests arrive and embark on time, a lot of planning must go into the wider logistics of embarkation day. With the previous cruise guests only disembarking the ship on that same morning, there is limited time to load all the event materials on to the ship and ensure that everything is set-up before the guests begin to board the ship.

Santorini also presented operational challenges. Unlike other ports, it relies entirely on tenders to bring guests ashore, which are highly weather-dependent. There is also a cable car that brings guests to and from the waterfront, which can be notorious for long summer queues.

“You have to think very carefully about how you work around Santorini, because the disembarkation is not in your control at all,” says Lake. “It’s totally under the control of the port authorities. There’s nowhere you can moor directly, so it takes a bit of time to get everyone off. That said, the cruise line told us we managed it quicker than they’d ever done before.”

Finally, space limitations meant creative thinking was required for large-scale moments. The largest space, the auditorium, could seat 700 so it was impossible to host everyone in one place at the same time. For the gala evening, søster split the audience into two waves: while one group enjoyed dinner, the other attended the awards ceremony, before swapping over. “It wasn’t what we’d originally imagined, and time was spent exploring onshore options,” Green explains, “but it worked brilliantly, and everyone still felt part of the same celebration.”

A voyage to remember

The experience began with VIP arrivals in Athens a day early, with around 250 treated to a night at a luxury hotel and an exclusive private pre-opening tour of the Acropolis Museum.

Guests boarded M/S Marina in Athens, where they were welcomed with a lively sail-away party on deck complete with food, drinks, and music to set the tone for the week ahead. Dinner that evening was at leisure, with attendees able to pre-book one of four specialty restaurants, each offering a high-end dining experience. To mark their achievement, a private dinner was also held for first-time qualifiers, giving them a special moment of recognition from the outset.

The following morning the ship docked in Mykonos, where guests enjoyed a full day ashore exploring the island through pre-booked excursions or independent discovery. The daytime was intentionally left unscheduled to maximise enjoyment of the destination. On return to the ship, guests attended a business session, which, due to the size of the group, was delivered in two back-to-back sittings before another evening of leisure dining.

The next port of call was Kusadasi, gateway to the ancient city of Ephesus. Again, the day was left open for shore excursions, before the awards ceremony and gala dinner that evening. In Rhodes, the emphasis shifted towards product and recognition. A morning of leisure ashore exploring the medieval Old Town and island highlights was followed by onboard product demonstrations and dinner.

The penultimate stop in Santorini provided the quintessential ‘Mamma Mia’ Greek island experience, with attendees soaking in the island’s whitewashed villages and dramatic views. The evening closed with a celebratory farewell reception back on the pool deck.

The following morning, guests returned to Athens for disembarkation, with transfers onward to the airport.

The case for cruising

With guests from the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Australasia, the incentive provided business sessions, structured networking, downtime and memorable experiences in beautiful settings.

In addition to being able to visit multiple destinations, the cruise format delivered several key advantages:

*These ships are built for volume. They’re used to facilitating thousands of guests, so a 600-pax à la carte dinner is no challenge.

*With accommodation, dining, entertainment, branding, and AV all bundled into the charter fee, budget predictability was a major win.

*Flexibility: Multiple lounges and restaurants allowed for simultaneous sessions and dinners.

Exclusivity: Branding and chartering created a sense of ownership. From branded flags and gangway banners to keycards and even ping-pong balls, every touchpoint reinforced the sense that this was “their” ship.

This event demonstrated that cruise charters can deliver both logistical efficiency and wow-factor experiences. By blending world-class onboard programming with iconic Mediterranean destinations, søster created an incentive that was as smooth in delivery as it was spectacular to attend.

The client view 

“Working with søster agency was an absolute game-changer for our company’s Greek Isles cruise – an experience that was nothing short of spectacular. From the very start, søster showcased impeccable professionalism, creativity, and a deep understanding of what it takes to craft an unforgettable journey. Their attention to detail was extraordinary, ensuring every aspect of the cruise – from stunning venues and authentic local experiences to flawless logistics – was perfectly orchestrated. Their expertise turned what could have been a complex planning process into pure joy, allowing us to focus on connection and celebration with our highest achievers.”

 

 

 

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