5 Out of the Box Meeting Ideas to Keep Your Team Engaged

Authentic experiences and unique venues are key to meeting success

It’s your meeting to plan and execute with excellence, so give folks something to talk about. Up your meeting planning cred and go all out with these out-of-the-box meeting ideas to keep your attendees engaged, excited, and focused.

According to a recently released survey, meeting attendees of every age and career level are looking for unique, authentic experiences, especially in meeting travel. Fun company meeting ideas can result in increased creativity and better interpersonal relationships. Meeting venues and team-building activities play a big part in how well your attendees respond to new information, stay engaged, and remain energized as they head back to work.

1. Broaden your borders

Go global with an international meeting destination, one that really suits your attendees. Is it a cool, bold, ultramodern city like Reykjavík, Iceland? A Renaissance-era, art-infused place like Florence, Italy? Or a region filled with ancient secrets like Machu Picchu, Peru? Include multiple cities in your itinerary for an out-of-the-box meeting your attendees will never forget.

Look for carefully curated tours and excursions with wide-ranging appeal for all attendees, or ones that relate to the meeting topic. Ensure your attendees discover the destination’s most iconic sites and select transportation that makes the excursion easy and comfortable. Look for accessible trips for your attendees who may need them.

Get your attendees excited about the trip by planning lead-up events that include destination preview videos, articles, and even themed cuisine.

2. Fun company meeting ideas feature games

Nothing fosters attendee engagement and camaraderie at meetings like team competitions. Create big, bold team charts and leave room for each team to add its chosen name. Mix it up with a something-for-everyone-style competition that’s cumulative over the course of meeting days and includes levels of skill and interest.

You’ll keep interest and energy high by choosing a corporate event venue with space for high-energy activities like lawn sports, basketball, and water sports, along with laid-back spots for trivia contests, video games, and themed scavenger hunts. Offer prizes for the winners, like luxurious spa days, private cooking classes, or a wine-tasting course.

3. Mix up the meeting spaces

Let’s face it, most meeting rooms and ballrooms—no matter how well decked out—are just rooms. To keep your attendees interested, engaged, and alert, switch up your meeting locations. Schedule a session outdoors or in an atrium, lounge, or even poolside. Offer short breakout sessions in multiple locations near the main venue.

Unique event venues that offer inspiring views are likely to energize participants and promote lively discussion. Consider alternating typical meeting rooms with outdoor sites featuring views.

4. All the world’s a stage

If it’s true there’s a frustrated actor inside all of us, then set the stage for your attendees to ham it up with simple or elaborate performances. This is one of those fun company meeting ideas that can be as simple or elaborate as time and budget allow. Everything is on the table, from a simple one-act play to making a movie, staging a murder mystery, or re-creating an episode of a favorite television series. Designing the performance around a meeting’s theme will really drive home your points.

A meeting venue that offers a dedicated multifunctional theater space with state-of the-art stagecraft that can be customized for your group’s specific needs and wishes will allow your attendees to strut their stuff with polish and pride.

5. Out-of-the-box meeting ideas go on the move

A meeting staged on a luxurious cruise ship is the ultimate out-of-the box meeting idea that lifts your event from “meh” to magical. Attendees will appreciate superb service, luxurious amenities, superior accommodations, and delicious meals served in exquisite settings.

Celebrity Cruises’ meetings at sea offer unique and authentic corporate experiences. We call on  over 300 destinations, so if you can imagine a corporate meeting or incentive trip, we can deliver it. We also deliver over 3,000 shore excursions around the world, ensuring that your meeting attendees can explore each destination’s top sites, experience thrilling adventures, and appreciate local cultures.

Ever-changing vistas relax and energize participants. Spectacular meals with menus designed by Michelin-starred chefs come included. After meetings, your attendees can bond over cocktails, relax by the pool, or unwind at the spa.

On all of our luxury ships, you’ll find innovative and inspiring venues to keep attendees engaged during meetings. From the gorgeous Sky Observation Lounge and open-air Rooftop Terrace to the bars and lounges throughout the ships, breakout sessions will always be engaging.

You know how to reward your employees for dedication to jobs well done, and so do we. Luxurious accommodations featuring upgraded amenities like private terraces, specialty dining packages, and spa services convey appreciation without words.

When it comes to entertainment, we offer unparalleled opportunities to exhilarate meeting attendees with Broadway-caliber shows, venues for active lawn sports, and video gaming. For custom events such as performances, cooking demos, or film screenings, we offer Celebrity Central, a unique multifunctional theater space.

Discover how Celebrity Cruises’ Meetings at Sea program can help you rev up your next corporate event.

Give us a call at 800-722-5934.