By Lim Yann Ling

My sister's company recently held its corporate retreat and annual dinner on a Royal Caribbean International (RCI) ship.

It was a good choice because RCI is the only cruise line with dedicated conference space on all of its ships, plus round-theclock personal assistance.

I was fortunate to be invited to the cruise retreat, which started in Shanghai, China. As the sun set at the port, we were among the 200 guests on board.

The three-day trip was scheduled to call at Fukuoka in Japan and Jeju island in Korea. Thankfully, there were no hectic airport transfers, no packing and unpacking of luggage to bother with.

Camaraderie at sea

From the moment we exchanged our baggage for cocktails, the relaxed setting helped everyone loosen up and leave their workplace worries behind.

The impeccable service from the crew immediately put everyone at ease. The sea breeze and live music seemed to lure the better sides out of people.

We fell asleep with special pillow gifts and awoke on the first morning in Fukuoka.

We had buffet breakfast in a cosy deck lounge overlooking the ocean, followed by a series of team-building activities.

Staff get-together at formal dinners

RCI's innovative amenities helped to build the camaraderie, as everyone had a go at mini-golf, water sports in the adults-only solarium and at-sea rock-climbing.

After a chill-out lunch at the pizza parlour and ice cream bar, we disembarked for a customised shore excursion in Fukuoka city.

The 150-year-old Hakata Machiya Folk Museum was an eye-opener with its authentic exhibits.

We saw the artisans making the famed Hakata-ori cloth used for kimono (obi) sashes and sumo loincloths.

Dinner was a joint-event with other clubs, associations and alumni organisations on board. It was a great social networking opportunity and a unique one too, as it was the Mid-Autumn Festival.

We mingled by the pool deck, which was lit by lanterns to create a festive ambience. A small Asian orchestra entertained us with fusion traditional music as we enjoyed a tea ceremony with Chinese and Japanese mooncakes.

Work and play at ease

The second day got off to a good start as we chose between an early morning sauna and massage or a morning jog on the track with a sea view.

Even though my sister and her colleagues had to conduct presentations later in the afternoon, they did not have to worry about the logistics at all. Wi-Fi hotspots and cellphone connectivity were available throughout our stay, and our 24/7 services coordinator took care of all the audio-visual equipment that was needed.

Everyone was totally relaxed as the ship pulled into Jeju island, a volcanic island dominated by the spectacular Halla mountain.

We spent the morning trekking on one of the island's scenic trails and tasted the delicious abalone and citrus fruit from the orange groves.

Returning to the ship in the late afternoon, the rounds of presentations were done with finesse. Instead of the usual coffee break, we had a special wine-tasting session.

By evening, everyone was seated in the theatre for the grand finale of the corporate event: the annual recognition awards ceremony.

Staff get-together on the deck

Dinner was a spectacular event with a special five-course menu and cooking demonstrations by the chefs.

To end the event with oomph, we gathered at the pool deck for a farewell party. Smaller boats flying the company's flags were chartered to sail past the ship.

On a full ship charter, the decks can have customised names and the audio announcements can be in the languages of the company's choice to make it even more special.

The entire experience had been thoroughly enjoyable, given the exclusivity of the ambience and the dedicated service on board the ship.

This article first appeared in The Straits Times special,"Way more than a cruise", on Dec 7. It is published by the Special Projects Unit, Marketing Division, SPH.

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