Planning a Strategic Retreat in today’s fast-paced business world means taking a break from the daily grind to recharge and refocus. Many successful entrepreneurs and business owners find that stepping away from their work for a short period of time can actually increase their productivity and creativity. In fact, taking a vacation or planning a strategic retreat can be a smart business move. In this case, Katie and I have decided to take a 10-day Eastern Caribbean cruise to not only relax and recharge, but also to do some strategic business planning for our next ventures. Of course, the rest of the Emptylegs team will be available for any air charter needs or request while we travel. At first we considered an Eastern Caribbean island hopping yacht charter, but we sailed last year on the Celebrity Summit, and we remembered what a great trip we had during my birthday celebration. We searched and found a great cruise on the only Cruise Line we will sail, Celebrity Cruises, and decided to add more points to our Captains Club balance booking the trip. We chose the 10 day Eastern Caribbean Cruise aboard the Celebrity Silhouette because it includes some of our favorite private jet travel islands, which will allow us to mix business with pleasure.
As we look forward to embarkation day for our cruise, we couldn’t help but feel excited about sailing with Celebrity Cruises once again. When we had previously sailed with them we had incredible experiences, and we knew that this time would be no different. Here are a few reasons why we decided to sail with Celebrity again, and why we chose the Celebrity Silhouette for this trip:
Firstly, we were impressed by the exceptional service that we received on our previous Celebrity cruise. The staff were friendly, attentive, and went above and beyond to ensure that our trip was unforgettable. From the moment we boarded the ship to the day we disembarked, we were treated like VIPs.
Secondly, we loved the amenities and activities that Celebrity offers on their ships. The Celebrity Silhouette, chosen for this trip, has a variety of dining options, including a main dining room, a buffet, and several specialty restaurants. The ship also features several bars and lounges, a theater, a casino, a spa, and a fitness center. We know that we will never run out of things to do on this ship.
Thirdly, we chose the Celebrity Silhouette this time because of its itinerary and the ports of call that it will visit. We are excited to visit Puerto Plata Dominican Republic, as well as several other stunning destinations in the Eastern Caribbean, including San Juan Puerto Rico, St. Croix USVI, St. Johns Antigua, Basseterre, St. Kitts, Nevis, and Philipsburg St. Maarten We know that each stop on our itinerary will offer unique experiences and opportunities to explore the local culture and make future travel plans. We are also very confident that Celebrity Cruises and the Celebrity Silhouette will provide us with an unforgettable vacation experience, and as we plan our journey, we know that we have made the right choice.
Finally, we also follow the CEO of Celebrity Cruises, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo. She has held this position since December 2014 and was the first woman to serve as CEO of a major cruise line. Lisa has been with Celebrity Cruises for over 30 years and has held various leadership positions within the company. Under her leadership, the company has introduced several new ships and embarked on a multi-year initiative to modernize its fleet. She has overseen the implementation of a number of initiatives to reduce the company’s environmental impact, such as using more energy-efficient technologies and reducing waste and emissions. She has also championed initiatives to promote diversity and inclusion within the company and the cruise industry as a whole. As I’ve written before that my wife Katherine Koch shares these values as do I. Most of you know that Katie Chairs the Florida Gold Coast Chapter of the 99s. The Ninety-Nines, Inc., also known as the 99s, is an international organization of women pilots. It was founded in 1929 by 99 women pilots, including Amelia Earhart, to promote aviation and provide networking and support for women in the field. The organization is open to women pilots from all over the world and currently has over 5,000 members in 44 countries. The 99s provide scholarships, flight training opportunities, and support for women pursuing careers in aviation. They also promote aviation education and encourage young women to become interested in aviation and aerospace careers. In addition to their work in promoting aviation, the 99s also participate in air races, aviation competitions, and other aviation-related events. They have a long history of supporting women in aviation and have been instrumental in breaking down barriers and increasing opportunities for women in the field.
Lisa Lutoff-Perlo’s leadership of Celebrity Cruises is aligned with our core values and those of our company, and that’s why we choose to sail with them exclusively.
For us, Celebrity Cruises is the Premium cruise line in the industry. It was founded in 1988 as part of the Royal Caribbean Group. The company’s fleet consists of 14 modern ships that sail to destinations all around the world, including the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska (our next family cruise), Asia, and South America. Celebrity Cruises is known for its sophisticated and contemporary design, exceptional dining experiences, and personalized service. Each ship features a range of staterooms and suites, from cozy interior rooms to spacious and luxurious suites with private verandas. The ships also offer a variety of amenities, including multiple restaurants, bars and lounges, theaters, spas, fitness centers, and pools. One of the signature features of Celebrity Cruises is its commitment to culinary excellence, and being foodies it’s another reason we love this cruise line. The company partners with world-renowned chefs to offer an array of dining options, from casual eateries to fine dining restaurants. The ships also offer culinary demonstrations and wine tastings, as well as cooking classes and workshops led by expert chefs. Celebrity Cruises offers a luxurious and immersive cruise experience that appeals to travelers who value sophistication, personalized service, and culinary excellence.
We will be posting more about this trip in the coming week as we sail aboard the beautiful Celebrity Silhouette, so stay tuned for much more.
Until next week’s post, Be Social. Fly Private!
Textron Aviation is an exceptional aircraft manufacturer that offers an impressive range of private planes for air charter. Their commitment to quality and innovation is evident in their aircraft designs, which are sleek, modern, and equipped with advanced technology. They offer a diverse range of private planes suitable for various travel needs. Whether you need a plane for business travel or leisure, Textron Aviation has a plane that can meet your requirements. The comfort and luxury of their private planes are unmatched. The cabins are spacious and well-appointed, providing a comfortable and relaxing environment for passengers during their flights. 
Who We Are/What We Do
The Big Game in two weeks is all set. What a great and not so great weekend of football. I can’t believe the meltdown San Francisco had at the QB position. Honestly, being a NY Giant and Miami fan I have become use to lackluster play at that position, but to watch San Fran’s QB not play due to what seemed to be a non existing elbow issue was a bit much. Then to see Patrick Mahomes limp and wince in pain all game and then make a final big run in the closing minutes to set his team up to win on that last field goal drove home who really wanted to win. Well its all ready to be an epic game in Glendale, Arizona on February 12th, and the flight request are coming in. They will be hard to find, but if you want to go bad enough, and there is a private jet flight out there for you, we will secure it. I also thought this week might be a good time to take a look at the venue and local vibe for those lucky enough to go to the big game in Arizona. 
Private Jet Event Travel in Q1 2023 is a very busy time. We have been digging up deals for NFL playoff games around the nation. It has actually been so busy this year that we delayed this blog post by a week due to the volume of calls, text, and email inquiries for flights. Finally, we had the chance to catch our breath and put together this nice 1st Quarter 2023 Events calendar of interest to the air charter community. Hope you have the the opportunity to enjoy some of these as they kick-off their annual events.
Doing leg-work is exhausting. No, not the kind at the local gym, the leg work we do searching our databases, sending emails, and calling with our operators. It’s what we do to find the perfect air charter or emptyleg flight for our clients. We have touched on many aspects of the private air charter business in our previous blog post articles from buying your own jet to reviews of the most popular categories, models, and hourly charter rates. We also detailed how, if your private air travel needs are below 50 hours per year, private air charter is a better option than fractional ownership. As we look at the weekly, yes weekly, changes to jet charter company membership deals and jet card offers, we find that they really aren’t as much of a cost savings as they are time savers. We know time is money so we can see why, even if they are often not the lowest priced way to fly privately, they can be the most efficient, especially with the larger more reputable firms. While we are an excellent alternate option, we do not market our services as a brokerage firm. We prefer to act as the bona fide agent for our clients seeking private air charter at attractive prices. The definition of the term “bona fide” identifies with us as “sincerely, without intention to deceive”. We charge a modest commission to the operator for helping them move aircraft that they would normally fly without passengers, that is an emptyleg. Unfulfilled, non-revenue emptylegs are flights the operator would otherwise absorb as a cost or pass that cost on to the customer flying a revenue leg. Finding customers for emptylegs isn’t an easy task because it is a very competitive business and the amount of work needed to find the perfect solution for a client can take days, weeks, and even months to put together. A bona fide agent like us really has to love what they are doing because sometimes our very hard efforts are rewarded with “that’s too expensive” or “I booked something else,” leaving us unpaid for our efforts. Fortunately, loyal clientele builds quickly if you get a reputation for making things happen and offering great value for client’s flights needs. Let’s take a peek into the process and why we can be such an asset to anyone that flies private.
There’s a point where only the biggest will do, and going from that Gulfstream G5 to the Bizliner category of private jets, your mom must be really proud. Typical Bizliner customers include Heads of State, royalty, celebrities, top executives, Fortune 100 companies, and the like. These mega jets occupy the same ground space as many large-cabin business jets, but the the Boeing Business Jet 737Max, the Global 7500, and the Airbus ACJ319 take private air travel to another world. Many of these wide body behemoths have full bedrooms, seating for the entire executive staff, and the comfort of the most luxurious hotels. They are ideal for people who need to maximize their time and control their environment to their personal exacting standards. We will look first at the Jet that originated the Bizliner terminology, the BBJ, Boeing Business Jet.
The Global 7500 is an industry flagship. It has a long range near 7,700 nm and a max speed of Mach 0.925 with 19 passengers. The ride is ultra smooth achieved via the Smooth Flex Wing technology that was engineered to give maximum control and agility at all speeds. The cabin space is gigantic and it can be designed to have four true living spaces with an available Master suite as well as a dedicated crew suite and kitchen. The cabin air is filtered by Bombardier’s Pur Air HEPA filtration system capturing 99.99% of allergens, bacteria, and viruses. Large and evenly spaced windows give the cabin more natural light than any other cabin in business aviation. The Soleil lighting system is aviation’s first circadian rhythm-based cabin lighting designed to combat jet lag. In the cockpit, the 7500 features advanced fly-by-wire technology and a permanent side-facing jump seat. It is powered by GE Passport Engines designed specifically for the Global 7500. The 7500 is happiest playing in the troposphere with an initial cruise altitude of 43,000 ft and a max operating altitude of 51,000 ft. The interior cabin volume is 2,786 cu ft with a height of 6.2 ft and interior width of 8 feet. To charter a Global 7500 you will start around $15,900* USD per hour to as high as $20,000*USD per hour.
