Today we’d like to introduce you to Jason Beukema.
Hi Jason, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Started the business in 2004 getting a group of friends together on a cruise. Had no money, no resources and didn’t know anyone in the cruise or music business. Had 125 people attend the first Groove Cruise. Put a business plan together to charter a cruise ship in five years by doubling sales every year. It took me seven years to charter my first ship and have now done 36 charters, over 60 theme cruises and over 50,000 captains have sailed with us. We were Norwegian and Carnivals charter partner of the year and have been in major media outlets from the Travel Channel and NBC to New York Times and Forbes.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Not the last couple of years! The cruise industry was the hardest hit by far and is still only at 75% of its capacity. We did Groove Cruise in January at the peak of Omicron and against all odds and losing 20% of our staff and guests due to COVID, we somehow pulled together our most successful cruise in history (and zero onboard COVID Cases).
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I curate bucket list once in a lifetime experiences for 10s of thousands of ‘captains’ as we call them. Our clients are the most important person in the world to us. They steer the ship and we support them.
As I curate, I work hard to find up-and-coming artists, performers, theme parties, activities, volunteer trips, effects, production and musicians to paint a canvas of four days of escapism bliss in the middle of the ocean.
I’m most proud of my incredible team who selflessly works incredibly hard all year round to over deliver for our captains at every touchpoint. I’m also proud of what the Groove Cruise #GCFAM community has become. It’s incredible all the proposals, weddings birthdays and celebrations that occur onboard and throughout the year as they get together. To be able to see the lifelong relationships that people have built and to be part of someone’s life moment is very humbling.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Persistence.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.WhetTravel.com www.GrooveCruise.com
- Instagram: @TravelJason
- Facebook: TravelJason1
- Twitter: @Traveljason
- Youtube: GROOVECRUISE
