Reply To: Making FLL suck less
There are land-based retreat venues which offer catering, 5-star lodging instead of cramped cabins, and large meeting and performance spaces. We have several good ones here in the Rockies, including a huge one in Estes Park, CO which is run by the YMCA. (So, yes, it can be fun to stay at the YMCA.) On the west coast, at sea level, there is the Monterey Conference Center, which likewise can hold larger events than a cruise ship and has much more meeting space.