Can I deduct cost of a Cruise ship trip as my companies strategic planning and research conference.

[plpang]

On the cruise trip my partner and I will have meetings that researched markets and identify possible products, including activities that builds/develop the company. 

Can the trip be deducted as business expenses?

How many business work hours pr. day are required to deduct the total expenses of the trip as business expenses?

[Bsch4477]

You can’t deduct the cruise unless you can show that the venue was necessary for the conduct of your business. 

[ColeenD3]

Cruise Ships

You can deduct up to $2,000 per year of your expenses of attending conventions, seminars, or similar meetings held on cruise ships. All ships that sail are considered cruise ships.

You can deduct these expenses only if all of the following requirements are met.

1. The convention, seminar, or meeting is directly related to the active conduct of your trade or business.

2. The cruise ship is a vessel registered in the United States.

3. All of the cruise ship's ports of call are in the United States or in possessions of the United States.

4. You attach to your return a written statement signed by you that includes information about:

   1. The total days of the trip (not including the days of transportation to and from the cruise ship port),

   2. The number of hours each day that you devoted to scheduled business activities, and

   3. A program of the scheduled business activities of the meeting.

5. You attach to your return a written statement signed by an officer of the organization or group sponsoring the meeting that includes:

   1. A schedule of the business activities of each day of the meeting, and

   2. The number of hours you attended the scheduled business activities.

PUB 463

[jtax]

Was it a convention? If you and your partner went on a cruise and had some meetings that seems like a real stretch.

Here's a previous discussion of deducting cruise expenses

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/tax-credits-deductions/discussion/is-a-cruise-considered-business-...

here is the IRS general discussion publication on travel expenses

https://www.irs.gov/publications/p463