Planning a Friends and Family Cruise
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I'm sailing on February 9, 2014 and this is a good way to figure out who else is going. Larger groups can cause some of the public venues to be closed to the rest of the passengers at different times because they've rented it out. Large groups can congregate in areas, making access difficult for others and they can be loud. These are generalizations and more often they do not cause issues that you will likely notice. At 11AM, we met up in the Music Hall to watch Matt from Royal Caribbean Blog and Beci from MEI Travel record a podcast highlighting the events of the group cruise. That was the last official event, however I did run into a bunch of our members in the casino having shots!
Booking Your Group Cruise with The Vacationeer
The group leader or organizers can make reservations at a restaurant, so the group can have dinner together. Let everyone know that they should plan on arriving one day early for the cruise, especially if they are flying to the cruise port. Even for those that are driving long distances, consider planning a group stay at a hotel near the cruise terminal the night before the cruise. Even for regular seasons, booking about 8 months or more in advance will give you the best benefits.
Appoint a group leader.
At the time, Taylor Swift was planning to embark on her Speak Now tour following her third album release. To ensure you can get the most out of your group cruise and are well prepared throughout your sailing, it is important to take these suggestions into consideration. This will allow for a seamless reunion with your family and friends as you enjoy the many benefits of a group cruise.
Possible amenities
Carnival, for example, allows you to custom-design an excursion if your group has booked eight or more staterooms, and it absolutely has to be planned in advance. Also, if you have a large enough group, you might be able to save money by booking a private independent tour, versus booking many spaces on a cruise line-sponsored excursion. If you plan to go this route, you will want to make arrangements prior to the trip. Cruise Planners Travel Agents can help you plan the perfect group vacation at the best possible value. We’ll put our travel agency's industry knowledge and long-standing relationships with cruise lines to work to get you the best value for your group vacation. The extra day is an opportunity to catch up with the group, where everyone can come together before boarding.
Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast Episode - Allure of the Seas Group Cruise Preview
Without these two things, plans can go awry, and the essence of the group cruise will therefore be lost. This group leader can be self-appointed or be voted on by other members of the group. Sometimes, there are even a couple of group leaders depending on the size of the entire group. Have a need for triples or quads or connecting or neighboring cabins, which are all limited in number. For large groups, school groups or company groups, it’s wise to perform a headcount once it seems like everyone is back together. A headcount ensures no one is missing and is crucial when returning from shore.
Book Everything Well in Advance
This crowd-pleasing vacation lets everybody find their kind of fun. Decide if you all want to do many group activities, or if you prefer to have meal time together, but otherwise everyone does their own thing. Pack a mix of sundresses, polos, nice jeans, jackets, and cocktail attire. If looking for deals, October – December and January – March tend to have lower rates since kids are in school. School breaks and holiday weeks are peak periods for demand and prices.
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“Planning our family reunion cruise was a breeze, all thanks to The Vacationeer. They handled everything from beginning to end, including securing discounted group rates and onboard credit. If you are looking for an intriguing way to book a group event for your church, association or special interest/specialty group, look no further.
Video: 10 Tips and Tricks for Planning a Group Cruise
Both first and second guests in a stateroom can be changed up to 21 days before you sail. Name the vacation vibe your group’s looking for… and we’ve the perfect destination. However, in order to have a successful group cruise, when everyone is on the same page they will be more likely to have a good time. If you have kids and families as part of your group cruise, Spring break and summer cruises are great choices. Just contact one of our group specialists and they will provide you with the group pricing and all of the details concerning setting up your group.
"We should have had a better plan, like, 'Let's all meet on the pool deck at two o'clock,'" she says. Someone in the group, or the group leader, can compile the photos and videos to create a montage of the cruise. Then, you can share the montage with the group, so nobody forgets the experience! With cameras attached to virtually everything, several group members undoubtedly caught some great moments on film.
Finding the ideal cruise for a large amount of people can be a tall order and actually may not please everyone. With so many itineraries, ships, and cruise lines out there, it can be difficult to know which decision is the best for your travel party. Large groups have been known to use meal periods, such as lunch or dinner, to re-group and communicate, or even happy hour before breaking off in smaller groups for dinner. Attending an evening show onboard together, formal nights, or shore excursions can also be a great way to get everyone together – being sure to snap photos along the way.
“I couldn’t imagine organizing our corporate retreat in the Caribbean without the help of The Vacationeer. Some items like confetti or sticking materials may be prohibited. Complete payments are typically expected days before sailing. It’s vital to be aware of this deadline to avoid any last-minute cancellations.
If you’re in charge, don’t feel that you have to do everything alone – reach out to members of the group for help, or hire a cruise travel agent. Having a plan early, staying organized and communicating with the group clearly, will help you organize a group cruise as seamlessly as possible. Travel agents can potentially land extra perks like ship credits, better cabins, free photos, cocktail parties, etc. You may even secure yourself a suite for doing all the work organizing the group cruise! The base fare covers your accommodations, meals, onboard entertainment, and basic activities.
These great relationships allow agents to secure discounts, special pricing, or group rates when booking. You might not have access to many of these options when planning on your own. Disney Cruise Line excels at creating magical escapes, especially for family reunions and multi-generational groups.
The destination narrows down your choice of ships, and from the options available, you can select the ship that best suits the ages, interests and budgets of the passengers. For assistance on picking the right trip, see our primer on first time cruise tips. Sometimes this leader is self-appointed, perhaps the person who came up with the idea of going on the cruise in the first place. Other times, the group appoints a highly organized and willing volunteer to make executive decisions, communicate with the group and enforce deadlines. Shore excursions are half of the experience, and finding the best beaches, points of interest, and activities should be in your calculations. After deciding on a location, it’s easier to determine a cruise line since the options will likely narrow.
Since we were in Perfect Day at CocoCay on the second day of our cruise, our next group event wasn’t until 8PM that evening. Originally, the cruise was supposed to be on Harmony of the Seas. It was a 6-night sailing in December that went to Perfect Day at CocoCay, Cozumel, and Costa Maya. It might be hard to believe now, but Taylor Swift once performed live onboard Allure of the Seas for a small stadium of fans before she was the A-list superstar she is today. If you are a fan of Taylor Swift and love to cruise, there's a sailing for you. A fun and celebratory way to identify your group while on board is by getting coordinating t-shirts for everyone.
To ensure the number of rooms your group will fit in comfortably, and within your level of preference, it is important to start researching things well in advance. Based on research from seasoned cruisers, here are the 10 things that you should know before you set sail on your next group cruise. The key to a successful group cruise is planning in advance. Sigwart says she was envious of those who used walkie-talkies on the ship; the devices would have been helpful for trying to locate family members during their days at sea.
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