Reunions

Cruising is an ideal way to reunite extended families or to celebrate an event such as an anniversary or wedding reception. Organizing family reunions can be a pain in the butt. Who's going to host them? Who's going to make all the arrangements? Who's going to make all that potato salad? What if there was someone to handle nearly all of the arrangements for your family? Have your family reunion on a cruise ship and work with a cruise specialist then sit back and count down the days until the big event.

One family member will be designated as the Cruise Planner. This person will be the one to talk to the Travel Agent and gather up the information on what is available. You have one family meeting (by email, telephone or lunch) to decide on which cruise lines, which ship and the date for the family reunion. After you reach your decision everything else is done by your Travel Agent. Of course, you will still have to pack.

Cruising offers something for everyone in the family – from supervised children’s activities to exquisite dining. The grandparents can enjoy afternoon tea while the kids play games in the arcade. The parents watch a movie or pamper themselves in the Spa while the teens lounge by the pool. Yet the family also can spend plenty of time reconnecting while they’re all together on a leisurely seven-day or longer cruise.

Whether it’s a small family of 10 or a large group of 100, a cruise ship may be the best place for a reunion. Family reunion members seek accommodations they can use as a base for dining, sightseeing and socializing together. They want good children's programs, entertainment and activities. But they also want to make sure everyone in the group has personal time to pursue their own interests. This is all possible on a cruise.

Travel agents who specialize in cruise vacations will help plan family reunion cruises including special onboard events, sightseeing arrangements and specialty dining reservations. They regularly work with the cruise lines have planned other group cruise events so let someone with experience deal with the cruise line on your behalf. Why stress yourself out, right!

If you do want to have a family reunion cruise, start the planning early, at least one year. This give family members plenty of time to plan and budget and opportunity to make payments along the way. Another perk of planning early is the availability of cabins. Everyone who deposits early will have their choice of cabins which is particularly important for those with children and a need for connecting cabins or cabins across the hall from each other. Plan early and let your travel agent work their magic for you.

In the many cruise reviews that I have read people who have held family reunions on a Cruise ship raved about their experience.

So what are you waiting for? Tee it up to your family members and then contact a cruise vacation specialist to get your family reunion cruise launched! CONTACT CHIP