Thread: Ever Done a Family Reunion Cruise

Has anybody ever done a family reunion cruise. We are looking at going on one with DH's family to Alaska 2007.

Any tips for booking a big group. What to do on board together???

Any insights you might have to making it a great vacation experience are appreciated.

Not a reunion cruise, but we have had up to 12 family members with us on a cruise each year!! I cheat, cause I am MOM:headbang2 and pick the cruise!! I have them choose their own excursions, and do their own thing!! We meet for breakfast at different times on the Aft deck, Dickie and I live there, and meet throughout the day and have dinner together!! We DO NOT do everything together We are all ages, and that works best, and Mom and Gram doesn't stress. Some like to chill, and others like to be on the go every minute!! If grandkids are in the program, and their moms & dads are busy, we pick them up, and we take the kids shopping or get pizza or ice cream!! Some nights we take the younger ones on deck at night, looking for lights of other ships out there, go to the lowest deck for them to see the wake, or the little ones to wish on stars!! Mom's and dads can go to shows or a lounge!! On other nights it is our turn!! It works well and every year the kids fight over who gets to go!!

Originally Posted by sue miller

Not a reunion cruise, but we have had up to 12 family members with us on a cruise each year!! I cheat, cause I am MOM:headbang2 and pick the cruise!! I have them choose their own excursions, and do their own thing!! We meet for breakfast at different times on the Aft deck, Dickie and I live there, and meet throughout the day and have dinner together!! We DO NOT do everything together We are all ages, and that works best, and Mom and Gram doesn't stress. Some like to chill, and others like to be on the go every minute!! If grandkids are in the program, and their moms & dads are busy, we pick them up, and we take the kids shopping or get pizza or ice cream!! Some nights we take the younger ones on deck at night, looking for lights of other ships out there, go to the lowest deck for them to see the wake, or the little ones to wish on stars!! Mom's and dads can go to shows or a lounge!! On other nights it is our turn!! It works well and every year the kids fight over who gets to go!!

Is there a chance you can join us on the valor cruise ? We need someone just like you.. Level headed and a guardian....

Every cruise we do is a group cruise. The most important part is using a travel agent that specializes in group cruises. We have a good one.

We had a family reunion cruise several years ago. I guess about 20-30 people went. We got tables next to each other at dinner, we got a group photo taken on formal night.

Originally Posted by gottabecruisin

Is there a chance you can join us on the valor cruise ? We need someone just like you.. Level headed and a guardian....

I wish I could, I would love to meet you!! The most important thing I can suggest, is there will be all ages, so better to let each pick their own things to do. Too much activity will be more difficult for the older members, and will tire the little ones, and everyone needs their own space at some point!! Then at dinner, you get to discuss all the things that happened that day!!

It would be great for my family to have a reunion on a ship!

I'd hope they have a wonderful time, and look forward to receiving their postcards...

Originally Posted by sue miller

I wish I could, I would love to meet you!! The most important thing I can suggest, is there will be all ages, so better to let each pick their own things to do. Too much activity will be more difficult for the older members, and will tire the little ones, and everyone needs their own space at some point!! Then at dinner, you get to discuss all the things that happened that day!!

Excellent advice..
thanks

Suzanne, we've done three family reunion cruises, 19 of us. It is so much fun! As Sue said, a lot depends on the ages of the kids in the group. During the day, we pretty much do our own things. Some are pool/sun worshippers, others hang out on their balconies, etc. There were always some of us together. We had a group of 20-somethings who closed down the ship at night...never saw them till mid afternoon. We always have dinner together...two large tables. On the last one I was in charge of mixing everyone up so that we didn't have the same people together every night. One sister has "issues" so we made sure she was not next to the same person every night! We had a great time one night when we had an all girls and an all guys table. Lots of !

I did all the research for ours...love the detail stuff, but a good TA is really helpful. They can get good prices when they book a block of cabins. The memories you'll make are priceless! Hope you can do it. Think of all the great pictures you can take!

Elizabeth

MIL and one SIL and her DH are definite, plus the 4 of us, but MIL has one brother and 7 sisters and all of them will be invited, it would just be up to them and thier kids to decide of they want to join us. Plus DH has another sister with a husband and three kids. She has all three boys in braces, and it not sure if they can swing a cruise. It would be great if they could book early and get one of those family size inside cabins, probably the most affordable way for them to do 5 in a cabin.

MIL and SIL have done several cruises with the family, including SIL Honeymoon cruise 3 years ago. LOL, They had 8 other family members with them during the Honeymoon, but said it was not really a problem because the only time they ever got together was dinner.