Planning a Family Group Cruise

The best vacation of all is a family reunion cruise.

Being among loved ones is always a treat, and cruising takes --- and bakes from scratch --- the cake for vacationing together.

While it is possible to do everything together all the time, what sets cruising apart is that you can all vacation your way, getting together for big feasts at the end of the day to share what you did.

Then you all can go out together to watch world-class entertainment.

When the kiddies and the oldies are off to bed, the hip crowd can go out nightclubbing, and no one has to drive home.

No one has to do the dishes.

No one has to clean up.

All you have to do is have fun!

Best of all, once people board a cruise ship, they're in for the duration, so the reunion will last the full length of the cruise.

How can you organize a group cruise for your family?

It's not as hard as you may think.

First, when do you want to go?

That will definitely effect your selection, as not all cruises go to the same place every week.

For that particular time, find pick a great cruise that everyone will enjoy.

Perhaps you're fortunate and can choose an amazing destination like the Mediterranean or Alaska, or a mega-ship with exciting on-board activities like Disney Dream, Norwegian Joy or Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas.

An exciting destination or super-ship will definitely generate interest, until the reality of price for the cruise itself and, if necessary, round trip air with transfers enters the picture.

Be realistic.

If you want the fullest participation, consider budget for even the one who will have the most trouble affording it.  After all, those who want to spend more can get a more deluxe room.

Consistently low prices and lots of sailings that depart from close to home always combine to make Carnival Cruise Lines a strong contender for family groups.

And just to be clear, Carnival gives you all the elements you need for a good time.  Great entertainment, specific activities for kids, delicious casual food as well as dining room meals, and many rooms that hold three to five guests as well as the usual double rooms.

I should also throw in that Princess, Celebrity and Holland America, in addition to others mentioned above, should not be left out of consideration for a multi-generation family cruise, if they happen to have a contender that works for the region and date.  They don't necessarily cost much more than Carnival.  It all depends on the exact situation.

Carnival is simply a lot of places within easy access year-round.

So, pick a general time frame, destination and departure point within budget, and much of the selection process will be done.

One further note: while you want the trip to fit the lowest common denominator in terms of value, don't be manipulated by someone who won't go no matter what you do.

Yes, there's one in every crowd, and sometimes more.  They may be people who simply won't or can't afford to take time off or to spend money for a cruise.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, because vacations should relieve stress, never add to it.  Hopefully, they will just admit that at the outset.  In any case, if you think that might be the case, don't count on them going and definitely don't plan the whole trip around them.

Often, when people keep throwing out obstacles like other events on their calendars or nit-picky concerns, they are just passive-aggressively indicating they really have no intention of going.

In any case, if you've selected a good cruise, then you know that even if no one else comes, you will still be happy.

One other consideration is that in order to get the lowest fares, some deposits are non-refundable.  If there are people who always say they will go but then flake when it comes time to make final payment, don't let that be your problem.  They can book with deposits that are refundable until the final payment date andf forego that slightly lower price.

Are you ready for fun?

Let's do this!