A family reunion cruise is a great way to gather family members together. There is a nice mix of time together on-board, and independent time on shore excursions.
Before planning a family destination reunion cruise, be sure you find a cruise itinerary that is affordable for most family members you invite. You will also want to be sure it isn't terribly inconvenient for family members to reach the departure port, and that the cruise line is family-friendly for those who will bring small children.
Here are some other major considerations when planning a family reunion cruise:
Look for a shorter cruise. Some people cruising may have less flexibility with their vacation time and work schedules, and some people may have never cruised before. It can be a bit uncomfortable if your first cruise is a 14-day trans-Atlantic. Also, longer cruises tend to be more expensive. Consider cruises in the three to six day range instead.
Cruise in summer or Christmas. For any family members with kids, it can be hard to get them out of school for a vacation. If you plan your cruise over summer or Christmas school breaks, that will be easier for those with school-aged children. A bonus of a Christmas or holiday cruise is that you can spend the holidays with several family members in one spot, and minus the unpleasant daytrips or long drives.
Pick a popular destination. While the thought of a cruise along the Mediterannean coast of North Africa or an ice-breaking cruise in Alaska might sound fascinating to you, it is better when planning a family reunion cruise that you look for destinations that will please the most people. You might even narrow it down to three or four choices, and send out an email polling family members and go with the most votes.
Keep everyone informed about the planning. One sure-fire way to get complaints is to surprise family members when they arrive to board. Send out occasional bulletins, and you might even take charge by sending family members links so they can request visitors guides to stopover destinations along the family reunion cruise.
Look for a cruise l specializes in family reunion cruises.Royal Caribbean offers family reunion packages that include on-board family scavenger hunts, personalized cakes and VIP in-room amenities. Disney Cruise Line's Family Reunion Package includes personalized Disney cruise family reunion t-shirts and a commemorative family reunion certificate.
Don't overplan the family reunion cruise. Look to just plan the basics, like which cruise people must book and arranging anything with the cruise line by informing them this is a family reunion and you are all traveling together. Don't plan beyond that beforehand, such as nightly reservations at restaurants and booking specific shore excursions. It would be better to have an itinerary saying, for instance, gathering for dinner at Cafe X on the first night and excursion for whale watching on day three. Then family members can decide for themselves to attend.
The copyright of the article Family Reunion Cruise in Family Adventures is owned by Kelby Carr. Permission to republish Family Reunion Cruise in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
