Picking the right cruise ship vital for perfect family reunion
by Kathi Diamant
SHIPSHAPE SUITE - Norwegian Cruise Lines newest ship, Norwegian Jewel, offers courtyard villas with 24-hour butlers. There are 10 spacious villas with a shared courtyard. Shown is the Horizon Villa. CNS Photo courtesy Norwegian Cruise Line.
My sister Trudi, a travel agent, had arranged everything. Our gift to Mom and Dad was their passage on the five-day Royal Caribbean Majesty of the Seas. Working on the principle of the more the merrier, we opened our guest list to friends and extended family. Everyone paid their own way and handled their own expenses. It was a grand success, a relaxing and fun five-day party for my parents, a once-in-a-lifetime chance to make new memories as well as savor the old ones.
In July 2005, my husband and I joined Robin and Joel's anniversary cruise to Alaska with 20 friends and family, and had even more fun. After doing considerable research, Robin chose a seven-day cruise on Celebrity Infinity, leaving Vancouver with ports of call in Juneau, Ketchikan and Sitka. She liked Celebrity's reputation for outstanding food and the Infinity's emphasis on health and spa treatments. This cruise offered relaxing hours of conversation and rest in the thalassotherapy pool, hikes to waterfalls and helicopter rides to glaciers, a kids club that kept the children among us happily occupied, plenty of private time to read or sleep if one wished, and a ready-made party all the time.
Having participated now in two anniversary friends-and-family celebrations at sea, I think cruising is the way to go. It's the perfect stress-free, multigenerational family vacation offering something for everyone. Sharing meals with the entire family (where no one has to cook or do the dishes) and enjoying adventurous excursions provide numerous opportunities for families to bond and create new memories.
There are several important aspects to consider when planning an anniversary cruise or family reunion. Carnival Cruise Lines suggests the following three:
Select the right cruise ship: It's important to pick a ship where everyone, regardless of age, will have a great time. Different ships appeal to different guests. Some ships offer a high-end luxury experience, like Seabourn and Holland America, while others, like Carnival's Fun Ships, attract a broader demographic, with formal and casual dining options and activities and entertainment appealing to all ages.
Select a convenient departure point: With guests likely to be flying in from all over the country, it's important to select a convenient, centralized departure point. In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of North American embarkation ports, like Galveston, Texas; Jacksonville, Fla.; Mobile, Ala.; and San Diego.
Select the right itinerary: Cruise lengths range from three-day weekend getaways to the Bahamas or Mexico to seven- and eight-day Caribbean and Alaskan sailings. Shorter cruises (five days or less) provide a terrific option, offering convenience, flexibility and affordability.
PRIVATE COURTYARD - Why not stay in a large, luxurious villa at sea? Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Jewel has 10 spacious villas with this shared courtyard. CNS Photo courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line.
SPECIAL DEALS FOR FAMILY GROUPS
In 2004, recognizing the growing popularity of multigenerational family travel, Holland America Line became the first to offer a Family Reunion Program, with special perks to families who cruise together. Families booking five staterooms or more on Holland America Line's ships receive special group pricing, unlimited soft drinks throughout the voyage, a family photo per stateroom, free snorkel gear rental, swim mats, banana boat rides and more. For families booking 10 or more staterooms, the line also offers a Head-of-the-Family Reward: one complimentary upgrade from an outside stateroom to a veranda for the designated head of the family.
At this point, Holland America is the only major cruise line offering such a package, but always ask before you book with any cruise line for any family or group discounts. For more information, call 877-SAIL-HAL (877-724-5425) or visit www.hollandamerica.com.
A PARTY ROOM WITH A VIEW
If you want to throw a party on board, most cruise lines will provide your group with a complimentary room and cake; just ask the concierge or passenger services director. Princess Cruises, with advance notice, will even decorate the room. Radisson Seven Seas Cruises offers various group amenities, including a cocktail party on board. Individualized itineraries for group shore excursions can also be set up aboard Seven Seas cruises.
IF MONEY'S NO OBJECT
If your family is very large and well-off, consider a charter. With caviar and champagne on request, Seabourn cruise lines offer full-ship charters for groups, which account for about 20 percent of their business. Their three identical ships have 104 suites and a staff of 160, with luxurious amenities like customized itineraries and menus. Plus, if you have one, the ship will fly the flag of your family crest. Bookings are recommended about one year in advance, and the rates are better if you book the whole ship.
Or you can stay in a large luxurious villa at sea. NCL's newest ship, Norwegian Jewel, offers Courtyard Villas, 10 spacious villas with a shared courtyard, 24-hour butler service and oh-so-much-more as you cruise up the New England coast to Canada, or to the Mediterranean and Greek Isles. The villas are perfect for large extended families. Or there are the Garden Villas, with 4,390 square feet of party space, including a living room, dining room and three separate bedrooms, each with a private, lavish bathroom.
ONLY FOR KIDS
Most cruise lines have activities and clubs designed to keep children and teens enthralled and engaged or, at the very least, entertained. For example, Holland America Line's Club HAL provides activities for kids ages 3 to 12, including "kids-only" shore excursions. Participating youngsters receive an activity program delivered to their stateroom and a Club HAL T-shirt. There is also a program for teenagers with their own discos, karaoke, dance competitions and hot tub parties.
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