Plan, Reunion, Cruise
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Have you ever planned a family reunion or a get-together with your college buddies? It’s time-consuming to contact everyone, decide on a date and time, plan a central location, create a menu, and even find places for out-of-town visitors to spend the night. A reunion that’s held on a cruise ship is less hassle because a professional staff can handle most of these tasks for you! Follow these tips to find out how to plan a reunion on a cruise.
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Start planning the reunion as soon as possible. Guests will need to be notified at least six to eight months in advance; a year to eighteen months in advance is best;
Put together a guest list with names and addresses. Also, calculate how many people will be invited to the reunion, including children. Find long-lost family members or others by checking phone directories and the Internet, and asking people you both know;
Contact a travel agent who specializes in booking groups on cruises. Or, contact a cruise line directly. Royal Caribbean International has its “Royal Reunions Program”, and the Holland America Line also offers its passengers family reunion packages. These large bookings always include perks like small discounts, free drinks, or complimentary family photos, for example;
Plan to hold your reunion on a cruise that will sail in the summer months if children will be present. That way, children won’t have to miss school. And, keep the date away from holidays when people have other plans;
Keep the reunion as simple as possible so that more of the invited guests can afford to attend. For example, instead of an exotic cruise to the Bahamas, plan a domestic cruise instead;
Find out several possible cruises your reunion can take place on. Make sure the cruises and their destinations include activities for children as well as adults. Then, contact the invited guests and notify them of the details. Ask them for a vote;
Tally up the results of the group vote. The results should decide on which cruise your reunion will be held on and when;
Notify your family members, college buddies or other reunion guests of the voting results. Ask them for confirmations if they plan on attending. Also ask about any special needs the guests may require. Examples include sodium-free diets, kosher meals, vegetarian meals, kids’ favorites, wheelchair access, et cetera;
Contact the travel agent or cruise line again to make the arrangements and book the reunion cruise. Be sure to inquire about travel insurance and how cancellations in a group booking are handled;
Keep in touch with the guests who are attending the reunion. They will have questions and concerns about the upcoming cruise. Any changes in the initial plans need to be announced immediately to the people who have booked their reservations;
Once the date of the reunion cruise has been set, do not change it. Guests who are planning on attending will already have started to plan around the event;
To plan a reunion with less hassle on your part, consider putting together a committee to share the task. Or, just ask for volunteers to help you out;
A professional travel agent will assist you and your guests in making airline reservations, arranging car rentals, et cetera;
Carnival Cruise Line is reportedly popular for handling family reunions. An estimated 6,000 family reunions take place on board their ships annually;
Disney Cruise Line is known for its “youthful” appeal, but their ships also have many activities and entertainment for adults as well;
Royal Caribbean International
www.royalcaribbean.com
Holland America Line
www.hollandamerica.com
Carnival Cruise Line
www.carnivalcruises.com
Disney Cruise Line
www.disneycruises.com
