Trying to plan a cruise for 10. Info on suites/suggestions please!

[CJ4G]

Ok... so I've been on a few cruises before(1 Carnival, 2 RCL) but I have never tried to plan anything close to this large.

 

Quick background: 2 early 20's active duty marines(This might affect pricing on some cruises?), 2 are teenagers(15 and 16 yrs), and 6 are older adults(1 is 60, 2 more in the 55-60 range, again might affect pricing?)

 

The reason I say some of those things might affect pricing is because I see options to put in that info when searching cruises on some sites, but of course not every sailing offers a discount for it.

 

One thing that is being suggested/requested by some of the adults is suite accommodations for some number of them to stay in(the number isn't really important) that includes a living area large enough for us to have some sort of private family "hang out." This area really only needs to be large enough to accommodate 6 people comfortably. Us 2 marines don't really care what our room is like, as long as it has a bed and a shower it's good enough... and the teenagers might care where they stay but nobody else does :p

 

From my research so far, it seems Royal Caribbean offers the widest variety of suit accommodations, am I correct?

 

Does anyone have any suggestions that might help me in my search? I am by no means asking people to do my research for me, but I'm sure many of you know things about where to find the best deals and such that I would never think of by myself(price isn't a huge issue, but it is a factor). If anyone could point me in the right direction on anything it would be very much appreciated. Thank you.

[A&Jfamily]

Ok... so I've been on a few cruises before(1 Carnival, 2 RCL) but I have never tried to plan anything close to this large.

 

Quick background: 2 early 20's active duty marines(This might affect pricing on some cruises?), 2 are teenagers(15 and 16 yrs), and 6 are older adults(1 is 60, 2 more in the 55-60 range, again might affect pricing?)

 

The reason I say some of those things might affect pricing is because I see options to put in that info when searching cruises on some sites, but of course not every sailing offers a discount for it.

 

One thing that is being suggested/requested by some of the adults is suite accommodations for some number of them to stay in(the number isn't really important) that includes a living area large enough for us to have some sort of private family "hang out." This area really only needs to be large enough to accommodate 6 people comfortably. Us 2 marines don't really care what our room is like, as long as it has a bed and a shower it's good enough... and the teenagers might care where they stay but nobody else does :p

 

From my research so far, it seems Royal Caribbean offers the widest variety of suit accommodations, am I correct?

 

Does anyone have any suggestions that might help me in my search? I am by no means asking people to do my research for me, but I'm sure many of you know things about where to find the best deals and such that I would never think of by myself(price isn't a huge issue, but it is a factor). If anyone could point me in the right direction on anything it would be very much appreciated. Thank you.

 

How long a cruise are you looking at? I will give you a hint - if you can find a cruise on Carnival where you can book a suite guarantee, you get a lower rate booking for 4 people because they have to put those 4 people in a Cat 12. It is a 330+ sq foot room and has a sitting area, that would accomodate 6, plus the balcony. Personally, I guess since I cruise when the kids are out of school and the rates are prime, I have always found better pricing on Carnival -plus I think their service is better.

[CJ4G]

Thanks for the tip!

 

And here I was thinking I was including most necessary info. :doh

 

7 days is the idea.

[boulders]

You've got a lot of moving parts - potential senior discount, potential military discount, availability of a suite for 6. Don't forget to ask if there are any residency discounts. Never mind saildate and itinerary. I would give RCCL a call - you won't be able to get info on accomodations for 6 online for any cruise line. See if they've got some good pricing for a Presidential suite. Those sleep 14. :D

[Asil65]

We did a 20 person family reunion on The Grandeur of the Seas. Mainly picked the ship because many of us were living in Virginia at the time and could drive to the port. We had 4 jr suites in a row so we could pop in and out and see everyone. Some others booked inside cabins to save money. We would do our own thing during the day but always sat together at dinner. It was an awesome way to vacation together as a family. Nice if you can find a ship that leaves close to your home to cut down on travel costs. Definitely use a travel agent for your planning.

[imsulin]

Jenny, we got 10 rooms booked with family and friends sailing on Holland America. 9 balcony cabins, 1 inside. They were all booked with the same TA. Shouldn't I be offered some sort of discount, credit?

 

You'd have to book through the Group Department to get perks like this - not through individual reservations. Most cruise lines require a minimum of 8 cabins (at least 2 people in each) to qualify for a Group. Payment schedules are different, and there may be some restrictions, but you do get some advantages. What may have happened is that people in your group called individually over a period of time to book their own cabins, and you may not have known that a Group Cruise was an option. I'd certainly contact your TA and have these linked individual bookings (you'd have to provide the booking numbers and assign yourself as the "group leader" and the designated contact person) to HAL's Group Dept. You can definitely get some perks!

[iratherbesailing]

You'd have to book through the Group Department to get perks like this - not through individual reservations. Most cruise lines require a minimum of 8 cabins (at least 2 people in each) to qualify for a Group. Payment schedules are different, and there may be some restrictions, but you do get some advantages. What may have happened is that people in your group called individually over a period of time to book their own cabins, and you may not have known that a Group Cruise was an option. I'd certainly contact your TA and have these linked individual bookings (you'd have to provide the booking numbers and assign yourself as the "group leader" and the designated contact person) to HAL's Group Dept. You can definitely get some perks!

 

I did the bookings for all these cabins. Should I have gone directly to the cruise line? We have 24 people in total and possibly some more who are still contemplating it.

[imsulin]

I did the bookings for all these cabins. Should I have gone directly to the cruise line? We have 24 people in total and possibly some more who are still contemplating it.

 

If you did the bookings at the same time for 10 cabins, your TA really SHOULD have booked a Group Cruise for you. You can call the HAL Group Dept. directly just to get some basic information about group booking incentives - let them know the date of sailing and ship, and the cabin categories (I think you mentioned 9 balcony and 1 inside) and see what kinds of incentives you could be given. I worked as a TA in the early 2000s in a land-based agency, and booked many group cruises. IMO, Carnival definitely had the best perks and incentives! It's a very different ballgame, though, booking a group cruise. There are periodic requests for passenger name update info, (we did this all by fax), regular scheduled payments, and final payment is due much earlier than for an individual reservation. Did you book through an on-line TA? If so, you may have a problem getting that TA to convert your multiple bookings into a single group booking, as TAs make more commission on individual bookings, and can win "free" cruises in booking contests. (If you book 5 cruises within a week on our line, you can win a free cruise by submitting five different booking numbers...etc.). Also, in a group booking, you can add more cabin categories (if they're available) for the same prices and incentives. The Group Department will not contact the occupants of each cabin, but will only contact the designated "group leader" (you?). Be advised that your TA may not be willing to turn your bookings over to the group dept. In that case, ask to speak to a Supervisor, and document everything! Good luck!

[iratherbesailing]

If you did the bookings at the same time for 10 cabins, your TA really SHOULD have booked a Group Cruise for you. You can call the HAL Group Dept. directly just to get some basic information about group booking incentives - let them know the date of sailing and ship, and the cabin categories (I think you mentioned 9 balcony and 1 inside) and see what kinds of incentives you could be given. I worked as a TA in the early 2000s in a land-based agency, and booked many group cruises. IMO, Carnival definitely had the best perks and incentives! It's a very different ballgame, though, booking a group cruise. There are periodic requests for passenger name update info, (we did this all by fax), regular scheduled payments, and final payment is due much earlier than for an individual reservation. Did you book through an on-line TA? If so, you may have a problem getting that TA to convert your multiple bookings into a single group booking, as TAs make more commission on individual bookings, and can win "free" cruises in booking contests. (If you book 5 cruises within a week on our line, you can win a free cruise by submitting five different booking numbers...etc.). Also, in a group booking, you can add more cabin categories (if they're available) for the same prices and incentives. The Group Department will not contact the occupants of each cabin, but will only contact the designated "group leader" (you?). Be advised that your TA may not be willing to turn your bookings over to the group dept. In that case, ask to speak to a Supervisor, and document everything! Good luck!

 

Thanks for the great information. I contacted the TA by phone to do the bookings. This cruise is still a year away. If we cancel, we stand to lose a booking fee. I might see what other lines will offer us.

[imsulin]

Thanks for the great information. I contacted the TA by phone to do the bookings. This cruise is still a year away. If we cancel, we stand to lose a booking fee. I might see what other lines will offer us.

 

Right. Most TAs have a cancellation fee per booking. Don't get me wrong - HAL (and Princess) are my favorite lines! If you have people of varied ages in your group, Carnival, NCL, or RCI might work better for you. Things like in-cabin smoking and Kids' Programs may be a factor?? Before you cancel, though, do some checking around and talk to the cruise line's Group Department directly. Take notes and names of people you talk to. Ships' sizes and itineraries may be different than what you've already booked. Newer ships will be more expensive than older ones. After you've done some research, I'd still contact your TA to have your individual bookings transferred to one group booking. Please keep in touch, and let us know how it goes for you!

[iratherbesailing]

Right. Most TAs have a cancellation fee per booking. Don't get me wrong - HAL (and Princess) are my favorite lines! If you have people of varied ages in your group, Carnival, NCL, or RCI might work better for you. Things like in-cabin smoking and Kids' Programs may be a factor?? Before you cancel, though, do some checking around and talk to the cruise line's Group Department directly. Take notes and names of people you talk to. Ships' sizes and itineraries may be different than what you've already booked. Newer ships will be more expensive than older ones. After you've done some research, I'd still contact your TA to have your individual bookings transferred to one group booking. Please keep in touch, and let us know how it goes for you!

 

I will keep you posted. 90% of these people are first time cruisers. They have left all the planning to me and I hope to show them how much fun cruising is and how affordable it could be with lots of adventure.

[imsulin]

I will keep you posted. 90% of these people are first time cruisers. They have left all the planning to me and I hope to show them how much fun cruising is and how affordable it could be with lots of adventure.

 

Great! Keep in mind that it is a lot of work to be a group leader, and involves a lot of paperwork on your part, even if you book directly through the cruise line. I would definitely require pre-paid tips from everyone to avoid confusion. A group booking can also coordinate dining tables next to each other, as well as cabins. Again, I love HAL - very classy with great service. Thanks for your posts!