Cruising with Extended Family

[nutocruzing]

Hello Cruise Critic!

 

I have been on here for over a year now, especially right after I book a cruise I can't get enough of the reviews and conversation (I'm obsessed, what can I say!). I recently managed to talk my extended family into going on a Christmas cruise this upcoming Christmas. Almost two years ago we lost the matriarch of our family, my grandmother. My mothers family had always spent Christmas together at my grandma's farm, but that's obviously no longer a possibility. We've spent the last two Christmases together at one sibling's hometown. This upcoming Christmas, we all agreed to go visit my uncle in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, he doesn't have a house large enough to accommodate all of us (there are 15 of us ranging in age from 12 to 60).

 

While looking for cheap cruises earlier this year I noticed that Carnival offers cruises out of Long Beach. I also noticed that these cruises are among the most reasonably priced in the fleet. My sister and I are the only ones who have ever cruised with Carnival and only my one uncle has even cruised with another line. I suggested a family cruise and to my surprise everyone agreed that this would be a ton of fun!

 

I have a PVP with Carnival so I'm not too worried about the booking though I do wonder if anyone could tell me how the booking will be coordinated (I called my PVP this week but she hasn't gotten back to me)? Does one person need to book all the rooms? How else can we be sure that we all get rooms that are nearby? We are planning on getting one suite so that we will have a room large enough for most of us to gather in.

 

Other than the booking, does anyone here have some general insight into large family cruises? Any tips or advice?

 

Thanks in advance everyone, this forum is really an awesome resource!

[Wheatie59]

Have everyone book their own cabins. You book first, then have everyone else call and link their reservation to yours. That way you will all be seated together in the dining room.

 

You pick your own rooms unless booking a guarantee category. So getting rooms close together is just a matter of everyone picking rooms in the same area. You say you want a suite, so I'd book that as your cabin and book it first. Do a few mock bookings for other room types and choose a suite in an area where cabins of the categories others will want are available. Then tell them the cabin you've selected and have them choose something nearby. Your PVP could help, but you really don't want to have booked all the rooms yourself. Inevitably someone will have something come up and not be able to go and you don't want to be stuck with charges for that.

 

My suggestion would be don't overplan. We just did a trip with a group of 18. One couple staked out a spot in the upper part of the buffet where they had breakfast. So, folks could stop by there and touch base in the morning. We genarally ran about on our own during the day, especially port days. Then dinner together. Evening plans were made at dinner. Sometimes groups went somewhere together, sometimes folks just scattered.

[summersigh]

Have everyone book their own cabins. You book first, then have everyone else call and link their reservation to yours. That way you will all be seated together in the dining room.

 

There was a large group like yours next to us in the MDR on our last cruise. They had 2 tables for 8 side by side and appeared to move around randomly each night at the dinner so everyone seemingly was able to visit with everyone else some of the nights.

[SadieN]

Group cruise basics--

 

-Don't herd cats. Our group eats dinner together and takes one group photo during the cruise

-Let everyone make their own arrangements. Can be best to use a TA or Carnival PVP

-Make sure that your all linked for dining assignments. With large groups it's easier to do assigned dining. (Example of Don't Herd Cats)

Edited March 5, 2016 by SadieN