Group of 8 ????????????????

[darchibald]

Hello,

We just took our first cruise on Majesty OTS (Willl write review later). I have
been informed that I will be in charge of booking our next cruise for a group
of 8 passengers (OH GOODY! GOODY!) What is the easiest, least amount of
heartache way to book a group of 8 people for a cruise?

1. Will we all be able to eat in the main dining room at the same table?

2a. The cruise will involve flight plans also. Do I book the cruise AND FLIGHT($1000.00/for two people) through RCCL and have Custom Air choose our flight times?

2b. Do I book just the cruise through RCCL and try to purchase plan tickets from another source and hopefully save money and choose our flight times?

Thanks.

:confused:

[cruisingnewyorkers]

I coordinate our family cruises and we all book are own rooms and have our reservation numbers linked together so we can eat together.
Some of our group uses RCL air but the rest of us is books our own air, since it is so much cheaper and but we do go a day early.
I think it depends on your situation, how much RCL air is and how much air is, if you book it yourself, what time of the year you are traveling, and what the weather is from your departure city.
I'm from the northeast and in the winter, I sometimes use their air.
But most of the time I book my own

Good Luck,
Donna

[darchibald]

Hello Donna,

Our next cruise will be in January 2006. We will be flying from California
(no snow, just fog) to Miami again.

Thanks for the reply.

[nosnobunny]

Last year 8 of us sailed together on the BOS. We tried to keep things simple and all used the same TA but booked our own travel and had our reservations linked. That ensured our cabins were in close proximity and we were all at the same table for dinner. It worked just fine.

Next year 8 of us are booked on a CC group cruise. And again we are all making our own reservations and travel arrangements. But this time, we have a wide range of cabin types, so some of us are together and some not. The TA has already been determined by CC, so that's out of the way. Dinner will be different too because at least one couple has chosen early seating. The rest will likely be together since the bookings are linked.

Beth

[Kay D]

I have handled my group of 8 with a TA I found via another cruise website -- we're going this next Sun on Radiance & have been working on this since May. Mike & I are driving to FL but other 3 couples flying -- 2 on SW & 1 on Delta, but I booked their air online using their credit card #.

Since you have a year plus, don't panic now!!! (If I were you) I'd research the BEST fare for the cruise you want & types of cabins (inside, outside, balcony), then get their card# & book it -- each couple will have their own booking number!! Book only cruise, not air!! RC air too expensive & you can do it better. You'll hit on an air sale sooner or later for CA to MIA.

After that I would start researching airlines, first using orbitz or expedia to see what the "good & better" rates are on major brands of airlines; then check out those not shown on orbitz like southwest ([url]www.southwest.com[/url]) and whatever other airlines. You always save more by booking air online than calling a rep. Look at airfares to both Ft. Lauderdale and Miami; often rates cheaper in/out of FLL. Strongly recommend you fly in a day before cruise!!

Most airlines won't even book Jan 06 now til at least middle/end of February 05!! As a result your research may have to be for a time period like Jan this year or mid May, just to get basic ideas of how it works. SW doesn't open up more than 4-5 months in advance & likely will not open up bookings for Jan 06 until about August 05. Subscribe to weekly emails from SW, because that's when/how sales are announced & many are for the current booking period; whereas the email specials from AA & Delta are for that next weekend or 2 only!! Right now special promotions on SW for Jan 05 on SW $139-$144 each way with reg rates each way $179 & higher (from LAX, Ontario, Oakland to FLL).

Then about 4 months in advance start looking for a hotel to stay overnight.

Good luck!!! You have LOTS OF TIME to do this.

[nosnobunny]

I forgot something in my last post. How we went about picking the cruise and the ship. I got everyone a current brochure. Then everyone picked an itinerary and a ship they preferred. I made up a list on a spreadsheet of all the cruises picked - one for each line and gave a copy to each person. They could pick their three top cruises. First place got three points, second two and third one. After everyone voted it was a simple matter of adding up the points and seeing where our next adventure would be. :D

Beth