In 2001, the Travel Industry Association reported that 1 in 5 vacations spanned three generations and that a third of all summer trips involved a family reunion. Whether it’s for a full week or just a weekend, the best family reunion vacation deals can be found on a cruise ship, where all activities, meals and child care is included in the cabin price. “The best part was that nobody had to cook, do dishes or plan anything. We could just focus on being together,” Jane Austin told the Eugene Register-Guard newspaper following her family’s reunion cruise. Another cruiser, Carl Weinburg, reported: “One of the worst parts about living so far apart is that when we get together, it’s a big event with all the emotional risks of a big event. The cruise made it easy to have casual, everyday interactions, which were much more rewarding.”
If it’s your first time planning a family reunion cruise, then you might feel a little nervous that someone in the family will have a problem with your plan or you may worry that a cruise may fall beyond time and money budgeting for some family members. To stay flexible, try planning your family reunion vacation 18 months in advance or opting for a shorter 3-4 day cruise instead of the full week. Another good idea for including families with kids is to make arrangements over the Christmas holidays when everyone is out of school. Many families also like spending their holidays on a cruise ship because it cuts down on the hassle of cooking, cleaning, bouncing to several different homes and driving in poor weather conditions.
The best way to plan a destination family reunion is to stick to the basics and not over-stress. Focus on the cruise line and family reunion location. Be sure the cruise line knows you’re planning to make this a reunion and travel together. Don’t worry about shore excursions, dining times or other minute details beforehand. It’s best to see what everyone is up for when the time comes, but you could email everyone with updates and details to get them excited, such as which shore excursions are available, which port stops are on the itinerary and when family members must book by to receive the promotional rates. Not surprisingly, a lot of planners go with a travel agent to get the best deals.
There is much to see and do aboard a family reunion ship adventure. Kids will love the arcades, supervised games, theater experiences, fashion shows, cookie baking, ice-cream-and-pajama-parties, karaoke and computer classes aboard Crystal Cruises. Disney Cruises offer unparalleled activities for kids, while parents can relax in kids-free zones like the spa or fancy restaurants, giving them a chance to catch up with other family members. The whole family can learn from the National Wildlife Federation, Miami Seaquarium or California Science Center educational programs on the Princess Cruise line. There is simply nothing like a family reunion cruise to create new memories that will last for years to come.
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