How to Plan a Group Cruise
Group cruises offer great value for the vacation dollar. However, like everything else in life, in order to get the best value it will probably take some organizational work and phone calls on your part to pull the group together before calling to book your group vacation. Here are some tips on planning the perfect group vacation.
- If your group is considering a group cruise it is important to appoint a group leader.
- Remember one of the most important aspects of being a group leader and organizing a group cruise is communication with the members.
- Determine if the cruise will be organized around a specific event, or if it is simply a general get-together.
- Consider who will be participating in the group and whether there be a significant number of children or will it be mostly adults.
- What is the preferred destination? This is an important question which must be answered and discussed within the group. A cruise to Alaska wouldn't be too enjoyable if the majority of the group wanted to visit the Bahamas.
- Set the number of days for the vacation. First-time cruisers may prefer shorter durations than more experienced cruise vacationers.
- Get a target price range from each group member who is taking the cruise on how much they are willing to spend on a cruise vacation. This is vital.
- Once you have discussed all the preliminary details with the group, contact your local travel agency to see what specific cruises are available that meet your group's preferences. Remember, it is the group leaders job to negotiate with the travel agent on any special perks or discounts that might be available for your group.
- Collect the booking fees and pay the deposits to secure the cruise for your group.
- Encourage each member to buy their travel insurance policies early, as they are required and penalties are assessed if it has not been paid 70 days prior to the departure date.
- Pay the final fees and enjoy your group cruise.