Have always wondered about large groups...

[crzy4wild]

When I see groups of 5 or more on a cruise, I always find myself wondering how they did it. To get all those people to commit, take the time off work and pay the money. It's hard enough for me to find a 3rd person to go without paying for them. I know there are different situations, but for the majority, is one person paying for everyone? Maybe I just don't have the kind of friends that would pay to take the same vacation as me lol. Just been curious. Maybe it would be different for a group driving instead of flying with the cost of flying.

[Keith1010]

It could be one large family but often it is relatives, neighbors and friends each paying their own way and people part of organizations.

 

Keith

[paul929207]

Often, one person is the organizer. They plan the trip and get prices from a TA. They give everyone the info and then it is up to each person to decide.

[KirkNC]

I once played blackjack beside a man who had 21 family members on the cruise. He planned and paid for it and no surprise they all showed up.

[coley2011]

Often, one person is the organizer. They plan the trip and get prices from a TA. They give everyone the info and then it is up to each person to decide.

 

Agreed. My extended family typically takes a cruise together every two years. We try to agree on an itinerary, what weeks can/can't be done, and then someone goes and looks up the options. Each individual decides if he/she can go, and what type of room they'd like. Person who looked up itineraries usually goes ahead and does the necessary work for booking the cruise. Flights are up to each person flying, but if we're flying from the same place, typically we book the same flight and meet up with other flyers either at airport, cruise check-in, or onboard.

[Warm Breezes]

Our first 2 cruises were with close friends who have kids the same ages as ours. We have been friends since our oldest boys were 6 months old (they are now 19 and our youngest are 16). These were our 2 longest vacations with them and we were able to work out the logistics because the kids were 4 and 7 on the first cruise and 7 and 10 on the second one. As the kids got older it became impossible to schedule that much time together since all 4 of our kids are in different sports with different seasons (Dance, Basketball, Soccer, Water Polo, Swimming). Now we just stick to taking some weekend trips together when we get a chance.

 

Our third cruise was with my DM and SF and 2 DB's. We mentioned at Christmas that we were booking a cruise the following Thanksgiving and they all decided to have our Thanksgiving Dinner together on the ship...which was ok with me so I didn't have to cook:D. We all drove down in 2 vehicles and spent some time pre-cruise with DGM who lived within an hour of Tampa where we sailing from.

 

The rest of our cruises were just the 4 of us...although our next cruise DD is bringing her BFF.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

It takes some work..

[CapeCodCruiser]

We hit it off with a LARGE portion of our roll call on last year's cruise for my birthday. The last night and morning of departure there was a LOT of "Oh we really have to cruise together again" going on.

 

Well - 19 of us have all booked for a cruise this year together!!!!

 

So excited to see them all again - we all chat on FB and we were able to see one couple in Miami before our TA in April.

 

It helps if people you are wanting to cruise with are already cruisers!

[Zach1213]

It's not that tough. My friends and I do it once a year (not a cruise) - I am usually the organizer because I travel for a living and know a lot of ins and outs. I'll just start an e-mail saying "Hey, lets go to Vegas in xxxx timeframe, what's everyone's availability and budget?" and go from there. It takes a little work, but not that much. I book rooms under one reservation, each person takes care of their own flights.

[LH25]

We've ended up with a group of 10, may be 12 soon, on our August cruise. It wasn't really planned, DH and I wanted to go to celebrate turning 50 and being married 20 years, we asked a couple we are friends with if they wanted to go and they did. Another couple we knew had to cancel a cruise a few years ago because he got injured. They just got everything settled with L&I so we invited them to go to celebrate that. Another couple heard about the trip and asked if they could join. And the parents of one of those going wanted to come along as well.

 

It just kind of took on a life of it's own, and we know we'll have a blast. Everyone is paying their own way.

[LandlockedCruiser01]

They could be a group of cruise friends. That is, people who met for the first time on that cruise and are hanging out together. While I'm sure it's not impossible, planning a large group trip, in my experience, always felt like herding cats. There's always one or more persons who suddenly don't like the itinerary, can't afford the cost, want to do an excursion you're dead-set against (and insists on you coming along), or randomly suggests a different ship (the one you don't care for). Which pretty much sets your efforts back to square one. Whoever can pull off organizing those group trips (real-life friends leaving from the same hometown, that is) must be more charismatic than me. Oh well.

[jamessemaj]

I also find the large group thing to be curious. I have seen it not only on cruises, but land vacations as well. It is a level of social extension that is alien to me. I am not a part of such a group of people who would do it, but many people are. I wonder the same about so called "destination" wedding where a group goes to a distant spot for a wedding, such as a beach location.

[paul929207]

Could you possible be seeing something like a Cruise Critic Roll Call group? We have lots of friends on our crusie that we have met on here. We meet at the M&G and some we wind up touring with or dining with.

[margeecruiser]

Several years ago, my sister and I planned a Haloween Cruise, just the 2 couples of us. Then some of her friends at her job wanted to come, then some of our neighbors wanted to come, then my DD and her friends wanted to come, then my sister's buddies from their off-roading club wanted to come.......

We ended up with 45 people; everyone knew someone else but no one knew everyone. We had a blast and it was like the best Haloween party (costumes and all) we have ever had.:D

[Athankfulheart]

Its no big deal for us. Last cruise another couple who had ever cruised asked if they could come along next time and so we cruised all 4 of us. We happened to do all excursions together but didn't spend much time together on the ship. We each paid for ourselves.

 

Jan 14 we are doing a family cruise. Our immediate family is ten people. We spread the word to our friends and so far have 4 first timers who are also tagging along. We are spending one day off ship with 2 and another day with the other two. Again, it wasn't a big deal. We have two more families of 5 who are considering the cruise..... all first timers.

 

One thing that I did which was good was I planned everything for MY family because this is still our family vacay. I typed up everything I could think of that people (considering) should know. They all know that they have to book everything themselves but that I will help as need. Its not really been a huge deal.

 

After people started booking then I made a Facebook group to share details and get people excited. Lots of stuff that experienced cruisers would know but the new folks just don't. They really appreciate that.

[Canada Geese]

Just happened my sister and her hubby were planning the Baltic Cruise with the Royal Princess. Since my dream was to see St. Petersburg, and Russia, we chose to book the same cruise. 16 months in advance!! A friend of my sister decided to tag along too with her friend. My hubby and I are usually solo so this will be new to us. Just can't get my head around the fact that I have to wait 14 months now for my dream of a lifetime cruise! Friends of ours always travel with their adult family. Just seems to be if the stars align and all have the money it can work out. Just plan some alone time. Will let all be talking at the end of the cruise :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

When I see groups of 5 or more on a cruise, I always find myself wondering how they did it. To get all those people to commit, take the time off work and pay the money. It's hard enough for me to find a 3rd person to go without paying for them. I know there are different situations, but for the majority, is one person paying for everyone? Maybe I just don't have the kind of friends that would pay to take the same vacation as me lol. Just been curious. Maybe it would be different for a group driving instead of flying with the cost of flying.

 

We would love to have our neighbors (best friends) join us on a cruise and we would be willing to pay for them - but alas -- she will not get on a ship.

But I have seen where there are families cruising together and all have agreed on paying their fair share. This seems to be happening more and more in recent years.

And you are right -- many of them do not have to worry about flying,

[slidergirl]

I used to be my social circle's group ski trip planner. I traveled for a living, so I was pretty familiar with the ins and outs of setting up things. We'd all decide on the location and week, then I'd dive in and do flights, condos, rental cars, group lessons. I still have friends email me to set up plans for them for other trips - they know I love to do the hard product part of trips. They can do the soft product (tours, dinner plans, etc.) themselves.

[dolittle]

When I see groups of 5 or more on a cruise, I always find myself wondering how they did it. To get all those people to commit, take the time off work and pay the money. It's hard enough for me to find a 3rd person to go without paying for them. I know there are different situations, but for the majority, is one person paying for everyone? Maybe I just don't have the kind of friends that would pay to take the same vacation as me lol. Just been curious. Maybe it would be different for a group driving instead of flying with the cost of flying.

I am with you We have the same kind of friends and we live close to two drive too ports (N.Y. and Balt) most people just talk and dream of doing things . Just be glad you are the other kind of person.

[boogs]

Often, one person is the organizer. They plan the trip and get prices from a TA. They give everyone the info and then it is up to each person to decide.

 

This is exactly what I am doing right now. I'm planning a surprise B-day for my wife who is turning 60. The surprise starts when I tell her I have planned a B-day vacation but won't tell her what it is. She'll figure out part of it when she realizes we are heading towards the cruise terminal. What she won't know is that several of her best friends will be on board to surprise her.

 

This cruise is still 18 months away. I've contacted everyone I wanted to invite a few months ago, with the 18 month time frame as the decision making time. I've arranged for a group booking through a TA we've used in the past. This will save several hundred dollars on each booking, plus a generous OBC. I'm not only promoting this as a B-day celebration, but also as a vacation opportunity for them. They all know that my wife and I cruise frequently. Some have cruised before, and for some this will be their first cruise.

 

If everybody goes, there will be 18 of us. So far, three other couples have committed. Almost halfway there!

 

Someone has to coordinate these group cruises. I have done the research on prices, cabin choices, on-board activities such as a B-day dinner in one of the specialty restaurants, and suggestions about excursions or shore activities. It's a lot of work, but for a good cause. Now it's up to everyone to decide if they want to commit, and I'll coordinate the deposits so they will all be part of our group. After that I'll continue to keep them informed about final payments, etc.