Has anyone done group cruising (planning and rates)?

[lilfleck]

Hi everyone,

 

So after enjoying my last cruise in June, I would like to plan another one with a large group of friends. I was curious if anyone has had any experience and advice on planning a trip with a group.

 

I found lots of good advice here:

http://www.ehow.com/how_2122027_get-group-rates-cruise.html

 

But I also know the people here give much more applicable advice. As for my group size... I would imagine anywhere from 10-18 people (haven't polled all of my friends yet).

 

Can you guys let me know what the rates were and how travel agencies work with you regarding groups?

 

Thanks!

[cb at sea]

The rates vary according to the time of year that you wish to travel....

Generally, you set up the group with a TA, after choosing the date and ship, and then any interested parties contact the TA and make their arrangements within that group "block"....

[lilfleck]

Ah, we are planning to travel sometime June - mid August. How much "cheaper" are the rates?

[kitty9]

You're cruising during the high season, so the rates won't necessarily be all that great. But, for many lines you will get a free cabin if you book at least 8 other cabins---on some lines you need a minimum of 10 cabins to get the free one. What people then do is then take the amount of the free cabin and apply that credit to everyone so that each person benefits from the freebie.

 

What you need to do is find a good local travel agent. Believe me, with a large group you do not want the headaches and hassles of dealing with a lot of different people, plus you don't want the fighting that usually happens when one or another doesn't agree. You can also get extra benefits by working with a TA who could give you things like on board credit for everyone sailing with your group.

[eggypann]

I'll be cruising with a group of 13 other ladies in 43 days. The cruise was my cousin's and my idea but I started the organizing. I'll be perfectly honest with you - it's definitely been an adventure trying to get 14 women on the same page! However, I love planning trips and I happen to have the time to spend doing it (I have a part-time job that has minimal actual work to it, just requires me to be here - and I'm allowed to be on the internet all I want).

 

I got lucky in that the sister of one of the cruisers gave me her very trusted Carnival PVP's name and number. Prior to that I had investigated on my own and did a spread sheet of different possible cruises and the prices at the time. When we decided on where we wanted to go we picked Carnival because they had the best prices. Unfortunately, we fell short of the 8 rooms we needed to get a free sailing and other perks - but that was ok. I also had time to watch prices and the Balcony rooms that were originally $729 became $610, the OV rooms that started at $539 went down to $499. My PVP took care of the rate reduction forms and submitted them so it was no trouble for me.

 

I started doing major reading here on CC with regard to the different ports and then submitted ideas for excursions to everyone. I basically decided what I wanted to do and listed some that were other possibilities. I ended up booking excursions for different numbers of us at all three of our ports. Some of the ladies opted for different excursions (or none) and I let them handle that. The transportation to and from LA I've let the individuals handle but I'm trying to correlate shuttle service for those arriving/leaving around the same time.

 

Sorry I've gone on so long! What I really just want to say is that if you like planning trips (and I really do) and have the time to do it - go ahead. If not, ask around and find yourself a good TA (or PVP) and let them handle it for you. Good luck!!

[Aunty Pat]

Each cruise line has different requirements for setting up groups (number of cabins, categories of cabins excluded from groups, upfront deposit requirements, numbers of cabins to be sold to get a free birth, sailing dates, etc. & this all depends how far in advance of the departure date you set it up). As far as rates go the further in advance you set up a group the better the fares you’ll get.

As a travel agent, I’ve found Holland America the easiest to set up a group on.

The group needs to get together an decide where they want to go, where they want to sail from and when. Then find a cruise that fits to requirements.

I suggest you work with a local travel agent and let them do all of the work of handling everyone’s credit card payments, special requirements, etc. Using an agent won’t increase your cost and it will save you a lot of work.

Aunty Pat

 

Barefoot Windjammer - Phantom ‘81

K&D German Rhine Line ‘84

NCL - Norway ’85, Pride of America ’05, Southward ’87, Star ’97 & ‘05, Starward ’92, Sun ’02 & Windward ’93

RCC - Song of America ‘89

American Hawaiian - Independence ‘98

HAL - Volendam ’99, Noordam ’06, Oosterdam ’07 & ‘09, Statendam ’02 & ‘08, Prinsendam ’03 & ’06, & Zuiderdam ’04, ’06 & ’07, Westerdam ‘09

Carnival - Spirit ‘05

Celebrity – Summit ‘05

Cruise West - Yorktown Clipper ‘06

Princess - Golden Princess ‘07

A & K - East Queen ‘07

Cunard - QM2 ’08

Crystal – Serenity ‘09

Pending Cruises:

Oceania – Insignia, June 17, 2010

[yogi2929]

ideas and thoughts-

 

Decide on a cruise and let each book their own. It will save you tons of headaches.

 

Also the group does not have to excursions together. Let everyone decide what they want to do, just give them the info.

 

Have your TA/PVP/PCC make sure the reservations are linked together for dining assignments.

[Happy ks]

Hi everyone,

 

So after enjoying my last cruise in June, I would like to plan another one with a large group of friends. I was curious if anyone has had any experience and advice on planning a trip with a group.

 

I found lots of good advice here:

http://www.ehow.com/how_2122027_get-group-rates-cruise.html

 

But I also know the people here give much more applicable advice. As for my group size... I would imagine anywhere from 10-18 people (haven't polled all of my friends yet).

 

Can you guys let me know what the rates were and how travel agencies work with you regarding groups?

 

Thanks!

 

 

I actually disagree with some of the advice on this site. I've organized several groups of friends/family for cruises and I never, ever collect money for the down payment nor the final payment.

 

Let them know where and when, don't give choices as you will have so many people want different dates...if they are interested you can reserve it with the travel agent and have them make their own payments. You are setting yourself up for a nightmare trying to get people to do these things and you may end up making their payments for them. Let the professionals handle it if you want to stay on speaking terms with your friends/family.

 

I also firmly believe in not trying to stay together as a group. More than 4 people is a crowd unless you are on a private tour with a guide managing the group. We've missed things we really wanted to do in the past by trying to stay with others as they have a different agenda. Meet up for dinner that night but go your own way during the day.

 

We have only one rule when we travel together and that is...no rules.

 

 

Edit to add, typically there is one free berth, not one free cabin, for every 8 cabins booked, double occupancy. The travel agent can split up the savings within the group or give it to the person doing all the leg work which may be you. We've never had more than 6 cabins in our group cruises, so have not enjoyed that. Onboard credits, a promised but not delivered bottle of wine and group rates have been what we've gotten in the past and future.

[marco]

I've orchestrated a "Friends and Family Annual Winter Cruise" for over 20 years now. Inquire with a few agents. Something like, "we want to go on "X cruise", we should be about "X" number of people...what can you do for us?" Usually, the more people who end up going, the rate goes down a bit per person and for every 15 who book, usually the 16th fare is complimentary, so that can be pro-rated amoungst the group as well, so the larger the group gets, the better the price per person. I let everyone know the particulars of the cruise, the contact info for the agent, and tell them to mention me when they call. They book directly with the agent, do the deposits, final payment, etc etc witth the agent, not me. Pretty much I tell everyone the details of the cruise, it's up to them to do the rest. If everyone books through the same agent, usually cabins are near each other and dining is together. Makes it MUCH easier than telling folks what cruise you're going on and then telling them to "go find a agent and book it". It really is no more difficult or time consuming than booking a cruise just for yourself, other than sharing the information with folks who may be interest in going. It sometimes can be a "no work" fund rasier for a charitable organization, too. One year we had enough for the complimementary fare, and the approx $1000 went to the organization that sponsored the cruise. They said it was the easiest and least amount of work on the part of volunteers to raise $1000.

[MC Rusell]

Contact a Travel agent. I planned one for friends and family and by the time I was done half of us were arguing about something or another. I also feel since I was so stressed trying to make sure everything was perfect that I didn't end up enjoying the cruise experience like everone else did.

[mjwcruising]

I totally agree with Happy ks. ;)

For a June 2008 Alaska cruise,DH and I and one other couple got together and looked over cruise brochures and picked the cruise line and dates. (keeping in mind our school teachers friends needed to go after school let out). After this leg work was done, we e-mailed our friends, and told them we planned on taking a cruisetour to Alaska and gave them the important information including the cruisetour Company, date and which tour # we chose to do. We told them they could pick any land tour they wanted to do or if they chose not to do the land portion we would meet on the ship on embarkation day.

We had 8 couples sign up. 4 couples did the land portion (we all chose the same one - the longest one possilbe - 6 days) and 4 couples did cruise only.

Out of the 4 couples that did the land portion 2 couples flew into Fairbanks a day early, and the other 2 flew in the day the land tour started.

Out of the 4 couples that did cruise only, 2 couples flew in a day or 3 ahead and did things on their own and the other 2 couples flew in the day of the cruise.

Some of us did air through the cruise line and some took care of their own air arrangements.

Once we all arrived at the ship, we met up and had a bon voyage celebration.

Everyone did whatever excursion they chose to do. Usually 2 or 3 couples were together, sometimes it was 1 couple by themselves.

However, we all had dinner in the same area. We couldn't all fit at one table, so our TA was told ahead of time who would be sitting with whom.

 

We had 16 people but because 2 couples who lived in a different section of the country used their own travel agent we did not get a free fare.

 

And buy the way the free fare is the price of the cheapest fare booked by your party. If someone books an inside room at say $700, and you want to divide it 16 ways, (8 cabins X 2 people per cabin) you're really not talking about much money off PP.

 

Ages ran from 25 year olds to 60 somethings. Everyone had a wonderful time. In fact, in April we are doing it again with the couple that we set up the Alaska cruise with. There will be 30 of us going to Bermuda and Bahama's. After the Initial Ship and Dates were picked everyone contacted the TA on their own. No Air needed this time, we are all within driving distance to the Port. :)