Your friends and family cruise photos and tips?

[notentirelynormal]

Posted on behalf of member: notentirelynormal

 

I'm just not smart enough to figure it out so my daughter posted our last cruise group photos above. Formal night, obviously - but the other was at our private group party. You can contact the ship's photographer in advance to come up and take a picture for you. We all had on our group t-shirts and everyone looks happy. It's also a great time to teach the little ones that there is a time to dress in shorts and t-shirts and a time to dress up special.

[plumber22]

We took my husbands mom and aunt on a cruise with us and the butler couldn't help but call them our kids since we made them sleep in the kids room in the courtyard villas...Norwegian Jewel November 7, 2008

[Cougargrandma02]

Have you planned a cruise with your extended family or a group of friends? Cruise Critic is putting together a slideshow about group cruises, and would love to include your best advice, anecdotes and Kodak moments. Help us reach out to new cruisers (or new big group cruisers) and make their planning process painless and their cruise the best vacation ever. Please post your stories and photos below.

Last year after my mother passed away-I sold her house and ised part of the money to take my 3 sons and their families on a trip of a lifetime cruise. There were 17 of us altogether(9 were kids 2-17). We went on Carnival to the Caribbean for 8 days. I booked family rooms as they allow 5 people to a room-outside rooms only allow 3-4 per room. I booked 4 rooms(family) and 1 balcony room for my husband and I! It was on the floor below them-no kids! LOL LOL. Because we had 1 kid over limits was why I had to book 1 more room. They should have allowed one more! But didn't. I got everyone thru airports-bringing Cinnimon rolls along for breakfast to save on buying it-just bought milk for little kids. Had a 3 hr layover in Atlanta and then on to Ft Lauderdale Fl. Everyone kind of did their own thing during day-played Bingo-swimming-sunning etc. The Islands were Fantastic! The kids hired a Taxi in St Thomas for $15.00 a person and got the 2 youngest kids free for all day!!!She took them all over the island-gave them time to swim-shop-lunch-and took them to a dairy for Ice Cream!! They did that in Bahamas as well. We were outrunning Hurricane Bill at the time! Missed 1 island because of it. Had nice weather-1 day of rain-the waiters entertained the kids making aminals out of paper etc-they had their own table and the adults had their own. We made it home without losing anyone-tired but Happy! Kids are STILL talking about THE CRUISE yet today-little ones too! Best $35,000 I spent!!

[kategcom]

i traveled with a group of about twenty adults, most of whom were related. the trip was arranged by my brother in laws niece, and we all had a great time. we were seated at 2 tables, close together, and most of us made an effort to go to dinner every night. i think that was actually the best time in the whole cruise, when we all got together for dinner. everyone did their own thing for the day, but we all met up for dinner.

[teachnh]

Last October I organized a cruise for 6 couples. We have all been friends for a long time and are really close. One of the husbands in our group recently battled, and beat Non-Hodgken's Lymphoma. My advice is to take that time to celebrate life, your friends and those you love. Here is a picture of us having the best time at NCL's private island.

 

[ChaylaT]

We have cruised with my In-laws twice and it is awesome! We get rooms next to each other so our balconies can adjoin. After we spend the day together, we all have "alone" time until the dinner festivities. We all choose excursions together and just say that "no matter what happens, we will have FUN!" :D They also watch the kids a few nights so my hubby & I can attend a private dinner or a comedy show!

[Ay Caramba]

Don't take things too seriously:D Have fun! Plan what you want to do. Invite others to join you, but don't be dissapointed if they don't. Have wine with dinner and chit chat about everything.

 

Here's a crazy picture of our family reunion cruise. We were 14 traveling from both coasts.

[CRAZYBOUTCRUZIN]

Really excited about our first time to cruise with family in September for our Mutual Birthday/Anniversary cruise. DH,his oldest DS, DDIL, and her recently widowed DM.

We booked Mini Suites beside each other on the Emerald Princess. I will have to join in the picture posting fun later !

[MamaParrotHead]

I organized a group of 50 friends and family from all over the globe last fall. I met a few friends, off of a Cruise Critic Roll Call, back in 2007, and we really hit it off. One friend from Spain, one from TX. For our Glory 2009 cruise "No Guts, No Glory", LOL, each of the three of us brought our own "delegations" of friends and family. My friend from Spain and her husband were making it an anniversary trip and renewing their vows onboard, so they brought their children and children's spouses, and about a dozen of their friends (from England and Spain). My friend from TX brought some of her family and friends (MA, NH, AZ, TX). And I brought my family and friends from all over (MO, IA, CO, NJ). We had members from age 2 to 86 (my grandmother).

 

My biggest tip would be to make it crystal clear to everyone that no one is under any obligation to be tied or one another all week long. I think that made all the difference in the world. My grandma chose to join us on some excursions, other port days she woke up late, had brunch, explored the ship and found quiet places to read her books. Some of us chose early dinner seating, others chose late seating. It was just fun to run into people from our group onboard or in port.

 

My second tip would be for the group leader to decide what his/her and their immediate family wants to do (as far as flights, pre-cruise hotel stays, cabin selection, dinner seating, excursions) and present the trip as "this is what WE are doing...you're more than welcome to join us or do your own thing", that way everyone in the group isn't using the group leader to do their homework for them.

 

I designed some group tshirts, optional ofcourse, but it was fun to have others onboard comment about them and ask about our group. Then some of us met up for dinner in Miami the night before we sailed, it was a really fun way for everyone to get to know one another before we got onboard. We also designated a night to meet in the supper club for dinner, optional again, and it was nice to catch up with members we didn't see much of.

 

I really, really enjoyed cruising with my kids for the first time as well. Their first cruise was a hit and we're all sailing again in January (though sadly, our European delegation is unable to join us). Making the world bigger for my kids and giving them the opportunity to enjoy my husband and I in "vacation mode" is a gift to them. The balance between "family time" (port days, meal times, excursions, etc.) and "adult time" (when my kids would BEG me to drop them at Camp Carnival for a few hours after dinner) was just perfect.

 

Here are some pictures, although we were never able to get a shot with all of us in it.

 

 

 

 

 

[Sarapdot]

I'm currently in the process of my second all girls cruise and working on the 3rd. We sail in Nov for the 2nd one. I still have not figured out how to make it easier. I think we learned on the first "girls cruise" that we don't have to do everything together. We had some issues with some girls going off and taking pictures and others getting upset that they didn't get in the picture. My worst problem is getting everyone to pay in time. We have 15 days till final payment and I'm still waiting on 4 of the 6 to pay. :eek: That is the most stressful part.

 

 

[callaghan0416]

Pick ONE place to meet and make it central to everyone. Sometimes older and younger (although my kids knew their way around the ship before everyone else) cruisers take a while to get their bearings. If you pick one place, the same place, everyone knows where to go. ANd this way if plans change or you can't find someone, always go back to the meeting place. We always pick the Promenade on RC.

 

callie

[FigmentsKiss]

I did a cruise with all of my family last year. Ages from mid 70s to 1 and 1/2. We had a blast. We planned a few dinners and mostly understood that everyone was going to do their own thing.

One thing I did, with the help of Cruise Critic members, was create an onboard scavenger hunt around the ship and divided everyone into teams, with no one from the same immediate family on the same team. It made everyone have to work with each other and interact a little, and they had a blast.

We are crusing again this year, and we are all already talking about it and planning away.

[Escapes2010]

Family & Friends with my Wife and Myself pouring the Champagne Cascade on the Star Princess in May 2009, celebrating my Retirement Cruise.

[Erica@cruisecritic]

Wow, thanks everyone, these are great -- and your tips and photos are wonderful! Keep them coming!