I need recommendations - please!

[Reltco]

Help! DW, 2 kids and I are going on a cruise with 22 other family members. Yes, 22:eek:. I've been around this much family before and can handle crowd control on land but have no idea how to do something like this on a ship. We'll be on Sovereign this April on the 4 nighter from Port C. Does anyone have recommendations on what to do and how to keep sanity?:confused:

 

Thanks!!!

[maxs mom]

Once a year we cruise with around 16 family members. No problem. It's a great way to get together. We all live in different parts of the country so it's a great way to visit. Everybody does their own thing. Everyone makes their own arrangements for excursions. We all want to do different things. so sometimes we don't even see each all day. We get together for dinner every night, then after dinner everyone goes their own way and does their own thing. You just worry about what you and your immediate family want to do....Don't worry about anybody else! Have fun!

[quiltingandcruising]

What a great way to travel - with 22 family members. I have vacationed with my husbands family (not a cruise) with 56 family members and had a great time. My husband is one of 11 and both his parents are still alive and that wasn't even everyone.

 

The best plan would be to get walkie talkies with the sub channels or message boards to put on the outside of your doors so that everyone knows were you are or can leave a question.

 

Plan on meeting every night before dinner to discuss plans or every morning. That why if some want to go to the beach, some want to stay on the ship, or some want to play bingo there is always someone to go with you so that everyone can do what they really want to do. That worst thing would be to try and get everyone to do the same thing all day. You would always have someone who wanted to do something else.

 

But most of all enjoy the time with your family!!:)

[just4kixx]

I agree with the above posters.

 

I know this pales in comparison, but each summer we travel with DHs family. For the past several years the choice has been to cruise. There are 13 in total, 4 families. We always meet for dinner at a designated lounge. Our dining arrangements are usually 2 large tables next to each other. This encompasses our "together" time... after that we do what we want.

 

I agree that you shouldn't try to make a plan for everyone because you're bound to disappoint someone.

 

The one thing I did arrange on our last cruise based on everything I've read on these boards (and it took some convincing) was the "Swim With the Stingrays" in Grand Cayman. EVERYONE said afterwards that that was THE BEST.... even those who were reluctant ;)

 

DOn't fret too much... afterall, it's your vacation too ;)

 

Good luck!

A

[Happy ks]

Our rules for our family/friends group? No rules, we'll see you at dinner, if you're not at dinner, we'll see you tomorrow. We set these ground rules early, so no one was disappointed. Hopefully you will not have a single in your group. We had one single (aunt) and while we all enjoyed spending time with her, it was sometimes a juggling act to make sure she had someone to spend time with. If we were to do it again, we would assign days to each other!

[msjaxson]

My family cruise on the Mariner is for 30 --- this summer 45 of us all went down to Myrtle beach..as the organizer of both these events i can say the only way to stay sane is to relaize you cant do everything with everyone.

On our past group cruises we saw each other on sea days by the pool and at dinner. I have also contacted RCCL's group dept this time and scheduled a private party for the 25 of us over 21. My immediate family and I have let others now our plans for excursions etc on the islands... if we have company great if not that is great too.....

[PAGA]

Some words of advice from our recent experience with 17 family members on Navigator:

 

First of all, I completely agree with previous posters -- tell everyone to plan to do their own thing.

 

I disagree with the suggestion to have walkie-talkies -- unless you want to "hand-hold" all day long...

 

That being said, I am an organizational freak, so I did do a few extra things that helped especially our first-time-cruisers in the group feel comfortable:

 

1) I gathered everyone's cabin numbers ahead of time, made a list and emailed it to everyone before we cruised.

 

2) Everyone had everyone else's email address (it was both mine and my husband's families), so if they were looking for someone to go on an excursion with them they could coordinate pre-cruise.

 

3) Pick a meeting place and time for mid-afternoon on the day of sailing -- double check dining table assignments to make sure all in your group are seated together at nearby tables. (I assume you have already made the provision of having your TA or RCCL "link" booking numbers so that you will be seated together)

 

4) Tell everyone ahead of time to plan to switch up the dinner seating nightly -- that way you get to visit with everyone during the course of the week. (We had 3 tables with 2 different waiters on Navigator -- they were great about this)

 

5) Speak to a photographer early in the week about getting a group picture. On Navigator, there was 1 photo backdrop that could facilitate 20 people (actually wasn't a backdrop -- it was near the guest relations desk and the background was the centrum sculpture) -- groups larger than 20 will need to make arrangements for a special photograph to be taken.

 

6) If there are any special activities you want to participate in as a group (e.g., Quest game) - pick a meeting place and be there when the doors open so that you can all sit and participate together.

 

7) If you'll be on a Voyager-class ship, send 1 person to get the whole group's ice skating show tickets during the first hand-out on the first day (many people in our group tried to get tickets at teh second hand-out time, but there were none left...we got to dinner and learned that my FIL had scored tickets for all 17 of us!! - not planned, but worked out great!!)

 

Things I wish I wish I would have done:

 

1) Before everyone leaves dinner, pick the lounge and time where those who are interested/available will meet the following night for pre-dinner drinks -- it was a pain trying to make sure everyone got contacted during the day so that no one felt left out...

 

2) Do not try to coordiante seating at shows. We made the mistake of trying to find out at dinner each night who was coming to the show...then ended up worrying we left someone out if they didn't find us in the theater (usually turned out they changed their mind and went to the casino or elsewhere...so they were having a good time, but I was worried about them...).

 

Hope this helps!!

 

- PAGA

[Reltco]

This is all great stuff, thank you all very much for the posts and posts to come. This is what makes these boards so great.

 

 

Reltco

[beachchick]

I want to try to say this without sounding witchy: The best thing you can do for yourself to have a good cruise is to NOT make yourself responsible for everyone else having a good time. And don't let others make you responsible for their fun. The suggestions above are good. Arranging specific times for meeting and planning specific full family events in advance tend to work well. Just don't get yourself stuck in the situation of "What's Aunt Martha doing tomorrow?" or "I want to go to the beach, but no one else does!" The responses I would have would be "Why don't you ask Aunt Martha?" and "Well, you could go on your own or find another activity." I've been in the situation of the family "appeaser." It stinks--I resigned officially some time ago and still deal with some of the family dynamics. Oh, I strongly agree about "single" cruisers. However, I think the best thing would be to see if he or she wanted to travel with a friend. If not, then I suppose that "assigning" times for other family members would work. It just might be resented by some and make a family member travelling alone (so to speak) feel like a charity case. A little planning and making sure everyone has reasonable expectations should ensure a good cruise.

 

beachchick

[kmej]

We will be going with 13 people from 73 to 5 years old for a family reunion.

The advice on this thread is great... We can't expect to be together every minute and should plan for separate activites. When kids want to climb the waterfall, grandparents can have that day to hit the casino...

Labadee looks like a nice, relaxing first stop for everyone. Dinner together each night guarantees a time to connect with the whole group.

I'm still a little unsure of the formal dinners...really dressy? I would imagine reservations are needed for a group of 13...is that done pre-boarding, once you're on the ship, or on the day of dinner?

Thanks!

Christine

[beachchick]

Are you talking about reservations for the specialty dining venues (Chops and Portofinos)? If you are talking about formal dinners in the regular dining room, you don't make reservations. You are assigned to a dining time and table for the entire week. A group of 13 could be tough. I think most of the large tables seat a maximum of 10 (not sure). You should request seating together, which will probably be 2 tables next to each other. You will get your dining assignment when you board. It's shown on your Sea Pass.

 

As for formal night attire. For women, cocktail dresses are as prevelant, if not more so, than full length gowns. Some wear dressy pantsuits (satins and silks and sparkly, etc.) For men, it's a mix of tuxes and suits. Some men will probably wear jacket and tie with slacks. Some don't even wear a tie or jacket, but this is not considered formal wear and is frowned upon by many. A dark suit is the most common form of attire for men on formal night.

 

As for getting everyone together, my DH says that trying to get more than 4 people coordinated to be together day and night on vacation is like trying to herd cats: It rarely, if ever, works and someone's going to get hurt. That's why we like pre-arranged times for everyone to meet and then free time for the rest of the day/evening. I would make sure that all the adults are allowed to make their own choices with no "guilting." For example, if Uncle Joe doesn't want to do what someone else expects of him, he should not be pressured to "conform."

 

beachchick