Have you planned a very large group- 30+ cabins? HELP!

[cruisin zonies]

I am planning my first ever LARGE group cruise for my alumni group for 2013 to sail out of Long Beach to the Mexican Riviera. I already started marketing the cruise to the entire group with general information and basic deposit information so they could start saving. Now, I am waiting for the dates to become available for booking and am researching how to coordinate a group cruise. I comfortably have 14 cabins ready to book now, another 45 cabins likely to book in the next 6 months and who knows how many more will book after that. My questions are this:

 

1. Which cruise line treats groups the best in your opinion?

2. I have googled cruise specialists in my home state and am turning up nothing. Any advice on where I can find a great cruise TA?

3. How do I get an initial low deposit amount? Is that possible?

4. What extras can I expect them to offer?

5. Any other advice for me?

6. Thanks in advance!

[cruisin zonies]

P.S. I know you cannot name specific TA's and I'm not asking you to. I don't have anyone that can recommend one to me though so if you are allowed to refer me to any other resources...associations, books, articles...I'll keep searching too. I just really need advice on handling such a large group without the thread getting nuked! Thanks!

[shippmates]

When looking for a TA, I would call them and find out how they will handle the group. You state you have a possible 30 cabins and maybe 45, will the TA save a block of 45 cabins at the group rate or just the number of cabins you can book at that time. You can go directly to the cruise line group departments and they will be able to answer all your questions and then you would be able to compare the different deals. Have fun on the cruise you choose.

[euro cruiser]

You asked about a low deposit ... why is that? I put together group trips for NFPs and I go for a big deposit, so I can minimize the disruption of people backing out later. I prefer a strong sense of commitment up front.

 

Is your role limited to marketing the trip and finding a TA to manage the details, or are there other aspects we can help you with?

[ducklite]

I would Google "corporate incentive travel specialist" and go from there. Those are travel agents who work with large groups and will have the ability to help you plan.

 

Planning a cruise for that many people is not something the typical local TA has experience or skill in.

[paul929207]

You definitely want to find a TA that has done large groups before.

 

I agree about the deposit. If everyone only puts down $100, you will have a lot more cancellations than if the up down $250 each

[patseacruiser]

I happen to agree with the above posters - if you ask them to put down small deposits they don't feel as committed to the cruise. Also, once you decide on what you are doing (itinerary, ship, etc.) refer them to the travel agent for their bookings. Once you start answering their questions, etc. it becomes a nightmare for you running around trying to get the answer and relaying it and not mixing up the answer (sort of like playing 'telephone' when you were a kid). The TA's job is to handle the group - let them do their job. The amenities will depend on what cruise line, itinerary and how many in your group and what type of cabins are booked. Also, the free berths can be either passed on to your group or the group leader can get free, etc. but that is something you should discuss with your TA so you both know how it will be handled. At the end you can expect a breakdown of what you get back.

[ducklite]

I agree with the larger deposit. I put together a "group thing" every year (not travel related) and after chasing people the first year I started asking for a 50% deposit upfront. The fallout went from about 30% to none. (One guy did have to cancel last year but got someone else to take his place, so I don't count that as a cancellation.)

[ducklite]

One other thing, plan one event for the group the first day and then one event on your sea days, otherwise let people make their own plans. You'll never get everyone to agree on a single shore excursion--and most can't handle that many to begin with.

[patseacruiser]

Did that on my cruise last week - since it was NCL we had a group dinner on first sea day and cocktail party on last sea day. Doing group excursions is like herding cats.

[SadieN]

For our group cruises this is what we do--

 

Hire a TA to do the legwork and handle the problems.

 

If we have many newbies we will have a precruise meeting to go over paperwork, FAQs etc.

 

We have two planned activites - an ice cream social where each family brings a topping and we take a group picture on formal night.

 

Decide how you are going to handle MDR assignments. Assigned dining with everyone linked to eat at tables near each other

OR

Anytime Dining

 

Extras are given by use af Amenity Points. Different cruises have different amount of points available. Things available can be cocktail parties, wine, picture coupons, small ice chests. You and the TA can decide what would be best for your group. If not enough Amenity Points are available more can be purchased and rolled over into the price of the cruise.

 

For a group booking usually a free berth is given for every 8 cabins sold. This money is not released until after the cruise. Ask the TA how this will work for your cruise. (For our group cruise we do it as a fundraiser with the monies going to our charity.)

[cruisin zonies]

Great great great feedback, thank you all!! I am writing all the key points down to reference as I go along.

 

I had heard that they won't block anymore but maybe I'm mistaken? I will definitely plan only two events....a welcome aboard meet and greet and a cocktail party on a sea day. I do like the idea of an ice cream social tho especially for the families bringing kids. Maybe I'll post that suggestion on our Facebook event page and on the roll call and let them coordinate it themselves.

 

This is a HS alumni cruise (25 year) so there are definitely groups of people who will want to sit together at dinner. I'm not quite sure how to handle that, let them decide on their own and talk to the TA was my plan.

 

Euro- Me and another person will handle the marketing (hopefully our TA can give us a group website etc), T-shirts, on board meet ups, and pre-cruise meeting.

 

Has anyone had a particularly great group experience on any one line?

 

Since the cruise is almost 2 years out, I figured a smaller deposit would be best with the remaining due within 30 days. I've seen tiny deposits on cruise critic cruises so I just figured there's a reason for the smaller deposits...

 

Thank you Shippmates, Euro Cruiser, Ducklite, and Sadie N for your advice thus far. I will talk to group dept, google corporate incentive travel specialist, and ask about these amenity points!

[jnc411]

If you are sailing out of Long Beach , I believe the only line going out of that port is Carnival, down the road a piece is San Pedro and other cruise lines use that , it depends on what you want to do. Once you get setteled with a TA they should be able to answer any questions re group bookings , But like previous posters stated make sure you get a TA experienced in group bookings. Good Luck

Cori

[sail7seas]

Aren't some of the cruise lines stopping/cutting back on Mexican cruises?

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

I have don one on princess

[mikedw]

Use to be an agent and did several groups. My personal experience is that everyone wants to go until it's time to put down the money. I had one wedding group where they sweared they need 40 cabins. In the end we did about 15 I think.

[kitty9]

We did a college alumni group cruise on Navigator of the Seas. We had 95 people in our group. The group leader set up a table in one of the elevator lobbies and it was open for two hours each morning. RCI had a group of tables on the top floor of the restaurant set aside for us, and we could sit at any of those tables. It was nice because we could switch around every night.

 

We had no real organized activities other than a scavenger hunt and two cocktail parties. RCI let us use the disco, The Dungeon, for one party and the Ixtapa Lounge for our sail away party.

 

Do not try and set up tours or anything else. It's too much of a hassle. Also, I agree with everyone who says do not ask for a low deposit. For our cruise we had to deposit $300 per person, and because if that, only three people canceled.