Tips for cruising with a large (25-30 pple) group?

[Lilo813]

Hi - we have an Alaska cruise booked (through a TA) in June with 25-30 other close friends and family members for my mom's 70th birthday (RCL)

Everyone has figured out their own excursions and we do have one booked all together (the train in Skagway) but other than that - how do we make plans to spend time together?  I assume there is no way we would get tables all together at dinner?    We have several things to celebrate in addition to my mom's birthday (high school graduation, a 50th wedding anniversary), is there an option to order a few cakes to eat a dinner one night (I'm only seeing the option for a stateroom delivery).  

 

Any other tips for cruising with such a large group?   Thank you!

[LHT28]

Maybe speck to the GM when you board  maybe they can section off an area in the GDR for your group  or in a public room so you can have  a gathering

 

 

[GeezerCouple]

2 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Maybe speck to the GM when you board  maybe they can section off an area in the GDR for your group  or in a public room so you can have  a gathering

 

 

If you are able to eat early, when the DR first opens, it would probably be MUCH easier for them to set aside a certain set of tables (per evening or all the time, etc.).  Once there are other diners seated, everyone will be finishing at different times, so keeping several adjacent/etc., tables open for you means holding some tables open while others may be waiting.

IF they have private dining areas, ask about that.  Who knows, they may prefer that, as it would mean less disruption to their regular DR procedures.

But also ask the maitre d' at each restaurant, at the start of the cruise.  And then, I'd double check each day with the appropriate maitre d' to make sure...  That tends to minimize disappointments and snafus, etc.

 

And ask about the special cakes, for the appropriate evenings, at dinner.  That shouldn't be a problem.

 

Enjoy, and Happy Celebrations!

 

GC

[LHT28]

41 minutes ago, GeezerCouple said:

But also ask the maitre d' at each restaurant, at the start of the cruise.  And then, I'd double check each day with the appropriate maitre d' to make sure...  That tends to minimize disappointments and snafus, etc.

 

And ask about the special cakes, for the appropriate evenings, at dinner.  That shouldn't be a problem.

 

 

Exactly

pre plan   just do not turn up  & want to  have a large area for the group

Some ships are easier to set  a small area aside for larger  family groups

[CPT Trips]

This should be one of the things your TA takes care of for your group. Talk to them and have them make the group dining arrangements. 

We have been on two cruises with similarly sized groups. In both cases, the TA arranged our dining room seating at adjacent tables. Due to our group sizes we had more than one wait team, the Assistant Maitre’d did a great job coordinating service. The group leader did speak with the maitre’d shortly after boarding. 

 

We met for before dinner drinks nightly at a specific bar. Even the non-drinkers showed up. The first night we just sort of stumbled into each other. After that we arranged at dinner who would show up early at the bar the next night. Drinks and dinner was the bulk of our together time. 

 

We purposely tried to avoid being “joined at the hip” for other times. That said, it was amazing how often we ran into several others at breakfast and during the afternoon. 
 

[lenquixote66]

4 hours ago, Lilo813 said:

Hi - we have an Alaska cruise booked (through a TA) in June with 25-30 other close friends and family members for my mom's 70th birthday (RCL)

Everyone has figured out their own excursions and we do have one booked all together (the train in Skagway) but other than that - how do we make plans to spend time together?  I assume there is no way we would get tables all together at dinner?    We have several things to celebrate in addition to my mom's birthday (high school graduation, a 50th wedding anniversary), is there an option to order a few cakes to eat a dinner one night (I'm only seeing the option for a stateroom delivery).  

 

Any other tips for cruising with such a large group?   Thank you!

We were on a RCI cruise several years ago as part of a group of 40.

Somebody from the group apparently spoke to someone because we were all seated near each other in the MDR.

[thinfool]

Not sure why you think you cannot sit near others in your party in the MDR.  You are paying your TA for his/her service and that definitely falls within his/her service.

We routinely travel with groups as large as 40...always dine together...that is, in the same dining area.  MDR tables are often available for 10 persons, 8 persons, etc, etc.   Your TA is doubtless familiar with all of this.  It is an easy few clicks on his computer booking site.

[ecs66]

We had a group of about 25-30 from work on a cruise.  We all did our own things during the days.  Sometimes it was just a couple, sometimes two or more couples, and it varied a lot from day to day, depending on what excursions, games, etc., interested us.  Then we met in one of the lounges for drinks, and then on to dinner -- two huge "rounds" next to each other -- and discussed the day, planned the next day, etc.  Then we split up and went to shows, and whatever.

 

That was back in the mid-'80s on Sitmar (later bought by Princess), when the cruise lines were more personal, elegant, and accommodating, and food was a thousand times better than now.  We had a blast.  (Compared to then, now we're like cattle.)

[GeezerCouple]

1 minute ago, ecs66 said:

We had a group of about 25-30 from work on a cruise.  We all did our own things during the days.  Sometimes it was just a couple, sometimes two or more couples, and it varied a lot from day to day, depending on what excursions, games, etc., interested us.  Then we met in one of the lounges for drinks, and then on to dinner -- two huge "rounds" next to each other -- and discussed the day, planned the next day, etc.  Then we split up and went to shows, and whatever.

 

That was back in the mid-'80s on Sitmar (later bought by Princess), when the cruise lines were more personal, elegant, and accommodating, and food was a thousand times better than now.  We had a blast.  (Compared to then, now we're like cattle.)

 

I also went on a work related cruise (someone has to do it, right? 😉 ) circa 2003 that I forgot about in this context.  I think that was still with "early" and "late" dining.  So we had a very long table on one side of the MDR always set for "all of us" at whichever seating it was.  Very convenient.

We could sit anywhere, but we quickly ended up with little "grouplets" who tended to sit in the same general area each evening.  It worked fine.

I was thinking more of open seating in my comment above, given that's what DH and I strongly prefer.  So we are either on ships that don't have assigned dining times (e.g., Oceania) or we select the "anytime" dining when there is a choice (e.g., HAL).

 

GC

[ldubs]

21 hours ago, Lilo813 said:

Hi - we have an Alaska cruise booked (through a TA) in June with 25-30 other close friends and family members for my mom's 70th birthday (RCL)

Everyone has figured out their own excursions and we do have one booked all together (the train in Skagway) but other than that - how do we make plans to spend time together?  I assume there is no way we would get tables all together at dinner?    We have several things to celebrate in addition to my mom's birthday (high school graduation, a 50th wedding anniversary), is there an option to order a few cakes to eat a dinner one night (I'm only seeing the option for a stateroom delivery).  

 

Any other tips for cruising with such a large group?   Thank you!

 

We do a lot of large family/friend group cruises with counts sometimes in the low 20's. We have always had the tables together.  Ask your TA to communicate you want that.  Follow up once onboard.  For us, dinner is the time when everyone is always together.   Often, the same happens at lunch, but less formally.  Typically someone will suggest a time to meet for lunch.  Those who want to will join.    

 

Excursions are up to each person.  Sometimes the entire group goes on the same excursion.   Often there will be a couple of groups going to a couple of different excursions.  If there is a younger contingent, they might be looking at more active excursions than us oldies.   Some might want to just skip it and stay onboard. That is fine too. Excursion options are usually discussed before the cruise.  

 

While not a result of hard plans, it is typical for the group to be mostly together at shows, lounge entertainment, etc.   Communication is important.   Someone says they want to attend trivia. Others will join.   Another bunch might go to an exercise class.  Folks are free to do what they want, but things kind of happen organically for folks to meet up.   Use the shipboard message technology to stay in touch, including stuff like "I'm going to bingo at 3 pm if anyone wants to join".  Kind of amazing how word will spread among the group.  

 

I think one of the reasons our group travel works so well is all of these things are typically subjects of discussions by Mrs Ldubs and the SILs.  They set up some kind of group iPhone Messenger video call.   I, and my BILs, are happy to go along with their decisions.    

 

Stay flexible.  Enjoy!      

[donaldsc]

On 3/5/2023 at 1:11 PM, Lilo813 said:

Hi - we have an Alaska cruise booked (through a TA) in June with 25-30 other close friends and family members for my mom's 70th birthday (RCL)

Everyone has figured out their own excursions and we do have one booked all together (the train in Skagway) but other than that - how do we make plans to spend time together?  I assume there is no way we would get tables all together at dinner?    We have several things to celebrate in addition to my mom's birthday (high school graduation, a 50th wedding anniversary), is there an option to order a few cakes to eat a dinner one night (I'm only seeing the option for a stateroom delivery).  

 

Any other tips for cruising with such a large group?   Thank you!

 

I would hope that you have a TA who handles large groups.  If you do - that is their job to take care of.

 

DON

[Lilo813]

Thank you everyone, this is helpful.  

[Lilo813]

18 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

I would hope that you have a TA who handles large groups.  If you do - that is their job to take care of.

 

DON

Truthfully I'm not certain she typically handles large groups or not.  But she's been great - it honestly hadn't occurred to me to confirm these with her (I work in hotel business and don't use TA's very often).  Thank you!