Group Cruises~ Whats the catch?

[Litewait]

With so many new posters and alot of great groups going I thought it might be good to bring this back up for awhile. Serene did a great job answereing the questions most often asked. Thanks Serene for helping all of us!

 

Whats the Catch?

 

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I received some emails asking me "What's the catch with this group thing? Do i have to do all the group functions?"

 

No catch, no required participation. Period. If you would like to join our cruise just because the rates average $100pp lower than the discounter fares advertised on travel sites, that cool! Any participation in group activities is entirely up to you. You determine your level of participation in group events, in cruise critic posting, on emails, etc., based on your comfort zone. The only thing I as group leader, know about you if you book are your first names and that you booked. I am wanting to make sure you get everything you are entitled to by booking as a group.

 

On the other hand..... let me tell you what I see as some of the nicest benefits of our group, and group participation.

 

1. Rates (of course!) Without asking for special rates or joining other groups, our group rates are very good, and as our cruise's cabin rates go up, they'll look even better. I will watch pricing and if it comes down any-- I will make sure we get all that is coming to us.

 

 

2. Port Knowledge. Yes, you can get info on port sites and sounds by lurking and reading our posts. On the other hand, you don't see our emails! Get ideas on what to see and do on eachport.

 

4. Friendships. Building new ones BEFORE the cruise is wonderful if you're interested!

 

5. Shore Excursions. Planning shore excursions in advance, with folks we've grown to know (and LIKE!) is exciting.

 

6. Cutting costs. Sharing expenses of shore excursions, and getting special tours at great rates cuts costs. We have two of the best drivers already for Naples and Rome.

 

So there you have it. No catches, but loads of benefits.

 

 

 

So, Join your favotite group cruise today and enjoy all the benefits of booking with a group~:D

__________________

[lhall85917]

:D Thanks for posting this, a lot of people will appreciate the information!! It's always a great idea to check out the group cruises around your travel date - you may find something you hadn't considered that turns out to be a trip of a lifetime!! :D

[lhall85917]

:D Thanks for posting this, a lot of people will appreciate the information!! It's always a great idea to check out the group cruises around your travel date - you may find something you hadn't considered that turns out to be a trip of a lifetime!! :D

[Litewait]

Someone was asking these questions today so I thought I'd move it up for them:)

[yogimax]

In the interest of full disclosure, I think it important that group leaders disclose the benefits they are receiving.

[flynrph]

In the interest of full disclosure, I think it important that group leaders disclose the benefits they are receiving.

I was wondering when that question would come up!;)

[yogimax]

I was wondering when that question would come up!;)

 

Hmm.. interesting that no one is answering!

[flynrph]

Hmm.. interesting that no one is answering!

Yeah! No kidding!

[MERVYN BREMMER]

Hmm.. interesting that no one is answering!

I for one don't know if there are any additional bennifits for the group leaders although it would seem reasonable that there are. However for the amount of work involved in leading one of the group cruises if the leaders do receive anything extra more power to them. If you are that concerned about the additional bennifits then jump in and lead a group then you can come back and report all the extra things you got as a result.

[zydecocruiser]

With a group cruise, your final payment is due earlier than if you booked it on your own.

[zydecocruiser]

Hmm.. interesting that no one is answering!

 

Ok, I can start guessing.

 

A free cruise to begin with. Sometimes a cabin fit for a sultan. At least that was what one TA ended up with since he has such large groups. On the Inspiration - one of the two monster cabins that don't show up on websites including Carnival's. ;)

[lhall85917]

I don't have a problem answering that at all, a group leader gets benefits based on the number of cabins sold and what the cruise line wants to offer. As a group leader for the June Legend CC group I am being offered 1 free fare (minus port charges and taxes) for 8 cabins sold, 2 if 16 are sold. After 32 are sold is a CC store credit in addition to the 2 free berths.

Yes, it is to our benefit to lead a group, but many of us do much more than post a few times and wait for our "free" berth. We watch prices every week to check to see if fares lower, then make the contact to take care of this for the whole group. We arrange a get-together while on board. Some group leaders arrange many activities for the group while others don't, it is up to them how to lead the group. Others have created brochures and videos for their group, give "perks" out of own their own pocket and more.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I do it because I enjoy cruising and meeting friends before I go. If I can get a free berth because I take some time before my cruise to plan with others I consider that a bonus. I also like the benefits offered from the group such as cabin credits, cocktail party, wine, etc. and I wouldn't get those from booking on my own. If there isn't a group set up it is to my advantage to at least check into it.

You also should know that it doesn't always work out. I had a CC group cruise set up in June through NCL, did the same amount of work that I'm doing now and only ended up with 7 cabins. That didn't keep me from going and having a great time - that's just how it goes sometimes.

I think its a fair question to ask what is in it for a CC group leader, its no big secret. I hope this helps. ;)

[lhall85917]

Oops - forgot one thing - you are invited to join our group next summer, should be lots of fun AND we have great prices and amenities! :D

[yogimax]

I for one don't know if there are any additional bennifits for the group leaders although it would seem reasonable that there are. However for the amount of work involved in leading one of the group cruises if the leaders do receive anything extra more power to them. If you are that concerned about the additional bennifits then jump in and lead a group then you can come back and report all the extra things you got as a result.

 

No one is questioning the fact that group leaders do work for their benefits... nor the fact that they deserve to be compensated.

 

The only point was that of "full disclosure," and I'm glad that one group leader took the time to respond.

[flynrph]

and I'm glad that one group leader took the time to respond.

Ditto. (Did a good job of it, too.):cool:

[Litewait]

Haven't been on since you posted. Went to a concert last night.

 

Lhall did a good job of answering. I just want to comment on the statement of getting a free cruise and cabins for sultans. Any "free" birth that we may receive is based on the level of cabins most sold. So if I book the Pent house suite I pay for it. I may get a little money back in the end but it may equal an inside rate or oceanview ect. It is not what I alone book. I don't get "free" what I choose to book, wouldn't that be nice!. Also we pay up front and in full. We receive none of the cabin perks until 6-8 weeks AFTER the cruise is completed.

 

Some of us have done group cruises that didn't have eight cabins, therefore no freebies. We still handled all the details of the group and organized the group activities. Depending on the size of your group it can be a second job.:D

 

No one wants you to have any misconceptions about groups. I do it to have fun with a group of people who share the same interests as I do. That I can chat and plan with. I travel alone with 2 kids and it gives me adult friends to hang with.

 

Hope this helps and your certainly welcome to join our group next April :)

[Luvsdaislands]

Last year I was part of a group...a very large group at that (about 60-80 people total). I spoke to the Travel Agent that was handling the group and I spoke to the group leader. I asked what were the benefits of being a group leader and this is the answer that I got:

The group leader gets 1 free fare for every 8 cabins sold under the group name, they also get ship board credits for the group. BUT the group leader has the choice to take the free fare and spread it among the group. Our group leader chose to spread it among the group and it ended up being $100 off EACH group passenger's cruise AND a shipboard credit of $100 for EACH group passenger. We didn't know about the credits until our final payment was due.

[lhall85917]

the group leader has the choice to take the free fare and spread it among the group. Our group leader chose to spread it among the group and it ended up being $100 off EACH group passenger's cruise AND a shipboard credit of $100 for EACH group passenger.

 

That was a great option. I've never seen that available to group leaders that are leading CC groups. Probably the reason is that the "free" berth given to CC leaders isn't calculated until the group has traveled and is based on how many actually traveled and what category they sailed in.

[serene56]

In the interest of full disclosure, I think it important that group leaders disclose the benefits they are receiving.

 

I got rebated 6 weeks after the cruise for one free berth minus the port and govenrment taxes in the cat I sold the most cabins in.

 

I sold 15 cabins and got a rebate check for a tad over 400.00 (412.00)

-- other then that I got the same amenities as the rest of the group- free coctail party,

I also spent a lot of my own money buying stuff for my group.

--

Now curious--- WHat do you think the group leaders get in the way of amenites because I have seen posts done in the past where people state the group leader gets ALL amenites. I have not seen that with any group leader on cruise critic.

Groups are done differently on CC then in the "real" world

[zydecocruiser]

A large group to me is several hundred and the cabin was indeed palatial. Think owners suite. There were two that I am aware of on the Inspiration. Like cars of just about anything else, the more you sell, the more you make. Then there are also thresholds that once crossed, increase the types of incentives received.

[serene56]

A large group to me is several hundred and the cabin was indeed palatial. Think owners suite. There were two that I am aware of on the Inspiration. Like cars of just about anything else, the more you sell, the more you make. Then there are also thresholds that once crossed, increase the types of incentives received.

 

thats not the way it works for group leaders on cruise critic. I paid for my 8B cabin- I sold mostly oceanviews so I get rebated in the oceanview cruise price only. 1 free cruise pirce for up to 16 people so it would only be for 2 people. If I sold many more cabins-- its to the agents benifit. but themore cabins i get booked the better the amenities-- i think 32 gets a private 2 hour open bar coctail party.

[Luvsdaislands]

That was a great option. I've never seen that available to group leaders that are leading CC groups. Probably the reason is that the "free" berth given to CC leaders isn't calculated until the group has traveled and is based on how many actually traveled and what category they sailed in.

 

I don't know for sure, but I think the travel agent that handled our group cruise was working with Carnival and the group leader because she told us to hold off on paying the final balance a few days. And that's when she told us about the credits and gave everyone the good news that our final balance was minus $100.

[FriscoLady]

The group cruises sound like a lot of fun, but I always get much better prices on my own(especially through Carnival). I hope one day to go on one, but I just can't make myself pay more to do it.:cool:

[serene56]

The group cruises sound like a lot of fun, but I always get much better prices on my own(especially through Carnival). I hope one day to go on one, but I just can't make myself pay more to do it.:cool:

 

I have not seen prices a tad higher then what carnival wanted. For our group on the Elation I think its few dollars less but then we got the amenities. Some people dont book into the groups because of the date final payment is due-- booking a cruise you hold your money til 70 days before.. with a group its due at 90 days.

 

My Princess group for February 2007 booked back in Novemeber 2005 so the prices are of that time. I am saving a tad over 300 pp for my cabin with the group prices. (not even counting any amenities)

[lyndamarie6]

Hello,

 

As a group leader for my July 1, 2007 sailing on the Mariner of the Seas I am not taking the extra "perks" myself as I could do. Yes, for every 8th cabin you get a person free (they take an average of your stateroom sales and that is how the amount is decided) and I am dividing that amount towards each cabin that attends my group. If I have 16 cabins booked then shall everybody receive that amount towards shipboard credit or cash given back to each cabin. The more cabins booked the more points you receive towards giving everybody a free bottle of wine at dinner or in cabin, a private cocktail party, beach towel, a bathrobe, chocolates in stateroom, there is a list the cruise line gives you of the available amenities at which you choose and it is shared within the group. Group sailings also is a start of friendships at which people write back and fourth to one another before the cruise.

 

The best prices you can receive on a cruise are through booking with groups only you need to find the right sailing on the ship that you are looking for. This will be my first group that I am the group leader, it does take work in planning and such, but you really make wonderful friends in doing so. :)

 

Hope this helps. Lynda