Imagine that your nearest and dearest all want to go on vacation together, somewhere warm and exotic. Sounds like a dream come true – the whole family together enjoying a week of sand, surf and fun.
Now imagine organizing that vacation – agreeing on a destination isn’t too difficult, arranging hotels, activities and entertainment, transportation to said activities, where to dine and when. It doesn’t seem quite so appealing now – the stress starts to build and the vacation now seems a bit of a chore.
This is where the family reunion cruise comes to the rescue!
1) Pick a location – Hawaii is great! Or anywhere in the Caribbean.
2) Everyone books their own cabin. They can decide the price based upon whether they want a view, a balcony, or a plain old inside cabin (since you pretty much only sleep in it). This helps to fit all budgets and avoids the awkwardness of financial discussions.
3) Everyone arrives at the destination under their own steam. Check in and join your family on-board.
4) Dining options – some people like an early breakfast, others are late risers. Some prefer the more formal dining, others the comfort of the buffet. Whatever you choose, you don’t have to feel obligated to dine together, although the option is there for a nice dinner or two.
5) Activities – there are so many types of excursion; some for the active family members, others for those who want a little R&R. The nice thing about cruise excursions is that you can all pick what you want to do without everyone having to do it together. So Uncle Bill and Cousin Bob might want to go parasailing, while Aunt Sally and your sister might go for a beach day or a bit of shopping. You can mix and match your family groups a bit and not just stick with your usual clan.
6) Entertainment – with the on-board entertainment included in the cost, everyone can enjoy the entertainment, sit in the bar for a drink, or just get an early night. You don’t have to worry that Mom-in-Law is sitting this one out because she is preserving her spending money.
7) Group photo – formal night serves as the perfect opportunity to get the group photo of your reunion without it costing a fortune. You even get to view the photos before shelling out any cash. What a perfect souvenir for the wonderful stress-free family vacation you took.
So no family reunion horror stories to tell – ok, so perhaps you got stuck with Uncle Bob for breakfast a couple days more than you would have hoped, but I can assure you, this is the most relaxing a family reunion will ever be.