Family Reunion Cruises

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Family Reunion Cruises

 

 

 

 

One of the newest trends in travel is the Family Reunion Cruise.   In the past Family Reunions consisted of the extended family “descending” on the Grandparent’s house.  Everyone prepared a portion of the meal, sat around a cramped table, and told the kids to “be quiet and go outside to play”.   A Family Reunion Cruise is more fun for everyone!    

 

Depending on the itinerary selected, the cruise can be a relaxing vacation, an active trip or an educational experience--or all three on the same cruise!    Cruising allows families to spend time together, but also to have “individual” vacations.    

 

The “easiest” and most frequently considered Family Reunion Cruise is a Caribbean sailing.   It’s a wonderful way explore tropical rainforests or desert paradises, with itineraries for Western, Eastern, or Southern sailings.   Cruises may visit St Kitts, St. Lucia, Barbados, Martinique, and Antigua and other unique islands.  On a Panama Canal cruise--one of the man-made wonders of the world, you may also visit Costa Rica, Cartagena, Caracas, Aruba and Curacao!  

 

Alaska is an outstanding choice for families with school-age children.  Pre-schoolers  probably wouldn’t appreciate the beauty and wonder of Alaska; but with the rich history and incredible scenery, it’s a wonderful choice for everyone else!   Shore excursions can be selected by activity level; from dog-sledding, kayaking to shopping or a salmon bake.    

 

For Junior and Senior High School students, a European Family Reunion cruise may be perfect!   Experiencing history is awe-inspiring—it adds depth and understanding to what they’ve read in class.  An especially interesting itinerary is a Baltic cruise, which visits the impressive capitals of Northern Europe:  Copenhagen, Oslo, Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Tallin and Amsterdam.  Tracing the footsteps of man through Greece, Italy and Spain can also be a life-changing experience

 

Cruising allows every family a chance to select their cabin based on budget and amenities:   Suite or mini-suite for Grandpa and Grandma,  Balcony cabin for Mom and Dad, and oceanview or inside cabins for the kids.

 

The new cruise ships offer an incredible variety of cabin options.   Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) even has 2 Garden Villa cabins on their new ships, encompassing 5,750 square feet!   Each cabin has 3 bedrooms, private baths; living room, dining room and private outdoor garden and rooftop deck.   For the more modest budget, NCL offers Penthouse cabins, which feature separate bedrooms for parents and children.

 

Most ships offer Family Cabins which can accommodate 5 people or Connecting staterooms, so that Mom and Dad can have their own cabin, but can easily check on the children.   For those people who don’t need lavish staterooms, Inside Cabins offer the same amenities as all other cabins, with a private bathroom,TV, phone and plenty of storage.  Many cruise ships also have mini-refrigerators in each cabin.  

 

In addition to a full casino, Las Vegas style entertainment, state of the art fitness center, spa services, shopping and cocktail lounges, most ships have specialty programs:  ice-skating, glass-blowing, serenity pools, cooking classes, surfing, wine-tasting and internet available.  

 

And most have extensive children’s programs so that Mom and Dad can truly relax and enjoy their own vacation.  Generally the children’s programs are divided by age groups:  2-5 years, 6-9 years, 10-12 and 13-17 years.  All programs are staffed and supervised by trained leaders  with age-appropriate activities.   

 

I look forward to helping you and your family plan a Family Reunion Cruise that you’ll ALL remember for a lifetime!  It will be a cruise that specifically highlights whatever you and your family most enjoys doing together.  Call me at   269 982 0901 or email me at colson@cruiseplanners.com  and we’ll get to work on it!