Family reunion vacations can be pretty overwhelming, especially if you’re not organized. The good thing is that you’re planning a family cruise vacation, which automatically makes this trip less of a hassle, and secondly, you’re here. So, let’s do it, okay?

The 5 Easy and Simple Steps to Planning a Family Reunion Cruise will help you stay organized throughout the process and leave you with fewer headaches.

Step 1. Selection of travel dates for everyone.

Since your mother and father, brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles, cousins, and everyone else are traveling along with you on this family reunion vacation, choosing a date has to be a must. Since everyone has different races and days off, what are the best dates? For one thing, family reunion cruises are meant to satisfy every member of the family.

A typical 5-day cruise will satisfy most. Since some may fear getting sea sick from sailing too long, and others may complain if the cruise is not long enough, 5 days works best. Planning a week off should be mandatory for all family members traveling on the cruise. That way, you’ll have time to rest after the cruise is over and talk about all the fun you just had.

Step 2. Choosing the right boat.

Can you guess how many cruise lines there are? Answer, more than twenty. If some family members have sailed before and loved the cruise line, stick with that one. Unless you want to explore your options, here’s how to choose.

Carnival. Called the fun boat it is by far the people’s choice to sail, especially for newbies. Almost all of their boats have been renovated according to the tastes of the clients, which means more activities, space and fun.

Costa Cruises. Most of the staff speak several languages, so speaking Italian on board is appreciated. Ranked as Europe’s #1 Cruise Line, this ship can take families from the US to Europe with ease.

Princess cruise line. This elegant cruise line has its own uniqueness. It is the only cruise line where couples can get married on board and honeymoon at the same time.

And the list goes on and on… This choice is up to your family, if the majority want fun and a youthful feeling, stick with Carnival. The Disney cruise line is also perfect for children, adults too; and has one of the most exciting cruise packages out there.

Step 3. How many family members are going?

Does everyone bring their children, is it possible for friends to travel together? We know it’s going to be a little hard to get an exact number, but an estimate can really make a difference in price. In addition, it greatly facilitates the group reservation process. The main key is not to leave out any member of the family.

Does including your cousins, aunts, and uncles really become mandatory because this may be the one time everyone gets together? Seeing your nieces and nephews on this family reunion vacation can really make up for years of lost time. And don’t forget to bring your grandparents, they’ll be glad you did.

Step 4. Where are you sailing too?

Are you familiar with Western and Eastern Caribbean itineraries? Not many are, so choosing a cruise destination should be made easy for everyone in the family. Here are our simplifications of some itineraries.

Western Caribbean destinations... are some of the most fun and popular cruises. Places like Ocho Rios, Montego Bay Jamaica, Grand Cayman Island, Cozumel Mexico, Key West-Fl, Nassau Bahamas, Belize, Costa Maya and many more Western Caribbean destinations are places of beauty that you have to see. Shore excursions and island tours become memories to last a lifetime.

Eastern Caribbean destinations… they are quite a compliment. Vacation destinations like St. Maarten, St Thomas, San Juan, Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay, Antigua, Costa Rica, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Panama and many more exotic islands that people only dream of adventure will easily be Memories of the entire family tree you will experience.

European and selective destinations: Hawaii, Dubai, the Far East, South America, the Indian Ocean, Egypt, Israel, Canada, and New England are cruise vacation destinations many didn’t even know existed.

Step 5. Find an agent/travel agency.

Be sure to work with a travel agent and not the cruise line directly. Try doing this yourself, there are headaches I didn’t even mention because I’m assuming you’re going to be working with one already.

Master these 5 easy steps to planning your family reunion cruise, and everything else becomes a walk in the park. Bonus tip! Start planning early, at least 6 months in advance.

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