Get Your Group On Board - Use the Cruise Option!

By Gerry Waller

Getting together as a group has never been easier, due in part to the increasing popularity of cruising. Whether it’s a club, association, special interest group, business organization, reunion, or girls’ and guys’ getaways, cruise options provide a productive and memorable group experience from start to finish.

Types

More than 5 million group members cruise every year. Here are just some of the types of groups that have discovered this awesome travel and get-together option:
- Clubs
- Associations
- Religious Organizations
- Business and Professional Groups
- Industry and Trade Groups
- Educational Seminars
- Fraternal Groups
- Hobbyists
- Destination Weddings, Vow Renewals, Bridal Showers
- Family Reunions, Class Reunions, Friend Reunions
- Retirement Celebration

Tasks

No matter what group you belong to, a cruise is an excellent choice. But don’t try to accomplish a group cruise on your own! A professional travel advisor, especially one that specializes in cruise vacations, should be your first port of call.

A travel advisor, with a specialty in cruises, makes the planning and implementation of your group experience easy and stress-free by handling many of the following tasks.
- Marketing and promotion
- Destination and Itinerary selection
- Cruise company selection
- Group presentations
- Cruise reservations
- Pre- and post-cruise reservations
- Payment processing
- Cabin assignments
- Travel documents
- Liaison with cruise company

Your travel advisor can also help you arrange special parties, meeting space, group photos, dining arrangements, games and entertainment, and customized shore excursions. Most cruise lines even have a full time “group coordinator” to assist you and your group. You might also consider contracting directly with your travel advisor to provide onboard service and support during the cruise. There is significant value in having your travel advisor with you and your group throughout the cruise.

Timing

A group cruise takes time to pull together so give yourself and your travel advisor plenty of time to work on all the details. It is advisable to start as much as 12 to 15 months in advance. This is important not only from the standpoint of effective planning but it also helps ensure that the necessary number of cabins is available for the desired itinerary.

Trouble-Free

The benefits of group travel are outstanding, and perhaps the most outstanding benefit is that all the hard work of planning, organizing, booking and processing the group travel is done by your travel advisor. So, get your group onboard the cruise option. Call your travel advisor and start planning today!

If you have an idea for a group and need help with all the details, we would like to hear from you. Please give us a call at 847.825.7761 or contact us through our website at http://www.funfilledtravelers.com/pages/contact

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Gerry Waller

Gerry combines his years of travel experience and passion for dream vacations to help clients get the most out of theirs. He provides thoughtfulness, patience, and careful attention to details in planning and accomplishing every client’s needs and desires for new and exciting vacation opportunities. Whether it is a luxurious cruise, relaxing resort and spa, or an adventurous escape from day-to-day lives, Gerry goes above and beyond to help turn vacation dreams into reality.