5 Killer Reasons to Cruise with a Group
Traveling in a group usually brings to mind a van full of half-empty fast food containers, lots of hurrying, waiting around for other people and the inevitable awkwardness about money. And, yet, group travel can be the most rewarding experience in terms of laughter, bonding and a lifetime of memories with loved ones.
Think about your next reunion, bachelorette party or family get-together. While planning can be a headache, the actual fun usually includes smiling people, an abundance of great food and moments where (miraculously) everyone is content. The same can be said about taking a cruise.
With that in mind, here are a handful of reasons why cruises are great for group travel:
1. Activities for All Ages
Making everyone happy is tough on a normal day, let alone when you’re traveling. However, cruises make it easy to please virtually anyone, regardless of age or personal preferences, which is ideal for multigenerational family vacations. Case in point: Children will enjoy activities like zip lines, bumper cars, movies and swimming, while adults can kick back and enjoy on-board entertainment or the passing scenery from their lounge chair.
2. Fun Nightlife
For bachelor or bachelorette parties, or even just a fun friend-cation with your besties from high school or college, cruises definitely take the cake for nightlife. Imagine the perfect night of hanging out, laughing and boozing it up, and then just walking back to your stateroom without hassling with cabs or traffic? Ah, bliss.
3. Privacy
Let’s face it: As much as you love your grandpa, you don’t want to spend every waking minute listening to his blood-boiling political views, and you most certainly don’t want to share a vacation rental bathroom with every person in your party. (Um, weird hair in the shower drain? Gross).
That’s where cruising swoops in with private staterooms and tons of options for everyone’s budget and lifestyles, even connecting staterooms for more family-friendly options. And when you get tired of being in your room, you can also venture out on your own when the ship docks for a solo daytime excursion.
4. Large Meeting Spaces
Doing your own thing is great, but one of the best parts about being on a cruise is the ample opportunity to be together as a group in convenient, nearby locations. Meet up for dinner every night, plan to attend some of the on-board shows together, or hang out in someone’s room for happy hour. Pro tip: Bring walkie talkies to make any on-board plans instead of incurring staggering cell phone roaming charges.
5. Upfront Costs
Most vacations include tons of surprise expenses. Even the most experienced travelers can be plagued by a couple of $100 cab rides to the airport when the bus schedule goes awry. That’s why cruising can be so appealing to a group, because costs are upfront, inclusive and can be paid by separate parties in advance.
Starting at about $100-300 per day per person, most contemporary cruises offer a convenient option for planning and avoiding crankiness. Plus, you won’t have to end the trip with a book of begrudging IOUs from the restaurants, cabs and hotels that wouldn’t split the bill five ways.
Add Cruises to Your List of Group Travel Fun
When considering your next group travel experience, camping, road trips to Vegas and staycations tend to stick out as the most obvious choices. But, cruises are now coming in for the win by catering to more than just couples and honeymooners. Check out these ideas for 2019 Alaska cruises to see how convenient, affordable and fun cruising can be for groups. Bon voyage!
