Family Reunions at Sea - A travel trend that's really making waves!

Why are more families choosing a vacation at sea for their reunion? The answer is really very simple. A cruise offers everything wrapped up neatly at one low, inclusive rate. Compared to a land-based resort, cruising is a much more affordable way to spend your vacation. Let's review the home reunion vs. the reunion at sea benefits for you and your family members:

You're the mom - The reunion is at your house... you spend weeks of cleaning and all the hours of wondering who is the vegetarian and who is lactose intolerant, the menus, the shopping and of course, hours in the kitchen preparing.
When the guests arrive the meal dilemmas begin, who eats breakfast, who sleeps late, who eats lunch, who snacks, what time is dinner... and you must serve all of these meals! And of course you know about all the dishes that follow meals that will number in the 100's! Next will be the allotment of beds, couches, sleeping bags and tents, etc. Not to mention upon their departure the mountains of laundry.

You're the dad - The reunion is at your house... you will spend weeks of preparing the yard, touching up the paint, finding and cleaning all the sporting equipment, fixing the toilet, fixing the shower, washing the windows and running numerous last minute errands.
To ensure that everyone knows when they can take full advantage of the events in your area, you must read the paper to find all the "happenings" during the period of the reunion. You must have something for all ages, from the toddler to the senior, to ensure everyone is going to enjoy your family reunion.

CRUISE BENEFITS:
The chef and his staff plan, prepare and serve all the meals and even do all the dishes. Every meal offers several options, complimentary room service, a buffet, healthy choice and the formal dining room. Your family is welcome to eat at anytime they wish and with whoever is ready to eat at the same time they are. Each area will be serving numerous selections from low carb to not so low carb!
The hotel staff will be in charge of the cabins, the beds, the daily fresh towels and even the chocolate on your pillow... and all the laundry.
You can relax and enjoy a meal sitting at the table with your family, not jumping up to get another glass of milk and there will be no dishes after the meal or laundry at the end of the week! MOM WINS!

CRUISE BENEFITS:
The maintenance staff works 24 hours a day painting and repairing any problems, keeping the ship sparkling for your family. The Cruise Director is going to provide games and activities poolside and elsewhere for all ages. Each cruise line offers a fantastic children and youth program. Your family also can take advantage of the casino, play bingo, enjoy exciting ports of call, relaxing spa treatments or workout with the state of the art exercise equipment onboard. In the evening, there will be a wide range of entertainment, several bands or a quiet area for reading and relaxation. DAD WINS!

Family members - Imagine the reunion being held at mom and dad's house. The kids start the grumbling, "... there aren't any kids my age... what are we going to do for 7 days... their computer is old... they listen to funny music... the food is weird... they watch old people TV shows."
They you have the next generation... Uncle Jack snores, Aunt Betty smokes, Uncle Harry sleeps on the couch during the day (everyone has to be quiet and there is no place else to sit), Aunt Velma doesn't like the breeze, Uncle Tom likes fresh air, young Ben plays the music late at night, Uncle Dan goes to bed too early and the differences continue as the list of family members grow and there are only two bathrooms!

CRUISE BENEFITS:
Each family has their own cabin, their own bathroom and can snore or smoke, sleep all day or night without annoying other members of the family. There is something for every age group to do from supervised games for the children, line dancing lessons, video games, swimming, crafts or a quiet deck chair and a good book. All guests unpack only once and in their own stateroom... no suitcase in the corner of the den. Your family members can join the rest of the family for meals, for games, for excursions, chatting... or not! The choice is up to them. FAMILY WINS!

The WORLD is waiting:
There are over 160 ports for you and your family to experience. Not to mention infinite options for adventure: glacier trekking, swimming with the dolphins or stingrays, flying over a volcano, scuba diving, visiting numerous museums and seeing first hand the famous works of art... it's all about the experience.
A cruise this year with your family is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Your cruise will allow your family to enjoy great meals without the hassle of shopping, cooking and cleaning up. There are cruise and shipboard activities to fit all ages.
No matter the budget or dream, there is a cabin category for you. Everyone can enjoy the non-stop entertainment, shipboard facilities and fabulous dining without ever having to leave the ship. The best thing about planning a family reunion cruise, is that you actually get to enjoy it!

Family reunions can be an incredible opportunity to gather everyone together. With hectic work and school schedules, a cruise is the perfect vacation for families with diversified interests. What could be better? A great family reunion at sea and YOU... enjoying the time of your life!

How to Pack for a Cruise

How to Pack for a Cruise

Leave the kitchen sink at home and follow these basic guidelines for smoother sailing...

Black is timeless, black is elegant, and black is appropriate for formal or informal evenings. I bet it even works for smart casual” nights, if anybody ever figures out exactly what that means.

I wouldn’t be caught dead with a travel iron – probably something to do with the big triangular once left by one in a gorgeous blouse – but I certainly don’t want to look like a load of laundry. The solution? Tissue paper. Fold crease prone items around sheets of it before packing and your garments will emerge wrinkle-free.

Don’t take casual clothes that can’t be worn at least three times. And get over the fear of repeating a simple formal
dress on longer sailings.

It may be new and fabulous, but if it demands it’s very own pair of shoes, leave it at home.

If there is even a remote change of spillage, it should travel in a securely sealed plastic food storage bag.

Economy-sized hair sprays, shampoos and lotions don’t deserve a holiday. That’s why God, or at least Frederic Fekkai, invented handy hair care travel kits and individual-use packets of delicious shea butter body cream. Better yet, check your cruise line’s amenities – you might find the products in your cabin are superior to your own.

Check the weather at your destination before you go. If necessary, take that jacket or umbrella or you might end up with an expensive (and often ugly) desperation purchase.

Do you need the entire guidebook? Rip out the pages you’ll need or photocopy them and toss as you
go.

Head again to the copier with your passport. A copy – nestled somewhere separate from your passport – could be a
lifesaver.

Leave some room in your luggage for purchases or pack a folding carry-on to fill with the treasures you pick up. Large or cumbersome purchases should be shipped home.

Finally, if you really can’t live without it, bring it with you: Scuffed walking shoes, your favorite CDs, heated rollers, the bathrobe with the hole in it, or yes, even seven black dresses.