Getting the Most Out of a Family Get-Together on the High Seas

For most extended families, planning any reunion takes--well, planning. That goes double when the preparation is for a big family cruise.

Here, from travel agents, cruise lines and our own family cruise planner--my mother-in-law, Esther Magnuson--are some tips to make sure your family adventure goes smoothly.

* Start early. We held our first family meeting on this cruise a year ago. As a former travel agent, my mother-in-law, Esther Gordon, realized the importance of getting dibs on choice cabins and discount fares.

Rick Kaplan, president of CruiseMasters, a West Los Angeles-based travel agency that specializes in cruises, recommends starting at least 12 to 14 months in advance, with even more lead time for groups of more than 30. Most cruise lines offer hefty financial incentives to passengers who book early and in groups, with the 16th passenger typically receiving a free fare. Some lines even throw in such extras as free family photos, a cake and champagne for the group.

* Don’t try to do it all yourself. If pressed, most cruise lines will accept bookings directly from large groups, but you won’t save anything by doing so. A knowledgeable travel agent, meanwhile, can not only steer you away from cruise lines and destinations that don’t fit your family’s style, but can help you find the best bargains, arrange special parties, help you decide what to pack and even surprise you with a complimentary basket of fruit or bottle of champagne in your cabin.

* Once you get a head count and choose a cruise and a date, think carefully about room arrangements. Traveling with families usually means traveling with children, and that means securing at least a few cabins with three and four berths, which are often in limited supply. By booking six months in advance, we were able to secure six cabins near each other on the same side of the ship.

* Don’t forget about meals. Cruise ships generally have two seatings for meals, and the later seating tends to fill up fastest. Families with young children typically choose the early seating: dinner at 6 or 6:30 p.m., versus 8 or 8:30 p.m. for the late seating. Early reservations also help ensure you’ll be able to land a table for eight, or several tables next to each other.

Let your travel agent or the staff of your ship know if your group is celebrating something in particular. Cruise lines can help you plan a festive dinner, bring out a surprise birthday cake, hang a banner on a special stateroom, set up a pre-dinner cocktail party or even print special commemorative napkins.

* Ask your travel agent about air fares and hotel accommodations that may go along with your group’s package. Some lines will factor air fare, a night’s hotel stay and transfers from airport to ship into your cruise fare; this may or may not be a bargain, depending on the amount of energy you want to put into booking your own flight or accommodations, and the number of areas from which your relatives have to fly.

The members of our group, fortunately, all were coming from Southern California. Also, we felt there were too many of us to hassle with the air fare and hotel ourselves, and our cruise line, Royal Caribbean, was offering what seemed to be a pretty good deal--a $399 fare on Delta from LAX to Miami with only one stop, plus a free night’s stay at the Hyatt Regency in Miami--and they would handle the luggage.

This, as it turned out, made our trip much less complicated. One caveat: If you do let the cruise line handle your luggage, be sure to bring a change of clothes and essential toiletries in a carry-on bag. After we left the airport, we didn’t see our suitcases again until we checked into our cabins.

* Make sure your cruise line has something for every generation in your family. Some cater almost exclusively to adults; others have so many children’s programs that couples feel like they’ve landed in a nautical version of Disneyland.

Look for ships that offer fine dining, dancing and entertainment for adults; a broad range of port excursions; and programs for teen-agers, adolescents and younger children, agents say. But pay special attention to your line’s restrictions if your kids are especially young--some lines refuse to board children under the age of 2, and others have next to nothing to entertain toddlers.

* Think about getting cruise insurance. The larger your group, the greater the chances are that someone may have to drop out at the last minute, or get sick and have to be flown home. For a nominal fee, insurance guarantees you’ll get your money back in case of an emergency.

* Designate a point person. Even with three out of the four households in our group living in the same area, there were a host of last-minute changes and snafus and scores of details to nail down.