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Cruising with Bubbie
The Benefits of Multi-
Dedicated in loving memory of Mildred and Arnold Plotnick
Many people think of cruising as a romantic vacation. Bring the kids? No way. Even worse—how about your parents?
According to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) 2008 Cruise Market
Profile Study, the most recent demographic study available, 25% of cruisers traveled
with children under the age of 18, while 23% traveled with other family members.
(Note that these groups are not mutually exclusive.) Additionally, in its Cruise
Industry Media Update presented in 2009, CLIA executives expected family and multi-
My family and I have cruised twice as members of a three-
Additionally, we have a number of two-
There are various reasons for families to vacation together. Immediate and extended
families might live a distance apart, resulting in visits that are few and far too
brief. Even if family is close geographically, some don’t spend a lot of time together
due to work and other commitments. And, spending several days together at a time
is a rarity. Cruising can fit the bill for many families as there is little day-
Besides, how often do you get to see your parents in public sporting silly, paper Viking hats? We have the photos to prove it. (And, we are happy to share one as it represents one of many wonderful memories.)
A dinner on Dreamward
In this article, I recount our experiences of traveling with family members of multiple generations, and provide some thoughts on how to make this an enjoyable vacation for all while respecting the parental hierarchies.
Getting Started
Most families have had minor arguments about selecting a restaurant in which to dine at home. How will you ever decide how to spend an entire vacation, one that involves a large outlay of both time and finances?
Working with a CLIA-
Right off the bat, it must be realized that it will be impossible to please everybody
to a large extent. Fortunately, today’s cruise ships offer myriad activities for
passengers of all ages. Many lines—most notably Carnival, Disney, and Royal Caribbean—actively
promote their ships as multi-
Itinerary is also an important consideration. Ideally, you’d like to minimize travel time and expenses for all parties. Nearby embarkation ports are preferable—yet, if you have to fly, look for those that do not require more than one connection, especially if traveling with children.
Budgeting is another manner, although more controllable given the number of ships and cabin options available. Additionally, there is no need for all parties to select the same cabin type, unless you all want to be in the same vicinity. For example, on Carnival Destiny, my family and my sister’s family opted for adjoining oceanview cabins. On HAL Ryndam, our three separate parties occupied two inside cabins and one suite, all on different decks.
For all practical purposes, not all cruise decisions involve a family sitting around
a table weighing the pros and cons. Each of our family cruises came about in a different
manner. In one instance, my parents—who were graciously hosting the vacation in honor
of their anniversary—selected the ship and itinerary after quickly consulting with
us to make sure their choice was alright. In another, my parents-
In some cases, family cruises may come together informally. One year, my niece and her husband decided to cruise to Alaska, and asked family members if they’d like to join them. We actually canceled another cruise to do this. We made a deal—she chose the itinerary, we chose the ship. Others decided subsequently to join us.
The Booking Process
In general, planning a family cruise is not much different than planning one with
friends. There are different ways to go about the booking—and we’ve done several.
And, as stated earlier, working with a CLIA-
Group bookings: If your family group is large enough, you may qualify as an official
group and qualify for discounts and other incentives. Typically, this requires eight
staterooms booked at a minimum of double occupancy each. Most cruise travel agents
handle group bookings, and there are a growing number of accredited travel agents
who specialize in multi-
Non-
Non-
No matter how you make your booking, be certain to check that arrangements are in order once you are onboard the ship. We always get a set dining time (as that is our preference), so our first stop is usually the maitre d’ station, so that we can verify that we are all seated together, and request table changes if needed.
Onboard: The Ground Rules
For smooth sailing, we’ve found it helpful to set expectations ahead of time. How
much time will everyone spend together, and when? Are grandparents built-
There are no correct answers—yet, having clear ground rules prior to the cruise will prevent issues from cropping up while you are supposed to be enjoying your vacation. I can only share our experiences.
Our key requirement for family cruising is that, at a minimum, everyone eat dinner together. This way, we can each do what we enjoy during the day and in port, yet be assured of family time in the evening. If we happen to select the same organized shore excursion, we will go together to be assured of being on the same bus—yet, each subgroup is open to do its own thing during the day.
We tend to play it by ear in the ports of call. For example, when in Halifax, my husband and son and I wished to visit the Citadel and the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, yet the rest of the family did not share our interest in the former. So, we all left the ship together, walked along the boardwalk, visited the Maritime Museum, and then went our separate ways for the rest of the morning. Amazingly, we happened to select the same restaurant for lunch at the same time.
Three generations on Our son and his grandparents enjoy
boardwalk in Halifax lunch while mom and dad go on a date
Babysitting can also turn into an issue if not addressed ahead of time. On our cruise
with my parents, my sister and I decided to have adjoining cabins so that we could
help each other with the kids. For two nights of the four-
My mother-
Family Moments
If you are still not convinced to at least consider a multi-
Now, this doesn’t guarantee that multi-