1. Use a Travel Agent with Group Cruising Experience

I am not just saying this because I am a travel agent. When we went on our first group cruise, I was not a travel agent. I used a travel agent with group experience and she made all the difference in the world. A travel agent’s service are FREE the destination/cruise line pays them for booking and servicing their clients. Travel Agents are trained to help get you the best deals and make sure all your needs are met. Most cruise lines will assign you one of their in-house travel agents for group travel anyway because it is too much for a lay person to handle. In my experience, you are better off choosing your own travel agent over the in-house ones. In-house travel agents care more about the bottom line and upselling you every chance they get. Personal travel agents want to make their guests happy and meet their every need.

2. Appoint a Group Leader

Choose 1 person from the group, someone who is organized and capable to be the group leader. They are the one in touch with the travel agent and doing the extra work of regularly communicating with the group. As a bonus, on most cruise lines if you book 16 berths (beds) and/or 8 staterooms you earn 1 free berth. So, the group leader could cruise for free if the group meets the cruise line’s requirements. bonus!

3. Start a Private Facebook Group

A private Facebook group is the easiest way for group members to communicate about the trip. Questions can be asked and answered, information can be shared, plans can be made and everything is in one central location. We also use this group to share photos after the cruise.

4. Set some Ground Rules

Our multigenerational cruise groups have 3 basic rules:
a) We eat dinner in the main dining room together each night. The exceptions for this are if you arrive back late from a shore excursion and don’t have time to dress for dinner, or if you are dining in the steakhouse with your spouse for a special evening.
b) At least one person in each stateroom with an iPhone gets the social media internet plan. This way we can communicate via iMessage. We send out messages like “Ron and I are going to play Sorry on deck 5 at 11am anyone want to join us?” or “We are eating lunch by the pizzaria we have room at our table if anyone wants to join us.”
c) We set aside time before dinner on one night to have a group photo taken. Unfortunately, on our last cruise 1 couple didn’t show up so they aren’t in our photo

Those are our “rules” This is a vacation, it’s YOUR vacation, you don’t want a bunch of rules to follow. Have fun, go your own way, meet up for dinner and share with everyone else about your adventures. Spend as much or as little time with the rest of the group as you would like.

5. Plan for the oldest and youngest in Your Multigenerational Cruise Group

Cruising with extended family is awesome. My kids loved to cruise when they were young, I couldn’t get them out of the kids camp to spend time with us! Make sure the kids get to plan some of the activities. Also, make sure parents with young kids get a break, and plan this in advance. Maybe mom and dad would love to go zip lining in St Thomas but 5yr old Tommy is too young. This is a great opportunity for grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends to step up and bless this couple by offering to either stay on board with Tommy or take him on an age appropriate shore excursion. Either way you are making memories.

Cruising with senior citizens who may also need some extra assistance is still fun, if it is planned. Maybe Grandpa uses a scooter and get tender off the ship in Grand Cayman but Grandma really wants to go to Sting Ray City with the teenage grandkids. Plan for someone to stay on the ship and do activities with Grandpa so he doesn’t feel left out.

I love going on multigenerational cruises with our friends and family. Yes, it takes a little more work, but the fun and memories are worth it. I always remember to bring the items on my Top 10 Must Pack Cruise Essentials List. If you are ready to plan your cruise Email Me I work with Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Disney Cruise Lines and I am excited to help you.

The post 5 Tips for Organizing a Multigenerational Cruise appeared first on The Mom Maven.

Splash Academy is centrally located on Decks 12 and 13 adjacent and easily accessible to the family-friendly staterooms. The reception area, located on Deck 12, is in close proximity to the forward elevators. As parents enter, they will utilize Norwegian’s e-Youth tablet-based electronic registration which allows them to swipe their keycard and input a password to sign in their children. Just past the brightly-colored and welcoming reception area, the three to five year olds will have their own space decorated with vibrant, engaging colors along with child-sized furniture. Wall mounted activities will keep little hands busy in between organized programming. In a separate area decorated with fun graphics to captivate children’s imaginations, the six to nine year olds will enjoy building block activity centers. An interactive dance mat with corresponding large video screen will encourage lots of activity. In addition, a dedicated space houses popular video game stations, along with a relaxing video viewing lounge.

Upstairs on Deck 13, the 10 to 12 year olds will have their own space designed specifically for older children. It will include a multipurpose visual dance space with a touch screen jukebox, plenty of moveable tables for activities and comfortable bean bags for lounging. An activity zone will include everything needed for arts and crafts and more. There is also a “hang out” area with dedicated gaming stations that will feature the latest video games. Rounding out the space will be a cool and comfortable lounge area with sofas and chairs in vibrant colors creating the perfect atmosphere to chill out.

Entourage is Norwegian Breakaway’s high energy, exclusive teen zone for ages 13 through 17, located on Deck 16. This hip, sophisticated area was designed to give teens their own funky space that includes air hockey; foosball; and an arcade center with five separate areas featuring large screens to play the latest video games while lounging on comfy sofas. In the evening, Entourage transitions into a teens-only nightclub with a dance floor, large screen television and music, including a video jukebox. Entourage has the advantage of being located next to the video arcade and a step away from an outdoor eatery and refreshment area to round out the teens’ experience.

Entering service in April 2013, Norwegian Breakaway will sail from her year-round homeport of New York City to Bermuda in the summer and The Bahamas & Florida and The Caribbean in the winter. More information can be found at http://www.breakaway.ncl.com.

We haven’t cruised on NCL, yet, but this ship looks amazing and the huge space allocated to the youth and teen programs look awesome. I’m sure my 16 yo would enjoy cruising on the Norwegian Breakaway!

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Splash Academy for ages 0-12

• 0-2 Guppies
• 3-5 Turtles
• 6-9 Seals
• 10-12 Dolphins

Entourage for ages 13-17

From the cruise line…

The enhanced curriculum focuses on team building and assisting in developing children’s interpersonal and confidence-building skills. With activities that are tailored specifically to each age group, the new youth and teen programs focus on creative and unique activities, along with more sporting events, through a partnership with King’s Foundation and Camps. A highlight of the program is a circus school in partnership with Hilario Productions Cirque du Jour, a New York-based company that specializes in teaching children real circus skills. The overall curriculum focuses on team building and assisting in developing children’s interpersonal and confidence-building skills.

Both Splash Academy and Entourage will feature a different theme every day. Whether it’s ocean-related, pirates, space cowboys, jungle fever or circus, every day will offer a new surprise that is tailored to the individual age groups with a variety of themed activities. Specific emphasis is being placed on sports through the partnership with The King’s Foundation and Camps, a United Kingdom-based organization that provides high quality sport and activity programs designed to make a positive impact on children. A large variety of sports activities and workshops are being offered including soccer skills; physical challenges; and icebreaker action games. For teens, bowling tournaments, soccer challenges and dodge ball under the stars are just a few of the active offerings. There is also a chance for the whole family to play along with a variety of sports including dodge ball, sports court fun, tug-of-war and King’s Camps’ family challenges.

Creative arts also play a big role in the program. With a focus on theater and the arts, young cruisers will have the chance to participate in puppet shows, mini improvisational acting classes and the ability to act out their favorite spy or survivor in themed activities such as Superspy Mission Impossible and Desert Island Adventures.

Through the partnership with Hilario Productions Cirque du Jour, Norwegian is offering circus workshops for the whole family teaching a variety of skills such as balancing feathers, juggling, plate spinning and even stilt walking. Classes will take place within the youth program and there is also a family circus school performed in a circus ring, hosted by a ringmaster. Hilario Productions Cirque du Jour was established by a team of performers from the famed Ringling Brothers, so kids and parents can learn from some of the best circus entertainers.

Additional offerings for families to participate in together include cupcake decorating; pizza making; a variety of family game shows; family charades; Family Deck Party; and a special Family White Hot Party.

Splash Academy also offers activities for cruisers under three and their parents who can enjoy sensory play classes which include baby art featuring “Wee Can Too” organic art products. There are also fun events such as parent and baby “Rhyme Time” where a storyteller recites popular nursery rhymes featuring puppets or “Motion in the Ocean,” a parent and baby mini workout.

Norwegian’s youth counselors have a degree or relevant in child care or sports education. The company has recruited staff with leadership qualities and those who can serve as positive role models. The counselors will continue to use cute, catchy nicknames which the children enjoy.

Splash Academy and Entourage are currently available on Norwegian Gem and are rolling out to all of Norwegian’s ships. Launch dates are as follows: Norwegian Jewel on April 21; Norwegian Star on May 6; Norwegian Dawn on May 25; Norwegian Epic on May 27; Norwegian Pearl on June 17; Norwegian Jade on June 30; Norwegian Sky on July 16; Norwegian Sun on July 24; Norwegian Spirit on August 14 and Pride of America on August 25. Norwegian Breakaway launching in April 2013 will also feature the new youth and teen programs.

The new programs sound AMAZING and I’m sure my 16yo would love them! He has bowled on a homeschool bowling league for 8 years so I know teen bowling tournaments at sea would really excite him as would the creativity of the circus school. As a mom of a 19yo though, I have felt for years that there is one demographic that the cruise industry as a whole has left out in the cold…the 18-20 year olds. I have talked to many parents who have taken their 18 year olds on cruises for their high school graduation only to find out that there isn’t much for them to do. They are too old for the teen programs and too young for the nightclubs and 21+ activities. Hopefully someday the cruise industry will offer activities for ALL age groups.

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