"Get a group of friends or family

together and take a cruise.

Create your own group

     

and you could sail for free."

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Groups, Friends and Family Reunions, Girlfriend Getaways, Birthdays, Anniversaries, Fund Raisers, Weddings And More.

Grab your family and friends, and start planning your next cruise event today - birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, family reunions and more!

 

Just reserve eight or more staterooms on one sailing and you’ve got a group!

Who qualifies for a group? Anyone and everyone! The possibilities are endless. Whether you’re coordinating a family or school reunion, or planning a professional seminar for an organization, Cruise Direct Online offers you fantastic group rates and a great variety of amenities to make your event unique and memorable.  Whether it's complimentary champagne and chocolates, or a private cocktail party onboard, you can choose from special amenities just for your group. All it takes to qualify is a group traveling together in 8 or more staterooms.
 

  Cruise Direct Online's expert Group Travel department can turn your event planning into smooth sailing.  Cruise Direct Online has all the fun and all the fun places for fantastic group vacations.

Cruise Ships are spectacular floating resorts filled with dozens of unique settings for swimming, dancing, dining, Vegas and Broadway style shows, working out and shopping duty-free.

Interested in planning a group cruise? Have a Groups Representative contact you. Just fill out the Group Request Form click here

Want to cruise for free?

Get 8-15 Friends, Associates or Family to cruise and you could go free. Be the tour leader/conductor and you may qualify. Call 800.365.1445 for details

 
The Perfect Fit!

One of our group cruise advisors will match your group type with an exciting itinerary departing from a port close to home, and a price that fits your budget. 

Ask how you could sail for FREE!


 

 

Want to learn more?

Page Contents

Friends & Family Reunions  click here

Fund Raising Themed Events click here

How Group Leaders Cruise For Free click here

Corporate Groups, Meetings & Incentives  click here

Frequently asked Questions for Groups click here

 

 

Become an Independent Group Leader/Consultant

Promote group cruises and earn extra income!

Details

 

Planning a wedding, friends & family cruise, a corporate meeting or incentive program. perhaps a reunion. Put our planning experience to work for you. Just fill out the Group Request Form ( click here )

Then, give us a call at 800.365.1445.
Here some examples of groups who have taken a cruise:
  • Friends & Family gatherings
  • Alumni Groups
  • Corporations
  • Church Groups
  • Clubs & Organizations
  • School Groups
  • Weddings or Anniversary parties
  • Family Reunions
  • School Reunions
  • Veteran/Military Gatherings
  • Family members
  • Friends
  • Social clubs
  • Health clubs
  • Volunteer Organizations
  • Alumni Organizations
  • Music clubs
  • Dance clubs
  • Aerobic clubs
  • Bingo players
  • Fund raising
  • Professional organizations
  • Country Clubs
  • Senior Citizens
  • Business Groups
  • Business incentives
  • Customer appreciation
  • Educational or business seminars

Here are some examples of corporate groups:

  • Seminars/Meetings at Sea 
  • Company Outings
  • Sales Incentives
  • Customer Appreciation Awards
  • Discount Employee Benefit

 

Service At Sea

For Groups of 50 or more, Cruise Direct Online can provide professional escorts, who take care of all your group needs at sea. They make sure your staterooms are in order. They provide coordination with the ship's staff for all meeting facilities, making sure they are set-up and prepared for you. They can arrange special tour excursions and private visits to the Galley and Bridge.

 GUEST COMMENTS
Hi Marty!

I just wanted to take a moment to THANK YOU so much for all that you did for our family/friends cruise on Royal Carribbean's Legend of the Seas.  My family loves the RCCL line....and as concerned as I was that we had little ones coming on this vacation, I was so impressed with the

  
Ocean Adventure's Club.  My two little ones wanted to be there all the time.  I now have no reservations about bringing them on another RCCL cruise, the staff is just fabulous!When I originally started to research cruises and Travel Agents to help with the process, I was overwhelmed (Let's face it, sometimes the internet can be a good thing and sometimes it can be a bad thing). I am so happy that I can across your website.  I sure didn't expect the response that I received from our family and friends when I started planning the cruise, and you were there every step of the way putting up with my cabin changes, adding new guests at the last moment, and removing guests in some cases, too!  You were amazing and I know for a fact that you are responsible for our worry-free and amazing journey through the Caribbean.  Everyone that joined us on the cruise was extremely impressed at how well the whole thing fell together with little trouble on their parts. 
 
Again I can not thank you enough, and don't forget that we will be planning another one for 2008!
 

                           - Kristin Selph

                             Legend of The Seas

                             January 2007

Raye & Marty:

I would like to say thank you for all you have done for us in the past Re: the group cruise in March 2003 and the March 2005 group cruise. Working with both of you have made all of us feel like we are long time friends. You folks make the process sooo very easy. Raye, I want to thank you for your taking us by the hand, and walking us through every aspect of cruising. Because of your attention to detail we will continue to use Cruise Direct Online as our travel agency of choice when booking future cruises. The "Miracle" was fabulous. The upgrades that were provided were super and the group enjoyed the entire cruise. What a beautiful ship.

On behalf of all 32 people in the group, I personally want to thank both of you for your patience and understanding with all the questions that you handled from all members of the group. We, all, look forward to the next cruise, hopefully 2007, at which time we will put your expertise to the test once again.

                     -Rog and Marlene Bauder
                      Bill and Cindy Benson
                      Jim and Marcia Hanson
 
                      Carnival Miracle
                      March 2005
 

Read More Guest Comments

Footnote:
Marty and Raye

Job well done! Congratulations! This testimonial goes to show you the importance that travel agents play in the role of turning on first time cruisers. We value your expertise in helping them through "the process".  Due to your expert guidance and seasoned advice, they'll be repeat cruisers for many years to come!  
 
Thank you for suggesting the Carnival Miracle for their most recent cruise, and hopefully with your direction, they will choose to sail with us again! 
 
Warmest Regards,
Pam Kressley
Business Development Director
Carnival Cruise Lines

 
   
 

Friends & Family Groups                                                                return to top

Cruise Direct Online's Friends & Family Cruises are so much fun. Have a large extended family or just a small group of friends? Are you a member of a golf or tennis club, bridge club, dance club, a member of Rotary, Lions, Elks...Perhaps a member of a condominium or homeowner's association. No matter what,  a cruise is a "time of your life" experience that is even more fun when you travel with a group of people you know. There is such a variety of cruise ships, itineraries and theme cruises available there is a cruise to fit both your interests and your budget!. So, get together with people you know who would love to cruise, give us a call and we'll take care of the rest.

Your group will have a great cruise at great prices plus, added amenities will that make your cruise even more special.

Family Reunions

Choosing the perfect family reunion vacation means pleasing young, old and in between; creating memorable experiences for everyone; and still keeping within budget. A cruise offers the solution to this vacation dilemma for more families every year. With an extensive selection of programs for all ages, the all-inclusive nature of a cruise and the deals that are regularly available - including "children sail free" specials - families are realizing that cruising is an affordable way to get together and make everyone happy.

Cruises have long been known for catering to passengers, and that includes the younger set who has its own activities, parties and kid-friendly menus.

Highly trained youth counselors supervise youngsters ages three months to 17 years (depending on the line and the itinerary) through age-appropriate activities. Fun is the operative word for all ages on a cruise. Activities include face painting, pizza parties, karaoke, talent shows, video games and computer fun, mini-Olympic-style events and sporting tournaments.

Other programs are designed to make education fun through hands-on activities and entertainment focusing on the destination's nature, heritage and the international experience.

In addition, several lines provide babysitting services.

A cruise also is a great opportunity to share some "quality" family time. After spending the day doing what interests them individually, family members can reunite at dinner to share their experiences and enjoy a family show or film. Some lines feature programs that enable children and parents to play and learn together.

Best of all, parents can enjoy their time knowing the children are enjoying themselves in a safe and secure environment.

 

Interested in planning a group cruise? Have a Groups Representative contact you.

Just fill out the Group Request Form click here

Fund Raising Themed Event

It takes less time and effort than a bake sale, bazaar, or raffle, and has the potential to earn a lot more money -- from $5,000 to $20,000!

Would you like to help raise money for your church, school or non-profit organization offering a cruise as a fundraiser?

Who benefits?

1. Your organization raises needed funds with an at-sea special event.
2. Guests support a worthwhile cause while enjoying a much-deserved vacation with their family.
3. Publicity of your fund raising cruise can bring more community recognition to your organization 4. You meet potential new contributors who can assist you with future events

Our "themed event" program offers a bonus to your fund raising efforts with a cash contribution, based on the actual number of staterooms that sail. The organization may choose to raise funds by marking up the group rate and/or by taking the value of the free berths earned as their contribution.

For example, an ocean view cabin on a 7-night cruise (double occupancy) is priced at $999.00 total (including port charges and taxes), your organization marks it up to $1199. The extra $100 goes to your organization and the cruise line matches this with another $100 donation. Your organization receives a total of $200.00 donation for this one cabin! ( Note: not all cruise lines match price, amounts vary by cruise line and accommodations chosen )

Another example:

The cruise line gives you a certain number of points good for special amenities for your group cruise. Convert these points to raise money.

For example, on a particular cruise, your organization is given 4 points by the cruise line. You trade the 4 points for $50 per cabin sold in fundraising money. After the cruise sales the cruise line gives a check to your organization.

A group cruise on any cruise line is a minimum of 8 cabins sold at a minimum of double occupancy.

 

Interested in planning a group cruise? Have a Groups Representative contact you.

Just fill out the Group Request Form click here

Group Leaders Cruise for Free 

How about a FREE vacation. As a Group Leader, you could earn free passage on a cruise.

Here's how it works... If you have at least 16 people ( 8 double occupancy cabins required ) who are interested in taking a cruise together,  you could earn a free cruise. The cruise line will award a free berth ( another word for bed ) for every 8 cabins your group reserves. On some cruises, it can be as few as five cabins.

Here's an example of the number of free berths (beds) your group earns:

  • 8 cabins (16 guests) booked = 1 Free Bed
  • 16 cabins (32 guests) booked = 2 Free Beds (equal to 1 free cabin)
  • 24 cabins (48 guests) booked = 3 Free Beds
  • 32 cabins (64 guests) booked = 4 Free Beds (equal to 2 free cabins)
  • 100 cabins (200 guests) booked = 12 Free Beds (equal to 6 free cabins)

Cruise Lines only award the value of the cruise fare only. Port charges, taxes and government fees are not free and must be paid by everyone in the group, including the Tour Leader. Each cruise line has its own group leader policy and they vary depending upon the cruise line.

Converting Free Berths

Here are a few ways group leaders can take advantage of earned berths:

You Sail Free
Keep the free bed for yourself and cruise for free and even earn extra spending money if enough people travel with the group. This is agreed upon in advance and can be kept confidential.

Lower the Per Person Price
You can take the value of the free berth (s) and divide it among the others in the group as an additional discount. Since the number of free berths depends on the number of cabins that actually sail, the additional discounts are applied at final payment or as a rebate after the group returns from the cruise.

Personal Cruise Direct Escort
You can hire an on-board group escort to help coordinate on-board and on-shore activities. Use one of free berths to cover the escorts passage.  A separate special services fee may apply.

Invite A Special Guest
Invite a guest lecturer or celebrity. This could be a local pastor, radio or tv personality or an expert in your field whose participation may encourage others to join your group.

Shore Tours
Take the value of the free berths and apply them towards the purchase of shore excursions like sightseeing tours, snorkeling, fishing adventures or a glacier helicopter landing.

In Cabin Amenities

Give everyone an in cabin gifts like fruit baskets, wine, or chocolates. 

 

Interested in planning a group cruise? Have a Groups Representative contact you.

Just fill out the Group Request Form click here
 

24 Cruise Lines Have Meeting & Incentive Programs

 Individual Incentives

Looking to reward your top individuals, one at a time. After all, there's no motivation more powerful than being singled out. With an individual incentive cruise program, your participants can choose when they'll cruise, or even where they go. Or perhaps reward someone a cruise as an on-the-spot bonus for exceptional performance, or how about creating a multi-tiered incentive program with varying award levels? Winners could go on a 3-day Caribbean getaway, a 7-day Bermuda cruise or a 12-day Europe cruise. Nothing can increase motivation and productivity more than an individual incentive. It's the ultimate reward. Let us customize an incentive cruise program made just for you.

Group Incentives

Going on a cruise is like taking two vacations in one: the first-class treatment and facilities of a luxury resort, combined with the excitement of travel to exotic destinations. From cocktail parties to award ceremonies, a cruise is a great way to bring colleagues closer together, while everyone still has time to themselves. What's more, were professionals in the business of planning group and incentive travel, so relax: You're in the hands of experts here. 
Meeting Incentives
No deadlines, no sales calls, no e-mails, no memos. Is this any way to conduct business? Well - actually, yes. Think of a cruise ship as a floating conference center complete with video and overhead sound and light capabilities, multi-image shows, theatrical special effects and more. Many ships have rooms that accommodate large sessions, breakout rooms and hospitality suites of all sizes. And since your associates can't stray too far when they're aboard ship, you can keep attendance higher and be more productive.

Full Ship Charter
For large groups, nothing is more impressive than a privately chartered ship. Since you "own" the ship, virtually every aspect of the cruise can be customized for your group. You can decide which ports the ship will call on, what dishes will be offered on the menu, and which shore excursions will be available. Choreographed stage shows can be customized for the company, or the ship can be renamed in the company's honor. The ship's Captain can even promote the company's chairman to the rank of Honorary Admiral in a full-dress ceremony. It's like having your own corporate yacht to do as you please, only better. Because aboard a cruise ship, there's so much more to do. 

The Details

From business meetings to awards ceremonies, cocktail receptions, shore tours and theme parties, Cruise Direct Online can customize every detail. Gift items such as shirts, caps or sunglasses imprinted with the Company's name; signature cocktail napkins, menus, and daily newsletters; custom nameplates on everyone's stateroom door; ice sculptures in the form of a logo; corporate ideas played over closed-circuit TV, "Welcome Aboard" notes from the ship's Captain ... unlimited opportunities to customize your incentive cruise. And you can count on us to deliver.  

 

Services Guide

 

More than 20 items of interest to the meeting planner are featured in the guide, ranging from conference rooms to flip charts and easels.

Meeting planners can identify which cruise lines provide services such as meeting coordinators and facilities such as e-mail access, fax machines, copiers and computer equipment.

Charts of the 22 cruise lines show whether or not they have these items, if they are on all or some ships or if the items are available on a special-request basis.

Click here to access the Services Guide.

Compare the Cost

   

Land Resort/
Caribbean

Land Resort/
USA


Cruise

Accommodations
(tax included)

$1,850

$1,550

$1,850

Food & Beverage
(3 meals daily, cocktail party with live entertainment, wine with dinner each night, tax and gratuities)

$1,450

$1,100

Included

Meetings
(all audio-visual equipment including VCR, projectors, monitors and screens, wireless microphones and coffee breaks)

$5,000

$5,000

Included

Entertainment
(Broadway shows  and variety acts)

$20,000

$20,000

Included

Per Person
Per Person, Per Day

$3,600
$515

$2,950
$420

$1,850
$265

   

(94% More Expensive than a cruise)

(59% More Expensive than cruise)

   

This comparison is based on a 7-Day program with 4 meetings, 2 productions
and for 200 participants 

Compliments of NCL.
Frequently Asked Questions                                         return to top

What size groups can be accommodated?

Depending on the ship you choose, as few as 16 guests or up to a full-ship charter. 

What's included in the price?

Your cruise fare will include stateroom accommodations, sea transportation, all your meals, entertainment and on-board activities.

What's not included?

Generally speaking, depending upon cruise line, air transportation, shore excursions, medical services, items of a personal nature such as bar beverages (except coffee, tea, or milk with meals or when expressly specified) gift shop purchases, photography, beauty salon/barber shop and spa services, gambling and service/porterage gratuities are not included in the cruise fare. Also not included are charges for passports, visas, inoculations, laundry,  travel insurance, postage, telegrams, telephone calls and surcharges, any items of a personal nature, Guests are urged to read the cruise lines brochure and cruise line confirmation from the cruise line for complete details on what is or what is not included.

How does the cost compare to a resort?

The economies are evident. Not only because our prices are competitive, but because many of the services that resorts charge extra for are complimentary aboard our ships: meeting rooms, coffee breaks, meals, afternoon snacks, AV equipment, entertainment, theme parties, sporting events and many daytime activities, to name just a few.

How are private functions handled?

Your group's functions and cocktail receptions can be held either in public rooms or in private suites. Drinks and hors d'oeuvres can be provided at an affordable cost (gratuity included).

What about dining arrangements?

You may have , depending upon availability, all your group's members seated in one area of a dining room, with either assigned or open seating. 

How are on-board purchases handled?

Drinks, spa services, shore excursions and shop purchases can all be charged to on-board accounts. You may either set up a master account for your group, or leave it up to individual participants to establish and settle their own accounts.

How can we handle tipping?

Gratuities for your group's dining room staff and room stewards are prepaid prior to sailing. A 15% gratuity is automatically added to all purchases in bars and lounges.

Are telephone and fax services available?

Yes, anyone from your group can telephone directly from their stateroom. In addition, worldwide telex, radiogram or fax services are available from most ships. The guest will be charged at applicable ship-to-shore rates. And aboard many ships, you will find  internet access via the ship's satellite system.

Study: Biz Cruises Float With Meeting Planners
 
Foreign-flag cruise lines, which control over 90% of the berths serving North American passengers, represent an underused market for corporate meetings and incentive travel, according to the results of a survey conducted by Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. .....and others.
The study found that 79% of meetings planners would consider holding their business events at sea, and 68% do not consider tax deductibility when planning events.
 
Cruise observers have long maintained that foreign-flag ships make poor venues for corporate meetings because expenses tied to such gatherings are not tax deductible....
 
....The survey's sponsors said they recognized that it is likely that the planners did not relate to the tax deductibility question because "it is not an issue with domestic hotels and resorts." However, they added that the findings on the tax question "is an indicator of the attention, or lack of, paid to this subject by the majority of meeting planners."
 
Indeed, respondents said the most important factors to consider when planning an event are location (45%), followed by price and budget (38%) and service (21%).....
 
......The study also found that only 12% of respondents use cruise ships as a meeting venue vs. 74% who use land-based resorts.
 
 "All of the elements are in place for these groups to use cruise ships. The amenities and level of service are comparable, both have a sense of exclusivity and both have an all-inclusive atmosphere."
 
 "With the all-inclusive nature of cruising, many meeting planners find that a cruise ship event can be more affordable than traditional meeting venues," said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, associate vice president of national and corporate sales at Royal Caribbean.
 
 "The variety of destinations, dining options, activities make cruise ships an innovative and hassle-free option."
 
The study was distributed via e-mail to 12,481 registered meeting planners as identified by EventSource.
 
To increase the response rate, an incentive of entry into a drawing for a seven-night Royal Caribbean cruise was included in the survey form. A total of 548 planners responded to the survey, a 4.4% response rate.
 
Other findings pointed to the cruise segment's growing exposure, desirability and market potential.
 
 The survey found that while 82% of respondents had not held business events on a ship, 42% had been on a cruise before and 79% said they would consider holding an event aboard a cruise ship.
 
Of those who said they would not consider holding an event aboard a cruise ship, the most common reason given was "cost/budget," at 27%, followed by "not a professional atmosphere/too distracting," at 17%.
 
Also cited were "too confining," and "didn't like the inflexibility of arrivals/departures for attendees," at 11%, and "length of meetings," at 10%.....
 
......Overall, the survey concluded that many of the planners who responded to the survey fit within the cruise-candidate profile and that there is an interest in the market for cruise-ship venues.

------------

Excerpt comments from an article that appeared in TRAVEL WEEKLY NEWS - Meetings & Incentives
 

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