Family Reunion Cruise - The Ultimate Multi-Generational Travel Experience

Nathan and Bryce - 2 Amazing Grandsons

On February 5, 2015, Esther and I welcomed our second grandson into the world.   Bryce was 9 pounds, 2 ounces, bearing a remarkable likeness to his older brother Nathan as a newborn.   Which suggests that he is going to be an incredibly handsome young man like his 2-1/2-year-old sibling.   One of the first thoughts Esther and I had was how much fun we were going to have taking our grandsons on their first cruise in about five years.

Naturally, I called my mom and dad to tell them they were great-grandparents for the fourth time, another addition to the family tree which already included 14 grandchildren from their six sons and daughters.  That, in turn, prompted memories of my father’s 80^th birthday family reunion cruise in August of 2007, a wonderful multi-generational travel experience. 

Cruisin' Reunion for Dad's 80th Birthday

What made it so unique was that all of my siblings and our respective spouses, and all but one of my parents’ 14 grandchildren were on that cruise.  Including a friend that one niece brought along, and my sister-in-law’s stepmother, our group numbered 28 people.  

It was not our first family reunion.  We had also gathered almost everyone in Atlanta in 1997 to celebrate Mom and Dad’s 45^th wedding anniversary, then again in Maine for their 50^th, and most recently in 2012 at the beach in North Carolina for their 60^th.   While all of those gatherings were special, the cruise stands out as the best family reunion venue for lots of reasons.

First of all, once everyone was on the ship, everything was so simple.  Meals, for example.  We had three tables in the main dining room every night, but we all sat at different spots on different nights.   My daughter Erica, who was 16 at the time, recalls “It was nice getting together with everyone for dinner…… we could sit with different people every night and share what we had done all day. And, of course, there was the chocolate melting cake. I think Grandpa ordered one of those every night!”

The Women (some of them)

We had the same 

waiters every night, and they knew what the occasion was.  My father remembers “I was treated like royalty by the waiters and it was great fun.”   And talk about photo ops – every permutation of the family was on display.  Grandpa with his grandsons, Grandma with her granddaughters and vice versa.  Grandpa and Grandma with each son and daughter’s family, all the children in one shot, all the grandchildren in another, and all the in-laws in yet another, and so on.

  

Family Photo on Formal Night

Speaking of photos, another huge advantage on a cruise ship – professional photographers lurking all over, as you embark, disembark in each port, in the dining room, and especially on formal nights, when everyone is dressed up.  You can get as many photos taken as you want with NO sitting fees, and only buy the ones you want.   We had a picture taken of the entire family on one formal night, on a spiral staircase in the central atrium, which turned out so well that everyone in the family has it hanging in their home – some of us had it reproduced on canvas.  Truly a special keepsake to highlight the trip.

In previous family reunions, typically over long weekends, one of the biggest logistical challenges was transportation.  For those occasions, family was typically spread out among several houses or hotels, and getting everyone to reunion activities or meals was always an organizational challenge.  Not only that, not everyone always wanted to do the same thing or go the same places to eat, leading to disagreements about where to go and what to do.

Cousins enjoying the beach in Cozumel

The cruise ship solved all of those issues.  Everything was always just a short walk away – dinner in the dining room, shows in the theater, gambling in the casino, drinks at the one of the many bars, the pool on deck, the fitness center, the spa – EVERYTHING.  Even the shore excursions – we all just got off the boat together and into the pre-arranged transportation. 

One of the biggest advantages of a cruise ship for multi-generational trips is the variety of activities for each generation.   After the family dinner every night, the teenagers could head to the hot tub or participate in teen club activities.  The youngest grandchildren could go to the pool or the kids club or watch TV in their staterooms.   Some of the bars were more fun for the twenty-somethings in the group, while those of us closer to middle age (I said closer) chose to avoid the rowdier spots.  That trip was the first and only time I ever saw my oldest brother Mike do karaoke, a surprisingly good rendition of “That’s Amore.”   

Mike "Dino" Larson

But in keeping with the multi-generational spirit, I also saw my sister Cari and her son do a karaoke duet.   Those of us that find great fun in gambling away our money spent too much time in the casino.  Esther won her biggest slot machine jackpot ever on this trip, $2,500! 

Esther's Big Win!

My parents almost always wanted to go to the theater for the nightly show, and then would often retire or spend quiet one-on-one time with each other or some of their clan.   On sea days we would go to the trivia contests, play bingo, or watch and participate in the game shows at the theater.

The point is, when we all stayed at the beach, or in Maine, or in Atlanta, so much more planning was involved for every meal, and every activity.  We had to figure out who would stay where, where we would go and how we would get there, and who wanted to go and who didn’t, and how many cars did we need, and who would stay with the younger kids and babysit, etc. etc. etc.   If your family is anything like most, you may not be surprised to hear that at times there were disagreements and unhappy campers, in every generation. 

My dad’s 80th birthday cruise took place before Esther bought the travel agency franchise, but her travel agent skills were already on display.  She arranged a private shore excursion just for the family, with our own boat to take us snorkeling and swimming with the sting rays in Grand Cayman – another highlight in a trip full of them. She also helped my father arrange a private party in one of the bars where we celebrated his birthday on board.

    

We would probably have to admit that having everyone fly or drive to Atlanta and staying with relatives and going out to eat a few times, and having a family picnic, would not cost quite so much as a 7-night Caribbean cruise.   So the cost could be an obstacle.   But consider this strategy.

My sister JoAnne first introduced the idea of taking the whole family on a cruise to my mom and dad.  She even persuaded him that paying for everyone was a good idea by convincing him that his kids would rather have him use his money to spend time with us while he was alive than leave it to us after he was gone.   My dad’s recollection:  “I thought she was nuts when she first mentioned it, with thoughts of having to come up with lots of money to do it.  But as I thought about it over the next few weeks, I thought, “why not?”  So I started working on it.   I put a few conditions on it; I would pay for the basic cruise but everybody was responsible for getting to the ship and going home and paying for any extras such as shore excursions, etc.  As I thought more about it, I concluded it would be a great way for me to celebrate my 80th birthday.”

He certainly doesn’t regret it.   This is what he has to say about it today.

“Seven days and nights of pampering, good choices in food, lots of entertainment within easy walking distance, and a chance to enjoy a bit of one-on-one with my grandchildren and with my 6 kids and their spouses.  We had 3 tables every night for dinner and just mingled among ourselves so that we all got to spend time with everybody else over the seven nights.  It was a totally relaxed family gathering with no pressure and I believe every one enjoyed it immensely.  We also had some quiet times that we spent with family in a very comfortable way. 

Grandpa and Granddaughter

  

As a way to put together a family gathering or reunion, I can’t think of a better way to do it than to organize a cruise.  All meals are provided, as is nightly entertainment.  There are always activities to keep one interested and busy.  Most people you meet aboard ship are friendly and easy to start conversations with.  I certainly would recommend it highly to anybody that is thinking about a family reunion.  You can’t go wrong with a cruise! 

I can’t wait to do another one of these in a few short years when I hit 90, if I’m still above the grass.”

 

If that’s not a convincing testimonial for a multi-generational cruise, I don’t know what is!  

Got any good stories to share about multi-generational trips in your family?  Questions about how to arrange one? Advice for anyone considering such a trip?  Please leave your comments.