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.  

Carnival Cruisin' - Too Crowded, Too Casual

Just got back from a 6-night western Caribbean cruise on the Carnival Breeze, from January 11-17, which sailed out of Miami, to Ocho Rios, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel.   Carnival is probably the most recognized brand name in cruising.   Some of you may know that the Carnival Corporation also owns Princess Cruises, Holland America, Cunard, Seabourn, and Costa Cruises (yes, that Costa – the Costa Concordia struck rocks and sank in Italy in 2012), among other lesser known brands.

Carnival is considered a “contemporary” cruise line, which is industry speak for the lower priced brands.  Princess and Holland America are “premium” lines, i.e. more expensive, and Seabourn is a “luxury” brand. A discussion of the differences, beyond price, in each of the categories is a subject of its own, and we won’t go into that now.

The other major contemporary brands are Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Lines.  Between Esther and me, we have been on all three many times, as well as several on more premium lines.   So, full disclosure – Carnival is our least favorite.  Of the three, we have always preferred Royal Caribbean.   

Giant screen on the Lido deck

Our opinion of Carnival has less to do with the ships and the features and entertainment, and more to do with demographics.  As we have now become firmly entrenched in “middle age” (although we like to delude ourselves and believe we look and act much younger), we have outgrown the atmosphere and prevailing attitude on Carnival Cruises.  Carnival uses the slogan “The Fun Ship” and for the most part it looks like they deliver on that – if you like a rowdy crowd, hairy back and belly flop contests, lots of noisy kids running around the ship unsupervised, and an overall less mannered clientele.  

One of the better dressed passengers

You will definitely feel at home on Carnival if you have multiple tattoos, wear your baseball cap backwards, and don’t own any shirts with sleeves.  You will also be less likely to think the dining room dress code and “formal nights” apply to you.   You will order your beer in buckets, drink heavily, whistle and holler from your balcony at passengers returning to the ship, stand in long lines to buy overpriced bingo cards, and believe that the finest dining experience on the ship is three full plates of food from the buffet.   

Now, to be fair, other contemporary lines have hairy back contests, buckets of beer, and buffets.   And we should confess that we have played bingo, eaten to excess, let our kids run around ships, and have done some heavy drinking on many of the 20+ cruises we have taken over the years.

I’m just saying that now that I am in my 6th decade of life, I’m not crazy about my fellow passengers wearing flip flops, shorts and a T-shirt that says “Big Johnson Bar and Casino – Liquor Up Front and Poker in the Rear” (fully illustrated, of course) to the dining room on formal night.  I tend to get a little annoyed when the elevator door opens and people rush in before we can get out.  I’m not as patient as I once was with drunks playing blackjack at the same table as me and berating the dealer and the pit boss and sometimes other players.  I am surprised by the couple sitting at the table next to us when we go to the steakhouse on board that costs an extra $35 per person (they call this “specialty dining”).   They have brought their toddler, who is tired and not hungry, so they pull two chairs together and the kid sleeps through their (and our) dinner.  Isn't that special?

I will admit that the cruise did provide some outstanding people watching, especially at the formal night photo sessions.  We saw some outfits that made our jaws drop, mainly in disbelief that a spouse or friend did not prevent the person from leaving the cabin dressed that way.  Yet they not only posed for the camera, they did it with attitude!

The Carnival Breeze is the newest ship in Carnival’s fleet, christened in 2012, with a capacity of 3,690 passengers.  The capacity is based on double occupancy in all staterooms; however, many staterooms hold 3 or 4 people.  We heard the ship had almost 4,200 passengers. It carries 1,386 crew members.  That’s a passenger-to-crew ratio of 3 to 1 – more about that later.

I rode the Drainpipe - the orange slide in the water park.

We thought the Breeze was a very nice ship – pleasing tropical décor in the hallways and the Lido Marketplace (the buffet restaurant on deck 10).  It has a well laid-out theater for the main shows, a central atrium that extends from deck 3 all the way up to deck 11, with glass elevators that look into the atrium, a pretty extensive water park with slides, a sports deck with lots of activities including a ropes course, a hot dog stand, and the typical assortment of bars and lounges.   In addition to the Lido Marketplace, there are two main dining rooms, the Red Frog Pub, the Blue Iguana Cantina (great fish tacos), Guy’s Burger Joint, Bonsai Sushi (rarely saw more than one or two tables occupied), Fat Jimmy’s Barbeque (we never got there), and two specialty restaurants (we ate at both).

Farenheit 555 is the steakhouse and we had dinner there the first night, enticed by the offer of a complimentary bottle of wine.  The food was excellent, but the atmosphere was more like a Denny’s than a Morton’s – no tablecloths, and tables were within inches of each other.   We also ate at the Italian restaurant, Cucina del Capitano, which is only $15 for dinner vs. $35 at the steakhouse. We ate there at lunch, when they have a complimentary pasta bar, but were told by other passengers that the family-style dinners were quite good.   

Food as art - also delicious!

The dessert course

We had no complaints about the food anywhere on the ship.  In fact, we paid $75 each to dine at the Chef’s Table, which was worth every penny.  Limited to just 12 guests, the Chef’s Table is a culinary delight consisting of an incredible, artfully presented 7-course tasting menu created by the Head Chef for this one meal only.  The meal is preceeded by champagne and hors d’ouvres in the main galley, and includes a galley tour and demonstration of how to make the chocolate melting cake, Carnival’s best dessert.  Unlimited wine is poured all through dinner, the ship’s close-up magician performed for the table, and guests were presented with photographs and a commemorative menu.   This was by far the best experience we had on the ship. 

The shows were just OK, although the cruise director was the one of the best we have seen in a while.   Carnival has the George Lopez Punchliner comedy clubs, and we went to see both comedians – OK, not great.

More people than chairs around the pool

Our biggest complaints on this ship were the lines and service.  We selected the anytime dining option, and the first night headed down to the dining room at about 7:30.  We waited in the line that extended into the atrium for 15 minutes, and when we got to the entrance, we were given a pager because they were too busy to seat us.  Got in 20 minutes later.   When we tried to go to the comedy club the first night, we couldn’t even find a place to stand.   We had to go a half hour early on subsequent nights and stand in line to get into the two comedy shows we saw.  Even boarding the ship, we were told to sit in a lounge area until our number was called.  And good luck finding a deck chair on days at sea!

Service, with a few exceptions, was mediocre.  Staff were not especially pleasant or helpful, probably because they were overworked.  Waiters had too many tables, stewards too many cabins, bartenders had too many customers.  Everything seemed to take longer than it should.   That 3-1 passenger-to-staff ratio makes a difference.   Compare that to the 1.57-1 ratio on the Oceania Riviera, and it’s easy to see why we were so impressed with the service on Oceania.

Although we are unlikely to book a Carnival Cruise in the future, for many people the price and atmosphere are a good fit.  We spoke to one young couple just before we got off the ship.  It was their first cruise, and they loved it – they said it “exceeded expectations.” 

For us, we have reached that stage of our lives where we would rather pay a little more, enjoy better service, and mingle with a smaller crowd that has sleeves on their shirts.

We would love to read your leave comments about your own cruise experiences and preferences.

Vegas, Baby!

When I posted my first blog and used the tag line “Follow Us Around the World,” I was thinking we would generally be discussing travels to foreign countries.  So this blog will be a little different, since Las Vegas is a domestic destination, and Esther wasn’t invited.   My son Brett and I spent a long weekend in Vegas right after New Year’s, the fulfillment of a promise made to him several years ago that I would take him there when he turned 21.

I offered him the option of Las Vegas or New Orleans, my other favorite US city, and without hesitation he selected Sin City.  It was the right choice – we had a blast!

Las Vegas is not for everyone, but Esther and I have always loved it.  Over the years, we have been there more than a dozen times, sometimes for conferences or conventions, and sometimes just to have fun.  Esther and I like the gambling, the entertainment and the restaurants, all of which are world class.   My sources tell me that world-class gentlemen’s clubs can also can be found there, not to mention similar venues for the ladies.

New York New York Hotel and Casino

The hotel/casino resorts up and down the Las Vegas strip are magnificent - the canals with gondolas at the Venetian, the replica Eiffel Tower at Paris, the imitation New York City skyline at New York New York, the pyramid at Luxor, the castle at Excalibur, and the iconic fountains at Bellagio.  They are all filled with amazing architecture, lights, shopping arcades, food choices, theaters with limitless entertainment options, and extravagant displays of fountains and flowers.  And I challenge you to find a better place for people watching anywhere on earth!

Brett is the third from the front

Between a Friday night and a Monday afternoon, Brett and I managed to walk virtually the entire length of the Las Vegas strip – which is actually South Las Vegas Boulevard – from Mandalay Bay at the south end to the Stratosphere at the north end.  At the Stratosphere, we went to the top of the Tower, 1,149 feet in the air, and he rode the X-Scream. The X-Scream is an insane thrill ride on which crazy people sit in an open roller coaster car and are propelled 27 feet over the edge of the observation deck.  My crazy son admitted he was “a little tense.”  We had to celebrate with a couple of beers at the Air Bar, the highest bar in Las Vegas.  

Looking down! 

 
And, of course, no trip to Vegas is complete without gambling.   We confirmed that there is such a thing as beginner’s luck, when Brett won about 12 of his first 15 hands at the blackjack table.  But as the weekend wore on, he found out that his run of luck the first night was an exception and not the rule.  After watching me slip several $20 bills into slot machines with nothing to show for them, he quickly and astutely determined that slot machines are a huge waste of money.  

Taking my parental responsibility seriously, I felt it necessary to educate him thoroughly in multiple forms of gambling, so we also played $1-$3 No-Limit Hold-Em in the Bellagio poker room (we lost); played some Crazy 4-Card Poker (mostly we won, surprisingly); tried Mississippi Stud (worst game ever – don’t even try it!); and placed a 4-bet parlay on the weekend NFL playoff games (the Bengals pathetic performance prevented me from turning a $10 wager into $130).

We got “free” tickets to a comedy club, that cost us about $50 by the time we paid the drink minimum and upgraded to a VIP table, but the show was hilarious, and had a couple of scantily clad dancing girls thrown in for good measure.  We also signed up for a Total Rewards credit card in exchange for a 24-hour pass to the buffets at any of the Caesars properties, so we had our free dinner buffet at Planet Hollywood, and free brunch buffet the next day at the Tropicana.   And as we went through security at the airport for our flight home, Jon “Bones” Jones, who had beaten Daniel Cormier two nights earlier at the MGM Grand to retain his UFC title, walked right past us.  You gotta love Vegas!

Where else in the world can you book a bachelor party at an indoor shooting range which includes firing machine guns and pistols, followed by a trip to a gentlemen’s club in a limo (cover charge included and first drink free)?  Seriously, check it out - http://www.therange702.com

And every Wax Museum has a Bruce Willis

Brett learned some universal truths on this trip:
• Gambling is WAY more fun when you win than when you lose.
• In the long run, you WILL LOSE more often than you win.
• Stay away from the slot machines.
• Vegas is EXPENSIVE, but you can also find deals and free stuff.
• If you can’t find a way to have fun in Las Vegas, you’re not really trying.


I’d love to hear some stories about your experiences in Vegas, whether it’s about gambling wins or losses, favorite shows, restaurants, rides, or other entertainment.
 

Welcome to our Travel Blog

For 2015, I am adding blogging to my list of new experiences since my retirement last year.  Retirement is a pretty cool thing if you have something to keep you busy. My wife Esther retired in 2013 and bought a CruiseOne travel franchise, and she has never been busier, but never happier.   

Here’s a partial list of my new experiences since retirement:

• Working for my wife – She generously made me a partner in the business, but that comes with expectations for me to pull my weight.   My performance reviews to date have not been very favorable.
• Setting the alarm to get up before the cleaning lady shows up once every two weeks.
• Going to the gym in the middle of the day.  (OK, full disclosure – going to the gym at all has been a new experience.)
• Taking 13 trips in one year!  

That last one is the primary reason we decided a blog would be a worthwhile endeavor – we have had so much fun and done so many different things that we want to share with our friends, family, and all interested travelers.  Our goal is to let readers know where we have been, where we are going, what we are doing, and what we like and dislike about our travels.  We hope we can present a fresh perspective as a husband and wife team – Esther’s concept was a “He Says, She Says” type of article which would let both genders hear from one of their own.   

Dinner in Paris

Our hope is that sharing what we learn and experience will both inspire you to travel and help you make more informed decisions.   If you decide we might be a good resource for planning and booking your next vacation, then that would be a bonus for us.  We have also found that one of the most enjoyable aspects of our travels has been meeting new people and making new friends, so if this blog helps that happen, that’s another bonus.

The blog title and taglines were purposefully chosen to have dual meanings – we love to travel in groups, and anticipate continuing that with those we have already gone with, and enlarging our circle of fellow explorers.  Or just travel vicariously with us through this blog.  Follow us here, or embark on your next adventure and come back and tell us about it.   You can also follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/placestosea.

One thing we have learned as travel specialists – the choices of destinations, modes of travel, tour opportunities, resorts, adventures, and cost options are virtually unlimited.  With the infinite amount of information on the internet nowadays, many think travel agents are no longer useful – but the truth is, they have never been more valuable to help sift through the travel universe, and they don’t cost you a dime!  (Is my travel agent bias showing?)  Top Reasons to Use a Travel Agent is a future topic. 

We can’t think of a better way to spend our retirement than to see the world, and feel so fortunate to be able to do it at a relatively young age.  I just turned 58, and Esther is …….. much younger.   In future posts, we will talk about the places we have been, and where we plan to go.  We welcome all comments and look forward to a successful sharing of experiences!