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Family Vacations: They're not just about getting away....They're about getting together.™

Here's a great article we read at Family Fun Magazine

FAMILY REUNION CRUISES

by Kim Wright Wiley

Q. What would you suggest as a good option for a family reunion at Disney World? There will be three generations coming, and 15 people. We've met at Disney World twice before and had a great time, but we're looking for something new.

A. You should definitely consider taking one of the Disney cruises. Cruises are custom-made for traveling groups such as family reunions, especially if there is a wide age range of people traveling together.

I learned this firsthand last spring when my own extended family traveled on the Disney Magic. Our group ranged in age from my 73-year-old mother to my 5-year-old niece and we all found plenty to do both on the ship and at the ports of call.

As you may have noticed in your previous family reunion trips to Disney World, one problem with large groups is that there is inevitably a range in the stamina of the people involved. Babies and young kids need to return to the room in the afternoon for a nap. Older people might want to get an early start but be back at the hotel by early evening. Teenagers like to sleep late but tour until late into the night. How do you get everybody moving in the same direction at the same time?

A cruise neatly circumvents this problem, since you're never far from your room. Members of the family who like to be active during the day or party into the night can do so while anyone who gets tired can easily return to the stateroom for a rest without worrying that they're disturbing the fun of the others. For example, in Key West, on the Western Itinerary cruise, my sister and her two children, who are 5 and 7, spent the afternoon on a schooner sail. My kids are teenagers so we signed up for the more challenging catamaran racing shore excursion while my mother, who likes a quieter pace, took the trolley tour.

Not only was everyone able to pursue their own interests but it didn't matter that the tours all ended at different times. We simply returned to our staterooms on the ships whenever our individual tours were over, so there was no hassles about meeting times and meeting places or any concern that we were pushing my mother or young niece to go at a pace that wasn't comfortable for them. And we all linked up on deck that evening to watch the sun go down into the sea--a major thrill for those of us from the east coast--and share tales of our adventures.

DCL tries hard to offer activities, both on and off the ship, which appeal to a wide range of ages. Children have their own games and parties in the Oceaneer Lab and Oceaneer Club, teenagers have dances, sporting challenges, and mixers in Common Grounds, and there are also plenty of adult-only activities. (A perfect example is the spa--my favorite hangout on board.) The result is the best of both worlds--since we always ate and attended the evening shows as a group, we had time together as a family, but we also had opportunities to go our own ways. (Which, let's face it, is an important component of a family reunion!)

Even if you're not planning a reunion, I think any family who has visited Disney World several times in the past few years should consider a cruise as a way to expand their Disney vacation experience. The cruises provide the pleasant, family-friendly environment you'd expect from Disney ... in other words, there's not a lot of drinking, gambling, and singles activities, as you might find on many other cruise lines. Kids who love meeting the characters will find that they show up during children's programming activities, appear at character breakfasts and teas, and are in many of the shows. The ships are spotless and the delightful staff meet the high standards set by Disney cast members in the theme parks.

So you get the Disney feeling, just packaged a little differently, and in addition you get to visit some interesting ports of call. The shore excursions give you a chance to sample snorkeling, kayaking, sailing, and other water-related sports as well as seeing a bit of another culture. If you think you might have an interest, log on to www.disneycruise.com and order brochures for the whole gang. I suspect that when they see the variety of activities available they'll be eager to hop aboard.

Oh ... and if your family is large enough - at least sixteen people, you may actually qualify for a group discount, or at least an upgrade in the category of your staterooms. Be sure to ask your travel agent.
 

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