Group cruises are shared experiences that form a lasting memory
What kinds of groups enjoy cruising? Based on my experience as a group cruise specialist, there is cruise line, vessel, and itinerary to meet and exceed every group’s cruise request. You name it, there’s a group cruise that can make your shared interest deepen. Group travel of any kind can be a galvanizing experience, deepening relationships and broadening your group’s love for the interest that brought them together.
Here are seven of the top groups we design cruise programs for each year. Of course, our group travel programs cater to an even broader array of clubs and organizations — any large gathering of people who wish to travel together. So let this list of seven get your creativity flowing – I’m willing to bet that you associate with many groups like these, and each one could be the perfect excuse for proposing a group get-a-way.
Garden Club Cruises
Tulip Festival river cruises, Canada and New England cruises, and cruises that include the option of visiting botanical gardens and nature preserves are all popular garden club cruise destinations, and it’s no wonder:
A summer cruise of Eastern Canada often includes ports of call that let you take in the pastoral landscapes of Prince Edward Island and the charming communities of Nova Scotia, like Halifax, known for its extraordinary public gardens.
A New England cruise during Autumn’s fall foliage season is an unforgettable opportunity to witness the best of nature’s colors.
A well-timed Holland river cruise should be on the bucket list of every garden club, an unparalleled floral spectacle, too rich and memorable to be appreciated in any fashion but in person.
Tulip Festival – perfect for garden club group cruises!
Many river cruises, and even a few ocean cruises, feature opportunities to tour botanical gardens, such as the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Botanical Gardens and Trinidad’s lush Asa Wright Nature Centre on a Caribbean cruise, or a European cruise that includes the Portuguese archipelago of Madeira, home to the colorful and awe inspiring Madeira Botanical Gardens, boasting more than 2,000 plants.
Bingo Club Cruises
Onboard gaming makes the right cruise ideal for bingo clubs
A bingo club cruise is the perfect way to combine your love for this classic game with fine dining and sea breezes. It’s such a natural that some cruise lines offer bingo-themed cruises, complete with bingo tournaments and and other gaming opportunities with their onboard casinos. The extra days between ports of call are the ideal time to play bingo shipboard at sea to your heart’s content.
Gourmet Culinary Clubs, Car Clubs, Book Clubs, and Other Special Interest Groups
Imagine spending several days at sea with like-minded people who share your interests, whether that be autos, wood, wine, history, books, bird watching, hiking, running, knitting, gourmet, cars, or whatever! – the focal point is the opportunity to share that time with those who share your passions. The group cruise experience creates an ideal nexus and a memorable shared experience for those who enjoy traveling and discussing their favorite interest away from the distractions of everyday living. For example, a group of friends who regularly indulge in their own wine tastings on a rotating basis from home to home, join together to take it to sea with a 11-night wine cruise.
University Cruises and Alumni Cruises
We often arrange group travel packages that bring aboard a university’s or college’s board of trustees or their biggest donors. A college or university will often work with us to do a special interest cruise, such as a group cruise to where the university was founded, the location of a university-sponsored scientific project, or various kinds of cultural interests, with the school as the the group tour connection point.
These group tours are often more about the fun of a grand cruise, made more enjoyable by the value and added amenities that we are able to negotiate for them.
Family Cruises and Cruising With Friends
Whether it’s an official family reunion, a reunion of friends, or a special vacation for just your own family, a cruise is a guaranteed way to make the moment unforgettable.
Family reunion tours include time to play
Many cruises offer events that entertain teens or children, giving you the alone time for your own interests. Reunion cruises are a terrific way to combine do-your-own-thing opportunities with organized family events. Families or individuals can spend the day as they like, and then reunite in the evenings for special events.
We work your family to help you pick destinations or ships with just the right range of activities to suit every interest and every age group, yet still leave plenty of time to reconnect.
Company Incentive Travel
Many companies turn to cruises for highly effective travel incentives. What better way could there be to build a relationship with prospective clients or current customers and earn their loyalty than to offer incentive cruises!
Many companies use group travel and cruise incentives for their employees too, such as motivation for top sales producers, leadership summits, meetings at sea, team building opportunities, and more. Many direct selling companies work with us to design the perfect incentive trip for them with every program, every time. Because we take the time to customize each group travel program based on the needs of our clients, no two trips are ever alike.
Faith-based Group Cruises
Church groups, denominations, and other faith-based groups often gather aboard a cruise ship, whether for pleasure with those of shared values or spiritual and educational enrichment through workshops and specialty destinations. Mediterranean cruises, Greek Isles, Middle East, and Holy Land Cruises give you a chance to explore the seas and lands where Jewish, Christian, and other Middle East religions and ancient civilizations were born.
How to get started with your group cruise
Every group is different, and each group deserves to be treated with the same personal service, attention to detail, and creativity, no matter how large or small. Cruise Dreams is a cruise, group cruise, and incentive travel company that has earned preferred status amongst the cruise lines because of the high volume of cruises we book each year. Our years of experience and knowledge of the cruise lines and destinations worldwide is what sets us apart from the competition. Contact us to see how we can make your group event incredible, yet effortless. We take care of all the details so you don’t have to!
Bon voyage,
Kim Gibbons