How to put together a group cruise for family and friends?

Hi , I have all your answers. I'm a group cruise specialist. You can check out my blog or website.

Well there are several things that need to be decided on ahead of time. First is how long of a cruise. Then what ports do you want the cruise to stop at. Thirdly, which starting ports work the best for you. Fourthly, decide how many cabins, what kind of cabins and who would be staying where. That way you will know how many cabins you need. For a group like yours, you probably want cabins that are close to each other and across the hallway. That means, inside and Oceanview/Balcony cabins. And finally, when is everyone free to cruise. If you can pick the actual cruise itinerary, ie 7 day western Carnival Cruise stopping at these spot, where the only thing left is deciding on the start date. Now there's nothing wrong with 1 or 2 alternatives. Then contact a travel agent that specializes in cruises to see if 1. you qualify for some sort of group discount, 2. See if you can get enough cabins close together. For a project like this you will most likely need to plan this cruise 2 yrs out to get the rooms altogether. Good luck.

You will need at least 8 to 10 staterooms... 16 to 20 people. Depending on how much work you are willing to do, and what you are willing to be responsible for, you can work directly with the cruise line as a group leader. You can pass along any benefits you might receive to your group members. But it is a chore... people are certain to complain about something, and it is difficult when you are dealing with "family and friends." Things do go wrong... just the way of the world. Obviously using a travel agent is a safe bet... but you can work direct with the cruise line if you want, and think you can handle it.