Plan Your Perfect Group Activity On A Cruise

(Courtesy: MSC Cruises)

Talk to travel industry experts, and they will tell you just how simple planning your next social or group activity is when you choose to host it on a cruise. Whether it's your family or class reunion, wedding or anniversary, the benefits, discounts and coordination make selecting a cruise a reliable solution to your planning needs and a fun option for your family and friends. With various options available, it's important to know what your options are especially with great cruise lines out there like MSC Cruises, the largest privately owned cruise line in the world.

Family Reunions

Family Reunions are characterized by certain standard events. Starting with a welcome reception or "get acquainted" event, families want an opportunity to meet and greet loved ones upon arrival to the event. By utilizing an MSC Cruises Personal Vacation Consultant or a private travel professional, function space for your private event can be reserved for the group at no additional cost. The family can even plan something unique to cruising, like a bon voyage party. If it's on the ship, the space can be reserved for free—the cruise will not assist in the price of on-land parties prior to embarkation.

Your travel professional can assist you with decorations and other collateral, such as programs or keepsakes that you would like for the event. They are also instrumental in securing other party professionals, such as DJs, bartenders and photographers, who will be contracted at an additional expense. From dinner parties to breakfast planning meetings, cruises can offer the same private functions that family reunions are accustomed to on land, but a cruise offers your loved ones the beautiful backdrop of the sea; the fantastic amenities that the ship has to offer and the adventures of visiting a new destination; one after another.

Family reunions also benefit from many of MSC Cruises discount plans. Groups are assigned group codes. This entitles each member to a pre-negotiated discount rate arranged between the planner and the selected travel professional. Under group plans, every time eight staterooms are sold comprised of at least two paying guests, the 16th person travels free of charge. That means a reunion that has 104 participants, with at least two people in each stateroom, would utilize 52 staterooms, and at least six members of the group could sail for free.

Family reunions also benefit from the MSC Cruises' Kids Sail Free program. On select sailings, children ages 12 and younger in April 2017 sail for free. After April 2017, children ages 11 and younger sail free on select sailings. Kids must sail as third and fourth guests in a stateroom with two full-fare paying adults. Children's fares are still subject to government fees and taxes, as well as any add-ons purchased.

Class Reunions

Like family reunions, class reunions have special functions to reunite and reacquaint former classmates. Those special functions, along with their desk top publishing needs, such as name tags with photos and program booklets can be planned with the assistance of the personal vacation consultant that MSC Cruises offers or a personal travel professional of choice.

In addition to being reacquainted, classmates can spend time visiting the casinos together, attending Broadway and Las Vegas styles shows or taking a sunset walk on the promenade deck —all available amenities while aboard the stunning MSC Divina. As with family reunions, private function space can be reserved in advance for special get-together functions at no additional charge. As an added benefit, the cruise will send invitations to each stateroom to remind guests of the function that is scheduled. To add an unforgettable factor to the reunion, guests can opt in to participate in MSC Cruises outstanding excursions and do things like walk MSC's exquisite private island in the Bahamas, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve or journey to the Mayan ruins of Tulum in Cozumel. If you can imagine it, chances are MSC Cruises has it to offer for a one-of-a-kind experience for your class reunion event.

Class reunions can be planned using a group code, and utilize the discounts discussed with family reunions. While children are less likely to attend class reunions, guests can check with their personal vacation consultant to determine if the Kids Sail Free program can be applied to parents' staterooms. Some classmates may be civil servants: police officers, firemen or members of the military. MSC Cruises offers these well-deserving citizens unbelievable discounts, too.

Weddings

What's more special than the day you say, "I do"? Weddings are planned to be once-in-a-lifetime ventures, and planning yours in conjunction with a cruise is treated with just that much attention to detail and care. Whether you marry on-board the ship or shoreside, MSC Cruises provides the professionals to help you plan your extraordinary day with the excellence that you deserve. An event coordinator is provided to help coordinate the entire event. Your coordinator helps you to select an ideal indoor or outdoor location for the ceremony. Worried about who will officiate the ceremony? Put aside your fears, the wedding package includes a local non-denomination officiate; special destination vows and traditional recorded wedding day ceremony music. All the goodies associated with a traditional wedding, like the bridal bouquet, the groom's matching boutonniere and a bottle of wine—not just any, MSC Cruises' sparkling wine—for the loving pair are all included. Additional wine and flowers are available for purchase. Cake is provided for two, and additional cake can be purchased for guests. Finally, a photography service is offered for MSC Cruises couples that includes photographs from the event available for viewing within 48 hours. Legal and/or religious values of the ceremony need to be discussed with your event coordinator to round out your planning. MSC Cruises wedding packages begin at just $1600—try that price for a traditional wedding.

Anniversary

One of the best parties to attend is an anniversary party. It's an excellent excuse to dance, and it's an opportunity to celebrate a couple completing another year of matrimony. While a cruise is a great place to throw a private party, with the space provided free of charge, it is also a grand opportunity to renew vows. Couples opting for vow renewals are also treated to a pre-cruise event manager who will help to secure a location for the special occasion. An MSC Cruises officer will officiate a special nautical renewal ceremony and will sign the commemorative vow renewal certificate. An event manager will make sure the recorded music; petite bouquet for the bride and the matching boutonniere for the groom; and the keepsake champagne flutes are in divine order for the pair. Photography service and select photos are included with the package, along with specialty cake for two and gourmet breakfast delivered to the couple's stateroom.

There's no need to let the good times sail by. Plan and enjoy the biggest group activities and social functions with MSC Cruises.

To find out more about group activities with MSC Cruises, contact your travel agent, visit the MSC Cruises website or call 1-(844) 220-9878.

Above content provided by MSC Cruises.