Tips on how to Plan a Cruise with Mates (15 Ideas for a Good friend Journey)

A cruise with pals gives a enjoyable and straightforward technique to journey with girlfriends, fellow {couples}, man buddies, or household pals. Cruises simplify lots of selections that have to be made when planning a joint trip. Plus, a cruise provides a ton of actions for all ages and pursuits. There are additionally a number of alternatives to do issues each collectively and aside. As with every type of journey, cruising with a good friend comes with challenges, too. To maximise enjoyable, decrease stress, and be sure to depart the ship as higher pals than if you boarded, comply with these 15 suggestions for a cruise trip together with your besties.

This story is dropped at you in partnership with Royal Caribbean.

1. Select journey dates and stick with them.

The toughest a part of planning a trip with pals is often selecting dates. With busy schedules, household calls for, and sometimes far-flung dwelling areas — it is essential to nail down definitive cruise dates very first thing.

Then everybody should actually commit. Which means placing the dates on the calendar, asking for time without work from work, getting approval from spouses or companions (whether or not they’ll be becoming a member of or not), and promising to not cancel until there may be an emergency, like an sickness or dying within the household.

2. Purchase journey cancellation insurance coverage.

Particularly when cruising with pals, it makes good sense to buy travel insurance, simply in case. This gives safety if you happen to should cancel your cruise on account of sudden sickness, harm, member of the family illness, and even jury responsibility. 

Journey cancellation insurance coverage reimburses you 100% for the cash you lose in pre-paid, non-refundable deposits if it’s a must to cancel for a purpose listed within the coverage.

3. Choose the suitable cruise line on your good friend group.

Now comes the enjoyable half…selecting a cruise! Begin with deciding which cruise line works finest on your group.

Royal Caribbean Worldwide

Because the world’s largest cruise line, Royal Caribbean provides an abundance of itineraries. Plus, based on a 2023 survey by CruiseCompete, Royal Caribbean is the preferred premium cruise line, rating #1 amongst their 1.4 million customers.

Whether or not your mates love the nightlife otherwise you’re searching for a soothing trip with a number of pool and spa time, Royal Caribbean has obtained you lined. Superb choices enchantment to grownup cruisers of all kinds. Get pleasure from pubs and nightclubs, Broadway-style exhibits, rock concert events, comedy exhibits, casinos, the Solarium adults-only pool space, unbelievable specialty eating places, and far more.

Royal Caribbean makes an ideal possibility for fogeys wishing to sail with different households, too. Onboard cruise actions for teenagers range from ship to ship, however there are many entertaining issues for youngsters to get pleasure from. Image splash areas, miniature golf programs, ice rinks, arcades, mountaineering partitions, waterslides, and even bumper vehicles. Plus, group babysitting for teenagers begins at 36 months on board many ships, and there are expansive teen golf equipment for these aged 13 to 17.

Since I’ve had an unbelievable time crusing on a number of Royal Caribbean ships with a wide range of completely different family and friends members, the following tips for cruising with pals will focus totally on crusing with Royal Caribbean.

Totally different Cruise Strains

In case your good friend group has deep pockets, then Oceania ranked hottest amongst luxurious traces with CruiseCompete. In the meantime, Viking River was voted #1 for river cruises. Disney Cruise Line additionally constantly ranks properly amongst households, particularly these cruising with infants and younger youngsters. And for these on a decent price range, Carnival Cruise provides some very reasonably priced quick cruises.

4. Decide stateroom assignments.

Earlier than asking a buddy to bunk with you, think about if you happen to’ll make good stateroom companions. Simply since you’re buddies with somebody, it does not imply it is a good suggestion to be ship roommates. Some friendships are finest in small doses.

In the meantime, some pals merely have completely different life and trip preferences. Speak over the questions under to ensure everyone seems to be on the identical web page previous to reserving a stateroom collectively.

Concerns for Reserving a Stateroom with a Good friend

• Is your good friend messy or neat?
• Who’s an early fowl and who’s a late owl?
• Does your good friend wish to occasion, or take it straightforward?
• How a lot primping time does every good friend want?
• How a lot closet and drawer area does everybody want?
• Is your good friend an introvert or an extrovert?
• Does anybody snore? Is anybody a lightweight sleeper?
• Does anybody sleep with a nightlight or ambient noise?

If touring with a big group of pals, then pair these within the group collectively who most intently align when it comes to life-style.

5. Plan for sleep success on a cruise with pals.

Everybody can have extra enjoyable and get alongside higher all through the journey when well-rested. Due to this fact, it is best to take some steps to make sure a restful sleep whereas cruising with pals.

An eye mask may also help cruisers who wish to go to mattress or get up at a unique time than their roommate.

Pack earplugs to drown out loud night breathing and any ship noise. That is particularly useful for gentle sleepers (like me)!

A white noise app performed in your smartphone additionally helps. After all, you will have to get your stateroom buddy’s okay earlier than blasting the sounds of a booming thunderstorm all night time.

Headphones make good sense, too. Noise-canceling earbuds work higher for comfy sleep than massive headphones.

Mates needn’t share a mattress whereas cruising, both. When you’d fairly have your individual area to sleep, then ask your stateroom attendant to separate king-sized beds into two twins.

6. Take into account shopping for a beverage package deal.

For pals who wish to occasion hardy, a Royal Caribbean Deluxe Beverage Package deal could also be so as. Bear in mind, when one individual buys it, all adults of authorized ingesting age sharing a stateroom should buy the identical beverage package deal. If the roommate doesn’t drink alcohol, then the inexpensive Refreshment Package deal have to be bought as a substitute.

Deluxe Beverage Package deal

• Fountain sodas (together with Coca-Cola Freestyle Beverage stations)
• Coca-Cola memento cup
• Non-alcoholic cocktails (mocktails)
• Nonetheless and glowing bottled waters
• Premium coffees and teas
• Contemporary-squeezed juices
• Cocktails, spirits, and liquors
• Beers
• Wine by the glass
• 40% low cost on bottles of wine priced as much as $100
• 20% low cost on bottles of wine priced above $100

Learn my detailed descriptions of Royal Caribbean’s mocktails and drink packages.

When cruising with a big group of pals, put partiers collectively and have the teetotalers pair up in different staterooms.

7. Hyperlink your cruises collectively.

As soon as everybody has booked, you will wish to hyperlink your mates’ cruises collectively on-line. This can make the remainder of your cruise planning simpler, together with reserving eating reservations, shore excursions, and joint spa remedies.

To hyperlink Royal Caribbean Cruises, you will have your fellow cruisers’ reservation numbers, registered final names, and dates of start. You’ll find the reservation quantity if you log into your account at RoyalCaribbean.com. It can be discovered in your cruise receipt.

There are 3 ways to hyperlink cruises with Royal Caribbean. You are able to do it on-line by clicking the blue “Add a cruise” button under your reservation data on-line. Alternatively, you’ll be able to name Royal Caribbean and ask them to do it for you. Or, if you happen to booked with a cruise journey agent, then ask them to do it for you.

8. Select your eating time.

Reserving eating places, particularly for big teams, could be troublesome when touring with pals. Simplified eating is likely one of the advantages of embarking on a cruise with pals.

Royal Caribbean provides Conventional Eating and My Time Eating. Each are included together with your common cruise fare. To make sure getting your most well-liked eating possibility, make this choice beforehand on-line, over the telephone, or together with your journey agent.

My Time Eating

My Time Eating is all about comfort. When you choose this feature, you’ll be able to select to dine within the Foremost Eating Room anytime throughout dinner hours. These range from ship to ship however sometimes vary from 6 to 9:30 pm. You’ll not have an assigned desk.

If crusing with only one to a few pals, and also you wish to hold your choices open, then this makes an ideal selection. Make every day reservations prematurely at Foremost Eating or Visitor Providers, or from the Royal Caribbean app.

You too can present up and anticipate a desk (as much as 45 minutes throughout peak occasions). Beware that wait occasions for big teams could also be fairly lengthy.

No matter eating time choice, all friends are seated on a first-come, first-serve foundation throughout breakfast and lunch within the Foremost Eating Room.

Conventional Eating

With Conventional Eating, cruisers select Early Eating (often 5:30 or 6 pm) or Late Eating (sometimes 8 or 8:30 pm). You’ll examine in with the Foremost Eating host stand on the similar time every night after which be proven to your desk.

For a big group, I feel it makes essentially the most sense to have everybody choose the identical Conventional Eating time. That approach, pals can break into pairs and teams to discover through the day after which come collectively over dinner within the Foremost Eating Room to share tales of their adventures.

Make sure that everybody in your journey group selects the identical particular time. It should seem beneath your reservation data if you log into your account on the Royal Caribbean web site. Your eating time, desk quantity, and site can even seem in your stateroom key card and within the app throughout your cruise.

Different Included Eating Choices

When you’d fairly skip Foremost Eating, then you’ll be able to at all times choose what appeals to you from the buffet at Windjammer Café as a substitute. You too can seize pizza, sandwiches, and different fast bites from Café Promenade. Some ships provide further complimentary eating choices, comparable to El Loco Contemporary (informal Mexican fare) and Canine Home (scorching canine and sausages).

9. Make specialty eating reservations.

I extremely advocate reserving a specialty eating expertise onboard your cruise with pals. Most cruise traces provide at the very least one upscale eating possibility for a surcharge. The standard of meals at specialty eating places usually rivals that of 5-star eating places.

These eating places e book up rapidly, particularly on ships with restricted eating choices, so make reservations earlier than setting sail. You could nab financial savings when reserving early, too.

With Royal Caribbean, lots of their bigger ships provide a number of themed eating places. Good friend teams who plan to eat a number of meals in specialty eating places should buy a bundled Eating Package deal for even deeper financial savings.

You may make reservations as soon as onboard the ship, too. Examine with Visitor Providers to see if there may be any availability. You too can e book onboard the ship from the Royal Caribbean app.

Even if you happen to could not e book your restaurant of selection on-line, it is price attempting on the ship as a result of there are cancellations. I discover your finest guess is to move on to the specified restaurant. Typically they will discover a technique to squeeze you in, even when it appears to be like like there is no availability within the app.

Royal Caribbean Specialty Eating Reservation Eating places

• Chops Grille (signature restaurant serving American steakhouse dishes)
• Izumi (sushi and hibachi)
• Giovanni’s (old-world Italian delicacies)
• Wonderland (creative delicacies with a spin on “Alice in Wonderland”)
• Teppanyaki (Asian dishes ready at your desk)
• Jamie’s Italian (Tuscan delicacies by movie star chef, Jamie Oliver)
• Hooked Seafood (recent seafood)
• 150 Central Park (domestically sourced delicacies)
• Chef’s Desk (luxurious eating for culinary connoisseurs)
• Samba Grill (Brazilian steakhouse)
• Sabor (trendy Mexican delicacies)
• Sichuan Crimson (daring Chinese language flavors)
• Solarium Bistro Restaurant (wholesome Mediterranean fare)
• The Mason Jar (my favourite Royal Caribbean restaurant, serving Southern consolation meals)

Some Royal Caribbean ships additionally provide informal eating choices at further an value like Starbucks and Johnny Rockets.

10. Plan port actions and e book excursions early.

To safe your required ship-offered shore excursions, analysis choices and make reservations as quickly as doable. Some in style choices might e book up early, or excursions could also be canceled if not sufficient curiosity is proven.

For some ports, it’s possible you’ll wish to discover by yourself as a substitute of reserving an organized tour. Perform a little research by studying weblog posts and reviewing the cruise line’s tour descriptions to resolve.

Royal Caribbean usually provides reductions for some shore excursions. The sooner you e book the tour, the extra it can save you, too. As soon as aboard the ship, you’ll be able to at all times examine the Royal Caribbean app or visitor companies to see if there may be availability.

For longer cruises and cruises with a number of pals, I like to recommend conserving all shore actions organized in a shared Google spreadsheet. This makes entry and modifying straightforward for everybody.

11. Schedule spa remedies prematurely.

In case your girlfriend’s getaway wouldn’t be full with out some collectively time on the spa, e book your remedies forward of time. Spa and salon remedies e book up rapidly, particularly throughout at-sea days. Even when going solo, you will wish to safe your therapy early.

Just like specialty eating and shore excursions, you might be able to benefit from spa reductions when booked early. You possibly can attempt to make appointments as soon as onboard, too.

12. Plan cruise budgets beforehand.

Cruising with pals makes budgeting for a visit simpler. Everybody books their very own cruise, pays their very own approach, and hyperlinks their very own bank card to their cruise account to pay for further issues whereas crusing.

Tipping

On the finish of the week, every day suggestions are routinely added to your account to be supplied to cruise workers. You could, nevertheless, wish to tip further to stateroom attendants, bartenders, specialty restaurant servers, and different significantly attentive workers. I discover it is good to have some money available so I can present the following tips as I am going, however you’ll be able to add them to your invoice on the finish of your cruise, too.

Talk about Funds

When cruising with a number of pals, it makes good sense to debate funds earlier than you e book. One good friend may have to stay to a strict price range by staying in a windowless inside cabin, exploring ports on their very own, and avoiding extras like specialty eating meals and spa remedies. One other good friend might wish to go all-out, reserving a stateroom with an oceanview balcony, shopping for the Deluxe Beverage Package deal, and upgrading each meal. It is best to hash out these variations on dry land.

Additionally, for these not buying beverage packages, do not assume that simply since you purchased the final spherical of drinks, your good friend will get the following one. Determine prematurely: are we taking turns shopping for rounds or will everybody pay for their very own drinks as we go?

Fee is required upfront when making reservations for specialty eating, shore excursions, and spa remedies. Reconcile these funds immediately fairly than hoping your mates will make it as much as you by paying for different prices like shared Ubers, meals on shore, or resort rooms. The very last thing you wish to do is argue with pals over cash throughout your trip!

13. Get pleasure from ship actions collectively…and aside.

One of many joys of cruising with pals is having fun with the various enjoyable methods to work together collectively on the ship. From BINGO and Identify That Tune, to ping pong and basketball — there are video games of all kinds to play. Or, perhaps you’ll be able to persuade one another to take part within the Largest Bellyflop Competitors on the pool? You may also join a category collectively, like Latin dancing, Pilates, or Yoga.

When touring with bigger teams of pals, you needn’t embrace everybody in each exercise and meal. As a substitute, break into smaller pairs and teams to pursue the issues that enchantment most to every good friend. A duo might wish to watch a stand-up comedy efficiency whereas different pals take heed to dwell jazz music, and some others sip bubbly within the Champagne Bar. It is enjoyable to only run into each other on the ship, too!

Plan some alone time, too. Even extroverted vacationers may get pleasure from downtime to do their very own factor like train on the health heart, learn on the stateroom balcony, or take a nap poolside.

In the meantime, {couples} touring with different {couples} might wish to break aside for an evening or two to get pleasure from date night time at a specialty restaurant alone. Be taught extra suggestions for romantic issues to do on a cruise.

14. Determine easy methods to talk with your mates on the ship.

Royal Caribbean boasts the fastest Internet at sea. When you can afford it, then one of the best ways to go is by buying their VOOM Web package deal. Everybody who buys VOOM can merely talk through textual content or social media apps as traditional. Once more, you’ll be able to rating reductions if you purchase this in anticipation of your cruise as a substitute of ready till you are on the water.

For individuals who wish to keep linked, however do not plan to websurf a lot, you possibly can break up a package deal together with your roommate to save cash. Just one system is allowed at a time, so if you log in, you will kick the opposite individual out. After all, this might trigger battle, so focus on easy methods to make this association work for each of you earlier than you set sail.

To really unplug whereas cruising, go chilly turkey and skip shopping for an Web package deal. When you later resolve you really want to attach, then you should buy a VOOM package deal or buy at some point of Web at a time after you board.

Even if you happen to do not buy an Web package deal, you’ll be able to nonetheless join through the Royal Caribbean app. There, you’ll be able to ship messages to fellow cruisers whereas onboard the ship. You will not obtain an alert when a message is available in, so it is essential to examine the app’s messages usually.

You might at all times go old skool and depart messages on your pals through sticky notes left on stateroom doorways. Or depart notes on your roommates in a shared notebook.

15. Select the perfect ship and itinerary.

These longing to sail on a selected ship ought to begin there. For instance, perhaps you’d wish to set sail on the world’s greatest working cruise ship, Royal Caribbean’s Marvel of the Seas. Then you’ll be able to select an itinerary primarily based on supplied sailings. (Psst…Wonder is sailing all through the Caribbean in 2023!)

Royal Caribbean Oasis Class Ships

The 5 Royal Caribbean Oasis Class ships are among the many largest and finest ships wherever. They embrace Marvel, Attract, Concord, Symphony, and Oasis.

Selecting certainly one of these ships means you will have tons of distinctive ship actions to entertain your crew like a zipper line or high-diving Aquatheater exhibits. You too can anticipate extra specialty eating eating places than different cruise traces and even different Royal Caribbean ships.

These extraordinary ships are damaged into seven distinct neighborhoods, together with the greenery-filled Central Park and the playful Boardwalk with a ride-on carousel. Marvel additionally provides a Suite Neighborhood, which may make a good selection for bigger teams who wish to splurge on spacious staterooms with concierge service, precedence boarding and departure privileges, and an unique plunge swimming pool.

Itinerary First

If the itinerary trumps the ship on your group, then begin with ports of name, together with essentially the most handy departure port. For instance, Royal Caribbean is likely one of the few cruise traces that units sail from Galveston, Texas (aboard Allure of the Seas).

Select from Royal Caribbean holidays in The Bahamas and Caribbean, Europe, Alaska, North America, Asia, and South Pacific.

Different Royal Caribbean Ships

Though they do not boast fairly as many bells and whistles as Oasis Class, smaller (but, nonetheless spectacular) Royal Caribbean ships can match in additional petite ports all through the world.

Royal Caribbean Ship Lessons

• Oasis (226,838 to 236,857 tons)
• Quantum (168,666 to 169,379 tons)
• Freedom (154,407 to 156,271 tons)
• Voyager (137,276 to 139,999 tons)
• Radiance (90,090 tons)
• Imaginative and prescient (73,817 to 82,910 tons)

Be taught extra about all of Royal Caribbean’s ship classes.

E book Your Cruise with Mates

Able to e book a cruise with one good friend or with a big group of pals? Discover nice cruise deals from our affiliate, CruiseCritic. This web site gives useful perception and opinions of cruise traces, ships, eating places at sea, ports of name, and extra. Reserve cruises all over the world with Cruise Critic.

A very good journey agent will make the planning technique of group cruising even simpler, particularly for first-time cruisers. An agent may also help safe group charges and onboard credit. Plus, a journey planner will assist arrange personal excursions and particular requests, like celebrating an important day at sea.

For in-depth skilled assist planning your cruise with pals, attain out to our associate, Ciao Bambino. They concentrate on luxurious household journey planning in addition to romantic getaways, multigenerational journeys, cruises, worldwide journey, and past. Be taught extra about why I like to recommend Ciao Bambino journey planning companies or fill out this form to be contacted by them.

Clearly, I really like Royal Caribbean! You possibly can book directly for a cruise with pals or a Royal Caribbean household cruise.

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Save These Ideas for Cruising with Mates

You should definitely hold these hacks on easy methods to plan a cruise with pals. Merely save the picture above to Pinterest. I hope you’ll follow Travel Mamas on Pinterest whilst you’re at it!

Would you ever plan a cruise with pals? Share any suggestions or questions within the feedback under!

Disclaimer: I’ve been hosted by Royal Caribbean aboard Marvel of the Seas, Odyssey of the Seas, and Attract of the Seas. I had such a good time, I satisfied my prolonged household to embark on a multigeneration cruise journey collectively on Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas, which we paid for ourselves.

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