More and more families are turning to cruise vacations as a great way to bring the entire family together to celebrate a milestone anniversary or special event.

Whether it’s a 50th anniversary or a wedding party for 100 guests, cruise lines will go out of their way to welcome your group with special group rates, private cocktail parties, group photos, and more.

A cruise ship is the ultimate place to host your family reunion. When you compare the value and activities of a cruise vacation with those of a land vacation, you will see that a cruise ship is the perfect setting for your family reunion.

Why a family reunion cruise? Here are the some of the reasons why cruises are becoming one of the most popular vacation options for the family reunion market.

Cruise vacations offer tremendous Value. They are virtually all-inclusive vacations. One price includes all accommodations, all meals, activities on board the ship, and entertainment. By traveling as a group, you will qualify for special group discounts and rates.

It is a hassle-free vacation! With a family reunion cruise, there is no shopping, no cooking, and no cleaning.

There is no waiting in line, no rental cars, no gas bills, and no worries. You unpack once and let the ship’s crew do the rest. From cleaning your cabin twice a day (including fresh towels), to 24-hour room service, it’s all included in your price.

Today’s cruise vessels are multi-generational floating resorts that offer something for everyone.

With rock climbing walls; ice-skating rinks; roller blade tracks; swimming pools; hot tubs; exercise facilities; movie theaters; Internet cafes; sports bars; libraries; video arcades; children’s programs; spa services, shopping; gambling; cooking classes; enrichment seminars; guest lecturers; computer classes; yoga and more, there is plenty to keep the whole family entertained.

A Family Reunion Cruise appeals to children, grandchildren, college-age young adults, moms, dads, aunts, uncles, grandmas and grandpas. Whether you are 1 or 100, everyone in your family will have a great time.

There are accommodations to fit just about any budget. Forget dealing with the sleeping arrangements. Cruise ships have a number of different types of staterooms for any budget including suites, balcony staterooms, ocean view and inside no view cabins.

Each family can choose which type of stateroom best fits their budget. Some cabins can sleep four or five guests in one room so families with small children do not have to buy more than one cabin.

There are now departures from many new ports so you don’t have to make the trek to Florida. With cruise ships departing from more than 20 ports in the United States and Canada, cruising has never been more convenient. Today, you can find a cruise ship within driving distance of most U.S. cities including Miami, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, Charleston SC, Mobile, Galveston, New Orleans, Los Angeles, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa and Seattle to name a few.

When was the last time you all sat down to dinner as a family? On a family reunion cruise, you can do that every night.

Each cruise line will make sure that every evening; your group enjoys a lavish meal together, allowing you to switch seats at will to socialize with other members of the family.

Want to spend a nice quiet evening away from the group? No problem. Many cruise lines offer alternative dining options that give you a chance to enjoy dinner on your own. The best part of all is there’s no cleanup after dinner.

Today’s cruise ships offer first-rate Broadway and Las Vegas-style musical revues; comedians; magic shows; piano bars; high energy discos; and live music to keep your group entertained from sun down to sun up.

A Family Reunion Cruise gives your family members a chance to share a common experience. Family activities like private cocktail parties, group shore excursions; late night fun and festivities will help distant family members get to know one another much better.

Cruises have the highest guest satisfaction rating in the entire travel industry. Cruise Line studies show that groups that travel together on a cruise will return again as a group within two years of their first trip. By planning a Family Reunion Cruise, you have a much better chance of making everyone happy.

You should begin planning your Family Reunion Cruise at least six months to one year in advance. This gives you plenty of time to lock in early booking discounts and group rates. By advance planning you give everyone time to clear their schedules and start saving for the trip expenses.

With over 20 odd cruise lines and multiple itinerary options to select from I recommend working with a cruise travel specialist to locate the perfect cruise line and ship for your Family Reunion Cruise. OK I am biased but I believe that working with a person that represents and sells multiple cruise lines gives you an advantage in finding the better deal than just dealing with a cruise line directly. Yes they’re a cruise specialist but on the company that employs them. They can only sell their cruise line so if you want opinions on lines X, Y, or Z work with the independent travel agent/agency. Bon voyage!