Your Family: When A Little Goes A Long Way -- Cruise!

If only my friend knew. He complained to us all week because he and his wife were going on a cruise that was a family reunion, and he really wasn’t looking forward to it. He told me one of the relatives he doesn’t like very much, and another one he can only take a little of. He left today, and truly went off “kicking and screaming.”

I encouraged him to look forward to it because I know a secret he doesn’t.

Let’s face it, some families live in one another’s pockets and love it. Others like a little more distance, but still want to be family. Most parents, especially, like to get the whole group together once in a while, but every family consists of introverts (like lots of space and time alone), and extraverts (can’t stand to be alone!). A cruise offers an excellent solution for those family get-togethers, because you can truly have it your way.

How so?

Well, first of all, there’s the size of the ship. They talk about cruise ships in terms of “tonnage,” but be aware that in this case it’s a measure of space, not weight. Any ship of 70,000 tons or more is considered “big.” One of them is listed as 962’ long. (A football field is 360’ long). There are also numerous decks. Yes, a ship goes from stem to stern, and also up and down.

It’s amazing what they pack in this space, too. Whoever designs cruise ships, they are masters at the efficient and effective use of space. Even if you have a small “inside” room, you will be simply amazed at what you can get into your room on a ship. They are smaller than an average hotel room, but you can fit more in, neatly, and the move-around space doesn’t matter, because you won’t be in it long.

I just sailed on Holland America’s Oosterdam. It is 951’ long and has 11 decks. It can accommodate 1848 passengers, and there is usually nearly that many in staff and crew. Can you do the math?

If you’re the kind that doesn’t like to be cooped up with “the same old people,” everywhere you go you will find new faces. Thousands of new faces, and most folks on a cruise are friendly and relaxed.

Well, with this incredible use of space, you will find something in every nook and cranny. Stairs and elevators go up and down, but there are blocks on some of the decks so you have to go up or down to get back to the other side.

Why am I going into this? Well, imagine trying to find someone when you don’t know where they are. On my most recent cruise, 4 of us sailed, all amiable, but we did have different interests. On at-sea days, we would take off in the morning after breakfast to do various things, and agree to meet in the dining room for lunch. One morning I needed something my sister had, and set out to find her. I never could! Yes, a cruise ship is that big. In fact, if you have kids or teens with you that you need to keep track of, some kind of walkie-talkie is recommended. That should give you an idea.

The big ships are so large, they offer something for everyone. You can find pools, spa, beauty salon, skeet shooting, bowling alley, gambling, numerous bars, coffee bars, Internet room, library, rock climbing, dance areas, observation decks, children’s program room, theaters for shows, Bingo, ice skating rink, miniature golf, spacious lobbies, nooks and crannies for gazing at the ocean or reading, exercise rooms, speaking rooms, numerous dining rooms, hot tubs – it just goes on and on.

You can also split up for excursions. On an Alaskan cruise, for instance, some may want to take a helicopter ride, while others may want to go on a salmon bake, see a lumberjack show, or visit an Intuit village. There’s also the shopping that’s available in every port.

One of the things that surprised me, since I speak on cruises, was the number of business-meeting type rooms tucked in here and there, as nice as you would find in any hotel. Their doors are usually closed, so you might not even know about them, but many employers these days reward high-producers with free cruises, and many professional associations schedule cruises for CEU requirements, and ships provide marvelous facilities for meetings, speakers, and educational seminars.

Since most families have diverse interests and needs, a cruise is almost ideal. You can stick together all day, or go your separate ways and meet for dinner. You won’t be tripping all over each other unless that’s what you want.