I was skeptical about cruises for years. Then, I spent 8 days on one with 12 relatives of all ages.
I'm an avid traveler, but I always used to avoid cruises — until I went on one with 12 relatives.
The cruise helped us travel at varying paces, spend time together, and easily eat meals as a family.
Even though I was a skeptic, I'll probably book another cruise again.
When the Royal Princess pulled away from the port in Seattle with me, my husband, and my extended family on board, I wondered what the next week would hold.
My mother and my sister had conspired to plan a family trip in honor of my dad's 80th birthday, deciding on an Alaskan cruise as the setting for our first group vacation.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R24ekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R44ekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframeI'm an avid traveler, but I'd previously had reservations about cruises. I typically prefer to navigate a new place myself for more than just a handful of hours in port.
Not to mention my extended family of 13 hadn't spent more than a day together … well, ever. We generally get along, but eight days traveling together is a different story than eight hours together in someone's living room on Christmas.
This cruise from Seattle to Alaska's Inside Passage, however, turned out to be an ideal vacation for a multigenerational group of people with different abilities, travel styles, and interests.
As soon as we got on the cruise, we started splitting up based on our varying priorities.Pamela VachonWe each got to choose our own adventure — literally.
We went on off-shore excursions together but split up based on the activities that appealed most to us.Pamela VachonThe variety of activities offered on off-shore excursions meant that everyone got to spend time experiencing Alaska's port towns in a way that most appealed to them.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R2cekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R4cekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframeWe quickly learned how important this was on a trip with so many family members, including people of varying ages. With so many activity options, older relatives with more limited mobility were spared from having to keep pace with the younger ones.
My husband and I chose a foodie walking tour and whale-watching excursions, and we also checked out some local distilleries in each port. Others went kayaking, hiking, or dog-sledding.
I got to connect with different relatives over different activities.
As the week went on, our nieces started joining me and my husband for our early-morning swims.Pamela VachonEven on board, we could all choose our preferred activities, whether line dancing, playing games, or tasting wine.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R2iekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R4iekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframeSome of my favorite moments on the trip happened when nuclear family units got reshuffled for various activities. For example, my husband and I loved to go for an early-morning swim before breakfast when the deck was empty, and various family members joined us throughout the week.
This isn't to say we didn't spend time together as a group, though.
The activities we chose to do together were appropriate for everyone's interests and abilities: a scenic train ride, for instance, or an after-dinner show on board. We also ate dinner together as a family.
Cruising made it easy to plan dinner with such a large group.
It's usually hard to coordinate dinner reservations for such a large group, but going on a cruise made it easy.Pamela VachonHaving a standing reservation at the same time and table every night meant we never wasted time or energy trying to figure out where we could go as a large group.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R2qekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R4qekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframeI also appreciated that our cruise's menu was clearly designed to fit many diets and palates.
I'm a food writer with a fine-dining background, but my youngest relatives? Not so much. Fortunately, dining room menus on cruise ships tend to have options for everyone.
Because we'd often spent at least part of the day doing different activities, dinner was a nice opportunity to share stories and catch up. We were split between two tables next to each other, but made an effort to shuffle seating arrangements each night.
The leaders and planners in our family got to relax with the rest of us.
After having such a wonderful time with our family, my husband and I might plan a cruise trip for just ourselves.Pamela VachonEvery family has members who tend to take charge when it comes to meals and activities. Among friends, I am typically that person; in my family, however, I am usually outplanned by other members.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R31ekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R51ekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframeI could appreciate, though, that those in my family who typically took on these responsibilities were relieved of the pressure to plan and keep everyone entertained, and could lean into the organized activities that cruising offered.
Despite my prior cruise skepticism, I'd do it again. It may not be my first choice for certain destinations, but the ease of travel and variety of activities were appealing — and it turned out to be a great option for a large group trip.
Before long, I may even end up taking a cruise with just my husband.
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This experience of sailing with 12 members from diverse generations living aboard for an entire week on a cruise ship utterly dispelled my skepticism and turned it into pure wonder.
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