Your Family When A Little Goes A Long Way Cruise

I f only my friend knew. He       get-togethers, because you can     complained to us all week       truly have it your way.            because he and his wife                                            were going on a cruise that was a     How so?                            family reunion, and he really                                            wasn’t looking forward to it. He     Well, first of all, there’s the    told me one of the relatives he       size of the ship. They talk       doesn’t like very much, and           about cruise ships in terms of     another one he can only take a        “tonnage,” but be aware that in    little of. He left today, and        this case it’s a measure of        truly went off “kicking and           space, not weight. Any ship of    screaming.”                          70,000 tons or more is considered                                        “big.” One of them is listed as    I encouraged him to look forward      962’ long. (A football field is   to it because I know a secret he      360’ long). There are also        doesn’t.                              numerous decks. Yes, a ship goes                                        from stem to stern, and also up    Let’s face it, some families live     and down.                         in one another’s pockets and love                                        it. Others like a little more        It’s amazing what they pack in     distance, but still want to be        this space, too. Whoever designs  family. Most parents,                cruise ships, they are masters at  especially, like to get the whole     the efficient and effective use    group together once in a while,       of space. Even if you have a      but every family consists of          small “inside” room, you will be   introverts (like lots of space        simply amazed at what you can get  and time alone), and extraverts       into your room on a ship. They    (can’t stand to be alone!). A        are smaller than an average hotel  cruise offers an excellent            room, but you can fit more in,     solution for those family             neatly, and the move-around space  doesn’t matter, because you won’t     when you don’t know where they     be in it long.                        are. On my most recent cruise, 4                                        of us sailed, all amiable, but we  I just sailed on Holland              did have different interests. On  America’s Oosterdam. It is 951’      at-sea days, we would take off in  long and has 11 decks. It can         the morning after breakfast to do  accommodate 1848 passengers, and      various things, and agree to meet  there is usually nearly that many     in the dining room for lunch.      in staff and crew. Can you do      One morning I needed something my  the math?                            sister had, and set out to find                                          her. I never could! Yes, a       If you’re the kind that doesn’t       cruise ship is that big. In       like to be cooped up with “the        fact, if you have kids or teens    same old people,” everywhere you      with you that you need to keep     go you will find new faces.           track of, some kind of             Thousands of new faces, and most      walkie-talkie is recommended.      folks on a cruise are friendly        That should give you an idea.      and relaxed.                                                                                                  The big ships are so large, they   Well, with this incredible use of     offer something for everyone.      space, you will find something in     You can find pools, spa, beauty    every nook and cranny. Stairs         salon, skeet shooting, bowling     and elevators go up and down, but     alley, gambling, numerous bars,    there are blocks on some of the       coffee bars, Internet room,        decks so you have to go up or         library, rock climbing, dance      down to get back to the other         areas, observation decks,          side.                                 children’s program room, theaters                                        for shows, Bingo, ice skating      Why am I going into this? Well,      rink, miniature golf, spacious     imagine trying to find someone        lobbies, nooks and crannies for    gazing at the ocean or reading,       in any hotel. Their doors are     exercise rooms, speaking rooms,       usually closed, so you might not   numerous dining rooms, hot tubs –     even know about them, but many     it just goes on and on.               employers these days reward                                              high-producers with free cruises,  You can also split up for             and many professional              excursions. On an Alaskan            associations schedule cruises for  cruise, for instance, some may        CEU requirements, and ships        want to take a helicopter ride,       provide marvelous facilities for   while others may want to go on a      meetings, speakers, and            salmon bake, see a lumberjack         educational seminars.              show, or visit an Intuit village.                                        There’s also the shopping that’s     Since most families have diverse   available in every port.              interests and needs, a cruise is                                         almost ideal. You can stick       One of the things that surprised      together all day, or go your       me, since I speak on cruises, was     separate ways and meet for         the number of business-meeting        dinner. You won’t be tripping     type rooms tucked in here and         all over each other unless that’s  there, as nice as you would find      what you want.                     About the Author: ©Susan Dunn, Life Coach, www.susandunn.cc . Susan is the author of "How to Speak on a Cruise & Travel the World for Pennies," (http://www.webstrategies.cc/acruise.html). She offers individual coaching, business consulting, Internet courses and ebooks for your personal and professional development. Published At: www.Isnare.com