Booking a group cruise can offer more than simply getting everyone onto the same ship. Depending on the cruise, your group may have access to special pricing or perks, easier planning and coordination, and opportunities to create experiences just for your group. At the same time, individual travelers can still choose the cabins, activities and vacation style that work for them.

A group cruise leader's most important job is to lead the people, not manage the travel. They help define the purpose of the trip, understand the people involved, make key decisions and keep the group interested and engaged. In group travel, this person is often referred to as the Pied Piper, the enthusiastic person others naturally want to follow.

Planning a group cruise begins with an honest look at your idea from the perspective of the people you hope will travel. Before choosing a ship or destination, consider why you want to bring everyone together, who might realistically participate, and what would make the vacation appealing and affordable for them.

A group cruise is a cruise planned around people who share a connection, interest, celebration, or reason for traveling together. It might be a family reunion, a vacation with friends, a veterans reunion, a church group, or a hosted trip that brings people together for the first time.