Va4fam Posted March 29 Report Share Posted March 29 Hello. We have a Holiday cruise on Oasis planned this year. Assuming it will be at full capacity and want to get as much planned as possible. 11 people (ages 4-80), 6 cabins I am the "planner" and will do majority of the organizing flights, hotels, dining, etc. Looking for helpful tips and suggestions for the following: 1>How do I link all of our reservations together so that we can check in at same time, dine together, see shows, and excursions? 2>Dining for 11. Can we request a table in dining room that seats 11 people? How do we do that? How about speciality dining? I think we would like to do the hibachi one night but tables only sea 8-10 if I remember correctly? Is there a way to get us all at the same table? 3>Entertainment. Might be difficult to get 11 people together for Aqua Show or main theater. Don't want to be a "seat saver" an hour before show. Suggestions? 4>Pools. Same question. I'm not going to save 11 lounge chairs together at 5 AM. I think everyone will have to be responsible for their own pool plans. What about Coco Cay and Labaee.....what are best places to go (short walk) that aren't overcrowded that we can sit near each other? How early do we need to get there? Any other suggestions for planning with a larger group would be appreciated. Normally I plan for 2, 4, or 5 people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PPPJJ-GCVAB Posted March 29 Report Share Posted March 29 36 minutes ago, Va4fam said: Hello. We have a Holiday cruise on Oasis planned this year. Assuming it will be at full capacity and want to get as much planned as possible. 11 people (ages 4-80), 6 cabins I am the "planner" and will do majority of the organizing flights, hotels, dining, etc. Looking for helpful tips and suggestions for the following: 1>How do I link all of our reservations together so that we can check in at same time, dine together, see shows, and excursions? ON THE APP YOU CAN ADD PEOPLE TO A RESERVATION BY CLICKING ADD GUEST AND ENTER THEIR INFO. YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO ADD EVERYONE. I WAS ABLE TO LINK 5 RESERVATIONS TO MINE WHICH LEFT 1 OUT! 2>Dining for 11. Can we request a table in dining room that seats 11 people? How do we do that? How about speciality dining? I think we would like to do the hibachi one night but tables only sea 8-10 if I remember correctly? Is there a way to get us all at the same table? TWO WEEKS BEFORE CRUISE SEND EMAIL TO THE DINING ROOM TO REQUEST YOUR TABLE PREFERENCE IN MDR. I AM NOT SURE OF YOUR OTHER QUESTIONS AS WE DID NONE OF THAT. 3>Entertainment. Might be difficult to get 11 people together for Aqua Show or main theater. Don't want to be a "seat saver" an hour before show. Suggestions? ALL SHOW UP TOGETHER FOR SHOWS 4>Pools. Same question. I'm not going to save 11 lounge chairs together at 5 AM. I think everyone will have to be responsible for their own pool plans. What about Coco Cay and Labaee.....what are best places to go (short walk) that aren't overcrowded that we can sit near each other? How early do we need to get there? SINCE WE HAD 17 people I RESERVED 2 CABANAS at South Beach (had to pay extra for the 17th person). WE ENJOYED BEING ABLE TO HANG TOGETHER ALL DAY…PLAY MUSIC…RELAX…AND TRULY ENJOYED THE ENTIRE DAY! We could leave and explore and return anytime we wanted and still were able to be together. FOR THE POOL AREA, THERE WERE A FEW IN MY GROUP WHO ARE TOTAL SUN WORSHIPPERS BUT SOME NOT! WE ALWAYS SEEMED TO BE ABLE TO GET CHAIRS IN THE VICINITY OF THE OTHERS MOST DAYS. NO ONE ENTERED THE “CHAIR HOG REALM!” Any other suggestions for planning with a larger group would be appreciated. Normally I plan for 2, 4, or 5 people. We had 17 people in 7 rooms last July on Oasis. Ages ranged from 10 to 66. See my answers above… Va4fam and WAAAYTOOO 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChessE4 Posted March 29 Report Share Posted March 29 For Aqua Show, arrive early to get seats close together. As an aside, reconsider whether everyone needs to do everything together. Sometimes one needs a little space to relax. Maybe one event a day together is enough. Just a thought... Va4fam 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Va4fam Posted March 29 Author Report Share Posted March 29 @ChessE4.......great comment and something I have thought about a great deal. Going to use the word "Flexibility" a lot with the 10 other family members. Check in, group photo or two, Christmas dinner, and hibachi are probably the only "must do" together activities. If we can get together once a day, that should be enough. Little kids will want to play in the pool, 22-25 year olds will want to do something else. ChessE4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Va4fam Posted March 29 Author Report Share Posted March 29 @PPPJJ-GCVAB...thank you for the suggestions. I will work on linking everyone next week. 2 of our 3 ports are Royal beach clubs and that should make it easy. Jamaica is the other port, and I have no idea what everyone will want to do. PPPJJ-GCVAB 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokeybandit Posted March 29 Report Share Posted March 29 Family dinners are nice, but honestly, I would try to avoid planning too much together time. That's what's great about a cruise, stuff to do together, stuff to do apart. Va4fam 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sleepy425 Posted March 29 Report Share Posted March 29 We just did Christmas on Adventure 2023, 11 of us total in 5 rooms. We were given 2 round tables next to each other in the dining room. I linked everyone to my app and got us all the check in time. For shows if you want that many to sit together you need to show up EARLY. We did it every man for themselves for shows - I was not going to try to hold seats for that many people (there was a Christmas ice show that 2 of my kids went to with me. We all went and found seats, then they went to get milk shakes. It was rough keeping people from taking the seats for the brief time they were gone, I can't imagine trying to save more than that! For Labadee I got a Cabana (they sold out within a couple months of the cruise going on sale, I'm thankful we booked as soon as it opened up) and we tipped the attendant extra and he let everyone use it. It was great having a nice area for all of us to hang out. ChessE4, PPPJJ-GCVAB and Va4fam 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweety Posted March 29 Report Share Posted March 29 I am the planner for my family. We have 10 cabins so far for Christmas 2025. Ages 8-87 years young. PPPJJ-GCVAB, WAAAYTOOO and Va4fam 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Va4fam Posted March 30 Author Report Share Posted March 30 @Sweety....10 cabins!! What suggestions do you have for making all the plans? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ditchdoc Posted March 30 Report Share Posted March 30 Your family may be different but my guess is, they are not going to want to do every thing together. Focus on family time, perhaps at dinner, to share stories of the days adventures. I am sure staff will work with you on seating, even with my time dining. Smaller groups will be easier to manage for interests. Pre teens, teens and seniors are probably not going to want to do the same things. There will be times paths cross and times the entire group can gather. Spontaneity is in large part what cruising is. Don't try to manage every activity. It just don't work. Va4fam and PPPJJ-GCVAB 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Va4fam Posted March 31 Author Report Share Posted March 31 Thanks @Ditchdoc and everyone. My biggest concerns are getting everyone to FLL the night before cruise, getting everyone checked in for the cruise and on board, and Christmas dinner together. Our senior family member will want to enjoy time with everyone and my wife and I will try to make sure everyone gets quality time with "Grammy." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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