The choice is easy. Whether you're sharing your travel adventures with a big gathering of important people in your life or simply mingling with new folks through your group, traveling is always more fun with a bunch. But why a cruise? Ultimately, there are three reasons why you should cruise with a group: value, variety, and convenience.

Think about it. Which offers more bang for your travel buck — a resort on land ... or a floating resort that visits multiple vacation destinations? A cruise is also more affordable than an all-inclusive resort, even just from a simple supply-and-demand perspective. While most resorts can offer about 500 rooms, most superliners can offer nearly 1,000 staterooms. In comparison, booking a cruise is like getting your travel reservation at a wholesale cost. And a cruise includes all your meals, snacks, basic beverages, and plenty of fun activities and live entertainment in one low price. Because a cruise is designed for such extraordinary value, the seafaring vacation should be the most budget-friendly travel option for everyone in your group.

With a cruise, you can sample half a dozen islands in the Caribbean, visit several historic European cities, or tour the Hawaiian islands — and you'll only unpack once! Cruises offer such a great variety of destinations, shore excursions, and onboard amenities that you can be sure everyone will always find something to their taste.

Cruising not only offers better value and variety, it's more convenient than traveling with multiple hotel reservations. One reservation guarantees all your accommodations — plus transportation — for your whole trip! One person, from one company, provides dedicated customer service on all the reservations for your entire group. With a cruise, you'll be spared from the hassle of coordinating train or bus schedules, renting and driving a car in an unfamiliar place and the stress of flying between cities. And your vacation begins the moment you step onboard! Today, cruising is easier than ever because many voyages are just a short drive or flight away — you can set sail from 23 ports in the U.S. alone. With so many cruises departing from close to home, planning a vacation sailing for your group is simple.

Cruising as a group often has valuable benefits. About 80% of groups at sea receive special amenity points, called "tour credits". These exclusive onboard extras vary by group size, fleet and each particular sailing. Tour credits are normally shipboard credits — often valid toward the purchase of spa services, shore excursions, casino credits, and alcoholic beverages — or stateroom gifts like a bottle of wine, a box of chocolates, a basket of fresh flowers or complimentary gratuities. Each group signs a booking contract that includes unique terms and conditions for any available bonus offers and tour credits. We use our superior cruise line relationships to negotiate the absolute best prices and special amenities available for each group. Usually, the bigger the group, the more tour credits you'll enjoy. Ask your group cruise consultant for details.

The best part about being a group leader is that you may have the opportunity to sail for free! As a way of saying "thank you" for recruiting a large group of cruisers, some cruise lines let our group cruise consultants offer this special deal to eligible group leaders. The cost of non-commissionable fares and some taxes are not included, but the cruise fare is absolutely free to the group leader of an eligible group. This special offer varies by group size, fleet, and each sailing — not all groups will be eligible. Each group signs a booking contract that includes unique terms and conditions for any available bonus offers, tour credits and special deals such as the sail-for-free offer. We use our superior cruise line relationships to negotiate the absolute best prices and special amenities available for each group. In general, the more staterooms reserved in your group, the more likely you'll be eligible. Ask your group cruise consultant for details.

The secret is out — cruising has quickly become the hottest form of leisure travel. During the past 15 years, the number of passengers has risen by an average of 8% each year. In just the past 5 years, the world's top fleets responded to the growing demand by introducing 62 new ships in North America. And last year broke the industry's North American record, with approximately 9 million people taking a cruise vacation.

It's the best value for your vacation dollar — a cruise offers unmatched variety, convenience, and fun. Plus, it's more affordable than most land-based vacations. Cruises enable you to visit multiple destinations for one low price, without the hassle of coordinating travel details. Your vacation begins the moment you step onboard. And now, many cruises are just a short drive or flight away.

What's Included:

	Stateroom or suite accommodations
	Ocean transportation
	Gourmet dining
	Supervised kids' programs
	Vegas- or Broadway-style shows
	Entry to nightclubs, piano bars & more
	Activities like yoga & basketball
	Gym, pool & hot tubs
	Non-commissionable fares

What's Not Included:

	Gratuities
	Spa treatments
	Alcoholic beverages
	Casino gambling
	Shopping
	Organized tours & activities onshore
	Babysitting
	Nominal fees at some specialty restaurants

Whether you're looking for adventure, family fun, romance, or sophisticated ambience, there's a cruise line and a ship for you. Cruising is so much more than shuffleboard and all-you-can-eat buffets. Today's ships offer activities and entertainment for vacationers of all ages, from toddlers to seniors.

Family-friendly ships may feature everything from kids' clubs to teen coffeehouses. Want to unwind? Activities are as diverse as spa treatments, basketball and casino gaming. At night, you might catch a comedy show, relax in a piano bar, or feast on five-star cuisine. From luxury to adventure, there's a ship to suit your vacation needs.

Unique ship features may include:

	Rock-climbing wall
	All-oceanview or all-suite accommodations
	Martini & champagne bars
	Teen discos
	Thalassotherapy pool
	Spiral waterslide
	Planetarium
	Boutiques by Harrods & Bvlgari
	Butler service
	Miniature golf & golf simulators
	Bungee Trampolines
	Poolside movies under the stars
	Ice-skating rink

Port: A destination or city visited by a ship.

Shore Excursion: An activity or tour in a port.

Category: A group of staterooms (formerly referred to as cabins) that are assigned the same rank because of their size, amenities, deck level and location. Prices vary according to category.

Interior: Staterooms that do not have windows.

Oceanview: Staterooms that feature portholes or a picture window.

Balcony: Staterooms that feature private balconies.

Suite: The most spacious, luxurious accommodations onboard.

Upgrade: When you receive a better stateroom category than you paid for.

Shipboard Credit: A credit that is posted to your account upon embarkation. It's yours to spend at the spa, in the boutiques, or almost anywhere onboard.

Group: Reservations with six or more staterooms booked together by calling our groups phone number (see side column).

Group Leader: The person who coordinates all the travel needs of the group members with one of our group cruise consultants. The group leader recruits group members.

Tour Credit: A special amenity onboard that is offered to select groups. Varies by group size, fleet and sailing. May take the form of shipboard credits or stateroom gifts.

Sail-for-free offer applies only to one passenger in the group leader's stateroom. Offer does not include non-commissionable fares, U.S. Government Taxes and Fees or airfare. Offer is valid only for new bookings made by calling 1-800-988-6444. Valid on select sailings only. A minimum number of staterooms must be booked as a group to qualify. Terms and conditions vary by group and are based upon each group's unique contract. Offer is capacity-controlled and may be subject to change or withdrawn at any time.