Holidays mean spending time with family and friends. This is the season to plan next year’s extended family vacation. If you want to put together a family (or friend) group trip, here are a few pointers:
- Decide on a destination. Those that don’t require passports include Hawaii, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Vegas, and Florida/Disney. Those that do require passports include Cancun, Riviera Maya, Cabo, Puerto Vallarta, Punta Cana, Jamaica,Bahamas, Tahiti, Fiji, Costa Rica, Europe, and cruises.
- Decide on dates. Will there be kids in the group? If so, you’ll need an idea of school breaks/holidays (or policy on missing school for vacation).
- Discuss budget. You’ll have a variety of income levels and personal preferences, and you’ll want to ensure everyone can afford the trip.
- Get a headcount. Who’s ready to book, and who needs to wait? How long do they need to wait, and how serious are they about joining the group? Oftentimes, a group will fall apart because one or two participants drag their feet, and then cancel out when it’s deposit time.
- Contact me for an initial quote. Are you going to be ready to book in the next couple of weeks? If so, we’ll need to process deposits. Otherwise, an initial quote should be used as a general guideline only, since pricing and availability will fluctuate prior to booking.
And, in case you’re wondering, the hottest family group destinations are Oahu (Hawaii), Maui (Hawaii), Disney World(Orlando), Riviera Maya (Mexico), and Cabo (Mexico).