by: Dr. Earl R. Smith II

Over the last couple of decades, as Executive Director of Nautical Options, I have arranged a wide variety of events on cruise ships. Many participants have experienced the wonders of cruising for the first time when we organized their friends and family reunion at sea. Often it had been held at a resort or some family members’ house. We helped them take ‘it to sea’. In almost every case the reunion, once taken to sea, remains at sea year after year.

There are a whole raft of reasons why this seems to be the case. Here are just a few:

1. Ease of organization: Reunions typically depend upon one or two individuals who bear the burden of organizing and coordinating the schedules of widely dispersed family members. Even if the reunion is held at a resort, the coordination of air and ground transportation can be daunting at particular times of the year. Then there is the issue of arranging menus, meeting rooms and having the resort accommodate the scheduling needs of the group. Cruse based events are comparatively simple to organize – particularly if you employ one of the companies like Nautical Options which specializes in them

2. Cost: Two things quickly become apparent after you have decided to take a family reunion to sea. The first is how much less expensive the event is. If you go through an organization which specializes in such events and can access the best rates, the cost of a cruise based reunion will be somewhere between 60 and 70% of the cost of the same event on land. The second thing you will notice is that a cruise based event is, by and large, a one line cost. By that I mean a single payment buys the cabin, all you can eat and unlimited, high quality food (watch out for the midnight chocolate buffet!) and all the distractions and entertainment that one could wish for. For the most part individual travelers will end up paying for their drinks, shore excursions, gambling losses and purchases in the many ports of call.

3. Onboard Entertainment: Cruise ships provide a wide range of on board activities. Every evening there is a Broadway-class show in the main lounge. In addition there are always musicians in the various smaller venues. Each day all sorts of organized activities are on offer. These range from dance classes and wine tastings to trivia games, art auctions, bingo, lectures on the next port of call and a myriad of others. In short, there is never a shortage of things for members of your group to do while onboard.

4. Meeting Rooms: This is where a company which specializes in organizing crews based events can really shine. At Nautical Options we handle all the arrangements for the meeting rooms as well as the arrangements for catering, entertainment and special events. We have managed birthday parties complete with cakes, karaoke competitions, special lectures and a whole range of other activities.

5. Ports of call: A cruise ship is a resort hotel that changes location every night. Each morning you wake up in a different place than where you went to sleep. Some mornings you wake up to a day at sea and the wonderful experience of enjoying the ship. On others you wake up in a new port of call and to all the amazing options that are available.

Cruise lines organize a wide range of shore excursions in every port. All of the vendors are carefully screened and the shore excursions are carefully reviewed. In other words, you don’t have to worry the cruise line has already done the worrying for you. In each port your group will disperse – some on shore excursions, some just heading for the beach and others looking for bargains that are always available in the shops. Dinner becomes a wonderful sharing of experiences and a chance to wear that new shirt or goofy hat that you just could not pass up.

6. Having fun and building memories: Memories that live on and on: over the years I’ve noticed one thing above all else. There’s something about the experience of having a reunion on a cruise ship that keeps the memories alive year after year. I have had clients tell me that five or six years into a series of reunion cruises they still reminisce about the first ones. Other groups post their pictures on the internet and share them with friends and family.

Cruising is an amazing experience by itself – but, with your friends and family members, a reunion makes memories that endure.

 by: Robert Vassos

There is a lot to be said about getting out on the water for some well deserved recreation. The interesting thing about boating is there is some ancient gene that we all carry that dates back to a time when folks thought the earth was flat. And just like Columbus exploring the boundaries of the known world people today are still drawn to the water by some magical unexplained pull. And why not - in this fast paced world of office towers and pavement there is certainly something soothing about stepping on to a gently rocking boat at the dock and firing it up to venture out on the open waters.

The other great thing about boating is that this form of recreation offers so much versatility. Think about it. You can fish, water ski, tube, tour around, swim off the boat, sunbath, entertain friends, visit friends on the lake – not mention that boats can be utilized for work type activities as well, and they are a valid form of general waterway transportation for many.

The other interesting thing is that boating isn’t as expensive as you might think. As a first step you might consider renting before you purchase and many marinas offer reasonably priced boat rental packages right from their docks. Recently a recreation cost comparison was done by www.discoverboating.ca and you might be surprised at how inexpensive boating can be in when you compare costs against theme parks, hockey games, live concerts, golf or even an evening at the theatre. The bottom line is there is a boat for every family budget and a selection of boat types and models that is even more far ranging than cars. Generally speaking, the bigger the boat, the larger the horsepower and the more options that you choose will determine the overall cost and the best value match for the individual or family. Some boats are built for versatility and some boats are built primarily for one use e.g. fishing or wake boarding. The point is, if you look around you can find the right boat at the right price to suit your needs. Many boat manufacturers offer financing terms that are attractive and financial institutions are certainly willing to spread payments over 5 years with the longer terms translating to lower monthly payments.

But some would say there are more important considerations than the cost aspect of owning and operating at boat. It can be summed up in one word “lifestyle”. If you seek freedom and relaxation there is nothing like a day on the water that comes close. It means leaving a lot of the daily stress that we all experience behind at the dock. In a 2003 Impulse Research study, nearly 2/3rds of boat owners made their boat purchase and found it brought their family closer together. Another portion claimed it allowed them to lead a more romantic personal life. That has to be reason enough to want to own a boat right?

"We are seeing a big move to deck boats” says Colleen Vassos. “Families are looking for the versatility so they have both the entertainment space of a pontoon boat and the ability of a sport boat to plane so that water skiing, fishing or just hanging out can be accomplished in one watercraft” adds Colleen. If you are new to boating, renting is a wise option. It gives the newbee boater an opportunity to ensure that they get the right fit and the right product to suit their individual or family needs.

 by: Travis Clemens

Selecting and acquiring the ideal fishing boat is a real art for someone who has already gone through many experiences as far as boating is concerned. However, it can be a daunting task to those who have not yet experienced buying a fishing boat.

To make the activity easier for the first timers, here is a list of tips that they can use when choosing an ideal fishing boat.

1. It is important to consider the purpose of the fishing boat.

Buying a fishing boat has only one purpose: to be used in fishing. However, before choosing the perfect fishing boat, it is important to consider also the other purposes.

First, the place where the fishing boat will be used should be taken into account. Will it be in the ocean or in other bodies of water like lakes?

Second, the time of the day it will be used. Will it be for day trips or for overnight fishing activities?

If the fishing boat will be used for ocean cruising and overnight stays, it would be better to buy a fishing boat that has a hull. This is specifically designed for rough waters. This design is meant to ride with the waves, hence, providing more comfort to anglers while on board.

2. The budget

When buying a fishing boat, it is important to know if the buyer can afford to acquire a boat. Fishing boats, or any boat for that matter, can be very expensive. Hence, the buyer should know how far his budget would go as far as fishing boat prices are concerned.

3. The warranties

It is extremely important to know if the fishing boat has a warranty. It should be analyzed and meticulously scrutinized because not all warranties are created equal.

Hence, it is best to buy a fishing boat from dealers that will provide the necessary services in case their product is found to be defective.

4. The certification

When buying a fishing boat, it is important to take note if it is certified by the “National Marine Manufacturers Association” or the NMMA. This agency guarantees that the certification they give to every boat manufacturer is a guarantee that the fishing boat had passed the agency’s standard of excellence.

The bottom line is that, people should do more than just look around when choosing the ideal fishing boat. They should learn how to look for the important details in order to ensure that the boat they have acquired is definitely worth their money.