How to plan a cruise with friends: 12 tried-and-tested tips

At a glance

• You'll be spending a great deal of time with your travel companions, so select people you know through and through
• The hardest part of planning a cruise is keeping the momentum going; don't let yours die in your group chat
• Plan and book well in advance to secure the best deals and dates with your preferred cruise operator
• Weigh up the pros and cons of selecting a small vs a large ship before settling on your choice
• When you're budgeting, consider factors like solo supplements (if required) and onboard extras

In recent years, cruising with friends has surged in popularity. According to our sister site, Cruise Trade News, the river cruise line AmaWaterways has seen a 145 per cent increase in group and charter sales for 2026 compared to last year. That includes groups of 10 or more, as well as part and full ship charters.

It’s easy to see the appeal of sailing with friends. Whether you’re reuniting with your gang from university, taking a cruise with all the cousins, or going on an adventure with your book club, there’s something special about sharing the experience. When it all comes together, it’s a rare chance to step away from the daily grind and create stories you’ll be retelling for years to come.

But let’s be real: cruising with pals doesn’t always match the brochure fantasy. High tensions can arise on the high seas thanks to a clash of travel styles (think poolside lounger versus thrill-seeker), disagreements about how to split the bill, or simply a volatile mix of jetlag, hanger and heat.

That’s why we spoke with World of Cruising team member Sophie Craig, who recently joined 12 of her closest friends for a sailing from Olympos to Fethiye with Farout Cruises.

Here are 12 tips for making your own group cruise a success, informed by her real-life experience.

1. Pick your people

When you’re sharing a ship for days on end, the easiest way to keep things harmonious is to travel with people whose habits you already know. You’ll be eating together, hanging out, picking excursions and more, so it helps to know exactly what you’re signing up for.

It’s not that old friends don’t have quirks (we all do) – it’s just that you already know them. You can factor in time for the serial photographer to get the perfect shot, and nobody’s surprised if the caffeine addict is a tad grouchy before their first cup of the day.

Sophie says, “On our sailing, it was handy how well we knew each other. Quite a few of us had been friends for decades. Some of us had met in primary school, while others were former or current housemates.

The shared history meant less time adjusting to each other and more time simply enjoying being together.

2. Plan as a team

Sorting out a group cruise doesn’t have to be a logistical headache, as long as it’s not all left to one person. Even if one member of the group has a knack for organising and coordinating travel, it often works best when everyone mucks in.

Sophie shares what worked for them: “We took a group approach to planning and organising. We had a group chat, and it was generally a collective effort, though it did take someone occasionally leading the charge. For example, when we lost momentum for a few months during the planning stage, someone had to take initiative to get things going again. That said, everyone was happy to jump in with ideas and suggestions.”

3. Do your homework

With so many cruises to choose from, finding one that works for everyone in your group – in terms of destinations, budget and so on – can take time.

Sophie says, “We started researching about a year in advance to give ourselves enough time to find the right option for us.”

Our recommendation is to cast a wide net, too. Read magazines and blogs, ask friends and family for personal recommendations, check out online reviews and make use of both first-hand experiences and expert insights on social media.

“The idea of taking a small-ship cruise in the Mediterranean was definitely influenced by what we saw on TikTok and Instagram; it was one of the things that helped us decide to do a sailing in the first place, rather than a traditional land stay,” explains Sophie.

4. Choose the right route

These days, you can cruise almost anywhere, from the Arctic to Antarctica and most oceans and rivers in between. With so many routes to choose from, it’s important to match your itinerary to your group.

You might pursue a shared interest, like wine-loving friends tempted by a Bordeaux or Douro River cruise. Or perhaps you’ve always wanted to tick off a bucket-list destination together, whether that’s sailing around Japan or through the Norwegian fjords.

In many cases, though, a crowd-pleasing destination with plenty of sun and sand, plus a location that makes logistical sense, will win out.

When Sophie’s group chose to sail between Olympos and Fethiye, along Turkey’s Turquoise Coast, the draw wasn’t just picture-perfect swim spots and fresh Mediterranean food. It was a strategic choice that meant some friends could add pre- or post-cruise land stays in Greece or Turkey.

Sophie explains, “Some of our friends were coming from Australia for a wedding on the Greek island of Kastellorizo before joining us; some were heading on a post-cruise land stay in various places in Turkey, such as Istanbul and Cappadocia; some of us needed to get back to the office in the UK.”

5. Go big… or keep it small

Cruise ships come in all shapes and sizes, from megaships carrying more than 6,000 passengers, like MSC World America, to tiny vessels with fewer than 20 guests, such as the 16-person National Geographic Delfina.

Bigger ships have their perks. Some feel like floating cities, with an enormous variety of cabin types, dining options and activities.

On a Norwegian Cruise Line ship, for example, one member of your group might enjoy a solo studio, while others opt for a multi-room family suite. Plus, with over 20 restaurants and amenities ranging from a luxury spa to an arcade, everyone is likely to find something that suits them.

Small ships, on the other hand, have the advantage of privacy and a more intimate, yacht-like feel. There’s space to enjoy time together without being surrounded by thousands of other passengers.

Sophie’s group went for a very small ship, opting for a classic Turkish gulet: a traditional wooden sailing vessel with room for around 20 passengers. “It was perfect for us,” she says. “It had such a relaxed, personal atmosphere.”

6. Find a cruise line that fits

Once you’ve settled on your destination and the size of the ship you want, it’s time to decide who you’ll sail with. Remember all that research you did? This is when it comes in handy. That’s because even when itineraries look similar on paper, the experience on board can differ significantly.

Sophie says, “We found there were a lot of options that, on the face of it, offered similar itineraries, but there were definitely some key providers that stood out for the right reasons.”

After narrowing the field to a few that felt right, Sophie’s group looked closely at what each was offering for the price.

“We got quotes from three different cruise operators, but they were all roughly the same. If there had been a massive price variation, that might have decided it, but in the end, it came down to what worked best for us,” she explains.

“A lot of sailings went from Saturday to Saturday, but we liked the idea of something short and sweet – around four days – since a few of us were combining it with land stays.”

7. Weigh up a ship charter

In cruising, a charter means booking a ship for your group’s exclusive use on a specific sailing. Some cruise operators also offer partial charters, where you reserve a large block of cabins but still share the ship with other passengers.

In some cases, a full or partial charter of a small ship can be appealing. It creates a more private, exclusive atmosphere, ideal for a milestone celebration or when you want to add custom touches and enjoy certain public spaces to yourselves.

That said, it’s not always the most practical route. Sophie says, “We decided to join an organised sailing instead of chartering a ship. That’s because the upfront price for a charter can be quite hefty, and it meant sailing with a larger group – around 20 people as opposed to 12. We would have been responsible for filling the ship, and if anyone dropped out, we would have been liable for the full cost.”

However, because they chose a small ship, they still got that private feel. “Besides us, there were just a few other passengers onboard – they joined in with us sometimes, but equally felt comfortable doing their own thing.”

8. Book early

When it comes to a group cruise, holding out for a last-minute deal is rarely the smartest move. You’ll often find the best fares by booking well ahead.

Sophie recalls, “We booked our July 2025 cruise in November 2024. Our main motivation was taking advantage of the discounts you can get if you book that far in advance.”

Early booking doesn’t just get you better prices, either. It also gives you the pick of the sailings before they fill up.

“Booking nine months out meant we could choose the itinerary we wanted, with the operator that suited us best,” says Sophie. “It’s worth doing if you have a particular experience in mind, because smaller ships in particular often get booked up.”

9. Know what’s included

That old saying about good accounts making good friends holds true at sea. The key is being clear on what is – and, just as importantly, what isn’t – covered in your cruise fare, so there are no rogue surprises when it comes to costs. After all, nothing sinks the mood faster than an unexpected bill.

Pick the right cruise line and they’ll be transparent about the cost of any extras from the outset. Sophie recalls, “Farout provided a comprehensive guide ahead of time, so there were no surprises. For example, full board was complimentary, including afternoon tea – which was actually often our favourite part of the day. Onboard kit, such as snorkelling gear, was also free to use. The main extras were alcoholic drinks and excursions like riding jet skis, diving and paragliding.”

Being clued in from the start helps keep stress low and lets people budget for little indulgences. On the Turquoise Coast, that meant having a few lira ready for when tiny boats pulled up alongside the gulet to sell ice creams or local snacks.

10. Get on the same wavelength

There are endless ways to cruise, from pure relaxation to non-stop exploring. For one person, an afternoon with a beach read might be bliss; for another, it’s mind-numbingly dull. Equally, a packed schedule of ancient ruins in the midday sun might thrill a history buff, while giving someone else flashbacks to their least favourite school trip.

For Sophie’s group, the magic was in being aligned from the start.

She recalls, “Rather than cramming in lots of shore excursions or activities, the point was simply to enjoy being together. There wasn’t much structure – it never felt strict or rigid. We might have a leisurely swim after breakfast before sailing on to the next spot. Some people would play cards; others would snooze or stretch out on the daybeds. Often, we didn’t do a whole lot, but because we had each other, it was great.”

The same went for evenings. “We weren’t in party mode,” Sophie adds. “Sunset drinks or a cocktail with dinner was more our style, and because we were all on the same page, we could stick to that. Other small ships leaned into a more all-out party vibe, so it really was a what-you-make-of-it situation.”

11. Consider the singles

If your whole group is paired off, you can skip this one. But if you’ve got single travellers in the mix, it’s worth thinking about how the trip will work for them, especially when it comes to avoiding the dreaded single supplement.

Some cruise lines have cabins designed for singles on offer or sailings where the solo supplement is reduced or even waived altogether. But even if that’s not an option, the beauty of cruising with friends is that you can often pair up and share a cabin to keep costs down.

Sophie says, “Two of our friends were former housemates, so they decided to bunk together rather than pay for a whole cabin each or be paired up with another solo passenger onboard."

12. Seize the moment

Our biggest piece of advice for planning a group cruise with friends? Make sure the plan actually leaves the group chat. There’s rarely a perfect time, and it’s easy to find reasons to put it off. But life moves fast, and if you don’t do it now, there’s no guarantee the opportunity will come around again.

Sophie says, “We’re at a stage where none of us have kids yet, but who knows, that could change in the next few years. We realised this was our moment to do a group sailing that was just us, before any major life changes mean we take significantly different approaches to travelling.”

She adds, “I’m so glad we did. There were these moments when the sun was going down, we were having a drink and looking out over the water, and we felt like, wow, this is living. I thought, when else am I going to have the chance to sail off the coast of Turkey with my best friends?”

Read next: First-time cruise tips