The Group-Trip Blueprint: Committees, Clear Costs & Choosing the Right Resort

Marcy has quietly become the unofficial travel chair for her people. She has planned more than four successful group trips that include a 25th line anniversary in Costa Rica, family escapes in the Dominican Republic and Mexico, and a first European adventure in Paris. Her approach is simple and practical. Use committees that actually work, run real polls with pricing, choose all-inclusive resorts when it makes sense, and accept that the group might fall in love with the most expensive option.

In this episode of Passports & Promises, host Shalene sits down with Marcy to unpack how she plans group trips that stay organized and relaxed instead of chaotic.

Group trips often unravel in the planning stage. One person wants an adults only all-inclusive in Mexico, another refuses to fly longer than three hours, and someone else is dreaming about Bali on a weekend budget. By the time every opinion has come in, half the group has given up, and the organizer is exhausted. Marcy and Shalene have found a way around this. The key is shared decisions, clear money expectations, and an honest look at how people actually like to travel.

A Committee That Actually Decides

When Marcy’s 25th line anniversary approached, she did not just volunteer to run everything alone. She offered to help and ended up with a committee that took real responsibility. That committee narrowed the list to a few realistic destinations and created a structured poll instead of adding to an endless group chat. Each option listed the location, resort style, key amenities, rough airfare, and how easy it would be for most people to get there. That single step cut through hours of loose debate.

Shalene prepared options that included Costa Rica, Jamaica, and another Caribbean choice in a similar range. The committee compared them, then sent a clear poll to the full group. Costa Rica came out on top, even though it was not the cheapest. Because everyone saw the costs before they responded, no one was surprised at final invoices. The choice belonged to the group instead of a single “bossy” planner, which meant fewer complaints and more commitment once deposits were due.

Geography and Money: Quiet Deal Breakers

One of the smartest things Marcy did was share where everyone would be flying from at the start. She was based in Canada at the time, while most of her line sisters lived in different parts of the United States. That detail allowed Shalene to look at flight schedules and connections for the majority instead of building the whole trip around the organizer’s airport. For a short three or four night reunion, they chose a Costa Rica resort, Secrets Papagayo, a short drive from the airport. Guests could land, check in, and be by the pool the same afternoon instead of losing a full day in transit.

Marcy was also clear about costs. They chose an all-inclusive resort and made sure everyone understood that the package covered meals, drinks, and most activities. People knew roughly what they would spend before they left home. That decision removed awkward moments at dinner when someone is mentally calculating their share of the bill or quietly ordering the cheapest entree. With money expectations set in advance, the group could actually relax together.

Flexibility Beats a Perfect Itinerary

Marcy jokes that she is a “super planner,” and the Costa Rica trip reflected that. Spa appointments were scheduled, dinner times were confirmed, and pool time was penciled in between. On paper, it looked ideal. In real life, the group was having so much fun at the pool that they did not want to leave when the dinner reservation rolled around. Instead of forcing everyone to rush, Marcy called Shalene, who worked with the resort to move the group to a different restaurant at a later time that evening.

That adjustment changed the tone of the entire night. The group stayed in the moment, then headed to dinner still in high spirits. They ate, laughed, and spent half the meal talking about ideas for their next reunion. The lesson was simple. A solid plan matters, but the willingness to bend it when the trip finds its own rhythm matters just as much.

 Small Extras With Big Impact 

Marcy’s group also used a perk that most travelers ignore. Many all-inclusive resorts offer a complimentary photo session with an in-house photographer. Instead of nominating one soror to act as the photographer and miss out on half the memories, they booked that session. The photographer scouted locations, arranged individual and group shots, and helped them design a sequence that felt thoughtful. They also built a quiet memorial moment into the shoot to honor a line sister who had passed away. Those images later became a gift for her family and one of the most meaningful keepsakes of the trip.

On a later stay at Dreams Dominicus in the Dominican Republic, the standout detail was not an excursion or a show. It was the fruit punch at the pool bar. Years later, Marcy’s kids still talk about that drink. They have visited other resorts and have not found a match. While the kids ordered round after round of fruit punch, Marcy sat by the pool with a passion fruit margarita, watching them enjoy the small independence that comes with walking up to a bar and placing their own order. It was simple, safe, and joyful, which is exactly what she wanted.

A Resort That Fits Real Life

Dreams Dominicus worked so well because Marcy answered one question honestly. What did her family actually want to do on vacation? Many people default to a list that includes excursions, nightlife, and adventure sports. When pressed, they admit they really want sunshine, a good pool, and a chance to slow down. Marcy said that clearly at the beginning, and Shalene chose a resort with that in mind. They booked connecting family rooms so the teens had some independence and the adults had privacy while everyone stayed close.

The property itself was a good size for teenagers. It was large enough to feel interesting but not so spread out that the boys could vanish into a maze of buildings and golf carts. They could head to the pool and still find their parents without stress. The family did not feel pressure to leave the resort just to “see the island.” They had already decided that rest was the main goal, so six days of sun, pool time, and easy meals felt like a success instead of a missed opportunity.

Paris, On Their Terms

When Marcy decided to take her family to Europe, they chose Paris for their first big international city. The trip included the familiar highlights such as the Eiffel Tower and Versailles, but the experience that stayed with them most was a Black Paris cultural tour. Instead of a quick loop past famous landmarks, the guide walked them through neighborhoods and stories that traced the influence of African and Caribbean communities on the city’s politics, art, and daily life. It reframed Paris for them and gave her sons a version of European history they had not seen in school.

Behind the scenes, the itinerary for Paris shifted several times. Time zones, jet lag, and store visits all had to be balanced. Shalene adjusted the order of activities so they would not land in the morning and immediately rush into a long daytime tour. They planned a slower first evening, then scheduled more demanding experiences on days when the family would be rested. That buffer created room for the Black Paris guide to stay longer when conversations ran deep and people had questions. No one watched the clock or worried about the next item on a checklist. The trip still had structure, but it left space for the experiences that mattered most.

How Marcy’s Blueprint Holds Everything Together

Across all of these trips, the same habits keep showing up. Marcy does not plan alone. She builds small committees for group travel so responsibility and decisions are shared. She uses polls that include real numbers instead of vague preferences, which means people understand what they are signing up for before they send money. She is honest about the style of trip she and her family want so that the resort, location, and length of stay all match that reality.

She also treats the itinerary as a guide instead of a script. Spa days and dinners are reserved in advance, but she leaves herself permission to move things when the group energy calls for it. She takes advantage of built-in resort resources such as photography teams and spa coordinators. Most importantly, she chooses all-inclusive options for group trips where money could easily become a source of tension. That choice removes one of the biggest sources of conflict before it starts.

Her line sisters are already talking about their next reunion. Her family is thinking about another European city. Her kids still compare every drink to that fruit punch in the Dominican Republic. Those are signs of a travel pattern that works. It is structured but not rigid. It respects budgets without letting fear of cost dictate every choice. And it keeps people excited for the next trip instead of relieved that the latest one is finally over.

SOMETIMES THE BEST SOUVENIR IS THE ONE YOU CAN'T TAKE HOME.

Listen to the full Passports & Promises episode to hear more about Marcy’s 50th birthday celebration at Secrets Papagayo, how she and Shalene handled last minute changes in Paris, and the memorial moment in Costa Rica that none of them will forget.

If you are ready to design a group celebration that your people actually enjoy, connect with Latitude Concierge Travels and start planning a trip that feels organized, relaxed, and worth repeating.

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Dreams Dominicus

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