Surprise Cruises (birthdays, anniversary, etc.)

Threads often appear for ideas to arrange a surprise cruise for others and there is one current now. Rather than impose on the current thread, I offer this poll. Who likes surprises like this? Why? I hate surprises and don't understand the appeal. Psychologically, I would suspect control issues, but don't know. Please offer your insight.

I'm with you. I hate surprises like that. If you want to surprise me, buy me a nice gift, but a cruise, no thanks. I would much rather plan and pack for myself. Maybe I'm a tad of a control freak..but I would not be happy if my husband packed a bag for me and told me once we were at the airport or something that we were on the way to a cruise. I would be panicked!!! A million thoughts would be going through my head about what was packed and if i would have what I wanted to wear etc...

I guess there is a big difference between, "honey, throw some clothes into your suitcase, we are headed to Ft Lauderdale for a cruise tomorrow," and "happy birthday," and there is a card that explains that you are booked on a cruise four months later.

Not all surprises are equal.:rolleyes::)

Kel

Take them to FLL or to a sea side port/hotel night before and then head to the ship next day. Just make sure you have swim trunks or bathing suit.

I hate surprises and would not have appreciated it had my DH planned a surprise cruise for us. He knew that wouldn't be something I'd like.

It depends on how the surprise is revealed. If it's revealed in private, then I love it! I hate being the center of attention, especially in front of strangers, so if it's revealed in a grand public way, (like popping the question in public) I would hate it.

I absolutely love surprises - I gave DH a surprise party for his 50, 60, 65, and 70th birthdays, and can't tell you how disappointed I was when due to his failing memory, nothing happened for my 60th birthday this past Christmas.

Smooth Sailing ! :) :) :)

I had to say no also. Not that I don't generally like surprises, but I honestly feel anything my DH planned would be a total disaster!

I wouldn't even enjoy the idea of "Hey here is a cruise in 4 months so you can still plan!" surprise. DH would pick on the ports only, and most likely 3-4 ports we have never been to if possible. Which sounds fun and all... except we are still having to cruse as 4 for at least 3 more years, and then as at least 3 for 3 more years after that. He doesn't quite "get" how much excursions and such can cost. His "ideas" of stuff to do always run at least $800+ per port. On top of that, he would probably pick an NCL Haven 2-bedroom.

We vary a lot in what we accept, and it's why I do all the finances. His idea of an ideal vacation would cost upwards of $20,000 for a week. I do everything I can to keep us under $5,000 including travel and excursions :)

I like hosting events, planning them etc...I dont really like people making a big deal about my birthday. :)

I'm going to go off the grand assumption that my post spurred this....

I feel if my husband gives me free reign to plan our summer vacation trips knowing he has 5 weeks vacation, our budget, our children's (15, 10, 7, & 4) likes and dislikes; I purchase his clothes, and then wash is clothes every week, I arrange travel & food for sporting events, I grocery shop, etc, I *think* I am pretty capable of planning a week away for the 2 of us. You can call it control, I call it running a household. My husband works to provide for us, I take care of things on the home front. :D

When we got married 10 years ago I had a son from a previous marriage and we had a 10 month old together - - our honeymoon to Maui was actually a "family moon". We have NEVER had a vacation away just the 2 of us {unless you count the one time we went to LA for IVF to get pregnant - I am a surrogate mother... not really the most "romantic" time.}.

Will he be surprised? I sure hope so. Will he freak out once he realizes where/what we are doing - probably. He will stress about the kids, wonder if his boss knows what is going on, curious if I packed enough sunscreen and wonder if I thought to bring his binoculars. Yes ........... and then after all that is said and done, I hope that we will have an incredible vacation together. Just the 2 of us. And thousands of other shipmates. Visiting place we have only dreamed of going.

I wish someone would take the time, thought and effort to do something like this for me someday. In the meantime - I am glad that I have the time to plan an incredible anniversary trip for my husband and I.

My hubby surprised me with a trip to Jamaica on my 40th and we had a great time. Let's see what will happen this year for my 50th! :)

I'm going to go off the grand assumption that my post spurred this....

 

 

I feel if my husband gives me free reign to plan our summer vacation trips knowing he has 5 weeks vacation, our budget, our children's (15, 10, 7, & 4) likes and dislikes; I purchase his clothes, and then wash is clothes every week, I arrange travel & food for sporting events, I grocery shop, etc, I *think* I am pretty capable of planning a week away for the 2 of us. You can call it control, I call it running a household. My husband works to provide for us, I take care of things on the home front. :D

 

When we got married 10 years ago I had a son from a previous marriage and we had a 10 month old together - - our honeymoon to Maui was actually a "family moon". We have NEVER had a vacation away just the 2 of us {unless you count the one time we went to LA for IVF to get pregnant - I am a surrogate mother... not really the most "romantic" time.}.

 

Will he be surprised? I sure hope so. Will he freak out once he realizes where/what we are doing - probably. He will stress about the kids, wonder if his boss knows what is going on, curious if I packed enough sunscreen and wonder if I thought to bring his binoculars. Yes ........... and then after all that is said and done, I hope that we will have an incredible vacation together. Just the 2 of us. And thousands of other shipmates. Visiting place we have only dreamed of going.

 

I wish someone would take the time, thought and effort to do something like this for me someday. In the meantime - I am glad that I have the time to plan an incredible anniversary trip for my husband and I.

Posts like this make me wonder if the "surprise" cruise is really for the recipient or the giver in most cases.

I just have to put this out there. Part of the reason I don't like surprises is because of my job. I work for a busy hospital in a very busy nursing unit and even if my husband just told me on my birthday "surprise I booked us a cruise" I would be stressed about getting time off. I mean time off is available, but it's organized chaos. Making sure so and so still gets her day off, and this girl doesn't get too much overtime and this shift is covered etc. You get the picture. You can't just plan it and go. If I told my boss "hey I'm going on a cruise", as nice as she is, she wouldn't be happy if I gave her short notice. We have to have decent notice so we can fill scheduling gaps.

If the surprise is from someone I know who has thoughtfully chosen the surprise to be something I'd like (since that person knows me) and not just something they want, then yes, I like them. So a surprise party with my friends in a private place is nice, but a surprise party filled with people I don't know or a public surprise is not nice. As for a cruise -- a surprise vacation when I can easily take the time and a type that I'd like (midsized ship, lots of sea days) would be great, but a surprise vacation on a megaship with a port stop every day would not be good.

I don't like surprises either.

Also I am the one who plans all our cruises and vacations. And then DH and I discuss them and work out all the details.

I'm visiting the Grand Canyon next December. That holiday has already gone 3 months in anticipation, with 10 more months looking forward to it and then 2 weeks holiday. This holiday is giving me 15 months of pleasure.

If someone wanted to take 14 and a half of those months away from me, so that they can have the fun instead of me, I wouldn't be happy.

Depends on the person. We have done this and no problem.

Threads often appear for ideas to arrange a surprise cruise for others and there is one current now. Rather than impose on the current thread, I offer this poll. Who likes surprises like this? Why? I hate surprises and don't understand the appeal. Psychologically, I would suspect control issues, but don't know. Please offer your insight.

:-) last Wednesday, I opened our credit card bill. Amount charged was higher than expected, I checked charges...ummm see charge on right, look left...Royal ....cruise. I stop. ****. Either wrong charge or I ruined the surprise.

I didn't say anything till after kid was in bed. then DH told me he couldn't get off work. I was pissed. He told me they'd refund 80%. We'd lose 20%. A few hours later....if we were going on a cruise, we leave Saturday. :-) easy! Packed and ready. I have control issues, which leads to stress, this was the least stressful vacation.

We told kid going for a drive on Friday, didn't tell her cruise till in New Orleans. Not a good idea...I think she would have Been better with time to adjust to the idea.

Anyway, I'm a sahm, no issue, I couldn't/wouldn't surprise DH. He handled the cruise stuff, and boarding dog.

At first I freaked, but I loved it! Less time to stress and over plan! I had told DH before just give me 24 hours, but honestly, 48 was better due to laundry and me needing new clothes.

Posts like this make me wonder if the "surprise" cruise is really for the recipient or the giver in most cases.

In my case, for me. Less for me to do, and less stress. DH figured it out. He knows I don't care which ports, or which cruise, while I love Disney best, any ship will do. I was packed and ready, in 2 days. Sure I forgot a few things, but spent 1 night packing, not 3 weeks. :-)

So yeah, as my Sig says, give me 48 hours and show me age ship! Surprise me anytime!

Oh, our library books, only 4 though, are over due. Oh, well.

I had to say no also. Not that I don't generally like surprises, but I honestly feel anything my DH planned would be a total disaster!

 

I wouldn't even enjoy the idea of "Hey here is a cruise in 4 months so you can still plan!" surprise. DH would pick on the ports only, and most likely 3-4 ports we have never been to if possible. Which sounds fun and all... except we are still having to cruse as 4 for at least 3 more years, and then as at least 3 for 3 more years after that. He doesn't quite "get" how much excursions and such can cost. His "ideas" of stuff to do always run at least $800+ per port. On top of that, he would probably pick an NCL Haven 2-bedroom.

 

We vary a lot in what we accept, and it's why I do all the finances. His idea of an ideal vacation would cost upwards of $20,000 for a week. I do everything I can to keep us under $5,000 including travel and excursions :)

My husband asked me 'how much is in our account?' Then he proceeded to book. I found out by opening credit card bill. He works/earns the money. He can plan/book whatever as long as we have the money in our account. My DH understands how much stuff cost, and no way would I tell him how much he can spend, when he's working.

Oh, our second Disney cruise was supposed to be a surprise, he booked on cruise for following year, 10 year anniversary, but I would have found out on anniversary, if his plans worked. He DID successfully surprise me at dinner on our honeymoon cruise, and last year on anniversary.

I hate surprises too. And my hubby would know better than to deprive me of planning our ports,etc. And I certainly wouldn't like my hubby packing for me. I know he would select the wrong clothing, etc. Even for our daughter, once she got old enough, I might preselect some clothing and let her make the final choices. The last two cruises (when she was 13 and 15), I told her to pick out what clothing she wanted to take -- even though I did a spot check to make sure she had a bathing suit or two, underwear, some nicer clothes).

My daughter even complained when we booked a cruise a couple of years ago and told her after that. So the next time, we asked her first.

Maybe some people would love the idea of showing up at the port and their mate saying, "guess what?" But I would hope that the person throwing the surprise be absolutely positively sure that the surprisee would love it. I can just see if that's not the case, it wouldn't be a great way to start off a vacation. If someone isn't sure, how about creating a coupon for a cruise of their choice and then when the person selects it, book it.

I guess it's the here is a cruise for your birthday gift and oh by the way I'm coming with you that I find rude. Then it's about the giver in my mind anyhow. Gifting a cruise to parents as long as you know that it would be appreciated and they have enough time to organize themselves is quite lovely.

Since I am the one who does all the research, planning, and booking, this is not a surprize I would want.

I couldn't really vote because I'm not sure if you are talking about ME being surprised or me surprising SOMEONE else.

I would NOT want to be surprised unless I was told way ahead of time and could prepare for it. I'm a planner and must make sure all the details are in order. I wouldn't have a problem with it if the hubby said he booked a cruise for...like months later. That way I could do my research and figure out what I wanted to do.

However, since I'm the person that does all the bookings, planning and research, the hubby loves a good surprise...as in what we are doing in each port.

I did surprise my 6 year old daughter with a SECOND cruise right after we got off the first one and she loved it. She thought we were getting on the plane to go home. She had no idea we were going to another ship. But then again, what 6 year old wouldn't love that. :D :p

I guess there is a big difference between, "honey, throw some clothes into your suitcase, we are headed to Ft Lauderdale for a cruise tomorrow," and "happy birthday," and there is a card that explains that you are booked on a cruise four months later.

 

Not all surprises are equal.:rolleyes::)

 

Kel

Exactly. I planned a surprise cruise for my DH's birthday in August. Told him about it at Christmas. Got raked through the coals here on CC for having the gall to surprise him in such a way!

Sheesh, he had 8 months to plan. Loved the cruise by the way. :D

Now when people say they are planning to surprise people by putting their bags in the trunk, driving to the port and then yelling "surprise!". That's just mean imho. I would probably stop talking to someone who pulled a stunt like that on me.