Suggestions on how to surprise the kids?

[CarolinaMamma]

We couldn't wait til our summer cruise, so booked a last minute spring break cruise on Millie. I am kind of excited about seeing her before solsticization, since we will be on the solsticized Infinity this summer.

 

Dh and I are gleefully conspiring to surprise the kids, but the question is, how do we break the exciting news to them? They are 12, 8 and 5 and have never cruised before.

 

I will secretly pack during the week while the kids are at school and we will leave Saturday to drive down to FL..Ship sails Monday.

 

I could tell them after school Friday, or just wake them up Saturday and tell them we are going. Or we could even possibly just tell them we are going to Florida and keep the secret til almost time to board, though that would be hard with all the time together in the car.

 

I am thinking the 12 year old might like more advance notice to pack his reading material, etc. he is a BIG reader. maybe we need to tell him before the other two.

 

Any thoughts on how to break the good news to them?

 

So excited! !!!

[clampsa]

Do you have DVD players in your car? If so how about you make a surprise DVD announcing the cruise, where you're going etc on a DVD then play in when you're on your way? Making a fun little video might be fun for you too! Also, I bet if you let your 12 year old in on the secret he/she would help make the video and then feel very "big brother/sister" having been in on the surprise! Have a great cruise!!!!

[debandbruce]

Maybe stick with the going to Florida idea. When you get there say you want to see the cruise ships in port, when you see your ship ask them how they would feel about going on her.

We surprised our kids with a trip to Disney World one Christmas. I wrapped up a tower of nesting boxes with a hint in each one. There were 5 boxes and by box 4 they knew it was something good. Box 5 had the Disney brochures, they went crazy!

[Lois R]

WOW...what a nice surprise for sure:) hope your 3 kids will be

appreciate of it:)

[Mama Lo]

I would try to keep the cruise part of the surprise until you get to the pier. How about just telling them you are going to the beach for the weekend. It will explain the long ride.

 

We have taken our kids on mystery adventures when we just get in the car and say we are on an adventure. That could be torture for you, there are usually so many questions but since you haven't cruise before they probably won't guess.

 

We are sailing in 13 days and we surprised our son for his 10th birthday. We invited his best friend to join us and revealed our secret on his friend's 10th birthday. I wrapped up a bunch of stuff with messages on them like....

 

You will want to wear these - sunglasses inside

Make sure you get all your parts - sunscreen inside

Put this on your bag - cute luggage tags

To protect you - rashguard inside

 

You could use our idea and give them clues along the way.

 

If you can make it all the way to the pier your kids will go nuts when they see the ship. However it works out have a wonderful trip!!!!!

[olemissreb]

I like a previous posters idea of just telling them that you are going to FL to go to the beach. Then Monday morning you can get up and say "Let's go look at the ships". Then when you get close say something like "I think we'll go on that one" and point at the Millie. Of course one of you would have to sneak the luggage into the car before the kids get up, but that could be fun to see the looks on their faces when it dawns on them.

 

When you tell the kids you are going to FL to go to the beach, you can tell them to pack up whatever books/toys/gameboys, etc. they want to take as long as it fits in their school backpack. Then they can carry their own stuff and will be set with things to keep them busy.

 

One of these days I'm going to have to try surprising my kids with a cruise. I just get so excited when I book a cruise I just end up sharing it with everyone!:)

[MrJulius]

The best surprise of all...

 

 

Tell the kids that mommy and daddy are going on a cruise...and don't wait up:)

[gelo7]

One year our kids thought that we were driving to Miami for one of our quick weekend getaways. After checking into the hotel, we drove over the bridge into the Port of Miami just to look at the ships. The next morning we pulled into the Port of Miami again, we were oohing and awing at the ships, and the kids didn't know that we were going on a cruise until the porters started taking our luggage out of the car. We fool them all the time. We usually drive down to Florida for cruises, but we have them fooled again for next weekends cruise, they will not know that we are flying down until we pull into the airport.

[tdl3boys]

We are also surprising our 7 year old twin boys with a cruise on Mille over spring Break. They think we are just going to my parent's condo in Daytona. But I think part of the fun is the thinking about it before you go. So we have decided to plan a scavenger hunt that we will do when they get home from school on Thursday. (They are out of school on Friday.) I have clues to take them here and there throughout the yard and house. The final clue is: "Daytona Beach is not in our plans but don't be blue...look in Mom and Dad's room, we have a surprise for you." On our bed will be a large wrapped box with several boxes wrapped inside. I have a small cruise ship charm which will be the last box to open. When they open it, they will surely guess where we are going!

My husband and I take a cruise every January and we leave them at home. They have always begged to go with us!

[CarolinaMamma]

Oh my gosh, such great ideas! Thank you all!

 

I think telling them we are going to look at the ships could work. I could just nonchalantly say to my husband over breakfast that the Millie is in port and we should go look at it since it is the sister ship to Infinity, which the kids know we are going on this summer, so we should go check it out. Dh and I can act like going to look at the ships is a spur of the moment decision

 

Now, how exactly does check in work if we are parking at the pier? Will we drop our luggage with the porters and then go park, or park and then take the luggage with us? Will we be able to see the ship from the place where we drop the luggage? Ideally we would see the ship before we have to get the luggage out. Is there somewhere where we can either see the ship from the car or park for a minute and look at the ship without a porter immediately coming up and asking us if we are checking in and giving away the secret?

 

Also, does the Port of Miami have a webcam? If so, I could "discover" that the Millie is theree the morning we sail.

[CarolinaMamma]

We are also surprising our 7 year old twin boys with a cruise on Mille over spring Break. They think we are just going to my parent's condo in Daytona. But I think part of the fun is the thinking about it before you go. So we have decided to plan a scavenger hunt that we will do when they get home from school on Thursday. (They are out of school on Friday.) I have clues to take them here and there throughout the yard and house. The final clue is: "Daytona Beach is not in our plans but don't be blue...look in Mom and Dad's room, we have a surprise for you." On our bed will be a large wrapped box with several boxes wrapped inside. I have a small cruise ship charm which will be the last box to open. When they open it, they will surely guess where we are going!

My husband and I take a cruise every January and we leave them at home. They have always begged to go with us!

 

Tdl3boys, are you on the Aoril 2 sailing as well?

[Lois R]

Oh my gosh, such great ideas! Thank you all!

 

I think telling them we are going to look at the ships could work. I could just nonchalantly say to my husband over breakfast that the Millie is in port and we should go look at it since it is the sister ship to Infinity, which the kids know we are going on this summer, so we should go check it out. Dh and I can act like going to look at the ships is a spur of the moment decision

 

Now, how exactly does check in work if we are parking at the pier? Will we drop our luggage with the porters and then go park, or park and then take the luggage with us? Will we be able to see the ship from the place where we drop the luggage? Ideally we would see the ship before we have to get the luggage out. Is there somewhere where we can either see the ship from the car or park for a minute and look at the ship without a porter immediately coming up and asking us if we are checking in and giving away the secret?

 

Also, does the Port of Miami have a webcam? If so, I could "discover" that the Millie is theree the morning we sail.

 

Hi, I know there is parking across the street from where the ships

are all docked. I am sure someone on here can give you more

specifics. I have never driven down there but I have a good friend

who lives in Miami drop me off. When you are driving over the

bridge you will definitely be able to see the ships.....coming from

downtown, going over the bridge? The ships will be to your left.

You will see the BIG X on her and they will know it is a Celebrity ship:D

[ghstudio]

You have to plan the "unveiling" of the cruise so it coincides with their expectation of leaving Miami to fly home and stopping "on the way" to look at the cruise ships....after all, you have to have the bags packed and in the car....

 

You could then look at the ship...you certainly will drive past it on your way into the parking areas and trust me, you won't miss it :) ...and then one of you could spontaneously say....hey, lets all go on this cruise :)

 

 

Note: I have some experience at this. When our youngest graduated from college, we went on a family trip. we discussed where to go and everyone wanted to go somewhere different...so I said..OK, I'll decide...and we agreed on a one week trip and set dates. One month before the trip, I told my wife and two kids that we were going to Disney...nothing more. I did clarify that it was not Disney World (Florida). Everyone assumed the west coast. At that time we still had our kids passports and all were valid. They did not know where we were going until we arrived at JFK and approached the check in counter for Tokyo. I had found a special offered by American Airlines for $345 a person round trip from NY to Tokyo. BTW, we never actually went to Disney in Tokyo....and the trip cost far less than if we really had gone to Disney in LA.

[tdl3boys]

Yes, we are on the April 2 sailing. We are driving (from Atlanta) on Sunday and staying near Jensen Beach, a couple of hours from Miami. I am hoping that the kids will like the fun factory. I certainly want to spend some good quality time with them but it will be nice to have a little break if they do enjoy it.

[drarill]

We couldn't wait til our summer cruise, so booked a last minute spring break cruise on Millie. I am kind of excited about seeing her before solsticization, since we will be on the solsticized Infinity this summer.

 

Dh and I are gleefully conspiring to surprise the kids, but the question is, how do we break the exciting news to them? They are 12, 8 and 5 and have never cruised before.

 

I will secretly pack during the week while the kids are at school and we will leave Saturday to drive down to FL..Ship sails Monday.

 

I could tell them after school Friday, or just wake them up Saturday and tell them we are going. Or we could even possibly just tell them we are going to Florida and keep the secret til almost time to board, though that would be hard with all the time together in the car.

 

I am thinking the 12 year old might like more advance notice to pack his reading material, etc. he is a BIG reader. maybe we need to tell him before the other two.

 

Any thoughts on how to break the good news to them?

 

So excited! !!!

Is the 12 y/o in Facebook??? Posting a picture of the cruise documents on his wall is a great and "modern" way to let him know. :)

[debandbruce]

Great thing about the Port of Miami is you can drive in and alongside the ships without showing any paperwork. At Port Everglades you have to show your express passes. Driving over the bridge in Miami to see the ships is great, seeing them all lined up there is so exciting.

[ahoymatey1]

take them on a disney ship...leave the celebrity ships for the adults...

[Lois R]

take them on a disney ship...leave the celebrity ships for the adults...

 

Ouch:(:eek::rolleyes:

[Dizney]

We couldn't wait til our summer cruise, so booked a last minute spring break cruise on Millie. I am kind of excited about seeing her before solsticization, since we will be on the solsticized Infinity this summer.

 

Dh and I are gleefully conspiring to surprise the kids, but the question is, how do we break the exciting news to them? They are 12, 8 and 5 and have never cruised before.

 

I will secretly pack during the week while the kids are at school and we will leave Saturday to drive down to FL..Ship sails Monday.

 

I could tell them after school Friday, or just wake them up Saturday and tell them we are going. Or we could even possibly just tell them we are going to Florida and keep the secret til almost time to board, though that would be hard with all the time together in the car.

 

I am thinking the 12 year old might like more advance notice to pack his reading material, etc. he is a BIG reader. maybe we need to tell him before the other two.

 

Any thoughts on how to break the good news to them?

 

So excited! !!!

 

You set sail on Infinity on my birthday! :D You will love her. Amazing ship!

[Dizney]

One year our kids thought that we were driving to Miami for one of our quick weekend getaways. After checking into the hotel, we drove over the bridge into the Port of Miami just to look at the ships. The next morning we pulled into the Port of Miami again, we were oohing and awing at the ships, and the kids didn't know that we were going on a cruise until the porters started taking our luggage out of the car. We fool them all the time. We usually drive down to Florida for cruises, but we have them fooled again for next weekends cruise, they will not know that we are flying down until we pull into the airport.

 

Gee...You'd think they'd catch on if you do it all the time. :p

Gotta love the innocence of kids. :)

[gelo7]

Gee...You'd think they'd catch on if you do it all the time. :p

Gotta love the innocence of kids. :)

We only fooled them once for the cruise, but several times over the years, we have pulled into Disney, Universal Studios etc , with them not knowing. We have several conferences to attend and we love running down to the beach. So, we are able to keep them off balance. It has become a game that we have become good at and enjoy surprising them.

[Dizney]

We only fooled them once for the cruise, but several times over the years, we have pulled into Disney, Universal Studios etc , with them not knowing. We have several conferences to attend and we love running down to the beach. So, we are able to keep them off balance. It has become a game that we have become good at and enjoy surprising them.

 

Very lucky kids. :-)

 

 

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[miched]

.

 

Tell them that you are all going away for a cruise. On the day that you are leaving drop them off at the grandparents. That will be a big surprise. You didn't lie. You said that you are all going away for a cruise but you didn't say that they were going on it with you. They are going away. :D

 

 

.

[Dizney]

.

 

Tell them that you are all going away for a cruise. On the day that you are leaving drop them off at the grandparents. That will be a big surprise. You didn't lie. You said that you are all going away for a cruise but you didn't say that they were going on it with you. They are going away. :D

 

 

.

 

That's cruel!

 

 

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[Fixit2010]

Tell them you are going on a Cruise, however to pay for it, the kids have to swab the decks... oh and they have run out of ice cream.