Surprising the kids

[pyroguy]

My wife, myself, her family and some friends are all taking the Splendor on a MR cruise this summer.

 

We have 3 kids, 10b, 8g and 4b. We took them on the Valor Western route in 2009. Since then my wife and I have taken a cruise by ourselves, much to their disappointment.

 

The kids don't know we are taking them on the Splendor this summer. They just know we are taking a "California vacation".

 

Compounding their frustration, we just told them we booked another "mom and dad only" Western cruise next fall. Our 10yo frustratingly said "are you kidding me? Am I ever going to get to cruise again?"

 

I'm looking for fun ways to surprise them, any ideas will be appreciated. Of course, i will post video here of the surprise reaction in my review after its done.

 

My thought was to tell them we are going to see an old roommate of mine...taking and getting video of them seeing the ship....the getting off and

Lulling luggage...seeing how long it takes them to ask "are we going on a cruise?"

 

I'm not really familiar with the port or facilities in LA...any ideas or tips will be welcomed.

[JustUs2Finally]

I can't wait to do this with my kids!!! They are 5, we just haven't taken them on a cruise yet.

 

I would just have them pack for the CA vacation and since family is in on it have them play along with 'helping you and mom on the ship' and then spring it on them. Even better if you can get their stuff for the cruise in your luggage so they really aren't carrying anything.

 

I'm really looking forward to video of this! What a great vacation/surprise for the kiddos!

[cvpends]

How fun, I can't wait to see their reaction! Your kids will LOVE the Splendor! Have you thought of also going to Disneyland while in Southern California?

[Jimd66]

I booked a cruise for my wife’s birthday in November I made a puzzle with the Ecstasy, ports, and the date. I will give it to her on Thanksgiving and we have to leave the next day to go to my dad’s in Florida then the next morning drive to port Canaveral.

 

http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/...1/IMG_0400.jpg

[Quilting_Cruiser]

How fun! My DD loves cruising but I never surprised her with one; she was always included in the planning. But, now that she's older maybe I'll surprise her with one while she's on break from college. :D

 

Are you thinking you want to surprise them the day you get on the ship? They'll know once you check them in, but the luggage is the hard part--if you're spending the night near the port the night before, you could take them over to check-in without the luggage and then go get it later.

 

What about creating some kind of game to play with them a day or two before and when they solve it, they learn about the cruise. I don't know, there are so many options!

 

Let us know what you decide.

 

:D

[helicopter]

If their luggage will be in the car when you pull up to unload, get yours out and then you can say "well, are you going to get your bags?"

[cruzzette]

My DS(11) and I will be going on our first cruise on Destiny. So far he has no clue we are going, I want to surpise him as well. I cant wait to see the look on his face.

 

I will be checking in here for some ideas as well.

[Beverley792]

We are taking our kiddies on the Liberty in August for our son's 8th birthday. They have no clue we are going. We are going to tell them the night before we leave. I am planning on telling them they need to go to bed at 7pm (DD is 11 and DS is 7) since we have to get up early the next morning. We are flying from Rochester, so we need to leave at midnight to drive down. Then when they ask why, we are going to tell them-and of course record it! Only 108 more days!!!:D

[MzOhioLady]

Tell the kids since you booked a Mom & Dad Only cruise for next fall, that for being such good sports about it, you're taking them to Disney Land while you're in Cali. When they get to the park they'll have so much fun that they'll actually be okay with "not going on a cruise". Then when you all pull up to the Splendor and get out to take the pictures, spring it on them at that time "Thats they ship WE'RE ALL GOING ON" and see how they light up with excitment. So they'll actually have 2 vacations instead of just 1.

[Bookbug53]

We (along with DD) are surprising the two grandkids this June. They think we are taking a trip to Boston and are excited about that. We keep talking about going out to dinner, swimming, maybe seeing a show, etc. Of course they have no idea that it is all tied in with a cruise. We did the same thing 2 years ago when we went to Disney and did not tell them we were going to also spend 3 days on a ship. We simply told them we were changing hotels to be near the beach. My granddaughter just about fainted when she realized we were checking in for a cruise. This year we have ordered shirts for them from Funtees with their names, the Carnival Glory name and the date on them. That is what they will be given to wear the day we leave. Wonder how long it will take them to realize what the shirt says? They will be so excited about leaving for Boston it may take awhile. They also do not know their cousin is getting picked up on the way to Boston! The squeals you hear the morning of June 23rd will be coming from them! :p

[Bookbug53]

dupilcate :o

[my3boysmom]

Can you pretend you are taking them to the port to see the ship you and your wife will be on in the fall. Draw it out. Point out how big it is and the ammenities it has (especially the ones THEY will like). Then when they are fully disgusted with you rubbing it in their face say, Oh what the heck! Let's just all go now and pull up to unload.

[mcfam5]

We always want to do this for our kids to, but I am horrible at keeping fun secrets! LOL :D

[Maticus22]

We are surprising our son and his friend this Sunday. They know we are going on a cruise, but they think we have a inside room, when infact we have a balcony :D

[krogers2063]

I just booked last week on a surprise cruise 2013 for my daughter who will be graduating high school next year. I was looking for ways to surprise her and I found this thread and it had some really great ideas. I really enjoyed the idea of the scrap book since I was already planning on making her one for graduation. I just hope I can keep the surprise for that long. The hard part is going to be is her dad lives in St Thomas and she had asked him if she and some friends could come to visit over spring break but little does she know that is when I booked our trip. She is going to be so disappointed when he gives her some lame excuse why she cant come to visit. I hope her surprise makes up for the disappointment.....I AM SURE IT WILL!!!! :D

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1617292

[BananaAnna]

Can you pretend you are taking them to the port to see the ship you and your wife will be on in the fall. Draw it out. Point out how big it is and the ammenities it has (especially the ones THEY will like). Then when they are fully disgusted with you rubbing it in their face say, Oh what the heck! Let's just all go now and pull up to unload.

 

this is my favorite!

[pyroguy]

Can you pretend you are taking them to the port to see the ship you and your wife will be on in the fall. Draw it out. Point out how big it is and the ammenities it has (especially the ones THEY will like). Then when they are fully disgusted with you rubbing it in their face say, Oh what the heck! Let's just all go now and pull up to unload.

 

I really like that idea!

 

Are there tours on the queen Mary? Maybe pretend we are going there...then drop the bombshell.

 

All the relatives are on board...will have several cameras going...which is why we need a back story so we can be videoing something else. My 10yo is pretty clever...and I don't want him figuring it out too soon.

 

Our flight gets in mid afternoon the previous day, don't know about Disney.

[MichelleChell]

I had to keep the secret from my kids for 10months! We suprised them at Christmas with a scavenger hunt with things for the trip at each stop. They had to try and guess what it all ment. The last clue was actuall cruise docs.

I like your idea of going to look at another ship and pretending your gona tour it though.

[lovesonny]

My husband & I are doing this in about 3 weeks!! We've been on 10 cruises and are surprising our kids - 10 & 6 with their first one! My brother & his wife live in PA so we are going to their house for Memorial Day weekend and then we're all going to Baltimore for a "few days." My kids are so excited about going to Inner Harbor & the Aquarium in Baltimore. Little do they know that on Sunday morning we're going to drive to the Port to board the Pride for a 7-day cruise! We are definately videotaping their reaction - can't wait!!:)

[PapaJoe71]

My wife and I are doing something similar with our kids 16b 15g 11g and 2 28 month old boys but our trip is in Feb. our plan is to by and extra bating suit, suntan lotion, sunglasses, flip-flops and such, wrap them and give them as charismas gifts then later in the day have them check out a new video on u-tube that my wife and I will make with all the gifts they just got and pop it on them that we are going on the trip. :cool:

[my3boysmom]

You are all so clever! Be sure to post all your stories and videos!

[Paul's_wife]

I surprised my husband for our 25th anniversary and adults are much harder to surprise than kids. I arranged everything including his time off from work. His brother and his date, our daughter and her husband and another couple were coming. I had everything packed and got up before him in the morning and wrote in shaving cream on the bathroom mirror,

"Let's make a FANTASY come true". He came back in the room with a

puzzled look and said he had to go to work. I had him call a co-worker who told him he had some time off. We went to the dining room for a mimosa and his brother showed up. Now he was getting nervous! Then our daughter showed up but she couldn't get on our flight so we just told him she was coming to Boston with us. When we got to Boston we met up with the other couple. He kept hounding me trying to find out where we were going and what was going on. At the airport all he knew was we were going to Florida with our friends. The first time he realized what was going on was when we got to Florida and were greeted by the Carnival rep. The surprise was complete when we got on the ship and our daughter and her husband strolled up to us!!! It was fantastic and we still talk about that trip!!!

[mbclaw13]

we are doing the same things for the kids one is graduating HS and the other turns 16 in June they think we are driving to CA to take a plane to Washington for our trip.

 

dont put the luggage tabs on until you go we are staying at a hotel with a shuttle so before we leave i am going to switch their clothes and at hotel we are gonna put the tags on the bags and they wont have access to them until on the ship other than what they have for the day.

 

when we get to the ship we were going to tell them that thats where we meet for our other trip then we will go through process and board.

 

hope you all have fun!

[jdwmaw]

We are surprising our 7 and 9 yo boys this June, they have never been on a cruise. I think i will tell them we are going to the beach since we are getting to Cocoa Beach the day before, it will be an easy story to pull off. And, then I am thinking of taking them to the terminal in the morning and telling them we are just going to look at the big ships since we have never seen one, etc. Would love to string them along with a "maybe they'll let us take a tour" kind of thing but since we have to check in luggage I'm not sure how to pull that off. This thread will be on my radar!

 

We surprised them with a trip to Disney in January and it was so much fun. We have a Disney jar at home and have been putting change in it for about a year or so. Trying to help them understand we have to save for the things we really want. One day I said "let's count the money in the Disney jar", which we did and then we rolled it in coin wrappers, and I took them to the bank and had them give us $20 & $10's, etc. Of course, they asked if we had enough to go to Disney, I said I thought we did (they didn't question how we were going to Disney on $115, so much for understanding the value of money!). My 7 yo asked us that day, and about everyday after, "are we going to Disney today?". On the day were were leaving, before they went to school, I told them I was going to pick them up from school early so that we could go to a doctor's appointment. When we picked them up we had the car full of balloons and when they got in, there was a Disney decorated journal sitting in each of their seats - and I had written on the first page - You Are Going to Disney TODAY!! I have never seen such happy, screaming kids!

[1love]

So many great ideas on here. I will be surprising my DD 10 yo and DN 16 yo for our Thanksgiving family cruise. It will be very easy to surprise my DD but my niece on the other hand will be quite a challenge. My brother and her mom will be taking her to get her passport soon so I don't know what excuse we can come up with for that :cool: Anyway, even if we have to tell my DN it still will be GREAT to see my DD reaction when we get to the NO port and she see this HUGE ship!!!