Surprise Her Before the Trip or on the Day of Departure?

[megr1125]

About 3 years ago I surprised mom with a trip to Aruba. In the car. On the way to the hotel by the airport. I had dropped her off at the hairdresser, raced home and packed.

 

Like 15 miles from PHL she said, uh where are we going? Made me turn around and go home so she could repack. Had a blast once we got there. But she made me promise not to do that with no notice again.

 

2 years ago, I booked the AOS. Put lots of little stickers (a plane, ships, drinks, etc) on the calendar. She noticed like 5 days before. Said I promised not to do that again. I said I didn't, you have 5 days.

 

Last Oct for NOS I told the TA to have the docs sent to her. Well, RCCL screwed up and sent them home. She wanted to know what I got from UPS. She didn;t figure out that the letters R.C.I. meant Royal Caribbean.

 

I asked is 30 days notice enough. She was all excited and said yippee! Sure, I can be ready. Especially since it was free.

 

 

I would tell your mom.....maybe make a little puzzle, or get a little toy ship and wrap it up...or something like that.

 

I think for Bermuda which is a surprise, I am getting a chocolate ship and putting it in an Easter basket with the docs or something. That is if the docs are ready by then. If not, well then it will just be a ship and she can be surprised that when we go up to Newark to stay the night before, we aren't getting on a plane as usual, but we are getting on a boat.

 

Have fun. Surprises are great.........but women like to know what to pack!

[prophotogirl]

My Dad surprised my Mom for the first cruise. They were at the airport checking their bags when the porter said "Oh y'all going on a cruise?". At that point dad had to spill the beans.

[beachnative]

What a wonderful gift you are giving her!!

 

Consider having her over for dinner after the travel docs have arrived. Gather literature from the cruise line, ports of call, etc. and have it in a nice travel bag. You'll have the best of both worlds...a surprise and time to share your planning.

 

I had a wonderful aunt who did this for 10 of us for our first family cruise...she called us together and handed us each a travel bag with the docs. We had enough time to make all the necessary arrangements for business, school, etc. AND allowed us the time to get excited and plan together. Looking through the literature together and planning excursions is a huge part of our memories.

 

Although she is no longer with us but we carry her in our heart on every vacation. Now, on every cruise we take we always stand at the aft and toast her as the ship breaks into the ocean.

[Druke I]

Like many others, I think anticipation is a large part of the fun.

 

Were it my mother, I know I would tell her - I wouldn't want to have her mad at me yet again.

[BarbaraM]

I'd like to see a survey on women vs men on this one!!

 

I would suspect most women out here would rather the surprise be in the telling.

 

I sure would never want anyone packing for me -- I love getting ready for trips -- and ditto ditto -- the fun is in the anticipation! Plus arrangements for the home, bills that might need to be paid, someone to cat sit, etc. -- plus being out of touch for 7 days, so phone calls are a little hard. Maybe she's taking meds that need to be filled, there is just way too much stuff --to think you can whisk someone away, no matter how cool that sounds, without the fun being spoiled by that person being worried.

 

I would also do the "surprise" before final payment just in case -- you never know, cruises don't appeal to everyone.

[prophotogirl]

In my story my dad told my mom about what to pack. She knew she was going somewhere warmer but didn't know where. They went for their 20th Anniversary (that was 13 years ago) and that's in thelast part of November. So when he said warmer temp clothes she knew what to pack but still didn't know where they were going.

[hillslife]

The family took my father in law on a cruise when he turned 75. We told him to bring his passport, bathing suit, 2 formal outfits and casual beachy clothes and that is all he knew. We had him picked up in a 'boat car' at a specified time and he had no idea where he was going. The whole family was waiting for him at the port.....he was so surprized when he arrive pier side for his family getaway. Maybe it would be different for a female, but he talked about the cruise surprize for years....:p

[sfvoyager]

Until yesterday, all I told my mom was that we were going to London for 3 weeks which immediately aroused her disbelief as she couldn't see why we would ONLY go to London for such a long time.

 

I had been planning this trip for months, and really missed going over the details with her and sharing in the anticipation. Truthfully, it was driving me nuts.

 

Yesterday, I invited her for dinner, and had dreadful pics online of some very industrial areas, and pictures of ugly busses, and non descript ruins- all things she would absolutely hate. I spun a tale of how we would see these things as well as visit agricultural sites. She looked at me like- You idiot!

 

Then, I slowly unveiled the real itinerary, and showed her pictures of the Golden Princess, and she went nuts! She has been torturing all her friends today letting them know what she was about to do. And now she wants to go to Borders Book Store with me to learn more about the ports before we pick our excursion.

 

So, while I am kind of sad that I lost the surprise element, I am really enjoying the pleasure she is now getting out of the anticipation and in the planning. I still have a few tricks up my sleeve with limos, balconies, balcony dinners, etc.

 

I don't think there is a wrong answer to this question, as long as you know the person you are doing this for, or getting wonderful advice from a lovely community of posters such as all of you who replied.

 

I personally love getting surprised, but the logistics of packing correctly and issues such as medication and other business really has to be handled well for a long trip so it could easily go awry.

 

I also want to thank everyone for the thoughtful comments about doing this for my mom. She and I are pals, and always loved travelling together. It is great fun for me to do this.

[jdm]

I can imagine how thrilled your mother is. I sure would be. Her vacation just got extended by letting her "plan" and "dream" about your upcoming adventure.

 

Although I LOVED my husband surprising me with a cruise, as I mentioned, I think in your case it would have been a little more complicated.

 

Enjoy your trip