How to convince friend to cruise with us

[shorbr]

This couple really wants to go, but the wife is afraid of flying. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks so much!

[spookwife]

other than picking a cruise that departs at a location you can drive to, you cannot force someone to fly if they don't want to

[Trekker954]

This couple really wants to go, but the wife is afraid of flying. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks so much!

 

Can you give us some more information. Where is she located and where is the cruise leaving from?

 

Amtrak maybe or valium.

[ALSEAU]

If Ft. Lauderdale is to far for them to drive too than the real question is how do I convince my friend to fly? That is a tough one. So you need to convince your friend that the drive is worth going on a cruise. Maybe you can agree to drive with them.

 

Good Luck.

[Moonlitherial]

My MIL is terrified of airplanes. She and my FIL drive everywhere so if it's driveable to the port within a couple of day that might work. I assume if she hates flying so much they're used to driving for vacations.

 

The one thing we've found that will motivate my MIL to fly was my B&SIL moving to England for 3 years. It's amazing what she'll do when you move her grandkids out of reach ;)

[raerom]

Doctor’s prescription for anxiety medication. I had a really nervous passenger on my flight last Sunday and I really wish he would have taken medication. He was shaking, praying and I thought he was going to have a full blown panic attack.

[srvdmy4usn]

This couple really wants to go, but the wife is afraid of flying. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks so much!

 

Show them pics of all these....

1994 Carnival Fascination

2001 Carnival Destiny

2005 RCCL Navigator of the Seas

2006 RCCL Adventure of the Seas

2008 RCCL Majesty of the Seas

2009 RCCL Navigator of the Seas

2012 RCCL Explorer of the Seas

 

Then just say "any questions" and book the room! :)

[shorbr]

Can you give us some more information. Where is she located and where is the cruise leaving from?

 

Amtrak maybe or valium.

 

Pittsburgh, PA...flying to Ft Lauderdale. Allure of the Seas in December.

[shorbr]

other than picking a cruise that departs at a location you can drive to, you cannot force someone to fly if they don't want to

 

Thanks, but I know you can't force someone to fly if they don't want to. I was just asking for suggestions on how to 'convince' her.

[Moonlitherial]

Pittsburgh, PA...flying to Ft Lauderdale. Allure of the Seas in December.

 

 

Oh that's easily driveable, only 17 or 18 hours. Allure departs on Sundays so they could leave Pittsburgh Friday morning and have 2 days of driving there and another two driving back. Would cost them an extra 3 vacation days but they'd be able to enjoy the cruise.

[UCF_Knight]

Pittsburgh, PA...flying to Ft Lauderdale. Allure of the Seas in December.

 

Amtrak to DC or Philadelphia. Switch trains to get to Florida.

 

OR

 

Leave in the morning.

Drive to Lorton, VA (4 hours from Pittsburgh)

Take the AutoTrain to Sanford, FL. It is overnight so you can sleep while 800 miles go by.

Arrive in Sanford the next morning.

Drive from Sanford to Fort Lauderdale (about 3.5 hours).

[hazeleyez3]

Because of connections, it takes more than 24 hours to get from Philly or DC to Fort Lauderdale.

 

I don't think there is any convincing to be done. If she really wants to go, she'll find a way.

[JYD Hawkeye]

If you tell your' doctor you are flying, he can issue you a script for Xanax in the amount of 3-6 pills to get you thru the trip.

[travelplus]

There is actually a course you can take that combats the fear of flying. Its given by a former pilot. Sometimes in life we must overcome our fears. When I was young I was afraid of escalators especially from a high level. After awhile I overcame my fears.

 

Luckily I don't have a fear of flying. I must sit next to the window or else I become claustrophobic. I have flown quite a bit both overseas and here in the USA.

 

What I find helps is to arrive to the airport extra early and to even visit the airline lounge. Once onboard the plane find a seat towards the front of the plane.

 

Think about the upcoming cruise and do some yoga. Put on headphones and plug into the Inflight Entertainment system or bring your own MP3s with music or an audio book. Practice deep breathing and think good thoughts.

 

Remember you are more likely to die in a car accident on the way to and from the airport than you are to die onboard a plane.

 

I would much rather fly than to be stuck in a car for 17 or 18 hours. Being stuck in a car is brutal which is why I like to fly or take the train on long trips. You save two extra days by flying and its more economical when you consider paying for a motel in not such a good location plus meals etc.

 

I would rather save the cost driving to stay at a nice hotel when I arrive.

 

For my upcoming cruise out of New Orleans I booked a flight on Southwest for my Father and I with one stop in Las Vegas. With enough time we can visit the airline club and get a few adult beverages and sleep on the plane.

 

I have found that by drinking a glass of red wine on the plane helps. While you hear people saying not to drink alcohol by drinking even a scotch before departure really calms me. I don't want to try valium or sleeping medication.

 

I wish your friend all the best and please reassure your friend that they will have a safe flight and have them try to book a non-stop flight if possible.

 

The end result will be more vacation time at the port. BTW have them arrive at least a night before or two nights before the cruise departs and one night after the cruise arrives so they won't be stressed with rushing to the airport.

[albones456]

Two xanax and a vodka tonic 30 min before boarding. She'll be asleep before your in the air. At least i was....

[BND]

Pittsburgh, PA...flying to Ft Lauderdale. Allure of the Seas in December.

 

I do not like to fly (somewhat scared) so we take the train a lot. We'll be on Allure in Nov and have already bought our Amtrak Auto Train tickets. We'll leave here a 3 days before the cruise and drive to FLL from Sanford. We have only flown to one cruise and that was San Diego on Princess 5+ years ago. We were going to be in SD anyway so added a cruise to it. You cannot "make" anyone fly. If that were the case, then they could "make" you drive. I love the train and DH does it for me because he knows it makes me comfortable. I've flown at least 15 times over the last 30 years (overseas and domestically), but I still don't like it. I even understand how safe it is, etc but that doesn't make me want to do it. We're taking the Amtrak Acela to NJ for our March cruise. We've done that everytime we've cruised out of NJ/NY. Baltimore is an easy drive.

[Kesstral]

Doctor’s prescription for anxiety medication. I had a really nervous passenger on my flight last Sunday and I really wish he would have taken medication. He was shaking, praying and I thought he was going to have a full blown panic attack.

 

That sounds like me almost!

 

I have to take 4 planes next October to get from Vancouver, BC to the Allure and back. I am planning a Dr's trip for something to help. Last time I flew with hubby to see his family in Los Angeles I almost broke his hand.

[setsail]

Print all the info from the rci website, adding any cost you think are important, print the air line info off also.

 

Hand it to your friends and tell them you are booking and would love to have you along, call us with any questions.

[Mimajo]

Fear of flying is tough. We are going on Allure in August and my SIL is really aftraid of flying. Maybe because he is a young man he feels he has to tough it out.

 

But the thought of 14-15 hours in a car with his 21 month old and 11 yr old daughters, I think, scares him more.

 

We will be doing our best to calm him, don't know if he will need meds.

 

The train is a good idea for your friend, takes about as much time as driving, I think.

 

Hope it works out.

[raerom]

Two xanax and a vodka tonic 30 min before boarding. She'll be asleep before your in the air. At least i was....

 

Never mix prescription meds with alcohol.:eek:

[powelweb]

I don't like to fly but I love to cruise and I don't drink so I do take an anxiety pill from the doctor when I need to fly.

 

I know the stats, and I think for me its just a lack of control thing since I'm not the one flying the plane, and I just feel better once we land safely.

 

Having our wills and trust in place helped, and I do feel better when we travel as a family then flying without my family for a girls weekend or business trip.

 

Our last cruise was to Alaska, so that involved pretty much 11 hours of flying to get from Boston to Anchorage, and then 8 hours from Seattle back to Boston for the return trip, but totally worth it.

 

Maybe try a cruise out of NY/NJ or MD and save Allure for when she is hooked on cruising, and knows what her reward will be at the end of the flight.

 

Good Luck

[tneah]

Amtrak to DC or Philadelphia. Switch trains to get to Florida.

 

OR

 

Leave in the morning.

Drive to Lorton, VA (4 hours from Pittsburgh)

Take the AutoTrain to Sanford, FL. It is overnight so you can sleep while 800 miles go by.

Arrive in Sanford the next morning.

Drive from Sanford to Fort Lauderdale (about 3.5 hours).

 

I was going to suggest this, too.

[Trekker954]

Amtrak to DC or Philadelphia. Switch trains to get to Florida.

 

OR

 

Leave in the morning.

Drive to Lorton, VA (4 hours from Pittsburgh)

Take the AutoTrain to Sanford, FL. It is overnight so you can sleep while 800 miles go by.

Arrive in Sanford the next morning.

Drive from Sanford to Fort Lauderdale (about 3.5 hours).

 

I vote for the auto train as well. I always get a sleeper car. They are these cute little pods. Its like the beginning of your vacation. I love trains also. You board around 3:30, put your things away. If you get the sleeper car, its a private area for just you. When you pull away from the station, head up to the complimentary wine and cheese party. You will also have a first class sit down dinner with wine. Return to your car, or go watch a first run movie in the movie car. You would have told your attendant when to prepare your bed. I take an ambien, read a book or watch a movie on my ipad and fall asleep. Its sort of shaky but can rock you to sleep also. You wake up around 7, go up to the dome car for breakfast, shower and you are there. Sanford is about 3 1/2 hrs from Port Everglades. They will unload your car somewhere between 9 and 10.

 

That is definetly how to convince her. I love it.

[cathep]

Book a cruise that is driving distance for her. Baltimore maybe to Bermuda? We changed our cruise from Port Canaveral on FoS to New Orleans on NoS so my friend could go with us. It allowed us to see things I had originally overlooked (outside of how much fun she is to travel with) when I thought I had the "perfect" cruise on FoS:

-We'll get to cruise down the Mississippi which I've always wanted to do.

-We can afford a suite since she's going and bumps our total to 5 in a room - with all that goes with a suite.

-We can stay with her overnight cutting out a hotel room the night before the cruise.

 

Start looking for cruises that will work for all of you instead of just trying to convince her that what you want to do is best for her. You'd be surprised what you might find.

[maureencruiser]

I vote for the auto train as well. I always get a sleeper car. They are these cute little pods. Its like the beginning of your vacation. I love trains also. You board around 3:30, put your things away. If you get the sleeper car, its a private area for just you. When you pull away from the station, head up to the complimentary wine and cheese party. You will also have a first class sit down dinner with wine. Return to your car, or go watch a first run movie in the movie car. You would have told your attendant when to prepare your bed. I take an ambien, read a book or watch a movie on my ipad and fall asleep. Its sort of shaky but can rock you to sleep also. You wake up around 7, go up to the dome car for breakfast, shower and you are there. Sanford is about 3 1/2 hrs from Port Everglades. They will unload your car somewhere between 9 and 10.

 

That is definetly how to convince her. I love it.

I might try this on my next cruise, I live in VA - I have seen very good reviews of this - it sure is expensive, though!:eek: I can fly from Roanoke to Sanford in an hour and a half for $39 on Allegiant!:p