Is Cruising A Stressful Vacation?

[printingchick]

I've never thought of cruising as stressful, but reading the responses here, I can see how it might be for two people with very different approaches.

 

I'm a planner. My cruise is still almost 8 months away and I've already booked two of the five excursions. I booked the hotel over a year in advance. I have more than one spreadsheet and countless notes from research I've done. I like to try to get the MOST out of my cruise by researching the ports of call and planning everything in advance.

 

However, if I were a go-with-the-flow person, I could still enjoy cruising. It's really perfect for people who don't WANT to have to put in the effort that I do (and enjoy doing!) pre-cruise. Other than having to watch the clock to be back on board on time, you really could just walk off the ship and book an excursion on the spot. Opportunities are plentiful. Lots of folks do just that.

 

Not having a plan would totally stress me out. My over-planning would most certainly be stressful to a go-with-the-flow traveler. Trying to mesh those two styles could be stressful. Cruising itself? Not stressful.

[printingchick]

Well, if it was me and I was the old hat at cruising and I wanted to make sure he had a good time, First off I'd do anytime dining so he can eat whenever he wants. Then I'd ask him to just educate himself with the ports ad once we get on land, I'll follow along and do what you want. Make the vacation as fun for him as you can. If he enjoys it, he'll return and then you can add more structure to the vacation. Don't try and tie him down on this one, you may end up shooting yourself in the foot.

 

My next cruise is with a first time cruiser who isn't sure he'll enjoy cruising. Fortunately, he's also more of a planner, although perhaps not to my level. ;)

 

Yes, we're all over the MyTime dining option. I see lots of folks recommended that.

 

I understand your desire to plan in advance, hoping to INSURE a good time for your boyfriend so he'll enjoy the experience. I feel some of that same pressure. While I'm letting HIM choose excursions, I AM pushing the time-table for that planning, perhaps a bit beyond his comfort level. (Did I mention our cruise is still 8 months away??)

 

It's a little scary introducing someone you care about to an activity that's important to you, that you hope to be able to enjoy together in the future.

 

Maybe have some options in back of mind, so that when you step off the ship and he says, "So...what should we do?" you can feed him a list of already researched possibilities. You certainly don't want to waste time standing on the dock saying, "I don't know. What do you want to do?"

:D

[Warm Breezes]

I have cruised probably 15 times, and I absolutely love it. My boyfriend will be cruising with me in a few weeks, and it will be his first cruise. He's worried that the vacation will just be stressful because he has to "worry about where to be at what time." He says, "I just do things whenever I feels like it. If I wanna go to the beach, I'll go to the beach. If I wanna do blah blah at blah blah time, I'll do blah blah at blah blah time." I tried explaining to him that I enjoy knowing what I am doing so that I don't have to think about it, and I don't have to make plans. To me, THAT is the stressful part! And I also tried telling him the only things that he'll need to follow a schedule for is dinner and excursions. But he is set in his thinking. Besides leaving him at home, anyone have any suggestions to help!? If there's anything I've learned from cruising, it's that cruising is what you make of it, so if he goes in with a bad attitude, he will no-doubt have a miserable time. :confused:

It will be as stressful as he makes it. If he doesn't want to plan anything, then don't. If there is something you really want to do then plan it. Only you are in charge of what you do or don't do.

[HeatherC430]

I also tried telling him the only things that he'll need to follow a schedule for is dinner and excursions.

 

What about booking anytime dining so that you don't have to dine at a set time each night? That knocks his schedule down to only one item when in port (excursions).

 

Try to keep a positive attitude. Hopefully he goes & has a great time...and can continue to be your boyfriend! lol ;)

[dorisis]

Real life is stressful. Cruising isn't anything like real life for passengers.

[lizzies_mom]

Most stressful part is getting to the embarkation port and hoping the checked bag makes it as well. Once we and our luggage are on the ship, it's relaxation time.

[bluejay555]

As for those of you who suggested this heinous idea that "cruising isn't for everyone," I would hate to need to find boyfriend! (just kidding:p... sort of haha)

 

 

I totally understand!!! My husband of 13 yrs, who has been on 4 cruises with me, admitted recently that he hates cruising :( I couldn't even wrap my head around that statement!!! I was DYING to take my kids on a cruise this summer, so he told me to go ahead without him and take my mom instead. OK, fine, that's exactly what I'll do, but I can't imagine living the rest of my life with him not wanting to cruise. Waaaaa!!!!!! So anyway....I have a point:cool: Make sure he loves this cruise, girl. Pull out all the stops!

[Mom2B&Z]

If the OP's bf has only been in land based cruises at all inclusive resorts, then yes, cruising can be seen as much more stressful. At an AI, you can decide whether you want to spur of the moment leave the resort and go ride a jeep in the jungle...not so much on a cruise. It is much more structured and has many more deadlines than an AI, where you just have to show up at the lobby on the last day at the designated time :). Honestly, I was stressed out our whole Disney cruise over getting everyone to dinner on time :confused: It's just not for me.

Don't get me wrong, we love cruising, but it is very different than land based trips and definitely not for everyone. If I were the OP, I would try very hard not to overwhelm bf with details. Just tell him you'll take care of transportation to the port, overnight accommodations near port, transfer to port (if needed) and arrangements to get home. I'd mention a few options for each port, but that's it. I wouldn't even bring up things on board, like what is in the whatever-Carnival-calls their-daily-events-calendar. Once on board, casually mention it as an option. If I ever asked my DH to highlight options and look for common interests, that would be the end of our cruising career lol! Go with the flow, and definitely with the attitude that if you miss something, it isn't the end of the world. You never know, he may love it ;)

[waterbabe40]

We think the only stressful part of a cruise is disembarking, hunting for your luggage among masses of luggage. Rest is easy.:) I pre plan all our tours so we know when and where we want to be, otherwise onboard, we do what we feel like at the time.

 

That is why we walk off WITH our luggage. Plan on doing so until I am unable or they change the policy again.