Thoughts on proposing mid cruise?

[jkgourmet]

I didn't read through all the responses (yet), but I'll add my own personal story.

 

I went on a cruise with my boyfriend. One night we were listening to some music in one of the lounges over cocktails, and the band took a break. He got down on one knee in the middle of the room and proposed. The room became silent, except for the whispered "ooh how sweet" and "isn't that lovely" leaving me looking very embarrassed as I smilingly and sweetly replied "Umm, can we discuss this later, please?" For reasons I've never understood, he jumped up and gave me a big kiss, and the room exploded with applause.

 

Obviously, it was awkward in our tiny inside cabin. And word got round the ship. I spent the rest of the week long cruise trying to hide from the passengers who kept trying to congratulate me.

 

Another thought: Some women really like to be able to revisit the place where they got engaged. If she's a romantic, she might regret not being able to do that year after year after year.

[CaroleSS]

snip

 

Then go shopping with her in the duty free shops in the Caribbean and let her pick out her own ring.

 

snip

 

 

PLEASE, whatever you do.....do NOT buy your ring in the Caribbean!!! The 'great deals' went away with the internet.....what if you need the ring to be sized, what if you buy a $1000 ring for $5000, what if it is fake?? Would you be prepared to go back to get it fixed???

 

Bad....BAD idea!!!

[CaroleSS]

Thank you for all the helpful advice (except that one commenter...I'd rather get married then be a Dook fan!)

Would agree, that was pretty mean......no more cruises for him!

 

I have a ring picked out already (we've discussed what she wants so it is going to be perfect) and to calm everyone's nerves it is a guaranteed yes so we can stop talking about awkwardness if she says no. Trust me on this one!

 

I think the most helpful advice has been ring transportation which I really appreciate!

 

FYI, gold does NOT set of the metal detectors. If you have it in a box, it will set off the alarm, sooo how about tying into your pants pocket (or something similar)? You won't lose it and you can pack the pretty box in your luggage. I'm leaning towards upgrading and doing it privately on the balcony. If you have any ideas geared towards this, I'd love to hear them.

 

Breakfast on the balcony sounds wonderful.....she can sit on the balcony and send out morse code all day!!! :D:D

 

Congratulations! May you always love each other more tomorrow than you did today!!

Edited March 10, 2014 by CaroleSS

[ghstudio]

I still vote for a table for two in Murano.....or perhaps one of the tables against the stern of the ship in the Tuscan Grill. Those tables are far enough apart that you can be alone and both venues are very romantic (murano more so IMHO).

 

However, if you are going to be on the reflection and want to do it in a bit of privacy, but still someplace romantic. Go up to the lawn deck as the sun is setting....buy some drinks at the bar and take off your shoes to walk on the grass. Then propose in the middle of the lawn. I am sure you can find a waiter who can be waiting around the corner with a bottle of champagne and two glasses :)

[TN Vol Fan]

DS proposed up on the lawn after dinner on a formal night. They found a bench up there and it was fairly quiet spot. Made a very memorable event.

I honestly do not think the line would give you any cabin upgrades- they have too many people celebrating something every cruise. You can purchase a romance package with bubbly, chocolate strawberries and rose petals on the bed. Very romantic coming back after she says yes.

[tutuwahineLV]

Thank you for all the helpful advice (except that one commenter...I'd rather get married then be a Dook fan!)

 

I have a ring picked out already (we've discussed what she wants so it is going to be perfect) and to calm everyone's nerves it is a guaranteed yes so we can stop talking about awkwardness if she says no. Trust me on this one!

 

I think the most helpful advice has been ring transportation which I really appreciate! I'm leaning towards upgrading and doing it privately on the balcony. If you have any ideas geared towards this, I'd love to hear them.

 

sunset! my friend, sunset. especially if you have a balcony. make a production of 'sundowner' drinks being a must.. then, maybe as previously suggested, on the fromal evening, after you've both gotten ready for dinner, during the sundowner moment. ;)

And the photos taken will reflect your happiness...

[2ashevillesailors]

Hi All,

 

First time poster here. I will be on my first cruise in early April aboard the Celebrity Reflection. I'm toying with the idea of proposing mid cruise but have not made up my mind. This is a thought I just had recently with as I know it will catch my girlfriend completely off guard.

 

Does any one have tips, advice, ideas, on the subject? I would really appreciate general advice but here are a few specific questions as well: How to travel with the ring? Best place to propose? (Thinking about upgrading to a balcony) Will celebrity assist either by staffing help or free upgades/goodies?

 

Thank you very much in advance.

 

Get a balcony; carry the ring on your body for the trip or carry on luggage, keep it at your feet, not above in the luggage bin. Or get one of the nylon small zip bags that hang around your neck under your shirt that you carry cash in, ge at a luggage store or online. We have used one a lot lately as we needed US dollars to pay for tours in Argentina. Go to Michaels craft store or maybe Pier One and get a small candle that is battery operated and flickers. Get a small glass or plastic candle votive holder to put the candle into. Order champagne or wine and maybe strawberries dipped in chocolate. Have them put onto the balcony with the battery candle on. Can't use real candles. Where are you going to go on your cruise. A friend of my daughters was proposed to in a gondola in Venice, Italy. Good luck, a cruise is definitely a great place to propose, very romantic. There are also small intimate lounges with live music. If you have a favorite song tel them what you are going to do and ask them to play that song at a certain time.

Edited March 10, 2014 by 2ashevillesailors

[rebeccalouiseagain]

A friend of mine was dating a really nice guy. He proposed in front of all their friends in a crowded bar- down on one knee. To avoid embarrassment she said "yes"- only to pull him aside later to tell him the truth- "No".

 

I said "No" also to someone and it was embarrassing enough that he had to take back the ring and I'm sure he thought I would say yes. We had been dating for several years at the time.

 

So as long as the fiance in waiting has discussed marriage enthusiastically- I agree with others that it isn't really the best place to propose because it could be really awkward if the answer isn't a resounding "yes". There is no escape.

Edited March 10, 2014 by rebeccalouiseagain

[CruisingGatorGirl]

Do it!!! My then boyfriend (now husband) proposed on our Europe trip!

 

He carried that ring on an international flight, 12 day med cruise, and finally proposed in Paris! We went to Paris after the cruise. My only advice would be to do it in a private area. I think most don't like all that attention proposing in a very public place brings. If you look in my signature you can see my trip review that he proposed on :)

 

To keep the ring safe on the cruise- he couldn't put it in the safe because I was constantly going in the safe. So he put it in his backpack, then in the suitcase and slid it under the bed! I had no idea! He said he felt comfortable with it there.

 

Oh and for the flights. He kept the ring in his pocket :) So bring the ring! She is going to be so excited and will not want to wait until home to start wearing it. The ring was either on him (in his pocket) or safe in the cabin.

 

I felt safe wearing the ring in Europe. We also went on our honeymoon on Celebrity to the Caribbean and I wore my ring in SOME ports. We did get insurance before the cruise for our rings.

 

I also vote for dinner in Murano. We ate in Murano one night on our honeymoon, very romantic.

 

If you have any question let me know!

 

here is the link: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1700095

Edited March 10, 2014 by CruisingGatorGirl

[MollyFlyer]

I think the trick to a proposal is to customize it to her tastes -- what are her interests? What are her tastes? Beyond preferring a private proposal (good call, btw -- I always feel like public proposals put undue pressure on the target), what way could you customize it for her? A balcony proposal with champagne is perfectly romantic, but also a little generic -- what about an autographed book by her favorite author, with the ring tied to a ribbon as bookmark?

[rbsmithpaige]

I'm shocked that there are so many people that ended up with a "no". If you don't know what the answer is going to be, how could you go through with asking? Not bad, but interesting, I guess. I don't know that I'd take a leap of faith like that.

 

Some have cited this as the reason for asking at the end of the cruise. I say better to ask at the beginning so that if the answer is no, you have a week to meet someone else. :D

 

Lemons, lemonade, etc. ;)

[babyher]

A friend of mine was dating a really nice guy. He proposed in front of all their friends in a crowded bar- down on one knee. To avoid embarrassment she said "yes"- only to pull him aside later to tell him the truth- "No".

 

I said "No" also to someone and it was embarrassing enough that he had to take back the ring and I'm sure he thought I would say yes. We had been dating for several years at the time.

 

So as long as the fiance in waiting has discussed marriage enthusiastically- I agree with others that it isn't really the best place to propose because it could be really awkward if the answer isn't a resounding "yes". There is no escape.

 

That happened to a co worker of mine . Girl said yes not to embarress him in front of the whole restaurant. But it ended right after that.

 

 

 

Of course no one had a worse experience when proposing than myself............She said YES. :):):) It was down hill after that *LOL*

 

Got luckier the 2nd time around though

[Eleris]

you could enjoy a nice relaxing dinner and go directly to a photo shoot that is set with a back drop of choice and when they have you posed you could drop to one knee and capture the moment forever. The look on her face will be one you want to keep. :D Let's face it, how many people have that moment on film or digital...

[NorthernOntario]

Hi All,

 

First time poster here. I will be on my first cruise in early April aboard the Celebrity Reflection. I'm toying with the idea of proposing mid cruise but have not made up my mind. This is a thought I just had recently with as I know it will catch my girlfriend completely off guard.

 

Does any one have tips, advice, ideas, on the subject? I would really appreciate general advice but here are a few specific questions as well: How to travel with the ring? Best place to propose? (Thinking about upgrading to a balcony) Will celebrity assist either by staffing help or free upgades/goodies?

 

Thank you very much in advance.

 

I am so happy for you! This is exactly how my husband proposed. He took me up onto a stairwell, on the top deck and proposed under the stars, It was amazing. And I was completely taken off guard.

He kept the ring inside the safe in a different container so that I didn't see it. I acutally think he kept it in a bag of some sort, in with his folder of papers.

After dinner one night, we went for a walk and we ended up on the top deck, all alone. He made me stand on one stair in front him (he is 6'5 and I am 5'6...lol) It was fantastic!

I am not sure about the staff assisting. That you might have to ask!

Good luck!

[Johnny Heedless]

Thank you for all the helpful advice (except that one commenter...I'd rather get married then be a Dook fan!)

 

I have a ring picked out already (we've discussed what she wants so it is going to be perfect) and to calm everyone's nerves it is a guaranteed yes so we can stop talking about awkwardness if she says no. Trust me on this one!

 

I think the most helpful advice has been ring transportation which I really appreciate! I'm leaning towards upgrading and doing it privately on the balcony. If you have any ideas geared towards this, I'd love to hear them.

 

I like the balcony idea. I think the complete privacy will make it even more special.

 

Why not have dinner served to you on your balcony one night? And, then pop the question soon after dinner.

 

And, I think the few that are recommending not taking the real ring are nuts. I don't get it, but the ring is very important to women. Don't worry about losing it or getting it stolen; that's why you purchase insurance.

[Raschueler]

I was so excited to see this thread! My boyfriend (now fiancé) proposed to me May 2013 on the Explorer of the Seas. Being a Pinterest addict, I was always showing him cute pictures of a hidden photographer who captures the joy and excitement of an engagement. I just thought it was the best idea in the entire world.

I really love pictures. On our first cruise together, we ended up splurging and buying all of the pictures cause I couldn't decide on just a few. Anyways, for our next cruise I told him we would only get two pictures from the ship. We weren't stopping to pose for as many pictures on our Explorer cruise as not to tempt my picture obsession, but on the first formal night before we went into dinner, my fiancé Matt suggested we get some photos taken as I was coming out of the bathroom. It was a little odd for him to be suggesting taking pictures, but in the moment, I didn't notice.

We went and got our pictures taken. The photographer did the normal "chin up, arm on his chest..." thing, but then "directed" Matt to get on his knee. I WAS SO SHOCKED! I didn't expect this at at all. Matt took over from there while the photographer snapped away. I didn't notice the photographer, I didn't hear the shutters, I didn't notice anyone else. It was just us.

This was so incredible because it was so surprising. I also really love having all of the pictures. Ill post them. The photographers all knew who we were from the photos and people on the ship recognized and congratulated us. It made me feel so special. We ended up buying more than two pictures, but the photographers threw in lots of extra pictures when we bought a package with ten pictures which was really kind of them.

Edited March 11, 2014 by Raschueler
I hit "post" by accident while excitedly typing!

[Raschueler]

I also wanted to say that I am not a person that likes being the center of attention. I don't know how I'm gonna deal with that on our wedding day! Being proposed to in front of a bunch of people didn't bother me one bit though. It actually made it more exciting with all the congratulations we received throughout the cruise. I had random women coming up and asking to see my ring, while their husbands shook Matt's hand congratulating him. Couples would share their marriage advice. It all was so sweet and surprising since I didn't even realize all of those people were around us.

 

 

As for getting the ring on the ship:

 

I'm the trip planner, packer, and organizer. Matt carries the heavy luggage carrying all the clothes we MUST have. He also laughs when he sees how many clothes I never ended up wearing. Anyways! I'm sure something similar goes down in your relationship.

 

When he first proposed to me, the last thing on my mind was how he got the ring on without me noticing it. Not only do I pack everything, but I normally unpack everything as well. This time Matt offered to help me unpack and even hang up clothes! Again, it went unnoticed until after the proposal. I just thought he was being his sweet old self.

 

The way he got it in was in his suit jacket. I always bring a garment bag for his suit and my gowns because I fear them getting lost. Turns out someone's checked garment bag ended up in our room with our room number scribbled on it and no names. :confused: Yikes! We quickly gave it to our attendant, but she didn't really even know what to do with it. Hopefully it made it to its owners. But we had our garment bag with my ring sown into the inside pocket of Matt's suit jacket. He had my mother sew a little jewelry bag into the jacket when he snuck off to my parent's house to ask for their blessing :). He also wouldn't let her see the ring because he wanted me to be able to show her myself.

 

This method worked well because I had no idea it was in there!! He was able to reach right into his pocket and grab the ring.

[Raschueler]

 

 

 

Here are my pictures! Even if you don't want to do something as public as this, I definitely recommend getting pictures taken shortly afterwards! We didn't arrange anything special. We just went to a different background after we finished taking pictures where he proposed to take some portraits.

 

I also have a million pictures of my ring making it's appearances around the ship which was a fun twist to my usual "around the ship" pictures that I take.

 

I'm really excited for you and your soon-to-be fiance and wish you all the happiness in the world.

Edited March 11, 2014 by Raschueler
links

[waterbug123]

One important note regarding the ring. Be sure you carry the paperwork showing where you bought the ring. If she wears a gleaming new engagement ring off the ship, customs may question if the ring was purchased in the Caribbean.

 

Do you have any idea how many people go through customs every day wearing diamond jewelry that they already owned pre-cruise? I would be VERY surprised if a customs agent randomly said, "Hey, that ring... is it new? Did you just buy it?"

[Gonzo70]

Here are my pictures! Even if you don't want to do something as public as this, I definitely recommend getting pictures taken shortly afterwards! We didn't arrange anything special. We just went to a different background after we finished taking pictures where he proposed to take some portraits.

 

I also have a million pictures of my ring making it's appearances around the ship which was a fun twist to my usual "around the ship" pictures that I take.

 

I'm really excited for you and your soon-to-be fiance and wish you all the happiness in the world.

 

Cute pictures. :)

[Raschueler]

Cute pictures. :)

 

Thanks! I am so happy that I have them to look back on.

[rhlaw]

Raschueler, what beautiful memories you have. He is a special man!

[pxy cda]

You could make it a whole day affair, Suggested Plan for the day of formal night:

 

Order breakfast with a bottle of champagne for mimosas on the morning of formal night. You can organize it all with your cabin steward (table cloth, flowers, champagne, breakfast etc). Make sure you have your IPOD primed for the right music.

 

Set up some internet time with the wifi centre so she can email the news home.

 

Book a couples afternoon at the spa (massage, facials, hair, etc - you will need to book this pre-cruise)

 

The glow will continue to formal night (Trust me it took me days to come down). Speak to the Cruise Director to see if you can be reassigned to dine at the captain's table (or if she is more private, book a specialty restaurant).

 

Speak to the ship's photographers to find out if they can unobtrusively help to capture moments throughout the day.

 

Arrange with your cabin Steward to have a bottle of bubbly, rose petals and chocolate covered strawberries to end your night.

 

Whatever you do, you cant do it wrong - she will be so happy and excited and the day will pass very quickly.

[cruiserninja1]

My Mom is an event planner and I've helped her plan some proposals for clients . We've never planned a proposal on a cruise but we have helped grooms to be plan for hotel proposals .

 

Maybe surprise her with a mani/pedi while you set everything up in the cabin . Ask your room steward to make a cute towel animal set up to set the mood . Then order room service ( maybe a cheese or fruit tray) and a bottle of champagne and ask to see if you can get some strawberries to add to the champagne but put the ring at the bottom so she find it when she takes a sip . If it's not a windy day then you can set it all up outside in the balcony but if it's windy you can do it inside . Then you can invite her on a date (dinner at Muranos) and tell the person that seats you that you just got engaged , they may surprise you :)

[NECruiseNovice]

Definitely upgrade to a balcony.

 

I proposed a few years back...we were in the Caribbean, it was new year, so I proposed at midnight UK time (8pm in Caribbean I think). I called her out on to the balcony and proposed there - our own little private moment, looking out to sea, stars sparkling...

 

I knew a public proposal wasn't the thing to do (sounds like you know this is the case with your wife too). You can pay to have an evening meal on your balcony - it's pricey, but given the occasion! I'd dropped the balcony meal idea in to the conversation one day to see if she wanted to do it but she wasn't all that fussed. So I proposed on the balcony and we then went to dinner. There is a champagne breakfast option too which I think is a little less expensive.

 

I can't remember if the photographers (in the lobby) are there each night, or only on formal nights, but this is worth bearing in mind - propose on a formal night (you'll both look smarter and it'll feel a little more special) and then go get a pic to show off the ring / capture the moment on film.

 

Regarding ring transportation - keep it in your hand luggage. I was convinced airport security would take it out of my bag to inspect it, but luckily they didn't. I hope it doesn't happen to you (I'm sure they'll see what it is on x-ray and won't bother).

 

When we got on the ship, I couldn't put it in the safe as I knew she'd go in it too. So I hid it in my sock draw - no reason she'd go rummaging through my socks! Yes it's not as secure as the safe, but there'll probably be four people at most accessing your room during the cruise, the two of you and the cabin stewards. Make sure you have insurance to cover the worst case scenario and you'll be ok. But, the sooner you propose, the sooner it can get locked away in the safe when she's not wearing it.

 

Good luck...and enjoy.

Edited March 11, 2014 by NECruiseNovice