help! we need to convince friends to cruise!

[mamabear52]

we've got some friends that we have known forever but haven't seen for awhile. Now that we are retiring, we'd like to invite them to vacation (read: cruise) with us, but they are cruise resistant! I'm worried they will nit pick the bad parts (expensive drinks, the fact that the actual bill is significantly higher than the original estimate, etc.) and not see that it is actually a floating hotel with meals included.

 

What would you all suggest I tell them to change their noro-virus worried minds?

[OddJob]

If they are cruise resistant, I wouldn't want them! I'd be worrying the whole time if they were having fun.

[Shmoo here]

we've got some friends that we have known forever but haven't seen for awhile. Now that we are retiring, we'd like to invite them to vacation (read: cruise) with us, but they are cruise resistant! I'm worried they will nit pick the bad parts (expensive drinks, the fact that the actual bill is significantly higher than the original estimate, etc.) and not see that it is actually a floating hotel with meals included.

 

What would you all suggest I tell them to change their noro-virus worried minds?

 

Honestly, if I were in your position, I'd worry the whole cruise whether my friends were enjoying the trip at all, and how that worry would affect my enjoyment of the cruise.

 

You can't "convince" anyone to do anything they don't want to do.

 

All you can do it tell them of your experience on cruises and, maybe, that will help them change their attitude.

[snowskier]

Respect their feelings and find a vacation you would both enjoy. Not everyone wants to cruise. Perhaps you could do something new that they really like to do.

[whogo]

Now that we are retiring, we'd like to invite them to vacation (read: cruise) with us...

Invite them? Are you paying?

[Bound4Bermuda]

Is there a specific destination that they would really like to go to? My first cruise I went in thinking of it as a "traveling hotel" to get me to the ports, but then I realized I enjoyed the ship as much as the ports. So I would play it up that way--the opportunity to wake up in a new location and see new places every day.

 

 

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[wheezedr]

While I agree it is hard to convince someone to do something they do not want to do, I have one suggestion. Suggest a venue that is beautiful but hard to do other than by sea. My usual recommendation for first timers whether reluctant or not is a cruise to Alaska. I think a one way is best but even a round trip from Seattle would get them ataste of cruising and a vacation that's hard to do on the ground.

[Clarea]

Don't convince them, believe me, it's not worth it. Let them decide on their own.

[Nic6318]

we've got some friends that we have known forever but haven't seen for awhile. Now that we are retiring, we'd like to invite them to vacation (read: cruise) with us, but they are cruise resistant! I'm worried they will nit pick the bad parts (expensive drinks, the fact that the actual bill is significantly higher than the original estimate, etc.) and not see that it is actually a floating hotel with meals included.

 

What would you all suggest I tell them to change their noro-virus worried minds?

 

Hi Mamabear

 

As others are saying, I wouldn't push too much myself. You say you haven't been in touch for a while...If they feel they went on a cruise because of your insistence and they don't enjoy themselves, you might find your friendship strained.

 

Don't forget there are many valid reasons for a person to have a bad time on a cruise. Remember just a little while back a RCCL ship had a really rough ride, many people on these threads complain of things that didn't go well on their trip. Now how would you feel if your friends were one of the unfortunate few that had a really bad time?

 

Suggest, and then let them make the next move when you tell them about what a great time you had after your next cruise.

[SC_GAY_Cruiser]

Have your friends travelled a lot? Have they left the country? Do they have passports?

 

I agree with all the other posters above. Why risk ruining your vacation worrying so much about them? Its your vacation too!

 

When you come back.....show them pics of your wonderful trip and see if they get jealous.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I agree with the others to go on your cruise, enjoy it, and then rave about it afterwards. Especially if you know ahead of time what their concerns are, then you can directly address those. You mentioned norovirus; is that something they have brought up?

 

Certainly see if you can pick up some brochures during your cruise (if the ship has a sales department like Princess usually does, you can get nice brochures) that you can put on your coffee table when you invite them for dinner or whatever.

 

They need to come to this decision on their own.

[paul929207]

Not your job to sell them on cruising. If you browbeat them into going on one, it will be all your fault if they encounter problems

[cb at sea]

The more you try to "convince" them, the worse their experience will be...STOP! Don't even try. Believe me...the more you tell them, the worse their experience. Let them decide on their own....if they want to go, they will have fun. If you are their only reason to cruise, they will hate it, and will not respect your opinion in the future. I'm serious. Don't EVER try to "convince" anyone to do what you like....it will bite you in the ass!

Edited April 6, 2016 by cb at sea

[Quilting_Cruiser]

I have friends with whom I'd love to cruise and I really think they'd enjoy it. We talk about it once in a while, but so far they're just not sure if they'd like. Typical fear of the unknown. They know I have a wonderful time and it's my vacation of choice, and they're very experienced travelers. But, they're also very independent and the idea of a cruise sounds confining to them. I'll continue to answer their questions and hope they'll someday board a ship with me, but I don't try to convince them. As others have said, if I convince them, I'll just worry about whether they're having fun!

[LA_CA_GAL]

I have many friends and family members that are pretty much cruise experts. Oh, did I mention, they have never been on a cruise. But, fact, cruises pretty much stink.

 

It would be much easier for me to shoot them than to convince them to cruise with me.

[OCruisers]

If they are cruise resistant, I wouldn't want them! I'd be worrying the whole time if they were having fun.

 

Exactly! Your whole cruise would be your concern about if they were having fun. :o

[GUT2407]

I'm addicted to cruising, and tell people all the time how much I love it, but I'd neve try and force anyone who thought it wasn't for them to come on one with us.

 

Goid way to loose a friend.

[Keith1010]

You can only do so much.

 

Tell them about your experience.

 

Maybe suggest they talk to others.

 

And then like each of us, they need to decide for themselves.

 

Keith