Are You Still "Talking Up" Cruising to Family/Friends?

[catmand]

As the holiday season approaches I am reminded of a Thanksgiving conversation from a couple of years ago.

I was telling the SIL's parents what a great time we had on our first cruise, showing the pictures and all when one of them said "I know I wouldn't like a cruise because I don't like to get dressed up." This was a few days after talking to my family and hearing, "No, not for me, I get seasick in the bathtub."

Well folks, friends, family and the like, Good for you, I no longer give a damn! The fewer of you there are on the ship the longer the bagels, lox and cream cheese will stay on the buffet line.

See, I think a cruise would be the ideal family vacation or reunion, do what you want, we'll meet up at dinner. But I am sick of trying to convince people. I also don't know if I want the responsibility, what if they don't like it?

So, what kind of excuses have you heard? Have you tried to get someone on their first cruise, how was it? Are you still trying or like me, have you given up?

[cruising with marti]

Chuck

 

I am always talking it up with family and friends, but they seem to back away when I ask them if they could contribute a little something towards my next cruise;)

 

 

Phil

[nu2sea]

I think you are right about it being ideal for a family reunion. A ship offers so many different things for everyone to do that you are not on top of each other and friction is minimized.

 

But, the responsibility for their enjoyment that you mentioned is heavy. I spent way too much time wondering if Ed's daughters were having a good time and if not, what I could do to make sure they did have fun.

 

Unnfortunately, our favorite travelling companions and close friends have cruised, mostly on Carnival and RCL on three day cruises and aren't interested in trying again. Too many people, with children underfoot, and too much loud partying. Like you, I have given up on them.

 

Besides, there are nice travelling companions to be met through this board and on the roll calls. And, we already know that they like cruising!

 

Susan

[mii]

Hey Chuck I am always trying to talk friends and family to go. Now my Sister and BIL want to go badly but my sister really gets seasickness, carsickness etc. so that may not work out. But what the hey if they do not like you said more food for us. Right!:D

 

Marilyn

[Arubalisa]

See, I think a cruise would be the ideal family vacation or reunion, do what you want, we'll meet up at dinner.me, have you given up? But I am sick of trying to convince people.

Boy oh boy, my in-laws still haven't learned this lesson. We will NOT be with them for the 2nd Christmas in a row because my grandmother is taking our family on a cruise. Last year we came home and they say, "We should have come along with you." This year they declined again. Believe me, the in-laws can afford a top of the line suite and they choose to stay home by themselves.

 

Last year there were 11 of us, this year only 6. Brother's kids decided they wanted to stay home in Jersey :confused: But then again, they spent an extraordinary amount of time in their cabins watching TV while cruising the Caribbean...but we all did just as you said, everyone met up at dinner and did what they wanted the rest of the time.

 

Cruising is fantastic in itself, but over the holidays, no last minute shopping rush, no cooking, no dirty dishes,, no cleaning...THAT is my idea of a HOLIDAY :D Shared with family is even better!

[ahoymatey3]

Interesting thread. Several years ago I took my parents on a 4-day cruise for their Xmas gift. At the time they appeared to enjoy it. I found out recently they really didn't like it. They don't like dressing up they prefer simple foods. Oh well.

 

My sister and BIL want to go but claim to never have the money. I don't know what they spend it on.

[Arubalisa]

They don't like dressing up they prefer simple foods. Oh well.

Sorry to hear that. Your parents could sail HAL and eat their evening choice of "comfort food"-- calves liver, pot roast, roast turkey...my 93 old grandmother loves it!

[katiel53]

As hard as it seems to be to understand, cruising is not for everyone. There are many people who will never feel comfortable being on a ship. My husband "tolerates" cruising because I love to cruise. He feels cruises are too regimented. He likes to eat when he wants to and not get dressed up.

 

I know there is Freestyle cruising and we tried that on an Alaska trip this summer. We both loved the concept, but our favorite ships are Celebrity ships, so he goes along with me.

 

I also feel many people who have cruised once realize that there are extras to pay, ie tips, drinks etc. When we talk about cruising we know there are these charges and assume that others know too, but in reality, not all first timers know. It is quite a shock to some.

 

Another thing I notice is that a lot, not all, travel agents just sell cruises. They do nothing to be sure that the cruiser will be on the right cruise for him/her. They get paid a commission and don't care to get information to be sure that the line is the right one for the person cruising. A classic example is Celebrity likes their passengers to be dressed for dinner, but some passengers feel it's my vacation so I will do as I please. There are lines who don't have you dress up. We all look for the best price and at times that doesn't give us any service or insight into a cruise.

 

Also, just because cruise lines have children's programs, doesn't mean that all are created equal. I think that's something that needs to be checked out. But-------here again, back to pricing, price determines what line they will go on and that could have the worst kids programs.

 

I love holidays spent with family, but there are a lot of parameters involving a family cruise. Guess I will get off my soapbox now. I don't mean to offend anyone, and if I have, I apologize. If your family doesn't feel up to a family cruise, then a great vacation can be had without a cruise and later those who want to cruise could do so.

 

Katie

[cruising with marti]

Sorry to hear that. Your parents could sail HAL and eat their evening choice of "comfort food"-- calves liver, pot roast, roast turkey...my 93 old grandmother loves it!

 

 

Hey hold on there , I love liver, pot roast and roast turkey, and I am not 93:D and by the way I have had all three on Celebrity ships.:)

 

 

Phil

[ahoymatey3]

I told them about the comfort food. Just last weekend they celebrated their 50th anniversary. They made it clear, in no uncertain terms, no trips for a gift. Some people just like to stay home I guess.

[Arubalisa]

Hey hold on there , I love liver, pot roast and roast turkey, and I am not 93:D and by the way I have had all three on Celebrity ships.:)

 

 

Phil

LOL Phil, over on the HAL board you would think sometimes that is the only food offered worth eating :D I can get Pot Roast at home, but $10.99 a pound Alaskan King Crab Legs just never seem to make it into my grocery basket. Thus no comfort foods for me either while cruising :) BTW, my 9 year old chooses lobster, shrimp and crab over liver, pot roast and turkey too!

[Karynanne]

We have been talking about cruising to family FOREVER...and just yesterday, BIL and SIL booked a cruise to take with us on Summit in Jan. We booked it over a year ago, and I guess they just wanted to see how fabulous X is...they have cruised on RCL, HAL, but not X. We know they won't be dissapointed...after all, they have us with them to make it perfect!

 

Karyn

[pboedeker]

Several years ago (1999) my husband and I decided that we would "give" one large Christmas gift to either his extended family or my extended family. Christmas 1998 we gave his extended family of 12 a week long Costa Cruise. This was their Christmas, birthday, graduation, mother's day, father's day, whatever occassion gift for 1999. We had a blast. So, the next year we gifted "my" extended family a Royal Caribbean cruise, all 15 of us! We had a blast.

 

We've continued this Christmas tradition ever since. It's a great way to get a family reunion together...no one complains about not having the money. And I don't have to do any shopping throughout the year!

 

We really believe that this is our way of assuring ourselves of time with family. We're all so spread out and don't get together very often. Each family has the daytime to enjoy each other - our dinners are family events though!

 

This past Christmas we doubled up and did both families! THAT WAS FANTASTIC!

[cruising with marti]

LOL Phil, over on the HAL board you would think sometimes that is the only food offered worth eating :D I can get Pot Roast at home, but $10.99 a pound Alaskan King Crab Legs just never seem to make it into my grocery basket. Thus no comfort foods for me either while cruising :) BTW, my 9 year old chooses lobster, shrimp and crab over liver, pot roast and turkey too!

 

 

and don't forget my personal favorite, meatloaf!!!:cool:

 

 

phil

[98Charlie]

Some people just like to stay home I guess.

Yup! I have a coworker whose idea of a night out is sitting on the front porch:D

 

We enjoy cruising soooo much. Yet, I know that there are those who wouldn't. I show them the pictures and talk about it. But, as others have said, there is a certain level of assumed responsibility if you talk someone "into" a cruise.

 

I do remember that it took us over 2 years from the time we started talking about a cruise to the day when we actually put money down on number one. The crowds, the money, can't just pack up and leave if we don't like it, etc. etc. Of course, by the first breakfast, we were talking about when we could book number two.

 

Charlie

[Tatka]

Well... our first cruise was without my DH (son and me)... then I took my second half on his first cruise.. to Mediterranean. I heard all kinds of excuses... like filling claustrophobic on the ship, being trapped etc until the first night on the ship, when DH said we will cruise at least once a year.:D Now...I can't keep him off the cruise sites!!!!

[Leela]

I've given up.

 

My parents love to cruise. They don't do it very often, but they love it. My parents-in-law love to cruise, they do it about four times a year, and they love it.

 

The problem is my husband. He doesn't like it. I've taken him on two cruises now and it's just not worth it for me to drag him along again. Our first cruise was on the old Star Princess to Alaska about 9 years ago. He hated being the youngest person on board, he hated dressing for dinner, he hated the shows, he hated the announcements, he pretty much complained about everything. No, he's not a whiner, but I know him well enough to know when he doesn't like what he's doing and he certainly didn't like crusing. For our 10th anniversary this year, I convinced him to take me on a 4-night cruise on Mercury. I like Celebrity cruises so much more than that one Princess trip that we took that I was sure he'd have a good time. He had an okay time, but he felt stupid having a butler, he still hated dressing for dinner (we skipped a night in the dining room because of it), he didn't want to go do any of the evening activities except borrow movies and watch them in our cabin.

 

I told him I learned my lesson and I won't be asking him to go cruising with me again on a mass-market cruise ship. Fortunately my mom loves Celebrity just as much as I do, and she & I have bookings on two upcoming trips -- Bermuda next year and the Panama Canal the year after.

 

If I ever get my husband on a cruise ship again, it will probably be a very small eco-adventure type boat. But I'm not even going to try for a few years.

 

It's a shame, because I love laying around and being pampered, drinking cocktails that involve fruit and umbrellas by the pool. I love dressing up for dinner, and going to the casino, and sitting in the Martini Bar having drinks. I love the spa, and the salon too. But hubby...he could care less...sigh.

 

Maybe one of these years I'll round up all the parents and go with the four of them, and leave my hubby at home to watch the cats.

[catmand]

Chuck

 

I am always talking it up with family and friends, but they seem to back away when I ask them if they could contribute a little something towards my next cruise;)

 

 

Phil

 

Phil, that's because they know you have those cans buried in the backyard as well as the stuffed mattress.

Susan, how true. We have some great relationships with folks we met on ships and we sail with them!

Please, no more pot roast and liver talk, now I know why the oatmeal was so darn runny on Infinity.

Katie...........................................? Thanks, I guess.

Leela, we are desperately in need of a house/cat sitter next month and again in March, think your husband would be interested?

Thanks for all of the responses.

[cruizinrican]

Yes, I talk about cruising to whoever will listen long enough! It is an every day subject in my household. We are definately addicts!

 

Cruizinrican:)

[Schplinky]

Primarily, our friends think it will be boring and that the passengers will all be retired or near it. The average age on navigator when we were on was 40 but that still didn't dissuade them.

[Cruise2End]

We've learned our lesson. We went with my mom and stepdad last year on a wonderful Caribbean cruise. We didn't pay for their cruise, but DH got them a great deal - it was around 750 for a 10-day cruise. And we paid for a lot of extras wanting to make the time special for them - a limo to the airport, flowers for their room, purchased drinks for them during the cruise, etc. Well I should have known that it wasn't going to work when my stepdad complained about getting in and out of the limo ...before we even got to the airport! Stepdad spent way too much in the spa and casino and then when we'd get to port, he wouldn't step off the ship, nor did he want my mother to either -- it was awful! He didn't like our tablemates either, so we went and had them switch us to a table for just the four of us.

 

We will definitely avoid making that mistake again! I do believe that some people do not like to travel, nor do they enjoy the diversity of different people and cultures. My family members all live in a very small midwestern farm community, and don't like to leave there --- even for a few days. Guess I'm the black sheep :)

[Schplinky]

We're really worried that our friends will enjoy our upcoming cruise. We didn't talk them into it but our infectious chatter about our last cruise (on RCL) did. One of the couples is very laid back and will love X, I think, but the other is really active and I'm afraid it might be too "relaxing" for them. Time will tell.

[Danno]

We took my in-laws a few years back...lesson learned.

[TechKnowBabble]

After our first cruise on Royal Caribbean, my aunt and uncle went on a Celebrity cruise. This month they will be sailing on Royal Caribbean and in February WE will be sailing on Celebrity. ;) Currently the family is discussing trying to get my mom to go on a cruise. Not certain yet what her feelings will be. She has reservations about being on a ship/boat of any size. She has MS and is in a wheelchair and is concerned about 'going down with the ship'. Although I know that is certainly not a very likely happening, but you can't brush someone's fears (no matter how irritational you may view them) under the carpet

[TechKnowBabble]

Primarily, our friends think it will be boring and that the passengers will all be retired or near it. The average age on navigator when we were on was 40 but that still didn't dissuade them.

 

Wow...I'd love to be retired at age 40 ;)