How to Surprise Kids with Cruise

[Daytona_MAc]

My dad would make us work for at least one gift each year by writing riddles. He'd start with one hanging on the tree. You had to answer the riddle, which gave you the next place to look. After 3 to 6 successive riddles, which often took us all over the house, the last one would lead to the gift. By that time, ANYthing was better than another riddle and something we really wanted was just so much better.

 

Be creative - the kids will enjoy the gifting, and then later, the cruise. (And years later, the memories ...)

[notentirelynormal]

We put together a book with a picture of the ship, the plane, the floor plan, our cabins and the kids stuff.  A picture of a plane taking off etc.  Then we also got them stuff for the ship.  Not much else they were getting since I was taking 4 grandkids, 4 adult kids and us.  Oh, we showed shore excursions too.

[hotpinkchica14]

We area also doing a surprise cruise for our kids, we leave on Harmony Jan. 19. We have been debating on telling them the day we leave or making it a Christmas surprise. I love the puzzle idea listed above but I also love the idea of doing a scavenger hunt the day we leave and letting them find out then. 

[ed01106]

1 hour ago, hotpinkchica14 said:

We area also doing a surprise cruise for our kids, we leave on Harmony Jan. 19. We have been debating on telling them the day we leave or making it a Christmas surprise. I love the puzzle idea listed above but I also love the idea of doing a scavenger hunt the day we leave and letting them find out then. 

Depend on the age.  With older children you should give them advance notice.  They may have plans to do stuff with friends, make arrangements with school etc.  With younger kids determine how many times you are willing to be asked "how much longer before we go on the cruise?"  Multiple that number by 5 minutes...that is how much notice to give a two year old.