How to convince a friend to cruise

[MotownVoice]

3 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Not going to waste any more time on this.  

 

A simple “yes” or “no” to the very generous offer.  If you need convincing, as a 55 year old?  I take that as a “no”, regardless of the reason why.  

Yes.   I got why you were giving the OP such a hostile opinion.

(See my rebuttals above, since you just keep posting the same comment over and over.)

[Ferry_Watcher]

I have a friend who is currently on her first cruise ever (HAL Nieuw Amsterdam).  Over the years I have told her about my cruise  experience, but she poo-poo'ed it by saying that it wasn't for her.  A local travel agency offered an amazing deal that would have been crazy to pass up (crazy me, I did pass it up due to work), but I convinced her to go, and she did as a solo first time cruiser.  Now I am getting emails from her telling me how wonderful everything is on-board, how great the food is, and how much she is enjoying the music venues, etc.  

Sometimes it just takes a moment of weakness, like a great cruise deal for someone to take a chance on a cruise vacation.  At 55, you friend still has lots of time to give cruising a try.  Keep sharing your cruise stories, and maybe eventually your friend will give it a try like my friend.

[Ferry_Watcher]

It is also possible that the OP's friend doesn't want to accept the gift of the cruise due to reasons actually unrelated to being on a ship.   Maybe it is because she doesn't  want to share a room with another person because of snoring issues, or other similar reasons.  I know that my friend that I mentioned in the above post, will always pay the single supplement to have her own room when she travels with travel tour groups.  It could be as simple as the friend just wants, or needs her own space.

[lenquixote66]

On 8/29/2022 at 11:19 PM, PatandStu said:

I have a good friend who turns 55 in 2024 and I’d like to treat her to a cruise. She’s been Ill on very small boats (less than 30’) so is concerned she’ll “waste” money. What can I tell her to convince her that cruising is fabulous? 

I posted something very similiar once and was blasted by CC people for it.

I hope you get a better response.

[ldubs]

5 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

I posted something very similiar once and was blasted by CC people for it.

I hope you get a better response.

 

Yeah, I don't understand all the could-be-this or could-be-that.  The OP was pretty clear the friend got seasick on a small. boat and was concerned the same would happen on a cruise ship.  

 

Small boats are prone to a lot of motion even in light seas.  It could very well be the case that the friend wouldn't have the same problem on a cruise ship.   On the other hand, if prone to motion sickness, then it would be a valid concern I think.   

[donaldsc]

Don't.  I never see the point of people trying to convince friends that friend #2 should join friend #1 in some activity even though friend #2 doesn't want to.  Suppose friend # 1 loves camping so she convinces friend #2 to go camping w her with the expected results.  I personally hate Disney and everything to do w it.  No reason for me to explain why.  If one of my friends offered to take me on a free Disney cruise I wouldn't go and I would tell the friend to stop bothering me.

 

Perhaps this is the situation here.  PatandSue should just drop it and stop bugging their friend about cruising.

 

DON

[Travelling2Some]

Consider a Norwegian fjords cruise for guaranteed calm waters.  The Med and the Baltics are also good bets for those concerned about seasickness.  We have relatives who we know would be avid cruisers (more so that us!) if they would only try it once.  But the wife is afraid the boat will sink or be attacked by terrorists.  She also fears flying so they spend their golden years driving up and down I-95 to the same (boring) places over and over again.  They are amazed by all the places we have been via cruise ship and the husband obviously wants to go.  We send a few photos from time to time but don't push.

 

With all that said, it has been my general experience in life that many people have hidden agendas.  There is the reason the give and then there may be another REAL reason.  At the end of the day, people find a way to do or not do what they truly want to do or not do.

[puppycanducruise]

I know if I offered my friend a free cruise, she wouldn't accept.  She might say she's afraid of being seasick, but in actuality, she wouldn't want to accept such an expensive gift.  She would say she's not a "charity case" and if she wanted a cruise, she'd buy her own.

[Travelling2Some]

2 hours ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

It is also possible that the OP's friend doesn't want to accept the gift of the cruise due to reasons actually unrelated to being on a ship.   Maybe it is because she doesn't  want to share a room with another person because of snoring issues, or other similar reasons.  I know that my friend that I mentioned in the above post, will always pay the single supplement to have her own room when she travels with travel tour groups.  It could be as simple as the friend just wants, or needs her own space.

Exactly the sort of thing I meant in my previous post.  My husband and I never want to stay with friends or relatives when we travel.  We love seeing them and going out to dinner or activities but at the end of the day we want our own space to read, relax, talk without others present, etc.  It is awkward when they keep insisting that we stay at their house.

[cruisemom42]

53 minutes ago, Travelling2Some said:

Consider a Norwegian fjords cruise for guaranteed calm waters. 

 

Guaranteed??

 

Try telling these Viking passengers that:  Cruise line CEO apologizes after Viking Sky's engines fail in rough seas - Bing video

[Top_of_the_Cube]

I am prone to motion sickness.  I don't much get noxious on car rides anymore (not much), but boats still turn me green.

 

On all my cruises on mass market lines, from older smaller vessels accommodating 2,000 passengers to larger ships holding 4,500, I have never felt the slightest tickle in my tummy while on board.  This includes the few voyages in which walking was made impossible by the ship's movement in rough waters.  Water taxis and boat rides on excursions, though, still made me sick.

 

What does this mean for the OP's friend?  Absolutely nothing!  Plenty of folks on these boards report they suffer.  But, a lot of them still talk about their umpteenth cruise.  Either the experience is so much greater than their discomfort, or they have found a remedy that cures or minimizes their distress, or both (I know, I know - some who do get sick will swear off cruising forever.  That would probably be me).

 

As for me, I always encourage friends and loved ones to try new things, especially those activities I am passionate about.  I am also careful to not be pushy, as I consider how far I would want someone to try to persuade me.

 

So, maybe if she knew that most people do not get sick on board.  Or, maybe if she was aware there are some medicines and natural remedies that seem to work for a lot of people.  Or, maybe if she realized that people do get uncomfortable and still have a great time.  Or, maybe her concerns are enough that she just doesn't want to go.  Absolutely nothing wrong with that.  Observe the cues to know when enough has been said.

 

Don't forget to tune into my daytime show, "Unsolicited Bad Advice Freely Shoveled Out."

[mnocket]

First Question:  "Would you like to go on  vacation with me?"

 

Second Question (if answer to first is Yes):  "What kind of vacation would you enjoy"

[GeezerCouple]

5 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

Yeah, I don't understand all the could-be-this or could-be-that.  The OP was pretty clear the friend got seasick on a small. boat and was concerned the same would happen on a cruise ship.  

 

Small boats are prone to a lot of motion even in light seas.  It could very well be the case that the friend wouldn't have the same problem on a cruise ship.   On the other hand, if prone to motion sickness, then it would be a valid concern I think.   

 

 

I think the "valid concern" should be decided by the person receiving the invitation.

If they say they don't want to go there or do that, then... assuming they are an adult of sound mind, they don't want to go there or do that.  Full stop.

 

Now, there's nothing wrong with occasionally (not too, too often please) sharing memories or a few photos of some of your cruises.  And if you've already made the offer and it's been declined, there's probably not too much of a problem* *occasionally* mumbling, "... and by the way, if you ever want to join me, that invitation I offered you for <occasion> is always still available.  I'd LOVE to have you join me.  Just say the word!"

 

And then... drop it.

 

* Well, it would only be "too much of a problem" if the friend had already said something like, "I really appreciate your offer, but I just don't want to do that.  Please stop asking.  Let's move on and do something else please...."

 

GC

[Travelling2Some]

5 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Guaranteed??

 

Try telling these Viking passengers that:  Cruise line CEO apologizes after Viking Sky's engines fail in rough seas - Bing video

The incident you cite occurred in the open ocean off the coast of northern Norway.  It was not a fjords itinerary.  Anyone who has cruised the fjords will know that the water inside a fjord is like a river, not at all like the open ocean. 

[cruisemom42]

2 hours ago, Travelling2Some said:

The incident you cite occurred in the open ocean off the coast of northern Norway.  It was not a fjords itinerary.  Anyone who has cruised the fjords will know that the water inside a fjord is like a river, not at all like the open ocean. 

 

While true, the ships have to get TO the fjords and to do so, most of them sail from ports like London or Amsterdam, then up the coast of Norway, then sailing into the various navigable fjords. Like the voyage shown below, which visits three of them:

 

[Susan in Maine]

I'll tell you how I convinced my parents to go on a cruise. I knew they would enjoy it (among other things they love production shows, and my visually impaired father LOVED food! - they also generally love being by the ocean.

 

All I got was "we're not beach people"  "we can't spend any time in the sun, etc. etc.

 

So I asked them what they thought about a cruise to Alaska. Well now, THAT was a completely different story. We had a wonderful time, and they went on several more after that.

 

My suggestion to you: Ask her if there is somewhere she'd really like to go? And then research like crazy and work with a TA who specializes in cruises. 

 

If she is uncomfortable with how expensive the gift is, you can suggest she pay for her own drinks, excursions, airfare, whatever.

 

Also there are lots of threads about handling the seasickness issue. I can make myself motion sick by driving in heavy traffic. I swear by meclizine (Bonine) and have successfully sailed thru both a hurricane and a blizzard.

 

Five years ago I convinced my BFF to go on a cruise with me - now we go on one every 3 years!

 

Hope this was helpful!

 

[crystalspin]

1 hour ago, Susan in Maine said:

So I asked them what they thought about a cruise to Alaska. Well now, THAT was a completely different story. We had a wonderful time, and they went on several more after that.

At one time, I was not particularly sold on cruises. My first two ocean cruises were in inside cabins and in the company of T-totallers and ones that were sea-sick as well! I was left on my own and totally bored, too.

 

My husband (who was one of the sea-sick ones on smaller ships) really wanted me to cruise some more so I made a compromise that I would cruise places only experience by ship. We did the inside passage of Alaska, the Panama Canal, and around Cape Horn... by then I was converted and told him -- if you are trying to goad me by suggesting a TransAtlantic, I call your bluff -- I'll go!

Edited September 1, 2022 by crystalspin

[lisiamc]

On 8/30/2022 at 5:08 AM, cfelbab said:

I agree with the suggestions about not trying to convince somebody to do something they are uncomfortable with. In that case, a land resort may be a better option.

 

That said if you really want to share the joy of cruising with a newbie, I'd suggest finding a very short cruise as a "first time". There are a few cruises out there that go from FL to the Bahamas and back that might be a decent place to start. These cruises are often very affordable which helps with the concern about "wasting money" and since they do not venture too far into the open seas I suspect that as long as the weather is not too bad, the motion will not be that much either. 

If my first cruise had been a very short Bahamas cruise, I doubt I would ever have cruised again. They’re just not the same as a 7 day cruise. Different type of cruiser, different focus, usually very basic ships. 

[SargassoPirate]

Trying to convince someone to take a cruise who has had a bad experience on smaller craft is about as considerate as trying to convince someone to change their political affiliation or religion.  

 

 

 

[graphicguy]

15 hours ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

 

I think the "valid concern" should be decided by the person receiving the invitation.

If they say they don't want to go there or do that, then... assuming they are an adult of sound mind, they don't want to go there or do that.  Full stop.

 

Now, there's nothing wrong with occasionally (not too, too often please) sharing memories or a few photos of some of your cruises.  And if you've already made the offer and it's been declined, there's probably not too much of a problem* *occasionally* mumbling, "... and by the way, if you ever want to join me, that invitation I offered you for <occasion> is always still available.  I'd LOVE to have you join me.  Just say the word!"

 

And then... drop it.

 

* Well, it would only be "too much of a problem" if the friend had already said something like, "I really appreciate your offer, but I just don't want to do that.  Please stop asking.  Let's move on and do something else please...."

 

GC

Amen to that.  If the person receiving really needs convincing, or as you’re intimating, the person has declined the invitation, both are full stop.  

 

Tell friends and family members all the time, once I say “no” to any invitation, no amount of cajoling, convincing, etc is going to change my mind.  Matter of fact, I find it irritating…..kind of like new windows salespeople who show up at my front door….”which part of ‘no’ didn’t you understand”.

[crystalspin]

On 8/31/2022 at 7:59 AM, Ferry_Watcher said:

Lawyer, if a number of well established posters state something contrary to what you what you believe, you might want to double check your 'facts' and scroll up to look at the topic heading. 

Just saying.  ;  )

That's why they are a lawyer, not a scientist!

[ldubs]

On 8/31/2022 at 2:24 PM, GeezerCouple said:

 

 

I think the "valid concern" should be decided by the person receiving the invitation.

If they say they don't want to go there or do that, then... assuming they are an adult of sound mind, they don't want to go there or do that.  Full stop.

 

 

That sure makes sense to me.  Even if they are not of sound mind!  

[K32682]

The reason not to "convince" a friend to cruise is they might give in, have a lousy time and blame you for the experience or be unpleasant during the cruise because they aren't enjoying themselves. 

 

[pris993]

Our son and daughter in law had no interest in cruising at all.  We invited them on a Princess ship for lunch before we left, with our grandson.  Grandson loved it, guess who cruises now?  Grandson sealed the deal, we even went once with us.  

[Belgian fry]

On 9/1/2022 at 3:40 AM, cruisemom42 said:

 

While true, the ships have to get TO the fjords and to do so, most of them sail from ports like London or Amsterdam, then up the coast of Norway, then sailing into the various navigable fjords. Like the voyage shown below, which visits three of them:

 

Indeed, we had a delayed then very rocky departure from Rotterdam on our Fjords cruise in 2019. Getting the pilot off the ship and onto the helicopter was extremely spectacular