Telling granddaughter she’s going on her 1st cruise

[mikaula]

I’m very excited to be able to take our 13 year old granddaughter on her 1st cruise. She’s also never been on a plane. Our cruise is in April but I need to tell her soon. She has an appointment to get a passport in a few weeks, she doesn’t know about it yet . I’m trying to think up a creative reveal or some type of scavenger hunt. Maybe even a clue game of some kind. I did a search already but most of the ideas are for kids that live with you, like packing a suitcase and driving to the port. That won’t work for us. I’d appreciate any ideas you have. Thanks in advance. 

[mjkacmom]

My kids’ first cruise was a surprise, they had no idea until we pulled up at the pier. This was after a surprise trip to WDW. My oldest was 11 and excited. She was not excited to go on our next cruise at 14. Even though her 4 siblings were also going, she didn’t want to be away from her friends for a week and really worried about trying to meet others and being bored. Fortunately she went to the teen club the first night, met a lot of kids and had a great time. If you are going during a school holiday she’ll have a great time, tweens/young teens can be apprehensive.

[rkacruiser]

5 hours ago, mikaula said:

She has an appointment to get a passport in a few weeks, she doesn’t know about it yet .

 

You should expect her to ask why am I getting a passport?  If the cruise is a holiday cruise, I think a possible answer is that "Santa Claus" told us that you may need one.  

[kimberlym322]

14 hours ago, mikaula said:

I’m very excited to be able to take our 13 year old granddaughter on her 1st cruise. She’s also never been on a plane. Our cruise is in April but I need to tell her soon. She has an appointment to get a passport in a few weeks, she doesn’t know about it yet . I’m trying to think up a creative reveal or some type of scavenger hunt. Maybe even a clue game of some kind. I did a search already but most of the ideas are for kids that live with you, like packing a suitcase and driving to the port. That won’t work for us. I’d appreciate any ideas you have. Thanks in advance. 

 

This is an easy one.  You can tell the granddaughter that she is getting the passport for ID reasons because she is not old enough to get a state issued ID and it is always good to have an ID and it will make it easier later in life when she is ready to travel. That is what a friend of mine did for her daughter when she went to get a passport for her to surprise her with a trip to Europe for 3 weeks.  This way you will have more time to surprise her with the trip for Christmas or birthday.

 

IF you can put her off telling her until Christmas or her birthday you can do the following:

 

If her birthday is between Dec. 26th and the time you leave turn it into a fun combined gift (I did this for my sisters 46th Christmas/45th birthday...she opened her birthday present and Christmas presents together.).  With it being my sisters 45th birthday gift and her 46th Christmas present...the cruise...I got her 45 things that she would need on the cruise. First I gave her a letter that basically said Merry 46th Christmas happy 45th birthday to find out what your birthday present is you have to open all your Christmas gifts.  The stuff ranged from new tooth brush to makeup to sun glasses.  I wrapped everything by itself and in each one I put a funny little note in there...like with toothbrush I put something like...its never good to have bad breath, then I gave her a thing of deodorant with a note that said now that you don't have bad breath your pits wont smell either.  Each gift was numbered so she would open it in order.  The 46th gift was was a letter telling her something like now that you have opened your 45 gifts put them in your luggage so you don't lose the stuff, you will need them on Feb. X when you take your first cruise for your 45th birthday.  I put everything in a BIG box wrapped up and as soon as the Christmas tree was put up I put the box under the tree.  Everyday for a little over a month I would mess with her that she would have to wait however many more days until Christmas before she could open the box.  It drove her crazy because she wanted to know what was in the box because she hates surprises.  Her sons would yell at her if she even tried to pick the box up. This went over so much that she went and locked herself in her bedroom and cried for 10 minutes that I would do something like that for her. It was all in fun...I did it for her 46th birthday/47th Christmas also when I surprised her with a trip to TX to see family there.

 

But there is also so many other ways to do it also.

[donaldsc]

I would just tell her.  No need to go through elaborate shenanigans.  After all she is 13 and not 5.

 

DON

[whogo]

3 hours ago, donaldsc said:

I would just tell her.  No need to go through elaborate shenanigans.  After all she is 13 and not 5.

 

DON

So last millennium. That video won't get any tiktok views.

[kimberlym322]

9 hours ago, donaldsc said:

I would just tell her.  No need to go through elaborate shenanigans.  After all she is 13 and not 5.

 

DON

 

My sister was 44 and 45 when I did it for her and she loved it.  It just drove her crazy trying to figure out what was in the box both years.  It is just something fun to do to get out of the oh by the way don't want to see the joy/surprise/reaction you will have for years to come in video or photos, but we are taking a cruise.  Kids don't stay kids forever to enjoy the joy/surprise on their face for a surprise like that.  

 

Basically your idea would just be toss the kids Christmas gifts under the tree unwrapped and say merry Christmas here's your gifts, your too old for the wrapping paper shenanigans!  Let a child be a child and have fun...this makes them creative as adults and will be able to have fun with their kids when they have them.

[dsrdsrdsr]

I don't think the OP was asking for ways of surprising the child at the last minute - which after all deprives the child of several months' anticipation just to give the parents a moment of exciting video - but a way of breaking the news early, in an exciting manner.  And for that, I can't help!  Sorry!

[Z'Loth]

You can use the passport trip as a teaser, then the actual cruise announcement would be a good Christmas surprise, probably with a Cruise Ship ornament. 

[Essiesmom]

Find some pictures or ads for places you will visit.  Print them out and send them to her via old fashioned snail mail.  ‘What do you think of this place?  Would you like to go here?’  One a week, or every couple of weeks.  She’s going to need time to plan her wardrobe…does she like to ‘dress up’?  Will it be just the two of you, or are her parents going, too?  EM

[mikaula]

Thank you for all the ideas. 

[George C]

My niece has 3 teenage children she bought them sailor caps .

[rkacruiser]

3 hours ago, George C said:

My niece has 3 teenage children she bought them sailor caps .

 

That's a great idea, I think.  Baseball caps that are cruise line specific can usually be purchased through the cruise line's web store.  I have caps for Cunard, Carnival, and HAL and I still enjoy wearing them.  

[GK95]

On 9/16/2022 at 10:43 AM, mikaula said:

I’m very excited to be able to take our 13 year old granddaughter on her 1st cruise. She’s also never been on a plane. Our cruise is in April but I need to tell her soon. She has an appointment to get a passport in a few weeks, she doesn’t know about it yet . I’m trying to think up a creative reveal or some type of scavenger hunt. Maybe even a clue game of some kind. I did a search already but most of the ideas are for kids that live with you, like packing a suitcase and driving to the port. That won’t work for us. I’d appreciate any ideas you have. Thanks in advance. 

Etsy has downloadable .pdf files that are “gift certificates” for trips. There are even some for cruises. Maybe create a trivia quiz for her of places the cruise is headed and let her take it in the car on the way to the passport office. Then when she answers everything have her parents give her the gift certificate telling her where she’s going and that she’s going with Grandma/Grandpa. 
 

I would suggest her parents tell her that she’s getting the passport at least a few days before so she can pick out an outfit she wants to wear. She’ll have this passport til she’s 18 and might want to get a little dressed up. If she asks why just say she’ll find out in the car. 

Edited September 21, 2022 by GK95

[whogo]

I hope your granddaughter wants to go on the cruise. You never know with teenagers. You could be in for some tears if the cruise conflicts with a big party, a bbf's birthday, teenage sullenness or any number of other things.

 

Friends of mine take their grandchildren on a vacation when they are 10, old enough to be away from home and young enough not to have any teenage drama.

[Mum2Mercury]

On 9/16/2022 at 10:43 AM, mikaula said:

... I did a search already but most of the ideas are for kids that live with you, like packing a suitcase and driving to the port ... 

Makes me remember something one of my students told me years ago -- her dad really fooled her and her twin brother:  

 

They'd been to Disney, and her Dad told the kids they were going to go onboard a cruise ship "just to check it out" -- said they were considering it for the following year.  He explained that he had obtained permission to go on board and check the place out -- they'd have to have their pictures made and would receive a temporary card, and they'd have to leave before the ship sailed.  The Dad kept them busy exploring this and that, and as the time for sailing approached, the girl was SERIOUSLY FREAKING OUT, thinking the ship would sail, they'd still be on board, and they'd be in big trouble.  They were actually out at sea and the girl was crying before Dad broke down and told them that they were actually booked on the cruise, and their mom had snuck their luggage onboard while he kept them busy. 

 

Not saying I'd do it myself, but her rendition of the event was quite amusing.  

On 9/18/2022 at 1:45 PM, Essiesmom said:

Find some pictures or ads for places you will visit.  Print them out and send them to her via old fashioned snail mail.  ‘What do you think of this place?  Would you like to go here?’  One a week, or every couple of weeks.  She’s going to need time to plan her wardrobe…does she like to ‘dress up’?  Will it be just the two of you, or are her parents going, too?  EM

Yes, give her time to process, research and become excited about it.  

On 9/20/2022 at 10:44 PM, GK95 said:

Etsy has downloadable .pdf files that are “gift certificates” for trips. There are even some for cruises. Maybe create a trivia quiz for her of places the cruise is headed and let her take it in the car on the way to the passport office. Then when she answers everything have her parents give her the gift certificate telling her where she’s going and that she’s going with Grandma/Grandpa. 
 

I would suggest her parents tell her that she’s getting the passport at least a few days before so she can pick out an outfit she wants to wear. She’ll have this passport til she’s 18 and might want to get a little dressed up. If she asks why just say she’ll find out in the car. 

I made my nieces gift certificates for Christmas, saying they would be going on a cruise with us in the upcoming months.  One niece didn't believe it, thought it was a joke.  

 

Her outfit won't matter in the passport photo.  It'll barely show at all.  

[mikaula]

Thanks for all the ideas 

 

[donaldsc]

I take my grandkids to Alaska when they turn 10 w/o their parents.  We do a one way cruise plus about 1 week on a DIY land trip.  I don't play the secrecy or surprise game as I want to get their input as to what they want to do and also what they don't want to do.  By the time they are 13 your granddaughter should be old enough to help you plan her cruise instead of just surprising her with what you think is important to her.

 

DON