I would like to book a surprise cruise for my DH - where do I start?

[vesw01]

Every cruise I have purchased was because a great deal fell across my desk. I would really like to do something special for our 5 yr anniversary next year, but have no idea where to start. I have done the fall foliage and we are getting ready to do the E. Carib. We are open to any suggestions - we would be coming from the Chicago area - so airfare is a factor as well.

[ppeckham]

We have loved the Western Caribbean itinerary - Cozumel and Grand Cayman. You've got several options - New Orleans, Miami, Tampa, Ft. Lauderdale, Galveston.

 

Not only is flying an issue but also transfers. Since Galveston is a bit of a hike from the Houston airports, you may find a better deal elsewhere. The Florida ports may be your best bet. The Miracle out of Tampa is quite nice and the port is fairly close to the airport - $20 taxi.

 

Good luck on surprising DH. I could never do that. My DH closely monitors the credit card charges. We've been on a strict budget for years in preparation for early retirement. We want to have the funds to travel and enjoy the retirement years.

[shandabyb]

I am planning on surprising my DH with our 9-23-06 Glory (Western) cruise.

 

I booked and paid for it with a 0% APR card that didn't have a balance.

 

Spoke with my husbands boss to insure he would have the time off and let her know it was a surprise. She even said he was going to flip out! and he will.. You will hear the yelling in Chicago on 9/23.

 

I can't tell my kids or they will rat me out, and I watch the mail and the credit card closing date very closely and even had the mail carrier hold this past Saturday's mail so that the bill wouldn't be delivered when I couldn't get to the mail 1st. She laughed and did one even better.. she delivered the junk mail and held the bill!!!! :D

 

My goal is the have the card paid off by the end of July, so that August and early Sept, I can prepay for excursions and fun ship dollars. I want EVERYTHING paid for by the time of the cruise.

 

I'm taking the entire family myself, DH and 2 kids, so the plan is to pick my oldest up from school early and go "meet" daddy for lunch on the Friday before the cruise. When we arrive there I will (with the help of his boss) announce that we are going to take a "quick" getaway, his boss will push him out the door and off we will drive to Florida. We spend some time in Florida in Feb, and I claimed then to really want to spend more time in the Cocoa Beach area, so that is where our destination is for Friday night, we will arrive too late to really unload the car so I will pack a overnight bag for us just to grab and go for the hotel. Then on Saturday morning, the plan is to beg for us to go see the cruise ships in port. He will give in since we have not been on a cruise since 9/12/01 which was a really sad time for us. So off we will head to the port. This is when I plan on telling him that we are actually going to get on the ship.

 

I think that if the plan falls it will fall in Cocoa Beach and not before. He won't pick up on anything else until then.

 

I always overpack, so a lot of luggage is nothing new! ;)

 

He has said that he doesn't want to do another cruise but I think that is just a result of the really sad time we had on the Spirit 9/01. I am hopeful that once he gets on the ship, has a drink and the kids are having a great time he will also!

 

so that is my story!

 

GO FOR IT!

 

I am having so much fun with this. I have so many plans to put into place for decorations, prepaid stuf, etc.

 

Keep us posted!

 

Shanda

[vesw01]

Wow we are going to be on the Valor on the 24th of Sept - just down FL from you guys. I don't know that I could make all those plans without him knowing - I was going to spring it on him a month or so before hand. The place he works is odd and I don't know if they would help me with his vacation time - but then again I could just lie to him and get him to take the week off with some lame excuse.

 

I am waiting on a call back from our PVP - I would like to book ahead - put the $500 down and call Carnival each month with a payment that way it is paid off before hand too.

 

Early retirement - what's that?