Where do I start?

[Chromehead]

Hello folks, I am under special ops. Deep under cover, due to my wife is very nosy, We have gone on 3 crusies and i want to plan and surprise the next one. I know what goes into packing and unpacking, but my wife does all the arrangments, I am spelling wrong so my wife wil not reconize me. Anyways where do I start.

 

I know all you wives are lifting up one eyebrow thinking maybe its my husband. LOL.

 

Please help a husband out.

[sdear]

Well I know you aren't my hubby...he doesn't know how to pack :D :p

 

Have fun with it though....sounds fun :)

[kathyemma]

Okay - the first questions I have for you - do you have to get time off for her from her job? do you know where you want to go? caribbean, europe? and what time of year do you want to sail? and do you a ship in mind?

 

As for keeping it a surprise a few people on these boards have done it - it's hard but it can be done.

 

Good luck

 

kathy

[Chromehead]

:eek: I have a idea, ok well I dont, we have not done the eastern carr, and we love the western carribean. And the time needs to be taking off. crud this is gonna be hard but I will get- er- don. We love the Vision of the seas.

[scher]

:eek: I have a idea, ok well I dont, we have not done the eastern carr, and we love the western carribean. And the time needs to be taking off. crud this is gonna be hard but I will get- er- don. We love the Vision of the seas.

get- er- don. you could be my husband???????????LOL no way

[cavkc]

Wow, it's a wonderful thing to do, BUT I love the preparation part of a cruise, sorting out formal wear etc. I guess this way could actually save you some money LOL - no new dresses, shoes etc etc.

 

My DH surprised me when we got married a couple of years ago. I knew we were sailing with X on a 10 night Hawaii cruise, but what he didn't tell me was that he had booked the PH Suite. He told me as he gave me a kiss when we were pronounced husband and wife! He is a very special man!

[Chromehead]

Well I need to figure out when, where, and then pay then pay for airfare, oh my, this is gonna hurt. And then tell her. I dont know

[It'sRC4ME]

Well I need to figure out when, where, and then pay then pay for airfare, oh my, this is gonna hurt. And then tell her. I dont know

 

DON'T buy the airline tickets until she has time off work arranged, unless you can arrange it for her in secret. You might wind up with tickets you have to change/can't use because she can't get time off.

 

You can go ahead and book the cruise based on your guess about when she can take time off, because unless you're booking last minute you will be able to cancel/change your cruise plans.

 

Think about her work schedule: does she have busy seasons (like an accountant might)? Is she required to give a certain amount of notice (my office rule of thumb is one week's notice per day you will be out)? Are there any seniority issues (such as junior staff not getting time off at holidays so they can cover for senior staff)? You should be able to make an educated guess about when she can take time off, then it just comes down to your relationship with her employer - will they even deal with you on this? Can they keep a secret? Will they help make sure she doesn't sign up for a conference or something during the planned cruise?

 

Even if you can't surprise her with the whole thing, I think she will still really like the surprise that you've booked the cruise.

[waterbugohio]

From a woman's point of view I would like the surprise, but I would like to have a little time to prepare, expecially with work or if children or involved.

 

Is there a way to get everything arranged. Maybe even buy her something new for the cruise and then give it to her as a gift a couple of weeks before the cruise. Just the idea of you planning everything and having everything arranged will be a great surprise.

 

Or.......the other option is to "plan" a vacation to somewhere boring. Maybe even a business convention. Then we you are ready to leave you can tell her you are heading on a cruise instead. This way she would take care of getting off work and making sure everything is taken care of before leaving. She will just be surprised where she ends up!!!

[kathyemma]

Or.......the other option is to "plan" a vacation to somewhere boring. Maybe even a business convention. Then we you are ready to leave you can tell her you are heading on a cruise instead. This way she would take care of getting off work and making sure everything is taken care of before leaving. She will just be surprised where she ends up!!!

 

This would be a wonderful way to surprise her!

 

Kathy

[cavkc]

That's an excellent idea, you could even tell her that she will have to pack a couple of glam outfits because you will have some 'boring' black-tie dinners to attend!

[cruiseinfoseeker]

....Maybe even a business convention. Then we you are ready to leave you can tell her you are heading on a cruise instead. This way she would take care of getting off work and making sure everything is taken care of before leaving. She will just be surprised where she ends up!!!

 

 

It is a wonderful way to surprise her, except that if she is one of the readers of this post, the cover is blown........:eek:

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

I know you are not my Hubby because he knows I HATE surprises, especially major surprises, even wonderful surprises such as a cruise. (Well, that means he will never surprise me with a cruise, doesn't it? Maybe I'd better rethink my attitude.:o )

[petesweet]

Remember you need to have passports now. Presume she has one?

 

I would think the best thing would be to make the destination or ship a surprise and also have some onboard surprise but don't try to keep everything a surprise. Too risky.

[cruiseguy1016]

I took DW on a surprise vacation (not a cruise however) for our 15th. I made all the arrangements. I called her boss months in advance and got the time off for her. Make sure you tell the boss it's a surprise so the boss doesn't spoil it. Her birthday is two weeks before our anniversary so I told her about it on her birthday. I gave her very few details so the surprises kept coming during the trip. Two weeks before you go, tell her you are taking her on a cruise on ??/??/????, no more details i.e. what ship, what itinerary etc. She'll know what to pack for herself. Then when you get to the airport she'll have her ticket and she'll know what port she is sailing out of. When you get to the port, she'll find out the cruise line. When you get on the ship, she'll find out her cabin # (a suite, maybe?). Plan other things during the week that she won't know about until they happen. She'll love it! Good Luck and have fun! You CAN pull this off.

[sabba]

I would research cruise options, airfare, etc. Get a couple that work with your budget and travel times, etc. You might want to work with a travel agent. If you tell the agent it is a surprise for your wife, I'm sure the agent will be willing to help you with all of the details.

 

I would plan a nice dinner or other romantic activity or maybe even a surprise overnight or weekend away......

 

You can tell your wife that you are planning a surprise vacation for her. That you wanted to keep it a total surprise, but since there are so many details that really need her input, you decided to tell her about parts of it.

 

I would tell her that she has the choice of Trip A which is from Date A to Date B or Trip B which is from Date C to Date D

 

Then ask her to see which dates she could get off from work.

 

Once she has the time off, then check airfare. Again, you could ask her if she wants Flight A or Flight B. You don't have to tell her to where, just the dates/times.

 

You could tell her she will have to pack clothes for swimming, going out to a couple of nice dinners, etc. Whatever is appropriate for your cruise.

 

You could make it fun by giving her a few hints along the way if you wanted. If you don't yet have passports, maybe you could make going to get them another little hint. She'll know then that she is going out of the country....yet still not where.

 

I am the one that always plans every thing we do, and while on one hand, I would LOVE for my hubby to plan a surprise vacation, I also know that planning is half the fun for me. Doing it in pieces, giving her some choices, but not knowing where those choices are taking her, will allow her some of the planning and anticipation fun, yet still have the fun of the surprise.

 

This is such a wonderful thing you are doing. Have fun and keep us posted. Oh, and if your wife is the one that does the finances in your house, you might want to find a way to keep the deposits, etc. from her. Last thing you need is a charge from a cruise line showing up on the Visa statement. Maybe a separate credit card you take out just for this vacation.... and send the statements to your place of employment or to a relatives house.

 

Sabba

[Sue L]

Remember you need to have passports now. Presume she has one?

 

I would think the best thing would be to make the destination or ship a surprise and also have some onboard surprise but don't try to keep everything a surprise. Too risky.

 

 

 

You do NOT need passports now, only for flying out of the country NOT cruising. A certified copy of the birth certificate and photo ID (license) is all that is required. Granted having a passport is easier but they are not required by the government for cruising until summer of 2008, though RCL website still says Jan of 2008.

[cruiseguy1016]

Oh, and if your wife is the one that does the finances in your house, you might want to find a way to keep the deposits, etc. from her. Last thing you need is a charge from a cruise line showing up on the Visa statement. Maybe a separate credit card you take out just for this vacation.... and send the statements to your place of employment or to a relatives house.

 

Sabba

 

Do you have a RCI Visa yet. If not apply for one in your name. If you really want to be sneaky and hide the cruise from her, you can have the statements delivered to a P.O. box. You'll get at least a $150 OBC just for opening the account and then pay for the cruise with the card and you'll get more points to use.

[Pootle]

I know all you wives are lifting up one eyebrow thinking maybe its my husband. LOL.

 

Please help a husband out.

 

See now it didn't even cross my mind that you could be my husband until I read that bit, now you've got me wondering! Your name isn't Steve, is it :p

[cb at sea]

As much as I love a surprise, I'd be totally pissed if my husband didn't allow me the fun of anticipating my next cruise! And if I could get past that--I know what he would pack for me would not be the right clothes.

 

At least give her SOME time to get her clothes straight for packing--only SHE knows what she wants to bring!

[waterbugohio]

ok, now we can all fight over him.

 

Is your name Rick???

[Sue L]

Well I know it's not mine because I am self-employed so he wouldn't have to worry about my getting time off, drat!!

[luvbrady]

You do NOT need passports now, only for flying out of the country NOT cruising. A certified copy of the birth certificate and photo ID (license) is all that is required. Granted having a passport is easier but they are not required by the government for cruising until summer of 2008, though RCL website still says Jan of 2008.

 

While this is technically true, if you have to fly home for any reason, from what I understand reentering the country can be very difficult if you choose to cruise with out a passport. I would be especially wary if you are leaving children or elderly parents behind. But that's my $0.02. We went with my parents, leaving elderly and failing grandparents at home. There was no way under the sun my mother was getting on that ship with out a passport just in case!

[zuscruiserz]

Chromehead - I think this is a wonderful thing you're doing for your wife, and whichever way you end up telling her about the surprise (or if you don't), I'm sure she'll be thrilled. But, if she is a member of CC, please check your public profile for any incriminating info that may be there. If she's curious (like most of us here ;) ), she will know how to check this out, and I'd hate to see this surprise blown before the fact.

 

Good luck, and she's a very lucky wife to have you as a husband :cool: .

[julie12345]

Along the lines of telling her about a boring vacation, I actually think you should tell her that you're going on a cruise, but tell her it's much less than what she thinks. If you plan a 5-day cruise, tell her it's just a 3-day. If you tell her any details, make it sound short and sweet. Tell her you got an inside room when you actually have a balcony, etc. She will still be really excited and she will get to do the planning (and shopping) that some of us girls love to do to prepare for a vacation but she will be so surprised when time after time you impress her with all of the details you have prepared.