Can we check our bags an hour or so before we board? We want to surprise the kids.

[Wolfie48]

First time cruisers here. We are leaving TOMORROW!!!! YAY!!!

 

Anyway, we want to surprise the kids. Every time we go to Galveston we watch the cruise ship depart. The kids LOVE it. They've often said they wish they could be on the ship. So, ideally we want to be able just to walk up to the ship with the cruise documents in my purse, and say, "Hey, let's get on this ship!" They'd be STUNNED. But in order to do that my husband would have to drop us off to "shop" nearby, go to Lighthouse parking and park, get all the bags checked, then walk over to us and act like he had just parked the car somewhere.

 

Will Carnival let him do that if he has all four funpasses and passports with him? Or do you have to board the ship at the same time as your bags?

 

As long as you remember to put on the luggage tags you'll be fine. Very cool thing you are doing! Happy cruising..

[supercrunch]

How exciting! I know your kids are going to be thrilled. I definitely recommend getting a video of their reaction or at least a few pictures.

 

I just love surprising the kids. We got ours good by showing up at Disney World when they were 3 and 6. Now our oldest is 8 and has no idea we have Taylor Swift tickets in a few weeks. I might need to wear a helmet for this one :)

[GalOverCs]

My smile is still making my cheeks sore. Can't wait to hear how it went! :D

[becbec423]

They will remember that for the rest of their lives! My parents did the same thing when I was younger for my sister and I, they played it off as a road trip around Florida doing exceptionally boring and educational things and staying at a really gross hotel each night leading up to it, making us think it was an awful trip. Then they said we were going to go see what the cruise ship port looked like, me and my sis were like "whatever, this is so boring!" and then we parked! We were crying we were so excited! And we STILL talk about it, like 15 years later!!! Have so much fun!!!

[jnc411]

I can not wait to hear how this turned out, just great...........

Cori

[viciouslysh]

That is so exciting!!!! I'm so happy for you all!:)

[RAVI360]

OOOOOO yes let us know how that turns out....i no my 10 y/o son would pass out:eek:.........from the excitement....

[peanutJMV]

Oh yay!! Thank you guys SO much. I'm super excited now. The kids are 8 and 10. It has been SO hard to plan and shop for this trip without their knowledge! I'm just really glad they already have passports so I didn't have to try to figure out how to explain that one to them. :D Since we live in Houston and go to Galveston a lot, they will not be suspicious at all.

 

I'll be sure to check back in here when we get back!

 

Have a great time---what a wonderful surprise..

[lindasuej]

I am glad your kids are little. A few years back we did a surprise for our son and his family and daughter and her family. Christmas gift that year was a 3 day Disney cruise for all. What a surprise. However the surprise was on us as daughter and her family could not go because she informed us (our Christmas gift) that she was having anoher baby and she would be 30 weeks by then. Needless to say they couldn't cruise with us.:(

 

Linda

[luv2cruz66]

We planned a surprise Disney trip for our kids when they were little...DS 7 and DD3. Our cover story to explain all the suitcases was that we were going to the aquarium and my kids were quite excited about that. The next day as we prepared to leave I got out the video camera and DH taped it as I told the kids the real story....."We're going to Disney World!!" The only problem was DD started crying hysterically because she wanted to "see the fishies" !! It took us a little while to calm her down and reasure her she would have just as much fun in Disney World as she would at the aquarium!! Please let us know how your wonderful surprise goes...I can't wait to hear all about it!

[Pechez]

Oh yay!! Thank you guys SO much. I'm super excited now. The kids are 8 and 10. It has been SO hard to plan and shop for this trip without their knowledge! I'm just really glad they already have passports so I didn't have to try to figure out how to explain that one to them. :D Since we live in Houston and go to Galveston a lot, they will not be suspicious at all.

I'll be sure to check back in here when we get back!

 

We live here in Pasadena, and ABSOLUTELY, let him drop you off on the Strand or something, then go drop the bags off, park the car, and meet up with you. Be sure to have tip money for the porter. We usually do $1.00 a bag.

Question: HOW are they not going to see the bags in the car or truck? Is it covered somehow?

Everyone likes to be part of a surprise and I am glad you are letting us share. Have lots of fun, those are GOOD ages, and come back to let us know.

[jordanaire]

FANTASTIC idea!!! Have your husband drop you and the kids off at a store or McDonald's, then tell them that dad is taking the car to the parking garage. After he drops you all off, then he goes to the terminal, drops off the luggage and then parks the car. He can then meet up with the family and shop/eat before heading to the ship.

 

Are they ever going to be surprised! Have a great time and let us know how it went!

 

:cool:Bill

[Froufie]

Wow - what a superb surprise! I would love something like that!

 

I can only imagine the planning (and packing?) and secret meetings :) involved.

 

Please do come back and tell us how it went - and don't forget the video and pics!

[hockeyluver]

Awesome!!! :):)

 

I could never keep the secret!!:p

[ManyMore]

Now we have to wait a hole week lol

[BlueC5Kitten]

Question: HOW are they not going to see the bags in the car or truck? Is it covered somehow?

 

If the car has a trunk, I would assume it would be easy to hide luggage from them...just my 2¢ though!

 

Cheers and Happy Cruising!

[Cowboy_42266]

First time cruisers here. We are leaving TOMORROW!!!! YAY!!!

 

Anyway, we want to surprise the kids. Every time we go to Galveston we watch the cruise ship depart. The kids LOVE it. They've often said they wish they could be on the ship. So, ideally we want to be able just to walk up to the ship with the cruise documents in my purse, and say, "Hey, let's get on this ship!" They'd be STUNNED. But in order to do that my husband would have to drop us off to "shop" nearby, go to Lighthouse parking and park, get all the bags checked, then walk over to us and act like he had just parked the car somewhere.

 

Will Carnival let him do that if he has all four funpasses and passports with him? Or do you have to board the ship at the same time as your bags?

 

You guys are awesome. What a great surprise. I hope you have a blast, and please let us know if you pulled it off.

[Wolfie48]

First time cruisers here. We are leaving TOMORROW!!!! YAY!!!

 

Anyway, we want to surprise the kids. Every time we go to Galveston we watch the cruise ship depart. The kids LOVE it. They've often said they wish they could be on the ship. So, ideally we want to be able just to walk up to the ship with the cruise documents in my purse, and say, "Hey, let's get on this ship!" They'd be STUNNED. But in order to do that my husband would have to drop us off to "shop" nearby, go to Lighthouse parking and park, get all the bags checked, then walk over to us and act like he had just parked the car somewhere.

 

Will Carnival let him do that if he has all four funpasses and passports with him? Or do you have to board the ship at the same time as your bags?

 

Can you adopt me :D

[momthecruisedirector]

My brother and sister in law did something similar for their kids years ago. They planned a trip to Disneyland without telling the kids. They said they were taking grandma to the airport (the kids were old enough to be iratated that they had to drag along to the airport!), anyway when they all got out to get 'grandma's' suitcase and were shocked to see their suitcases in the trunk! It took them until the second day in Disneyland to enjoy themselves, for the shock to wear off! I am way to much of a chatty cathy, I'd never be able to keep my mouth shut.

[kimcruiser]

Oh how great is this? I too cannot wait to find out what happened.:)

[snoopymcc]

Let's make sure to keep this close to the front page so we can be sure to get the update when it comes!!!

[Dirkgun]

If for some reason this doesn't remain on the front page; you can always use the (Search) that is on the right hand side of the front page. Just enter in the title from the OP and it should bring to whatever page it my be on. Or do like we did and save it to your (favorites) and you can pull this link of this page up anytime. DW and I can't wait to her how things went either. :D

[TnTnFlorida]

WOW! This is so cool! Have a blast!!!!!!:D

[quest2best]

What a great surprise!

 

We did the same thing for our daughter on her 18th birthday (amazingly my husband, older daughter and I kept the secret for 8 months). We spent the night at a condo at Cocoa Beach. The next morning, I put all the luggage back in the car without her knowing. Then we all went for donuts and maybe a movie. We got the donuts and were driving past the cruise terminal when someone (as usual) says "let's hop on a cruise ship". I was driving and said "ok" and pulled up to the area where they unload the bags. My daughter kept looking around and then her eyes got huge when the bags started coming out of the back of our car. "Seriously? Seriously?" She didn't really believe it until she was on the ship. It was a great moment and I wish I had video.

 

Have a wonderful time!

[muffin]

Well, I never...... learned something VERY helpful today from you..I did not know we could put various threads we were interested in on our "favourites" on the computer. For years I have been using the search to find items. This will make my life so much simpler and i thank you. I too want to keep up to this one, so it is the first in my ew folder called CC threads!