Sharing your vacation time.

[COLLEYBERRY]

We are hesitant to share our vacation time with others (another couple or larger group of friends ) I am not talking about weekend trips ,we have done that many ,but vacations where cost and time are significant.

 

Curious how others feel and interested to read about successful (or not so successful ;)) experiences.

 

 

[CowPrincess]

We have a dear friend who is single, who is always invited along on our cruise vacations. She is expected to get her own cabin, and keep herself entertained for the most part. We share shore excursions, most breakfasts, and always dinners. She and I travelled together when I was single, so we have lots of good practice at it. She and I sat down on our first trip and did up some rules. We've stuck with the rules, and it still works, even though I'm now partnered :)

[RuthC]

LOL! I've been cruising solo for so long now I'm not sure I'd even want to go with a spouse! :eek:

To be fair, I have been on cruises with several people I met on CC, and we had a great time. The thing was that everyone did what they wanted, with no committments to each other. We even moved around from one table to another at dinner time, just so we all had time together.

I remember seeing someone pointing to a group picture in the photo gallery, and commenting "This group is having so much fun!".

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

We have traveled with another couple for over 40 years and the rule from the very beginning was that each of us could do what we want and the others would not be hurt if we didn't want to go with them on some excursion etc. We now cruise once a year with them and since they prefer the Lido and we prefer the dining room we seldom eat dinner together. At ports, if we don't want to shop they go off on their own. They are late risers and we are early risers. We do see each other throughout the day and always have a good time with this arrangement.

 

Barbara

[sapper1]

The trick is not to be joined at the hip. Do your own thing during the day some of the time and other times what you want to do will coincide with what your friends want to do, so you can do it together. Meet up for pre dinner drinks and talk about your day. Feel free to do what interests you in the evening and that too, will sometimes coincide with what your friends are doing.

If the arrangement is kept loose than everyone will have a good time and you will enjoy having your friends along, while at the same time, having time with your husband. Your friends will enjoy your company and will not feel pressured to spend every minute with you.

[sapper1]

LOL! I've been cruising solo for so long now I'm not sure I'd even want to go with a spouse! :eek:

Let's get real here----you just wouldn't want to share those pillow chocolates. ;)

[dchip]

We cruise and vacation a lot with my sister and her husband. We have cruised with our kids and grandchild. We always have a wonderful time. Like another poster said, we are not tied at the hip. A cruise is the perfect way to vacation with others. You can do your own thing during the day and meet for dinner each night.

 

That being said, there are times (like next week) when we just want to be with each other. We are taking a week long cruise to Mexico. We are both looking forward to the time we will spend alone for an entire week.

 

So I guess there really isn't one answer to this question. If you don't feel comfortable vacationing with others.....don't do it!!!

 

Cheers, Denise

[cb at sea]

While I enjoy my friends, I don't want them there 24/7....a few hours per day is MORE than enough.

If I were to cruise with friends, it would be with the understanding that we will see them at dinner...with NO other plans during the day. If we meet up...fine..but it's not a "given" that we will spend time together!

And I would NEVER, EVER, get rooms too close by....that's a recipe for disaster!

[sail7seas]

We have cruised 'successfully' with a number of couples through the years and most of them were fun and all worked out fine..... some a little better than others but we still see and speak with them all so couldn't have been that bad. :)

 

The last couple we cruised with we've known for many years and we had a blast with them. They're far more active than us and when she was booking their shore excursions pre-cruise, she called to tell me what they were booking and to say we certainly should feel free to join them on any of their excurions. I laughed and said, No way...... they were kayaking in frigid Maine waters, hiking from wherever to whatever etc

 

I chuckled and said I was so happy they found things they would enjoy doing and we would so look forward to hearing all about their adventures at dinner. Was a wonderful cruise with them. :) We hope to sail with them, in particular, again.

 

 

[jhannah]

The trick is not to be joined at the hip.

Absolutely! We've cruised only once taking friends along. I wouldn't do this unless the independence aspect was clearly understood. We even made that clear when our family of 10 took a Disney cruise together.

 

Several times we've cruised to meet up with CC and other friends who are special to us. But that's different from planning a trip together.

 

I would be extremely selective in whom I would even ask to do this. In our one instance, they were very wonderful, close friends. We had some excursions together, but basically met for dinner each night.

 

I certainly understand, therefore, the hesitance to spend vacation time and dollars tied in lock-step with someone else.

[donaldsc]

WE cruised with our son-in-law's parents on a 35 day cruise. We did some things together and did a lot of things not together. In fact, there were instances where we essentially did not see them all day including diner. For us and I believe for them, it worked.

 

DON

[kazu]

We've cruised with several friends and always enjoy their company.

 

simple rules - no one has to do what the other is doing. If you like the same tours, things to do fine...if not, each goes their own way with no hard feelings.

 

We've always had a great time and lots of fun together, but each couple also has their own time.