Giving gift of cruise for christmas for 1st timers?

[Althearose]

I agree, your heart is in the right place.

 

That being said, I will share with you that my mother booked a cruise for the family that is due to depart on 12/23.

 

It's absolutely blowing up due to family dynamics, and I have decided to stay home.

 

She wishes she had never booked the cruise and I wish I had never said yes.

 

The road to h*ll is paved with good intentions.

 

@althearose: Sorry to hear that you've decided not to go on your family cruise. None of my business but wouldn't there be enough "me time" for you to avoid a lot of the dynamics? We've taken 2 family cruises. Our golden rule is that everybody goes their own way during the day. Sometimes our paths cross, sometimes they don't but its our individual choices to do what we want. We all meet for cocktails and dinner. No problems. Maybe we're lucky but it works for us. Hope you can work things out.

 

Hi Zookie - No chance now. I am hoping my mother will take my daughter though. No one wants me on board. I guess I was too exuberant about compiling all the information for everyone. It was fun. I didn't expect "a dozen roses" as my mother said, all I wanted was an acknowledgement of the emails I sent, possibly a thank you, and a chance to get everyone's input on excursions so we could get them booked. It was the information I sent out on Ship Time vs. Local Time and the fact that Ship Time might change at the Captain's discretion that really put off one family member who was trying to organize a private trip on one of our port days that really sealed the deal. I never thought she couldn't organize the trip, I just wanted to pass along all the information I received on the nuances of the whole time thing. I didn't know the Captain could change Ship Time, I thought it would stay the same throughout the whole cruise. I won't be celebrating Christmas or New Years this year. I will spend the time looking for work, as I am the only one unemployed right now, and I a single mom, so it has been a challenge. I wish I had spent all the hours of cruise research on job hunting instead, but I thought I was helping make this a great cruise. Bah Humbug.

[zookiebird]

Althearose: Sounds like all you were trying to do was give the others information to help them enjoy their cruise. I guess sometimes less can be more. Still, it would be nice if you could take the cruise and let the others sink or swim on their own (no pun intended). Best of luck with your job search. Here's hoping '12 is a great year for you. My advice: keep a song in your heart, a smile on your face and a drink in your hand!

[Althearose]

My advice: keep a song in your heart, a smile on your face and a drink in your hand!

 

Thanks!

 

(and to the OP, giving the gift of a vacation is like giving the gift of a puppy, never a good idea!)

[Commander Klink]

To me, that's like putting the down payment on a Mercedes-Benz. Yes, you're paying a substantial sum of money, but you're obligating a third party to spend a lot of money, which if they have, might rather spend on something else.

 

It's a bad idea to give a gift which comes with fiscal strings attached. Also remember, some people have to put in for vacation time a long time in advance. Especially with your 22yo sister, if she works retail or something like that, she might not be able to say, "Okay boss. Going on a cruise. See you in 9 days".

 

CK

[Cruisin' Chick]

@aimcat: Your heart is in the right place but by now you know your gift idea just isn't a good one. Since, as you say, they refuse to take any gifts this year and have everything one could imagine how about making a contribution to a charity in their name. It's something we started in our family a number of years ago and really is a gift that keeps on giving. Merry Christmas!!

 

This is a great idea, especially if the parents don't want anything for themselves. Just make sure it's a cause they believe in.

 

I agree, your heart is in the right place.

 

That being said, I will share with you that my mother booked a cruise for the family that is due to depart on 12/23.

 

It's absolutely blowing up due to family dynamics, and I have decided to stay home.

 

She wishes she had never booked the cruise and I wish I had never said yes.

 

The road to h*ll is paved with good intentions.

 

Sorry you had such problems. It's like "no good deed goes unpunished." Hope you find a job.

 

My father always pooh poohed the idea of going on a cruise. But then he probably didn't enjoy his trip across the Pacific during WWII for his army service in a MASH unit in the Philippines. He and my mother would instead go on many trips to Europe, and one trip to Asia and one to Israel.

 

I would have never decided to go on a cruise myself, but then I met a guy who went on his first cruise the year before and decided he loved it. So I brought along a lot of motion sickness remedies on my first cruise, and decided it was a relaxing way to vacation. Since then, every vacation over a few days that we've gone on has involved a cruise, with the exception being our Hawaiian honeymoon. And my little one has been on seven cruises in her 14 years. The irony is that I could have gone on a free cruise years before when I worked for an ad agency that had a cruiseline for a client.

 

My mother also didn't want to go on any cruises (her tendency to motion sickness is worse than mine), but my sister finally convinced her some years ago. She got the patch and went on a four day cruise and said it was enjoyable. She was in her 70s then and probably wouldn't go on another given her age and physical complaints.

 

As for the OP, I have to agree with the others. It doesn't make sense to given a gift that would make your father uncomfortable. You can't force others to enjoy the same activities or vacations that you do. If they go on the ship and then hate it, they could be resentful. Now if your mother wants to try it out, you and she can arrange for a mother/daughter trip. If your sister wants to go and can't afford it, maybe your mother can pick up part of her fare. But don't pressure your father or grandfather (unless he's used to using a scooter or wheelchair, it may be a bit much expecting him to learn this on a trip).

[sail7seas]

OP..........

 

What did you decide to do?

If you decided to give the cruise as gifts, please let us know the family's reaction.

 

IF you chose to do so, I sincerely hope they are thrilled. :)

[notentirelynormal]

I guess I should have explained better - when I got the cruise 2 years ago I paid for the entire thing and they got very livid with that and only let me pay the deposit. I mean they have money - they are well off parents. So I was paying at least the deposit because I know for a fact they will not let me pay for all of it - which I could for sure but they wont let me. So thats why I was only doing deposits. Even my sister will not let me pay for all of hers. They are just proud in that way I suppose.

But, wow, yeah after reading your comments I didnt realize what a dipsh*t idea that was truely. I love love love to be giving so I just felt like this was an awesome gift. Guess not. This was basically all I could give them because they were refusing to take any gifts this year and they really have everything you could imagine. :confused:

 

Back on post #10 the OP said they now realized this was not a good idea.

[Colorado Kat]

Aimcat - Perhaps you, your mom, and your sister could do a "girls" cruise sometime?

[garyj4]

Basically what I am giving is the deposit plus a little more - them pay rest and excursions, etc. I am buying 7 people's cruise deposits so thats basically the best I can do - Im not made of money!

I have never been on a cruise, we are schedule for our first in Oct 2012. but if my daughter had told me "I will pay your deposit, but you pay for the rest" I would have told her to forget it, unless she and I agreed to it previously or I had made comments about the cruise.