Suprising GF with cruise

[bobbyfk]

I would like to suprise my girlfriend with a cruise for our 1 year anniversary, I habe been on cruises in the past and love them, she went on her one and only cruise many years ago. I am thinking of a short cruise to Mexico (3 nights from Long Beach,CA) we both would need passports, what is the best way to go about this? Has anyone suprised someone with a cruise in the past? How did you keep him/her from finding out? I assume my first step is to get us passports.

 

Thanks!

[notentirelynormal]

Well, if the first step is to get you passports, it's pretty hard not to tell "something". You can still have fun with it and not tell all. For example, last year I asked my mother how much she'd be willing to pay to travel for a cruise. Would $1000 for the airline be out of line if it was a long flight. Well for a long flight, sure. I hang up, she called me back. Where are we going. I'm not telling. What should I pack. I dunno but we need to get you a smaller carry-on for this flight. Another call. Well, I've gone through my closet and packed and re-packed (same day) but I have no clue. Well, I said ... at Heathrow... we're going to England she says. I've always wanted to go to England. Well, bummer, cos we are only passing through on our way. LOL...... Fifteen phone calls later I told her we were going to do a Med cruise.

 

My point is - you can tell her you have a special trip planned that requires a passport but that you aren't giving more details. OR you can tell her that you WANT to plan a trip but it is too limited because she doesn't have a passport. Think sneaky and you can come up with it.

[beachchick]

I am not sure you can keep it a surprise as long as you might like. If you are US citizens and are on a closed-loop (depart and return to same US city) cruise, you actually don't need passports. You do need official (not hospital issued) birth certificates and government-issued photo ID (e.g., driver license, state ID card). Of course, you need your BCs to get a passport anyway and I strongly recommend you consider that. They are valid for 10 years and necessary if you need to fly internationally, including if you have an emergency on the cruise and have to fly home from a foreign port. I know, it's horrible to think anything could happen, but life has a funny way of showing us who is in charge. Passports would be great if you intend to continue cruising or traveling. In any case, you cannot "get" her a passport; she must do it herself and there is no way to keep that a surprise.

 

Okay, so as for the surprise thing. If you are thinking of just telling her to pack for some place warm and with no information, I cannot recommend strongly enough that you consider how she will respond to this kind of surprise. Although some people enjoy that kind of surprise, most (at least, most people I know) do not--especially women, who want to have an idea of specifics so they can anticipate, plan, and pack accordingly. I assume, but perhaps shouldn't, that you are not thinking of surprising her by telling her nothing, packing for her, and then driving to the pier to say, "Surprise."

 

I think what you are planning is a wonderful, romantic, and thoughtful way to celebrate. You could easily surprise her with cruise tickets in advance and then you both get the pleasure and anticipation of planning the cruise itself. Just my opinion, of course.

 

beachchick

[Krazy Kruizers]

Don't know when you plan to cruise, but it will take a few weeks to get your passports. You can always tell your girl friend that you may need them in the future as you are looking at doing some traveling and will need them.

For the surprise, since you are talking about a short cruise, once you have booked, you only need to tell her that you want to go away for a few days.

Just make certain that you keep the passports.

[dsrdsrdsr]

If you're close enough that you have shared cash and/or expenses, you need to be absolutely sure this is the way she would choose to spend her money. Your OP implies that you're booking your dream holiday, not hers, and unless you have pots of spare cash that is yours absolutely, not joint, then she might think it should have been a joint decision.

[RockeyBullwinkle]

I would like to suprise my girlfriend with a cruise for our 1 year anniversary, I habe been on cruises in the past and love them, she went on her one and only cruise many years ago. I am thinking of a short cruise to Mexico (3 nights from Long Beach,CA) we both would need passports, what is the best way to go about this? Has anyone suprised someone with a cruise in the past? How did you keep him/her from finding out? I assume my first step is to get us passports.

 

Thanks!

 

I'm so confused.. "our 1 year anniversary" of what? first, not a chance of getting a passport without her knowing it. second, how will you be sure she has a valid BC on hand? seems a lot of folks on these forums don't. unless you plan to totally foot the entire bill, forget it. I assume that she works and would need to schedule time off? as much pre-cruise shopping as you read about on these forums just saying oh, btw we are leaving on a cruise tomorrow. ain't going to go over very well.

[Suitcasefull]

I'm so confused.. "our 1 year anniversary" of what? first, not a chance of getting a passport without her knowing it. second, how will you be sure she has a valid BC on hand? seems a lot of folks on these forums don't. unless you plan to totally foot the entire bill, forget it. I assume that she works and would need to schedule time off? as much pre-cruise shopping as you read about on these forums just saying oh, btw we are leaving on a cruise tomorrow. ain't going to go over very well.

 

All this plus there are people who just don't like surprises....especially a big one! Perhaps the surprise could be, "Thought I'd take you on a cruise.....let's plan it together." or something like that.

[bobbyfk]

My plan is to suprise her as in give her the travel documents on our anniversary which is about a month before the cruise. Thank you for the closed loop cruise information, that is one less thing I have to worry about :)

[MommaBear55]

I think a surprise trip is a great idea! She has already been on a cruise, so hopefully you know that she doesn't get motion sickness! I agree with the need to know what to pack. Our kids took us all to London and Paris for Christmas a few years ago and originally they were only going to to tell us when we were on our way to the airport, but then they told us two weeks ahead which gave us time to look at guidebooks and get really excited, as well to pack the right clothes.

 

Have fun! Sounds like you are a great BF.

[bobbyfk]

I'm so confused.. "our 1 year anniversary" of what? first, not a chance of getting a passport without her knowing it. second, how will you be sure she has a valid BC on hand? seems a lot of folks on these forums don't. unless you plan to totally foot the entire bill, forget it. I assume that she works and would need to schedule time off? as much pre-cruise shopping as you read about on these forums just saying oh, btw we are leaving on a cruise tomorrow. ain't going to go over very well.

Our first year anniversary of dating, she has a valid BC. She does work but she is off weekends and can get that Monday off without a problem :)

[DonnasMom&Dad]

Our first year anniversary of dating, she has a valid BC. She does work but she is off weekends and can get that Monday off without a problem :)

 

Have fun!!!!!!!!!!!! :rolleyes: ;)

 

Let us know the outcome !:D

 

Cato :)

 

 

Completed Cruises !

Pre-cruise Days - The Big Red Boat, 1993 ??

 

1st cruise - Coral Princess, 19 November 2008, 10 day Panama Canal, FLL to ACA

2nd cruise - Coral Princess, 15 May 2009, 3 day Repositioning, Los Angeles to Vancouver.

3rd cruise - Sapphire Princess, 25 November 2009? 7 day Mexican Riviera.

4th cruise - Golden Princes, 12 June 2010, 7 day Alaska. (Golden Anniversary Cruise)

5th Cruise - Island Princess, 04 October 2010, Vancouver - Los Angeles, Repositioning

6th cruise - Sapphire Princess, 05 January 2011, 10 day Mexican Riviera. LA to LA.

7th cruise - Golden Princess, 11 May 2011, 3 day, LA to Vancouver, Repositioning

8th cruise - Sapphire Princess, 14 May 2011, 1 day, Vancouver to Seattle, Repositioning

9th cruise - Coral Princess 19 May 2011 2 day, San Francisco to Vancouver, Repositioning

10th & 11th cruises - Coral Princess 02 July to 16 July 2011, round trip Vancouver - Whittier Alaska, B2B

12th & 13th cruises - Sapphire Princess, x2, Cabins, 18 Sep. 2011, 1 day, Seattle to Vancouver, Repositioning

14th & 15th cruises - Golden Princess, x2, Cabins, 24 Sep. 2011, 1 day, Seattle to Vancouver, Repositioning.

We have now reached Elite status with Princess Cruise Lines

16th cruise - Oasis of the Seas, 26 Nov. 2011, 7 day, Western Caribbean, Ft. Lauderdale, Ret.

17th & 18th cruises - Crown Princess B2B, 03 - 10 Dec & 10 - 17 Dec 2011, 14 Days, South & western Caribbean

19th cruise - Grand Princess, 31 Mar. - 07 April 2012, 7 Days, Eastern Caribbean, FLL - FLL

20th cruise - Island Princess, 06-16 June 2012, 10 day cruisetour Vancouver - Wittier

21th cruise - Emerald Princess, 16 day, 10 - 26 Sep. 2012, TA, Copenhagen - New York

22nd cruise - Carnival Ecstasy 10 - 14 January, 2013, 4 Day Bahamas, Port Canaveral Ret.

23rd cruise - Sapphire Princess 30 March - 06 April, 2013, 7 Day Coastal LA - LA

 

 

Future & Hopeful Cruises !

( Already booked )

 

.24th cruise - Coral Princess, 19 May - 22 May, 2013, 3 Day Repositioning Cruise, LA - Vancouver

25th cruise - Royal Princess 16 June - 05 July, 2013, 19 Day Inaugural cruise, Southampton - Venice.

26th cruise - Emerald Princess, 06 Oct. - 16 Oct. 2013, 10 Day Cruise, Quebec City to New York City

27th cruise - Royal Princess, 14 November - 01 December, 2013, Eastern Caribbean, Fort Lauderdale Ret.

28th cruise - Star Princess, 20 December, 2013 - 04 January, 2014, 15 Day, Hawaii, Christmas-New Years, LA-LA

29th cruise - Crown Princess, 15 February - 05 April, 2014, South America, FLL - LAX, 49 Days.

30th cruise - Regal Princess, 02 June - 19 June, 2014, Venice - Barcelona, - Venice 17 days

 

 

 

[the_journeyman]

I somewhat surprised my fiancé (now wife) with a cruise. All I asked was if she would be comfortable going on a cruise. I didn't divulge any details other than the passport needed to be up to date. It was a 7-night out of San Juan on the Adventure of the Seas and she was hooked on cruising!

 

That's a great surprise IMO, enjoy it!

 

JM

[sail7seas]

I really, really, really do NOT like surprises.

I would not be thrilled for DH to 'surprise' me with a gift of a trip to anywhere.

He knows I have never wanted surprise birthday or anniversary parties and I really don't want a surprise cruise of any description.

 

You know your lady and presumably know how she feels about surprises. If she doesn't like them, think carefully about honoring her wishes.

 

JMO........