Ideas to prolong a cruise surprise...

[1 Buffett Fan]

Just looking for feedback from anyone who has tried to surprise their wife / husband/ girlfriend / boyfriend, etc...

 

In June I booked a cruise on the Harmony for spring of 2017. The cruise itself isn't a surprise, but instead of our usual D1 or D2 balcony cabin, this time I booked a suite because of the great deals that were available at the time (prices have rose quite a bit since then). I'd like to keep the cabin type a surprise from her as long as possible, but I can see it potentially coming apart in several different ways, especially as we get closer to our sail date.

 

She doesn't read CC, so that's one benefit. She doesn't pay attention to the cruise docs, the RC deck plans, or even the luggage tags, so we're good there. If I'm even lucky enough to get this far, I'm thinking the check-in process on sail day will be the giveaway, with the special suite lines, gold cards, etc. So, can anyone share any experiences where they've been able to hide the surprise up until the last minute, maybe even until actually entering the cabin? Or equally as valuable, any feedback on how your surprise was inadvertantly revealed before that?

 

Thanks in advance for any helpful info!

[CAT GIRL]

How nice of you to do this.

 

Ok, the luggage tags will say Suite on them. Even though you said

she wouldn't notice them. I guess I wouldn't use the provided ones but

get them from the porter and have them handwrite the cabin on there.

Then, at check in, I would go into the regular line. I would write a

note to give to the agent that this is a surprise and to not give anything

away about being in a suite. If your wife questions the gold card, play

dumb or say you don't know why... or come up with something in case

she notices the color.

If you make it that far, what I did to surprise my MIL with the Royal

Suite was tell her 'hey let's snoop around by the suites before everyone

gets to their room and see if we can look inside one of the rooms." Then when we got to our room I jokingly said "try

your card in the door and see if it works". We got all the way into the

room with her saying "we shouldn't be in here". Then we yelled

"Surprise ! This is our room" She couldn't believe it.

This should be a fun thread to watch. Good luck.

[1 Buffett Fan]

How nice of you to do this.

 

Ok, the luggage tags will say Suite on them. Even though you said

she wouldn't notice them. I guess I wouldn't use the provided ones but

get them from the porter and have them handwrite the cabin on there.

Then, at check in, I would go into the regular line. I would write a

note to give to the agent that this is a surprise and to not give anything

away about being in a suite. If your wife questions the gold card, play

dumb or say you don't know why... or come up with something in case

she notices the color.

If you make it that far, what I did to surprise my MIL with the Royal

Suite was tell her 'hey let's snoop around by the suites before everyone

gets to their room and see if we can look inside one of the rooms." Then when we got to our room I jokingly said "try

your card in the door and see if it works". We got all the way into the

room with her saying "we shouldn't be in here". Then we yelled

"Surprise ! This is our room" She couldn't believe it.

This should be a fun thread to watch. Good luck.

 

Cat Girl, thank you for the ideas. That sounds like it was a nice surprise for your MIL. I knew the luggage tags had the cabin number on them, but I didn't realize they said "suite". Good to know. At check in, maybe I can get the agent to give me both cards, so hopefully I can get past that obstacle...

[CAT GIRL]

Cat Girl, thank you for the ideas. That sounds like it was a nice surprise for your MIL. I knew the luggage tags had the cabin number on them, but I didn't realize they said "suite". Good to know. At check in, maybe I can get the agent to give me both cards, so hopefully I can get past that obstacle...

 

 

If the agent gives you both cards, you will be asked at several check

points to show it. That may or may not work. Better to have an

explanation for the gold color. The card itself won't say suite on it.

[cruise_blog]

I surprised my GF with an owners suite on Rhapsody last year. We got to the port a little early and went to the suite line. She asked why we were going there and I said "No one else is here, so it really doesn't matter what line we get in. If they tell us to go to the other line, we will." She bought that. Then when we got the gold card, she was suspicious. I played dumb and told her they must have changed the colors of the cards since last time we cruised, or maybe it was because we were in Australia--the cards might be different than the US. When we went to the room, I told her I got a good deal on it but we had to share it with some other people. At that point she wasn't buying it any more. :)

[LMaxwell]

My wife would not notice the line we stand in, color of her seapass card, luggage tag, nada, nothing. OP, you sound safe.

[LilBlackDress]

How nice of you to do this.

 

Ok, the luggage tags will say Suite on them. Even though you said

she wouldn't notice them. I guess I wouldn't use the provided ones but

get them from the porter and have them handwrite the cabin on there.

Then, at check in, I would go into the regular line. I would write a

note to give to the agent that this is a surprise and to not give anything

away about being in a suite. If your wife questions the gold card, play

dumb or say you don't know why... or come up with something in case

she notices the color.

If you make it that far, what I did to surprise my MIL with the Royal

Suite was tell her 'hey let's snoop around by the suites before everyone

gets to their room and see if we can look inside one of the rooms." Then when we got to our room I jokingly said "try

your card in the door and see if it works". We got all the way into the

room with her saying "we shouldn't be in here". Then we yelled

"Surprise ! This is our room" She couldn't believe it.

This should be a fun thread to watch. Good luck.

 

Love the "IF you make it that far"

 

As for the luggage tags, instead of requesting them by mail (suite perk, for now anyway) print them out and put them in a 'Luggage Tag Holder' and stick them in your carry on. That way you can attach them to the luggage kinda last minute, maybe send her to pay for the transport to the port...

 

Good Luck!!

[impatientlywaiting]

I upgraded us to a JS without telling DH. When we got to the terminal and went into the JS line, he informed me we were in the wrong line. I told him the attendant had waved us over since her line was empty. He bought it. When we got to our cabin he commented that he didn't remember that the cabins or bathrooms were so big. I had to take him outside into the hall to show him that we were in a JS instead of a regular balcony cabin! Since it was an 18 day relocation cruise from Australia to Hawaii he was horrified that I'd spent too much! But I had gotten a great deal! :D

[gwsster]

Just looking for feedback from anyone who has tried to surprise their wife / husband/ girlfriend / boyfriend, etc...

 

Here is my story about the time my DH upgraded our cruise in 2010. Let start that he was offered an upgrade 48 hours before sailing. We were booked a balcony but he bought the upgrade to a 2 bedroom suite on a trip to Italy and Spain. I had just finished treatment for breast cancer 6 months before and was emotionally spent, but healthy! We planned the cruise together and DH took care of all of the details. He had been on CC and coordinated excursions with other CC members who were included in the secret. This is how the day began.

Standing in front of the hotel in Spain waiting for the bus to take us to port the other CC couple asked DH if I knew? He shook his head NO! (don't blow this now) I asked what did they ask? He said so convincingly that they were asking if that was our bus and he said No ours will come later, I bought it!

We get to the port, luggage taken (didn't get suite tags because we were upgraded late). We were sent to a special check in line, I asked why? "Oh that is because we are repeat cruisers" DH said, bought it. Then we end up in the Suite waiting area with food and drinks, I freaked! I was not paying for this error. That is where the other CC couple we had roll called with and met at the Hotel calmed me. They had a Suite and said that our reservations must be linked because of Cruise Critic. Linda said "don't worry you can be our guests, if there is an issue". I wouldn't eat or drink anything, I wasn't going to make a fool of myself. Then here comes "Jeeves" to escort to our cabin. What!!! We never got an escort before...My husband said "just go with it, we will straighten it out later". People are yelling to us from below as to why did we get to go on first? I said "I don't know" to them. I am beyond confused.

"Jeeves" opens the cabin door, I don't see the door suite tag. I enter and see a sofa and thought, hmmm weird, but then saw the latte/coffee maker and thought Whoo hoo, I will sleep on the sofa for the coffee maker! I thought that was our whole room. "Jeeves" directs me to the next room a full bathroom with TV, double sinks, separate shower and more. He then points to the bed area with a King bed. I am overwhelmed and upset that we got the wrong room. We only paid for a balcony room.

My DH is standing in the living room looking at me in the bathroom doorway with "Jeeves" looking on who has no clue as to what is going on.

I held my hands up in the what is going on position and he said "HONEY, i UPGRADED". I cried, not the sweet demure cry, the ugly cry. I was so overwhelmed at what DH did for me. A gift beyond any expectation. This dear man has never been able to pull anything off surprise why in 35 years of marriage. This had to be one of the best surprises of my life.

My opinion is let her be surprised, you be the hero! My man earned enough "points" with that surprise to carry him through to the 50th anniversary.

[mcatmcat]

Lucky for me my partner doesn't have to get in the room to be excited about the surprise. To be honest I rather tell my partner in advance so we can enjoy in advance and share the joy.

 

The only time I sailed in a suit was like 3 years ago and when my partner saw the gold card I could tell that it was a better surprise than waiting for us to get into the room.

 

I can hide a surprise for months or a birthday present but when it comes to a cruise we just can't hold that much lol

Edited October 16, 2015 by mcatmcat

[TheInnocentAge]

Just looking for feedback from anyone who has tried to surprise their wife / husband/ girlfriend / boyfriend, etc...

 

In June I booked a cruise on the Harmony for spring of 2017. The cruise itself isn't a surprise, but instead of our usual D1 or D2 balcony cabin, this time I booked a suite because of the great deals that were available at the time (prices have rose quite a bit since then). I'd like to keep the cabin type a surprise from her as long as possible, but I can see it potentially coming apart in several different ways, especially as we get closer to our sail date.

 

She doesn't read CC, so that's one benefit. She doesn't pay attention to the cruise docs, the RC deck plans, or even the luggage tags, so we're good there. If I'm even lucky enough to get this far, I'm thinking the check-in process on sail day will be the giveaway, with the special suite lines, gold cards, etc. So, can anyone share any experiences where they've been able to hide the surprise up until the last minute, maybe even until actually entering the cabin? Or equally as valuable, any feedback on how your surprise was inadvertantly revealed before that?

 

Thanks in advance for any helpful info!

 

I am trying to pull off a similar surprise in a couple of weeks, so I'll let you know how it goes. I printed the luggage tags already, and they have the cabin number on there but nothing about it being a suite, so you'll probably be OK there since she's not familiar with the deck plans. Like you, I'm thinking she'll figure it out while we're checking in. We booked through a TA, and as part of their perks we have priority check in and boarding, so she'll buy that as the reason for getting into the suite line. The gold cards will probably be the tip-off, and like someone mentioned earlier, you have to present those a couple of times. Maybe I'll just try to hang onto both our cards, we'll see.

[killtheump]

My wife would not notice the line we stand in, color of her seapass card, luggage tag, nada, nothing. OP, you sound safe.

 

I am doing the same thing that 1 Buffett Fan is doing, I booked a Grand Suite for our 40th anniversary. My wife sounds like yours, she won't notice anything different until we walk into the Suite.

[sarahleebones]

My wife would not notice the line we stand in, color of her seapass card, luggage tag, nada, nothing. OP, you sound safe.

 

 

I think you are safe. I would just line up in the non-suite line and have a sticky note on your docs for RCI check in person to read stating "do not let on that we are in a suite - it's a surprise" of something to that effect. When you get your cards, don't even say anything about the colour of them. If she does, shrug and say they must have changed the colour of them. Then just go to the cabin when it's ready for the surprise.

[1 Buffett Fan]

Thanks to everyone for their responses so far. Some good stories out there. Keep the ideas coming!

[TheInnocentAge]

How nice of you to do this.

 

Ok, the luggage tags will say Suite on them. Even though you said

she wouldn't notice them. I guess I wouldn't use the provided ones but

get them from the porter and have them handwrite the cabin on there.

Then, at check in, I would go into the regular line. I would write a

note to give to the agent that this is a surprise and to not give anything

away about being in a suite. If your wife questions the gold card, play

dumb or say you don't know why... or come up with something in case

she notices the color.

If you make it that far, what I did to surprise my MIL with the Royal

Suite was tell her 'hey let's snoop around by the suites before everyone

gets to their room and see if we can look inside one of the rooms." Then when we got to our room I jokingly said "try

your card in the door and see if it works". We got all the way into the

room with her saying "we shouldn't be in here". Then we yelled

"Surprise ! This is our room" She couldn't believe it.

This should be a fun thread to watch. Good luck.

 

Some good suggestions in here. I'm trying to surprise someone soon too, so I had to go and double-check my luggage tags. The ones you can print out at home have the cabin # on there, but don't indicate that they're for a suite. I don't know, maybe the ones that you can request from RC might, but I always just print these out. If I can be anywhere near as successful with the surprise as you were, I'll be happy.

 

Buffett Fan, I'll post here in a few weeks and let you know how it goes...

[sarahleebones]

Just looking for feedback from anyone who has tried to surprise their wife / husband/ girlfriend / boyfriend, etc...

 

Here is my story about the time my DH upgraded our cruise in 2010. Let start that he was offered an upgrade 48 hours before sailing. We were booked a balcony but he bought the upgrade to a 2 bedroom suite on a trip to Italy and Spain. I had just finished treatment for breast cancer 6 months before and was emotionally spent, but healthy! We planned the cruise together and DH took care of all of the details. He had been on CC and coordinated excursions with other CC members who were included in the secret. This is how the day began.

Standing in front of the hotel in Spain waiting for the bus to take us to port the other CC couple asked DH if I knew? He shook his head NO! (don't blow this now) I asked what did they ask? He said so convincingly that they were asking if that was our bus and he said No ours will come later, I bought it!

We get to the port, luggage taken (didn't get suite tags because we were upgraded late). We were sent to a special check in line, I asked why? "Oh that is because we are repeat cruisers" DH said, bought it. Then we end up in the Suite waiting area with food and drinks, I freaked! I was not paying for this error. That is where the other CC couple we had roll called with and met at the Hotel calmed me. They had a Suite and said that our reservations must be linked because of Cruise Critic. Linda said "don't worry you can be our guests, if there is an issue". I wouldn't eat or drink anything, I wasn't going to make a fool of myself. Then here comes "Jeeves" to escort to our cabin. What!!! We never got an escort before...My husband said "just go with it, we will straighten it out later". People are yelling to us from below as to why did we get to go on first? I said "I don't know" to them. I am beyond confused.

"Jeeves" opens the cabin door, I don't see the door suite tag. I enter and see a sofa and thought, hmmm weird, but then saw the latte/coffee maker and thought Whoo hoo, I will sleep on the sofa for the coffee maker! I thought that was our whole room. "Jeeves" directs me to the next room a full bathroom with TV, double sinks, separate shower and more. He then points to the bed area with a King bed. I am overwhelmed and upset that we got the wrong room. We only paid for a balcony room.

My DH is standing in the living room looking at me in the bathroom doorway with "Jeeves" looking on who has no clue as to what is going on.

I held my hands up in the what is going on position and he said "HONEY, i UPGRADED". I cried, not the sweet demure cry, the ugly cry. I was so overwhelmed at what DH did for me. A gift beyond any expectation. This dear man has never been able to pull anything off surprise why in 35 years of marriage. This had to be one of the best surprises of my life.

My opinion is let her be surprised, you be the hero! My man earned enough "points" with that surprise to carry him through to the 50th anniversary.

 

What a fantastic story! Thanks for sharing!

[TheInnocentAge]

OP, I made it past the luggage tag hurdle. She finished packing and attached her tags, barely looking at the cabin number, if at all. Again, she's not seen the deck plans, so that certainly helps. We'll see how it goes in a few days when we get to the port.

[05mak05]

We have made quite a few trips with friends who remind me of Lucy and Desi. She booked a cruise as a surprise about 10 days ago and a few days later left town to babysit grandchildren. She was gone all of 24 hours when RCI called to thank them for the booking. He freaked, called her saying they were victims of identity theft. In our many years of cruising never once have we gotten a "thank you" call. And I bet after listening to the hysteria that this agent never again makes another.

[1 Buffett Fan]

We have made quite a few trips with friends who remind me of Lucy and Desi. She booked a cruise as a surprise about 10 days ago and a few days later left town to babysit grandchildren. She was gone all of 24 hours when RCI called to thank them for the booking. He freaked, called her saying they were victims of identity theft. In our many years of cruising never once have we gotten a "thank you" call. And I bet after listening to the hysteria that this agent never again makes another.

 

Wow, thanks for the heads up, that would ruin the surprise for sure! I have never had a thank you call from RC either, but they used to call me whenever I had a courtesy hold on a cabin. I have my work number on file with them, so whenever they do call, she wouldn't know.

[KBRADFORD79]

Just looking for feedback from anyone who has tried to surprise their wife / husband/ girlfriend / boyfriend, etc...

 

Here is my story about the time my DH upgraded our cruise in 2010. Let start that he was offered an upgrade 48 hours before sailing. We were booked a balcony but he bought the upgrade to a 2 bedroom suite on a trip to Italy and Spain. I had just finished treatment for breast cancer 6 months before and was emotionally spent, but healthy! We planned the cruise together and DH took care of all of the details. He had been on CC and coordinated excursions with other CC members who were included in the secret. This is how the day began.

Standing in front of the hotel in Spain waiting for the bus to take us to port the other CC couple asked DH if I knew? He shook his head NO! (don't blow this now) I asked what did they ask? He said so convincingly that they were asking if that was our bus and he said No ours will come later, I bought it!

We get to the port, luggage taken (didn't get suite tags because we were upgraded late). We were sent to a special check in line, I asked why? "Oh that is because we are repeat cruisers" DH said, bought it. Then we end up in the Suite waiting area with food and drinks, I freaked! I was not paying for this error. That is where the other CC couple we had roll called with and met at the Hotel calmed me. They had a Suite and said that our reservations must be linked because of Cruise Critic. Linda said "don't worry you can be our guests, if there is an issue". I wouldn't eat or drink anything, I wasn't going to make a fool of myself. Then here comes "Jeeves" to escort to our cabin. What!!! We never got an escort before...My husband said "just go with it, we will straighten it out later". People are yelling to us from below as to why did we get to go on first? I said "I don't know" to them. I am beyond confused.

"Jeeves" opens the cabin door, I don't see the door suite tag. I enter and see a sofa and thought, hmmm weird, but then saw the latte/coffee maker and thought Whoo hoo, I will sleep on the sofa for the coffee maker! I thought that was our whole room. "Jeeves" directs me to the next room a full bathroom with TV, double sinks, separate shower and more. He then points to the bed area with a King bed. I am overwhelmed and upset that we got the wrong room. We only paid for a balcony room.

My DH is standing in the living room looking at me in the bathroom doorway with "Jeeves" looking on who has no clue as to what is going on.

I held my hands up in the what is going on position and he said "HONEY, i UPGRADED". I cried, not the sweet demure cry, the ugly cry. I was so overwhelmed at what DH did for me. A gift beyond any expectation. This dear man has never been able to pull anything off surprise why in 35 years of marriage. This had to be one of the best surprises of my life.

My opinion is let her be surprised, you be the hero! My man earned enough "points" with that surprise to carry him through to the 50th anniversary.[/quote

 

This was soooo sweet, almost made me cry...the ugly cry. LOL

[MrsPete]

Thought #1:

 

Years ago one of my students told me a story about her parents surprising her and her twin brother. They'd been in Florida and told the teens they were heading home, but first they wanted to swing by the ports and just wanted to take a look at the ships -- you know, to consider for a future vacation.

 

They got out of the car, and Dad went up to "talk to a security guy and see if they could just go on board and look around". And the kids thought nothing of it when the guy said yes. Being kids, they thought it was reasonable. In actuality, Dad had cruise tickets all the time.

 

The kids bought it hook, line and sinker when Dad explained that you have to have your picture made, even if you're just going on board to look around. He explained that it has to do with being sure you leave the ship, and he alluded to serious penalties for people who don't leave on time.

 

Once they were on board, he said, "Let's see if we can go into the dining room and eat without being caught." And the kids were scared, but they went along with it -- even though it was really out of character for Dad to steal food.

 

Then they swam a while, and the kids started saying, "Shouldn't we leave? We don't want to get into trouble." But Dad kept saying, "Just a little longer." Mom, of course, was in on the secret.

 

Finally the staff started announcing that they'd be heading out to sea soon ... and the girl started crying, terrified and imagining that they'd be thrown in jail. That's when Dad fessed up that they were staying on board.

 

Thought #2:

 

Would anyone else here be peeved if your spouse spent the money to upgrade to a suite without discussing it? We're VERY frugal, and we agree on major purchases ahead of time -- together.

[Theredofshaw]

 

Thought #2:

 

Would anyone else here be peeved if your spouse spent the money to upgrade to a suite without discussing it? We're VERY frugal, and we agree on major purchases ahead of time -- together.

 

We're fairly frugal as well but we have our vacation fund for a reason. If it was a heck of a deal it wouldn't bother me a bit (of course I do most of the computer related stuff for us so I'd be doing the surprising lol)

[Cabansail]

Maybe "mention" that there was an offer for repeat cruisers (or whatever) where you can get priority boarding. You have applied for it, might as well. Then it's just some other creative BS for the colour of the Seacard.

[emeraldcity]

DD had picked the cruise back in 2012 ... 7 days on the Grandeur out of Colon, Panama. We had a balcony booked but I kept kicking myself for not getting a JS. Within a few weeks of booking, there were no JS left. So I kept watching. Finally about 10 days before final payment people started dumping cabins and a couple JS cabins showed up in inventory. I called to get an upgrade price and they said $700. Sounded pretty steep to me and I hesitated. Then the lady said "But you can get a GS for $800." What? $100 difference between a GS and a JS? I had to think about it ... for maybe 30 seconds and then I dug out the credit card. But I didn't tell DD.

 

The Set Sail pass said "Suite" in a circle and she just figured that was the grandiose name for all the cabins. The priority line for suite was the same priority line for Emerald, so there was no tip-off there. The gold cards she thought were pretty cool looking, but she didn't notice that nobody else was getting them. And when we headed for our cabin, she didn't track on the fact we were on a different deck ... and we were forward instead of aft.

 

I walked in first and turned around to get her reaction. She stepped into the cabin and stood there in confusion. "Whoa!" she pointed to the dry bar that separates the entry from the sitting area, "We've never had one of these before." I grinned, "That's because we've never had a grand suite before." She squealed and leaped across the room to check our everything. She never saw it coming.

 

I could never pull it off again. She's very well aware now of what gold cards are.