Are we in the minority regarding cruising/travelling with other couples?

[CDNPolar]

8 hours ago, Silver Sweethearts said:

 

Don't you think "Dinner is mandatory" sounds a bit demanding and doesn't exactly set the tone for a relaxing meal?

 

I have used the word "Mandatory" as others have for dinner, but don't take the word as literally as the dictionary definition from my perspective.

 

All that is meant by that is you do what you want to do during the day and we will meet at dinner to catch up.

 

There have been many times that we have booked a specialty restaurant for TWO only and let them know just before we would meet that we would not be seeing them at dinner.

 

We have also decided just before dinner that we would prefer the buffet and they still wanted the menu in the restaurant.

 

In these cases we see them in the lounge after dinner.

 

 

[KBS1607]

We did a a family cruise of seven people in 2009. My father in law thought we would all travel in a big pod. Uh, no. My husband got stuck with his dad on an excursion and it was brutal. Meanwhile I had taken my daughter and her cousin on a lovely excursion in Aruba.

 

Flash forward to 2019. My husband and I invited our daughter and her husband of one year on a Baltic cruise. I thought mayhem was going to be involved at some point; especially in one dinner in the steakhouse. 
 

Our recent Caribbean cruise with them was much better. 

Edited April 26 by KBS1607

[K32682]

1 hour ago, CDNPolar said:

 

I have used the word "Mandatory" as others have for dinner, but don't take the word as literally as the dictionary definition from my perspective.

 

All that is meant by that is you do what you want to do during the day and we will meet at dinner to catch up.

 

There have been many times that we have booked a specialty restaurant for TWO only and let them know just before we would meet that we would not be seeing them at dinner.

 

We have also decided just before dinner that we would prefer the buffet and they still wanted the menu in the restaurant.

 

In these cases we see them in the lounge after dinner.

 

A traveling companion who said something was "mandatory" or even "we will meet at dinner" would never be a traveling companion again. 

 

We've travelled with other couples. Sometimes it was great, other times not so much and the fast track to the second category is attempting to make anything "mandatory" or trying to tell us what we "will" do.   

 

 

Edited April 26 by K32682

[clo]

Does this thread take "couple" to mean two people? I was single til I was 40 and am awfully glad that "couples" would include me in their activities.

[Silver Sweethearts]

12 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

There have been many times that we have booked a specialty restaurant for TWO only and let them know just before we would meet that we would not be seeing them at dinner.

Perhaps we are missing something here, as it sounds like you had no intention of having dinner with them but felt is was OK to lead them on.

[SelectSys]

6 hours ago, clo said:

Does this thread take "couple" to mean two people?

Yes, that was my idea as the thread initiator.

[clo]

2 hours ago, SelectSys said:

Yes, that was my idea as the thread initiator.

Thanks. Your choice of course.

[navybankerteacher]

9 hours ago, clo said:

Does this thread take "couple" to mean two people? …

Check your dictionary - one person cannot constitute a “couple” - three is ordinarily referred to as a ménage, and no one would refer to a group of four or more as a “couple”.

[clo]

11 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Check your dictionary - one person cannot constitute a “couple” - three is ordinarily referred to as a ménage, and no one would refer to a group of four or more as a “couple”.

I was allowing the OP and others to modify their posts. No problem that they didn't. 

[SelectSys]

1 hour ago, clo said:

I was allowing the OP and others to modify their posts. No problem that they didn't. 

I certainly have no problem with others discussing other topics that gets triggered by my posts.  In this thread, it's certainly an easy leap from discussing travel with another couple to discussing travel with an individual or larger groups.

[Joebucks]

A dinner or two together as somewhat "mandatory" would be reasonable. To expect it every day, is unreasonable.

[George C]

We have cruised with sister and her husband a couple of times and with friends a couple of times . But that was 4 times out of my almost 80 cruises, also did resorts with friends a couple of times . I like it when we don’t have to do everything together, but will eat meals together.

[lenquixote66]

On 4/15/2024 at 6:06 PM, SelectSys said:

My wife and I have come to the conclusion that we aren't really all that good traveling with other people.  It seems most times that we travel with others our schedules and interests tend to diverge if we travel with others.  This includes friends that we spend time and socialize with on a regular basis at home   

 

Are we in the minority?  How do you get along with others during cruises and trips?  We have a cruise of 15 days coming up at the start of 2025 with another couple where are daily routine and interests are somewhat different.  

 

BTW - our rule for traveling with our kids, now all adults, is simply that everyone simply needs to show up for dinner.  I may try to extend that rule to traveling with another couple on our upcoming cruise.

 

We have been on 10 cruises with friends.

5 cruises with each of three couples that are CC regulars All were great .

[ldubs]

If someone doesn't look forward to doing a lot of things together with travel companions, then why on earth would they travel together?   We travel together because we are a tight group of family/friends who enjoy each other's company.  

[Honolulu Blue]

3 hours ago, ldubs said:

If someone doesn't look forward to doing a lot of things together with travel companions, then why on earth would they travel together?   We travel together because we are a tight group of family/friends who enjoy each other's company.  

Two things come to mind quickly - economies of scale and a group of co-workers - where being together is about efficiency and not about enjoyment.  I'm glad you have a clan that you like to travel with.  Sometimes I wish I had one. 🙂

[CDNPolar]

5 hours ago, ldubs said:

If someone doesn't look forward to doing a lot of things together with travel companions, then why on earth would they travel together?   We travel together because we are a tight group of family/friends who enjoy each other's company.  

 

We travel with folks that we really like, but that does not mean that we want to spend every minute with them.

 

We are quite a solitary couple in daily life and although we like having folks we know on a cruise with us, we still like our time alone.

[CDNPolar]

We are travelling with family for the first time ever in November/December.  This is immediate family and in-laws to them.  We will see how this goes.

[ldubs]

1 hour ago, CDNPolar said:

 

We travel with folks that we really like, but that does not mean that we want to spend every minute with them.

 

We are quite a solitary couple in daily life and although we like having folks we know on a cruise with us, we still like our time alone.

 

To be fair, nothing in my post suggests every minute must be spent together.   In our case, we generally will gravitate together, but there is no issue for anyone who peels off to do their own thing. 

 

 

[SelectSys]

11 hours ago, ldubs said:

If someone doesn't look forward to doing a lot of things together with travel companions, then why on earth would they travel together?   We travel together because we are a tight group of family/friends who enjoy each other's company.  

In my case which was the basis of the thread, we actually enjoy seeing the other on a regular basis and have spent many weekends together over the years.

 

On our one trip that was more extensive, we ended up feeling like tour guides and needing to be responsible for everything.   We still have time to figure things out before the cruise.

[57redbird]

We have relatives that are not very adventurous eaters (from Minnesota so maybe that's it) but it's very uncomfortable dining with them since they're SOOOO picky & stuck in their ways & we're on different pages for excursions --- we've learned our lesson traveling with them - we don't.

[2BACRUISER]

Haven't done any cruises with friends or family but have done two with "friends" the first was a villa share and we were the youngest couple of 3 couples and were literally abandoned by the other 2 from day one though we did have a couple meals at night together when they remembered we were with them lol 😆 the second time was better we did our own thing during the day and met up at night to go eat. 

We are happy as a couple and our own company but chat and mingle with others as required on cruises especially when tables for two are like four inches apart in the mdr lol 😆 

[ldubs]

5 hours ago, SelectSys said:

In my case which was the basis of the thread, we actually enjoy seeing the other on a regular basis and have spent many weekends together over the years.

 

On our one trip that was more extensive, we ended up feeling like tour guides and needing to be responsible for everything.   We still have time to figure things out before the cruise.

 

I can see that happening.  Mrs Ldubs and her sisters do an excellent job planning things.  Pretty much everyone is on board before they are on board (Haha, see what I did there!).  

[CDNPolar]

14 hours ago, 57redbird said:

We have relatives that are not very adventurous eaters (from Minnesota so maybe that's it) but it's very uncomfortable dining with them since they're SOOOO picky & stuck in their ways 

 

We are cruising with a family member for the first time this coming November.  

 

I know that this particular individual is very picky eating and just adverse to trying anything that she does not know and has not eaten before.

 

I asked my brother how this would go over at meals, and his response was, as long as they can offer breaded chicken fingers, fries, or a burger, she will be fine.

 

I actually look forward to the experience as we eat and try everything.  I will just be experiencing my own amusement in my head as she watches the wonders of food that we will be eating.

[clo]

6 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

 

We are cruising with a family member for the first time this coming November.  

 

I know that this particular individual is very picky eating and just adverse to trying anything that she does not know and has not eaten before.

 

I asked my brother how this would go over at meals, and his response was, as long as they can offer breaded chicken fingers, fries, or a burger, she will be fine.

 

I actually look forward to the experience as we eat and try everything.  I will just be experiencing my own amusement in my head as she watches the wonders of food that we will be eating.

I certainly don't know about other lines but the one we're currently using I have googled "*** sample menu" and found what I was looking for. 

[CDNPolar]

28 minutes ago, clo said:

I certainly don't know about other lines but the one we're currently using I have googled "*** sample menu" and found what I was looking for. 

 

This is Viking.  No chicken fingers 'cause there are no kids on a Viking cruise.  She can get a burger and fries at lunch, but don't know if they will accommodate her with a burger at dinner or not.