Surprising my sister with her first cruise!!

[pdbcruisers]

We are booked on Symphony for the Nov 17th sailing this year. I guess my question is, how long can I keep this a surprise for her?  I would love for not to know until we get to the port that day.  Is that possible?  Will I be able to do all her check in for her?  

[GetToLivin]

I do the check-ins for my family and they are none-the-wiser, I would think you could wait to tell her and handle it up until then so long as you can find out her passport info (which you'll need for check-in on the app).

 

Also, if you need another 'sister' to surprise with a free cruise, I am volunteering and I promise to act shocked 😉

[broberts]

Do you want to keep the fact that she will be cruising a secret or just the details?

[bjlbbk]

Ahhh…I love vacation surprises!! Make sure to come back in November to let us know how it goes!!

[neverbeenhere]

Do you have the power to get her passport? or Photo ID and birth certificate?

 

Surprise might be on you if these don't exist.

[pdbcruisers]

23 minutes ago, neverbeenhere said:

Do you have the power to get her passport? or Photo ID and birth certificate?

 

Surprise might be on you if these don't exist.

I can get all that from her husband. 

[pdbcruisers]

39 minutes ago, GetToLivin said:

I do the check-ins for my family and they are none-the-wiser, I would think you could wait to tell her and handle it up until then so long as you can find out her passport info (which you'll need for check-in on the app).

 

Also, if you need another 'sister' to surprise with a free cruise, I am volunteering and I promise to act shocked 😉

I do have a solo cruise booked for Star of the Seas maiden sailing. 

[Kellie in Texas]

I may be in the minority here but I would absolutely hate it if somebody tried to surprise me in this way. I enjoy the planning and anticipation too much. Maybe she'd want to do some shopping ahead of time or get a manicure, etc. etc.  You can still surprise her -- just make it at a family dinner and tell her "Guess where you'll be on November 17th?"  

[cruiseguy1016]

4 minutes ago, Kellie in Texas said:

I may be in the minority here but I would absolutely hate it if somebody tried to surprise me in this way. I enjoy the planning and anticipation too much. Maybe she'd want to do some shopping ahead of time or get a manicure, etc. etc.  You can still surprise her -- just make it at a family dinner and tell her "Guess where you'll be on November 17th?"  

 

I'm with you on this. I like to plan things. OP - you say you want to wait until you get to the port. How will she know what/how to pack? I think you should tell her ahead of time so you can make plans together for shore excursions and such. For me, a big part of the cruise is knowing where we're going and planning things to do at each port. If she's never been on a cruise, she probably hasn't been to any of the places you'll be going. Maybe she would enjoy learning about them ahead of time and planning things to do.

[shipgeeks]

I agree with Kellie, and the word I would use if I were the "victim" in this case is "cruel".

Son once decided to surprise me with a Broadway show, but presented it as meeting some of his work friends and maybe a meal.  At least I wasn't in my gardening clothes....but I didn't have my glasses.  Hard to enjoy to the fullest.

As for a cruise, there is anticipation, there is researching the ship and the ports, there is packing, including the right socks for the shoes, the right undies, meds, cosmetics.

I'm glad that no one will ever do that to me.

[karen s]

My daughter surprised her sister and I with a cruise.  She told us by having personalized M&Ms made with "Cruising May 2024" and "Mariner of the Seas."  She gave them to us to as Christmas gifts.  It was fantastic and gave us enough time for appropriate planning.

Edited June 4 by karen s

[spethstation]

Back in 2017 I had booked a cruise for myself and my sister and fully intended to go nearly all the way until the cruise departed before telling her. Shortly after she started getting on my case about wanting to book her first cruise with me and she started sending me all these itineraries and prices. I eventually had to tell her so she'd get off my back, but it was nearly over two years away when I told her and the anticipation for her was agony!! 😂 

[bjlbbk]

I think you just need to know your audience to know whether or not they would enjoy the surprise or hate it. We have traveled with both family and friends who absolutely hate the planning process and just want to show up and enjoy. They don't want to be bogged down with the details and definitely prefer for someone else to do all the planning (and packing if they could get away with it!). Even as the planner in our family I would still absolutely LOVE to be surprised! It may not come together exactly as I would have planned for myself but that is part of the excitement! I would definitely be open to rolling with a few unknowns to enjoy an unexpected cruise!! (Hint, hint to any of my family who might see this post! Haha!).

[OldCaver]

We surprised our granddaughter with a weekend cruise, but then we knew for a fact that she loved cruising. We told her we were taking her to enjoy the beach in Galveston, and that let her plan for clothes for eating out, which were just fine for the ship. She didn't catch on until we parked at the cruise terminal, which is a major give-away.
But if your sister needs to be in control of the planning, you might tell her a month in advance. Other than clearing your calendar, a month should be enough to prepare. If not, offer to cancel the cruise and take her to an escape room and call it good.
😋

[broadwaybaby123]

We surprised my niece by presenting her a with a photo book of her last cruise on her birthday.  She read the last page and said "My next cruise *insert name of ship and date here*?!?! I'M GOING ON A CRUISE! *falls over*  CRUISE!"

 

We did this about 6 months before the cruise, as we needed her to try on some things and take her shopping (she's a kid).

Edited June 4 by broadwaybaby123

[RobInMN]

Not quite the same thing, as they knew we were doing a cruise.

 

A couple years back I found a really great deal on the 2 BR AquaTheater suite on Allure out of Galveston (cruise was last September). I asked our daughter if she and her bf (now fiance) wanted to go. Of course she said yes. That's all that was said. Nearly 2 years later, other than dates, or discussing excursions, she never asked asked a single question until the night before we left:

her: "Is our room close to yours?"

me: "right across the hall" (technically the truth if you know the 2 BR AT layout)

her: "did you get us a beverage package?" (She's thinking refreshment)

me: "we got you covered"

My wife & I actually had talked about whether or not to lie if she asked too many questions, but she never did. She never even used the phone app to look her room up.

 

Go down the day before. Night in the hotel. Still nothing. Just looking forward to the cruise.

Next morning, get an Uber to the port and get dropped off at the suite area. Not sure she really paid any attention to where we were. My wife was chatting with them as I checked in with the shore Genie, who then whisked us up to the suite lounge.

her: "did you guys move up in status or something?"

Since we knew Genie Jay was going to show up any minute, the jig was up. And told them we were doing a Star suite.

her: "you kept that secret for 2 years? I don't even know you!"

 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣

We had a great time. Jay was awesome!