Having so much trouble finding cruising buddies!

Some of the friends I've talked to about it respond with that whole "a DISNEY cruise??????" response that i hate getting back. The same one DH had when I first approached him about it until I said it was that or WDW or nothing.. now he can't wait to go back because it's not what he, or most, people have visioned in their heads.. which is kids just running wild screaming and waving their arms up and down the halls and "disney" overload..

it's more like the adults doing all that....

some people just don't understand though until they actually do it! just tell them it's a different cruise line and then just show up and say surrpriiseee!!!

 

See, with some of my friends, it might be the "Disney" factor, but I wouldn't invite them on a Disney cruise. But these friends I'm talking about are Disney people to the bone! I did a college program my junior year and made some of my best friends there that I still keep in touch with. Many of them still work for Disney and we love going to the parks when we're all in Orlando. I know they have all sporadically gone on cruises (Disney, carnival, RCCL), but none of us have ever invited each other to go along! I just can't understand how we can always meet up on "land" vacations, but cruising can never work out.

 

I'm another who LOVES vacationing with family. We've done Cancun, Hawaii, Cabo, and other places with my parents and my in laws. THis cruise will be my DH and I, our girls and my MIL and SFIL-who are paying. I would have to have a really stinkin' good reason to refuse a paid trip! WHen my MIL suggested it, I was like "When do we leave???" I understand some people just CANNOT get along with certain family members, but my parents and in-laws are great to travel with--and they always offer up some alone time for DH and I. We set sail on our 10 yr anniversary, so my guess is that first dinner our kids will be with grandma and grandpa while we got to Palo.
As for cruise friends, I think the cruise meet here is a good place(so far as it isn't like my thread with 3 people!LOL)

 

Out of the six Disney Cruises I have been on five have been solo and I enjoy it, however I continually notify my friends to see if they can book the same cruise with me. A lot of times it's the timing that's bad or just arranging for everyones time off from work/school. Its pretty easy for me since I am single. Nevertheless I just booked another cruise for December 2013 and I notified my friends and I have my fingers crossed some or all of them will attend.

 

Join a Fish Extender Group and make lots of suggestions. We have our own Facebook page. We are having an Initial Get Together, A Wine Sailaway/Sunset Party, a Private Beer Tasting with beers from our local areas, we are getting together for Karaoke, we are doing the Scavenger Hunt together, we are doing a Cabin Crawl and we have the FE Exchange. After a year of planning, I feel like I already know a lot of these people.

 

We just met a great bunch of people on the 9/20 Dream cruise, and look forward to cruising with them again. It started with the DIS cruise meet thread, which led to a Facebook group that is still very active. We arranged for a group of 12 to dine together in the MDRs and in Palo.

Trying to get the same kind of dining group going with the 1/12/13 Fantasy cruise. So far, we're up to 6.

As good a job as DCL does matching table mates, nothing beats getting to know them ahead of time and sharing the countdown with them. It made a 3 night cruise last for months, and maybe years. Can't wait to cruise with our 9/20/12 Dream friends again!

(Jerry and Laura)

 

Holula said "However, finding friends to come on a cruise is IMPOSSIBLE. I have a four day booked in January, offered to everyone I know at my expense and no takers. It's ridiculous! I would take a free cruise in a heartbeat."

Okay, a few questions...
#1 When are you going?
#2 Can I come instead of your "crazy" friends?
#3 When did you say you were going?!?!?!?!
(FYI-I'm a teacher and have a really ROUGH class this year. I'd go in a heartbeat...I NEED a vacation! and a hug!)

 

Heck, we can't even get people to go to WDW with us even after offering to drive them there (or pick up at airport) and we already have the DVC spot reserved, so we understand.

I second whomever mentioned it, but join up on the Cruise Meet thread and make some new friends who do like cruising Disney.

 

We are in the same boat! We are in our late 30s, no kids, and love cruising but can never find people to join us- even with a year notice! We finally gave up and just keep it at us 2. We take part in the FE. You should too. Lots of fun!

 

I'm free in January! That IS crazy.

Whenever I try to get family or friends to go, I will get the "yeah, yeah, that sounds great!" But no one ever steps up to the plate when it's time to book.

Of course, when I get back, and they see pictures and hear all about it, it's round and round we go again "oh, I wanna go next time! Let me know".

 

Definitely in the same "boat" with you guys. We're child-free and I'm 32 and DH is 36. We had great tablemates on our MR trip with 3 other couples roughly the same age. We wound up running into each other and having people to sit with during activities.

We always try to get family and friends to come along but no luck, even with almost a year notice. I also have a bff who is also a DVC member and LOVES everything Disney, but no luck with her.