Bringing a friend

[sigafoos]

I often read about people bringing a friend on the cruise and I'am curious, do you pay for this friend or do their parents pay? If their parents pay how do you ask, thats alot of money! We have good friends I wouldn't be uncomfortable asking , I'm just curious how everyone else handles this. We are going on our second Magic cruise hopefully next March and even though the kids(14 & 17) had fun last year I wouldn't mind if a friend came along.
Kim

 

[vicnmickey]

Bring it up casually in conversation one day. Mention things like how it would be neat if the kids could sail together. If the kids are old enough even suggest them helping to pay if they have a job. Alot of times bringing it up in conversation and not just coming out with it, makes it a little easier. Good Luck!!!!

 

[mmouse37]

Wow, this is very interesting and I'll tell you my saga.....we have sailed DCL 5 times already and my three kids do love it. We are planning to go on the Western on 8/3/02. My DS17 decided he did not want to go on the "family" vacation this year. Maybe he thought he was too old, plus he is on the football team and they usually go away to camp 1st week of August. I was going to let him stay at my sisters house for the week but the more I thought about it the more it bothered me. He has his own car and I know it would be quite easy for him to come home and "party". I know the temptation for kids to indulgde when a parent is away. We had a terrible tragedy here on the East Coast last week where two teens got in a fight at a home where the people were away and one teen punched the other. The kid fell to the ground the hit his head on the pavement and wound up in a coma with minimal brain activity. He later died and his friend is charged with manslaughter.

Obviously we would have made him come regardless, but I know my son and he would have made the trip misery for everyone involved if he really did not want to go. I resorted to bribery.....I told him he could bring a friend on the cruise with him this time. He was quite agreeable to this. We ususally travel on the cruise with other friends but they have no one my sons age. He always meets people but has always wanted to bring a friend along.

I spoke to the friend's mom and told her the amount the cruise was. I also told her I was willing to pay a part of his cruise fare and the airline ticket. She still thought it was alot of money but said if her son paid from his money she would pay part of it too. I don't normally pay for something like this but to me it was well worth paying part of this cruise fare for piece of mind this time. Especially in light of the above story. I felt the money I was paying would be far less than if something happened at home when I was not there. I feel so much better that he is coming along with us. He is really looking forward to coming with us.

Sorry this was so long!!!

MJ

 

[Mic]

If I was going to invite one of my kids' friends along, I would pay for it. We have 4 kids, so getting a second cabin, thus paying for 4 adults, is already a reality for us. In the future, we will likely let the 2 older girls(now 12 and almost 14) invite a friend each to share their cabin. I do not, however, plan on inviting friends for the 7-day, as we could never afford that(gee, we can't afford that yet for 6 of us!). The plan is to combine a 3-4 day cruise with a few days at WDW, which we will be doing for the first time in Oct. If we decide we like the experience, we will let each daughter invite a friend for our Oct.2003 trip. Because the opinion of most people who combine a land/sea vacation is that the cruise is best if done after the parks, we will be combining 4 days at WDW followed by a 3-day cruise. We will most likely do the same next year, as my original plan was a 7-day for just our family next Oct., but the Magic will be dry-docked We are taking 4-5 teens to WDW in June for my oldest daughter's birthday, and we are paying for everything but lunch in the parks each day and souveniers. I know it would be hard for us to pay for 1 of our kids to vacation with another family, so I could never in good conscience ask anyone else to. Now family(especially in-laws), I have no trouble asking them to share the expense!

 

[4megs]

We've enjoyed the 4 and 7 day (Eastern cruises). We have one child, DD10, and as much as we have alot of fun all together (she didn't do the kids programs - largely attended the programs we all could go to on the March Magic!) she enjoys her girlfriends.

We're eyeing the 7 day Western cruise next spring and it would be great fun to have this particular friend along. We'll take all the responsibility, treat her equally as DD10...but we can't cover her costs (wish we could!).

We thought bringing it up casually would help, let the parents think about the big issue of letting their daughter go out of country for a week with another family, and letting them know an approximate cost (they've been on the 7 day Eastern too!).

If the answer's "no" that's okay - it's a big question and one that I'd have to wrestle with if my child was being asked.

If the answer's "yes" - we're all going to have a great time!

Here's hoping!

 

[lespaul55]

We have two of my 16 yr. old daughter's friends that are cruising with us. We know [or at least guess] that their families could never afford to pay for them. So we invited them as our guests to help celebrate my daughter's 16th birthday. All three are sooo excited. I just keep closing my eyes when the charge card bill comes. But now we have paid in full and I just paid the last bill. All we are asking is that the girls bring their own spending money.

We also paid for my Mom, but we never discussed payment with her. She did pay for her airfare. She also provides the all important 3rd adult for our third cabin.

Leslie

 

[disney6]

We have invited my DS's friend. Since we have 4 kids and therefore 2 cabins it only cost us one child in DVC points. Since we are US citizens working in a foreign country we get one trip "home" a year - will fly to Savannah where my parents live so we will pay for his flight as our 6 tickets are free - only found out this perk right before we asked him along! We did ask for tip and spending and any excursions money. Not sure if he can go yet but will be very happy if he can and well worth the money. My parents are going also - in their own cabin - as our guests but will pay their own tips, spending and excursions as well.

 

[wovenwonder]

My 18 year old daughter took a friend along in April on the 7 day. We had our 1/2 price voucher from the cruise that broke down last April so she came in at a very reasonable price. Even with the 1/2 price, it is not something that we could swing in our family. The friend was willing to pay her share, and happy for the opportunity to be able to go on a cruise! We covered the transportation and meals and hotel in route for her though.

If you are cruising in spring of 2003 -- is that when your daughter graduates (2003). Possibly a parent would send along a graduating friend as an early graduation gift? Drop me an email sometime, and let me know how you make out! Good Luck!

 

[bakmmo]

We cruised last year and my friend took 6 of her daughters friends. They each paid their own cruise fare and tips but my friend paid for excursions and incidentals.

We have done this many times in the past and depending on the trip depends on who pays. When we take along a friend skiing we pay but a cruise, airfare is a big one especially for 6 children. 1 would be ok for me to pay.

Next year we are going again but my daughters talked their friends parents into cruising with us too. Last year we were a party of 42 and next year looks to be about 72 people.

Good luck