Can't convince him....

[DDreamer]

Does anyone have a great ideas that have worked on how to persuade your spouse to take the family on a Disney Cruise. My husband has an "issue" with spending money on taking a vacation. Any ideas would be great! I'm desperate!

 

[floridaminnie]

I went on my first DCL this past July. I went with my parents, my grandmother and my 3 yr old DD. I have lived all over the world, b/c my father was in the air force. Since I live an hour away from Disney, I have had annual passes there for the past 9 years. My daughter has literally grown up at disney. When we went on the DCL, it is the first cruise we ever went on. We went on the 7 day western and it was the best vacation that I have ever had. There was something for everyone to do. My daughter enjoyed herself and I was never so relaxed in my live. On ship, we became DVC members, so now we will have vacations for the next 42 years. We have a 4 day cruise booked in March and a 7 Day cruise booked for brining in the New Year this DEcember along with going to WDW and Vero Beach. I'm not rich by any means (a 6th grade teacher), but with DVC it helps. I would try a 4 day cruise with him and let him see what you can do on board at www.castawayclub.com I think the extra money is worth it to cruise on DCL, because they make you feel like royalty.

 

[FantasticDisFamily]

Sounds like this might be a deeper issue than just convincing him to go on the cruise. You mentioned he didn't want to spend any money on vacation.

Probably need to deal with that first. Suggestion might be to price out the cruise including tips and an estimate of spending money. Then break that down into monthly amounts if it needs to come out of the regular budget or if you have some sort of "vacation account". Show him how it doesn't impact payment of regular obligations, long term savings goals, etc. If it DOES impact any of those areas then he may have a legitimate point.

Once you have him convinced that a family vacation works in the budget then it would be time to start showing him various trip reports, etc. so he gets an idea of what happens on a cruise. I know when I first mentioned it to my DH he was a bit hesitant and he likes vacations but tended towards the driving closer to home sort. This was prior to the launch of the Magic so there weren't any trip reports to show him! But I did get one of the brochures into his hands and gave him lots of info on WDW with an eye towards a land sea package. It worked and now he is hooked. As are the two kids, and I was always convinced! LOL!

Deb

 

[buzz&woody'smom]

I drug my DH on our October 4 day Wonder and I had to threaten to get him to go since he was gone 9 months last year (he is a Marine). I used the guilt card. Every night I would take our little ones back to the cabin and he would head up to the ESPN Linge and he and other DH's formed a little club complaining how they had been tricked into the cruise. It was actually very funny.

This year he can not go because of the Iraq situation so I am taking his mother with me so it is a great compromise and he likes to do things for his Mother.

He also complains all of the time about spending $$$ on vacations and such. He likes to add up all of our vacation expenses then present me with a figure annually. It is personality issue and he will never change. He simply can not justify spending so much on a trip. He says everytime I come up with a vacation I do "fuzzy math" and it never is accurate. Just give him information on a need to know basis.

Here is what I do:
I usually have to swear to a budget and then throw in the vacations can be my Valentines Day, Birthday, Mothers Day and Anniversary gifts which gets him off the hook for having to buy a gift

Also remind him your deposit is totally refundable up until 60 days out so you can cancel but you will be saving a ton of money by securing a price because DCL prices go up the closer you get to sailing.

Have him watch the DCL video, show him the excursions he can go on and suggest he become certified diver if he is interested and there are excursions he can do that are very fun with you all as a family or even on his own. There is a gym and the ESPN Sports Lounge.

I always feel a twang of envy when I see a male Dis's post a question and they are the one taking the lead in their families vacation. So good for you male Dis's.

Good luck! Just remember show how the trip won't effect your savings. Make a budget which will save $$$ toward the trip and throw in the "good for the family" line and also remember to suggest it can be part of the families Christmas gift or such.

Good luck I hope he agrees because DCL is a class act and even my DH agrees with that now.

 

[manchurianbrownbear]

I used to be much more inclined to spend money on tangible items rather than vacations. Over time I've come to find that I value the memories of family vacations (even going back to when I was a kid!) more than anything I've purchased.

Not that we spend all our expendable income on travel. We work trips into the budget.

I was also very reluctant to go on my first cruise. By the end of the week, I decided that I would have paid the cost of the cruise just for the food!

 

[SC Minnie]

DH and I hadn't really been on a nice vacation since out honeymoon 10yrs ago. Well, 2 years ago he had appendicitis and almost died. That really woke him up. Spending quality time together as a family meant more to him after that than working all the time. The memories you make on vacations last more than a lifetime- hopefully know our DD will tell her children about the great times she had on trips with mom and dad.

The year before last we decided that we were not going to buy each other presents for any occasion- the cruise in Jan 02 would be our presents. We put all 'found' money into the cruise fund. You can book a cruise about 18 months out (you actually get better deals booking early) but you don't have to pay in full until 60 days before sailing. This gives you about 16 months to save.

Good Luck!

 

[zurgswife]

I booked the cruise and didn't tell him for 1 1/2 months...but I knew in the end he would be ok with it...but I figured if he really put his foot down we had lots of time to get our money back in full...

 

[hydster]

Like others have suggested start saving for it a little at a time...you will be surprised. Also if you take the amount of money that a cruise costs, divide it by the # going (if you have kids) and the # of days and figure meals, entertainment, hotel everything included you would probably have a really hard time coming up with a vacation that you could do any cheaper having to figure in meals, hotel costs, transportation issues, entertainment (such as just going to WDW) and you still get to visit different places so I figure on a 4 night cruise that included freeport my viewpoint is you get to see 3 destinations for 1 low price...try pricing out going to 3 different cities and see how much more it costs just doing it in the US even if you drive. Cruising seems so much more expensive but when you break it down into dollars and cents it really isnt that bad. Also if money is a huge issue with Disney try going on a shorter cruise on another cruise line where you can sometimes get really good rates like Carnival for instance. True you dont get the "Disney" feel but once he tries it he may like it so much that getting him to go Disney next time wont be hard at all. My husband wasnt really keen on cruising either until I made him go the first time and now we go at least once a year!!! Figure out how long it would take you to save up the money for a cruise and start saving it and book it....then if he really decides he isnt up for it you have a savings and can then do something else with the money (as long as your budget allows you to save a little extra) but then when you have the money and he didnt "suffer" as my husband would put it...then he might be more willing to try it!!
Good luck.....I feel for you and hope you can succeed!!

Heidi

 

[disny4ever]

I can understand having reservations of spending money on a vacation, can we afford it? What if something happens that we need that money for?
I also have realized that you only get a small amount of time to spend with your kids as they grow up, and all the money saved on what if's can't replace that time. The way I see it is that things will work out 1 way or another. My boys are grown now and I do regret not having taken more vacations as a family, but I do hope that they will remember the ones they did take and have the memories to share with their kids.
Cruises were not as popular then, but I would definitely consider 1 now if they were small again.

 

[buzz&woody'smom]

I was thinking about you and I feel for you because I am in your shoes everytime I want to go anywhere. I agree with all of the other posters that you can save alot of money by having a cruise fund. You would be surprised how motivated you will be to save a little here and there (i.e., coupons, not eating out as much, not needing that cute little dress etc.) I have even seen at Hallmark stores the little jars that say "Cruise Fund" on them.

Twenty months ago I had a ruptured splenic aneurysm while I was 36 weeks pregnant, I was only 32 years old. To make a horrible story short my son and I are the 14th woman and baby known to have both survived this type of trauma. My body has been so damaged but my spirit and mind are strong and I use these trips as a goal and something to look forward to. Almost dying has taught me to appreciate everything. I still remember after being in the hospital a month being wheeled outside and the sun shining on my face and for someone who has survived melanoma that is truly something special.

I am a open book so on to you........these trips keep me happy and my DH wants to keep me happy. My 4 year old still talks to his preschool teacher about our cruise and it was in October. She told me the other day "to hear him talk you would think he went last week".

It took a lot of pleading and convincing but the most important fact is family memories. With all that is out of our control having family memories is the best gift you can give your children and DCL will make that happen for your family.

Good luck!

 

[my3kids]

I thought it was a very expensive vaction until I started calculating how much a trip we are taking this summer will be. When you add up lodging, entertainment, 3 meals a day in restaraunts....it really adds up. Looking back, the cruise wasn't unreasonably expensive.

 

[Mommypoohbear]

I had to talk my DH into this cruise. I explained that we only live once, our children will be 5 and 4 at the time of the cruise and they will never be 5 and 4 again. They love Disney and I can not wait to see them enjoy this trip. It will be a memory that will last forever.

Being from NY and having an Uncle who just survived 9/11(35th floor Tower 2), then lost his job 2 months later makes me realize that you have to live for NOW enjoy NOW and make great memories. Your kids are only kids for a short time, live it up !!!

 

[Verandah Man]

I'm one of those Male DIS'ers who doesn't mind spending my hard earned money for vacations.

We are now a one income family. Due to health reasons my DW(48) stopped working outside the home 14 months ago. She is getting ready to have hip replacement surgery on the 24th of this month. Two years ago I had a partial knee replacement. I read water meters for a living, which involves a great deal of walking, climbing up and down stairs, and bending(curb meters). I have been doing this for 24 years.

I really look forward to my vacations and don't mind putting the money out. I look at it, as a time to get away as a family, and enjoy ourselves. I was one of 5 children growing up, and my step-father only took us on one vacation when I was 8 years old, and the only thing I remember about that vacation was getting car sick on the way home.

I want my DD 12, to be able to remember the fun times we had as a family, and not to dwell on the negative. This is one of the main reasons we bought into the DVC. We had a marvelous trip to VB this past November, and are really looking forward to our cruise in August.

Life is short, how well we were reminded of that fact, this past weekend. Make memories that will last a lifetime.

My DW mother passed away a few years ago, and my DW really enjoys the fact that, my Dmom come join us on many of our trips.

Oh well, I guess it's time I get off my soap box, and check some more threads.

 

[jgalecpa]

I second Heidi's Idea about calculating costs on a per person, per day basis.

I also believe saving for about a year and a half so I have ALL the transportation costs in had before the trip (Air, Ship).

Since speding is a personal taste, I leave that up to you.A $5,000 for 4 people for one week works out to $1.71/per person per day saved for two years. This is a total of only $6.84 per day for a family of 4.

You cannot calculate the cost per memory you will make, ecause it is hard to divide by infinity.

ALSO:

17 years ago when I was a very young CPA, I had a client an elderly (85 y.o) man who was dying of emphysema. He was leaving an estate of $1 million, to a son who was independently wealthy and didn't need it a bit.

He said his biggest regret was dying with all that money. He saved and saved and never enjoyed things with his wife.

They always said they would travel and they never did. You know what happened.

Don't be him. Live life.

 

[Boo'sMom]

no real suggestions...but a welcome to the DIS from another NH-ite.
I always use the "kids are only young once" and DH is pretty supportive of our Disney vacations....


good luck!