First Cruise Without Offspring

[barney4liz]

Random *feels* post, but I had the hardest time telling my adult kiddo that we were cruising for the first time just me and their dad! We are celebrating our 30th anniversary, and the timing just wasn't right for all to go -- but they were very happy for us and I promised to book a mom/kid future cruise. And I am super excited about experiencing the ship as a couple with no parental expectations. I knew a lot of y'all would get it <3

 

[lklgoodman]

Congrats on 30 years!! I thought about booking a cruise for just my dh and I, but our dd is only 11 yrs old and she wasn't so supportive of the idea, lol! Dh and I went on the Magic for our honeymoon 18 yrs ago. You'll have a great time!!

 

[rhinodadz]

We've done a few without the adult kiddos (they're 27 and 23) and it definitely irks them . It's definitely a more laid back vibe. We love travelling with them but also love travelling as "empty nesters".

 

[DCSWO]

We are doing this in 2021 and DD15 isn’t super happy but the Norwegian fjords itinerary only sails when she is in school so she will just live with a little disappointment. With just the 2 of us flying, i’m more apt to splurge on business class as well.

 

[CM Dad]

The first DCL cruise my wife and I did was for our 30th anniversary. We took my parents, my mother-in-law, our 4 adult chidren (youngest was 18) and one boyfriend (now husband). We offered to take another boyfriend but he turned us down.

For our 40th, took the 4 adult kids and 7 grandkids (plus 2 husbands and one long term boyfriend).

My wife has informed our kids that for the 50th, they are paying for the cruise. They have 7 1/2 years to save up.

Most of the other cruises have been just my wife and I, except for her 60th birthday, when I surprised her by bring the kids and grandkids

 

[disneyfaninaz]

I get it! We took our first cruise without our daughter last year on the EBPC for our 25th Anniversary. She is in college and couldn't go. She still hasn't forgiven us!!

 

[barney4liz]

I'm not feeling tooooo guilty, since DD took a solo trip to Japan last year!

 

[cvjw]

Adult only cruises are our favorite kind. You can do exactly what you want to do, or not do. We just got off the 8 night southern on the fantasy. We spent the majority of the week on deck 13.

When we bring our adult sons, we have to play putt putt and shuffleboard. We have to see all the shows. We have to do activities the whole week.

Without kids, we just relax and it is so great.

 

[aggiedog]

Dh and I did a river cruise by ourselves for our 25th anniversary. My kids love to travel and still gripe. They'll get over it. It is nice to not have to make sure 4 other people are happy/fed/potty breaker/whatever. We've done a couple parents only trips since, and some all family trips. I love traveling with the kids, and find myself thinking "the kids would love this" but also really enjoy the change in dynamic when they aren't there.

What I've learned can be even more fun is to find a good friend and travel without dh. Wow, that is liberating! I really can do whatever I want. And it's as cheap as I can get, only having to pay for one person!

 

[CamColt]

I totally get it! While we have and do travel without our kids (19 and 22) we always do at least 1 big, all out summer trip with them. Our trips alone are usually quicker, cheaper, etc... Well this summer we are skipping the family trip for DH and I to go to Hawaii for 2 weeks for our 25th anniversary. While I wouldn't mind the kids coming, the cost is already way too much for 2 of us, and really, the kids are at points in their lives where they don't know what they will be doing next summer so we couldn't plan. I feel really bad about it and I would actually like them to be there but it just wouldn't work. And I've waited 25 years to go to Hawaii so I'm going!

 

[daisyx3]

We have done two without kids, a 3 night Fantasy and a 4 night Dream. We are doing another one at the end of May, a 7 night Fantasy. Of course my youngest was 20 the first time we went without them (we had done 2 with all 3 kids when they were young, and one when he was graduating).
Last summer I tried to show him a Dream sail away on the webcam and he said "Mom, I have no interest in watching a ship I'm not going to sail on leave port today!"

 

[GPaLarry]

We are grandparents and have done nine DCL cruises, three without kids/gkids. If you think it is hard to go on a Disney cruises without kids, try it without kids AND grandkids...yikes! They gang up on you!!

 

[MomOTwins]

Tell them they should consider themselves lucky you have gone on cruises at all with them! I am a mom of three in my thirties who has tried in vain to get my parents and in laws to come on ONE disney park or cruise trip with us, and offer to pay everything but they refuse to go as they would rather do their own thing for vacation. Enjoy your trip guilt free—you’ve done more already than a lot of parents/grandparents

 

[Pinkgurlshubby]

We are doing a non kid cruise next summer to celebrate out 15th anniversary. DS18 really did not care he would rather be camping or working but DS15 was more of a cold shoulder. We never had a real honeymoon and we have another cottage vacation after we come back so that will make it up to them. And the good part, DW and I get to have a real vacation. Quiet cove all day, may not even go to the dinning rooms, get to finally experience serenity bay. Already started collecting Disney gift cards and for the first time I don't care how much alcohol I am allowed to carry on board because we budgeted for a lot of mom and dad wobbly pops!!

 

[barney4liz]

I totally get it! While we have and do travel without our kids (19 and 22) we always do at least 1 big, all out summer trip with them. Our trips alone are usually quicker, cheaper, etc... Well this summer we are skipping the family trip for DH and I to go to Hawaii for 2 weeks for our 25th anniversary. While I wouldn't mind the kids coming, the cost is already way too much for 2 of us, and really, the kids are at points in their lives where they don't know what they will be doing next summer so we couldn't plan. I feel really bad about it and I would actually like them to be there but it just wouldn't work. And I've waited 25 years to go to Hawaii so I'm going!

Congrats on your 25th and enjoy Hawaii!!

 

[Mom24Princesses]

We took our 4 daughters on two 7 night Disney Cruises.
We sailed CCL without them for our 25th.

Earlier this month we did a “retirement cruise”. One DD and SiL went with us. We invited another married DD but she couldn’t get off. We did not invite the two in college - it’s October! Well they were ticked off to say the least.

But we aren’t paying for the kids Disney cruises anymore - they’re on their own. Adulting is tough. If we were wealthy we would, but if it were up to us to pay for everyone we WOULD NEVER CRUISE AGAIN! ( They are 28, 26, 22, and 20) We won’t cruise DCL until late 2021 ourselves.

 

[Junebug1029]

We went on a non-Disney cruise without our kids (ages 12, 8, 4) this past summer and it was fantastic. They were a little irked, but I told them that is special to be married for 15 years, not everyone is. They got over it.

 

[gcoolie]

Random *feels* post, but I had the hardest time telling my adult kiddo that we were cruising for the first time just me and their dad! We are celebrating our 30th anniversary, and the timing just wasn't right for all to go -- but they were very happy for us and I promised to book a mom/kid future cruise. And I am super excited about experiencing the ship as a couple with no parental expectations. I knew a lot of y'all would get it <3

Congratulations! My husband and I did our 20th without the kids and I felt a bit guilty. We are doing our 25th the first week of December with no guilt. I keep telling them, just be happy your parents have been married this long and still want to hang out with each other.

 

[barney4liz]

Congratulations! My husband and I did our 20th without the kids and I felt a bit guilty. We are doing our 25th the first week of December with no guilt. I keep telling them, just be happy your parents have been married this long and still want to hang out with each other.

Excellent points! Have a wonderful anniversay cruise!

 

[bethy]

We just got off the Wonder - it was our 4th DCL and first one without kids. It was Wonder-ful and I honestly didn't feel guilty at all. I did miss the kids a little bit because it's fun to do Disney vacations with them. But DH and I had a marvelous and relaxing time.

The best thing? The COST!!!! OMG I cannot believe the difference between the cost of 2 Adults versus a family of 5! Woohoo!