How to surprise someone with cruise as a gift????

[Lisa loves Pooh]

My sister and I are looking at ways to do a surprise birthday celebration for my mom's 50th birthday in 2006....

Her b-day will be on a Thursday--so we can do a 3 night Bahamas cruise--or go for the 7 day (pending finances and ability for us to pay her and hubby's way).

So--has anyone ever surprised an ADULT in this way? She works, so something has to be leaked ahead of time so that she can ask for time off and pack somewhat appropriately. I know that we can keep the DCL part a secret, but probably not the cruise part.

IDEAS anyone--I would like to present this to my sister.


Additionally--she is 1 of 9 and missed out on an older sis' 50th b-day cruise on Carnival that she could not afford to do.

We are one of those sort of not close--but sometimes like to do things together kind of family. It would be sort of cool to unexpectedly have siblings and families on board to enjoy the cruise as well (they pay their own way of course
).

Has anyone ever done a surprise family reunion cruise for the guest of honor?

Let me know--this would be Oct 2006 and as far as I know--I have some time before the sailing dates are available to book.

 

[walczak4]

I am surprising my hubby with a 7 night Western cruise (our 2nd) for his 40th birthday. The cruise leaves 02/26/05 so we will be in Cozumel the day of his b-day. He will put in 2005 vacation requests with his employer in November so I plan on telling him to take off that week because I have a little 3 day trip planned (a little fib to throw him off course!). I debated giving him cruise info either at Christmas or for Valentines Day & have decided Christmas would be better so he can check out any excursions that he might like to do.

Let me just tell you one thing---it is REALLY hard keeping a big secret like this! I am so excited about going again & would love to talk about it with hubby but I also can't wait to see the look on his face at Christmas!

Good luck with the surprise!

 

[TammiMcMan]

What a wonderful idea. Here are a couple of my thoughts,

~If you only end up with a 3 night cruise and you have extended family members coming, I wouldn't plan on surprising her with that once she got on the ship. I think she would be very overwhelmed and with really only 2 days to spend with everyone, it will probably go by in a blur. I would maybe plan a pre-cruise party with everyone at least a month before. It could be a surprise to your mom, but have everyone dress in cruisey, vacation clothes with cruise decorations, etc... and then present her with the DCL cruise info. If your family doesn't meet too often, it might be nice to set this up and give everyone a chance to talk and get comfortable before spending 3 nights on a cruise ship together. Your mom will then have the opportunity to notify work and help out with making some of the plans.

 

[traycie2201]

Some suggestions for kids suprises that could easily be adapted are postcard from characters -see other threads, a disney tote with hints in , such as cruise dvd, t shirt, brochure , passporter etc , why not share her hubby in the secret and get him to tell her he is taking her away and what to pack , then meet them at the airport etc with the suprise bag, and if poss go for the 7 day you won't regret it.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I live about 40 minutes or so from the port--so I was going to have her drive down from St. Augustine to my house the day before departure (2 1/2 hour drive--but they are always LATE!!!). Throw everyone in my van and then head the opposite direction of the keys

But then doesn't the cruise documentation very clearly say DCL on it? I suppose that while my mom spends her hour or so getting ready in the morning--it would be very easy for my hubby and her hubby to tag the luggage.

I suppose I could fib and have her prepare for a trip to the keys or something--but that doesn't give me the formal night clothes--she's been to the keys and I haven't so I don't know how I would fudge that.

This sounds like so much fun

 

[NYGiantsRule!]

If you are planning on a 3 day cruise, there is no formal wear required. Maybe that would make it easier.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

EXCELLENT POINT on the 3-day "NYGiantsRule!"

I am so into 'secular' cruising mode

That certainly makes it easier--although my mom though sometimes dresses for a biker convention does like to dress to the nines when appropriate.

 

[Carlnne]

We decided to take our kids on a surprise Disney trip for a week so my husband applied for vacation that week. However I reserved a 3-day cruise during that week to surprise my husband for our aniversary. I havent decided when to tell him- might just wait till we are in Fl. But I do know how I will do it. I am going to buy one of those picture frames that has the ability to record a sound message. Than frame a picture of Mickey and record the cruise horn from the link people have posted on these boards. When he presses the button- it will be obvious.

 

[Rence]

My sister surprised her husband with a week at Disney World.

She booked the whole trip several months in advance. She talked her brother-in-law (husband's brother) into saying that he was coming that week for a visit. Her husband was always going to finish the basement so my sister suggested that he take the week off to work on the basement with his brother (who enjoys that kind of stuff), they could also get in some golfing etc. So he took the week off.

She then had another long time family friend call a few days before to say that they were flying into town for the weekend, could they stay with my sister and her husband? Of course sister and husband had to go to the airport to pick them up.

Sister got the luggage all packed and in the car without her husband suspecting a thing. Of course she had to go through the motions of making up the guest room etc.

Her husband had no idea until they got to the airport, and she opened the trunk and pulled out the suitcases.

PS. My first niece was born nine months later.

 

[webray]

We surprised our daughter (adult) with a quick 3 day while she was going to be home on leave from the military. I already had a certified copy of her birth cert, so that wasn't a problem.

We booked two days before the cruise left. She arrived one day before. She thought we were spending the time at a wdw resort, as that was her request. Took her out..got her a new cruise wardrobe when she arrived. Told her to pack..lol. She is a over packer..that was the hardest thing...telling her to limit some of the stuff..lol. She just didn't get it.

She was thrilled when she found out, and can't wait to do another cruise.

 

[Hygiene99]

VERY GOOD POINT..............webray

certified copy of her birth certificate is Required.....

LISA.......

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

She went on a cruise last year so she has one--BUT the question is where did she put it--she loses EVERYTHING.

In any case--those are needed on Embarkation, correct?