Proposal help

[Nervous mickey]

We are going on the fantasy in October. I was planning on proposing to my girlfriend. I'm open to suggestions since this is my first cruise. it's also a Halloween cruise.

 

[DisMommyTX]

First, congratulations! After 16 years of marriage, I still highly recommend it!

I would do it at towards the beginning of the cruise, so you can relax and enjoy (and celebrate and plan!) for the rest of your vacation together. You will probably be slightly stressed and distracted leading up to the big moment, and you don't want to mar the whole trip with her feeling like something is off. Also keep in mind that calls from your cell onboard are usually about $2.50 per minute, so if she is going to want to call home and tell everyone, you might want to be in a US port if possible!

On most cruise lines you can arrange to have a bottle of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries delivered to your room. If you happen to have a balcony, watching sail away from your private balcony with a glass of champagne would be perfect. If she loves being the center of attention, you might arrange something more public with the maitre D during dinner or at Palo or Remy. First and foremost, consider whether she would want this moment to be private or something big and splashy.

 

[bumbershoot]

I was planning on proposing to my girlfriend. I'm open to suggestions since this is my first cruise.

She is the only one that matters here. What would SHE want? If you don't know that, take a step back.

This is seriously the biggest decision you'll ever make. (so far I've buried my mom, DH has buried his dad, we've had a kid and bought a house, so I think I know what I'm talking about) This shouldn't be a surprise, IMO. There should be no "will she say yes?" at this point. And there should be no question about what she wants.

If my husband had proposed on a Jumbotron because that's what his friends suggested, I would have said NO. No no no. Not because I wouldn't want to marry him, but because he so obviously didn't know ME. IN our relationship, if he had brought a ring on a plane then through cruise security, he would have been so nervous that I probably would have broken up with him figuring he was having an affair. That wouldn't have worked for us. As it was, no matter how much he knew me, we got engaged so fast (inside of 4 months) he still couldn't HEAR me about the ring and insisted on buying me one, though I had told him I wanted to use my grandmother's sapphire.

Try to know her better than that, before you propose. (seriously, it was our biggest argument, and it was a doozy, and the ring stuff didn't stop, and even today (13 years post-wedding and the wedding was 2.5 years post-proposal) I go back and forth between my grandma's engagement ring and wedding band, vs my e-ring and band)

What we suggest doesn't matter. You matter, but since you've already decided this, really, only SHE matters with this situation.


DH had a plan, then ended up proposing ("so, do you want to get married?") as we walked to my Beetle in the parking lot of a boring chain jewelry store full of shiny objects we didn't buy.

And I said YES.

 

[wilkeliza]

I agree with PP. You have to be 100% sure she'll say yes if you are doing it on a cruise. If she says no you are stuck for the length of the cruise with no way to escape each other. It isn't like a Disney vacation where you can split ways and book a hotel somewhere else in Orlando until you fly home. It is very likely there would be no rooms for you. This is coming from someone who did get propsed to on a cruise!

My fiance was very sweet with ours and it was very special to me. We had a few very close friends with us, we all met at the champaign lounge on the Fantasy and he had a video from James Monro Igleheart (Genie on Broadway and one of my favorite Broadway actors) that was so us. We met through Broadway so having pur propsal involve Broadway was perfect. The only thing that didn't "work" was that I despise chocolate covered strawberries and they were on the plate with the ring. My fiance and our friends enjoyed it though. Our friends were also well dressed at it was formal night and they were just at the lounge table not really involved. They did film and take photos which was great so we have something to remember those moments.

 

[BigredNole]

One thing to remember, you will be a captive audience on the cruise. If she says no, you both only have the 1 room together. Like previous people have stated, you must be certain she is going to say yes. If there is any doubt, it is not the right time. You should know the answer before you ask and you only know that by knowing and reading her.

 

[Nervous mickey]

I know the answer will be yes we have talked about it and our currently looking for a house. I'm just curious on ideas on what's on the cruise for this special moment

 

[ffw]

What a fantastic idea! Are you guys going to have a private verandah? That would be SO beautiful to do when the sun is setting! If not, there are some beautiful public views, still. If you are looking for a more public display, you could always do it during dinner at one of the gorgeous restaurants Or maybe Castaway Cay? So many options! How romantic, though!

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

I know the answer will be yes we have talked about it and our currently looking for a house. I'm just curious on ideas on what's on the cruise for this special moment

Congrats on the proposal! I opened this thread up expecting to read some awesome posts but it looks like buzzkill Betty to over the Dis this morning!

I think I would opt for doing it on a beach during the cruise. Just take a walk along the water and at some point stop, get down on your knee and ask her.

I had a cake made that said Will You Marry Me? And put the ring in the middle of it, when we got engaged but that was at her apt. You could probably have something like that done on the ship.

Another thought is if DCL does some type of romance decorating package to your cabin. I know they do at the WDW resorts and am fairly certain they do on the ship.

Be sure to post a pic here for us when you get back. Enjoy your cruise and congrats again!

 

[Fyrefly]

That's great that you already know she will say yes. Most important thing right there in any proposal, but being stuck on a boat together potentially for a week would make it even worse if it wasn't a certain thing.

I agree with the posters who say you need to tailor it to what would make HER happy, and also that you should do it as early in the week as possible. I assume you'll be a basket case leading up to it so it's better to get it over and done with and then you can be mentally present the rest of the week and it turns into a celebration of your engagement!

If she is the type to like a public proposal I'd maybe call the special events thing, I know they can do birthday cakes and chocolate slippers and stuff, maybe you can arrange something being brought out first or second night at dinner (first night can be a bit tiring/hectic so second could be better.) If she's more private, maybe a decoration on your room or just convince her to go for a walk before/after dinner out on one of the top decks so you get the ocean views.

 

[Nervous mickey]

I was thinking about the second night it's also our formal night so we're all dressed up and while having our picture taken with one of the characters in their formal then pop the question. It'd have a photographer there. Thoughts?

 

[wilkeliza]

I was thinking about the second night it's also our formal night so we're all dressed up and while having our picture taken with one of the characters in their formal then pop the question. It'd have a photographer there. Thoughts?

That is a wonderful idea. There are photographers with the characters and the characters are dressed up as well. Another option is the stair case. That seems to be the go to because there aren't any characters but you are getting your photo taken so a lot of people will do it there on the staircase so they can get nice photos.

Is she a very public person? The characters meet right in the main atrium so everyone will be there.


If your fiance is a more private person who wouldn't enjoy a big deal then I would try and get a Palo or Remy reservation and do it there. The wait staff at either would be more than happy to help. You could also do it out on the deck at night under the stars.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Can you get a character to hold up a sign saying will you marry me at one of the meet and greets? That would be cute... Imagine captain Mickey! Then a photo of it. You could ask the characters handler.

 

[wilkeliza]

Can you get a character to hold up a sign saying will you marry me at one of the meet and greets? That would be cute... Imagine captain Mickey! Then a photo of it. You could ask the characters handler.

They don't let characters be directly involved in proposals. For awhile they wouldn't even let them be in photos as it was happening so your photos would have a big blur of the character trying to jump out of it. Friends who work closely with characters have said it is because they don't want a possible negative experience to be associated with the characters.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

They don't let characters be directly involved in proposals. For awhile they wouldn't' even let them be in photos as it was happening so your photos would have a big blur of the character trying to jump out of it. Friends who work closely with characters have said it is because they don't want a possible negative experience to be associated with the characters.

Oh shucks! Never mind. Candle lights and Palo is nice... Wait for that violin player to come to your table... I am sure she would be thrilled by that. Add the chocolate shuffle and you have one perfect night!

 

[BigredNole]

OK, since you know it will be a yes, you are going to be nervous the whole time waiting to do it. My advice would be to do it as early as possible. Otherwise, it will be on your mind the whole time until you do. Here are some ideas. Not knowing her makes it difficult for ideas. If she would not be humiliated by having it done in a massively public place, it gets easy.

Before the cruise:

1. At the airport before you fly in (assumes you are flying)
2. On the plane
3. Right when you land when you get to transportation
4. In the cruise terminal after checking in. In front of the big ship model, before meeting Mickey. Maybe even talk to a CM to see if they will let you go in front of the big Golden Ears before people are boarding for a "photo op".

On the cruise:

1. Do it in the center of the big atrium right as you board
2. Do it at the castaway party
3. Do it at the first night MDR. All of the little girls would go crazy seeing it happen.
4. Sunset on a deck with less people around.
5. At a character M&G when she would not expect it.

 

[gotomu212]

Are you getting to PC or Orlando a day before the cruise? You could propose on the beach the night before, she gets to call any important friends and family and tell them the news, and then you get to celebrate by going on the cruise.

My family and I are the normal amount of close (we live far apart and aren't overly involved in each other's lives but we share often) and I remember how excited I was to be able to call my mom, brother, and sister and share the news. That's a lot harder to do on a cruise.

 

[MickeyManiacMom]

If you don't want to be nervous the entire cruise, as you enter the ship they announce your family name right as you're boarding. Hand the person who announces to introduce you as the " xxxx (her name) Will you marry me" family. Go down on the knee while they are announcing.

 

[Carrie in AZ]

There ya go! Formal night with a photographer present is perfect! It would be fun if you could hide some hand-held paddle signs in your luggage that read "I said yes" so that you could use them a couple times on your cruise when having other photos taken to really capture this as an engagement cruise. Congrats!!

 

[Carrie in AZ]

If you don't want to be nervous the entire cruise, as you enter the ship they announce your family name right as you're boarding. Hand the person who announces to introduce you as the " xxxx (her name) Will you marry me" family. Go down on the knee while they are announcing.

Oh my gosh, I LOVEEE this idea!!

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

If you don't want to be nervous the entire cruise, as you enter the ship they announce your family name right as you're boarding. Hand the person who announces to introduce you as the " xxxx (her name) Will you marry me" family. Go down on the knee while they are announcing.

This this, please do this! Great idea @MickeyManiacMom!