Reluctant Hubby

[Lindsaysmom]

I have finally talked my husband into going with us on the 3 nt cruise. He loves Disney World but is very adamant that doesn't like cruises (we wer on a Carnival 3 nt) and won't like this either. I looking for advice, suggestions, even tricks to make him leave wanting more. PLEASE post your ideas! THANKS.

 

[jerseygirlinvt]

Dear Lindsaysmom,

I had to laugh when I saw your "subject" about a reluctant husband. I love your user name also because I am also my Lyndsey's mom! My husband doesn't exactly love most things Disney and therefore he isn't joining us on our 7 day magic cruise in less than 6 weeks. I booked back in July along with my sister and her family and also my mom! Now that the cruise is getting closer I think he's sorry that he's not going...I tried EVERYTHING to convince him to go, so I have no helpful hints to offer but I'll be eager to see what other people have to say.I'm sure you will all have a wonderful time...just seeing my 3 year old Lyndsey's face when she sees everythng for the first time will be happiness enough for me...

 

[JLSE50]

I am the Aunt of two Lindsays. Does that count?

I would let your DH be the decision maker for events and excursions. Take a highlighter or hand him the Navigators and a pen and have him circle what he wants to do. If he wants to sleep in a deck chair, then let him. If you don't want to sleep beside him, make sure that is OK with him and let him know where to find you if he wants to. When he sees how effortless the fun is and what a good time you are having and that he can do his own things--and you may well go with him when he does--he may be hooked.

My DH commented a couple weeks after our 4 night MAGIC Cruise in 1999 that he had a better time than he expected. He had suggested we go in the first place, so, I was surprised and asked why we had done it if he did not expect to have a good time. He said he knew I wanted to go. (Be still my heart... )

A month or two later he said the cruise would only have been better if it had been longer. (He does not like to unpack more than once and he is a drawer-user. He does not like to live out of his suitcase like I do.) Within a few weeks we learned that the WONDER was taking the 3 and 4 night cruises and that the MAGIC was taking 7 night cruises. We booked one of the first and have been on another since then.

Let Disney work it's magic--the pixie dust on the ship may be all it takes. In the meantime--have a good cruise yourself!

Jan

 

[disny4ever]

Let the cruise speak for itself, if your husband still feels the same after the cruise then so be it. I have been turned into a certifiable ( aren't we all ) cruise junkie. It's a great way to do a vacation. Good luck !!

 

[MHopkins2]

Did your DH say what he didn't like about the Carnival cruise? If you can get him down to specifics, you might be able to work around it. I mean, if his answer is, "I hated being on that stupid boat and I hate the ocean." then you're out of luck. But if it's "I was bored" or "there was nothing to do" or even "too many kids around for me to relax," you can combat those with specific plans on this cruise.

 

[hmneal]

Ok, I'm a Lindsay mom too! But I'm also a Julia, Emily & Alissa mom! And my dh has been VERY anti-cruise! But I have him talked into it for 2/29 and I'm SOOO excited! Hoping he loves it so we can make a habit of it!

Holly
fellow mom of Lindsay!

 

[jerseygirlinvt]

Holly (another Lindsay Mom)
Wishing you and your family a wonderful cruise. We are sailing on the Magic on February 21...so we'll be back the day before you leave! Have a great time!

 

[Lisa D]

We had never cruised before but I finally convinced him to do a 3-night Wonder last October. I said "If we don't like it, it's only three days." DH was afraid he would 1) Get seasick, or 2) Freak out looking out over the ocean and not seeing land. None of us got seasick, although it was a little weird the first night in Triton watching the water in our glasses go back and forth. When DH did look out over the ocean, he could see lights from other ships so it didn't bother him.

We all had a much better time than we thought we would. DH even said "This is the vacation from heaven" as the boys were actually pestering to go to the Lab rather than hang with us. After five days listening to them fight in every line we stood in at WDW (they are 8 and 11 so I guess that's to be expected) we were ready for some adult time.

Have a wonderful time on your cruise. I'm planning to do a 7-day in the Spring of 2005.

Lisa

 

[CGC33A]

My husband hates to go anywhere! I used to think it was b/c he traveled on his job, but he has just had 2 years with no travel. He has gone on 2 3 day Wonder cruises (and liked them!), but I have taken 3 other Wonder cruises without him (b/c he won't go). I hope he wants to go on the Magic cruise I have booked for the fall--either that or I might have to find another husband to accompany me and the kids. ... I am looking for for a way to get him on board also.

 

[3princesses]

This mom of Lindsey took her reluctant hubby and also reluctant father. Both men had a great time. They were both sure there would be nothing adult for them to participate in, but went for the sake of the children (grandpa will do anything for our three girls). They both had a great time-- in fact we all are going again Christmas 2004!

 

[ELIJAH'S GRANDPA]

I was a reluctant husband until 4 years ago when I gave in and agreed to a Disney cruise, now I'm hooked. We've done 4 cruise in 4 years (2 Disney, 2 Royal Caribbean(Alaska and Bermuda)) and my wife wants to know if we can do something different for vacation now. So I gave in, this fall we'll do WDW with our new grandson. I hear that there is a world of difference between Disney and Carnaval. Tell DH that if he doesn't like being treated like a king he shouldn't go.
John

 

[Dancind]

There is a world of difference between Disney and other cruise lines too. We took a Celebrity cruise over Christmas, and really wished we were on DCL! I told DH that we did it wrong by going on DCL first. We should have done a Carnival cruise, then a Celebrity cruise, and THEN DCL! Once you've been spoiled by DCL, the others can't compare. Diana

 

[Cheryl N. WI]

My DH was a very Reluctant Hubby before our first cruise. Now we are booked for our third Magic cruise this Nov!!! It took DD and I lots of "begging and pleading" to get him to originally agree to a 4 day Disney cruise and a week at WDW in Dec. 2000. Then after doing more checking on prices and telling him how it really wasn't that much more to do the 7 day cruise we changed from the 4 day to a 7 day cruise on the Magic and 3 days at WDW. He had a great time!!! We had great tablemates that we bacame good friends with and we cruised with them again on the Magic in Jan. 2003 and are cruising with them again on the Magic over Thanksgiving! The Magic worked it's Magic on my reluctant hubby, hopefully it will do the same for you!!!! He now even says the cruise after this he'd like to try a different cruise line to go to some different islands so I am hoping that Disney does come up with some new itineraries so that he'll change his mind again and we can keep cruising Disney! Everything has gone so smoothly for us on our Disney cruises and I feel so comfortable on the Magic that I'm not sure what I'd think of another ship LOL.

Sending pixie dust that the Wonder will work it's magic on your DH!!! Have a great time.

Cheryl

 

[WMILLER86]

Hello Cheryl N,

I noticed that your family will be cruising on the Thanksgiving cruise. We will be on that ship also. My daughter will be 9 at that time. Maybe they will meet in the kids program.

Willie
Carnival Holiday 12/2003
Disney Magic 11/20/2004

 

[Cheryl N. WI]

Hi Willie,

My daughter will be 10 when we cruise. Do you think your daughter would be interested in "meeting" my daughter by emailing each other before we cruise? My DD got very excited when I told her there was someone else on the DIS board that is on our cruise with a 9 yr old daughter. On our cruise last Jan. she made friends with another DISers DD and they had so much fun together!!!

Cheryl

 

[WMILLER86]

She would be thrilled to swap emails with your daughter. She will be 9, but most of her friends are one year older. Send me a PM or email me at WMILLER86@AOL.COM for her email address.

I had meant to say that I saw from one of your other posting that I saw you had a daughter about the same age as my daughter, but I left that part out! Looking back at my post, it looks like I was talking about your husband! I was reluctant to cruise, also. So before we spent the money and vacation points on a Disney cruise, we went on the Carnival Holiday out of New Orleans in December. It was a pretty sorry ship and lots of stuff didn't work(pools closed entire week, casino flooded). But you know, even with all of the problems, I still enjoyed the trip. I didn't get seasick like I thought I might. So I figure if I can have fun under the worst cruising conditions, then Disney would be a blast. But I think you have to sort of be a Disney family to enjoy that much Disney. We have been going to WDW pretty much every year since the kids were old enough! I think I have more fun than they do!
Willie

 

[toot2]

My first cruise experience (years ago) was nice but it wasn't something I thought I'd do again.

But then we did the land-sea on the Wonder 3 years ago and it was great. Disney is a class act. The ship was beautiful and the staff were friendly and very helpful.

If your hubby feels that it will be 'too much Disney' for him, I found that not to be an issue. After 3 days at WDW, I found the cruise to be pretty mellow and relaxing.

I supposed it depends on the ages of your children. Mine were 11 and 13 and were more interested in doing their own thing then attending all the shows and meeting characters.

My husband and I spent a fair amount of time on our verandah with a cocktail or relaxing in some other quiet spot!

My point is it can be what ever you want it to be.

Good luck.

Sue

 

[Alex]

2 words
Surial Bath

 

[randytenn]

I, too, was a "Reluctant Hubby" before our first DCL cruise. I lived on an island when I was young, so I always said, "Why do I want to go on a boat. I had to ride a boat every day when I was young!"

Needless to say, we have our 3rd cruise scheduled for June.