Have you ever cruised with friends

jacketwatch · January 13, 2007

Thank you. This is alot of good advice. The gist of it is to get some idea B4 you go what you prefer to do so no misunderstandings can occur later. I will be sure to bring this up ahead of time. I have a feeling my friends may want me to "lead" them a little as they are a bit new to cruising and very new to ports of this type. We will have a meeting of the minds and I am sure all will turn out well. Thanks amigos and amigas. :biggrin:

TheSkipper · January 13, 2007

Cruising is the ONLY type of vacation we would do with friends. We have done it several times and never had a problem. We saw each other at dinner and discussed the next day, if there was an excursion we wanted to take together we did, if not, no problem.

In France my wife and our friends went to Paris while I headed to the Normandy beaches. Worked out fine.

cherole · January 14, 2007

I think everyone hit the nail on the head. The key is to know your friends! We traveled once (and will again nxt week) with the same couple. We are close enough to know that we don't have everything in common and that it is OK to verbalize that. We did some activities ashore with them and others apart based on interest. We did dine together, that was all fine.

As well, I think it's important to have that discussion with your SO. There are times when I want to go off and leave my DH to go to spa, gym, pool (I'm the lone sun worshiper in ou group), or off to play trivia games or shop with the other wife. My DH is fine with that also. He just sits on the veranda and reads or watches the ocean go by.

We have taken land vacs together with other couples and found that we will never do it again!! There is much more to be concerned and tense about such as spending expectations, restaurants to chose, who cooks in the Hawaiian condo and so forth. The good thing about cruising is that all of that is pretty much taken care of.

hazelson · January 14, 2007

Some great points to ponder guys! We are cruising with friends in September and were sort of wondering how to approach things. I like the idea of meeting for dinner every night - dh likes to sleep late. I think I will print the excursion list and take it the next time we get together. That way we can go over it and together.

TheSkipper · January 14, 2007

You've got the right idea Jennifer. Talk everything over first and then everyone knows it is OK to do different things. We even separate at places like St. Thomas, my wife and I are shoppers and love to browse through all the stores, our friends shop a little and quickly have had enough, so we just go ashore seprately and do whatever we please knowing that we will meet up at dinner and then we can swap adventure stories.

As to meeting for breakfast, we never know when we will be up and around, that's part of the fun of cruising. No schedules, so don't even try to meet anyone for that. If we run into someone we will join them if we can, but no set times.

Did the Hawaii condo thing with another couple and it was a pain in the butt deciding where we were going to go, where we would eat, etc. etc. Only had one car, so it seemed all we did was discuss what we were going to do or what kind of food we were going to eat.

hazelson · January 14, 2007

We are animal nuts so that usually helps us decide what to do. We aren't into "off ship dining" or drinking so that does narrow the field a bit doesn't it lol. Not into beaches or diving either.

At least on a cruise it's easy to find a place to meet up. It should be fun at dinner and the shows afterwards. We like to shop as well - at least I do - as dh like to say "she shops - I pay" lol

cruisetarp · January 14, 2007

We have been cruising for the last couple of years with 3 other couples we met on a cruise. We always meet for dinner but other than that we have a set schedule IF anyone want to join. We set a time to meet for lunch, a time & place to meet for pre-dinner cocktails and a time & place for a nightcap. We all fully understand that we won't wait around for anyone - if you are there great - if you are doing other things - great also. It has worked out well for us in the past and when we do get together at dinner have plenty to talk about and great experiences to share. (We also get together 3 or 4 times a year on a non-cruise weekend - they will be coming to our home for Presidents weekend soon)

gymbrat33 · January 14, 2007

Yes, I've cruised with my best friend and got in an argument because I wanted to go snorkeling and she didn't. I told her from the beginning that I wanted to snorkel in one of the ports. She told me that we came together and had to do the same things. I had agreed to do everything that she wanted, but she didn't want to snorkel and got upset.