Friends/neighbors that you won't cruise with

[WeCruiseToo]

We always invite our friends and family to join us when we’re cruising. We have limited vacation days and we don’t want to “waste” them not on a cruise! Several friends and family members normally join us on our cruises and we’ve never had any issues.

[Jan115]

I have to say that my favorite cruise was when we took our whole immediate family including 3 daughters and son-in-law. It must have worked out, because son-in-law stuck around and eventually married daughter and they've been married over 4 years!

That said, there are people I wouldn't want to cruise with - most of my extended family. However, with that said, we are taking my brother and his wife on their very first cruise this summer. I'll let you know how it went.

I agree with others here that you really do need to state beforehand that everyone is encouraged to do what they like during the day and then meet up later for dinner or drinks to tell their stories.

[rcuised]

But that is the great thing about cruising. If it turns out that you feel "cramped" by your friends, today's ships are so large you can "lose yourself" and only see them when you want to. I have cruised with a lot of friends and have had a variety of experiences with (and without) them. We have met some of our best friends on a cruise ship. We have been friends now over 10 years and have cruised and vacationed (Land and sea) with them numerour times.

[GottaCruz]

Sounds like most who responded have had similar experiences - I think it's great that there are a few who responded that have had great times with family and friends. Seems like you have to have "the talk" before you go so there are no hurt feelings.

How about some of our newer members?

[capndinghy]

Hi I am an newbie to this site, but do have some experience. One good thing about these cruise sites are they let people traveling on the same ship meet. One problem with "that other site" and their roll calls is there are many self centered people who take over and have all of the answers. This is good in a way because it tells you who you do NOT want to know. A good way to meet fellow floaters on a particular cruise is make a Face Book page. This allows people to meet and interact long before the boat ever leaves the port. On our last trans atlantic cruise we ended up with group of 21 others and we all became friends after having conversed on Face Book for over a year before hand. It was really nice to have someone on the ship who you felt you knew.

Or you can be Daddy Warbucks like I was one year and take all the kids and their spouses and significant others. That is great fun too if you have a suit case full of money.

[hazelson]

DH and I were just discussing a cruise we went on with friends.

We went our own way each day until dinner time - she had problems with everything - and I mean EVERYTHING - she was served. I was ready to volunteer to walk the plank :o)

And there was a family group at our table as well - a Mom and 2 grown daughters. It was very interesting to watch the family dynamic.....especially the sister who got drunk every night - she bought a bottle of wine each evening and no one else drank any of it. :o)

We have cruised with a larger group as well and that worked out wonderfully - so I guess it's just a matter of chosing well.

[Shari2]

We have traveled with my youngest brother and his wife, and also my former sister-in-law and her husband. No problems with either since we all agreed to go on our own if we want to do different things. We always met up for dinner in the dining room. Sometimes we took tours together. When in Costa Rica Marc and BIL wanted to go through the rainforest and my former SIL and I weren't quite up to all the walking that day so we took another tour by ourselves. It worked out great. We also went on a group cruise (from another board) a few years back, and it worked out really well. We did our own thing when we wanted and met up for the planned get-togethers most of the time, and also dinner with the group. Marc and I actually went alone on different tours once on our first Hawaii cruise. He loves flying and wanted to take the helicopter tour...I had all I could do to fly to Hawaii (LOL) so didn't want to go in the helicopter, so he took the helicopter tour with a couple of others, and I took a ships tour of Waimea Canyon...I felt I was ok going with people from the ship, and on a ship's tour.

Hi to all of our new members. It's so nice to have you here, and joining in on the discussion.