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Cruise Update

June 10th, 2018 at 05:00 am

So on Monday I get a text from my brother telling me that he's met someone who is "it" and he wants to bring her on the cruise with us in Sept.

I tell him that while I would love to meet his new girl, I felt that adding her to our cruise would change the whole tenor of it. (IOW - he'd be totally into her and we'd get very little time just us.)

He then tells me mom suggested it.
Ugh.

Tuesday I stayed home from work sick. Had a long conversation with my brother. Found out he'd been dating this girl for less than a month, but feels SURE she is the real deal.

She's 28, a French citizen, and possibly Catholic. (The only reason this last bit matters is that the faith my brother and I were raised in is quite different than Catholicism. Plus he'd probably have to have his first marriage annulled.) Her family owns some wine vineyards in France I think.


He's traveling to London in a few weeks to meet her family at her brother's graduation from Oxford. Then she's going to be getting some 90 day Visa to be in the States, while working on securing a job so she can stay.


The cruise falls within the first month of this 90 days.


So … I spent another 40 minutes on the phone with Expedia finding out how / if we could make these changes.


I didn't have her full name or birthdate, so it mostly was a waste of time.


Then my mom called, and that was another hour+ on the phone.



My brother got her info to me on Thursday morning. My boss kindly let me take an extended morning break (after I gave her a brief rundown)


An hour on the phone with the CS rep yielded the following -


Because we were going from triple occupancy to double occupancy, my mom and I's room costs $240 extra.


My brother and J's cabin will be an extra $700 above what he'd already paid.


Plus of course transportation costs are going to go up.


Oh yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm going to lose my Swagbucks on this deal now.


I was just barely figuring out how to cover all the expenses in time - so now to have to add an extra $120 to it …. UGH! Especially since if she actually does come (a lot can happen in 3 months …), then I'll have very little time with just my brother. Which was sort of the purpose of the whole trip!


So … I'm scrambling to see if I can find any new bank bonuses. I think I'm probably done with CC bonuses for at least a year. I'd thought about selling my iPad, but I've started using it a good bit again lately.


I could have just said NO, but then there'd be a good possibility that he'd decide to just not come.

6 Responses to “Cruise Update”

  1. LuckyRobin Says:
    1528629874

    Wow, what a horrible idea bringing a girlfriend he hasn't even had time to get to really know on what was supposed to be a family only cruise. Can you make him cover the price change since his actions are sending your costs up? That way if this relationship fizzles at least you won't be out any money.

  2. creditcardfree Says:
    1528633830

    Well on the other hand, if she really IS the one, then what a fun start to adding a new family member! I do understand your being upset and it does seem he (or she) should be paying the costs of making the changes.

    Love is love, the basis of all religion. Hopefully, you can let your brother love who he wants and be happy.

  3. FrugalTexan75 Says:
    1528637105

    LR,
    He will be covering his additional costs, but hasn’t offered to cover ours.

    CCF
    If she does turn out to be the one, yes, this is a good way for us to get to know her. I’m happy he’s found someone he feels like this about. I just am really disappointed that the trip may totally different than I’d hoped. I’m just worried about all their differences - DH and I share a background in the same faith, even though he doesn’t practice anymore, and that causes enough tensions by itself.

    I do hope he’s right. I’d just feel better if it’s been 3 months he’d known her instead of less than a month.

  4. MonkeyMama Says:
    1528641190

    Ugh! Sorry you are dealing with that.

  5. rob62521 Says:
    1528658748

    I'm sorry this has come up. I understand your frustration. I hope it works out, but being the cynic that I am, just wondering how wise it is on his part to want to include her when he hasn't known her very long.

    Although love is the basis for any religion, I agree, Catholicism is way different from so many and lots of rules and regs to go through. I have heard it isn't as bad to get an annulment, but still not fun. I hope this works out for all of you and this trip is fantastic.

  6. Debt-free by Thir-ty Says:
    1528719687

    I definitely understand how you're feeling. It's a bit selfish of him to hijack your family vacation as a fun cruise for him and his girlfriend. Does he know of the extra costs that you and your mom will be incurring with these changes?

    I hope everything works out for the best and that you and your family are still able to get in some quality time together.

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