Have you received a trip as a present?
 

Interested in people who have received (or given) a trip as a gift. How did it work out? I would imagine that having someone else plan tickets, hotel, etc. could be great, or could be a disaster. <BR><BR>I'm thinking of giving a ski trip to someone as a Christmas gift but want some firsthand advice. Thanks and happy holidays!

Better to give,<BR>I can say that provided the person you are giving to deeply enjoys traveling I think it is a great idea. I have both given and received trips as presents and what a great surprise it is. Surprisingly it is the guys that get more gaw, gaw, over this than I think women do.... while planning my fellas surprise trip, I had to consult with a couple of his buddies because I was involving golf with the trip (two of his passions, travel and golfing) and you would have thought I was the best thing in the world, his friends wouldn't stop telling me how great they thought it was, they said they wished they had someone to do that for them. It made me feel even more excited that I took the extra time to do special things along with the normal planning. So think of them, think of what they enjoy, and plan away! He/she will love it!

My dad gave me a trip when I graduated from college, but I planned it. He just gave me a budget.

My husband always gives me trips for presents because he knows that travel is my favorite activity, but I do the planning because I love that part of it too. So, it depends on who you are giving the trip to and if you're giving that big of present, I assume you know him/her quite well. But I say--go for it!

Gave my guy a birthday trip to Las Vegas - worked out great! There are a few common-sense things to consider:<BR>1. Make outside inquiries as to whether he/she can take time off from work.<BR>2. Plan some scheduled activities they'll enjoy, but leave a fair amount of free time for them to plan.<BR>3. Get trip insurance, just in case something comes up, so no-one feels guilty if they can't go right away.<BR>4. Present the gift in a &quot;fun&quot; way - wrap up ski gloves w/resort brochure, paste or computerize their photo on a skiing scene &amp; frame it to wrap, etc. <BR>Go for it!!!<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>

I was given a gift certificate for a weekend on Fripp Island. I got to choose when I went and it worked out great! I loved the gift.

Yes, both! And it's always been great. Well, except for one time when we gave good friends tickets to fly to our area for a shared weekend away - but they hate to fly! :)<BR>But we've given parents tickets to fly to Europe to visit us, and gift certificates to New England inns, and both were very much appreciated. <BR>We were given first class tickets to anywhere a particular carrier flied (frequent flyer) - and that was the best gift ever! And my husband has given me weekends away that I loved, but those were not &quot;total&quot; surprises!<BR>I think it's a great gift!<BR>I would advise, however, that the most difficult part is the scheduling. If there is a way of giving the gift with &quot;open ended&quot; dates, I'd opt for that.<BR>

My parents took a trip to Las Vegas as a gift from me for Christmas 3 years ago. My mom and dad both hit it big (my mom won a $550,000 progressive slot and my dad won about $10K in black jack) and rewarded our entire family with a trip to Fiji. We enjoyed Christmas there in 2000----all 5 children, our spouses and our 8 grand children.<BR><BR>What you do does really come back!

Yes, all the time. My mom loves to travel (go figure), and always gives it as a gift. She just told my sister and I that she is taking us and our kids on a cruise over Presidents week. We just have to make all the arrangements, which I've just finalized yesterday. I have the best mom.<BR><BR>My husband and I are giving eachother a long weekend in South Beach in January for Christmas this year. I keep telling him it's my favorite gift.<BR><BR>I once completely surprised my husband with a ski trip, but it was in Vermont so there were no flight arrangements that needed to be changed. I think it would be difficult to plan a trip involving air travel without the person's knowledge, too risky.

We gave our kids a long weekend at a B&amp;B in Savannah last year for Christmas, while they returned the favor with gift certificates at our favorite hotel in New Orleans. Worked out great for all of us!

Haven't recveived one (would someone pls. alert Santa that ANY trip would be wonderful?) but have given two:<BR>1) a belated honeymoon long-wk-end trip to Cape Cod complete w/hotels,cash, meals,drinks, activities maps,gas &amp; tokens to get there for good friends<BR>2) a 7-day Cruise honeymoon for my nephew &amp; instead of giving a check put money on his Account since it was a Freestyle dining cruise.<BR>Both trips were very vry well received.

<BR>Gave gift certificates to my brother and his wife to use the resorts in Florida through our timeshare exhange program. They love staying at the resorts! Will be giving them another one this Christmas.<BR>

My boyfriend used to gift-wrap the Rick Steves guidebook for whatever place he was taking me to for my birthday (we went to Spain, Germany, Ireland, Scotland, England, Austria, France, and Belgium). That was extremely cool. Unfortunately, we have broken up.

If you're a traveler, a trip is definitely the best gift you could receive. Katharine, your boyfriend sounds like a great guy. Sorry you broke up!

four years ago,I gave my wife(this was before kids) a trip to london and rome. I gave it to her on xmas eve and we left xmas morning. She was a little stressed trying to pack on such short notice,but she got over it.

My parents took my four brothers and sisters and their spouses and kids (and me) to england for the summer a couple of years ago. They gave us airfare and then rented two adjacent cottages in the cotswolds for eight weeks, so we all could arrange our schedules to come when we could. One sister and her kids stayed the whole time and the others of us came for as little as two weeks and as long as four. It is probably the last vacation for all of us together that we'll ever have, so that made it special. I should add that we have cousins, etc. in the area, so that made it even more fun to be with them and their families, too.

I love these stories/ideas! I wish I had someone in my life who would give me a glorious trip . . . <BR>Maybe next Xmas.

My husband and I opened our Christmas gifts today and he gave me a trip to NYC! I am so happy b/c I've always wanted to go there. We'll be going towards the end of March, when we'll both be off from work at the same time. I can't think of a better gift! He's so special b/c he has been listening to me talk about wanting to go to NYC for months, and he really paid attention.

Yes rec'd a 4 day cruise about 5 yrs ago as a Christmas present. Last year rec'd a Christmas/New Years gift in Disneyworld. Love those types of gifts.<BR>Doubt if I get one this year :-(<BR>

Last year for my husband's 50th birthday, his parents' gave us a trip to---BRANSON!!!! I was horrified!! They gave us some brochures and said to just let them know when we wanted to go and they would pay. They heard it was a really great place to go. After looking at the brochures, I am sure it is a great place -- if you're over 65. It was very generous of them, and we are still trying to plan a time to go.