To not want to at tenth welcome meeting on holiday

[2kidsandlovinlife]

We are going on a weeks holiday abroad next week and I find the pressure the following day of arrival to attend a welcome meeting overwhelming. My oh likes to attend these for some reason in case he misses Out on something exciting. I on other other hand feel they are a waste of a precious morning and taking along two dc's and expecting them to sit still for an hour while their parents are given the hard sell to much. AIBU to refuse to attend. Would be interested to hear your opinion on this

[80sMum]

Definitely YANBU. They are a complete waste of time.

[masirah]

What is a Welcome Meeting? Is it similar to Muster Station briefing on a cruise?

Waste of time, trying to extract even more money out of your credit card.

[LadyMilfordHaven]

We've just said. It's a package tour thing

[cockerpoodle]

LOL at the poster making sure we all know she's been backpacking in case we thought the package hol was their first time abroad.

[JessieMcJessie]

Masirah, that was a shameless bit of stealth boasting there.

I grew up with package holidays. They were fab, though my parents did usually get out and about beyond the resort. They avoided the welcome meetings as they saw them for the hard sell that they were, and drew the line at organised excursions, but I used to whine to go to them, Probably because they gave out exotic mocktails or something.

I do distinctly remember how odd it felt the first time I arrived at an airport outwith a package and realised that you were free to leave without a lady with a clipboard putting you on a coach!

[2rebecca]

I only go if there's something I fancy attending, plus if it's at a convenient time. They've usually been early evening in the bar so not that much hassle.
My only package holidays these days are ski holidays and I rarely go to them now as the activities are usually just a list of pub crawls they are going on and a torch lit descent .
If I was going somewhere different and thought I might fancy excursions or was going away on my own I'd go. If you are going as a family it seems a waste. If your husband fancies it he could go and join you later.

[StayAwayFromTheEdge]

Book your hotel and flight seperately in future - no welcome meeting.

I hate them - it is an excuse for a bunch of people I want nothing to do with to talk to me for the rest of my holiday!

And what are you really going to miss - Boat trip? BBQ night? trip to a fake village? All at rip-off prices!

[noddyholder]

Just don't go. Sounds awful never heard of t before your post. Doesnt sound like a holiday to me. Book flights etc separately if you don't want this

[trinity0097]

I don't go, if I happen to bump into rep in foyer I will tell her I won't be going to her meeting, but otherwise no contact,

[catgirl1976]

What is a welcome meeting?

Is it where the hotel greets you and shows you around?

Just get your DH to go and then he an tell you where everything is

[catgirl1976]

That sounds grim

If your DH likes it, get him to go on your own

Can't imagine to small DCs would enjoy it much. Hit the pool and leave him to it - he can fill you in on anything interesting

[Ragwort]

Why can't your DH go on his own - or are you joined at the hip? Sounds a bizarre thing to be 'overwhelmed' about.

[Alconleigh]

Is it 1987? I had no idea this sort of thing still existed, what with the whole of the net being available to book holidays yourself etc. Do people still go to high street travel agents as well?

[SadOldGit]

Well I live up to my name as we also go on (oh the shame of it) package holidays - apart from this year as we are having an extension instead. If it is a place we have not been to before I go to the meeting - eldest daughter (21) often comes to - we get an understanding of resort etc, normally free guidebook, kids club forms (for youngest) . We then decide if we are going to hire car/ do any excursions privately . Meanwhile husband and youngest enjoy time at pool and son (17) is usually still in bed. Easily solved

If your husband wants to go, let him go alone whilst you and children do something else!

[Alconleigh]

Yes that was a bit snotty of me, sorry.
I wouldn't expect those people to also be posting on an online forum, I guess.

[Elsiequadrille]

Package holiday? We went on one of those once, they seemed to do it to try to get you to sign up to their various day trips.

If you're interested in that sort of thing it might be worth the trouble, otherwise not sure of the point.

[marciaoverstrand]

Last holiday I went on there was a welcome meeting then one to meet the hotel manager then a departure meeting!
We didn't attend any but plenty of people did.

[Elsiequadrille]

We've always had a travel firm arrange our holidays (places like Kuoni). It's less of a headache, and time consuming, to have them to plan our journey for us and arrange all transfers. Why would we do it all ourselves, Alconleigh?

[LadyMilfordHaven]

Lol at people on package holidays don't post online. Fucking hello

[LadyMilfordHaven]

We're going with Simpson. After two holiday disasters recently : snow at Gatwick and a flight only company going bust two weeks before, I'm wary

[Alconleigh]

No reason, if you don't want to, I suppose. I generally holiday in cities though, so don't need things like transfers arranging; you land, find the bus or train into town and off you go. And arranging it yourself is cheaper for that sort of trip.

[Elsiequadrille]

I did that when I was a student