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DH wanting to go on holiday all the time and then angry because I can’t do as much as he wants to do.

(33 Posts)
Stansgran Thu 09-Jul-26 12:50:34

DH wants to be anywhere else than where he is. When we’ve booked a holiday he then wants to travel somewhere from there. I’ve booked us on a cruise and at the ports we are visiting he then wants to travel from that port to somewhere else. I’ve often regretted not being able to sit and absorb atmosphere or even enjoy a beautiful hotel. When we were young we often went camping or to horrible hotels because they were cheap and I was glad to get out of them . He refuses to go on his own and has now be getting angry because I am being cautious as I’ve just had a hip done. I just don’t know how to talk to him any more. Please don’t come on and say that you haven’t had a holiday and I should be grateful,it’s not helpful.

Cossy Thu 09-Jul-26 12:54:07

Why not go on a cruise, you don’t have to go on the excursions, he can go, cruises are friendly, he’ll find like minded people.

Make sure you have a balcony suite and sit on it and admire the different views!

Don’t stress or upset yourself and wish you a speedy recovery thanks

Oreo Thu 09-Jul-26 12:54:46

I think you have the misfortune to be married to a man who isn’t thinking of you and only of himself.I really think you have to be firm with him about what you feel able to do or even want to do.You have booked a cruise to please his need to travel and now he has to cease to be selfish and give a little.

Jaxjacky Thu 09-Jul-26 13:24:15

Who books the holidays Stansgran?

Cossy Thu 09-Jul-26 13:26:19

Oreo

I think you have the misfortune to be married to a man who isn’t thinking of you and only of himself.I really think you have to be firm with him about what you feel able to do or even want to do.You have booked a cruise to please his need to travel and now he has to cease to be selfish and give a little.

I completely agree.

M0nica Thu 09-Jul-26 13:32:21

You need to be equally selfish. You have booked the cruise, tell him that he is absolutely free to go on as many excursions as he wants. You are staying on the ship

You do not want to go on them so you do not go. He has a choice go on the excursions alone or stay on the boat. Do not permit any recriminations. Shut them down and walk out of the room.

V3ra Thu 09-Jul-26 13:43:32

A cruise is the perfect holiday for people with different preferences!
Your husband can go on an excursion in a different port every day with other like-minded people, you can rest your hip onboard.
You can eat together and go to the entertainment together if you want to.

One suggestion: sit him down and book his trips before you sail, some on our last cruise were sold out before we left the UK.

Don't let him bully you ☹️

25Avalon Thu 09-Jul-26 14:03:54

Often we go on holiday and end up gadding from here to there. Dh couldn’t do so much this year so we went to a really posh hotel with fantastic views and gardens and just enjoyed ourselves relaxing and not tearing about. We said we should do it more often.

kircubbin2000 Thu 09-Jul-26 18:11:41

My neighbour always goes on a cruise. She is happy to stay on board or at the port while her friends do the trips.

fancythat Thu 09-Jul-26 21:24:13

Has DH been to many places already in his life?

MissAdventure Thu 09-Jul-26 21:37:51

Blame your gp.
Say he/she has told you to rest.
Plant yourself down with something nice to drink, and a book, and flatly refuse to move.

Madmeg Thu 09-Jul-26 21:43:39

I vote for a cruise. We have been on several including round the World. Whilst there are plenty of couples they aren't all joined at the hip and often their interests are different, so they "pal up" with like-minded people and do their own thing. On our first cruise I would have been nervous at doing this but now see how simple and rewarding it is.

I reckon its ideal for couples with different needs.

Norah Thu 09-Jul-26 21:49:01

Madmeg

I vote for a cruise. We have been on several including round the World. Whilst there are plenty of couples they aren't all joined at the hip and often their interests are different, so they "pal up" with like-minded people and do their own thing. On our first cruise I would have been nervous at doing this but now see how simple and rewarding it is.

I reckon its ideal for couples with different needs.

I agree.

We love River Cruises. When my knee was acting out, I could only walk the easy excursions, my husband walked the more difficult routes.

Brilliant.

cornergran Thu 09-Jul-26 21:50:35

I’m fortunate, on a cruise we both enjoy a mix of sitting on the balcony just looking out or enjoying a quiet ship on port days. We settle on an occasional organised trip and have booked just two during our forthcoming week long cruise.

A sort of compromise could be if you’ve the details of the trips available checking quietly to see if there is one you’d feel able to enjoy. If there is you could tell him you’ll go with him on that one but no others as medically you won’t be fit enough to do so. You really can’t risk damaging your hip. He can then select which others he’d like to do or at which ports he wants to arrange an independent visit. He’ll find plenty of solo travellers.

I’m so sorry you’re under this pressure. I wonder if your husband has always behaved in this way or if its a change for him. If so perhaps think about his health and how he is at home.

Good luck!

Wyllow3 Thu 09-Jul-26 22:07:32

M0nica

You need to be equally selfish. You have booked the cruise, tell him that he is absolutely free to go on as many excursions as he wants. You are staying on the ship

You do not want to go on them so you do not go. He has a choice go on the excursions alone or stay on the boat. Do not permit any recriminations. Shut them down and walk out of the room.

I agree.

Yes you may have to do what you have not before, which is stand up to him in this regard.

He has no right to demand that you do what you do not wish. It is controlling and unreasonable and if he throws a tantrum is being manipulative.

By all means, if you cant face a full on confrontation, say what MissA suggests, except that that will only last a long as your medical condition its very marked. He could suggest for example, " oh we'll get a taxi to go x or Y"

But you may be surprised that he accepts it if you stand firm and continue to do so.

Its called the "broken record" technique in Assertiveness.

"The broken record technique is an assertive communication strategy where you calmly and consistently repeat a single, clear phrase to set a boundary or refuse a request.

First popularized by psychologist Manuel J. Smith, it mimics a scratched vinyl record player that loops the same part of a song over and over.

The core goal is to prevent you from being sidetracked, manipulated, or trapped into over-explaining your choices

This is a chance to reset a habit of years?

Oh yes, easy to say, hard to do!

Wyllow3 Thu 09-Jul-26 22:10:23

I've recently faced a reset with someone significant and with a certain amount of power over me:

I made the huge mistake of apologising and constantly over explaining.

But the person was simply unable to understand and I should have seen that.

In the end I simply said end of we'll talk a bout this and that but not "go there" again. It actually worked.

MayBee70 Thu 09-Jul-26 22:21:02

He sounds like my ex husband ( note the word ex). On holiday he always hired bikes and went off cycling when I was happy to sit on the beach and read or take myself off on a walk. As for any sort of disability he just shrugs things like that off. Couldn’t understand why, when I was heavily pregnant, I couldn’t do the things I usually did. In retrospect I think he’s somewhere on the spectrum but when I was younger and still married to him I didn’t know about things like that. For want of a more technical term he just poo poo’s everything and lacks any sort of empathy. I’m not sure that assertiveness works with people like that.

Allsorts Fri 10-Jul-26 08:04:39

He is being unreasonable, just don't go on trips you do not want to. Just say sorry you're not up to it just want to relax, he should go and have a nice time. If he says it wont be nice without you reply but I don't want to. Do hope he is not a sulker as they are tricky, but I still wouldn't be manipulated to do it.

fancythat Fri 10-Jul-26 08:09:02

The op has booked a cruise.
And still he wants to wander off.

fancythat Fri 10-Jul-26 08:11:09

I would want to know the reason he wants to wander off frequently.
Being adventorous?
Grass is always greener?
Been at those pleaces multiple times before?

If you can work out the reason, you may just be able to sort out the problem. Or compromise. Or not.

Witzend Fri 10-Jul-26 08:19:27

Why can’t he go on his own? My dh has been away several times on trips I’m not interested in, or e.g. because there would be extreme heat or jet lag involved (I don’t sleep well anyway.)

He’s soon going on another that I've opted out of because it’s almost certainly going to be stinking hot!

Madgran77 Fri 10-Jul-26 09:41:18

The real issue here is his selfishness frankly! Which I suspect spreads wider than holiday activities!

Anyway the suggestion of "broken" record" is a good one as in:

" I am not willing to travel from the ports we land in. You can go if you want to" ......repeat ...repeat..."I understand you dont like my choice. I am not willing ...." repeat ...repeat ...

And eventually "I am not going to change my mind. You decide what you would like to do but I will not be joining you" ...repeat ...repeat ..."There is no point discussing this any further. I will not change my mind. This is right for me" ...repeat once then don't respond.

And I suggest leaving the room and leaving him to it when you feel is tbe right moment 💐

glammagran Fri 10-Jul-26 10:36:47

Stansgran your DH can’t just wander off without a firm plan because if he does not return on time, the cruise ship will leave without him.

Nannylovesshopping Fri 10-Jul-26 10:43:22

Im guessing that could be a result 😳🤣

aonk Fri 10-Jul-26 11:34:38

My neighbours went on cruises successfully for many years but more recently the wife seemed to feel her age rather too early. She started hating hot weather and walking any distance. After a period of adaptation her husband simply began doing the trips he wanted while she relaxed on board the ship. It worked eventually but took time!