Ideas Needed for Christmas Gifts

[Donder1]

I'd like to hear ideas about what Christmas gifts to give for cruising folks. You know, something which would be nice or helpful to have with you on a cruise. We are sailing on the NA 1/9/11. Thanks!

[LADYLAYLA]

If you are looking for someone who is a reader -- how about an ebook reader such as a nook with either a gift card for book purchases or some cruise related books already loaded?

[Donder1]

I love the Nook! We both have them and have really enjoyed them. Great idea if I didn't already give it to her last year. :)

[kyriecat]

Tote bag filled with water wallet, sunglasses, sticky notes, highlighter, small flashlight, pens, flip flops, hanging toiletry organizer, hard candy, insulated water bottle, luggage scale, flash-card holder, hanging deodorizer (kind you hang on car mirror), purse-sized (tiny) umbrella or rain poncho, lanyard for ship pass, small first aid kit, lip balm, small sunscreen, small hand sanitizer, travel baby wipes, cap or visor, ponytail holders or hair claws, gallon-sized ziplok bags.

[Lvteks]

2nd try: Nightlight, folding cloth tray for nightstand,(Magellan"s catalog) disinfecting UV or blacklight flashlight, new passport/boarding case for RFID protection, designer duct tape, folding cup and I always take a small plastic spray bottle of Fabreeze.

 

Blessings,

 

Gail

[northernphoenix]

We still have Christmas stockings ( read bags ) and each year I add new items for our holiday travel. This year we are travelling on an overnightflight to Europe so each traveller will receive a neck roll with matching sleep mask; jet lag aids, etc.

 

Merry Christmas, Marilyn

[janmcn]

Ditto the new passport holder with RFD protection...just put them on our wishlist!

[Donder1]

Great ideas! Any more? Thanks.

[ccruisequeen]

books about cruising-hat- sunglasses- binoculars (small opera glasses)- OBC

[RetiredMustang]

Tote bag filled with water wallet, sunglasses, sticky notes, highlighter, small flashlight, pens, flip flops, hanging toiletry organizer, hard candy, insulated water bottle, luggage scale, flash-card holder, hanging deodorizer (kind you hang on car mirror), purse-sized (tiny) umbrella or rain poncho, lanyard for ship pass, small first aid kit, lip balm, small sunscreen, small hand sanitizer, travel baby wipes, cap or visor, ponytail holders or hair claws, gallon-sized ziplok bags.

 

Dee,

 

OK, those are great suggestions. I will add a couple of practical ones from my own experience:

 

- eyeglass repair kit (the little tube or box with the tiny screwdriver and extra screws) -- trust me, if you wear glasses, you should have one because you never know when a screw will let loose in, say, a Costa Rican rain forest or something :D.

 

- Benadryl if you react to bug bites and go walking in, say, a Costa Rican rain forest and get bit. The shipboard store sometimes has it, but sometimes not (which was my experience when I forgot mine; luckily I could get some from the infirmary ... for a high price).

 

Dave

[julia]

Give "On Board Gifts!!"

 

Call the cruise line and order a bottle of wine sent to the cabin.

Prepay for a dinner for two at a specialty restaurant.

Have flowers & chocolates in the cabin.

Give a photo certificate.

 

You get the idea... have fun! ;)

[lettienets]

I wonder why cruise ships haven't gotten onto selling gift cards toward the balance of any cruise someone may have. Could be in $50, 100, etc

Cruise lines could also clean up on money for all the ones people forget to use, lose or .... just like store gift cards. Stores love selling them for the very reason that they make money on unused ones. TV did a news report on that recently.

[mrsomalley]

I asked Santa for an onboard credit. 2 years ago I was able to buy an onboard credit for my parents HAL cruise. I just needed the booking number. For their RC cruise, I was able to purchase an actual gift certificate. I don't know if the still do that since its been several years.

[bepsf]

Before my parents first cruise, I gave them a set of Heys Luggage:

http://www.heysusa.com/heys-cruzer-3-lite-3-piece-set/355370/754726

 

I think they liked it - They still use it...

...and Dad seemed to get a kick out of being able to pick out their luggage as it was being loaded aboard the ship.

;)

 

Since then, I've purchased them items for their formalwear outfits - Dinner Jackets, Cufflinks and Bowtie/Cummerbunds for Dad - and Shawls & jewelry for Mom.

[kyriecat]

Dave (RetiredMustang),

 

Thank you for the tip about the glasses repair kit. Broken glasses weren't a problem for us previously, but hubby had to get prescription glasses about a month ago. I hadn't thought about what to do for a lost screw yet. I'm used to simply throwing sunglasses away and buying new ones when they break. Is an eyeglass repair kit something that you can buy at local pharmacy, like CVS or Walgreens?

 

I love some of the tips from these boards! I read a while ago about carrying a dental repair kit on a cruise. I now keep one in my make-up bag for all travel. Fortunately, I personally haven't needed to use it. However, my BIL lost a filling last year on Christmas Eve (Thursday night). His dentist office was closed until Monday. I had the dental kit in my bag (we had travelled to my MIL's house for the holiday) so he used it to temporarily fix his filling until he could see his dentist.

 

I have a first aid kit that I stock for travel. I keep Benedryl (cream and pills), Immodium, Pepto, Alieve, cold and sinus med, Tylenol PM, antibiotic cream, sunburn spray, assorted bandages, moleskin, eyedrops, cough/throat drops, ear drops, alcohol wipes, tweezers, and cotton pads in it. Most of the time, it isn't needed, but it's nice to have when you do. I caught a cold one year on a cruise before I started bringing the first aid kit. The first three days were sea days and I started coughing and had a sore throat the second day onboard. The ship store sold cold medicine for $12 for 8 pills (2 pills every 4-6 hours) and cough drops were $5 for a roll of Halls. I learned my lesson the expensive way.

[Donder1]

Great ideas for the stockings. Keep them coming. One of the best things I found at a travel store last year was a waterproof case big enough for a credit card, cruise card and a twenty dollar bill. I wore it around my neck in the ocean. It floats, too.