Cruise related christmas gifts for kids? (for a post-christmas cruise)

[sapereaude]

I posted this in the holiday board, but I'm realizing this is probably a better place.

 

We are taking a family cruise mid-January to the southern Caribbean with our two children, DS is 6 and DD is 8. I'm looking for Christmas present ideas that would be cruise related. They know about the cruise, but we are thinking of things they could enjoy on the cruise, etc.

 

So far we've considered:

Snorkel Equipment

Walkie Talkies

Lanyards

 

Any other ideas? We've never taken a cruise with our kids so its hard to be sure what will be useful. This cruise has a lot of port days, so we should also be at the beach a lot hopefully. :)

[nothriver]

Backpacks? My child (6) has a special backpack that we keep travel "stuff" in. It is her carry on bag for flying, she packs it herself and carries whatever she chooses to pack, no complaining allowed! We are currently using a nice backpack from REI that fits her small frame, has nice padded straps, and a waist belt.

 

Swimsuit, sandals, cover up?

 

Books related to cruising/Caribbean?

[Keith1010]

If you plan to go to the beach it would be fun to give them a beach pale and shovel with a couple of other beach toys inside.

 

Another thought are children's digital cameras so they can take pictures of the friends they make on the cruise and places they visit.

 

Keith

[Warm Breezes]

I posted this in the holiday board, but I'm realizing this is probably a better place.

 

We are taking a family cruise mid-January to the southern Caribbean with our two children, DS is 6 and DD is 8. I'm looking for Christmas present ideas that would be cruise related. They know about the cruise, but we are thinking of things they could enjoy on the cruise, etc.

 

So far we've considered:

Snorkel Equipment

Walkie Talkies

Lanyards

 

Any other ideas? We've never taken a cruise with our kids so its hard to be sure what will be useful. This cruise has a lot of port days, so we should also be at the beach a lot hopefully. :)

 

If they have iPods I would suggest iTunes cards so they can change up what is on their iPods to make traveling less boring.

 

If they have Portable Gaming Systems (PSP or Nintendo DS) I would suggest new games...again to make traveling less boring.

 

Sunglasses

Disposable underwater cameras

Disposable camera

Beach bags

Flip Flops

Jewelry for DD to match formal dresses

I got my DD a beaded lanyard from e-bay and DS a sports lanyard of his favorite team from the local box store.

Card games

Small notebook to write a travel journal in

 

That's all I can think of at the moment

[CrusinGrandmaF]

I posted this in the holiday board, but I'm realizing this is probably a better place.

 

We are taking a family cruise mid-January to the southern Caribbean with our two children, DS is 6 and DD is 8. I'm looking for Christmas present ideas that would be cruise related. They know about the cruise, but we are thinking of things they could enjoy on the cruise, etc.

 

So far we've considered:

Snorkel Equipment

Walkie Talkies

Lanyards

 

Any other ideas? We've never taken a cruise with our kids so its hard to be sure what will be useful. This cruise has a lot of port days, so we should also be at the beach a lot hopefully. :)

I just returned from the Western Caribbean with an 8 and a 11 year old. They had a fantastic trip and deemed it the best vacation ever. NCL had a very active Kid's Crew group and room which they loved and which kept them very active. Don't know which cruise line you are using but sign them up for whatever is offered. As for gifts...snorkel equipment including snorkel vests will be highly useful. Cameras were used by both to record their adventures. Lanyards are perfect. Water shoes came in handy too. They each had spending money and enjoyed picking out things to buy at each stop so money of their own is good too. Never took their games out of the backpack, too busy to use them. They did both read and have Kindles loaded with kid books and games. They have lots of choices at all reading levels at Amazon. Happy holidays. Fran

[notentirelynormal]

A portable DVD player for the plane trip or any long car rides or down time. Maybe a new movie to go with it. Are your kids strong swimmers? If not, maybe something to help them float and some fish food. A new bathing suit and a nose plug. Maybe a fish guide showing them what to be looking out for.

[K&Rs Mom]

We're surprising ours, but have nested a bunch of boxes inside each other with cruise-related stuff. The smallest contains an invitation (birthday leftover) with cruise info & their Adventure Ocean lanyards from last time. Next box has that box plus two "water wallets" from a previous cruise. Next has that box plus books for the trip to the port. Next has that box plus new goggles. Next is a big box with the smaller set plus tote bags and a note that says "start packing." :D In stockings will go travel toothbrush, deck of cards, etc.

 

Other good suggestions: water shoes, swim coverups, mp3 players or cards for more music, cameras & spending money.

[Mom2B&Z]

This will be our second post-Christmas cruise, and we tend to load up the boys with some of the summer essentials as stocking stuffers. Things like sunscreen, a new bathing suit and UV shirt if the old ones are too small, lip gloss with sunscreen, new hats, new water shoes (crocs are our favourites!) and the likes. They will each get a new game for the Leapster, colouring/activity books for the plane ride and some new travel-friendly toys for the airport and quiet play in the room. We've also bought some BluRay movies with the digital copy so we can load them onto DH's new iPad...which would be his Christmas cruise present :)

Our boys are younger (6.5 and 4 yrs) but I would never bring sand pails as they take up too much room in our luggage. I would pack a few small shovels and maybe a small sand mould, but last time DS1 had fun just playing with his hands in the sand.