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Help me with a creative cruise surprise? :-)

Meamat

By Meamat,
in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers

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Meamat

Meamat

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Hi all,

 

My kids (age 12 and 9) have been desperately trying to convince us to book a cruise, and while they don't know it, we've booked on Carnival Spirit next year for 8 nights to New Caledonia.

 

I want to surprise them with a box of goodies this Christmas and watch the penny drop as they realise what's happening. I'm thinking a box of stuff that will be useful for the cruise but will help them guess what we're doing. So far I've thought of mask and snorkel, toiletry kits, a beginners guide to French phrases, and maybe a guidebook to New Caledonia (or a book of South Pacific fish/reefs etc).

 

What else would you suggest? I'd love your creativity and experience here!

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LC1950

LC1950

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Small binoculars for seabird and whale (?) watching, a lanyard (for their cruise cards), some nifty sunglasses and a sun hat, perhaps some gear for 'formal night' - tie, shirt, that sort of thing? Oh and some new bathers.

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Duck Duck Cruise

Duck Duck Cruise

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What wonderful parents you are!

 

The pictures of fish is great idea. Some ships do a scavenger hunt on the first day to find your way around the ship. You could do a scavenger hunt around your house, inside and outside with clues for where to find small presents and the next one is another hiding place and present and so on. Each place has a picture of something related to the holiday. Once they bring you all the puzzle pictures they can guess what it is for. Then you can give them the last biggest present with a picture of THEIR ship.

 

I know I would love to do something like this. Come back to tell us how it went!

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Team Alpha

Team Alpha

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How about a lanyard for their sea pass card?

 

We surprised our kids many years ago - they were probably 8, 6 & 4 at the time. We put them off to bed one night and then packed bags while they were asleep and put the bags in the boot of the car. We got up in the morning and told them we were having a family day out and where would they like to go? The zoo was the consensus. When we arrived in Melbourne we drove to the airport and dropped our car at an offsite car parking place. They started asking where we were going on the bus ride to the airport (they were getting excited) and we still wouldn't tell them. When we got to the airport we told them to look at the departures screen and see if there was anywhere they'd like to go. The theme parks at the Gold Coast were on their wish list - the eldest spotted the Gold Coast on the departure board ....Bingo. They were jumping around like crazy people. We had 2 weeks booked at this awesome family resort which they just loved. It is one of those great family memories for me. I loved the time when my kids were little. They're all grown up now and my wife and I enjoy travelling on our own or with friends.

 

PS I tried to surprise my wife with the 2 nighter on Golden Princess from Sydney to Melbourne a couple of weeks ago but she's way too inquisitive and worked it out.

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clairebearinaus

clairebearinaus

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How about a lanyard for their sea pass card?

 

We surprised our kids many years ago - they were probably 8, 6 & 4 at the time. We put them off to bed one night and then packed bags while they were asleep and put the bags in the boot of the car. We got up in the morning and told them we were having a family day out and where would they like to go? The zoo was the consensus. When we arrived in Melbourne we drove to the airport and dropped our car at an offsite car parking place. They started asking where we were going on the bus ride to the airport (they were getting excited) and we still wouldn't tell them. When we got to the airport we told them to look at the departures screen and see if there was anywhere they'd like to go. The theme parks at the Gold Coast were on their wish list - the eldest spotted the Gold Coast on the departure board ....Bingo. They were jumping around like crazy people. We had 2 weeks booked at this awesome family resort which they just loved. It is one of those great family memories for me. I loved the time when my kids were little. They're all grown up now and my wife and I enjoy travelling on our own or with friends.

 

PS I tried to surprise my wife with the 2 nighter on Golden Princess from Sydney to Melbourne a couple of weeks ago but she's way too inquisitive and worked it out.

 

That is a great story! As for your wife - well, she still got a surprise, just not at the exact time you hoped she would! :)

 

I surprised my 10yo on the same cruise. It was hilarious. We were standing at Circular Quay right in front of the Golden Princess when I told him and he didn't believe me. Queuing up in the OPT, passports and boarding passes in hand, he assured me he knew it was all a big prank, and once we got to the front of the queue we'd have to leave.

 

I don't think it really sank in until he wandered onboard and into the piazza, found the International Café and having been told "go for it, it's all free!", stuffed the first of a half a dozen cakes into his face :D

 

OP, have you had a look on eBay or the cruise line's website for ship merchandise? You might be able to grab some branded things that would help your kids get the hint :)

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Wastegirl

Wastegirl

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Kids are smarter than we credit them for. I can just see it Christmas morning, they open a laminated picture of the fish and 'wham' we're going on a cruise they exclaim.

 

My suggestion is not to be too obvious, build up, have the pressies in order of 'could be for anything' through wacky 'what were the parentals thinking' and ending with the obvious.

 

So look for cruise paraphernalia that is quirky and not readily associated with cruising. Binoculars as someone suggested is a good start, we use ours all the time when cruising.

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Aussieflyer

Aussieflyer

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That is a great story! As for your wife - well, she still got a surprise, just not at the exact time you hoped she would! :)

 

I surprised my 10yo on the same cruise. It was hilarious. We were standing at Circular Quay right in front of the Golden Princess when I told him and he didn't believe me. Queuing up in the OPT, passports and boarding passes in hand, he assured me he knew it was all a big prank, and once we got to the front of the queue we'd have to leave.

 

I don't think it really sank in until he wandered onboard and into the piazza, found the International Café and having been told "go for it, it's all free!", stuffed the first of a half a dozen cakes into his face :D

 

OP, have you had a look on eBay or the cruise line's website for ship merchandise? You might be able to grab some branded things that would help your kids get the hint :)

 

I wondered how the surprise went. Sounds like he had no idea. That will be a birthday he will remember, only problem is, how to match it next year :eek:

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  • 2 weeks later...
Meamat

Meamat

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It's coming together... So far I have a French language beginners course, masks and snorkels, underwater single use cameras, some new summer clothes, thongs/flip flops (in case non Aussies think I'm nuts!), and socks and undies with Palm tree/fish motifs. Working on the fish pictures and a local guide book, though in a pinch I'll print off travel brochures from their tourist website.

 

I love the jigsaw hunt idea, too. I'm thinking I might have them open the box and then find envelopes around the room with puzzle pieces or something with a picture of the ship on it... Love your ideas all, thank you!

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