Cruising during the holidays

[Shelleywood]

To any of you who have cruised during the holidays with your children, how do you handle the gift part of it? If it's christmas do you bring a small tree for your room? do you sneak santa presents on board? or do you have your santa christmas before you go?

 

I didn't realize we were going to be at sea on Easter Sunday for our spring break cruise and I've been racking my brain on how to sneak big old easter baskets on board. I sure wish Carnival sold something like that in the gift department. Any ideas?

[cb at sea]

You could always pack candy, but tell the kids that the Easter bunny doesn't do "baskets" on ships---or something like that! Maybe get some extra ice buckets from the room attendant, and put the candy in there.

 

Or, straw hats! They will pack well, and turned upside down, it could be a "Caribbean Basket"!

 

I'm sure you'll think of something creative!

[abitaturbodog]

We've cruised on Easter twice and both times we didn't do the baskets. I packed a bunch of plastic eggs and different types of candy. Then, when the boys were at breakfast I filled the eggs and hid them all around the cabin.

 

I also brought about a dozen extra eggs that I filled and left for our cabin steward. He was soooooooo happy.

 

Don't forget to bring big zipock bags. I had the boys empty the candy into the ziplock bags and labeled them with their names.

 

Have fun!

[CeleBrat]

Two ideas for you:

 

1--Purchase some of those soft -sided Easter basket/bags. They would fold up flat in your suitcase. All of the big-box stores will have them. Or, if you are super-creative, you can sew up some bags....

2--Bring along two extra sand buckets, and have them serve as Easter "baskets", which would make the Easter holiday have a cruise theme!

 

CeleBrat

[crusinmama06]

We sailed on Easter Sunday before. And next year we are sailing over Christmas. So this is how I handle it.

 

For Easter, I told the kids that I wrote the Easter Bunny a letter and he was going to come the Sunday before the trip. ;) They were so excited that the Easter Bunny would come to them early...but only because mommy made a plea in a letter. :D

 

THEN, on the ship, there is usually an Easter egg hunt. I am pretty sure Carnival does it. So you can tell the kids that the bunny is bringing the baskets early but will meet you on the ship to hide some eggs. :)

 

For Christmas, there is just no way I can bring all of the gifts onboard. So I have already started preparing the kids for it. I told them that Santa will be here at our home while we are on the cruise. My MIL is going to play santa while we are gone and put all of the gifts under the tree while we are on the cruise. Santa is also on the ship (it's Cunard), so since the kids will see Santa on the ship, I may put a few gifts in the cabin.