I’m not into cruising myself, but my parents are really passionate about it. They call themselves ‘midlife cruisers,’ and it’s a huge part of their lives. With the holidays coming up, I want to find a gift that’s cruise-related for them. If you’re a cruiser, what kinds of gifts would you love to get?
Also, if anyone knows how I could pay for their excursion as a gift, that would be amazing! I’ve asked about it before, but I posted in the wrong place—ended up in a forum about motorcycles. Oops! Hoping I reach the right crowd here!
This is a copy of the original post to record it as it was first written.
Hey everyone!
I’m not a cruiser, but my parents are passionate ‘midlife cruisers.’ I want to get them a gift related to cruises for the holidays. If you’re a cruiser, what would be some great gifts? Also, does anyone know how to pay for someone else’s cruise excursion as a gift? I posted this in a motorcycle forum by mistake and hope this post reaches the right people!
Neve said:
Do they have a favorite cruise line? Maybe you could get them a gift card for a cruise or discount on their next trip?
Thanks for the suggestion!
They mostly go with Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises. They’re pretty seasoned cruisers (this will be their 12th trip!). They’ve worked hard to get where they are, and our family really wants to make this holiday special for them.
If I get them a gift card or add something to their member balance, do you know if they’ll find out right away? Or can we time it so the notification comes later, closer to the holidays? (No worries if you’re not sure—I totally understand!)
I got my mom (who’s obsessed with cruising) a custom water bottle from Etsy that says ‘Life is better on a cruise’ with a picture of a ship and her name on it. She loved it!
I got my two sisters-in-law tote bags with sayings like ‘Countdown’s over, it’s cruise time’ and ‘Life is better on a cruise.’ But if you’re looking for something bigger, you could go for a gift card or even put together a basket full of cruise essentials! Things like towel clips for poolside lounging, portable chargers, power banks (if they’re allowed), magnetic hooks for the cabin door, luggage tags, and maybe a lanyard for their cruise card would make a great gift!
Most cruise lines offer add-on packages. I went on a Disney cruise and surprised my friends with a room decoration package, a wine package, and a kids’ package for our daughter. It was a great way to add a personal touch. If you know the dates of their next cruise, you could check with the cruise line to see what packages they offer. Some people also really appreciate having their gratuities prepaid. It’s a common question for cruise bookings, actually!
Do they use a travel agent? I’ve had gifts delivered from the cruise line through my travel agent. The nice thing is, I wasn’t notified about it in advance, so the surprise element was there! If you can get in touch with their travel agent, you might be able to set up a gift through them for the next trip.
You could book an excursion for them through an independent operator. That way, you could pick something they’ve always wanted to do! It’s an easy option, and it’s less complicated than going through the cruise line. But booking with the cruise line is an option too if you prefer that.
Hoping I reach the right crowd here!