Other than the gift of a cruise itself, arguably the only sure-to-please option for any cruise addict, there are some holiday gift ideas that will be welcomed above others. Forget wondering if any of these will be well-received or not; all are solid options.
An Assortment Of Cruise Brochures- Forward-thinking gift givers can order colorful brochures from most cruise lines or pick them up at the office of a travel agent. Zero cost is involved and while this may seem like a lesser of holiday gift ideas, your cruise traveler will appreciate the thought behind the gift.- Cruise Line Gift Cards- let them make up their own minds what to use them for; most cruise lines offer gift cards and/or gift certificates good toward the purchase of a cruise. Some are valid for Bon Voyage gifts in advance of sailing while others can be used as onboard credit when sailing.
- International Power Converters take otherwise useless European-style outlets located in all cruise ships and turn them into usable places to plug in electronics. Many have USB ports built in as well. Do your homework too- some cruise lines have fewer usable outlets than others making this an even more meaningful gift
- Destination Information- Does your cruise traveler already have a sailing booked? Do you know where they are going? Supplement cruise line resources available online by choosing a variety of suggested reading material specific to that already-booked itinerary. Some cruise lines have suggested reading lists. Start there but search for titles on ebay or Amazon. The more used and worn the copy the better when it comes to travel guides and reference books.
- Play Travel Agent- Along the lines of taking time to consider your cruise traveler’s itinerary, consider the cruise line they will be sailing with. Look for elements of that particular cruise line’s onboard programming, dining, entertainment and activity options to highlight and present to your cruise traveler for consideration. You would be surprised how many travelers do very little if any research in this area, often resulting in them missing features they would probably enjoy.
- Bon Voyage Gifts- Available in advance from any cruise line, these thoughtful and customizable additions to the experience of your cruise traveler will be appreciated once on board. Still, the idea of them being surprised later when the holiday is today commonly pushes this idea way down the list of holiday gift ideas. A way around that: make a gift certificate using an online service line Canva which can indeed be presented in person.
- Old School Ideas That Still Work include scrapbooks, memory cards, cameras, permanent luggage tags, flasks, disposable underwater cameras and more. Nothing is really off the table here as it really is the thought that counts. One of those items thought to be old school might be a very good fit for your cruise traveler.
- Something They Would NEVER Buy For Themselves– like a spa treatment. Easy enough to do online and absolutely non-refundable you may very well get your “I’m not a spa person” in for a massage and that may very well change their life forever. I know, it happened to me. Now if at all possible I try to begin every sailing with a massage.
Back to the sure fire winner for all cruise travelers: a cruise itself. Actually, just the deposit might get the ball rolling. If booked during a reduced deposit sale, that dollar amount might fit most any budget. Better yet: book it during a sale that requires that deposit to be non-refundable. The thought there: if they don’t go they don’t deserve to be your friend and the guilt trip they will go on instead will be fun for you to watch.
This article is brought to by Cruise Compete. CruiseCompete.com allows you to easily compare multiple offers from Cruise Experts.
Flickr photo:asenat29
