Favorite items to buy on ship or at ports?

Beware If buying Yankee candles in port -cruises sometimes confiscate at security we get fridge magnets in every port trouble is we are running out of room on fridge /freezer !

Of course they return the candles at the end of the cruise, right?

It was port security where the problem was and no the candles were not returned like airport security - you don't get confiscated items back at the end of the flight! May be a deterrent policy!

How strange! How would port security even know you had the candles? I can see ship's security taking the candles so you wouldn't be tempted to burn them in your cabin, but why would port security take something that wasn't illegal?

Think it was one of the. Us ports when security was very tight it was the baggage search that identified the contraband candle rather than a scanning device! Airports don't return confiscated items after you get home so why should cruise lines store/ return them it enhances the deterrent if people know they will ultimately mot get them back!!

I still wonder how a candle would be considered contraband? I'm not doubting your story, I'm just intrigued by it.

Open flame (which is what candles are for) is considered a serious safety hazard on board ship. A person who brings a candle on board may be see as likely to want to light it.

Tequila in Cozumel ain't a bad deal if you do your research. It's not about getting the pricey stuff, it's about getting the stuff you can't find in the States.

We usually buy a license plate or decoration to display on our outdoor deck at home. It doesn't have to be authentic, it is just fun to have something that shows where we have been. They are flat, lightweight and easy to bring home. (Our son recently purchased a home. We took a trip to Nashville for the first time this summer and he picked up a license plate for his new patio.) Or I collect some type of very small box and then use a fine sharpie to put the date and area purchased on the bottom if it doesn't already have that information on it. Someone else suggested keeping a journal. That is a great idea! I took a trip years ago to Austria and kept some notes in a very small notepad. I still have that notepad and it is fun to look back all these years later! However, a friend gave me a travel journal when I retired and I forget to bring it with me! :D:D

Food products or native handicrafts or art. Nothing that is crap however. Nothing that is made in China. Nothing that is sold at a store that is recommended by the cruise line.

DON

Shot glasses that I use and will without a doubt eventually break. We used to get little trinkets,baskets or T shirts that we will eventually throw out or spices and coffee.

I like to buy spices from the different countries we visit. Then I'm reminded of our travels when I cook with them.

I'll tell DH, the chicken has Jamaican jerk on it, and the veggies have Hawaiian salt on them. If I forget to tell him, he'll ask, where are we eating?!

I'm sorry for wasting space on this Thread, but julie3fan's post tickles me every time I read it! Thank you!

I'm sorry for wasting space on this Thread, but julie3fan's post tickles me every time I read it! Thank you!

My wife always picks up some object d'art at each port stop. On board ship, usually t-shirts, sweat shirts, key chains.

Some of the ports we visit frequently we pick up special items like Bahamian Vanilla and Switcha Lemonade in Nassau, Bahamas also chocolates in Halifax, NS at a local chocolate shop; Roussea.

Jonathan

Jonathan

Coming from Canada where outlet shopping never has true outlet prices like in the US, we (including our kids 19 and 21) end up doing so much pre cruise shopping in Ft. Lauderdale for our day to day ‘real’ clothing for back home that we never have room for trinket-like souvenirs or port t-shirts. We always end up maximizing our luggage weight capacity before we even get on the ship!

This Christmas during our B2B, the kids are planning an Uber trip on our Fort L turnaround day for some power shopping at Sawgrass as they will have no time before or after the cruise. When there IS a bit of room in our bags, we will pick up pure vanilla in Cozumel and a couple of other island specific condiments at different ports. We might also pick up some interesting alcohol to restock our bar for guests, as any alcohol is way cheaper in a place like St. Thomas than it is up here. However, the family’s priority, first and foremost, is always clothes/shoes/bags, etc from as many Ross’s, Kohl’s, and outlet malls as we can manage with the time we have before our cruise. It’s a bit of a frenetic and frantic mission, but saves us 1000’s of dollars (even with the exchange rate) and keeps everyone in high end/bargain priced clothing for the next year. It’s now a full month into the school year (I’m an assistant principal, so need to dress business style) and I’ve worn a different dress every single day - can’t beat the under $20 career dresses from Ross! :D

Another Ross shopper here! I'm sure you've thought ahead (your kids have at least) to NOT pack from home, anything they are likely to find pre-cruise that could be worn ON the cruise. Tee-shirts, jeans. Not so useful for your business wear.

You did just make me think -- We will be on a BCN-Tampa transatlanti from 2-22 December. Yep, no Xmas in this household! However, I think I better plan on an extra suitcase for albeit-late gifts for the family back home!

Every new port - Christmas ornament and/or frig magnet

Cozumel or other Mexican port - Mexican vanilla

Alcohol. Its fun to pick up bottles that we can't buy at home, to taste the region. I brought about 2 cases of cider home from our last cruise. Easier to do when you aren't flying home though. Even with us disembarking at our home port it was time consuming to pack them all up.

Also, interesting local candies and snacks. Although we picked up a bag of weird potato chips in Canada and they were a huge pain as we had to hand carry them to they wouldn't get squished. Non chocolate candies are the easiest.

Other than that, it is usually only things that can be used in daily life - I'm over magnets, keychains, figurines, etc.

Hot sauce! Delish in Barbados, Marie Sharps in Belize -- the list goes on...:cool:

Although we picked up a bag of weird potato chips in Canada and they were a huge pain as we had to hand carry them to they wouldn't get squished.

What kind of weird potato chips did you get? I got hooked on the ketchup chips, and I'll be buying some next year on our Alaskan cruise. Should I be on the lookout for another fun flavor?

We also do Christmas ornaments and we love to buy the spices - they make good gifts and it's fun to relive some island flavor. We're going back to St. Maarten soon, and I need to pick up a few bottles of a mix we got from the Guavaberry place. When my dad was living, we'd always get him some hot pepper sauce from some island - he loved those. I also purchase postcards, as they make good photos to use in my scrapbooks, I get magnets for my metal cabinets at work, and sometimes we pick up a few cheap keychains - you can never have enough unique keychains when you have house keys, office keys, church keys, barn keys, tractor keys, neighbors' keys, etc!

What kind of weird potato chips did you get? I got hooked on the ketchup chips, and I'll be buying some next year on our Alaskan cruise. Should I be on the lookout for another fun flavor?

Ketchup and All Dressed (a mix of all the flavors on every chip) are probably the most common. We also found Maple Bacon and Poutine (cheese & gravy). Shoppers Drug Mart seemed to have a nice variety, both individual and large bags, including flavors from the typical brands (like Ruffles), and Canadian ones (like President's Choice "World of Flavors").

I can't wait to look for all those fun chip flavors! Thanks for letting me know about them!

FYI I just saw pickle and ketchup chips at the local Target here in New York City.

What kind of weird potato chips did you get? I got hooked on the ketchup chips, and I'll be buying some next year on our Alaskan cruise. Should I be on the lookout for another fun flavor?

FYI I just saw pickle and ketchup chips at the local Target here in New York City.

Love to go to markets and locaL grocery stores at ports. I too have bought spices, and certain condiments at various ports to cook with. A lot of things like chips are difficult to carry home, so I may purchase some to consume on the ship, take a pic of the package and check online when I get home, if it’s something we really enjoy. Spices are almost impossible to duplicate. The Caribbean and Europe are excellent spots for spices. We avoid buying ornaments, magnets or things to sit around - probably because I’ve moved 9 times in the last 20 years including the need to downsize for the last couple and found my kids don’t want the stuff either...LOL. We also live in a retirement area - lots of resale shops that are selling all those wonderful collectibles we could buy for next to nothing :D. Besides my sons both love to cook and I can buy extra spices and share.... a win win. ;)

I buy soap. Sometimes there is a farmers market where you can buy soap directly from the person who makes the soap. I have had good luck with it so far.

In Mexico I love the blankets and the backpacks. 

We have a pool so we buy beach towels bearing the names of the ports we visit.  It's fun to grab a towel and have a memory!

We bought a candle on our cruise earlier this year. They gave it back to us the last night of the cruise. 

A scotch and dry ginger on the rocks.