Does anyone enjoy the Diamond gift basket?

[cruissett]

I love seeing a little gift in our cabin but, Does anyone really eat & enjoy the cookies & sweet dried fruit in the diamond gift baskets? Just seems to me many are left behind or thrown away. Wouldn't nuts and even chips be more enjoyed.

[Familygoboston]

I have to agree! I would never be ungracious about a gift, but I really can't stand dried mixed fruit, and I don't need the cookies. What I do is leave the fruit behind and take the cookies home to DD1, who loves short breads. I would rather have more "free" bottles of water, and as you said nuts to take ashore during excursions. But I appreciate the gesture! :D

[seaofwonder]

No. I enjoy the drink, but the rest gets tossed. Nuts or trail mix would be better.

 

 

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[Deets]

I am so glad you brought this subject up.

 

I love to see the thoughtfulness of the gift on the counter when we arrive to our stateroom. However, if you take the little bag of dried fruit and the little bag of cookies out, you are left with a whole lot of packaging. It seems like such a waste to me.

 

It is not my intent to sound ungrateful, I just hate to see all that packaging have to go into the recycle bin! It would be just as nice to put the pretty blue ribbon around the two little packages.

[mommabean]

Apparently the Diamond plus gift is better. It has nuts, cheese, crackers along with chocolate biscotti and a fruit nut mixture. I like it all. We eat it all, but not on the ship. We take some with us if we hike in a port or on the plane when flying home if anything is left.

 

It sounds like the Ds don't like their gift. Would you rather they eliminate it at that level?

 

Gina

[spiritkat090909]

I'm the one...I eat the shortbread cookies on the plane on the way home, have a couple of the cute boxes on my dresser catching junk, and use the dried fruit in...key lime cookies that I add coconut & macadamia nuts to. The cookies are a mix I found at wmt. They were delicious.

[Clarea]

We do like Gina, take the cheese, crackers, and cookies on the plane for the trip back home.

[seaofwonder]

Apparently the Diamond plus gift is better. It has nuts, cheese, crackers along with chocolate biscotti and a fruit nut mixture. I like it all. We eat it all, but not on the ship. We take some with us if we hike in a port or on the plane when flying home if anything is left.

 

It sounds like the Ds don't like their gift. Would you rather they eliminate it at that level?

 

Gina

 

I'd be fine if it went away....replace it with 2 drinks. One drink is silly seeing as how there are 2 diamond members in the room.

 

 

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[cruisinfanatic]

Back in 2011 I got such grief for bringing this up. Gift was appreciated, but mostly worthless IMO.

 

 

[Debde]

I'd be fine if it went away....replace it with 2 drinks. One drink is silly seeing as how there are 2 diamond members in the room.

 

 

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Since when is I only one drink?? Heck, there were 4 of us last cruise and we all got a drink of choice???

[dealer9296]

I guess it is the thought....nice to have it there when you first come in. I take the ribbon off and bring it home to decorate little things for my door on the next cruises.

 

Leaving tomorrow and I have the ribbon wrapped around a little gold wreath and a couple of the gold reindeers that have RCCL ribbon and bows around their neck......I will put these on my door with a few other little Christmas decorations. :-)

 

I also use the box with the lid to keep tea bags in. I guess it is called recycling.

Edited December 15, 2013 by dealer9296

[suzyluvs2cruise]

Apparently the Diamond plus gift is better. It has nuts, cheese, crackers along with chocolate biscotti and a fruit nut mixture. I like it all. We eat it all, but not on the ship. We take some with us if we hike in a port or on the plane when flying home if anything is left.

 

It sounds like the Ds don't like their gift. Would you rather they eliminate it at that level?

 

Gina

 

We do like Gina, take the cheese, crackers, and cookies on the plane for the trip back home.

 

We enjoy the cheese/crackers on the balcony with a glass of wine and take the nuts/biscotti on an excursion or as a snack on the plane.

 

I also found a use for the box and use it to hold my make-up while onboard. :)

Edited December 15, 2013 by suzyluvs2cruise

[Langley Cruisers]

Aww man, threads like this are definitely going to have RCI re-evaluating the gift amenity. Let's be gracious and thankful, shall we? Please? :) They are already looking at the program, re: the C&A e-mail that most of us have already received. Soon we'll have nothing if the complaining keeps up. :( :( :(

[mommabean]

I guess it is the thought....nice to have it there when you first come in. I take the ribbon off and bring it home to decorate little things for my door on the next cruises.

 

Leaving tomorrow and I have the ribbon wrapped around a little gold wreath and a couple of the gold reindeers that have RCCL ribbon and bows around their neck......I will put these on my door with a few other little Christmas decorations. :-)

 

I also use the box with the lid to keep tea bags in. I guess it is called recycling.

 

This is what I do at home, too. I also have one in the pantry to keep little packages of other snacks in that would otherwise be loose on the shelf.

 

I keep a ribbon tied on the handle of my suitcase.

 

Gina

[mommabean]

I'd be fine if it went away....replace it with 2 drinks. One drink is silly seeing as how there are 2 diamond members in the room.

 

 

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We get two drinks. I wish we got that package of just dried fruit in the D+ basket.

 

Gina

[Familygoboston]

I'm the one...I eat the shortbread cookies on the plane on the way home, have a couple of the cute boxes on my dresser catching junk, and use the dried fruit in...key lime cookies that I add coconut & macadamia nuts to. The cookies are a mix I found at wmt. They were delicious.

 

Completely off topic, but I noticed in your signature about the steal a chair, and I have to tell you that on a few cruises (where chair hogging is a problem) I have come up with a similar solution I call "chair leasing"- when I find a chair that looks clearly "chogged" and there none to be had elsewhere, I carefully remove the stuff to the deck and "lease" the chair until (or if) the person returns.

 

This only works for short visits, not all day stays (because Im assuming they chogged the chair to use it at some point) but that's usually what I want anyway, just a short sit. The key to it, is that if the person returns, you must say in your absolute most polite voice (and mean it) "oh, I thought this chair was open, it was empty for so long...I will be on my way now." This has been my strategy and I have "leased" chairs for 30 minutes to 2 hours and never had the people return anyway! Then I replace their towel, book or flip flop and go in my way.:D

 

I'm wondering how it works for you? I'm not in the business of getting confrontational; I acknowledge that it's "their" chair- and I was just leasing it.

[gxchan]

I like the D gift and bottled water. I used to bring the cookies/candy home for my kids but with the kids away at college the largess goes to people in my office.:) The amount of packaging bothered me until I saw how much the ships recycle. As long as the brown bucket hasn't been contaminated, they recycle it.

[grandgeezer]

We give it to the cabin steward as we find it all most I edible.

[Trainman-2]

I gratefully accept any free gifts from RCI.

 

They are, of course, free!

 

My best suggestion to anyone who doesn't like the contents of the gift is to give them to a poor or homeless person in the first port. :D

[bouhunter]

I am so glad you brought this subject up.

 

I love to see the thoughtfulness of the gift on the counter when we arrive to our stateroom. However, if you take the little bag of dried fruit and the little bag of cookies out, you are left with a whole lot of packaging. It seems like such a waste to me.

 

It is not my intent to sound ungrateful, I just hate to see all that packaging have to go into the recycle bin! It would be just as nice to put the pretty blue ribbon around the two little packages.

 

I agree. They would probably save money by forgetting the sad little cookies and packaging and leaving an couple extra bottles of water. And I think most people would prefer it.

[orville99]

DW puts the dried fruit in bran muffins, and our GS loves the cookies.:)

[seaofwonder]

Since when is I only one drink?? Heck, there were 4 of us last cruise and we all got a drink of choice???

 

We've only been given one drink?!?!

 

 

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[Clarea]

We've only been given one drink?!?!

If it happens again, talk with the Loyalty Ambassador on board. Every person who is Emerald level or above should get a Welcome Aboard beverage.

[seaofwonder]

So one basket and two drinks? Good to know!

 

 

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[Ramjet1997]

It is amazing to me the critical comments that come for something that is a free gift to the cruise traveler....

 

I believe that as soon as you seem ungrateful for something that was given to you - you lose............

 

The items in the C & A basket for a diamond member (or for any level for that matter) are nominal expense at best. But just the fact that you receive them at all you should be grateful...........