What do you buy onboard?

[cbMcruiser]

Trying to budget, would like to have plenty of money for a few frivolous purchases. Sailing on the sunshine this week. I won't buy expensive watches and jewelry on board, but think I will want shirts, milkshakes, maybe perfume etc... Already budgeted for all other items! What do you buy from the funshops and other onboard venues? What do you pay? Not interested in restaurant prices!

 

Not real frivolous, but I purchase at least one baseball cap and a coffee mug from every ship that I have cruised on. Usualy get the caps on the special "2 fer" offers. They help me day dream during the down times between cruises. :)

[2Okies]

Last year we bought the Pandora like bracelets, and I still enjoy mine. However we also bought the watches in the gift boxes, and discovered the one we gave to my son in law had a date dial - which actually was fake! Beware.

[PittsburghGirlee]

I usually try to get the most NON Fragile Christmas Tree ornament and re-live my cruises every time I put up my Christmas tree when I unwrap a different ornament. Helps to get through the winter months....Brrrrrr.

 

I try to pick one up on the different ports that I visit also.

[Staceelvls]

I bought off brand Pandora type charm bracelets for my girls and myself when they had a huge sale one morning. I also bought some chains for various necklace pendants I have when they had the silver and gold by the inch, the prices varied depending on which chain you bought.

 

You might want a few photos.

 

What you spend is really individual. My husband and I spent a total of $350 on our first cruise (5 day), that included shop purchases, photos, drinks, everything. We prepaid gratuities.

 

Does the pandora store have a special charm that you can only get on the ship? Similar to the dice charm that you can only get in Vegas.

[All4fun&fun4all]

On my last cruise I bought an adorable floppy hat at the $10.00 store onboard and I bought the license tag that says "my other car is a cruise ship" for $12.95.

 

I always buy drinks onboard as well as a Christmas ornament and at least one of the dining room pics. I have one from each cruise except one.

[lady_cruiser]

1 or 2 photos and maybe a drink or two.

[flounder315]

Twice now I have bought a case of Crown Royal...

 

Great Deal $219 for 12 liter bottles of Crown Royal... :D

 

Way cheaper than prices at home...

 

I too love the Pandora style braclets... There will be a sale on them one sea day during your cruise. 3 different prices $10, $20 & $25. They have some boxes with just the charms, the box of charms is $10. But be warned, the crowd will be CRAZY.

[minivintage]

I love the scrapbooking sets--always get one of the ship I'm on, and then with my photos, a few from the pro photographers, and some saved invitations//postcards etc I have an easily done scrapbook from my trip! If any of you scrapbook, you know how expensive all that stuff is; I actually think it is a very good deal!

 

Sometimes a piece of clothing--I got a great little shoulder cover (with sleeves) for my tropical sleeveless dresses once! They had it in black and white (hmm...that might have been on a NCL cruise...). On Splendor last time I got a cheap sun hat and cheap evening purse in the $10 sales since I had forgot both of those things when packing.

 

And a spa treatment or two. Not a big drinker, so I have some budget for that--I love the Splendor spa (my next cruise is on) as long as I tell the gal doing the treatment that I already have lots of Elemis products and don't need more! LOL.

[Jeafl]

Last year we bought the Pandora like bracelets, and I still enjoy mine. However we also bought the watches in the gift boxes, and discovered the one we gave to my son in law had a date dial - which actually was fake! Beware.

 

Those Pandora-like bracelets caused an absolute stampede last year on the Freedom! I've never seen so many people storming the shop, then pushing and shoving in order to buy a stack of those bracelets. They were grabbing 6-10 per person, then waited in a very long line to pay for them. People were even shoving and fighting in line. I got disgusted and left. I stopped by the shop a few hours later and they still had lots of bracelets so I picked one up then. I guess the moral of the story is that it's not necessary to be the first one there. :)

[Butterbean1000]

We always buy booze. Very cheap. I have bought some fine jewelry. Drinks, steak house, tshirts, souvenirs, perfume, shawls, toiletries and pictures.

Edited January 10, 2014 by Butterbean1000

[txmom11]

We always buy the embarkation photo (or another one if that one is totally hideous) and the wooden frame with the ship's name on it. I buy a Christmas ornament--we like the gold cut out ones, but they haven't had them the last couple of cruises.

 

DH gets a hat. Other than that, we buy drinks and the occasional excursion through Carnival.

[Rena921]

For me it's a Citizen watch. Between the discount and being duty free, I can't find a better deal on the mainland. Liquor is priced well and perfume is so much cheaper on the ship, ounce for ounce compared to buying retail. Also the Lancôme eye makeup remover is a a great price for 2 bottles. It the equivalent of buying one bottle and getting one 1/2 price....plus both bottles last me until my next cruise ;). Some of the other stuff is not worth it....ie the cheap fake gold and silver by the inch, the "watch and jewelry" sale, fake pandora bracelets, etc.

Edited January 10, 2014 by Rena921

[Tbay-eh]

I actually buy little on the ship - chain by the inch it plated, $10 watches are $10 watches (had one last years and one last 2 weeks so hit or miss), jewellery can be quite nice, buy only ONE picture (don't need anymore - no room for them). At ports however, I always buy coffee beans, Christmas type ornament, vanilla and that is about it

[carrieluvsgreg]

I try to get a Christmas ornament of the ship, if I don't already have it. Sometimes I buy a carnival mug from the coffee shop because it's like $9 for the tumbler with an espresso-based beverage... (I'd buy the drink anyway, so that makes the tumbler a cheap souvenir.) we do often buy sherridans as well, that stuff is the bomb. Then a few drinks, coffees and at least one photo.

[vamartha]

I brought back Red Frog Rum Bar and Blue Iguana Tequila Bar Tervis cups this time.

[Scotch Mist]

I brought back Red Frog Rum Bar and Blue Iguana Tequila Bar Tervis cups this time.

 

Me too! They're the best thing I've ever bought onboard! And they're both packed to take on my incoming Splendor cruise!

 

I don't buy a great deal onboard unless it's duty free (cigarettes usually).

 

My other half bought some fabby funny slogan t shirt's.

 

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[TruckinMama]

Yes, thats for sure. its junk.

 

I have enough 14kt gold that I dont wear.

 

I must have purchased the one exception? I've been wearing mine since May and it's not caused any discoloring, nor have I had any other issues. I bought several pieces, in different lengths, of the same chain.

[dolphin2012]

I always spend the most on the pictures... Now they go offboard to the excursion spots and their pics of you there are really good.. IN europe we bought two of them by the trevi fountain and pisa... There is no extra charge for this service... We also play bingo a few times... 20 a card ... a few drinks, The tshirts are usually 2 for 20 on the last day also... I also always get a christmas ornament of the ship.. thats my favorite souvenior and have one for each ship we have sailed... It can add up fast.. we always check our balance each day.... have fun....

[Kfoot]

Very little. I may buy 1 or 2 pics. 1-2 drink each day and that's it. Everything else is a rip off. Last cruise I bought a t-shirt. When I got home and put it on, I had to put a slit in the neck. It fits like a mock turtleneck. Very uncomfortable.

[Tapi]

A metal fridge clip with the ship's name and the boarding photo.

[vwrestler171]

I buy a shot glass, Christmas tree ornament and the model of the ship we are sailing on.

[Tutankhamen]

Nothing.

 

I spent every penny I could find between the cracks of my sofa and car seats to buy FTTF. It was either FTTF or kids college fund. I went with FTTF.

Edited January 11, 2014 by Tutankhamen

[sjn911]

I like the fridge magnets, a bottle or two of wine they kept for me on the cruise I had set dinning..don't know how that works and did not do that when I was freestyle.

 

Way back on Costa a million years ago i bought an Aquamarine fairly good size teardrop necklace in sterling with a teeny tiny diamond on top of setting that is real..for 79 dollars..this is probably 1992 or so..I love and wear that necklace all the time..it is still worth it to once and awhile find that special jewelry memory ..but one or two times does it forever there for me.

 

Money for a massage, steakhouse or nicer pay meal if you want. Love going to steakhouse first nite and getting the free bottle of wine..that plus one i bring makes room drinks.

 

Also found a ten dollar evening purse and ten dollar pashima scarf for a wrap. Occ. a bottle of booze duty free and one ship photo.

Edited January 11, 2014 by sjn911

[RWolver672]

Golf ball with the ships name if they have them. Also one from each port if available.

Model of the ship. First one was $19.95. Last one was $39.95.

T-shirt with ship's name.

Photos and Album with ship's name. The use to all be white and looked the same with a picture of the ship on the cover. Now they're black and aren't as nice.

A few mixed drinks or Cokes throughout the cruise.

Christmas ornament of the ship and one at each port if we don't already have one.

Decal from Ron Jon's at every port that has one. I have them all on my garage wall.

Anything else that suits our fancy.

Edited January 11, 2014 by RWolver672

[Sheebah]

They will have tshirt deals where they line up tables outside the gift shops most likely but you'll get better deals and selection in port. I recall $10 for tshirts as the average

Perfume will be priced like home (think department store prices) but I believe it's tax free

We spend our $ on photos, magnets and toys for our 4 year old from the gift shoppes.

 

 

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