Bon Voyage Gifts? Worth it?

[Luxuriate]

I am considering sending a bon voyage gift to a friends stateroom. I won't be traveling with her. She has never cruised before so I want to make it special. I don't have much to spend. Do you think the gifts that RCCL has available are worth it? Has anyone ever had their stateroom decorated? A cake delivered to the room? Please let me know before I spend $$$$$.

 

Thanks.

 

Cheryl

[mdeane]

My sons sent us flowers on one of our first cruises and it was wonderful. We really felt special and enjoyed them the entire cruise. Sadly had to leave them when we left the ship but hope our cabin steward continued to enjoy them. A lovely thing to do.

[cme]

I ordered the birthday package last year for my daughter. I thought it was worth the $29.00. I plan on ordering another this year for my anniversary. It is nice to have the cabin decorated all week long. I think that your friend would be thrilled to open the door to her cabin and have it all decorated. I would:D

 

Carrie

[momofslg]

I ordered the birthday package last year for my daughter. I thought it was worth the $29.00. I plan on ordering another this year for my anniversary. It is nice to have the cabin decorated all week long. I think that your friend would be thrilled to open the door to her cabin and have it all decorated. I would:D

 

Carrie

 

Can you order the anniversary package online? I have never done anything like this but I'd like to be able to do something special for my 10th anniversary( just to surprise my husband).

[Pumbaamd]

Call RCCL and tell them want you would like and what you can afford to spend. They will work with you. Hey, spend a few $$$ more to help your friend have a great time on RCCL!!! Maybe, next time, it'll be you sailing on the high seas and havin' a great time. Get Out Theree!!!

[NJMetsFan]

yes you can book the package online. I'm sailing in about a week and booked the birthday package for my daughter.

[bug18]

I definitely think it is worth it. It is so nice to get a surprise on your cruise that someone has sent to you.

[flyerwife]

We sailed on the Mariner this August and, since it was my kids first cruise, I wanted it to be special. I ordered the stateroom Bon Voyage decorations, the cake and the Adventure Ocean snack pack.

 

The decorations were great; very big, and it was nice to have a personalized card enclosed ("Bon Voyage, Have a great time on your first cruise, Love Mom and Dad"). The cake was fine but they really could have done without that, since there is so much else that they wanted to see, do and eat on their first day.

 

The Snack Pack came but it was the healthy choice one and I had ordered the snack one (chips, oreos, etc). I went to Guest Services and they had it switched out the same day.

 

Although I had to order the cake and decorations separately (decorations were $29 and cake was $7.99) I think the website now offers both the cake and decorations together for $29.

 

Definitely worth it! (Though I do think Carnival has a better offering for Bon Voyage gifts...I sent my in-laws a great package for their 40th anniversary cruise which had 2 T shirts, towels, visors, bottle of champagne, champagne glasses, drink and photo vouchers, disposable camera and more for $75.)

[PTarbay]

Try this site.They are less expensive than RCI and will deliver to most ships.

http://www.giftsahoyinc.com/custom.asp?id=41823&page=1&shopperid=

[Lady & Sir]

Cool link! Thanks!

We used the RCI gifts last time, and were happy with them.

Beth

[Grumpy8]

We had the Anniversary Package in my Parents room. They did a nice job. We even had a cake in there too. It was Yummy !!!:D

[LetsGoCruisN]

For my fiances first cruise with me, I decided to order chocolate covered strawberries about a month before we departed. However, when we arrived in our stateroom, they were nowhere to be found. I decided to wait and see if they showed up later and they did. I guess it depends on what you get and how early you order it but I was slightly upset that they weren't waiting on us when we arrived because then I had to tell my fiance that they were missing and hopefully they would arrive. None the less, they were EXCELLENT! And I highly recommend them. ;)

[jeannejj]

I have used RCI's gift packages several times, and the people were always surprised and very pleased. It's nice to do something special, and it was always appreciated.

[jckvpa0]

For my fiances first cruise with me, I decided to order chocolate covered strawberries about a month before we departed. However, when we arrived in our stateroom, they were nowhere to be found. I decided to wait and see if they showed up later and they did. I guess it depends on what you get and how early you order it but I was slightly upset that they weren't waiting on us when we arrived because then I had to tell my fiance that they were missing and hopefully they would arrive. None the less, they were EXCELLENT! And I highly recommend them. ;)

 

What do you do if you want them to arrive later, say that evening. Is there a Room Service Menu, (besides the regular on, which by the way I'm trying to get any info on), that you can order for a price these specialty items?

[suziehmkr]

I decided to order chocolate covered strawberries about a month before we departed. However, when we arrived in our stateroom, they were nowhere to be found. I decided to wait and see if they showed up later and they did. I guess it depends on what you get and how early you order it but I was slightly upset that they weren't waiting on us when we arrived because then

I would think they would wait to make sure that you have arrived on the ship before delivering them. I don't think I would want my strawberries to have been sitting there for hours, if we had boarded later.

 

I have sent gifts to my friend each year that she sails. She really enjoys them. The last cruise on the Navigator, I ordered her family the slippers to use while out on the balcony! They loved them.

[OliverTheCat]

Honestly, buy your own decorations. They ARE pretty, but you can do the same yourself for less than $10. You pay like $30 to have them do it, dont you? All it is are streamers really. I did it for honeymoon, and it WAS pretty....but sorta wish I did it myself instead for the money.

 

Now, the cake...DEFINITELY get one delivered! It was goooooooooood!

[mkringen]

My mil had all sorts of stuff for us on our first cruise. She didn't go with us but ordered it through RCCL. She got the snack pack for ds and some casino credits for us. (We don't gamble though) She also ordered us a plate of canapes and some fruit and cheese. They were in the room when we got there. The canapes looked really nasty and old. The fruit and cheese was nice but we had just finished eating in the Windjammer and dinner wasn't too far off.

 

Our last cruise I brought a decoration for our door. (a big 3D sun) But didn't decorate the inside. It made us smile everytime we went in the room. Also made it very easy to find our door.

 

I will bring decorations again for our next cruise in April.

 

Michelle in SoCal

[newmexicoNita]

you can call RCI or get the list from the website. As a TA I try to have something in the cabin for my clients. Yes, it is worth it and the gifts range from as little as $20 to as much as you want to spend. Things I like: wine, chocolate covered strawberries, snacks, and soda cards if they are big soft drink fans. As for the decorating, I have never tried that, but sounds like a fun thing.

 

NMnita

[anteldel]

My husband usually has flowers delivered to the room. I find that they are constantly in the way. Our travel agent had the room decorated and a cake delivered. The decorations were a nuisance and nobody touched the cake. There is so much food available that we were never in the mood for a piece of cake. My husband also had chocolate covered strawberries delivered but once again the abundance of food on board left them undesirable.

[Calicruisefamily]

When we got married 15 yrs. ago RC had sent a cake to our table free of charge :) I guess over the years they haved learned to charge for these things:confused: But I must say I did order the Choc. Strawberries for our cruise next month:p

[Broch]

:) :) Our friends ruby wedding anniversary was this year when we sailed on VOS and we did the bon voyage package along with cake, wine and strawberries for them. The cabin was decked out when they arrived and they were very touched . The wine and two cakes ( one of each, - only one was ordered) but the strawberries were not there. As previous posters quite rightly said they followed later. When I phoned down to housekeeping they told me that they do not put them out until nearer sailing time. I advised them it might be nicer if they left a note to that effect when they delivered the wine and they informed me that they would take my comments on board ( pardon the pun) and to put them down on my commments card.

[Broch]

:confused: Oh anteldal, Your poor husband I feel very sorry for him I hope you did not tell him that the flowers were constantly in the way and I hope your TA does not read the message boards, Yes I suppose the decorations were possibly in the way but our friends never told us that. In fact they were so delighted with them they took them home. The cakes were put in the fridge and some was eaten throughout the cruise and also everything was captured on film so they could remember what was done for them and show others when they got home what someone had taken the thought to do this for them and made them feel very special

[tupper]

You can now even order gifts from RCCL's site, to be delivered to any land address BEFORE the cruise. I am doing this for my group in December, so they all have their bags for all of their documents, etc. on the bus.

[LBB]

It's always nice to have something waiting when you get to your cabin. My parents sent a bottle of wine and I order the chocolate covered strawberries. They were great. Anything would probably be greatly appreciated by your friend.

[pbillington]

I loved the gifts. I ordered the stateroom decorations along with the cake for about $29.00 for our anniversary last year and it was wonderful. They had the decorations in the room when we arrive and they brought the cake in a little later that afternoon. I think they are a nice touch and worth the money.