What would you give as a surprise gift in cabin?

[mzloolue]

IMHO write a letter thanking them. How loved you felt being included. etc. Get to know their room steward and have it placed on their pillow on the last night, maybe with a picture of the four of you on the cruise. (parents are suckers for pics of their kids).

 

why spend money you could use to help pay them back.

 

just a suggestion.

 

This is nice suggestion and is what I was thinking too.

Something from the heart rather than the wallet.

Maybe a handmade thank you card expressing your thanks for being able to be with family on the trip.

[Lisa NJ]

My thoughts exactly. I know if I were your Dad, I'd be thrilled with a thank you letter from your heart.

My sister wrote me a poem for my b-day 20 years ago, it's in a frame, on my wall.

 

Have a wonderful cruise!

 

OH, what a wonderful idea...I noticed this thought posted a few times. A nice note from the heart and a picuture on their pillow...or some how placed with the towel "figure" would be so wonderful:)

[gracie65]

My DH and I and our 2 boys (11 and 9) will be on the Victory for 4 nights in July. We are traveling with my family for a total of 16 people. My DH and I had so many unexpected expenses this year that when they planned the trip we originally told them we could not go. My Dad and his girlfriend felt so bad that everyone in the family was going except us that they offered to lend us the money and told us we could pay it back whenever we wanted, next year or 10 years. The rest of my family told us to take them up on their offer because everyone wanted us to go. It was really nice to have everyone WANT us to be with them, so we accepted.

 

I want to surprise my Dad and his girlfriend with something in their room for when they arrive as a special thank you. Has anyone used this service and what did you order? What do you think would be a good idea for this situation?

 

Thanks,

 

Loralie

 

Chocolate covered strawberries & a bottle of Champagne would work for me!!!!!!

[truecruiser]

IMHO write a letter thanking them. How loved you felt being included. etc. Get to know their room steward and have it placed on their pillow on the last night, maybe with a picture of the four of you on the cruise. (parents are suckers for pics of their kids).

 

why spend money you could use to help pay them back.

 

just a suggestion.

 

i was thinking this too. my mother probably wldn't want to see me spend that $ when i have to pay her back. that's the way she is. she wld think it was unnecessary and shld have been "saved" for the S&S bill and/or repayment. but, that's my mom. never been in this situation w/ her, but i know how she thinks.

 

only the OP will know how her father will react to the gift.

[Chmie]

But them supper on the cruise. :D

[Hawaii697]

I think giving a gift is a nice way of saying thank you. Although one might look at it as "monies you can use to pay back", however, I'm sure the family would expect you to have spending monies, which I'm sure you're willing to sacrifice a small amount towards a gift ;) for your dad. Anyway, in the past for my husband, I've order Carnival items which were nice, but for our next cruise, it was suggested to use Just Because of You for Bon Voyage gift. They will customize a basket to your liking and they are not very expensive. The email address is http://www.justbecause.addictscay.com/. The owner Shelley is awesome to talk to. She has great suggestions and also lets you know what would be a waste to order because the ship provides it for free. Have a great time on your cruise.

[ooulio]

I would also agree on the chocolate covered strawberries. I wouldn't buy the boquet of flowers. Twice we had them delivered. They smelled terrible. We couldn't figure out what the smell was. I took the outside the room and smelled it. It was awful. I gave them to some nice little lady. She loved them. The second time I did the same thing. My step daughter sent us flowers twice with wine. Once we got the fruit basket. To me that was a waste. You can eat all you want on the ship. We aren't wine drinkers. We gave that bottle away too. I would do the strawberries or the drink coupons.

[Crusin Karen]

Here is another idea. I buy coffee mugs on each of our cruises with the ship's logo on them. Have sailed on Victory twice and they have very nice mugs; large white with picture of the ship on it. Buy a bag of Hershey's kisses and a bag of Hershey's hugs and a nice card at home and bring on the cruise. The shops will open right after sail away. Buy your dad and his DG each a mug. Fill with a combo of candy hugs and kisses. Ask the cabin steward if he will put them with the towel animal when he turns down the bed on the first night. Have him prop the card/envelope there (I am sure he/she will figure out a fun way to do this) and inside the card write something like: for your coffee on our 1st morning on Victory with hugs and kisses for making it possible for us to join you. Or you could also do the same thing with a ship's logo cocktail glass. Fill with the candies and add a note in the card that the first cocktail the next night is on you. Have a great cruise. Victory is a beautiful ship. We are going on her for the THIRD time in July! ;)

[KAWS]

Thanks for your reply,

 

I did look at the gifts section on the website but I wanted to know what everyone else thought. I want to know If anyone used this service and what you ordered and if you thought it was nice and worth the price?

 

Loralie

 

On our last cruise I sent the gift bag filled with beer, a hat and a carnival mug to the guys and a chocolate ship to the gals. Both are good for sharing and there's a little keepsake to take home too. If you like the beer bag that happens to come with the bucket hat, don't worry; the gift shop will exchange it for a cap hat.

[Hogladyrider]

Here's my two cents worth. I love the idea of the hand written note.

 

My personal expereience is we've been surprised with the chocolate covered strawberries, YUMMO. Loved them.

 

We've also been surprised with a dozen of the fresh baked cookies - simply AWESOME, they come from the bakery. Order some milk from room service.

 

Lastly I have been surprised with the soft sided Carnival cooler and cornona's and that was in 2005 and I still use that cooler every day to bring my lunch to work in, which I just finished by the way! Great reminder of a fun cruise. I even wear that hat that came with the pkg.

 

So it looks like you've gotten lots of suggestions, hope they all helped.

 

Have a GREAT Cruise!

 

PS - if you can swing it I think paying for them to eat in the Super Club is an awesome token.

[4me-itstheC]

But them supper on the cruise. :D

 

 

This one gets my vote. I've never been on the Victory, but if they do have a supper club, I think that would be a great idea. The food & service are both top notch.

[Thatmom]

IMHO write a letter thanking them. How loved you felt being included. etc. Get to know their room steward and have it placed on their pillow on the last night, maybe with a picture of the four of you on the cruise. (parents are suckers for pics of their kids).

 

why spend money you could use to help pay them back.

 

just a suggestion.

 

I agree with this one. I'm a mother who pays for her adult kids to go with me cruising. They couldn't go if I didn't. I would love the picture and note a lot more than them spending money on me that they don't have. It's more like when they were little and I would give them money for them to buy me Christmas presents..Go with the picture!!

Carla

[cruise_pirate]

This is a great Thread! We are going with 17 other family members in October and I was wondering if we brought a gift with us if the room steward for my parents room would put the gift in their room or if we took it to the front desk if they could have it delivered to their room? I know they want you to buy their gifts but, have some ideas of things to bring and have sent to their room that they would enjoy more. Also with the photo idea if you email Carnival they will email you a photo release form you can print and have copies of a specail picture made for about 1/16th the price the ship charges! have fun!

 

Lonnie