souvenir ideas

[frenchylover]

A bottle of the local alcohol at each port (sometimes the alcohol even makes it home rather than just the empty bottle) :cool:

[crusinpsychRN]

You could launch a message in a bottle from every port and photograph it.:rolleyes:

 

Throw the Bottle! You're looking to incite!! LOL!!!:D:D:D

 

I get a picture frame from each port. They have some really cute beach scenes on the edges and some get more elaborate.

 

Native art would be good too. In Jamaica I bought a carved mahogany wood head of a native man for about $14. This was back in 1980. In the airport on the way home a guy offered me $75 for it. It's sitting on the bookshelf now. What do they call that on those Antique Roadshow shows, primitive art?

[MDSue]

I tend to spend too much on souveniers when I travel. I really like to buy local crafts or artwork, somerhing to remember each location. T-shirts are nice, but will wear out eventually. I have local made pottery from a few ports, paintings and woodwork from other ports. What I try and avoid are trinkets that are made in China and sold in local ports.

So choose mementos that you like.

I admit to frequenting the jewelry stores also. I usually buy one piece each trip as a momento. I really like tanzanite and the port stores tend to have a better variety then my local jewelry stores. I have purchased some nice sterling pieces in Mexico. Just remember that you can't return anything, so buyer beware.

[WishIwasOutThereNOW]

i pick up rocks. then paint the island name on them at home. word too the wise, barbados rocks, for whatever reason, will set off the metal scanner on the ship.

[hi2you]

I am a bad one for bringing home cruise ship logo clothing - though I do wear it. I have also in the past brought home the "room service menu" and "do not disturb" signs, to hang on the cabin door. Who knows, maybe I will hang it on the doors at home, and see if I get the excellent service found aboard ship. :)

[Tbay-eh]

I agree with two posters - I always pick up Christmas ornaments (not dust collectors and around house 24/7) and hot sauces - I still use them to this day. Also, coffee coffee coffee - there is so much out there. Whatever turns your crank.

[TANNER22]

For several years my passion has been to collect cruise line casino chips. Most cruise lines have unique chips specific to their ships. For instance, a collector of chips would get a $1, $2.50 and a $5 chip which makes up a complete set.

My specialty is Princess Cruise Lines, where I know each ship has their own set of chips with the ship's picture and name on it and whatever theme or motif particular to the ship.

What's good about collecting these little clay chips is they increase in value as they get older like coin collecting. If you are lucky enough to be aboard the inaugural cruise or the christening cruise, the casino issues what is called a Limited Edition chip with an unusual design and with the words, "Inaugural" and the number of chips issued (i.e. LTD 2000). When they are gone, that's it and collectors hoard them. There is a big market both on casino chip sites and EBAY for all chips. However, if you look at the chips you might get lucky and find an inaugural one that someone has overlooked.

The way I do it is I collect while playing blackjack or Texas Holdem'. Take what I need for my collection and some to sell or trade later. At some point, the hobby pays for itself.

Many passengers playing in the casino hardly recognize they might be playing with chips from other ships.

I know everyone does not have the same passion for collecting chips like I do but when you put several chips in a shadow box, it adds to your cruising memories.

If anyone would like to know more about collecting chips, they can send me an email: ajg@tylerpaper.com

[jayscore]

I try to pick up a hat/lapel pin from every port. I put them on a "boonie" hat I always wear on excursions. If I can't find one in port, I can find one on EBay.:rolleyes:

[Elationismyship]

I typically bring something back for a few of my friends in the office. Last time, I found these "beach in a box" I saw them at Barnes & Nobel but did actually get them in port. It is a box the side of a small box of note cards and inside is a tray with sand, a mini beach ball, beach umbrella, towl and chair . . . . it kinda reminds me of that sand thing some people will have in their office that is suppose to reduce stress. But instead it's a mini beach set up complete with sand. They all loved them. I wish I would have gotten myself one . . . but I could just go visit Barnes & Nobel, but it wouldn't be the same :-) -- well, I leave in 10 days (yipee!), so I can look again then!

[brownies95]

We collect shotglasses from the Hard Rock Cafe. If there is one in port then we always make it a point to visit. We also like to bring home magnets, postcards, local artwork and crafts, and t-shirts.

 

Tim:cool:

[Love PalmTrees]

I like to buy a Christmas ornament whenever we vacation. Then every year when we decorate the Christmas tree, we happily reminisce about our vacations.:)

[Islandbear]

Best souvenir I ever got was a handful of Nutmegs from a hike to a waterfall in Grenada. As we hiked I kept picking up nuts off the forest floor.

 

Over the next 10 years I would pull out a new one every once and a while and remember the great time we had on that trip while making a quiche or a spinach salad or of course Christmas Eggnog.

 

 

 

Throw the Bottle!

[yesterdaystime]

We do Christmas ornaments from the ship and from the ports. Each year we set up our "Cruise" tree. Last year we went from a 3 footer to a four foot tree. Our tree top is - you guessed it - a genuine, 24 kt, plastic ship on a stick!

 

Happy sailing!:D

[Aplmac]

Word too the wise.. Barbados rocks, for whatever reason, will set off the metal scanner on the ship.

What?! :eek:

 

 

Most Barbados rocks are Pleistocene limestone = Calcium carbonate :cool:

 

 

Even those from the East Coast are rarely ferrous oxide

- maybe you just got lucky/unlucky with some particularly dense ones?

 

 

I live on the island, and have some basic geological background

so I'm really curious as to just what you put thru the scanner!!! :D

 

 

.

[GeneHunter]

I like to collect the labels from the local beers. Sometimes it takes more than 1 to remove the label in one piece. :D I'll also go to the post office and get a collection of stamps. These don't take up much room and are nice on a scrapbook page.

[MDSue]

I like to collect the labels from the local beers. Sometimes it takes more than 1 to remove the label in one piece. :D I'll also go to the post office and get a collection of stamps. These don't take up much room and are nice on a scrapbook page.

You can also get different stamps at the pursers desk- no need to go to a post office. They have stamps for each island they visit. I found this out on my last cruise. Maybe not as big a variety as the actual post office sells though.

I like to get some currency from each island also to put in my scrapbook

[WishIwasOutThereNOW]

What?! :eek:

 

 

Most Barbados rocks are Pleistocene limestone = Calcium carbonate :cool:

 

 

Even those from the East Coast are rarely ferrous oxide

- maybe you just got lucky/unlucky with some particularly dense ones?

 

 

I live on the island, and have some basic geological background

so I'm really curious as to just what you put thru the scanner!!! :D

 

 

.

 

 

1 of those flat round gray rocks not too far from where your picture was taken, in bathsheba. i took everything out of my pockets except the rock. i never took it out because i was afraid they'd take it from me. the walk thru scanner tripped and the wand tripped every time he scanned my pocket. finally the security officer just let me go anyway. i'm not any kind of a geologist, thats all i know. check on that and get back too me, i'd really like to know. and no,i dont have any metal pins in me anywhere. :D

[GlendaleCruiser]

In 1991 I bought a glass globe with a Carnival logo on it and it had a little sand and a few shells in it. I found that I could open it up from the bottom so every time I go to a beach, I pick up a little sand and a shell or two and add to the mix. I found a peseta coin in Old Cabo once and added in my ring made from a shell that I bought in San Diego. I wish it were bigger as I am running out of room to add sand and shells.

 

I buy the Hard Rock Cafe shirts when I am in those ports. Like them, and my kids do, too.

Bought Harley Davidson shirts for my Sis and BIL in Grand Cayman.

[aussie2324]

We buy the ususal shirts . But I have also been buying a beach towel at every port with the name of where we have been. So everytime some-one uses it they can be envious . And the usual plate that can be hung on the wall incase they don't see the towel:p I was getting coffee cups at one stage but my suitcase was getting much to heavy:eek: My grandaughter loves snowglobes so I get her one of those at each port as well.