When the December holidays roll around, thoughts often turn to travel gifts for someone who loves to cruise. Luggage, Bon Voyage Gifts, Specialty Dining and more make for good travel gifts. Still, some of the very best, most appreciated travel gifts cost nothing at all.
Copies Of The Shipboard Newsletter From Your Last Sailing- If you save nothing else from your cruise, make it the daily shipboard newsletter. Your first-time cruise friend might be going on a different cruise line or ship but much of the meat of a daily ship schedule is similar between cruise lines. At a time when they know little of what life is like on a cruise ship, this is good information to have. And Free.
Be A Lender- The printed travel guides and book titles from a cruise line’s suggested reading list can be repurposed by sharing with a friend. Avid readers might include titles they enjoyed on the ship as well.
The Results Of Your Research- When we book a cruise, we go through a process that results in finding the right cruise, one that is a good fit for us at whatever stage of life we happen to be passing through. After a few sailings, we fall into a booking pattern that usually does not change all that much going forward. Find out the ship and sailing date of your friend or family member then research things to do on board, shore excursions and other variable elements of the experience. You’ll get credit for knowing your friend well by tagging options you know they will like and do not want them to miss.
The Name Of Your Good Travel Agent- This could very well be one of the best travel gifts we could possibly give a friend or family member. To determine that your agent is a good one that is worthy of your personal recommendation, you had to experience that relationship first. It’s one of the biggest travel agent questions of all: “So how Do I find a good agent?”
Write A Review, Document The Experience- When we first return from travel is the best time to document our experience, while it is fresh in our mind. But some of the best information comes out of forgetting about the cruise for a bit then revisiting the experience, in reflection. This is when we think back, past the actual experience to the cruise line promise. That is the time to write a review. Pick your favorite cruise website that allows reviews and go for it: your information can have a major impact on your cruise fan’s actual experience.
Of course, you can do what we did for several years of family vacations; actually go on a cruise and celebrate the holidays at sea. That would be a way better gift than any of the above. Obviously.
Chris Owen shares frank, inside information about cruise vacations on ChrisCruises.com
