Cruise Souvenirs

[violetmonarch]

I am not sure if I should even ask or post this....here goes:
My family and I are taking our first cruise in one month, and I am on a TIGHT budget. As I scour thru online auctions and the Disney Store website, I have to wonder if there are any people that either want to sell their unused cruise bags, or have leftover note cards and envelopes, or pens or anything like that? I have seen a $5 item on Disney website go for three times as much on an online auction! My goal is to get some things for my kids now, so that I can avoid them wanting so much from the gift shops. Also, I have some special people that I want to get gifts for. Anything would be appreciated.

 

[DisSarahK]

I don't have anything for you, but I can tell you that there were two free postcards in the desk drawer in our stateroom as well as a free pen. My children used the pen for their autograph book. It is more of an adult looking pen, but it does say Disney on it.

Go to Target, Michaels, or the Dollar Store and pick up some Disney stuff before your cruise. There is lots of inexpensive Disney themed stuff out there.

Have a wonderful time on the Magic!

 

[kcashner]

The dollar store has tons of Disney themed stuff--pens, pencils, note pads, etc. Also, if you are flying in a day early and renting a car to get to port, there are several Disney outlets in Orlando.

If you go to Guest Services, they can give you a little package of pixie dust to sprinkle on a pillow.....

 

[violetmonarch]

Thank you for the suggestions. I was actually looking to get the cruise line items, which are not sold in the stores. Other cruisers are selling on Ebay, but they are higher then anything I could afford. Was just curious about asking....never hurts to ask right!

 

[kcashner]

There are sale racks outside the gift shops on many cruises. If you are sailing soon, anything with a 2012 date on it will be reduced.

 

[violetmonarch]

Wow, that's a great idea. I didn't know if there were sales on the ships. I am going in a month, so hopefully there will be things left?

 

[Scillycruisers]

I am not sure if I should even ask or post this....here goes:
My family and I are taking our first cruise in one month, and I am on a TIGHT budget. As I scour thru online auctions and the Disney Store website, I have to wonder if there are any people that either want to sell their unused cruise bags, or have leftover note cards and envelopes, or pens or anything like that? I have seen a $5 item on Disney website go for three times as much on an online auction! My goal is to get some things for my kids now, so that I can avoid them wanting so much from the gift shops. Also, I have some special people that I want to get gifts for. Anything would be appreciated.

You could take a plain pillowcase or photo mat to guest services to get the character signatures. This is free - can add a bag of candy but not compulsory.

 

[havaneselover]

You could take a plain pillowcase or photo mat to guest services to get the character signatures. This is free - can add a bag of candy but not compulsory.

I can't think of a better souvenir. I had two made for $36 for our upcoming cruise with the kids name, ship name, and sail date, but plain would be fine. Will also be doing a photo mat. Those are things that will remind you of your wonderful vacation daily.

 

[kalc12345]

Our favorite souvenir from our last cruise is a signed photo mat. I bought a mat before leaving and then dropped it off at Guest Services after getting on the ship. They dropped off the signed mat on the last night of our cruise. It turned out SO good!! And it wasn't expensive.

Also we found several things on sale during our last cruise. I got my son a t-shirt for around $10.

 

[2CME911]

You could take a plain pillowcase or photo mat to guest services to get the character signatures. This is free - can add a bag of candy but not compulsory.

I can't think of a better souvenir. I had two made for $36 for our upcoming cruise with the kids name, ship name, and sail date, but plain would be fine. Will also be doing a photo mat. Those are things that will remind you of your wonderful vacation daily.

Both excellent suggestions. This one you can do either very inexpensive or a little bit more with style if you purchase a custom made one...go to www.etsy.com and do a search for DCL pillowcase. We've used stitchesnbows, but it looks like she has some competition on there now. Heres a direct link:

http://www.etsy.com/search?q=DCL%20pillowcase&view_type=gallery&ship_to=US

Onboard, just bring one pillowcase for each child in side a large ziplock bag with an assortment of fabric markers, take the whole thing to guest services on day 1. Last night of cruise you should have your pillowcases back in your stateroom, just be aware they limit the numbers to usually 2 per stateroom, but they might do 3 if three children are actually registered to a room. Good luck!

 

[dizney-cruiser]

As far as the postcards and note paper goes - you can ask your Stateroom host for more - and if you ask for postcards at Guest Services they give you a different one

 

[iloverags2]

I have an old deck of DCL playing cards (from probably 2010 or 2011) that has never been opened. They are not dated so no one would ever know! The case has a small crack in it, but nothing noticeable, and you cannot even see it with the cover sleeve on it. If you are interested, I would be more than happy to send them to you. PM me your deets!

 

[iloverags2]

Oh, and to add to my above post...the Guest Services desk will also give you a DCL pen (it's silver with DCL in blue on it) if you ask! It's the same pen in the stateroom. We asked at GS if we could have one to take and they gave us each one.

 

[dbarker]

You can make magnets for your door. There's a thread on here that pops up every once in a while. Also, go to the DISigns board on here. There are lots of artists that will personalize for you. Just print out on heavy paper, laminate if you want to (I use clear contact paper), glue a magnet or two to the back.

Warning: anything very special that you definitely want to keep, keep it inside. Magnets do tend to wander sometimes.

Have you signed up for the FE exchange for your cruise? We received lots of free souvenirs that way.

 

[melissamm2]

I went to the website you gave us the link to and they had something called " fish extenders". Do you know what they are and what they are used for?

 

[dbarker]

I went to the website you gave us the link to and they had something called " fish extenders". Do you know what they are and what they are used for?

Outside each stateroom, is a "fish" type clip for the crew to pass info to you. People (DISers) have been making pocket type things to hang from the "fish", thus the term "fish extender". The people get together online and form a group and have a fish extender (FE for short) exchange....kind of like a Secret Santa.

If you go to the Cruise Meets part of this board, and find your particular cruise, there should be something about the FE exchange that group is participating in. You sign up there if you want to participate, and you give small gifts to everyone in the FE group, and they give you small gifts. Nothing major, but a lot of fun.

There is more info in the *sticky* FAQs at the top of the first page of this board.

 

[wendyoconnor]

Our favorite souvenirs are the photos we take on our cruise. We do alot of photos with characters but rarely buy the photos from Shutters, the onboard photographers. The photo prices for Shutters are expensive so we make sure to have our camera for the CM with the character to use. Our house is filled with photos I have printed when we get home, including a DCL themed powder room. We will look at the photos in Shutters and compare them to what is on our cameras and most of the time the photos on our camera are just as good.

Take a camera to capture those magical moments.

 

[JimGA]

Thank you for the suggestions. I was actually looking to get the cruise line items, which are not sold in the stores. Other cruisers are selling on Ebay, but they are higher then anything I could afford. Was just curious about asking....never hurts to ask right!

I got some plush Minnie, Mickey, Goofey and Donald dolls all with their sailor outfits on, I think the plush dolls are about 7-8 inches tall off of eBay for 25$, they all came sewn into a ship, but I tossed the ship. Check eBay, beware, i spent the better half of the year removing the smell with baking soda from them, check the seller to see if it a non smoking house.

Also, I bought DCL t shirts from the online Disney store when they had a promotion of 25% off Parks merchandise, so look for those type of specials.

 

[loran424]

The Disney store is having a great sale right now. In store as well as online. T-shirts, plush items& vinylmation sets are some of the good deals I saw this morning.

 

[stsomewhere]

I would not buy stuff before hand. Your kids are going to want to get something on the ship. Buy them something on board.

ETA; My kids are past the buying on the ship. We buy a christmas ornament and take lots of pictures.