Favorite Gifts received as FE

[txaggie94gigem]

my favs are a cruise music cd and we got m&ms (lime green ones of course) with the date and cruise name printed on them...

glow things are nice too!!!

 

[jamielynn]

My boys don't want any decorations on their door. They're such party poopers.[/QUOTE]

I would still do it though

 

[drparoo]

I would still do it though

I probably will, too. "No, boys, I don't have any idea how those got there. Must be the concierge staff......"

 

[cats mom]

I will be going on my first cruise this year and I have 3 young kids so this sounds really fun! How does one sign up to be part of this fe program?

Link to the Cruise Meets Board:

http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=85


Join the thread for your ship and sail date and ask if they're planning on doing a FE exchange. Most probably have a group already started, but if not suggest it.

 

[Ashansen]

I'm not sure what we'll do this year....it will be our first cruise knowing anything about the FE exchange.

My daughter will be having her 13th birthday on the boat. She'd love it.

My two sons will be 19 and 17. They think it sounds dumb. But they certainly like things you can eat.

My boys don't want any decorations on their door. They're such party poopers.

To modify something I could hear my mother say "unless you (teenage boys) paid for your cruise, we're doing door decorations"...You so should do something with them and princesses !! Ha!

As far as gifts for boys..yes, this is TOUGH....Candy for the movies...gum.....or I've heard several people say they got lip balm and the boys used that....

Adult gifts are hard....I altered some notebooks last time...and put in PIRATE things like Tattoos and eyepatches...although normally adults might not use those...since there's Pirate Night, they get used!

Leaving in March for another one..have all new ideas for the FE gifts...so I'll post those after the cruise! This time I have different gifts for 2 year olds, 4 yr-12yr girls, 4 yr-10 yr boys, 13 yr-18 yr girls, 19 yr+ women and 19 yr+ men...got lucky...we didn't have any teen age boys to buy for, so I am not in as much of a dilema!

Ashley

 

[maggie blossom]

These are all so awesome. Thanks so much.

It is also helpful hearing what is less desired: plastic do-dads that end up being tossed.

Can you gift gift certificates for arcade on ship or for popcorn for the movies on ship? that would be fun.

 

[emma'smom]

We liked:

highlighters
custom CD's
magnets we could put right on our cabin door
hand gel
small packets of baby wipes
bottle lanyards
glow sticks
stuff for pirate party

Food-- we really didn't eat. We had enough food on the cruise!

Also, we liked stuff we could use right away---not stuff to pack up and schlep home best.

 

[Vegaslover]

We had a couple from Japan in our exchange last time. They gave us all kinds of neat things from Japan.

 

[mellers]

(I hope I'm not spoiling anything for the August 16th alaska cruise--if you're on the Fish Extender group, don't read this...nothing to see... )










For adults and teens, I'm planning to give some inexpensive, Disney-themed lanyards I bought from Party City, and top it off with this xipper pocket for their KTTW, ID, and credit card for shore excursions:

http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/s...tk=all&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&N=0&x=17&y=14

I thought I might put a mickey and the cruise date on the pouches as well.

 

[debc1212]

Generally, how many people, or families, participate in the FE on a cruise? And how far in advance should the group start to plan?

I have signed up for our cruise meet link. So far there are only a few families signed up and there has been no mention of a FE.

 

[Luckymomoftwo]

These are all so awesome. Thanks so much.

It is also helpful hearing what is less desired: plastic do-dads that end up being tossed.

Can you gift gift certificates for arcade on ship or for popcorn for the movies on ship? that would be fun.

I think the arcade works off your KTTW Card. But you CAN go to guest services and apply money/put a credit on someone's account at guest services. We did that on our last cruise on a last minute participant to the FE! Then we put a note in their FE letting them know that the $$ credit on their account was our FE gift to them. You would need their stateroom number and names (which you would already have if they are participating in the FE).

 

[DizDragonfly]

I think the arcade idea is great for teen boys (and even some girls for that matter). Also, anything edible would be a hit. The sweeter the better. Maybe a little pocket sized card and small pen for them to jot down their new friends wave phone numbers and facebook pages?

 

[ppony]

Generally, how many people, or families, participate in the FE on a cruise? And how far in advance should the group start to plan?

I have signed up for our cruise meet link. So far there are only a few families signed up and there has been no mention of a FE.

I've read of some cruises w/ only a few and some with dozens and dozens. I think we had 9 cabins. Not too many and it was manageable.

 

[Hendy Clan]

IAlso I think there should be a rule to exclude all teenage boys, from all FE programmes because;
1. there is nothing under $50 that you could possibly buy them, that they would actually like !
2. they are not the least bit bothered about, or grateful for, any FE gifts !

..well, that is my experience anyway !

I have to respectfully disagree with excluding teenage boys. Give my boys (teenagers) gum or candy and they are happy as clams and not at all expensive

 

[stitchlovestink]

my favs are a cruise music cd and we got m&ms (lime green ones of course) with the date and cruise name printed on them...

glow things are nice too!!!

OH very cool! Lime green m&ms... that is an awesome idea!!

 

[RatherBeWithMickey]

I have to respectfully disagree with excluding teenage boys. Give my boys (teenagers) gum or candy and they are happy as clams and not at all expensive

My 21 YO DS was included in our recent FE exchange and he LOVED everything he got, from the food/candy to the Canadian hockey things (pucks, head/ear bands, etc). Our group came up with some great ideas, and I really appreciate that they went out of their way to include him, as we were on the Christmas cruise and he was a child away from home for Christmas, too. We all enjoyed checking our FE for goodies every day!

 

[Snowwhyt]

Generally, how many people, or families, participate in the FE on a cruise? And how far in advance should the group start to plan?
I have signed up for our cruise meet link. So far there are only a few families signed up and there has been no mention of a FE.

I've been on one cruise, but spent a great deal of time reading the boards and quite a few days getting my FE's ready. I packed 1 large suitcase for the cruise filled with only FE's. Most of my items were larger childrens toys from the dollar store and Michaels(all in Disney theme.)
Children 3 and under:
I gave foam Disney puzzles and Disney flash cards with either colors, numbers, shapes or alphabet, Princess wands and glow sticks.
Children 4-8
Disney Card games, Disney 36 & 50 piece puzzles, Disney Water toys, glow sticks, Pirate themed candy, pirate spy glass.
Children 9-18
Pirate themed candy, wood puzzles(not Disney), 4x6 Magnetic photo holder that I placed Disney stickers upon, and a mouse pad in a beach theme (intended to hold a vacation photo) that I also placed a few Disney stickers upon.
All adults received
a welcome magnet with Buzz Lightyear wearing a Green Bay Packer Jersey, 4x6 Magnetic photo holder that I placed Disney stickers upon, a mouse pad in a beach theme (intended to hold a vacation photo) decorated with Disney stickers and on Thanksgiving a Turkey, made with real feathers(found at Michaels) and I hand made a Mickey mouse hat for each Turkey. (I gave 2 to the ladies that shared a room with no children)
We had about 37 rooms and 78 people. I made everyone a name plate using Disney font for their doors. 1 for each person with Disney character stickers I applied.

What did I enjoy most
Magnets I can remember my trip each time I see one in different places in the house.
4x6 Homemade Calendar with different views of the ship that I will place in my scrapbook.

What I would do different...
I would also put a label taking credit for the gifts I left
I would not deliver every day
I regret over doing the FE's. I had too many. I always felt I was missing sleep or moments with my family. On my next cruise(unlikely but a girl can dream). I would give 1 great gift to older children and adults and 2 toys to children on different days.

 

[Ashansen]

Wow! That's a lot of work! This time I am breaking mine into age groups too..but I put mine into small bags and let my daughters deliver away! I only deliver one time, so it made itva little easier on the last cruise!

Ashley

 

[can'twaittocruise]

Why in the world would you exchange gifts with strangers on a cruise? I have enough stuff to pack and don't really need additional items in my suitcase on the way down and I want to buy stuff I want at the ports to bring back!

 

[Disney On A Dime!]

Participating in the FE exchange is a bunch of fun (Some of us have been on a DISmeets thread for over a year...they are no longer strangers) ...My family has done it twice now and we are preparing for our third time. I have boys...no need to spend a lot of money. As PP have said...movie candy...beach ball...nerf type ball...pirate stuff...magnets...bookmarks...highlighters for Navigators...lanyards... IMHO...the FE exchange is all about fun...it just adds another dimension to cruising.


Biggest piece of advice...plan your delivery route ahead of time...have your items ready to go once you board. I have even put names, cabin numbers, etc...on items. Very easy to deliver. I also put my user name on everything...just so folks know who it is from. I also like to have a "Thank You" note typed up ahead of time to deliver to all participating cabins.


Some of my most favorite items that we have receive have already been stated...so no need to re-write...


Crystal