Fish Extenders-Be Honest

[TAK]

That is what is known as "pixie dusting" and definitely welcomed.

Neat. I may do something like that, then. Just for fun. We don't need stuff -- we're always getting rid of stuff -- but it would be fun to bring a few goodies and put them in random FEs. Thanks!

 

[Donna3271]

I am retired from doing fish extenders. It is a lot of work. I am bringing mine and hanging it on our next cruise, and putting little gifts and treats in for my kids to find every day. It is so much easier than running around the ship... I know, I am a killjoy, but for me it was extra stress!!....

also, to a PP... When we did Alaska, there was so much to pack. I did not do FE on that cruise.

To each his own...

 

[modegard]

We always enjoy the FE, even if we don't enjoy every gift. They are all appreciated and we have left the candy for our stateroom host if the kids did not eat it all. It is just fun to find little things in our FE and to give little things in exchange. We have received some amazing gifts.

I do stress over giving the perfect gift for each cabin though. But I have to say, on our Alaska cruise my very favorite FE gift received was store bought (not home made) and I use it all the time. In the first port, in the little shops there you can buy reusable grocery bags that have moose on them and they say Alaska. I love mine! I keep it in my purse and use it all the time. The cabin who gave them out had no FE gifts to pack, but instead picked them up for $2.99 at the first port. You could do something like this if you did not want to pack your FE gifts. There are lots of cool inexpensive things you can purchase for FE gifts once you get to Alaska.

 

[Keri jo]

So it seems as though a lot of people on here have done fish extenders so I thought maybe I could get help with my question here! We are doing it for our first time (and may be last after some of your posts) but how did you bring these gifts on board? I have been reading the rules of the ship and not sure what to do if the fish extender gift is for example food or drinks. Do they allow this? Do we have to unpackage our sweet packages to put those items on our carry on? Thanks, if anyone happens to know

 

[MelSpees]

My husband and I are both seniors. We did FE and I really enjoyed it. Delivering gifts had me walking around parts of the ship I may not have seen otherwise. We're doing it again on our cruise in the fall.

 

[rawdata]

So it seems as though a lot of people on here have done fish extenders so I thought maybe I could get help with my question here! We are doing it for our first time (and may be last after some of your posts) but how did you bring these gifts on board? I have been reading the rules of the ship and not sure what to do if the fish extender gift is for example food or drinks. Do they allow this? Do we have to unpackage our sweet packages to put those items on our carry on? Thanks, if anyone happens to know

Just need to put them in your suitcase. Drinks have to be in a carryon. You can also apparently ship items to the port to be put in your cabin. Do a search on this site for the details on how to do that.

 

[Quellman]

First time cruisers should consider NOT being a part of it so they can enjoy the cruise itself and then determine if they want to be a part of it next time. But they should still be part of cruise meets and threads to get to know other passengers!

 

[sweetpee_1993]

So it seems as though a lot of people on here have done fish extenders so I thought maybe I could get help with my question here! We are doing it for our first time (and may be last after some of your posts) but how did you bring these gifts on board? I have been reading the rules of the ship and not sure what to do if the fish extender gift is for example food or drinks. Do they allow this? Do we have to unpackage our sweet packages to put those items on our carry on? Thanks, if anyone happens to know

Food & drinks must be pre-packaged. You can't bring on, for instance, homemade crispy treats or anything like that. It must be factory made & sealed. You can put the pre-packaged food/edibles in your checked luggage. Just be aware that your bags may be sitting out in the elements a while on their way onboard. The drinks/liquids must be carried onboard with you.

I try to ship a box to myself with as much cruise stuff in it as possible. The idea is the more I can ship the less I have to carry. They don't want you shipping like your luggage or anything like that. I mean fish extender gifts, the fish extender, our Tervis tumblers, laundry detergent, big clips to hold towels to chairs, etc. The catch is you can't ship any food items or liquids. ((I have shipped sunblock before but not entirely sure if that's a no-no item. I received the box intact so I guess it was okay.)) The instructions for shipping a box to the ship are very specific so follow them carefully. Once for a FE gift for a private group of ladies/friends I made upcycled, hand-bound notebooks/journals out of used Disney Little Golden Books. I had like 30 of these. Can you imagine the checked bag fees at the airport or even having to lift a suitcase with 30 100-page books in it? Yeah, me either. So I put them into a USPS Priority flat rate box and shipped them. Along with my fish extender.

 

[Crystal O_o]

I have done it twice. The first time the boys loved delivering the gifts. The second time, the boys were more interested in going to the pool. I am signed up for the next cruise, and honestly, I rather just go myself and deliver the gifts then dragging a 4 and 5 year around the ship. It stressed me out and kinda ruined the feeling of giving. So this time I am going peacefully by myself.

I am also doing smaller gifts. lol, I had a whole suitcase for my gifts.

Even though some gifts weren't age appropriate and or something I could use, the boys really love the FE. Ultimately, it's for them. I will continue to sign up, for them. It really isn't a lot of work.

some of my favorites:
movie theatre candy boxes
personalized cups
mickey mouse cup, with a mickey head top
a beautiful jewelry dish with an anchor and my last name

I gave out t-shirts for the men/teen with "eat sleep disney cruise"
floating necklaces for the women/teen with charms
chunky necklaces for the toddler girls
Light up candy jake swords for the boys

 

[shmoogrrrl]

We've done it twice, and enjoyed it both times. We will definitely do it on our next cruise. Sure, we got a few things that we really had no use for, but the kids loved coming back to the room and seeing what was there waiting for them. My 12 year old daughter even loved walking around with me delivering our gifts. She would peek around corners and make sure that no one was at the door so that we wouldn't get caught. It also made my Fitbit very happy as well, which was an extra bonus.

Admittedly, I didn't stress over our gifts. We did one for each stateroom and I chose to make a cross stitch bookmark as well as some Rock Candy with facts about Colorado (hopefully my FE members got the corrolation between rock candy and the Rockies. ). I love to cross stitch, and I started almost as soon as we signed up for the FE, so I didn't stress myself out. Win win for me. I got to do something that I loved, and my family didn't have to worry about yet another cross stitch item to hang up somewhere in our house. Haha!

The other thing that we did, was to bring a bunch of extra magnets. My kids loved grabbing a few and leaving them on random doors that didn't have anything on them. We were walking down a hall when one family came back, and they had a little girl who was super excited to see a Frozen magnet on their door. We just smiled and kept walking. That was fun!

 

[atheneze]

Ive enjoyed being part of an FE. I think the key is not to go overboard. I usually give out either something that's local to me that i think they would enjoy or something that i think they might need during the cruise.

I look forward to coming back to my room and Im not a kid. LOL!

 

[tgropp]

I have never participated the FE but we just did a Fantasy cruise and joined a Candy exchange. Out of seven participants, three candy gifts were well thought out, three were a waste of time and one did not give anything. Having said that you will find that in any aspect of life. I would do it once though

 

[bobbiwoz]

I have never participated the FE but we just did a Fantasy cruise and joined a Candy exchange. Out of seven participants, three candy gifts were well thought out, three were a waste of time and one did not give anything. Having said that you will find that in any aspect of life. I would do it once though

I am sorry to read this...maybe somethings were lost. We got:
Candy from Canada
Candy from Japan and some Mickey Cookies, in this bag were also Green Tea Kit Kats! I think it was a nice assortment.
Chocolate Covered Michigan Cheeries
Flavored Popcorn, including an Orange Flavored Popcorn and cheese flavored. These were from Florida.
Also from Florida the coconut patties dipped in Chocolate
Taffy from Cincinnati

Then, yes, I think someone forgot to bring something. There was a bag of popcorn that may have been purchased on the ship. I think it was even opened.....either that or someone passing by tampered with it.

I know we also included Olaf Noses ( Orange Tic Tacks) for children in the cabins!

 

[bafleyanne]

Please explain being on the pixie dust list and what it entails?

Typically a list for late comers to the FE. The people on the pixie dust list don't have an official FE group to buy for but put their info down and might get gifts from people in the other groups if they have extra. We are planning to do some small gifts (mostly for kids, there are a lot in our cruise group) for people in the other groups but not any big cabin gifts, etc.

 

[Alisa0934]

We did it on our last cruise and enjoyed it. We are in the cruise group for our next cruise, but have chosen not to do the full FE and just be on the Pixie Dust list.

What is the pixie dust list? Sorry I just read the post above. Thank you for the explanation

 

[tinkmom2]

I make my gifts. Honestly I know some people aren't crafty but I also think you could at least put some thought into the gifts. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate any gift but when I am spending $40 on gifts and I get two dum dums, I kinda get mad lol. Target has a dollar section with Disney gifts.... Just my opinion.
The Pixie dust list is after the FE is closed and others choose to add you to their list right?
I have mailed my FE gifts to the ship in advance and haven't had a problem. It was only my box I shipped to the resort that didn't get there until the day after we left.

 

[Mary Brown]

We are going on our first Disney cruise in April and are planning on trying out the fish extender program. Hope it'll be worth it!

 

[HookedOnDCL1]

I'm participating in my first FE for my upcoming cruise. I think it is what you make it.

It's supposed to be fun, not stressful. I had a lot of fun designing and making our family FE even though I am not crafty and can barely sew. For me it added to the excitement and anticipation of the cruise.

I enjoyed thinking of gifts to give and enjoy giving in general. I am not too worried about what we might get, have no expectations, and not concerned that I spent more time or more money than someone else. I spent the time and money that was appropriate for me and that I was comfortable with so it was not stressful or a financial strain. If you want to spend hours and weeks hand crafting items or spend a lot of money or fill a whole suitcase with gifts - do so because it is right for you, not because you feel it is expected or required.

The gifts need not be elaborate, large, or expensive and we will appreciate anything we receive - home made, store bought, printed at home or a bag of candy! (And for those that don't - so sorry for you.) Go with the flow, do what's right for you and have fun!!

 

[Crystal O_o]

I'm participating in my first FE for my upcoming cruise. I think it is what you make it.

It's supposed to be fun, not stressful. I had a lot of fun designing and making our family FE even though I am not crafty and can barely sew. For me it added to the excitement and anticipation of the cruise.

I enjoyed thinking of gifts to give and enjoy giving in general. I am not too worried about what we might get, have no expectations, and not concerned that I spent more time or more money than someone else. I spent the time and money that was appropriate for me and that I was comfortable with so it was not stressful or a financial strain. If you want to spend hours and weeks hand crafting items or spend a lot of money or fill a whole suitcase with gifts - do so because it is right for you, not because you feel it is expected or required.

The gifts need not be elaborate, large, or expensive and we will appreciate anything we receive - home made, store bought, printed at home or a bag of candy! (And for those that don't - so sorry for you.) Go with the flow, do what's right for you and have fun!!

My sentiments exactly! As long as my boys have a blast with it, it really doesn't matter what I get.

 

[Ariel484]

I'd say if it feels like there would be a ton of pressure and you wouldn't enjoy actually making/putting together the gifts, then it's not worth it. Other people like myself like to look for any excuse to do a craft project! Haha! I do it not because I look forward to the actual exchange and receiving of gifts, but because I love trying to come up with creative ideas and executing them.

I think you hit the nail on the head - to me it seems that it really varies from person to person.

I have not and do not plan to participate in FEs because I know I am the type of person that would stress myself out over it - I know I shouldn't and I know it's supposed to be fun, but that's just how I am. I had to do something similar for swim team in college and it was incredibly stressful for me. If I was a super-creative type then I could definitely see enjoying the process.

Having said that...I LOVE seem pictures of what people receive and what they come up with to give! Makes me wish I was that crafty and creative!

If you are at all on the fence, I would say do not do it. It's a ton of work, and while you may have that extra excitement in the weeks before a cruise and you want to channel that energy, as the actual sail date nears, you may well be asking yourself, why did I agree to this? And you will definitely ask yourself "why did I do this?" as you have to pack up all the tchotchke at the end of the vacation, or throw it away guiltily. It's what some people call "make-work." This is just my honest opinion, which was solicited, I'm not disparaging anyone's efforts or amusement.

I agree with you.

This. I remember the last thing my mother said to me when I was leaving for my very first self-paid vacation. "Don't run around buying gifts for other people. It's your vacation, not ours. Just enjoy it." Reading this thread reminds me that I don't have the time--either now or during the cruise--to do something like this. DH and I both work full time. Any extra time and money that week is devoted to our kids and each other.

This, exactly...minus the kids part.