People who have cruised Alaska - Merchandise Selling out?

[KayKayJS]

Hi! We are a week and a few days out from our Alaskan cruise and I have read a few trip reports about how certain items have sold out onboard (Minnie Mickey plushes in their Alaskan wear, shirts in popular sizes, etc)

Any experiences with how fast this happens? I know the stores open at 6PM that first night, but we will be in dinner. I would be willing to leave dinner to pick up some must have items, but if I can wait and go after dinner, that would be preferable. I know on our first night on the Dream this year they had sold out of small in the shirt I needed already.

Just wanted to see if anyone had some advice to give!! I love the cruise specific merchandise so I expect to pick up quite a bit.

 

[sambycat]

i think its hard to say if things will sell out totally, sometimes they do get replenished. i just think, IMHO, i would go the first night whenever it is convenient and if you see something you just need to get it. like you have experienced, sizes of shirts can go quickly, but sometimes they do have a size or two in the back. theoretically, they should have all the march to last through the season to a certain extent, so i don't think things will totally run out, but i would just get stuff when you see it. we did alaska about 3 years ago, first sailing of the season, and i think the main thing that did sell out totally was a coffee cup with the DCL alaska logo. in fact now i think maybe i bought it at the coffee shop? in any event, it wasn't one of those tervisy things i don't think. i've also been on cruises where i have seen march from other themed cruises we aren't on. on the whole, the dream is a nightmare gabfest, other ships aren't always as crazy? but like shirts and bags, if thats your thing, just get them earlier rather than later. enjoy! it was our fave cruise to date!!!

 

[disneyfaninaz]

All I can is, if there is really something that you want, GO when the store opens. Have somebody in your party order your drink or whatever at dinner. On our Norway cruise, which was the inaugural, I went to the store at 8 PM and they were already sold out of the inaugural short sleeve T's in every size but XS and XXL. But, I must say the CMs were very helpful in accommodating me after I got home. But there's no reason that they should sell out of shirts that fast.

 

[bcwife76]

You're on the first Alaskan sailing this year I think? I don't think you HAVE to be at the stores for 6pm, I'm sure you've got some time.

We, however, are on the second to last Alaskan sailing this year and I'm afraid anything I want WILL be sold out by the time it gets to our sail date

 

[anricat]

We, however, are on the second to last Alaskan sailing this year and I'm afraid anything I want WILL be sold out by the time it gets to our sail date

We were on the second to last sailing and literally the ONLY thing I wanted - a shirt I saw on the photos of 2016 Alaskan merch - was sold out in my size when I went to the shops the first night. I'm still bitter.

 

[bcwife76]

We were on the second to last sailing and literally the ONLY thing I wanted - a shirt I saw on the photos of 2016 Alaskan merch - was sold out in my size when I went to the shops the first night. I'm still bitter.

 

[Geomom]

We were on the second to last sailing and literally the ONLY thing I wanted - a shirt I saw on the photos of 2016 Alaskan merch - was sold out in my size when I went to the shops the first night. I'm still bitter.

We were on the same cruise as anricat, luckily the only thing we 'had' to get was a plush Alaskan Minnie for DD12--and they still had plenty of those in stock! I was shocked that they still had lots of DCL Alaska pins left--we ended up picking up 1 for each of us by the end of the cruise. If you want a specific size shirt, you'd want to get it early in your cruise--I don't think it needs to be during dinner--shops would only have been open for 1/2 hour by dinnertime the first night, but I wouldn't wait until the last day.

 

[sharksfinatic17]

I was on DCL in Alaska in June 2015, and on our cruise, the delivery of all the merchandise was delayed and didn't make it before we left the dock. It was a bummer!

 

[LAX]

Are these itinerary/DCL specific merchandise, meaning not available anywhere else? If so, I can see they they would get sold out quickly.

LAX

 

[joycsk]

We sailed AK in first season, I think it was 2009. Sailed first week of August. There were NO AK pins, no totems, little clothing. I'm sure DCL has learned since then, but yes, items do sell out. I've learned the hard way in 5 cruises, if you see Anything you want, buy it; don't wait. Any similar fan of the DCL purses/bags will tell you the same.

 

[jetskigrl]

We sailed the second week of August in 2014 and the main things I wanted were the Mickey and Minnie plush, Alaska Tervis and the blanket that they advertised on the blog right before the Alaska season. None of those items were available by the time we sailed The plush Mickey and Minnie were gone (the couple that they did have sold out right when the store opened) but I did get Pluto. The Tervis had sold out a couple cruises prior and the CM said they hadn't seen the blanket after the first cruise. I couldn't understand why they would advertise the merchandise but not stock it.

We are sailing again the first week of August this year and I'm not holding my breath on any particular item. If they are there, I will just be pleasantly surprised.

 

[Chirple]

We sailed AK in first season, I think it was 2009. Sailed first week of August. There were NO AK pins, no totems, little clothing. I'm sure DCL has learned since then, but yes, items do sell out. I've learned the hard way in 5 cruises, if you see Anything you want, buy it; don't wait. Any similar fan of the DCL purses/bags will tell you the same.

First season was 2011. We sailed on the last cruise that summer. We were able to get a number of items (t-shirts, magnets, totem), and they were 50% off.