“It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” -Mother Theresa
Giving just the right gift, no matter the special occasion can sometimes be a challenge. When I shop for someone, I think about two things: 1. What do they need or want that they wouldn’t purchase for themselves? Or, 2. What gift would I love to receive? No matter what your shopping strategy is, if you are shopping for a cruising traveler, I can recommend some thoughtful gifts that your cruiser will love!
Gift cards
Everyone loves a gift card! For your traveler, gift cards might be helpful to buy that nice suitcase or expensive camera equipment they’ve been eyeing. Some gift cards to consider would include Amazon, gas cards, gift cards for restaurants for that meal on the road, and Uber gift cards.
Personalized luggage tags
Marking your suitcase as yours is important and could play a vital role in returning your suitcase to you when you are separated from it. I love the personalized luggage tags I found on Etsy at bit.ly/3CO6ECF. I added my logo on one side as well as enough information on the other side to successfully reconnect with my luggage if necessary. These are personal and functional, and your traveler (or you) will love them! I have one for my carry-on, another for my suitcase, and extra ones for other bags I carry with me when we travel. If you need to know what to include on the tags when you order, check out my suggestions at bit.ly/3QT1vPP.
Ship Tag holders
Every cruiser needs to ensure that their luggage is tagged so that it will meet them at their cabin once on board. These ship tag holders are sure to protect the tag on their bags. I found these on Amazon at bit.ly/3X29bBn.
Beach Towel Chair Clips or Towel Bands
Whether your cruiser enjoys the pool on deck or a beach day in an exotic cruise port, these little gadgets are great to have tucked into a beach bag to secure a towel to a beach chair. Shop endless options on Amazon at bit.ly/3WaSxON.
Cruise Approved Travel Adapter
Outlets in a ship cabin are limited and most cruisers travel with multiple devices that need to be recharged. With fire at sea a real concern, cruise lines have restrictions on extension cords. A cruise-approved travel adapter would be appreciated by any cruiser. Search Amazon for cruise-approved travel adapters for a selection. This Amazon option indicates that this device is cruise approved: bit.ly/3XxDpw3.
RFID wallet or credit card sleeves
An essential item that I don’t leave home without is RFID protection for my credit cards. I limit how many credit cards I travel with but to protect those that come on a trip with me, I use RFID credit card sleeves. Amazon has great options for small wallets and credit card sleeves, making this an easy and useful gift for your friends and family, especially the traveler. Oh, and get some for yourself!
Reusable water bottle
No matter where or how we travel, staying hydrated is vital, and carrying a water bottle is a good idea. With late-night parties and warm days in the sun, every cruiser would benefit from a good water bottle. My favorite water bottle is Hydro Flask. These insulated water bottles keep the cold beverages cold and the hot beverages hot, for long periods. I always pack an empty bottle to get through TSA, ensure my bottle is full and ready to travel on our road trips, and always carry one when we cruise. This is a great gift that keeps on giving! Find their lineup at https://www.hydroflask.com.
Travel-size gift bag
As a traveler, the travel-size aisle is some of my favorite shopping, and stumbling on a really good travel-size aisle makes me happy. Whenever I come across a trial-size aisle, I slow down, browse, and grab extra supplies for future travels so I have a backup stash. A neat idea for the traveler on your list would be a gift bag filled with the tiny versions of their favorite toothpaste, tissues, makeup removal wipes, pain relievers, toothbrushes, Tide pens, and anything else you can find.
Other goodies for your gift bag could include TSA-approved luggage locks, ear plugs so your traveler can sleep on the plane (you can get these in any drug store), or shampoo/conditioner bars (great to travel with versus liquid versions that won’t go through TSA or could burst in your luggage).
Shopping Tips
I enjoy shopping through small businesses when I can so Etsy is a great source for personalized travel gear. Generally, Etsy businesses are small, and for that reason, be mindful that available stock could be limited or you may need to allow a reasonable lead time for delivery. I also look to see where the Etsy shops ship from. I try to focus on companies in the United States when the shipping time is tight. Many Etsy shops will note in the listing what their current ship time is so you can shop within your needed time frame.
I’ve also recommended items from Amazon. I know what you’re thinking. Amazon is not a small business. Well, yes and no. If you don’t know, there are small businesses that use Amazon to store, pack, ship, and handle returns. They are known as FBA or fulfilled by Amazon businesses. If you too are focusing on the support of smaller businesses as you shop but you love shopping on Amazon, look for the seller listed on each Amazon product listing. One of my favorite travel gear FBA businesses on Amazon is Tripped Travel Gear. Tripped Travel Gear is a husband and wife-owned business and on their product listings, you’ll see “ships from Amazon” and “sold by Tripped Travel Gear.” There are small businesses using Amazon to sell their goods so don’t rule out Amazon as you shop.
Other gift ideas that you might consider for travelers on your list would include a travel adapter for a traveler heading overseas, a portable charger for cell phones, a luggage scale, or noise-canceling headphones.
Happy shopping and joyous giving!
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