Vacation Gift Ideas Everyone Will Love
Nothing says "I appreciate you" like a gift card.
By Cynthia J. Drake | Published on April 29, 2024
As we enter another gift-giving season, the perpetual hunt to pick out the perfect gift for loved ones returns. Where can you find just the right gift that fits your budget, won't create additional clutter for the recipient and is something they'll treasure for life? Vacation gift ideas are just the beginning — cruise gift cards are presents that will have your cruise-loving friend or family member excited at the prospect of an adventure on the horizon.
Royal Caribbean's new gift cards can be purchased year-round, and you don't need to know someone's exact schedule to give them the gift of a vacation. Unlike fad gifts and stocking stuffers that might be appreciated for a limited time, the gift of travel has the potential to impact your recipients' lives for years to come. These fantastic vacation gift ideas are presents of a lifetime, enabling your family and friends to travel to new destinations and be richly rewarded with new memories in bucket-list ports. These are some of the best gifts money can buy.
The Benefits Of Cruise Gift Cards
It's easier than ever for people to purchase an online gift card to celebrate birthdays, holidays and anniversaries — or just because you want to say thank you or show that you care. Purchasing one takes just a few clicks. You can customize your card with a special design and information about your recipient, along with a custom message, and send it off.
Cruise ship gift cards are a great idea because they can be used on your recipient's schedule. They never expire, and they don't lose their value over time. Your loved one can use these cruise gift cards toward the cost of a future cruise vacation or even toward their onboard expense account. These funds can even be seamlessly added to a SeaPass® card for ease of use. Simply have your recipient take the gift card information to guest services once onboard, and Royal Caribbean crew members can assist them with loading the funds onto their account.
Your gift recipient will be able to use this gift card toward a variety of travel experiences, according to their preferences, allowing them to relax and unwind and giving them something exciting to look forward to. Your gift just might inspire your loved one to travel someplace new or try a new experience they otherwise might not have tried.
For example, a Royal Caribbean gift card might help your friend or family member splurge on something they might not get for themselves — like an indulgent spa treatment, a specialty dining experience or a favorite designer perfume from the onboard gift shop.
Royal Caribbean gift cards are excellent vacation gift ideas for fans of cruising in your circle. Unlike many generic gift cards, there are no fees involved in purchasing these gift cards and no penalties for not using them within a certain time period.
How To Buy A Royal Caribbean Gift Card
Royal Caribbean gift cards can be purchased online in amounts between $50 and $2,000. There is no limit on the number of gift cards you can purchase at one time, but there is a $2,000 limit per transaction.
Select who you're sending your gift card to — it can be yourself or a friend — and be sure to include your name as the sender. Then choose your design: Pick from scenic cruise landscape photos and images from favorite port destinations to designs commemorating birthdays, holidays, anniversaries and more.
Next, select the amount of your gift: $50, $100, $250, $500, $1,000 or $2,000, and add a personalized message. Add your recipient's email and choose the delivery date. Hint: Sending a cruise line gift card is a great way to take care of gift-giving now for a future birthday or holiday — it's one less thing for you to worry about.
Your recipient will receive an email with the gift card information on the date you have designated. You, the sender, will then receive three separate emails: one email confirming your purchase, another email when the gift card has been sent to your recipient and, finally, an email when your gift card has been opened, so you don't have to guess about whether it was received.
Currently, Royal Caribbean gift cards are available via email only; in the future, physical gift cards will be available for purchase as well.
Celebrate Special Occasions With A Cruise Gift Card
Royal Caribbean gift cards are wonderful vacation gift ideas for holiday gifts, especially when the stress of holiday shopping makes it hard to find something just right for so many different recipients. If your loved one enjoys travel and cruising, look no further.
Looking for a great wedding gift? Cruise ship gift cards are a thoughtful way to express your best wishes for a newlywed couple by sending them off on a new adventure as they start their marriage.
A cruise gift card also works for birthdays, graduations, retirement celebrations, anniversaries and more. Your loved ones are sure to appreciate your thoughtfulness. The gift of a vacation means relaxation, memories and priceless experiences for the recipients.
And don't overlook using gift cards for an upcoming family vacation or reunion trip. Allocating funds via gift cards is an easy way to keep track of discretionary spending for all the members of your traveling party — with the bonus of paying for it up front so that you don't have to worry about funds when you set foot on the cruise ship.
What Cruise Line Gift Cards Can Buy
A Royal Caribbean gift card can be used toward the cost of an upcoming cruise. Your recipient might use the funds toward a stateroom deposit for an upcoming sailing or toward a cruise they might have already booked. With a gift card, they might even be able to upgrade from the cruise stateroom they previously booked, making their sailing extra special.
If your loved one prefers to use the gift card funds while on their cruise, that's also an option. If you have a cruise already planned with your spouse or significant other and you'd like to tuck in a little bonus gift for your sweetheart to use on a fun splurge, a gift card for them to use onboard might take their trip up a notch.
Cruise gift cards can be used on spa treatments, including specialty facials, pedicures, massages, specialty body wraps or day passes for the spa (for example, some ships offer seven-night passes to a thermal suite). Maybe your fitness-loving friend would enjoy taking a specialty fitness class onboard, such as yoga, boot camp, Pilates, or spinning classes. Another fun treat is scheduling an updo or a men's haircut timed for a formal night or special-occasion dinner onboard. With a gift card, all of these options are at your fingertips.
These funds can be used to splurge on a cabana or casita rental, either onboard some of the ships or for an entire luxurious day at one of Royal Caribbean's private destinations. Your loved one is sure to think of you fondly while enjoying a day in an overwater cabana at Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Gourmet food and drink lovers can put their gift card money toward specialty dining — either during one night or toward a package they can use throughout their cruise. They can also purchase drinks onboard, or purchase a drink package to enjoy during the length of the cruise. Your loved ones also might enjoy a special tequila or wine tasting class, or a Chef's Table experience, offering an exclusive behind-the-scenes peek at Royal Caribbean's elegant dining.
A cruise gift card can also be used toward excursions. Maybe your gift recipient has always wanted to try snorkeling, scuba diving or exploring a glacier by helicopter in Alaska. What an incredible gift you can give to enable these experiences to happen.
Even expenses such as onboard gratuities can be paid for with gift card funds. Your thoughtful present will enable your friends or family members to stress about fewer things while on vacation, knowing that you've helped to make their travels a bit more enjoyable.
With very few exceptions (the one notable exception is for casino spending), Royal Caribbean gift cards can be used for pretty much anything related to a cruise. If your recipient prefers to have something tangible to remember your thoughtfulness, they can purchase any number of things from the onboard cruise shops, including specialty souvenirs, logo merchandise, perfumes, liquors, jewelry and more. Or perhaps they would enjoy buying an onboard photo to remember the cruise (and sending a copy to you so that you can share in their excitement).
