Cruise Gifts: Why a Cruise Is the Perfect Present

Depending on who you ask, the ideal vacation may be relaxing by the water with a refreshing drink or soaring down a thrilling waterslide. It could be taking in historical landmarks or exploring nature and spotting the wildlife that calls it home. Whatever a great vacation looks like to you and your loved ones, with something for everyone, a cruise will fit the bill.

That’s why a cruise makes the perfect gift any time of year — milestone achievements, special occasions, holidays or otherwise. A Royal Caribbean cruise has a range of experiences that you, your family and friends can enjoy while sailing to the Caribbean, Europe, Asia-Pacific and beyond (over 240 destinations, in fact!).

In this guide, I’ve highlighted the top destinations that would make amazing cruise gifts for all types of travelers.

Key Takeaways: How To Gift a Cruise

If you’re gifting a cruise to kids, keep the trip a secret until a few weeks prior so they can learn about the destinations and get excited. For adults, there’s also the option of offering a cruise gift certificate or treating them to onboard extras like specialty dining and spa  treatments.

Top Destinations by Travel Style

● Families (Perfect Day at CocoCay): Enjoy thrilling waterslides, the largest freshwater pool in the Caribbean and chill out on white-sand beaches.

● Food lovers (Mexico): Taste famous Ensenada fish tacos or slow-roasted pulled pork on the Yucatan Peninsula.

● Nature enthusiasts (Alaska): Witness remote glaciers and spot incredible wildlife like humpback whales and black bears.

● Thrill seekers (Australia and New Zealand): Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef in Australia or dial up the thrills on towering zip lines in New Zealand.

● History fans (the Mediterranean): Travel back in time to discover ancient Roman ruins and locations, like the Acropolis, Mount Vesuvius and medieval castles.

● Explore cruises and gift the adventure of a lifetime. 

How To Surprise Someone With a Cruise

If you’re wondering how to surprise kids with a cruise, or you’re gifting for an experienced traveler, you have some options. For parents, it’s easy to organize the vacation under wraps and let the kiddos in on the secret a few weeks in advance. Cruises can be exceptionally educational for tiny travelers, so telling them a little while beforehand gives them time to learn new things about the destination — and get excited about the idea. 

For adult travelers or those who are selective with their vacations, you can offer a cruise gift certificate to contribute toward the fare and onboard activities and excursions. Remember, if you’ve already organized a cruise for a loved one to celebrate a special occasion, there are plenty of onboard gifting options, such as beverage packages, specialty dining experiences, therapeutic spa treatments and more.

1. Great for Families: Perfect Day at Cococay

Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas is a Royal Caribbean private island destination. It’s also the ultimate vacation spot for families, with everything you could ever want or need to create your perfect vacation day — especially when you’re looking for thrills, ways to chill or a combination of both. If it’s all about adrenaline for you, there’s Thrill Waterpark®, which boasts 13 waterslides, including the tallest one in the Caribbean. There’s also Up, Up & Away, a helium balloon adventure that can go as high as 450 feet and the 1,600-foot-long Zip Line.

If you’d rather recharge, head to Chill Island® for white-sand beaches and Oasis Lagoon®, the largest freshwater pool in the Caribbean. Thanks to complimentary beach loungers and umbrellas throughout the island, you can kick back just about anywhere. There’s also the exclusive Coco Beach Club®, home to the very first overwater cabanas in The Bahamas. Plus, depending on your cruise to The Bahamas and the Caribbean, you might also pass by destinations like Nassau, The Bahamas, or King’s Wharf, Bermuda.

2. Great for Food Lovers: Mexico

From meaty tacos to fresh seafood, Mexican cuisine is famous for its rich flavors and use of fresh fruits and vegetables like corn, avocado, beans and chilies. If you or someone you know loves good food, head south of the border to the Mexican Riviera or the Yucatan region.

You’ll cruise to places like Ensenada, Mexico, which is the country’s seafood capital as well as the gateway to Baja California’s wine country. Ensenada is the birthplace of fish tacos and is even home to “taco crawls,” on which you can sample a variety of fried fish tacos served with mayo-based sauces and slaw. 

Over on the Yucatan Peninsula, you’ll find a unique blend of Mayan, Spanish and French flavors. A signature dish in Cozumel is cochinita pibil: Pulled pork marinated in orange juice, wrapped in banana leaves, then slow-roasted and served on tacos and tortas. Other spots you could visit on a Mexican cruise include destinations like Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

3. Great for Nature Enthusiasts: Alaska

The 49th U.S. state is one of the wildest places on the planet, and a cruise is a memorable and convenient way to explore it. The sweeping state, known as the Last Frontier, has once-in-a-lifetime natural sights to behold. Some exceptional Alaskan glaciers, like Endicott Arm, Dawes Glacier and Hubbard Glacier, can only be accessed by sea, while others are best reached on foot, like Mendenhall Glacier. 

As for Alaskan wildlife, you’re in for a treat: From humpback whales to black bears, eagles and more, Alaska’s rugged wilderness calls an incredible amount of animals home. A guided adventure in Denali National Park is a great way to see many of them.

It doesn’t matter if your loved ones want to go whale watching, dog sledding or walking on glaciers near the Arctic Circle; there are myriad ways to enjoy nature when you gift a cruise to Alaska.

4. Great for Thrill Seekers: Australia and New Zealand

Australia and New Zealand are packed with all kinds of adventures and natural beauty. Right away, you’ll see that both destinations have thriving flora and fauna, like Australia’s kangaroos and koala bears, as well as the rare kiwi bird and the glow worms found in New Zealand’s Waitomo Caves. With cruises that visit Melbourne, Australia; Port Arthur, Tasmania; Dunedin and Picton, New Zealand; and more, you’ll be transported to sunny beaches and mountainsides alike.

In fact, the “Lord of the Rings” movies filmed in more than 150 locations in New Zealand, notably Tauranga, where the preserved set of The Shire has become a top destination for fans of the films. For an adrenaline-pumping experience, there’s New Zealand’s Adventure Park, which touts the highest zip line in the country at 500 feet above sea level.

In Australia, visit the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef system and an epic bucket list destination gift for snorkelers and divers. It has more than 1,600 species of fish. There’s more than just thrills: Australia’s wide-open landscapes, beautiful beaches and many spas and resorts are perfect for a health and wellness retreat too.

5. Great for History Fans: The Mediterranean

At its height, the Roman Empire stretched as far as the British Isles and Egypt. Ancient walls, aqueducts and temples from this time still stand across these regions today. These historical landmarks, along with the Mediterranean's status as a center of Western civilization, make it an incredibly attractive destination for history buffs. From the Acropolis in Athens — the birthplace of democracy — to the Colosseum in Rome, a cruise to the Mediterranean can take you back in time.

You can sail to destinations like Santorini, Greece, a volcanic island that was shaped by an eruption in the 16th century B.C., and Italy’s Amalfi Coast, where you can see Mount Vesuvius, the volcano behind Pompeii’s downfall so long ago. 

Along the Dalmatian Coast, you’ll be able to visit Dubrovnik, Croatia, which is home to Fort Lovrijenac, a medieval castle built to resist Venetian rule and a backdrop to many scenes in the “Game of Thrones” television series.