So I just spent the whole night reading other PJ/TJs from other cruise brides. Now its 1:20 and I am watching Brave in hopes that I will fall asleep but no such luck.
So I am doing welcome bags for my guests. Since a bunch well all but three of them are experienced cruisers I am trying to include items that have a cool factor as I expect that most of them will pack smart. That said I work in the promotional products industry so it is hard not to want to increase the schwag factor in my gift bags.
I picked a Jute tote as I liked the idea of a green element to the welcome bags. I got them through work blank since I want to customize them myself.
http://www.primeline.com/Products/ProductDetail.aspx?fpartno=LT-3430
My DM and were thinking of either spray painting using stencils or getting a large rubber stamp made and then stamping them on. But then we got the bags and realized that due to the holes in the pattern, we are not sure which will work. so more to follow on that later.
Then next the filler. We sailed on the Magic in Jan 2012. Eastern Caribbean to St Maarten and St. Thomas and CC. Thing I remembered the most was it rained on St. Thomas and we got soaked headed back to the boats that take you back to the ship. Then it also rained on Pirate night. So I found these ponchos that come in a case all folded up and clip onto a bag.
http://www.leedsworld.com/products/item/?item=6690-03#.UYiRB7WsiSo
So I ordered those for everyone plus some extras cuz they are kind of handy.
Then I wanted to provide a drinking tumbler for everyone to use at the 24 drink station. However since I was not sure if people would want hot or cold drinks I wanted to find something that would work for both. Enter the Hot & Cold Skinny Stainless Tumblers. Again I got these blank but my DM and I are looking at some kind of Aplique design for people.
http://www.leedsworld.com/products/item/?item=1623-93#.UYiRfLWsiSo
Next I ordered fold away blankets for everyone since we brought one and used it all the time in our room as well as on CC. Not sure if I am going to embellish these in anyway since it is just a blanket.
http://www.hitpromo.net/product/show/7026.
Now the only other thing i want to add would be door magnets, little emergency packs (only because they are cute) and of course we are doing attendant gifts for all 10 adults and the 1 toddler attending so far. Mainly because to us the cost of the cruise and the honor they are showing us by attending makes us want to honor them in some way. SO we are doing the Smart Phone Wristlets by Vera Bradley for the ladies and Kenneth Cole card/money clips for the men. Both of these will be useful to our guests while on the cruise.
Any other suggestions are completely welcomed. I would post pictures of these items rather than the links but it wont let me and I am to tired at this point to figure out why. Though any help to this forum newbie would be helpful.
Before I sign off to finish watching Brave (because I have no idea where the bear came from) I will tell you a little about Rolin and I. We met online 10 years ago in June, he lived in Minnesota I lived here in Virginia (though originally from Queens NY). A year or so later he moved out here to live with me and we have been together happy in our peaceful cohabitational bliss with no thoughts of marriage.
Then we went on a cruise on the Magic in January 2012 and saw a bride and her groom taking pics around the ship and thought AHA we have to do this. So there it is. I will write more but the moving emoticons are starting to freak me out a little since I am so sleepy right now.
If anyone has advice or suggestions for my Welcome Bags or questions about what I have already ordered. Please let me know.
G'Night