Anniversary decorations and cake: Worth it?

[MDcruzin_24601]

Hi, CC members,

We will be celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary on Mariner OTS sailing April 15, 2019 and I am thinking of surprising her with the cabin anniversary decorations and a celebration cake during dinner. :D

Can someone who purchased these items give me some insight on them? Are the worth it. How was the anniversary cake? Anything you can recommend or suggest?

[Iamcruzin]

Hi, CC members,

We will be celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary on Mariner OTS sailing April 15, 2019 and I am thinking of surprising her with the cabin anniversary decorations and a celebration cake during dinner. :D

Can someone who purchased these items give me some insight on them? Are the worth it. How was the anniversary cake? Anything you can recommend or suggest?

 

There was a thread a few months back warning cruisers not to purchase the cake.

Here is a link

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2576067&highlight=special+occasion+cake

[Sitzmark]

Hi, CC members,

We will be celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary on Mariner OTS sailing April 15, 2019 and I am thinking of surprising her with the cabin anniversary decorations and a celebration cake during dinner. :D

Can someone who purchased these items give me some insight on them? Are the worth it. How was the anniversary cake? Anything you can recommend or suggest?

 

Not to me they aren't, I can only judge that from the pictures on the website though.

[Desert Cruizers]

I have done it but actually find it more fun to decorate myself. In your case, if you have any friends going with you, have someone keep your wife busy with something while you or family/friends help you decorate . You can let your wait staff know it is your Anniversary and they will do something during dessert time. Once while cruising, our cabin attendant made a cake out of towels and decorated it plus I got a banner for my Birthday.

[mcatmcat]

It’s a nice surprise but is not worth it.

 

 

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[karena1]

They used to have really cool decorations, now they are lame. You are better off going to the Party Store and buying your own to decorate you cabin and door. That is what we do for our anniversary or birthday on the ship

[shipshape sam]

Hi, CC members,

We will be celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary on Mariner OTS sailing April 15, 2019 and I am thinking of surprising her with the cabin anniversary decorations and a celebration cake during dinner. :D

Can someone who purchased these items give me some insight on them? Are the worth it. How was the anniversary cake? Anything you can recommend or suggest?

 

I would say no, but that is me. Go to speciality restaurant and celebrate there with a great meal and desert!

[HOSKI]

I vote for you bringing decorations and putting them up. Also decorate the outside of your door and put a dry erase board there so others can write you best wishes.

[Sitzmark]

Skip the decorations, have flowers delivered and a bottle of quality champagne.

[cruiselvr04]

Do something to surprise her. Believe me she won’t really care what it is. We just like to be treated once in a while

 

My DH bought the birthday decor for me last year. I appreciated the surprise more then the actual decorations. I did bring them home and may use them when we cruise over his birthday yet this year. ( I would have preferred wine and chocolate but I did not tell him that!). He’s also gotten me flowers a couple of times and once an anniversary package. Since he rarely does this at home I love what ever he does.

 

And for sure treat her to Giovanni’s or Chops or the Chefs table.

 

20 years needs to be celebrated! And congratulations!

[grest]

I might say instead to speak with the maitre d' to bring a special dessert to your table one night to celebrate

[LisaLisa87]

I ordered the decorations and am glad I did. Yes, they were a little cheesy, but I loved that they were in place when we got to our room. DH thought they were great. We didn't do the cake, but I did order the champagne and chocolate covered strawberries. The quality wasn't great, but we still enjoyed both.

 

 

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[DaNana]

There was a thread a few months back warning cruisers not to purchase the cake.

Here is a link

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2576067&highlight=special+occasion+cake

 

 

I was on that thread. Please note we did not have the same.

We celebrated our 50th on NOS November 2017. Our cake was much better plus they brought a cake to the table from the dining staff. We had a great time. Would do it again.

 

 

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[Norwich Cruiser]

We brought our own stateroom decorations but ordered the cake which was excellent.

[Bloodgem]

For DS's birthday I ordered 4 cup cakes and placed an announcement in the cruise compass. Thought celebration cake would be too big for 4 of us.

 

For parents anniversary I ordered chocs and champagne. I was not on the cruise and did not know if I could place an announcement in the cruise compass.

[cruiseguy1016]

Skip the decorations, have flowers delivered and a bottle of quality champagne.

 

^^ This ^^

 

I know my wife would appreciate flowers a lot more than cheesy decorations. We have celebrated her birthday many times on a cruise ship. Our TA knows that we will be on the ship for my wife's birthday and she (the TA) will usually arrange for something special for her. We usually cruise with friends and ordered the cake once. It was the same cake they served everyone else. The only difference was, it came to our table as a whole cake. My wife blew out the candle and then they took the cake away and brought pieces back to all of us.

[DaNana]

^^ This ^^

 

 

 

I know my wife would appreciate flowers a lot more than cheesy decorations. We have celebrated her birthday many times on a cruise ship. Our TA knows that we will be on the ship for my wife's birthday and she (the TA) will usually arrange for something special for her. We usually cruise with friends and ordered the cake once. It was the same cake they served everyone else. The only difference was, it came to our table as a whole cake. My wife blew out the candle and then they took the cake away and brought pieces back to all of us.

 

 

 

Our family had the cabin decorated. They weren’t with us. I really liked it. We’ve celebrated many cruises at our anniversary time and never saw announcement of Anniversaries.

 

 

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[payitforward]

I don't personally think they're worth it. It would be more fun to bring your own decorations and put them up. I found these great magnetic photo sheets on Amazon (link below) that work in my printer. I love creating my own custom door decorations with them. You will always know right where your cabin is! As for the cake, why pay good money for a plain cake, when there is such an array of free desserts? If you mention it to your waiter or matre'd in advance, they will do something nice. There have also been numerous occasions where I have ordered, and paid for, the cakes for someone only to learn they never got them. I do like the ideas of flowers, chocolate covered strawberries and/or wine.

 

 

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008U2S0H0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Bloodgem]

Our family had the cabin decorated. They weren’t with us. I really liked it. We’ve celebrated many cruises at our anniversary time and never saw announcement of Anniversaries.

 

 

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Have seen a couple, in the 6 years we have been cruising out of Southampton, but not many

[MDcruzin_24601]

Thanks everyone for the feedback.

I will try to decorate the cabin myself, before she has a chance to enter. That way, I can add a personal touch.