Crew Secret Santa ideas for 2021 4 December 2021

Working onboard over the Christmas season can be lonely for some superyacht crew, but there’s no reason why you can’t take the festivities with you wherever you are in the world with a crew Secret Santa.

Part of creating a great crew culture is bringing people together, and there’s no better time to do this than at Christmas, and no better way to spread the cheer than with a gift.

Whether you’re a Captain or HOD looking for ways to thank your crew or a crewmember partaking in a gift exchange with your yachting family, here are some crew Secret Santa ideas for you to consider – from the cheap and cheerful to the pricey and premium.

The question is, yacht one would you like? (See what we did there?! 😊)

Cheap and cheerful

1. Beach towels and bags – perfect for an off-boat beach day and there are loads of personalised options too!
2. Sleep mask – great for when you’re trying to catch 40 winks when they sun is already up or your cabin mate has their light on.
3. Diffuser – with mood lighting and sweet-smelling essential oils, it’s an odd trend that seems to have been adopted by crew lately!
4. Snorkelling set – another accessory for those afternoons off surrounded by clear crystal waters!
5. Mini board games – a way to beat the boredom mid-Atlantic when the WiFi is down and the duties of the day are done. Jenga is particularly entertaining and makes a great drinking game!
6. Local souvenir – if you get a chance to take a trip ashore, a traditional (usually hideous) keepsake to remind your crewmember of their travels would be a nice touch.
7. Waterproof phone accessories – a waterproof phone case and charging cable would be particularly useful for deckies if they don’t have one.
8. Packing cubes – for the bunk buddy who makes the cabin look like a bomb has gone off when packing to go off on rotation.
9. Poo-Pourri spray – there’s always one who stinks out the bathroom, so give them a gentle V.I.Poo hint!

Pricey and premium

1. Noise cancelling headphones – an absolute essential for the regular traveller and crewmember, for complete privacy and escapism.
2. Web cam/smart phone camera lens kit – make it easier for people to keep in touch with family or encourage the amateur photographer to take more Instagram-ready shots.
3. Wireless speaker – help crew release mood-enhancing chemicals in the brain with a wireless (and maybe waterproof) speaker for wash downs.
4. Wetsuit – a wardrobe staple for any crew and extremely useful for an afternoon of watersports when guests are off.
5. Sunglasses – every season a pair of sunnies get lost, broken or go overboard, so you can never go wrong with a pair of Raybans or other solid set of sunglasses.
6. Smart watch – whether a Garmin, FitBit or Apple Watch, help crew keep track of their fitness levels onboard, or motivate them to do more!
7. Leatherman multitool – a firm favourite, especially among deckies and engineers.
8. Massage gun – aid muscle recovery after a day of hard grafting when the onboard masseuse isn’t available.
9. Subscription – Maybe an online course, running tutor or Audible subscription.

Get involved in a Crew Secret Santa this year and don’t be a keel-joy!