I hadn’t ever given any thought to Fish Extender gifts being stolen during a Disney cruise until I came across a discussion thread over on the Disney Cruise Line forum on the DISboards. Don’t know what a Fish Extender is? Head to our article, which explains not only what Fish Extenders are but also how they originated!
One of our posters (@dreamer17555) started the thread after returning from a back-to-back DCL vacation (this is where you set sail on a cruise, and then on debarkation day, you get off the ship and get right back on for another cruise!). In the thread, the poster describes how stateroom hosts and other guests witnessed kids running down the halls, taking items out of Fish Extenders, and throwing what they didn’t want on the floors. They experienced this on both cruises, stating that on the first cruise, “it was a group of teens, on another a group of younger kids but old enough to be free roaming.”
The poster goes on to say that Disney Cruise Line did nothing about the issue, which raises the question of whether or not they should. Other cruisers are joining in to add their two cents, and the opinions are a bit mixed as far as what they think should happen.
Here’s mine: I think the idea of participating in the Fish Extenders gift exchange sounds fun, but it also seems like far too much work to have to do before and during what should be the most relaxing vacation. I have a hard enough time buying useful and practical gifts for my own family members who already have everything they need and then some. Trying to organize gifts for people I don’t know seems slightly overwhelming.
That said, I don’t feel that it’s Disney Cruise Line’s responsibility to monitor children running through the halls messing with stuff that doesn’t belong to them. Parents are the ones who should not allow their kids to roam freely if they can’t behave properly. Although, saying that, I realize that the parents of the little thieves are likely not aware of the shenanigans. Of course, we’re not living in a perfect world, but I still don’t feel that DCL needs to take on that responsibility. If a guest chooses to leave something outside of their stateroom where anyone can take it, it’s a risk they’re taking.
I’d expect to see a disclosure mentioning that DCL isn’t responsible for lost or stolen items from Fish Extenders, but who knows, maybe they’ll decide to do away with it altogether. I suppose it remains to be seen, but I wouldn’t blame them if they stopped the practice of it.
Head over to the thread and share your thoughts!
Request a Quote Today