Guide
Fish extender etiquette
The unwritten rules of an FE exchange: give if you receive, stick to the spend, check ages and allergies, deliver on the agreed nights and tell your organiser if plans change.
An FE exchange runs on goodwill. A few simple habits keep it fun for every cabin in the group.
Give if you receive
The one thing that upsets a group most is a cabin that collects all week and never gives. If you sign up, bring a gift for every cabin (or every person, if your group gives per person) on your list.
Stick to the agreed spend
Your organiser sets a rough budget, often a few dollars a gift. Staying close to it means nobody feels outdone, and nobody feels they have to keep up.
One labelled bag per cabin
Pack each cabin's gifts together in a bag with the stateroom number and family name on it. Delivery on board is quicker, and nothing ends up in the wrong pocket.
Check ages and allergies
- A tiny toy that is perfect for a ten-year-old is a choking risk for a toddler.
- Skip food for any cabin that lists an allergy. When in doubt, go non-food.
- Read the "about our family" notes on the list before you buy.
Deliver when the group agreed
Some groups drop once, some on set nights. Gifts that arrive on the agreed night are easier for everyone to enjoy.
Tell your organiser if plans change
If you cancel, change cabins or can't take part after all, say so as early as you can. The organiser can move the next cabin up from the waitlist instead of the group running one short.
Say thank you
A short note in each pocket, or a thank-you in the sailing's group after the cruise, goes a long way. Organisers are volunteers.