Cruising gives you far better options. You step off into cities that specialise in one thing done properly: soap, towels, tins of fish, tiny works of art. The trick is picking souvenirs that are small, legal to bring home, and say more than “this was near the pier and open.”

Here are ten ideas that earn their suitcase space.

1. A Japanese tenugui cloth

In Tokyo, Kobe or Hiroshima, skip the mass-printed T-shirt and look for tenugui: slim cotton cloths that have been used in Japan since the Edo period for just about everything, from wiping brows to wrapping bento and bottles.

They weigh almost nothing, dry in minutes and double as a headscarf, tea towel, wall hanging or makeshift gift wrap. Designs range from traditional waves and cranes to modern trains and noodle bowls. One small strip of fabric, a lifetime of “oh this? I picked it up in Japan.”

2. A cube of real Marseille soap

If your cruise dips into Marseille or nearby Provençal ports, look for chunky green or cream cubes stamped “Savon de Marseille.” Proper versions are made from Mediterranean sea water, olive or vegetable oils and alkaline ash, with a minimum 72 per cent oil content and no added fragrance.

At home it earns its keep washing wool jumpers, bedding and hands that have been too close to garlic. It is practical, it smells quietly clean rather than perfumed and it looks oddly glamorous sitting by a British sink in a rainy January.

3. Portuguese tinned fish you will proudly display

In Lisbon or Porto, follow the wall of colourful metal rectangles. Portugal has turned canned fish into design objects, with heritage brands selling sardines, mackerel and tuna in beautifully illustrated tins that locals and food writers now recommend as ideal souvenirs.

They are easy to pack, count as “shopping for dinner” rather than “tourist tat,” and transform a Tuesday night at home into a slightly more glamorous aperitivo. Just remember they are heavier than they look, so maybe do not buy enough to open your own conservas bar.

4. A Turkish hammam towel that lightens your suitcase

Istanbul, Izmir and Bodrum are prime territory for peshtemal: flat-woven cotton or linen towels originally used in hammams. They are huge, dry fast, roll down to the size of a paperback and work as beach towel, picnic rug, scarf or throw.

Choose one in a simple stripe and you will use it on every holiday that follows, plus when the heating is playing up at home. Unlike the hotel bathrobe you briefly considered stealing, this one fits in your hand luggage and your conscience.

5. Greek thyme honey in a sensible jar

On Greek island calls, the temptation is to buy an amphora the size of a labrador. Your back will thank you for picking up a small jar of local honey instead, particularly the thyme or pine varieties that taste like someone dissolved the entire landscape into a spoonful.

Look for producers on Crete, Rhodes or the smaller islands where beekeeping is still a family affair. A modest jar is easy to declare at customs and turns porridge, yoghurt or toast into a very gentle continuation of your holiday.

6. Icelandic wool for wintry days

If your ship loops through Reykjavik or Akureyri, you will quickly realise that Iceland specialises in two things: wild landscapes and knitwear that could survive them. A full lopapeysa jumper might be ambitious luggage-wise, but a pair of dense wool socks, gloves or a hat is both small and genuinely useful.

Icelandic wool is naturally warm and water repellent, spun from sheep that have not read the memo about mild winters. Wear it home on the plane and you will be the only person who is not shivering when the cabin temperature dips.

7. A tiny piece of Sicilian ceramic drama

In Sicilian ports such as Catania, Messina or Palermo, ceramic shops range from loud and touristy to quietly serious. Rather than a massive head planter you need to register with the airline, look for something palm-sized: a small espresso cup, a dipping dish, a lemon-yellow tile.

Traditional patterns nod to Moorish, Spanish and Italian influences, which is a grand way of saying they look good on every kitchen shelf. Each morning coffee becomes a brief holiday back to the piazza.

8. Spanish smoked paprika in its own little tin

If your cruise touches Barcelona, Valencia or Cadiz, keep an eye out in normal supermarkets for the small square tins of pimentón de la Vera. This smoked paprika, protected by denomination of origin status, turns eggs, roast veg and stews into something that tastes faintly of tapas bars and late dinners.

The tins are robust, light and oddly decorative. Unlike saffron, you do not need to remortgage your house to buy enough to actually use.

9. A Caribbean hot sauce with personality

Around the Caribbean, every island has its own idea of the perfect hot sauce. From scotch bonnet and mango mixes in Jamaica to mustard-heavy versions in Barbados, bottles are lined up in supermarkets and beach shacks rather than souvenir shops.

Pick one with a hand-drawn label and a flavour you enjoyed on board or ashore. Back home it can rescue limp sandwiches, perk up beans on toast and act as a tiny, fiery time machine to the afternoon you over-ordered jerk chicken.

10. A Scandinavian enamel mug that survives everything

From Oslo to Helsinki, Scandinavia does camping and cabins extremely well, which is why enamel mugs are everywhere. They are light, unbreakable and look equally at home on a fjord-side rock, a London balcony or your office desk.

Opt for one with a simple motif rather than an enormous logo and it will quietly blend into your everyday life. It also makes the tea you drink at your desk during a grim Tuesday meeting feel, fractionally, like you are on deck watching mountains slide by.

A final small note of sanity

Customs rules exist, so avoid anything made from shells, coral, antiquities, or bits of endangered species, tempting though that carved tooth might be. Consumables should be sealed and modest in quantity, and it is worth a quick check of the latest guidance before you start a cheese import business in your hand luggage.

Beyond that, the best souvenirs are the ones you will actually use. If it adds something to your kitchen, your wardrobe or your daily routine, it beats another postcard every time.