Things You Were Told You Must Pack But Never Used

Over the years I have seen a lot of threads asking the question "What Are the Things I Must Pack"

I'm curious to what things you did pack because you were told it was a must but you never used.

Ready.....Set......GO

Not all on the same cruise, but at various times have packed:

Highlighter (never used)

Pop up Laundry hamper (never used)

Hanging toiletry bag (used one cruise but didn't feel it was needed so trashed it)

Duct tape (never used)

Small flashlight - for event of total power failure - never used/needed it, but will always pack it.

Not all on the same cruise, but at various times have packed:

 

Highlighter (never used)

Pop up Laundry hamper (never used)

Hanging toiletry bag (used one cruise but didn't feel it was needed so trashed it)

Duct tape (never used)

I use my highlighter on every cruise to highlight activities of interest in the daily Princess Patter. I have used duct tape to tape the extension cord for my husband's cpap machine along the bed headboard and to tape around a suitcase when the zipper broke,

Small flashlight - for event of total power failure - never used/needed it, but will always pack it.

Excellent idea, us too - I always take a small LED flashlight for hotel rooms and cruise cabins. I put it in the top drawer of the night stand. Of course you hope to never use it but I think it would be a great thing to have.

I have seen those packing lists too and have never needed or used the over the door shoe hanger. Personally, I find they actually take up more space than intended and get in the way, and I always find room for all my items, in the bathroom or in the cabin cupboards. :)

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I use my highlighter on every cruise to highlight activities of interest in the daily Princess Patter. I have used duct tape to tape the extension cord for my husband's cpap machine along the bed headboard and to tape around a suitcase when the zipper broke,

Yes, but the point of the thread is what you didn't use. Not for someone to come on and say what they DID use. Those threads, in the100s, have played over and over. We've ALL heard to bring those things, now the thread is asking who brought them and never used them.

Not all on the same cruise, but at various times have packed:

 

Highlighter (never used)

Pop up Laundry hamper (never used)

Hanging toiletry bag (used one cruise but didn't feel it was needed so trashed it)

Duct tape (never used)

Duct tape goes with me on all my trips, not just cruises. I've used it to re-hem something, seal the toe of a shoe, put on a blister (with a piece of TP as the "bandage"), taped my flashlight to the headboard so I could have light to read...

I've heard I must have hanging shoe bag on cruises - no way will I do that!!! I don't have enough junk that I would need to bring a piece of junk to hold the other junk ;)

Oh, I'll give you a "must take" from my own list: a bandana. Sooooooo many uses (keep neck cool when soaked, emergency splint, picnic cloth, napkin, wash cloth for when that bird "drops" on you, head covering for church, small carrying sack) and, yes, I've used it all this way. Washes easily by hand and is dried quickly.

I've heard I must have hanging shoe bag on cruises - no way will I do that!!! I don't have enough junk that I would need to bring a piece of junk to hold the other junk ;)

LOL! My thoughts exactly. I know others love them, but in my mind, I can't see it not being in the way! The cabin steward would bump it, it takes up space inside the bathroom... unless maybe you hung it in the closet out of the way - I might consider it in that case. ;p:D

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I have always taken and never used a tiny first aid kit, a spare pair of eyeglasses, a sewing kit, and a clothes brush. I have quit taking a glue stick, detergent, hi-liter. binoculars, and Pepto-Bismol.

Nothing. I've traveled internationally for years and have a good handle on what I need and don't need. Some of the suggestions I read on CC seem insane to me... a pop-up hamper, shoe organizer, etc. just seem like a hassle to me.

Over the door organizer

Highlighter

Note pads

Laundry clips

ALL a waste of space in our bags. Learned our lesson.

As for flashlights, we have smartphones, they have flashlights.

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I've heard I must have hanging shoe bag on cruises - no way will I do that!!! I don't have enough junk that I would need to bring a piece of junk to hold the other junk ;)

 

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Good to see another questioning the shoe bag. My wife travels with a fair inventory of lotions and potions - but the shelves and cabinets, with the sink ledge, have a lot of space.

 

My never-leave-home-without-it bandanna is blue (and frequently used) -- yours?

Should have mentioned my flashlight is a HAL two AAA cell penlight - won at trivia in 2001 or 2002 - back when triva wasn't so trivial.

Over the years I have seen a lot of threads asking the question "What Are the Things I Must Pack"

 

I'm curious to what things you did pack because you were told it was a must but you never used.

 

Ready.....Set......GO

Winter clothing for an Alaska cruise .Temperatures hovered around 80.

It is a rule: Duct Tape so we always take it (comes in convenient blister packs so no need to take big rolls) but we have NEVER needed it.

Yet, as soon as we don't, we'll need it for something. :rolleyes: :D

My never-leave-home-without-it bandanna is blue (and frequently used) -- yours?

 

Should have mentioned my flashlight is a HAL two AAA cell penlight - won at trivia in 2001 or 2002 - back when triva wasn't so trivial.

The bandana changes with my mood. Pink, tie-dye, brown, tan, red, Mossy Oak cammo...But, lately, it's been the traditional print in Pink.

It is a rule: Duct Tape so we always take it (comes in convenient blister packs so no need to take big rolls) but we have NEVER needed it.

Yet, as soon as we don't, we'll need it for something. :rolleyes: :D

Wrapping some around a golf pencil is a handy way to take from the big roll at home. My current duct tapes are neon pink and neon green. A small heart-shape piece of the pink just went over a tiny tear in my down sweater. Had to haul it out today as it was SNOWING!!!

I only take a hanging shoe bag if there's more than two people in a cabin. I've sailed with kids and it's a lifesaver for multiple people... everyone gets a row, and there's a place for all those little things that get left all over the surfaces. I hang it on the front of the bathroom door as there's towel hooks on the back.

But if there's just one or two people in a cabin? Totally not needed.

A tuxedo;)

We bring the duct tape every time, and haven't needed it yet. We also bring bungee cords. Have not used them on a cruise, but they came in very handy for securing stacked luggage in a tiny train compartment.

Over the years I have seen a lot of threads asking the question "What Are the Things I Must Pack"

 

I'm curious to what things you did pack because you were told it was a must but you never used.

 

Ready.....Set......GO

Didn't even bother packing 'over the door' organizer since after several cruises of not needing such a thing, knew we wouldn't need it.

Ditto the popup hamper. We use a cloth laundry bag from home, then roll contents and transfer to ship's laundry bag for the "bag" special.

Alarm clock. We each have a watch.

Battery tea light. We leave the bow cam channel on for low light and that helps in bathroom at night as well.

I've never needed the over-the-door thing, or a hamper, or a highlighter or bungee cords,...I pack as I would for ANY other vacation to a similar climate.

There is nothing you need on a cruise that you don't need at a resort on land!

I always bring along a back-up pair of reading glasses. (yn)Never had to use them.

As for those orginizers, cleaning wipes, bungie cords, duck tape, sticky notes etc. I don't bother with any of that on land vacations, business trips or cruises. Just a waste of space.

Over the years I have seen a lot of threads asking the question "What Are the Things I Must Pack"

 

I'm curious to what things you did pack because you were told it was a must but you never used.

 

Ready.....Set......GO

Do a search on "packing lists". You will get 100's of hits. Some of the threads are hundreds of post longs. Almost all of the stuff on all of the lists will not be used and are are useless.

DON

Have to agree. We do bare bones. No just in cases, no medicine cabinet, no over the door hangers, no decorations 20" inch roller carry on. If it does not fit in there it stays at home where it probably should be.

Emergency dental kit. Never needed it so far but paranoid that the one time I don't take it will be when I need it!