1st purchases made off my need for cruise list, what items do you make sure you take?

I know I have months, but spreading this out will be good with this cruise. Some clothing items will be needed, so spreading the cost is a good thing. ;)

I picked up a flat folding laundry hamper, magnetic clips, and a new up-to-date outlet adapter.

Still on the list, long sleeve and short sleeve wicking shirts for me, coat (I have plenty of fleece, but not a casual, warm outside coat), cheap shower caps in case want to cover some food in the fridge and shoes in the suitcase, highlighter.

What about you?

Alaska?

I think I might need to restock my clothes pins. But that is about it.

We are minimalists when traveling. 22" roller and backpack is enough for any 7 day vacation. We even did a full Christmas cruise complete with trees, stockings, decorations and 2 dozen presents with wrapping supplies with just one extra 22" suitcase. So my best advice is NOT to take the million suggestions you will get on this board. Take your normal travel stuff like camera and reading materials and stuff unique to you (the for example DH likes mini fan) and nothing else. The cabin is just a small floating hotel room. The more you put in it, the more cluttered it will be!

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Good advice so far. Pack everything you think you need for your cruise about a week before. Then start taking things out and ask this question " Why did I pack this and do I really need this?" What to do with it will be readily apparent. All you should need is one suit case and a backpack or purse as has been previously stated. Anything else is dead weight that you have to cart to and from your transportation.

It would be helpful to know where you are going, what port you are leaving from and how you are getting there.

Luggage set organizer. We use it to control the amount of things we need to pack for our check-in luggage.

i would probably skip the laundry hamper... not sure what you'd use it for.

we unpack our suitcases on day 1 and put the empty suitcases under the bed.

then as we wear clothes, we fold up the dirty ones and put them in the suitcase.

this system helps us to have less to pack at the end of the trip, and it gets the dirty stuff out of sight. easy peasy.

Most of extra things I pack don't get used. Except travel Kleenex. I used almost all of it! We used packing cubes and that really helped organizing. It also allowed me to pack without having the suitcase laying open in my bedroom. I could pack the cubes and set them aside out of the way until the night before. Make sure you take a lip balm of some kind. Flying and being out in the elements tends to cause chapped lips.

I loved the idea someone said about a collapsible hamper! Great idea!

Binoculars

Travel size Lysol spray and mini packs of Clorox wipes to sanitize the stateroom

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Travel size Lysol spray and mini packs of Clorox wipes to sanitize the stateroom

 

 

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I don't mean this in a offensive way but for OP's sake I will say DH and I have been on a dozen plus cruises together plus traveled 6+ times a year. I have never taken spray (except to eliminate bathroom odors) or wiped down anything and not had an issue.

I understand that it makes certain cruisers feel better but we do not find it necessary. The amount of Clorox used on the ship to wipe down everything is astounding. And I am confident it is cleaner than my house and those of my friends.

But if you are by nature afraid of germs, then yes, these such things should always be part of your travel supplies! [emoji1]

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I was really thinking in generic terms, but we are going to AK. I wasn't necessarily asking for advice, also curious about what others find helpful or essential. I have a very good idea already what we will and won't need, and have researched for other cruises and love that we can all talk about these things together.

We will be doing laundry on board, we will be gone a total of 2 weeks, so it will be necessary. Have no desire to drag it along in a suitcase. The one I bought is very flat and really takes up no space.

I would love to get everything in one suitcase each. (Is that what you are eluding to - or only 1 and a backback for both of you?) How do you get your dress clothes not in a mess, though? I am actually thinking I won't take my more formal dress that is a bit fluffy so we don't have to drag around more than 2 suitcases. Usually the dress clothes go in a garment bag.

Light waterproof outer layer and shoes. Binder clip in case drapes do not close all the way or sleep masks. Magnets to pin map to cabin wall. We each take a pair of binoculars when in a wildlife area. Sunscreen. Mosquito repellent wipes --just in case!

We always take a fold-flat hamper and a collapsible 8 1/2 by 11 fold-flat organizer, each from the dollar store.

I have a Chicos travelers black dress for formal nights -- just change what bling I wear with it. No problems with creases at all. DH's shirts (and mine if I take any) we put in a shirt travel folder.

We each take a 25" case and DH takes a carry-on for his CPAP and meds etc. I put my daypack in the larger case until needed on the trip.

Layers of clothing, rain jacket.

Make a list, then remove some of the items.

One thing we always bring is an extension cord.

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I was really thinking in generic terms, but we are going to AK. I wasn't necessarily asking for advice, also curious about what others find helpful or essential. I have a very good idea already what we will and won't need, and have researched for other cruises and love that we can all talk about these things together.

 

We will be doing laundry on board, we will be gone a total of 2 weeks, so it will be necessary. Have no desire to drag it along in a suitcase. The one I bought is very flat and really takes up no space.

 

I would love to get everything in one suitcase each. (Is that what you are eluding to - or only 1 and a backback for both of you?) How do you get your dress clothes not in a mess, though? I am actually thinking I won't take my more formal dress that is a bit fluffy so we don't have to drag around more than 2 suitcases. Usually the dress clothes go in a garment bag.

We each have a 22" roll on. Plus each have a back pack. For formal I wear cocktail dresses made of light wrinkle free material - I also have a floor length purple gown of this same material. Jewelry and sparkle strappy sandals and Im set. I can't recommend these travel friendly materials enough!

DH is a little more difficult but I have learned to roll his ties and stick them in his shoes, and I roll the suit pants and carefully fold the jacket on the top. It usually hangs out ok in the very steamy shower.

Shoes are the biggest issue - flip flops for pool, and a pair of casual sandals for evening in addition to the dressier ones. Then I wear on my walking/gym shoes. Everything goes with black.

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over the years I have created a cruise packing list by noting the clothing and items I actually used each cruise. I update the list ( kept on my iPad) following each cruise. My list is so much shorter then when I took my very first cruise lol.

The things I check to see if need replenishing are: Bonine (for motion sickness) and the memory card for my camera. Other things I wouldn't leave home without are small binoculars, my small Monster Outlets to Go power strip and finally shampoo and conditioner (The stuff they have onboard is not something I enjoy using at all).

As for the folding hamper, we no longer bring one. Instead when I am ready to do laundry I find that the blue Princess tote bag works great for taking small loads to and from the laundry room.

For a long time we took Lysol type products to sanitize our cabin AND THEN one day the light went on after wiping down a treadmill.............why not use the wipes in the Fitness Area to wipe down the machines.

Now one of the first things we do when we embark is to hit the gym, grab some wipes, and then wipe down the switches, tv remote, etc in the room. No fuss, no muss and we don't have to worry about packing these items.

Clorox wipes, and cough drops and Robitussen. A large generic bottle costs around $2-3 at Walmart or Publix and a tiny bottle on board will set you back $17. [emoji78][emoji79]

The one time I needed it I didn't have it. I always bring it and never need it.

Towel clips for beach towel.

Rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, Qtips, cotton balls, Face makeup cleanser wipes instead of lugging a Mia

Over the door shoe holder for organizing

Packing cubes to pack clothing

Sunscreen

Safety pins

Emery boards

Extra purses, small

Large brim hat that folds up

Small cap

Insect repellent

Basically, a first aid kit with bandaids, Neosporin, eat cet

Pepto

Mylanta

Tums

Special shampoo

Bottled water, unless I can preorder it (on princess I can) much cheaper that way.

I always take a dental repair kit. They are $4-5 and if your cap should fall off, that is a temporary adhesive to get you through until you can get to a dentist.

Also, you can patch fillings that have fallen out.

Hopefully I will never need to use that [emoji81][emoji33]

Nook or Kindle

iPad

iPhone

I purchase many items after we arrive at our hotel and then go shop at the nearest grocery store, as there is no way I would lug all those things in my regular suitcase.

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Unless there is a good reason the water on a ship is as good, sanitation wise, as any bottled water. We bring sports bottles with us and fill them as needed. We also bring an insulatedcontainer for bringing coffe or tea back to the room to enjoy.

For Alaska deginitely bring layers and some gear for the rain that you will run into. Some clothing items can be used more than once depending what they are. There are laundry machines on each deck that can get busy so plan accordingly. They use tokens that can be obtained along with detergent using your ships card. Enjoy AK.

Take your girl friend if your wife can't go. :D Sorry I could not help my self.

Tony

An alarm clock.

Unless there is a good reason the water on a ship is as good, sanitation wise, as any bottled water. We bring sports bottles with us and fill them as needed. We also bring an insulatedcontainer for bringing coffe or tea back to the room to enjoy.

 

For Alaska deginitely bring layers and some gear for the rain that you will run into. Some clothing items can be used more than once depending what they are. There are laundry machines on each deck that can get busy so plan accordingly. They use tokens that can be obtained along with detergent using your ships card. Enjoy AK.

Not the water thing again! That is "our" preference. The OP wanted to know what things people like to bring. (Yes, I drink ship's water, too, in the MDR, et cet, but in hot weather destinations where the water isn't potable we like to bring a couple bottles each on excursions. )

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A gas mask as many of the old coogers break wind on the elevators. LOL

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Medication for diarrhea! (Lomotil). If you try to buy it on board, you may be reported to the medical staff and confined to your cabin! They are crazy, worried about Norovirus.

If this is an Alaskan cruise, we take nothing extra special as you can buy whatever you need in port.

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