Janet Foster
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Posts posted by Janet Foster
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Hope everyone has a good holiday weekend.
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can you bring soda and bottled water on Royal Caribbean?
Yes you can bring both with no problems at all. Please read my review below, or check out the "Rum Runner" thread for additional conversations regarding soda and water.
Best Regards!
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For my husband and I we each take a large suitcase and a small suitcase. I roll my clothes instead of folding them which gives me lots and lots of space.
Take my rolling ice chest on the plan with me as a carry on.
Best Regards!
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How did your brother-in-law get beer onboard? Also, do you have to check the rolling cooler in or do you keep it with you when boarding the ship. Either way, do you stock it with water/soda's/juice... and ice before boarding?
My brother in law just took a case of it like he did the water and put a cruise luggage tag on it. Another time he bought a 12 pack of soda and dumped the soda cans out of the carton and filled it up with the beer cans. HA HA..
We check in the rolling cooler just like we do the luggage. We don't want to lug it with us. We don't stock it with anything except the snack items we buy at the store. Once we get it delivered to our cabin with the other luggage, then we ask the room attendant to fill it up with ice and he would keep it filled up with ice each day. Then we would put our waters, and sodas in it. We even took a case of redbull with us once. (we could have sold that on the ship for some serious money!! )
Do not fill it with ice prior to boarding.. it would leak all over everyone's luggage.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
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Thanks, I am so excited. I wish the cruise were sooner as I really need some time off from work but then again I am glad I have time to research and plan. I am so glad that I found this forum, it has really given me a lot of insight into cruising and a bunch of wonderful ideas that I had not even thought of.
I just ordered the rum runners, I sure hope the cruise lines do not become wise to this. I will be nervous doing this but I cant afford the booze on the cruise so I will be trying.
Just be smart when you place them in your luggage. My luggage had a liner that zipped down the inside back of the suitcase. One went there. One went inside a pair of pants. I also put each Rum Runner inside a zip loc bag to be on the safe side. We had four pieces of luggage and distributed the rum runners throughout the suitcases. Never lump them all together.
Just enjoy yourself and don't worry about it. People have been using these for years. My brother in law even brought beer on our cruise.. HA HA..
Let us all know if you have any questions!!!
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I always believe that the best planning is what getting ready for cruising is all about. When I went on my first cruise I didn't know anything about cruising or anything about the detailed lists. There were lots of things I wished I knew and wished I took. Everything I take is just to enhance my cruise in the event I need something I have it.
It doesn't hurt me to pack it or bring it.... and while I am not in my 20's we may drink a bit once in awhile, but we don't overeat, or get too much sun, or get ripped off on shore, or badly sunburned. We also make sure to be back on the ship at the designated time.
Bottomline is do what is good for you and if the lists help you great and take from it what you want. Have a great time.
Best Regards!!
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Thanks so much for sharing your review with everyone. It was so thorough and I love the images as you are "talking".
Also, I LOVE the themed cabin party ideas. :-) Next time we have a group, we are on that.
Thanks again and happy sailing.
- Marilyn
Thank you Marilyn,
Hope you have a wonderful time on your cruises.
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I am booked on the Freedom of the Seas in August 2009. I have never been on a cruise but I have been reading quite a bit and found this forum. I love the list you prepared but have a question. Are you really allowed to bring a case of water and sodas onboard? I know liquor is a no-no but would love to find a way. I am a penny pincher so whever I can save some $ would great. A couple friends of ours had a $1000 bar tab at the end of their 7 day cruise, I cant even imagine that and it has me scared to death. I don't drink a whole lot but if drinks are that expensive onboard I will have to go without.
Yes you can bring soda and cases of water. Read my review below here. Let me know if you have any questions.
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With the airline restrictions and cost for 1st piece of luggage, we've greatly reduced our list and found that RCCL is particularly good about lots of storage space in a small area. While we may not look like we are heading to the Academy Awards on Formal Night, we will be appropriately dressed in a chic, short cocktail dress. While I may look like I'm in the same outfit, I assure you it is a different outfit in the same color scheme to allow me to stretch the wardrobe. While the ice bucket is small, I can't bring myself to plan on a rolling cooler. I did cave one year and I purchased a syrofoam (redneck) cooler that was about $2.50 one year.
My ice chest has rolling wheels and I actually take it on the plane with me as my carryon and pack all kinds of things in it. So it works for us.
We also fly SWA most of the time, they don't have a fee for luggage and I know they don't go into Atlanta so you do have that luggage fee to pay... I hate it..
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Thank you... we do like having fun when we are all together. Especially when traveling.
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Yay they posted....
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Fantastic report, sounded so much fun for you all.:)
Thank you Mazandsteve.... It was so much fun... I wish I could win the lottery I would be living on a cruise ship...
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Where they want me to submit my review again.
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Great list!
Another idea...we packed balloons to blow up and tape to our door. :) It was SO much easier to find our rooms when walking down really long hallways.
Here are a couple of my lists if you want to read them:
Oh I loved your lists too. I can generally always get something from a list. Your one list reminded me that this last cruise we did take a pop up hamper. It folded way down into what looked like a large CD holder.. Round... and when I took the clip off of it.. POOF it turned into a standing laundry hamper. I got it at Target .... last minute which is why it isn't on the list. I should add!! We generally just put our dirties in the suitcase but the suitcases fit under the bed all inside each other and the pop up hamper was so handy sitting in the corner of the closet.
But the over the door shoe holder.. that was the absolute bomb diggity... even my husband was able to find things on his own.. that's a plus right there!!!
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I do have a list. Here is the link to get to it.
At the end of this list there is a pdf file you can print out and check things off.
Hope this helps!!
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I absolutely loved your review!! and those pics! How clever were those parties?! I think you are exactly the kind of people RC had in mind when they said Why Not? The T-shirt idea was terrific. Keep us posted on your next cruise, it would be great to sail with folks like you. :)
Thank you for your very nice comments. I even had fun making the shirts. Everyone was so surprised to get them. The whole trip was just so much fun and has given us all lots of memories!!
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Holy camolie ... you carry a TON of stuff that I would never consider hauling! Of course' date=' it's absolutely your choice, but I am only saying this because newbies need to know that most of this stuff is [b']optional[/b] and not required!
For example, iPod speakers ... we've been next to people with speakers & it's annoying, plus many ships have all music channels now on the televisions. Never needed duct tape or a shoe organizer or a spray bottle. I do carry a couple of power bars, but there is lots of food around the ship. Same with water - it's purified more than the stuff I have at home.
I think the newbies are smart enough to know that everything is not a requirement. LOL When I need something I have it. I am perfectly fine with taking everything I list.
We like our own music that we record prior to the cruise in our cabins. We play our music during our cocktail parties and we had an incident on the last cruise were the hem came out of my girlfriends skirt.... duct tape was needed, prior to that another person's handle broke on their luggage and we were able to help.
So thank you, to each his own... We like bringing our own water because we bring flavored packets.
You sound like lots of fun.. Hmmm... why am I justifying..
Sorry you did not like the list...makes me wonder why you bothered going into this thread. Again.. LOL...
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Put a tag on them...
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:eek:Wow... I also posted my review (minus pictures) with the REVIEW site here on CC and I got this response back...
We would also like to encourage you to submit a more detailed version of your review for publication. We believe these additional instructions should help you get started. We are looking to publish reviews that are extremely detailed and comprehensive in nature -- covering all aspects of your cruise in detail. Please take a look at a few recently published reviews for samples, located on the submission page.
Here's what we look for:
Personal Background Information
Travel To Port of Embarkation
Hotel Info (if any)
Embarkation
Stateroom
Ship Info
Dining
Activities
- Children's Clubs
Staff & Service
Entertainment
Shore Excursions
Disembarkation
Summary
Let us know if you have any questions.
LauraS
Community Manager
TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO FUNNYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY:confused::confused:
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Awesome review! I love the idea of party themes....you guys had a blast! Yes, I'm ready to go w/you guys on the next cruise!
Love the name
sailingawaysoon....
Well... come on with us. We are currently looking to plan for summertime 2011 but I don't see many itinaries out there yet...
Thanks for your remarks on the review. Glad you liked it...
Janet
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Ooh, one more thing! I've noticed a lot of CC folks mentioning taking along a pack of Post-It notes for leaving messages for friends, cabin steward, etc. That seemed like a really great idea to me!
Yes post it notes are great for leaving notes to your room attendant as well as others. I would really recommend that several of you get walkie-talkies to use since there are so many of you. We had 13 people on our cruise and it even helped us find each other when we were off the ship.
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Peggy:
We just came back from a RCCL cruise and we were able to check our ice chest in with our luggage. However, a month prior my daughter went on her honeymoon cruise on Carnival and she also read about the restrictions on the size of the ice chest. She was nervous about that so I got her a rolling ice chest that they could fold and put inside their larger suitcase.
I got it on ebay and looks exactly like this...
So she said it worked fine for her and her room attendant would take it each day, fill it up with ice and bring it back to their room.
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Janet, I am enjoying your review SO MUCH. The themes are terrific so far. Great information included. Thanks. Keep going ...
Thank you!
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I was asked to share a list, so here is my list.
Besides the list and talking about my list below, I have also attached a file that you can print and save to help you.
It is never too early to start gathering things up. I have started with a few things and just add to it as time goes by. Besides the obvious clothing items here are a few things I just can’t leave home without.
First, we have a clear over the door shoe organizer. I say clear because you would want to be able to see inside each of the pockets. This we would hang on the back of the bathroom door and place all of your little items in it to keep your counters free of clutter. This idea was passed down to me from another fellow cruiser so I don’t take the credit for it but I certainly think it is a great idea. I got mine online from Finger Hut.
http://www.fingerhut.com/ProductGroup.aspx?offergroupxid=92929&cmCategoryID =search
One of the first things we do when we get in the cabin is wipe down all the door knobs, handles, phone and remote control with those Clorox Disinfecting Wipes. If you think about it, but the time you get in your cabin, another couple or family has been living in it for a week and has touched everything. The cabin has been cleaned but who knows if they wipe every little thing down. This is for my own piece of mind. So I would add that to your shopping list. I carry my Clorox Wipes in my purse because once I get to the cabin I do it right away as the luggage won't appear for a couple of hours.
Other things I bring:
Ø Zip-lock bags – different sizes for many different things
Ø Hangers – I think you can ask your room attendant for extra but I always bring mine own. The room attendant may not get the hangers to you fast enough because they are generally still delivering things to the cabins, introducing themself and then they have to go to the life boat drill.
Ø Clothes Pins
Ø Power Strip – not many outlets in the room.
Ø Extension Cord - I will run an extension cord if I need to.
Ø Alarm Clock – Some people just use their cell phones.
Ø Night Light – Cabin is dark, if you don’t use your cell phone for light then bring one.
Ø Bathroom Spray –
Ø Landyards – these are those things you wear around your neck and attach your Sea Pass card to it. Front desk will hole punch your card or bring your own hole puncher.
Ø Bar Soap – I like to bring my own instead of using the small bars they give.
Ø Portable Ipod Speakers- so you can enjoy your downloaded Caribbean music as you sail.
Ø Motion Sickness Medicine – if you think you need it, some you need a written RX.
Ø Prescriptions and Medicine – the over the counter, Tums, Imodium, Pepto Bismol, aspirin
Ø Sudafed, tooth ache gel, band-aids, mole skin, aloe vera lotion for sunburns
Ø Cell Phone charger – you will need to charge up before we get home!
Ø Extra Camera Memory Card - Last thing you want to do is run out of memory!!!
Ø Extra camera batteries or rechargeable batteries and charger.
Ø Small roll of duct tape – many uses. One is we tape our luggage tags on our cases of water, soda or whatever else we bring that we buy at the store before we go to port. Duct tape has many uses.
Ø Small spray bottle.. use this up by the pool to spray myself when it is hot
Ø Walkie Talkies- we always bring them, keep the volume low.. Traveling with large groups on a large ship we sometimes need to find someone. Or if you need to find your kids. Please note this can be disturbing to other travelers so we really keep the volume very low!
Ø Binoculars –
Ø Rum Runners –
Ø Hand sanitizers – small kind to put in pocket purse or clip on landyards
Ø Sports Bottles – We use these at the pool and around the ship for “special drinks”
Ø Snack Items We have cocktail parties in our cabins with our friends so we munch on snack or salty items. We buy these at the store before we go to the port.
o Ritz Crackers
o Cheese in Can
o Nuts
o Cookies
o Candy
o Plastic Glasses as the ones in the cabin are too small.
o Powdered Crystal Light – for our bottled water
Ø Small Rolling Ice Chest – We bring this to keep our drinks really cold in our room. The room attendant will fill it with ice daily for us. Got mine on ebay.
Ø Suitcase Scale – We bring one of those luggage weight scales to we can make sure we are within our weight limits as we fly.
v We bring lots of one dollar bills for tipping.
v We tie bright colored ribbon on our suitcases to help us identify them.
v Bungee Cord - Brought a bungee cord to secure a door that we wanted to keep open from banging. We once had all of our cabins next to each other and had the doors to the balconies opened up all the way. Our door kept banging.. so this helped it to stop.
They say that the cabins have hair dryers and robes in (some) them. AND get some water (aqua) shoes for going on shore, you will want them in the water. I think this is about all I have unless I forgot something. And I know that if you pack your clothes in dry cleaner bags that they will not wrinkle. Tips for packing: http://www.fodors.com/news/story_1449.html
Besides the copies of the passports I also call our credit card companies and give them the dates we will be traveling so they will not lock down our account thinking the card was stolen. If they tried to call us, we would not be home to answer the phone!! Sooooooo call your credit card companies and let them know.
Here is my packing list you can print....
Click here for Cruise Packing List.pdf
Here is my review...
http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=985034
and FINALLY....
Don't go on your cruise without hearing from the CRUISE DIVA... I find all my best stuff here!!!
On the web you search for "cruisediva dot com".
Ultimate Packing List for the Newbies....
in First Time Cruisers
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Yes the shoe organizer is just the best!! I am glad we could all help!!