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I have it! Definitely doesn't hold as much as individual packing cubes. What I do like is that it has straps so it can hang over a closet rod. Which means you can see the contents vertically.

It fits perfectly into the bottom of my Le Sportsac medium weekender. As I am an admitted over packed it comes on most longer trips. If I'm doing something pre-cruise hotel the clothes for that stay and one cocktail dress go in the Ru-me. I then can leave my regular cubes in the checked bag and not have to touch them.

It won't ever be my sole packing tool.

Have done the Disney park wristband thing. For the second trip I made a watch attachment because it was way too heavy to wear with my watch. I usually wrist coil my cruise cards so I can wear it on my wrist pool side. But most nights for dinner it's in my wristlet.

Was on Holland America's Koningsdam over the summer, the doors are RFID to open, but everything else was still a swipe. I think we'll be with Sail & Sign cards for a while. If a brand new ship is only using it for room doors, you know they're not retrofitting 4 lines worth of ships. :)

"Rum at 10am makes a pirate . . . Not an alcoholic"

It's a mimosa at breakfast for me. And if it's a lounging sea day and I've already hit the gym, I'm having an Amerretto or Tequila Sunrise instead.

I use Dermablend, my legs are just too uneven for me to be comfortable. For me it works best when I mix it with baby lotion, and then let it sit for about 5 minutes before I get dressed.

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I know this thread is OLD...but this was, by far, the most entertaining (LOL entertaining) thread I've read. Made my Monday a little bit bearable!:D:D

Ditto. And I want the reading message boards for a cruise line job.

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JFK if you don't mind public transportation. Air train and then the LIRR. It's a minimal cab ride from Penn Station. (Though without luggage you could probably walk it quicker.)

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Delsey if you just want a garment bag. It has pockets to cram other stuff into. However, my Ricardo suitcases all have a suiter compartment. The folded stuff goes in the main compartment, all the dress clothes on hangers in the smaller one.

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Not sure about Clarins. From a girl who's had to run and get cosmetics on 2 of her last 3 cruises 😢, the price is the same as US list prices. You save the tax, but in my case you don't get rewards points.

It's not the full lines either, I tend to prefer Estee Lauder's double wear light for warmer weather. It's a basic but I've never seen it on ship. Forget eyeshadow, and you are limited to only about 3 quads from each brand.

That being said, I've always managed to find what I needed urgently and another thing or 2. 😀

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I've done Chile via land not cruise. My favorite vacation by far.

Can't say anything about South Excursions, but I know Grayline in Santiago did offer a Vina del Mar and Valparaiso transfer package. I booked a bunch of tours down there with them. I just felt a lot more comfortable using a North American based company as a solo female traveler. I did do everything once I got to Santiago. The exchange rate beyond worked in my favor. 😃

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I'm on the July 31st sailing, the downloaded brochure had some but not a lot. Plan is to at least get an idea and book the must dos.

Have a feeling at least with Oslo we'll be finding something in port or going independent.

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A week before everything folded starts going into a collapsible hamper and the hanging stuff moves to the front of the closet. I can usually get everything in packing cubes and the suitcase in under an hour the night before I leave.

My toiletry bag gets refilled when I get home from every trip. The makeup goes in that morning, no one needs to see my bare face that early.😉.

I actually bought a grid-it board a few years ago, a camera charger, both a 220 and a 110 usb chargers, and all the cables permanently stay on it. It goes right back into its same spot every time I'm home. I never seemed to remember all the right paraphernalia, the $40 or so on all the duplicates was just money well spent.

I beyond over packed for Alaska. I mean brought home 3 evening outfits unworn over packed!

Even my dress shoes I could've swapped out for the ballet flats I usually wear on the plane. When it came to sneakers I brought 2 pairs--really would've been fine with only one.

Jeans can worn more than once, most days I did a pair with a tee and one of the 3 cardigans I bought. I have a light weight Eddie Bauer anorak which integrates with a fleece vest, that combination was perfect.

I also had the 80 degree day which for me was just a short sleeve shirt, jeans, and flip flops. The one thing I under packed was yoga pants and a day pack. I only had one pair of yoga pants, definitely should've packed 2 for sea days. The land sea tour said one bag with you and 1 to move. I ended up with a small tote bag purchased en route--I never really wanted a backpack but needed something bigger than my wallet bag when off ship.

Full size suitcases were in passenger car the last few times I was on Amtrak. You just have to get it on and off yourself. With the all of 4 minute stop at Penn it can be a challenge. But Penn to the Pier is actually walkable, maybe not with luggage though.

And $35 a day is a bargain in NYC! I've paid that for 4 hours.

I actually find because it's a matifying it gives the CC cream a dry base so it doesn't slide off.

Great ideas, even if it's an old thread. Using some to scrap book my next cruise. A set list means I'll actually get one finished.

The last 2 cruises I did Physician's Formula CC cream over Benefit's Porefection. It kept me from dripping not too much. I then did a BB powder with spf for touch ups during the day.

I'm at my dermatologist regularly for psoriasis issues. She even only sees me bare faced for my annual skin check. I'm that much of a self conscious diva.

I was back in the gym 8 weeks after my ankle ORIF with just a brace on. I did a week in Disney World at 5 months with only icing it one night.

I would not hesitate at all on the cruise. Transport chairs are not expensive at all, it can be worth it. Having been there done that and knowing a second surgery is coming. Knee walkers are the way to go. Independence with a place to carry things.

So much easier just to order it for the $2.99. It's in room and you don't have to haul it through embarkation. I did it once and then went to packing a Britta bottle. Now it's in cabin when I get there.

Am sure that there are other ice rinks that are bigger / cheaper but the Rockefeller one is iconic from the movies so we will go for that.

Bryant Park has a rink also, plus an awesome Holiday market. It's only a few blocks from Rockefeller center. Definitely do the Holiday Windows. And if you haven't been up, Top of the Rock.

As a NYer I would not attempt it, traffic in can be disastrous around JFK. What time would flight get in?

Plus you just don't know what CBP will be like. I had a flight land from South America, I was clear of immigration in about 10 minutes--but I was one of 12 U.S. citizens on the flight.

Next flight was an overnight from Van Couver after an Alaskan cruise, using the kiosk it took over an hour to clear.

Domestic flight 2 weeks ago, it was almost 45 minutes to get my bag.

Another one with the same issue. My flight's domestic but Carnival has no home port excursions yet.

It might be a Luggage Express cruise for me.

Picture was provided above, but thought I'd add the rationale.

 

People use a binder clip to fasten onto the bottom of the shower curtain (on ships that have a curtain instead of a shower door) so that it is weighted down. Otherwise, as the warm air rises inside the shower, the curtain gets "sucked in" and sticks to your nekkid body.

I also use them to attach my towel to my pool chair. Makes me know I have a towel to stay sitting on.

Didn't see it upthread, but I always have a 220v European usb charger. At least on Carnival and Holland America it gives me an extra plug to charge out of.

We've never brought sodas onboard...but we only drink maybe 2 cans between the 2 of us on a weeklong cruise.....

 

If flying, unless you have a rental car, it's too much trouble!

This. I just work it into the cruise budget. At one point I was extremely brand loyal to Diet Pepsi, I see how miserable people seem haulIng a 12 pack through embarkation.

Now if I'm on Carnival I order water and a 6 pack of Diet Coke through Bon Voyage. Yes it's more than bringing my own, but it's in the cabin when I get there. If it's not a Cheers cruise I get a wine package. It's one less thing to worry about.

Off the Conquest this morning on a trip with non drinkers, so it was a non Cheers trip. Margaritas at Blue Iguana were $10.14 after the gratuity. The daily specials worked out to be $9.14.

On the Cheers v. Out of Pocket debate. I averaged 4 drinks a day and we split a MDR wine package. When it all added up, Cheers would've only cost me only about $15 more over course of cruise. So we know what I'm opting for from now on if it's practical.

19 days on board, with another 16 planned. It's split over 2 lines. Slowly working up to Plantium status.

Retirement goal or lottery win goal is a World Cruise. Which means I better start on building the HAL loyalty level.