The "MUST" pack on a cruise

I always pack a small duffle bag in my big suitcase in case I'm overweight at the airport. Saved me last trip. Then I just put my carry on bag in the duffle.

I'm always overweight at the air port, oh you meant the suit case:D:D JKA

BUT---they won't do it for anyone under 21...I tried to get them to punch holes in our kids cards and give us lanyards...and they wouldn't do it! We had the guest service desk punch holes in their cards...and then I went to the casino with MY already punched card and told them my lanyard broke, so they gave me a new one. Then I had my husband do the same later--to get a lanyard for our otherchild! WAY TOO MUCH WORK!! Next time we are bringing our own lanyards and hole punch...wasted too much time fooling around with this---AND the lanyards are so flimsy that we had 2 of them break during our 5 day cruise!

Weird. I walked into the casino on the first night with my kids and the guy punched holes w/o any issues. I've done this many times. Most times they won't give them the lanyard, but they will punch the holes. We bring our own lanyards anyway as the casino one's are flimsy.

This last trip I wound up with "splinters" from the ropes at the beach so tweezers were a life saver. A pin would have been really handy but I had cuticle nippers to break the skin over the infected splinters. Of course bandaids and bacitracin would have been wonderful if I remembered to pack them.

Quarters($6/load) and tide pods/purex sheets for laundry

Laundry bag to keep dirty clothes off the floor

European power adapter for other plug

Extra SD card

camera chargers

phone chargers

refillable water bottles

water shoes (you never know when there will be sea urchins)

Oh lord. I think I will be graduating to the land of using a binder to keep my stuff organized. I have tried fighting it but with our next cruise being a 7 day sailing and will be writing a review for that one as well, it only makes sense to keep a binder. :o I wonder how many eye-rolls I will get from DBF on this. :rolleyes:

 

I may just get some stickers on my lunch break and a notebook. Here we go! :p

I think this is a great idea. I'm sure my husband will think I'm crazy too, but he'll be happy when we don't have to search for certain documents. :D

I LOVE that device! Great for charging everything and easy to pack.

This. We picked up a cool Belkin travel surge protector for about $15 last year that has 3 outlets plus 2 USB ports for charging phones, iPad, our Kodak waterproof camera, etc. It worked out great.

Is it this one? I figure if you've already taken it on the ship I have a better chance of getting it on too rather than picking up any random one.

I have never had a balcony, but will have one this time. How come the door is so hard to stay open? Where do you buy this bungee chord?

I believe part of the reason the balcony door doesn't stay open is because it's not supposed to. I've heard that by keeping one open, the air conditioners in that section of cabins shut down, or do not function properly.

A small plastic waterproof zip pouch that you can put your Cruise Card, money, etc. and also attach a lanyard to it. Much easier to take off ship than a wallet. It also works great when in the water off the ship.

I like to bring an expired driver's license, for those resorts in port that require you to leave an I.D. to use their facilities for the day. If it gets lost/stolen, I don't have to worry about getting a duplicate driver's license when I get home.

We each bring a lanyard with a badge holder on it. We keep our S&S cards in it. Makes it so easy to show the soda sticker and to have quick access to the door "key." This cruise, we are definitely taking a travel game set, and some playing cards. It can get boring sometimes without something to do.

BATHING SUIT :D or not:eek:

Sunscreen with the highest SPF you can find! My family typically never burns but we were all bright red after our first port day at the beach even using SPF 30 and reapplying periodically! Next port we found some SPF 55 and it cost about double what we would've paid at home.

Flameless candles - wonderful for the balconey and the room.

Prevacid - too much rich food and alot of drinks!

Little bottle of Woolite to wash out bathing suits.

Lysol

This year -- towel clips for my beach towel!

what/when do you use collapsible cooler?

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Cameras.

Well at least with your $17 wrap you weren't breaking any laws.... In MANY ports it is ILLEGAL to bring meats, fruit and other unprocessed food into the country. So, be happy in the fact you're not a scoff-law.

 

 

 

I don't really have any clue. I know when I'm craving potato chips on board I just call room service and ask for a plate of them to be delivered if the dining venues are closed. I guess some people are just too lazy or shy to wander out to the buffet and grab something. :D

I bring my own snacks and bread. I have Celiac disease and can't eat a lot of things that either have gluten in them or may have gluten containing sauces / flavouring added. If I can't read the ingredient list I don't eat it.

The "extras" I bring besides the usual are:

Coffee press and my favorite coffee.

Bags to dispose of used coffee grounds.

We get hot water from the lido, and have coffee and breakfast on our balcony :)

what/when do you use collapsible cooler?

 

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We have it in our room to ice down beer/wine/champagne...whatever we want to keep chilled w/o using the mini fridge. We usually order beer from Bon Voyage before boarding then bring our soft side coller (folded flat in our luggage) and ask the steward to please keep it iced down all week (and tip him for his trouble).

Others use it to keep meds/milk/soda chilled.

It dries out and folds down flat for the trip home.

Flip flops, bathing suit, book and DH. Everything else I can buy if I forget it.

Oh and my travel alarm clock- no clocks in the room.

what/when do you use collapsible cooler?

 

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Entire cruise. The tiny ice bucket ice melts quickly. With the cooler I have ice 24 hours. If it condenses it will wet everything so I put it in the shower.

Several novels especially if you can find some about cruising. Atomic Lobster by Tim Dorsey was a good one. Zany characters throughout.

Camera battery.

I wear my lanyard and carry a hole punch. As soon as I get my card it gets punched and put in place for the duration. Make sure you don't punch the end that goes into the door!

Great suggestions everyone! I took notes all along my reading with the occasional good laught !;)

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Thought I would add this link just in case someone might find it useful.:)

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=48388&page=218

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Camera battery.

And the charger!

Several pairs of flip flops because I don't stand barefoot in the showers, or walk barefoot around the decks. Clorox wipes and a small can of Lysol spray, sunglasses (a must), and a note pad to write everything down about the trip so that when I get home I can write my review on Cruise Critics!