Princess Secrets they Don't Tell You

[Smokeyham]

Good to know. I'll try to google it

 

Just went on their website. 3 in 1 still shows as a product

 

Amazon is still listing the product on their site.

[labatsman]

Was at Cosco yesterday and they were giving away free samples of Tides new 3 in 1 product.Lucky for us we are set for the cruise.

[twocats]

Great stuff - BTW post 1163 is on page 59. (if you hover mouse pointer over page number it list post numbers for that page)

 

Don't mean to step on your toes but I found Posts 1162/63 great but on

Page # 39

Good stuff here!

[IECalCruiser]

Don't mean to step on your toes but I found Posts 1162/63 great but on

Page # 39

Good stuff here!

You can choose the number if posts to be displayed per page so you might both be right.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Utta]

Was at Cosco yesterday and they were giving away free samples of Tides new 3 in 1 product.Lucky for us we are set for the cruise.

I, too, bought some Tide Pods. Are they going to leak in my suitcase??

[Utta]

I, too, bought some Tide Pods. Are they going to leak in my suitcase??

[!David!]

You can choose the number if posts to be displayed per page so you might both be right.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I use 40 posts per page. So much easier for me.

[chamima]

I, too, bought some Tide Pods. Are they going to leak in my suitcase??

 

Double pack them in ziploc freezer bags. (Put in one bag and then put that bag in another bag.) Make sure to squeeze out all the air. So even if it leaks it won't make it out of the second bag!

We do this with all of our lotions and creams now that we can't carry them on. Invariably one thing leaks (into the first bag only) and it's always a differnet thing! :confused: :p :o

[Bippie]

Has anyone brought boxed wine on board (only to use in the cabin obviously)? It seems this would be the easiest to put in a suitcase.[/ do it all the time. Usually a 3L or 5L box. Several brands and types of wine are now available.

 

I found some very good boxed wines at Target thanks to Consumer Reports. These appear to be exclusive to Target. The Cab/Shiraz blend is now my everyday wine (doctor's orders!). If you use an iPhone, the Target app shows a small wine glass next to Target stores that sell wine. I don't know if Targets in Florida sell wine or not but you could check via the app or possibly Target's web site.

[Mad Jayhawk]

I am a simple (minded person) with simple tastes so I am not adverse to eating spaghetti and hamburgers while on a cruise no matter what I paid for it.

 

You can, if you are like me, order from the Kid's Menu. It does not have all the fancy things you find on the adult menu. I order spaghetti with ample meatballs at least once a cruise. Those screams you hear are from my DW. And you have to try the volcano dessert if they have it.

[frediver]

I don't trust zip loc bags filled with goo in my luggage, a better option might be one of the snap sided plastic sandwich boxes.

[MrYellowDuck]

I second the volcano - it's the best desert on the (kids) menu.

[litig8rij]

Greetings y'all --

 

Although I am disabled and homebound with congestive heart failure among other maladies, it STILL took me seven, count 'em SEVEN, days to read all 71 pages of secrets, tips, tipping-feuds, suggestions, complaints and "thread redirects!" :D Since I have gleaned an invaluable "Princess-education," I wanted to give something back, share my "secrets" or just plain cruise tips, and hope that someone may find one or more "cut-and-paste worthy," interesting enough to include on their next cruise "things to do/things to bring" list. ENJOY:

 

--I am booked to sail on the Crown for Christmas 2012 & I have already taken my family on a Christmas cruise. As before, I am bringing a 3 foot Chrstmas tree (already boxed, I just make/add a handle for carrying purposes, available at Amazon.com, Hobby Lobby or Garden Ridge for less than $20) because I have 2 DS's -- who will be 14 & 11 -- and Christmas is their favorite holiday. I bring their stockings (our last cruise I told my younger DS that "Santa would land on the balcony!") and bring their stocking stuffers/presents under my delicates where no Y-chromosome in my family DARE look! :p I also bring 4 of the favorite ornaments of each DS, my DH and myself as well as a new one for each family member. It still makes Christmas morning special.

 

--My family is used to our home smelling a certain way because I use "scented oil warmers" throughout. So, to bring a little home onto the waves, I bring a scented oil warmer and plug into my power stirp which I stand on its side. Upon entering our cabin, the warm vanilla scent immediately makes our mini-suite "home."

 

--I buy a plastic shoe holder (the kind with pockets that hangs from the bathroom door) to put all of our personal paraphernalia (combs, brushes, deoderant, etc.) and keep the bathroom organized and prevent things from slipping all over the place if we hit bumpy waters (one of our cruises was during the Christmas 2004 typhoon in Asia & our whole ship was a-rocking even though we were 1/2 a world away in the Gulf! -- it was nice not to have everything slipping and a sliding all over the place). I even keep my mini-hair dryer, curling and flat irons in it once they have cooled (I still wrap each in a hand towel in case there's the least bit residual heat, tho).

 

--If you think you want to try a specialty dining room for dinner one night, but don't want to miss out on your regular dining experience (we truly enjoy dressing up -- the boys and their dad wear matching suits/shirts/ties & tuxes on formal nights & I get to pull out dresses I NEVER get to wear since I'm stuck at home -- hence, we do late traditional dining so we don't have to rush back from our excursions, try to get two boys bathed and dressed in time), consider doing it the first night on the ship. There is nothing too special in the MDR -- we did Sabitini's the first night & my boys & DH were just amazed at the amount and quality of the food. It was a fun and simple way to include something special during the cruise.

 

--We did the Ultimate Balcony Lobster Dinner on our final night on the Crown & IT WAS AMAZING! Once again, we weighed our options -- neither the DH nor I are into baked alaska -- and sent the DS's to the kiddy room...believe me, the kids, with their pizza and their new "best buds" didn't miss us & DH and I had one of the most romantic nights of our 21 year marriage ;)...but we did stop into the MDR beforehand to give our waiter & staff extra tip that night and to say goodbye.

 

--Even if you do not buy internet minutes, I suggest bringing a laptop/netbook if you have one. We downloaded our pics each night onto my laptop which was a GREAT thing for our camera fried and we lost everything on our card :eek:...fortunately, we only lost a few unique pictures for we had already saved everything after each excursion and our formal nights. Plus, the kids (who were young at the time) could watch one of their DVD's each night on my laptop before going to sleep as a way to unwind from the excitement of the day.

 

--We've bought a collapsible ice chest for keeping our personal drinks cold. It's on wheels, so it simplifies bringing our drinks onto the ship and easy to maneuver onto our balcony when we sit out there to admire the moon dancing upon the water; it's lightweight and therefore easy for bringing canned drinks and water on beach excursions; and, since it's collapsible, when we are not using it, we just dump the ice into the tub and shove under the bed so it takes us no additional cabin space. We got ours at Walmart.

 

--Don't know if one can still do this due to the changing of times that various venues are open; nonetheless, on our last Princess cruise, I would wake up one DS in the middle of the night for a "late date" with momma. We'd sneak out of the cabin at 3 a.m. for an ice cream sundae. It's a treat that you would never do at home; plus, it makes for a great memory.

 

--Finally, just as a traveling rule-of-thumb, if we become good friends with someone -- usually as a result of "pre-meeting" them here at CC and already "knowing" them by the time our cruise rolls around --, we get the name & address of either their parents or children. Email addresses and cell phone numbers change, people move; however, because of this rule, folks who have had things happen between the sending of Holiday and Birthday cards can still be found easily...I give my "uncle-daddy's" address (my parents passed when I was young). I can't tell you how many people have contacted him, asking for "Uncle Charlie," looking for me. My Unc just passes the message along to me & BAM! It's like old times again. Thus, we are still close to the folks with whom we shared a dinner table during our very first cruise over a decade ago. Not for everyone...just an idea that has worked well for us.

 

If you don't do special things during your cruise, you might as well be in a hotel on land! :rolleyes: ENJOY THE MOMENT FOR WE ARE NOT PROMISED TOMORROW!

 

TTFN (or, "Ta-Ta-For-Now" for those who don't speak "Winnie-the-Pooh") --

[mr green]

Greetings y'all --

 

Although I am disabled and homebound with congestive heart failure among other maladies, it STILL took me seven, count 'em SEVEN, days to read all 71 pages of secrets, tips, tipping-feuds, suggestions, complaints and "thread redirects!" :D Since I have gleaned an invaluable "Princess-education," I wanted to give something back, share my "secrets" or just plain cruise tips, and hope that someone may find one or more "cut-and-paste worthy," interesting enough to include on their next cruise "things to do/things to bring" list. ENJOY:

 

--I am booked to sail on the Crown for Christmas 2012 & I have already taken my family on a Christmas cruise. As before, I am bringing a 3 foot Chrstmas tree (already boxed, I just make/add a handle for carrying purposes, available at Amazon.com, Hobby Lobby or Garden Ridge for less than $20) because I have 2 DS's -- who will be 14 & 11 -- and Christmas is their favorite holiday. I bring their stockings (our last cruise I told my younger DS that "Santa would land on the balcony!") and bring their stocking stuffers/presents under my delicates where no Y-chromosome in my family DARE look! :p I also bring 4 of the favorite ornaments of each DS, my DH and myself as well as a new one for each family member. It still makes Christmas morning special.

 

--My family is used to our home smelling a certain way because I use "scented oil warmers" throughout. So, to bring a little home onto the waves, I bring a scented oil warmer and plug into my power stirp which I stand on its side. Upon entering our cabin, the warm vanilla scent immediately makes our mini-suite "home."

 

--I buy a plastic shoe holder (the kind with pockets that hangs from the bathroom door) to put all of our personal paraphernalia (combs, brushes, deoderant, etc.) and keep the bathroom organized and prevent things from slipping all over the place if we hit bumpy waters (one of our cruises was during the Christmas 2004 typhoon in Asia & our whole ship was a-rocking even though we were 1/2 a world away in the Gulf! -- it was nice not to have everything slipping and a sliding all over the place). I even keep my mini-hair dryer, curling and flat irons in it once they have cooled (I still wrap each in a hand towel in case there's the least bit residual heat, tho).

 

--If you think you want to try a specialty dining room for dinner one night, but don't want to miss out on your regular dining experience (we truly enjoy dressing up -- the boys and their dad wear matching suits/shirts/ties & tuxes on formal nights & I get to pull out dresses I NEVER get to wear since I'm stuck at home -- hence, we do late traditional dining so we don't have to rush back from our excursions, try to get two boys bathed and dressed in time), consider doing it the first night on the ship. There is nothing too special in the MDR -- we did Sabitini's the first night & my boys & DH were just amazed at the amount and quality of the food. It was a fun and simple way to include something special during the cruise.

 

--We did the Ultimate Balcony Lobster Dinner on our final night on the Crown & IT WAS AMAZING! Once again, we weighed our options -- neither the DH nor I are into baked alaska -- and sent the DS's to the kiddy room...believe me, the kids, with their pizza and their new "best buds" didn't miss us & DH and I had one of the most romantic nights of our 21 year marriage ;)...but we did stop into the MDR beforehand to give our waiter & staff extra tip that night and to say goodbye.

 

--Even if you do not buy internet minutes, I suggest bringing a laptop/netbook if you have one. We downloaded our pics each night onto my laptop which was a GREAT thing for our camera fried and we lost everything on our card :eek:...fortunately, we only lost a few unique pictures for we had already saved everything after each excursion and our formal nights. Plus, the kids (who were young at the time) could watch one of their DVD's each night on my laptop before going to sleep as a way to unwind from the excitement of the day.

 

--We've bought a collapsible ice chest for keeping our personal drinks cold. It's on wheels, so it simplifies bringing our drinks onto the ship and easy to maneuver onto our balcony when we sit out there to admire the moon dancing upon the water; it's lightweight and therefore easy for bringing canned drinks and water on beach excursions; and, since it's collapsible, when we are not using it, we just dump the ice into the tub and shove under the bed so it takes us no additional cabin space. We got ours at Walmart.

 

--Don't know if one can still do this due to the changing of times that various venues are open; nonetheless, on our last Princess cruise, I would wake up one DS in the middle of the night for a "late date" with momma. We'd sneak out of the cabin at 3 a.m. for an ice cream sundae. It's a treat that you would never do at home; plus, it makes for a great memory.

 

--Finally, just as a traveling rule-of-thumb, if we become good friends with someone -- usually as a result of "pre-meeting" them here at CC and already "knowing" them by the time our cruise rolls around --, we get the name & address of either their parents or children. Email addresses and cell phone numbers change, people move; however, because of this rule, folks who have had things happen between the sending of Holiday and Birthday cards can still be found easily...I give my "uncle-daddy's" address (my parents passed when I was young). I can't tell you how many people have contacted him, asking for "Uncle Charlie," looking for me. My Unc just passes the message along to me & BAM! It's like old times again. Thus, we are still close to the folks with whom we shared a dinner table during our very first cruise over a decade ago. Not for everyone...just an idea that has worked well for us.

 

If you don't do special things during your cruise, you might as well be in a hotel on land! :rolleyes: ENJOY THE MOMENT FOR WE ARE NOT PROMISED TOMORROW!

 

TTFN (or, "Ta-Ta-For-Now" for those who don't speak "Winnie-the-Pooh") --

 

I tried to read your entry, but I gave up. I found red on white, in small print too difficult to read.

 

john

[butternut1]

Greetings y'all --

 

Although I am disabled and homebound with congestive heart failure among other maladies, it STILL took me seven, count 'em SEVEN, days to read all 71 pages of secrets, tips, tipping-feuds, suggestions, complaints and "thread redirects!" :D Since I have gleaned an invaluable "Princess-education," I wanted to give something back, share my "secrets" or just plain cruise tips, and hope that someone may find one or more "cut-and-paste worthy," interesting enough to include on their next cruise "things to do/things to bring" list. ENJOY:

 

--I am booked to sail on the Crown for Christmas 2012 & I have already taken my family on a Christmas cruise. As before, I am bringing a 3 foot Chrstmas tree (already boxed, I just make/add a handle for carrying purposes, available at Amazon.com, Hobby Lobby or Garden Ridge for less than $20) because I have 2 DS's -- who will be 14 & 11 -- and Christmas is their favorite holiday. I bring their stockings (our last cruise I told my younger DS that "Santa would land on the balcony!") and bring their stocking stuffers/presents under my delicates where no Y-chromosome in my family DARE look! :p I also bring 4 of the favorite ornaments of each DS, my DH and myself as well as a new one for each family member. It still makes Christmas morning special.

 

--My family is used to our home smelling a certain way because I use "scented oil warmers" throughout. So, to bring a little home onto the waves, I bring a scented oil warmer and plug into my power stirp which I stand on its side. Upon entering our cabin, the warm vanilla scent immediately makes our mini-suite "home."

 

--I buy a plastic shoe holder (the kind with pockets that hangs from the bathroom door) to put all of our personal paraphernalia (combs, brushes, deoderant, etc.) and keep the bathroom organized and prevent things from slipping all over the place if we hit bumpy waters (one of our cruises was during the Christmas 2004 typhoon in Asia & our whole ship was a-rocking even though we were 1/2 a world away in the Gulf! -- it was nice not to have everything slipping and a sliding all over the place). I even keep my mini-hair dryer, curling and flat irons in it once they have cooled (I still wrap each in a hand towel in case there's the least bit residual heat, tho).

 

--If you think you want to try a specialty dining room for dinner one night, but don't want to miss out on your regular dining experience (we truly enjoy dressing up -- the boys and their dad wear matching suits/shirts/ties & tuxes on formal nights & I get to pull out dresses I NEVER get to wear since I'm stuck at home -- hence, we do late traditional dining so we don't have to rush back from our excursions, try to get two boys bathed and dressed in time), consider doing it the first night on the ship. There is nothing too special in the MDR -- we did Sabitini's the first night & my boys & DH were just amazed at the amount and quality of the food. It was a fun and simple way to include something special during the cruise.

 

--We did the Ultimate Balcony Lobster Dinner on our final night on the Crown & IT WAS AMAZING! Once again, we weighed our options -- neither the DH nor I are into baked alaska -- and sent the DS's to the kiddy room...believe me, the kids, with their pizza and their new "best buds" didn't miss us & DH and I had one of the most romantic nights of our 21 year marriage ;)...but we did stop into the MDR beforehand to give our waiter & staff extra tip that night and to say goodbye.

 

--Even if you do not buy internet minutes, I suggest bringing a laptop/netbook if you have one. We downloaded our pics each night onto my laptop which was a GREAT thing for our camera fried and we lost everything on our card :eek:...fortunately, we only lost a few unique pictures for we had already saved everything after each excursion and our formal nights. Plus, the kids (who were young at the time) could watch one of their DVD's each night on my laptop before going to sleep as a way to unwind from the excitement of the day.

 

--We've bought a collapsible ice chest for keeping our personal drinks cold. It's on wheels, so it simplifies bringing our drinks onto the ship and easy to maneuver onto our balcony when we sit out there to admire the moon dancing upon the water; it's lightweight and therefore easy for bringing canned drinks and water on beach excursions; and, since it's collapsible, when we are not using it, we just dump the ice into the tub and shove under the bed so it takes us no additional cabin space. We got ours at Walmart.

 

--Don't know if one can still do this due to the changing of times that various venues are open; nonetheless, on our last Princess cruise, I would wake up one DS in the middle of the night for a "late date" with momma. We'd sneak out of the cabin at 3 a.m. for an ice cream sundae. It's a treat that you would never do at home; plus, it makes for a great memory.

 

--Finally, just as a traveling rule-of-thumb, if we become good friends with someone -- usually as a result of "pre-meeting" them here at CC and already "knowing" them by the time our cruise rolls around --, we get the name & address of either their parents or children. Email addresses and cell phone numbers change, people move; however, because of this rule, folks who have had things happen between the sending of Holiday and Birthday cards can still be found easily...I give my "uncle-daddy's" address (my parents passed when I was young). I can't tell you how many people have contacted him, asking for "Uncle Charlie," looking for me. My Unc just passes the message along to me & BAM! It's like old times again. Thus, we are still close to the folks with whom we shared a dinner table during our very first cruise over a decade ago. Not for everyone...just an idea that has worked well for us.

 

If you don't do special things during your cruise, you might as well be in a hotel on land! :rolleyes: ENJOY THE MOMENT FOR WE ARE NOT PROMISED TOMORROW!

 

TTFN (or, "Ta-Ta-For-Now" for those who don't speak "Winnie-the-Pooh") --

 

I could read your post just fine and I personally THANK YOU very much for all of the great tips/suggestions. By the way I also speak Winnie the Pooh so TTFN. lol

[litig8rij]

Greetings y'all --

 

Although I am disabled and homebound with congestive heart failure among other maladies, it STILL took me seven, count 'em SEVEN, days to read all 71 pages of secrets, tips, tipping-feuds, suggestions, complaints and "thread redirects!" :D Since I have gleaned an invaluable "Princess-education," I wanted to give something back, share my "secrets" or just plain cruise tips, and hope that someone may find one or more "cut-and-paste worthy," interesting enough to include on their next cruise "things to do/things to bring" list. ENJOY:

 

--I am booked to sail on the Crown for Christmas 2012 & I have already taken my family on a Christmas cruise. As before, I am bringing a 3 foot Chrstmas tree (already boxed, I just make/add a handle for carrying purposes, available at Amazon.com, Hobby Lobby or Garden Ridge for less than $20) because I have 2 DS's -- who will be 14 & 11 -- and Christmas is their favorite holiday. I bring their stockings (our last cruise I told my younger DS that "Santa would land on the balcony!") and bring their stocking stuffers/presents under my delicates where no Y-chromosome in my family DARE look! :p I also bring 4 of the favorite ornaments of each DS, my DH and myself as well as a new one for each family member. It still makes Christmas morning special.

 

--My family is used to our home smelling a certain way because I use "scented oil warmers" throughout. So, to bring a little home onto the waves, I bring a scented oil warmer and plug into my power stirp which I stand on its side. Upon entering our cabin, the warm vanilla scent immediately makes our mini-suite "home."

 

--I buy a plastic shoe holder (the kind with pockets that hangs from the bathroom door) to put all of our personal paraphernalia (combs, brushes, deoderant, etc.) and keep the bathroom organized and prevent things from slipping all over the place if we hit bumpy waters (one of our cruises was during the Christmas 2004 typhoon in Asia & our whole ship was a-rocking even though we were 1/2 a world away in the Gulf! -- it was nice not to have everything slipping and a sliding all over the place). I even keep my mini-hair dryer, curling and flat irons in it once they have cooled (I still wrap each in a hand towel in case there's the least bit residual heat, tho).

 

--If you think you want to try a specialty dining room for dinner one night, but don't want to miss out on your regular dining experience (we truly enjoy dressing up -- the boys and their dad wear matching suits/shirts/ties & tuxes on formal nights & I get to pull out dresses I NEVER get to wear since I'm stuck at home -- hence, we do late traditional dining so we don't have to rush back from our excursions, try to get two boys bathed and dressed in time), consider doing it the first night on the ship. There is nothing too special in the MDR -- we did Sabitini's the first night & my boys & DH were just amazed at the amount and quality of the food. It was a fun and simple way to include something special during the cruise.

 

--We did the Ultimate Balcony Lobster Dinner on our final night on the Crown & IT WAS AMAZING! Once again, we weighed our options -- neither the DH nor I are into baked alaska -- and sent the DS's to the kiddy room...believe me, the kids, with their pizza and their new "best buds" didn't miss us & DH and I had one of the most romantic nights of our 21 year marriage ;)...but we did stop into the MDR beforehand to give our waiter & staff extra tip that night and to say goodbye.

 

--Even if you do not buy internet minutes, I suggest bringing a laptop/netbook if you have one. We downloaded our pics each night onto my laptop which was a GREAT thing for our camera fried and we lost everything on our card :eek:...fortunately, we only lost a few unique pictures for we had already saved everything after each excursion and our formal nights. Plus, the kids (who were young at the time) could watch one of their DVD's each night on my laptop before going to sleep as a way to unwind from the excitement of the day.

 

--We've bought a collapsible ice chest for keeping our personal drinks cold. It's on wheels, so it simplifies bringing our drinks onto the ship and easy to maneuver onto our balcony when we sit out there to admire the moon dancing upon the water; it's lightweight and therefore easy for bringing canned drinks and water on beach excursions; and, since it's collapsible, when we are not using it, we just dump the ice into the tub and shove under the bed so it takes us no additional cabin space. We got ours at Walmart.

 

--Don't know if one can still do this due to the changing of times that various venues are open; nonetheless, on our last Princess cruise, I would wake up one DS in the middle of the night for a "late date" with momma. We'd sneak out of the cabin at 3 a.m. for an ice cream sundae. It's a treat that you would never do at home; plus, it makes for a great memory.

 

--Finally, just as a traveling rule-of-thumb, if we become good friends with someone -- usually as a result of "pre-meeting" them here at CC and already "knowing" them by the time our cruise rolls around --, we get the name & address of either their parents or children. Email addresses and cell phone numbers change, people move; however, because of this rule, folks who have had things happen between the sending of Holiday and Birthday cards can still be found easily...I give my "uncle-daddy's" address (my parents passed when I was young). I can't tell you how many people have contacted him, asking for "Uncle Charlie," looking for me. My Unc just passes the message along to me & BAM! It's like old times again. Thus, we are still close to the folks with whom we shared a dinner table during our very first cruise over a decade ago. Not for everyone...just an idea that has worked well for us.

 

If you don't do special things during your cruise, you might as well be in a hotel on land! :rolleyes: ENJOY THE MOMENT FOR WE ARE NOT PROMISED TOMORROW!

 

TTFN (or, "Ta-Ta-For-Now" for those who don't speak "Winnie-the-Pooh") --

[sheerfun]

For the laundry, we use Purex 3 in 1 sheets. there is soap as well as fabric softener in them. It saves packing or buying laundry detergent. The sheets pack really well. They are a bit thicker than a fabric softener sheet.

It's good to know Princess still carries self-laundry machines unlike others who have since discontinued. Are they on every floor? Thanks.

[paddingtonbear]

I tried to read your entry, but I gave up. I found red on white, in small print too difficult to read.

 

john

 

You can always copy and paste a post into a work doc and make the printing as large as you want. :)

[mrspaper]

It's good to know Princess still carries self-laundry machines unlike others who have since discontinued. Are they on every floor? Thanks.

They do have self serve laundry and irons on every deck. sometimes in the front, sometimes toward the aft

[mrspaper]

Greetings y'all --

 

Although I am disabled and homebound with congestive heart failure among other maladies, it STILL took me seven, count 'em SEVEN, days to read all 71 pages of secrets, tips, tipping-feuds, suggestions, complaints and "thread redirects!" :D Since I have gleaned an invaluable "Princess-education," I wanted to give something back, share my "secrets" or just plain cruise tips, and hope that someone may find one or more "cut-and-paste worthy," interesting enough to include on their next cruise "things to do/things to bring" list. ENJOY:

 

") --

A good 2 cents worth

thanks

[frediver]

Or in the message rt. click and select all, that will give you better contrast.

[mr green]

Greetings y'all --

 

Although I am disabled and homebound with congestive heart failure among other maladies, it STILL took me seven, count 'em SEVEN, days to read all 71 pages of secrets, tips, tipping-feuds, suggestions, complaints and "thread redirects!" Since I have gleaned an invaluable "Princess-education," I wanted to give something back, share my "secrets" or just plain cruise tips, and hope that someone may find one or more "cut-and-paste worthy," interesting enough to include on their next cruise "things to do/things to bring" list. ENJOY:

 

--I am booked to sail on the Crown for Christmas 2012 & I have already taken my family on a Christmas cruise. As before, I am bringing a 3 foot Chrstmas tree (already boxed, I just make/add a handle for carrying purposes, available at Amazon.com, Hobby Lobby or Garden Ridge for less than $20) because I have 2 DS's -- who will be 14 & 11 -- and Christmas is their favorite holiday. I bring their stockings (our last cruise I told my younger DS that "Santa would land on the balcony!") and bring their stocking stuffers/presents under my delicates where no Y-chromosome in my family DARE look! :p I also bring 4 of the favorite ornaments of each DS, my DH and myself as well as a new one for each family member. It still makes Christmas morning special.

 

--My family is used to our home smelling a certain way because I use "scented oil warmers" throughout. So, to bring a little home onto the waves, I bring a scented oil warmer and plug into my power stirp which I stand on its side. Upon entering our cabin, the warm vanilla scent immediately makes our mini-suite "home."

 

--I buy a plastic shoe holder (the kind with pockets that hangs from the bathroom door) to put all of our personal paraphernalia (combs, brushes, deoderant, etc.) and keep the bathroom organized and prevent things from slipping all over the place if we hit bumpy waters (one of our cruises was during the Christmas 2004 typhoon in Asia & our whole ship was a-rocking even though we were 1/2 a world away in the Gulf! -- it was nice not to have everything slipping and a sliding all over the place). I even keep my mini-hair dryer, curling and flat irons in it once they have cooled (I still wrap each in a hand towel in case there's the least bit residual heat, tho).

 

--If you think you want to try a specialty dining room for dinner one night, but don't want to miss out on your regular dining experience (we truly enjoy dressing up -- the boys and their dad wear matching suits/shirts/ties & tuxes on formal nights & I get to pull out dresses I NEVER get to wear since I'm stuck at home -- hence, we do late traditional dining so we don't have to rush back from our excursions, try to get two boys bathed and dressed in time), consider doing it the first night on the ship. There is nothing too special in the MDR -- we did Sabitini's the first night & my boys & DH were just amazed at the amount and quality of the food. It was a fun and simple way to include something special during the cruise.

 

--We did the Ultimate Balcony Lobster Dinner on our final night on the Crown & IT WAS AMAZING! Once again, we weighed our options -- neither the DH nor I are into baked alaska -- and sent the DS's to the kiddy room...believe me, the kids, with their pizza and their new "best buds" didn't miss us & DH and I had one of the most romantic nights of our 21 year marriage ;)...but we did stop into the MDR beforehand to give our waiter & staff extra tip that night and to say goodbye.

 

--Even if you do not buy internet minutes, I suggest bringing a laptop/netbook if you have one. We downloaded our pics each night onto my laptop which was a GREAT thing for our camera fried and we lost everything on our card :eek:...fortunately, we only lost a few unique pictures for we had already saved everything after each excursion and our formal nights. Plus, the kids (who were young at the time) could watch one of their DVD's each night on my laptop before going to sleep as a way to unwind from the excitement of the day.

 

--We've bought a collapsible ice chest for keeping our personal drinks cold. It's on wheels, so it simplifies bringing our drinks onto the ship and easy to maneuver onto our balcony when we sit out there to admire the moon dancing upon the water; it's lightweight and therefore easy for bringing canned drinks and water on beach excursions; and, since it's collapsible, when we are not using it, we just dump the ice into the tub and shove under the bed so it takes us no additional cabin space. We got ours at Walmart.

 

--Don't know if one can still do this due to the changing of times that various venues are open; nonetheless, on our last Princess cruise, I would wake up one DS in the middle of the night for a "late date" with momma. We'd sneak out of the cabin at 3 a.m. for an ice cream sundae. It's a treat that you would never do at home; plus, it makes for a great memory.

 

--Finally, just as a traveling rule-of-thumb, if we become good friends with someone -- usually as a result of "pre-meeting" them here at CC and already "knowing" them by the time our cruise rolls around --, we get the name & address of either their parents or children. Email addresses and cell phone numbers change, people move; however, because of this rule, folks who have had things happen between the sending of Holiday and Birthday cards can still be found easily...I give my "uncle-daddy's" address (my parents passed when I was young). I can't tell you how many people have contacted him, asking for "Uncle Charlie," looking for me. My Unc just passes the message along to me & BAM! It's like old times again. Thus, we are still close to the folks with whom we shared a dinner table during our very first cruise over a decade ago. Not for everyone...just an idea that has worked well for us.

 

If you don't do special things during your cruise, you might as well be in a hotel on land! :rolleyes: ENJOY THE MOMENT FOR WE ARE NOT PROMISED TOMORROW!

 

TTFN (or, "Ta-Ta-For-Now" for those who don't speak "Winnie-the-Pooh") --

 

Thank you, that's much better!:);)

 

john

[angelofjoy23]

Greetings y'all --

 

--Don't know if one can still do this due to the changing of times that various venues are open; nonetheless, on our last Princess cruise, I would wake up one DS in the middle of the night for a "late date" with momma. We'd sneak out of the cabin at 3 a.m. for an ice cream sundae. It's a treat that you would never do at home; plus, it makes for a great memory.

 

Thanks for all the tips! I loved the one above!! How special for you and your son! I bet he will always have those wonderful memories! I definitely want to try that some day with our sons!

[atlred]

Hey y'all! I have read through every single post, and I appreciate most (not the hateful ones) of your comments! I have learned so many things!

I still have a few questions. I know that some of them don't involve "secrets", but you guys seem to know the answers!

1.) Can I make reservations for anytime dining? For instance, if I would like to eat at 7, can I make a reservation and expect to eat at that time?

2.) What is considered a carry-on? How many carry on items can you have?

3.) Has anyone here had personal experience with carrying alcohol onto a ship in Vancouver? I have heard a lot about FL and Australia, but nothing about Vancouver. I was thinking I would pack a box of wine in my packed bag and bring 2 bottles of champagne in my carry on's for my room.

4.) Am I just silly, but why wouldn't people just bring on a deck of playing cards? They are less than a dollar and fit into any purse,pocket, or suitcase.

 

Thank you so much for all your information! You guys rock :)

Dev

[DonahCBrown]

Dont they have potted orchids on the ship and they are in soil?

Orchids are epiphytes that don't require soil - most are grown in bark, rock, or other non-soil growing media.