Toiletries

[chels08]

On our first few RCCL cruises I took my shampoo and conditioner. I used the "mystery pooditioner" a couple of times and it wasn't so bad. I don't take my own any more. I can put up with pooditioner for a week. As far as the hair dryer goes, I have thin hair and it doesn't take mine long to dry so I use the one supplied. The only thing that I don't like is that you have to hold the button down for it to operate. If you have to use it for very long it might get tiring on the thumb. Again, I have no problem with it and don't carry my own anymore.

 

I think it all depends on your hair type. I found the above bolded portion of the drying process to be a complete PITA as well as the fact that mine would lose power and I would have to let it regroup until I could finish blow drying my hair. It ended up being a bit of a task, and took time, but it got the job done.

[ricew001]

For our recent departure out of San Juan, we went to CVS and picked up a few forgotten toiletries. We've decided in the future we will not pack toiletries but will wait until we get to the port and buy our toiletries there! We think that's easier.

But we will definitely bring our own hair dryer....

[waterbug123]

I used the "mystery pooditioner" a couple of times and it wasn't so bad. I don't take my own any more. I can put up with pooditioner for a week.

 

But I see from your picture that you have short hair. I have yet to hear from anyone who has LONG hair, especially if color treated, who can use the "mystery pooditioner." It just does not have enough conditioner in it to work. If I use it by itself, I absolutely cannot get a comb (and I use a very wide toothed comb) through my hair afterward. I HAVE to take/use separate conditioner.

[leeselee]

I will be sailing on Serenade of the Seas this summer. It will be my first Royal Caribbean cruise. What toiletries, if any, are provided in the cabins? I imagine it will be just like a hotel room which usually provides shampoo, conditioner, soap and lotion. But I just want to make sure. Also do they restock these items throughout the cruise?

 

Oh and are there blow dryers in the cabin?

 

Thanks! Your answers will assist me with my packing. :)

 

I bring my own shampoo, conditioner and sink soap wherever I go, no matter what class of hotel I am in. Us ladies are very fussy what products we use on our hair and an "all in one" shower gel, shampoo and conditioner does not appeal in the slightest!

 

My husband usually uses whatever myself and my daughter uses.

 

We weighed our shampoo and conditioner at 1kg which is a lot when we can only travel with 23 kgs each, but it was worth it!

 

My daughter has waist length hair and on the Brilliance last year she found the hairdryer to be sufficient. I would not take your own. We did find that as the hairdryers are a little basic compared to the super duper ones we have at home, we did have a go with our straighteners after drying.

[readytogo2]

We will bring our leftovers from our Princess cruise...my wife loves their products, they sell it in their Spa but every cabin gets lotion, shampoo and conditioner

[Sugar*Magnolia]

We bring our own toiletries.

 

I have always toted my own hair blower as well. Last cruise, my hair blower died and I had to use the one in the draw. I admit, vacation or not, I want my hair to look the way I want it to look...:p I have thick, color treated hair, long and straight and I was surprised to find that the 'draw blower' provided actually worked quite well on my thick hair.

 

We're going on Oasis in a couple weeks and I am toying with the idea of NOT packing my blower. It is very heavy, if I take it, I'll just put it in my carry on.

[whyrlygig]

I always bring my own sample sized products but not a hair dryer. I have thick, waist length, curly hair and I make do with what is provided. If I am in the Caribbean, my hair is gonna look "beachy" no matter what I do.

[lisaatric]

Dizzlepop: Was there a lounge chair on your balcony?

[griffy116]

If you have color-treated hair, you don't want to use the toiletries in any hotel or any cruise line. I hate bar soap, so I use the shampoo/conditioner as a shower gel and it works fine for that. I haven't had a problem with the hair dryer. My daughter insists on brining her own. I'm sure this doesn't help any as even with 2 women, we each have a different impression of the dryers and never agree on toiletries. Sorry.

[travelpeon]

If you have a pre-cruise stay, you might be able to snag toiletries from there.

 

If you also want specific brands or items, hotel chatter actually has lists of what brands are at which chains:

http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/Hotel%20Toiletries

http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/9/10/16824/4734/hotels/HotelChatter_s_Guide_to_Toiletries_The_Big_Players

 

The Cambria Suites chain has Bath and Body Works, Hiltons have a custom Peter Thomas Roth line, and the W has Bliss (with facewash!).

 

Wall mounts are a great way to go green. If only they were stocked with nicer quality stuff!

 

BTW, extra clarifying shampoo works pretty well to clean a bathtub. Just add some baking soda, cheap shampoo, and elbow grease. That's what I do with the travel shampoo that does not agree with my hair.

[Sequim88]

I (like most guys) am fine with the mystery stuff. Wife, NOT! We too buy at port city and leave leftovers on ship. We jettison a LOT of stuff at end of cruise.

 

Note on the dryers... They only work at vanity desk. Plug only fits special recepticle. One advantage for bringing is aside from hair drying you can plug in bathroom and de-fog the steamed up mirror. The bathrooms are so small and have no ventilation the mirror always fogs up from the shower. Makes me miss my ClearMirror at home. There's a version for cruise ships, too bad RCI won't try them. Maybe Project Sunshine?