Little Known Cruise Essentials

[jennifer6800]

Hello All,

 

We are going on a cruise next month on the celebrity summit and we have three rooms booked with a total of seven people. All the rooms are outside oceanview, but not balconies. I want to put together a gift pack for each room with little known cruise essentials. The things that make your room or time onboard a little brighter, easier, more organized, or more fun. Thank you in advance for the help.

[Karen@Steve]

One of the things that might be nice to include, especially since the recent Costa cruise ship tragedy would be a small flashlight and a waterproof patch for essential documents. Just a thought.

[TLCOhio]

One of the things that might be nice to include, especially since the recent Costa cruise ship tragedy would be a small flashlight and a waterproof patch for essential documents. Just a thought.

 

The flashlight is a good suggestion. You probably won't have a Costa-style sinking, but for in the night when another is sleeping, that flashlight is good to find things, get to the bathroom, etc. Fortunately, on my iPhone, I have a flashlight app that I use every evening to take our dogs outside. Second, maybe not for a gift bag, but have an extension cord is smart to bring to plug in all of those re-chargeable items such as iPods, camera, computers, razors, etc. Also, some yellow sticky note pads to post reminders on the mirror, etc.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 57,832 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[bdette4]

One of the things that might be nice to include, especially since the recent Costa cruise ship tragedy would be a small flashlight and a waterproof patch for essential documents. Just a thought.

 

Love the flashlight idea, will have to bring one for my cruise next week.

 

You can always get extension cords at the dollar store so you aren't spending a lotyou can also get a travel mug for them. Makes it easier to do your coffee/tea in the morning (the ships mugs are always too small for this tea drinker) and great way to carry your beverage of choice. Also nice is a lanyard of some time to attach their sign and sail card to. My cousin gave me a gift bag at xmas with the lanyard, chapstick, sunblock and a small battery operated candle for our balcony.

[Tina0922]

Even though people might bring these, you may want small sizes of sun lotion, hand santitizers, & if couples are bringing their own wine on board maybe a cork screw opener. Forgot that one year and had to pay the corkage fee to enjoy it on my balcony... Maybe on onboard credit for a picture of the group too that you can make a small 'certificate' from home about it.

 

Tina

[techgirl502]

I took a night light on my last cruise and plugged it in behind the tv so there was enough light to see to get to the bathroom but not so much that it distracted us when sleeping.

[CrzN4Info]

The best advise I got was to bring a few large magnet clips for the wall since all cabin walls are made of steel. You can see from our last cruise how well they worked by looking at the photos on my link.

 

http://s1083.photobucket.com/albums/j390/familycruzin/Cabin%20Organizing%20Ideas/

 

We also got a few boxes from the Dollar Tree. They fold flat and were great to keep camera, cords, etc in.

 

Hope this helps.

:rolleyes:

[backyardponder]

Although probably not a gift idea, but the thing I always bring is my small alarm clock. The only clock in the room is on the phone and I can't see that when I wake up in the middle of the night.

[techgirl502]

I keep quart sized zip lock bags in my suitcase on all trips - cruise or land. They have come in handy in different ways.

[TLCOhio]

Lots of added, good suggestions. Here are a couple more ideas for your room:

 

1. We brought some 8x10 pictures of our new grandson and some masking tape to put them up on the walls of the cruise room. Made things more like home.

2. Earplugs. You might not be lucky with your neighbors, if they make too much noise, etc.

3. Slippers, Slip-on Shoes: For around your room, it might be carpeted, but it is good to have some light shoes for walking around in your room, etc. Cleaning those floors is not always done perfectly every time, things get missed.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 57,832 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[CathyCruises]

Duct tape serves a myriad of purposes!

[TLCOhio]

Duct tape serves a myriad of purposes!

 

YES!! Duct tape is super great to help insure that your curtains are more surely closed and your room is darker for your sleeping needs.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 57,832 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[nycmode]

I keep quart sized zip lock bags in my suitcase on all trips - cruise or land. They have come in handy in different ways.

 

Same here, we always bring a bunch. It's also a handy way to store things like chargers and other electronic gadgets.

 

Flashlights are handy too. We always bring a small one with us.

Edited January 19, 2012 by nycmode

[jsf]

X2 on the zip top bags, they are great for keeping things clean at the beach,also for bringing food with you and also to make mini coolers with a few ice cubes. I use them to store change in and throw it in my carry on, helps going through the airport scanners. Millions of other uses.

J.

[nycmode]

Here is something else that is very handy. We bring along a few of these Vapur plastic water pouches. They come in handy if you want to bring water with you to the beach or on shore excursions. What's great about these is they are environmentally friendly (no littering, or plastic garbage!) and can fold up easily once you're done with your drink.

 

[Wine-O]

I keep quart sized zip lock bags in my suitcase on all trips - cruise or land. They have come in handy in different ways.

 

We bring the "freezer" style ziplocks as they are more sturdy than some of the other storage bags.

[Cruiser 4 Life 66]

A powerstrip

Small flashlight

Small LED alarm clock

Maybe a nightlight too

[Sugar*Magnolia]

Here is something else that is very handy. We bring along a few of these Vapur plastic water pouches. They come in handy if you want to bring water with you to the beach or on shore excursions. What's great about these is they are environmentally friendly (no littering, or plastic garbage!) and can fold up easily once you're done with your drink.

 

Im going to investigate these! they look great, never saw them! thanks for posting

 

In quick response to flashlights...if you have a smart phone (DROID X, iPhone, etc.) you can download a FLASHLIGHT App...it is very very bright! you can find a front door keyhole in total darkness.

OP: I wouldnt necessarily call them "essentials", most would agree they are furthest from...but - The fun things I like to bring and If I were making guest bags I would put in...bath & Body works "stuff". Sometimes your cabin will have a musty smell, I love having a small Room Spray, and for us, what's better than your favorite scent of hand soap in your cabin bathroom? Being vigilant in hand washing, I prefer the hand soap I use at home. And, Mylanta chewables- because folks just sometimes eat more than usual! Or, chewable Pepto...And, ALOE- sunburns hurt...Put each item in a freezer quart or gallon ziploc, so they have those too! Oh so many ideas, so little time to type them all! LOL

 

Enjoy!

[nycmode]

Im going to investigate these! they look great, never saw them! thanks for posting

 

In quick response to flashlights...if you have a smart phone (DROID X, iPhone, etc.) you can download a FLASHLIGHT App...it is very very bright! you can find a front door keyhole in total darkness.

 

They are very useful! There are different kinds that vary in price ... We only tried the Vapur from a recommendation by others, but so far we've been satisfied!

 

You are right about the flashlight app ... I have one in my 4S. I did want to share one warning about those apps tho ... 1) They drain the battery like CRAZY! And 2) you just have to be careful b/c if you're careless or brain dead like me ... it's easy to accidentally leave it on. Once I turned it on but forgot to turn it off. I put it in my jacket and later on when I grabbed the phone it was burning hot lol! So just gotta be careful w/that .. but the app is very helpful! (Like how I found my wife's diamond earring after she dropped it on the floor ... I used the flashlight app!)

[emileg]

... The things that make your room or time onboard a little brighter ...or more fun. ...

Flowers brighten any cabin. Beautiful and reasonably priced arrangements can be ordered on the Promenade Deck for same day delivery. Keep them watered and they will last a full week.

[SusieV]

Honestly... I wouldn't use any of this stuff and it would just give me more junk in my cabin. There isn't a lot of storage space so I go for minimalism.

 

I think what you want to do is a nice idea, but perhaps nicer in theory than practice.

[MTL=CRUISEFAMILY]

The most practical item we bring is a foldable shoe bag, with space for 20 or so pockets

 

We put all our shoes, sandals etc in this over the door material shoe holder (from the dollar store)

 

We also throw any other item that can be kept off the floor, especially when you are four in the room.

 

Good Luck

[fleckle]

Honestly... I wouldn't use any of this stuff and it would just give me more junk in my cabin. There isn't a lot of storage space so I go for minimalism.

 

I think what you want to do is a nice idea, but perhaps nicer in theory than practice.

I was just thinking the exact same thing!

 

We find that the more cruises we take, the less stuff we bring along.

[Northern Aurora]

Thanks to Susie V and Fleckle. Sometimes I wonder if I'm in the minority, but I don't take anything on a cruise that I don't take on a land trip.

[Wolfie469]

Honestly... I wouldn't use any of this stuff and it would just give me more junk in my cabin. There isn't a lot of storage space so I go for minimalism.

 

I think what you want to do is a nice idea, but perhaps nicer in theory than practice.

 

Isn't that the truth?

 

Print out instructions on how your friends can turn off data roaming and cellular data for different mobile phones, especially if their iPhone automatically retrieves data (push).

 

Too expensive as a gift for all, but binoculars are quite handy. You'd be surprised how often you'll use them.

 

I take Pepcid, Imodium, Tucks and a personal bar of Dial soap. Check into seasickness medications if you have that problem.