The "MUST" pack on a cruise

[mrsd912]

• A blank gift card or any blank card with magnetic strip. (used for the safe in the room)

 

Why would you need this, I thought your Sign and Sail card was used for the safe? Not trying to be a jerk, just a first timer who's honestly curious.

[blindhrtd]

This was someone else's idea that was posted on these boards once so i cant take credit for it.

 

We take a 1 inch binder with plastic pages. The plastic pages are divided into sections such as Air travel, boarding passes, other confirmation numbers like parking and hotels or excursion tickets etc.

 

The remaining plastic pages are for copies of the daily fun times.

 

This binder stays with me in my carry on and makes it easy to get out airline info, rental car, and hotel info during out trip.

 

On the cover of the binder (where you can slip something under the plastic) i print out a picture of the ship and out Itinerary. Makes a good book to use after the cruise if you like to make a scrap book of your trip.

 

So glad to know I am not the only one who does this!! My hubby thought I was crazy until we actually went on our first cruise with this and it helped so much being organized.

 

We leave Saturday on the Dream and this time around I have a plastic accordion-type folder. It is great! My IL's and my kids are coming on this trip to, so I am the planner for all of us. So nice to be organized!

 

***One other thing I bring is info on possible alternative ports. This will be our 4th cruise and every cruise before we have had a port change. This info has come in very handy when everyone else is standing around trying to decide what they should do.

[Gemynii]

• A blank gift card or any blank card with magnetic strip. (used for the safe in the room)

 

Why would you need this, I thought your Sign and Sail card was used for the safe? Not trying to be a jerk, just a first timer who's honestly curious.

 

Because if you used your S&S card for the safe, it would be possible for Carnival employees to get into the safe easily. After all, they program your S&S card with the information... what's to stop them from making a duplicate. A blank card or gift card has information on the strip they do not have access to. Better to be safe than sorry.

[theavonb]

Because if you used your S&S card for the safe, it would be possible for Carnival employees to get into the safe easily. After all, they program your S&S card with the information... what's to stop them from making a duplicate. A blank card or gift card has information on the strip they do not have access to. Better to be safe than sorry.

 

Does anyone know if this is what you need for the Dream safes?

[sandys57]

They have Generic conditoners in cabins

 

12 cruises and I've never had conditioner in my cabain. You lucked out~

[sandys57]

just off the Victory and I saw some shipmates at one of the beaches eating fruit and other items they packed in tupperware that they filled at the buffet that morning...meanwhile we were sharing a $17.00 wrap:eek:

 

never thought of it but its light and you can put stuff inside of it, not a bad idea for next cruise!

 

I've never thought of that either. Good idea~

[sandys57]

Must pack:

sense of humor

sense of adventure

laid back attitude

a big smile

lost of dollar bills for tips

 

Must not pack:

worries about anything-especially work

judgemental attitude

nitpickiness

an ugly frown

 

I love your reply!

Edited June 30, 2012 by sandys57

[Cruisin'Allie]

I use a plastic accordion folder too. It has about 10 slots and a legal pad as well as a few card slots.

 

I also use a coil keychain to keep my S&S card around my wrist. Had casino lanyard on first cruise and it annoyed me.

[peepaw]

• A blank gift card or any blank card with magnetic strip. (used for the safe in the room)

 

Why would you need this, I thought your Sign and Sail card was used for the safe? Not trying to be a jerk, just a first timer who's honestly curious.

 

I have found that the card reader on the safes will sometimes mess with the strip on the card used. I had one that would not work after I got back and never took a chance afterwards.

[l2luv2cruise]

Does anyone know if this is what you need for the Dream safes?

 

The safes on the Dream use a combination, not a card.

[theavonb]

The safes on the Dream use a combination, not a card.

 

Thankyou...

[catwmn]

The best thing to pack is a sense of humor/common sense. As for clothes, put it all on the bed, divide in half and take half of one pile... will be plenty!

 

So True and you still won't wear everything!

[sweetcurves]

I'm thinking about packing bathing suits only. And maybe one pair of shorts and one dress.

 

*kidding*

 

I'm a terrible over-packer.

[bzpilot]

What To Bring:

 

 

• Over The Door Shoe Holder: ($14.97) - Recommended with 3+ people in one cabin. Use it to organize your bathroom stuff, sunblock, sunglasses, cameras, shoes, etc.
  
• 3 Outlet Mini Surge Protector with USB Ports: ($17.97) - There are limited outlets in the cabin. Usually only one US 110V and one European 220V outlet. Surge protection is a good idea onboard too.
  
• Highlighter so you can highlight the interesting things to do in the Carnival Fun Times.
  
• Hot/Cold cup with a lid. To keep you from having to refill their little cups with lemonade, juice, coffee, and iced tea.
  
• Your prescriptions and Aspirin, ibuprofen, Band-Aids, sea sickness pills, Neosporin, and Pepto-Bismol, etc.
  
• Bungee cord - to hold open your balcony door (some balcony doors will remain open on their own)
  
• Magnet - to keep A/C running with balcony door open (only required for ships with this feature)
  
• Sunscreen and aloe vera (for those times you forget to put on the sunscreen)
  
• Bug repellant - recommended for some shore excursions
  
• Sunglasses
  
• Hat
  
• Cell phone and camera charger
  
• Extra batteries
  
• One dollar bills for tipping
  
• Extra bathing suit so you don't have to put on a wet suit
  
• Beach shoes
  
• Febreeze® it can get humid and it will keep your room and clothes fresh
  
• Downy wrinkle release
  
• Disposable water camera
  

...and about half the clothes you think you will need!

[Csnorrco]

we go to the casino as soon as it opens , they punch our sign and sail and give us a lanyard and its free

 

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!

[Csnorrco]

you could be like us and book a lido cabin right by the action ,its alittle more money but we never are hungry.Foods(and drinks) about 50 yards away at all times :)

 

....or they can just have some snacks in their room....who does that hurt???

[Anthomaniac]

Smart phones/iphones serve so many purposes such as clock, alarm clock, music, GPS, and with so many aps, I have a flashlight ap. What other aps would be helpful on a cruise?

 

 

I don't know about smartphone apps, but for the iPad:

white noise app

Dashboard (alarm clock app that dims e screen and stays active all night)

Shipmate - allows you to access deck maps and info about your ship...even while offline!

Kindle (duh)

Weather channel max

Edited July 1, 2012 by Anthomaniac

[Starfire_rules]

I also do the binder. But the pencil pouch is a great add on! I also make a door sign. Every cruise we get great feedback from the crew. The room stewards always know our names and room service always loves to check it out. Last cruise I think half the crew knew our room;)

 

 

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[pinkmaija]

I also do the binder. But the pencil pouch is a great add on! I also make a door sign. Every cruise we get great feedback from the crew. The room stewards always know our names and room service always loves to check it out. Last cruise I think half the crew knew our room;)

 

 

Sent from my iPod Touch using Tapatalk

 

What do you put on the sign? Do you have a pic? Thanks :)

[pinkdiamonddolly]

I keep my cruise stuff together, so it makes packing less of a pain, things that I always keep in there are

 

 

Baggie of assorted OTC medicine-cold, stomach, sunburn/w solarcaine, sinus etc...

Over the door show rack- a MUST!

power strip

portable Ipod speakers

flip flops (when I cruise off season they are impossible to find)

extra memory cards

rum runners

large thermal cups

fabreeze

downy wrinkle releaser

duct tape

a door stop

ones and fives-gotta tip

tampies-you never know

a sling bag or backpack for excursions

candy for the crew-who doesn't love a candybar

a small sewing kit

safety pins

a collapsible duffle-souvenirs (I print extra luggage tags too)

a folder (I use this for all the cruise docs then I save my fun times in them)

 

 

I am a huge overpacker, so I am never traveling light, but everyone knows where to go to get ANYTHING they may have left LOL. :D

[trizzou]

• A blank gift card or any blank card with magnetic strip. (used for the safe in the room)

 

Why would you need this, I thought your Sign and Sail card was used for the safe? Not trying to be a jerk, just a first timer who's honestly curious.

 

Some of the safes have a sticker on them saying to NOT use your sign and sail card... I also read in a thread here that if you did it would deactivate your sign and sail, I have no idea if that's true.

[catwmn]

I always pack a photocopy of my passport to take off ship and leave original locked in safe in cabin

[angel54321]

I always pack a photocopy of my passport to take off ship and leave original locked in safe in cabin

 

And that's sufficient to get on and off the ship???

 

 

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[bzpilot]

And that's sufficient to get on and off the ship???

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

A passport is not needed to get on and off the ship in some cases (since it is not required to board initially for some - depending on embarkation port, itinerary, passenger's nationality, etc.).

 

In those cases where it is not required to board initially some who still choose to bring it sometimes also make photocopies of it and carry while in port, leaving the original onboard. Photocopies are not a replacement and no official would ever recommend you try and use a photocopy. It may or may not benefit you in a pinch. Typically most local authorities in the port areas are familiar with the cruise lines and if necessary can have a cruise line staff member retrieve a passport from your cabin in an emergency, again no guarantees here.

 

I'm not really sure how the practice of carrying photocopies of passports started, but I've not personally heard of anyone benefiting from it. I think it's more a piece of mind thing for people who think they may lose it.

[ellen9974]

stool softner.......need I say more ;)