What are those "Odd" things some of us would never think to bring?

[Suitcasefull]

Great idea! Have seen these at craft stores and even bought my last one in a bin at Office Depot! The flat packaging will fool you so ask a clerk for them.

[jdvmd]

I've had those toothbrush holders forever… Closes around the head, keeps it nearby. Don't have to waste counter space.

 

One thing I totally forgot about: a collapsible vase! The one I have weighs almost nothing (doesn't register on my scale), and flattens to the thickness of a few pieces of paper. I use it to keep fresh flowers in my cabins or rooms on vacation. Nothing like going through the marketplaces and finding some bright flowers and taking them back to the room!!! Do an internet search for "collapsible vase" and you'll find plenty of them.

Found them on clearance at our local Office Depot last week - nine cents each!!!!

[tnfcruise]

I always keep my toothbrush in an enclosed case.

 

No way would I want it on the mirror, or just sitting in a glass or by itself on the countertop.

When the stateroom host comes in to clean, and they're swiping that dirty rag all over the bathroom, or cleaning the mirror, I don't want my toothbrush anywhere within touching distance of that rag.

 

To each his/her own...my dentist told me once to not store my toothbrush in a case like you're describing. Dark and moist environment breeds germs. The ones I'm describing protect the head of the toothbrush and air through the cut-outs allow it to dry. I've used it on many, many trips and never once has the suction cup or toothbrush or holder been moved or removed by housekeeping. But, like I said--to each his own.

[NMLady]

I have heard of extension cords being confiscated at port; but power strips are generally fine.

 

Because my husband uses a CPAP he keeps an extension cord in the CPAP case.

We have never had it confiscated and have had to use it when the only outlet is far from the head of the bed.

 

We also always have a power strip with us as well. Sometimes that length is sufficient, but many times not. It comes in handy though when charging camera, iPad, etc.

[Renee84]

Small bottle Yankee Candle Bathroom

Spray.

[griffy116]

They almost look like a hair clip, but they are an antibacterial toothbrush holder/cover.

[griffy116]

On our first few cruises, we carried every item on the list of suggestions from everyone on the boards. I now find that people carry their own sheets, shower curtains, musical instruments, serving trays, vases, power strips, door decorations, and loads more. We have to fly to the ports and our last two cruises have been to Europe to board so we have gone the opposite direction and found that we LOVE packing lighter. I carry OTC meds and my prescription meds. I have the basic toiletries and carry an antiseptic toothbrush cover and a travel size can of Lysol spray and antiseptic wipes. I use zip-lock baggies to pack almost everything in and I carry a few extras from 2-1/2 gal (shoes and a complete outfit) to the snack size (jewelry). I use the ship's wash 'n fold service (RCCL) and I coordinate my outfits from a few neutral colors. One swimsuit and a t-shirt dress that can double as a cover or can be worn sightseeing. For our last 15 days away that included pre and post cruise stays in hotels, I had one checked bag and a carry on...and had formal wear packed (one pair of black slacks, two sparkly crushable tops, my casual black flats with a sparkly shoe clip). We also carry a plug-in that makes the outlet able to allow for 3 things plugged in instead of one. It's small enough to pack inside a shoe. Nothing goes if it can't serve double duty. There's no way I can't "rough it" with their sheets or go without covering a closet opening or use the tray under the ice bucket to bring something from a cafe to the room if room service can't deliver it for my time on the ship...but everyone is different. One of the reasons I love cruising is not having to pack and unpack, so the lighter the better for me.

[ducklite]

On our first few cruises, we carried every item on the list of suggestions from everyone on the boards. I now find that people carry their own sheets, shower curtains, musical instruments, serving trays, vases, power strips, door decorations, and loads more. We have to fly to the ports and our last two cruises have been to Europe to board so we have gone the opposite direction and found that we LOVE packing lighter. I carry OTC meds and my prescription meds. I have the basic toiletries and carry an antiseptic toothbrush cover and a travel size can of Lysol spray and antiseptic wipes. I use zip-lock baggies to pack almost everything in and I carry a few extras from 2-1/2 gal (shoes and a complete outfit) to the snack size (jewelry). I use the ship's wash 'n fold service (RCCL) and I coordinate my outfits from a few neutral colors. One swimsuit and a t-shirt dress that can double as a cover or can be worn sightseeing. For our last 15 days away that included pre and post cruise stays in hotels, I had one checked bag and a carry on...and had formal wear packed (one pair of black slacks, two sparkly crushable tops, my casual black flats with a sparkly shoe clip). We also carry a plug-in that makes the outlet able to allow for 3 things plugged in instead of one. It's small enough to pack inside a shoe. Nothing goes if it can't serve double duty. There's no way I can't "rough it" with their sheets or go without covering a closet opening or use the tray under the ice bucket to bring something from a cafe to the room if room service can't deliver it for my time on the ship...but everyone is different. One of the reasons I love cruising is not having to pack and unpack, so the lighter the better for me.

 

 

A woman after my own heart!

 

 

Autocorrect responsible for most typos...

[slidergirl]

I'm a light packer/one-bagger. 99% of the stuff here I don't/wouldn't take with me. Sheets, shower curtains, really????

Yes, I'm the vase person. That vase takes up virtually no space and adds no weight. It's nothing more than like adding 3 empty gallon zip-lock bags to the carryon. I find it fun to pick up some flowers at the local market and brighten up an otherwise bland room. I gave one to a friend who was an athlete who spent all winter traveling to events all over Europe - she liked being able to grab even a few flowers to put in her very cheap, basic pension rooms...

[ducklite]

I'm a light packer/one-bagger. 99% of the stuff here I don't/wouldn't take with me. Sheets, shower curtains, really????

 

Yes, I'm the vase person. That vase takes up virtually no space and adds no weight. It's nothing more than like adding 3 empty gallon zip-lock bags to the carryon. I find it fun to pick up some flowers at the local market and brighten up an otherwise bland room. I gave one to a friend who was an athlete who spent all winter traveling to events all over Europe - she liked being able to grab even a few flowers to put in her very cheap, basic pension rooms...

 

 

I agree about sheets and shower curtains. Geesh, if the sheets weren't to my liking I'd book a different cruise line that offered bedding that was. Most cruises I've been on had doors on the shower, so no idea why you'd pack a curtain.

 

I never knew there was such a thing as a collapsible vase. That's something I might consider at some point on a longer cruise or B2B on a line that didn't put an arrangement in our cabin to begin with. Thanks for the tip. :)

 

I am also a huge fan of Zip Lock bags and always keep a half dozen in varying sizes in my suitcase. On longer trips I'll typically take a dozen, and usually use at least half of them for one thing or another. They take no room and weigh nothing, I can't think of a single reason not to take those long.

 

 

Autocorrect responsible for most typos...

[hansolosmom]

I'm a light packer/one-bagger. 99% of the stuff here I don't/wouldn't take with me. Sheets, shower curtains, really????

Yes, I'm the vase person. That vase takes up virtually no space and adds no weight. It's nothing more than like adding 3 empty gallon zip-lock bags to the carryon. I find it fun to pick up some flowers at the local market and brighten up an otherwise bland room. I gave one to a friend who was an athlete who spent all winter traveling to events all over Europe - she liked being able to grab even a few flowers to put in her very cheap, basic pension rooms...

 

I didn't think they let you bring flowers on-board. I always thought they were like fresh fruit/veg & were prohibited from being brought on the ship.

 

Are you talking about bringing them on a ship or do you mean you do it if you're hotel-zing it in Europe?

[Laurie S.]

You can bring flowers on to the ship, but you can't take them off the ship.

[Lerin]

Ya'll don't need to pack hangers...simply ask your steward for more:p

We always pack child-sized hangers. Ships never have them. But agree that bringing adult hangers is a waste.

[ducklite]

I didn't think they let you bring flowers on-board. I always thought they were like fresh fruit/veg & were prohibited from being brought on the ship.

 

 

 

Are you talking about bringing them on a ship or do you mean you do it if you're hotel-zing it in Europe?

 

 

I've had flowers in my cabin on board provided by a local florist before we left port several times.

 

Bringing things on the ship isn't the problem. Taking them off at the end of the cruise is where you run I to difficulties.

 

 

Autocorrect responsible for most typos...

[donaldsc]

You can bring flowers on to the ship, but you can't take them off the ship.

 

That makes no sense at all. The same thing applies to foodstuff that you bring back onto the ship.

 

1)You bring the flowers on board.

2)There are bugs on the flowers.

3)The bugs jump to something else.

4)You carry the something else off the ship.

5)The bugs jump to something on land.

6)A new location is infected by a foreign bug.

 

Not a problem w alcohol as these packages are sealed. Solution - bring back booze, not flowers or food.

 

DON

[hansolosmom]

I've had flowers in my cabin on board provided by a local florist before we left port several times.

 

Bringing things on the ship isn't the problem. Taking them off at the end of the cruise is where you run I ..

 

This I can understand because the flowers would be 'checked' as in they're from a florist so the chance of them having bugs would be lower than if I pick some up on a street corner.

 

That makes no sense at all. The same thing applies to foodstuff that you bring back onto the ship.

 

1)You bring the flowers on board.

2)There are bugs on the flowers.

3)The bugs jump to something else.

4)You carry the something else off the ship.

5)The bugs jump to something on land.

6)A new location is infected by a foreign bug.

 

Not a problem w alcohol as these packages are sealed. Solution - bring back booze, not flowers or food.

 

DON

 

Exactly my thoughts with the bugs and bringing anything non-sealed onboard

 

I guess I should stop asking questions, I don't want to hijack the thread

Edited December 29, 2013 by hansolosmom

[ducklite]

This I can understand because the flowers would be 'checked' as in they're from a florist so the chance of them having bugs would be lower than if I pick some up on a street corner.

 

 

 

Exactly my thoughts with the bugs and bringing anything non-sealed onboard

 

I guess I should stop asking questions, I don't want to hijack the thread

 

 

The ship doesn't check for "bugs" and the ag inspectors only check what comes off, not what goes on.

 

 

Autocorrect responsible for most typos...

[papcx]

bring back booze, not flowers or food.

 

DON

 

That's the kind of thinking I can get behind!

[Lily5083]

My sisters new must-have item is bringing her own bar of soap for the washroom. When on the Royal Princess this summer the bars of soap in the staterooms were scented, which was an issue since she's sensitive to scents. We had never even considered that when packing! Definitely something to consider if you are sensitive or allergic to scents as well.

[ducklite]

My sisters new must-have item is bringing her own bar of soap for the washroom. When on the Royal Princess this summer the bars of soap in the staterooms were scented, which was an issue since she's sensitive to scents. We had never even considered that when packing! Definitely something to consider if you are sensitive or allergic to scents as well.

 

 

I can understand bringing a favored brand of soap, shampoo, etc., particularly if you have allergies. My husband brings his own soap for the shower simply because he prefers it, although uses what the ship provides for hand washing.

 

A bar lasts three weeks and takes up minimal space. Bringing along sheets would add another suitcase!

 

 

Autocorrect responsible for most typos...

Edited December 30, 2013 by ducklite

[donaldsc]

Got a new one that I will bet nobody has thought of. Go to your outdoor supply store and buy kayak dry bags to put your electronics and photo equipment in just in case the overhead pipes burst. There is a recent post on the Princess board about this problem of cabin flooding on the Ruby Princess.

 

DON

[slidergirl]

I didn't think they let you bring flowers on-board. I always thought they were like fresh fruit/veg & were prohibited from being brought on the ship.

 

Are you talking about bringing them on a ship or do you mean you do it if you're hotel-zing it in Europe?

 

Both. I've bought flowers in Vancouver for several cruises. I haven't done the Caribbean cruise thing, (coming next November) so I can't comment on them. I also brought some in Barcelona. The rest were "hotel-zing"…

Edited December 30, 2013 by slidergirl

[jdvmd]

Both. I've bought flowers in Vancouver for several cruises. I haven't done the Caribbean cruise thing, (coming next November) so I can't comment on them. I also brought some in Barcelona. The rest were "hotel-zing"…

We have done the same thing in Vancouver, Seattle (Pike's Peak Market), Europe and the Caribbean. You are allowed to bring them onboard.

[springer760]

I have seen a few people mention night lights. Ours is a motion sensor nightlight. It is great because it is a low light that stays on while getting ready for bed that goes out a minute or two after you lay down. Then it lights up as soon as you wake up and sit up, but not so bright that it disturbs anyone still sleeping.

[pbnjrockette]

I always bring a set of 3M Command hooks…the type that attach to walls or doors and are completely removable. As a "short" person, the hooks on the doors are usually too high and this allows me to have a reachable one for my towel or bathrobe. Also attaches to wall or closet doors.