Looking for a list of handy things to bring to make my cruise easier...

[Clarea]

Thanks, Bob. How ridiculous to take my two bottles of wine and not be able to open them myself. :eek:

Well, if you forget the corkscrew, the stateroom attendant can get one for you. They can also bring wine glasses, but we usually just ask for some glasses at a bar.

[jakesmom04]

I bring 2 pant hangers...each one holds 5 pr but I usually double up and can hang 10 pr on each hanger. One for the DH and one for me. Saves lots of hanging space. I don't take the e-reader, instead I take a paperback and leave it behind for the library.

[Nado44]

These are great ideas and not just for the OCD contingent. I always procrastinate and underplan so having list(s) like these are super helpful. (and especially on the day before leaving for the cruise!) :eek:

 

Does anyone have any interesting spreadsheet or template files they use to aid in planning? Would love to see them. Thanks!

[Jenjer]

Most of my Faves are already listed

 

Luggage scale. For some reason everything weighs more on the way home . :)

 

We use a pop up hamper and just put the whole thing in a suitcase to go home. Easy packing. :D

[uscgwife]

I am super organized as well, I wrote down so many great ideas before our first cruise. A couple that immediately come to mind;

 

Clothes pins - if you have a balcony you can clothes pin bsuits/toels etc to your chair and they won't blow away.

 

Reusable Water Bottle - I bought at the $store and are BPA free. Great for taking ship water on excursions and because they are from $store not a big deal if i have bought too much and have to leave behind:). Also have used for OJ which is free at breakfast, I have filled and taken back to the room for later.

 

Travel Clock - Cell phones change based on time zone not they don't stay on ships time.

 

Extra Coat Hangers- I always over pack :o

 

Travel Size Toiltetries- I save the shampoo etc from hotels and they use when travelling, saves packing big bottles etc.

 

Just a few off the top of my head. I am sure there will be lots more:)

:)

 

If you happen to have this magical list still around I would love to take a peek at it. I love making lists and more list.

 

One of our favorites: http://www.belkin.com/us/p/P-BZ103050-TVL

 

 

I just popped over to Amazon and scored this baby for $14.09 no tax and free shipping with prime. Thanks a ton. This will be so much easier than having to bring a large power strip with giant cord.

 

I appreciate everyones ideas and hope that even more are posted.

 

I am interested in learning more about the magnet over sensor to keep the air running... will I be able to find this sensor?

 

Thanks again!:)

[True Texan]

Use this all the time. The 2 USB ports save much space when charging iPhones or Kindles.

 

Have taken our Belkin on 6 cruises now and love it.

[AeroBaldness]

:)

 

I am interested in learning more about the magnet over sensor to keep the air running... will I be able to find this sensor?

 

Thanks again!:)

 

You may want to disregard my post on this. I could not recall where I heard the idea so I Googled it up and, while I got it to work, it appears folks do not take kindly to those that figure it out.

[Clarea]

Have taken our Belkin on 6 cruises now and love it.

I also forgot to mention that the AC part of the plug rotates, so you can move it around if needed. Some of the outlets on the ship are right next to the phone, so it's been helpful to be able to rotate the plug 180 degrees.

[sayok]

Lots of great ideas here, many are on my regular "don't forget" list... a few others that I can think of: small $$ bills (for tips), Lysol/Clorox wet wipes, swim goggles for the kids. On my recent cruise I decided to leave the aloe at home -- of course, three of us ended up getting sunburned in Jamaica and I had to spend $14 for a bottle of aloe from the gift shop... so aloe goes back on my list! Also, instead of lanyards, we use small clip-on retractable badge holders for our Sea Pass cards; I went to Guest Services and had them punch 3 holes side-by-side, and that was enough for the plastic tab to fit through -- I just clipped it on the waistband of whatever I was wearing, it never seemed in the way, it was easy enough to remove when needed, and it didn't look dorky ;)

 

Oh, and be sure to bring a light sweater or wrap -- it can get chilly on deck or even in the venues (dining room, theater) with A/C -- and if you have longish hair a ponytail holder or hair clip are great to have on hand as it gets very windy on deck.

[racnwdow]

We bring itty bitty little magnets (but any will work). We stick any important tickets or info (ice show tickets, C&A Reception announcement, etc) on the wall right inside the door so that we can see it as we come and go. Makes for easier checking and less likely to miss anything.

 

My husband teases me that I am anal, but next time I am taking slips of paper that say the names of the week. If it is monday the sheet on that wall will say Monday. I found myself constantly trying to figure out what day of the week it really was when we were checking the tickets and invites. And I was too lazy to walk out and check the elevator or go looking for the Compass.

[racnwdow]

Someone had mentioned a high lighter for marking the compass. We bring two different colors. One for me and one for DH. Easier to tell who wants what and when you both agree.

[CruiseWookiee]

One of the surprises out of all the neat items we brought on our last cruise was a battery operated "tap on" light. My wife left one on the nightstand and it was great to use as a flashlight for any middle of the night trips to the bathroom etc. It's easy to recognize by feel, turn on and it brightens up your entire path as you carry it around instead of just a narrow flashlight beam.

 

We also brought cheap magnetic clips (dollar store) to hang up the Compass or any other notes or handouts that are important. Otherwise it always seems like there is a mess of papers lying around and you can't find the one you want.

 

Clothespins, or even better, heavier duty clips like you use on potato chip bags, for hanging stuff to dry on the balcony chairs.

 

For emergency stuff, in addition to a flashlight, I bring one of those LED headlamps. You can wear it on your forehead or hang it around your neck to guide you and keep your hands free to fend off pirates.

 

I wouldn't buy one of these just for this purpose, but I do have a light microfiber windbreaker in high visibility yellow that I wear biking. I brought it because; it's a great little jacket, weighs nothing, takes up no room and if there was an emergency I figured that I would put it on so that it would be harder for my wife and I to get separated. She would just have to look for the giant yellow highway cone walking around. We had a cold windy sea day on our last cruise and I wore that jacket. OK maybe it wasn't exactly stylish, and I got a couple stares, but I was comfortable.

[over the edge]

One of our favorites: http://www.belkin.com/us/p/P-BZ103050-TVL

 

 

Thank you so much for posting. We just returned from the Adventure and boy, could we have used this!!!

[crusinpsychRN]

Collapsable cooler.

 

Water jug with strap for excursion.

[amrosk]

I second the extra SD cards. You might not fill one up, but if you were to lose your camera you would lose the whole week's photos. I swap line out every day or two just in case.

I also bring a small notebook. We will write in things we want to do before we leave, then use the notebook t take notes of important activities, details, names, etc.

A well stocked med/first aid kit is also great--no one wants to visit the ship doctor for a minor ailment.

Hand sanitizer/hand wipes for when a sink isn't available.

Comfortable walking shoes.

Bug spray.

[Traveler63]

Removable stick on hooks! Great for the bathrobes, towels, wet bathing suits. We put them on the back of the bathroom door. Comes right off when it's time to pack up and head home.

[uscgwife]

I have started a spreadsheet with the items from this thread. As more items are suggested I will add them. Once we get a good list I will post!:)

[Libra Lynn]

small $$ bills (for tips),

wet wipes,

and always a small flashlight.

 

Some great ideas here.

Thank you Guys !

[helen haywood]

Make sure you take some OTC meds for a cold or sore throat, cough, etc. If you have to buy that stuff on board or in port you would not believe the mark-up....but when you are sick and you've got to have it..... And if you have the medicine then that will guarantee you won't get sick!

[racnwdow]

Dog biscuits to feed fish. They don't disinegrate in water super quick and the fish love them.

 

Add to your emergency kit-glasses repair kit

[MAHA]

If you are trying to conserve on space, I found a travel alarm clock from Brookstone that has a flashlight on the bottom. You can set how you want the light to work. Great for those trips to the bathroom in the dark. It can also light up the bathroom enough to not turn on the big light in the middle of the night.

I agree about bringing your own sunblock as it is very costly onboard and there is not much varieties.

Ditto about extra hangers as there are never enough in the closet.

 

Mary anne

[bplazo]

Go to Bed Bath and Beyond and get a suction cup toothebrush holder for the mirror in the bathroom. Also drawer sachets to put in your luggage so that everything keeps smelling fresh.

 

I always hide the toothbrush. Just never know.

[WetToes]

We don't hide our toothbrushes, but we do use the plastic containers (Dollar Tree 3/$1.). We use those for travel and in the bathroom.

[Guest maddycat]

I always hide the toothbrush. Just never know.

 

I ask the cabin attendant for extra drinking glasses. Put them in the cabinet in the bathroom with toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc. standing up in the glasses. Everything is out of sight and still handy.

[KPLIONMA]

Thanks for all the great ideas..one thing that was not mentioned was a small sewing kit. The zipper on one of my suitcase pockets came apart, so I just grabbed the kit and sewed it together. Good enough to get me home. :)