Seas_Please Posted September 12, 2013 #1 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Hi All, I'm a fairly new cruiser in case you can't tell. I've never sailed on an Oceania liner or been to Italy. I'm sailing from Rome to Venice on a seven day cruise in October. I'm also spending a few days in Rome pre-cruise and a few days in Venice post-cruise. Here's my question for the experienced cruisers and travelers: What one thing should I be sure to pack and bring with me that I may not think to bring? Thank you Seas Please Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pet Nit Noy Posted September 12, 2013 #2 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Hi All,I'm a fairly new cruiser in case you can't tell. I've never sailed on an Oceania liner or been to Italy. I'm sailing from Rome to Venice on a seven day cruise in October. I'm also spending a few days in Rome pre-cruise and a few days in Venice post-cruise. Here's my question for the experienced cruisers and travelers: What one thing should I be sure to pack and bring with me that I may not think to bring? Thank you Seas Please Adapter plugs. On Nautica, you'll find two plugs with American-style holes and two plugs with holes for two round pins. (The pin-style is used in Italy, but varies throughout Europe.) With all the electronic junk we bring with us (Kindle, MP3, camera, etc), the two US plugs may not be enough. Bring adapters with two round pins and perhaps a small power strip or triple cube tap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Caroldoll Posted September 12, 2013 #3 Share Posted September 12, 2013 sometimes comes in handy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawaiidan Posted September 12, 2013 #4 Share Posted September 12, 2013 A relaxed and flexable attitude to what ever comes your way.( Not available in stores);) The right attitude will do wondes to the worst of situations. Anything eles...well they have stores where ever you will be going. Dont over pack... you can get along with far less than you might think. In the beginning we would travel for 14 day cruise with 4 suitcases.... now for 30 day cruises we travel with only 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKS Posted September 12, 2013 #5 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Not for the cruise, but for travelling in Italy - an old style sink stopper (the flat kind that simply goes over the drain) can be used in either the sink or the tub. Many hotels in Italy don't have drainstops built in, and it's hard to do hand laundry in running water. Also a few pins to hold up hand washed laundry. Nautica has a clothes line in the shower, but you will need something to hold the hand washed stuff on the line. That can be clothes pins, safety pins, hair clips . . . multi-task! And since we're talking washing clothes, Nautica has a self-service laundry for use by passengers (or they will do it for you, for a price) which provides the soap, but if you want softener sheets, bring them. The nice thing about that is they are small, weigh nothing and leave everything in your suitcase smelling like fresh laundry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChatKat in Ca. Posted September 12, 2013 #6 Share Posted September 12, 2013 A flashlight or a night light is nice to have. Someone once said to bring a cheap over the door shoe bag. The pockets are nice for scarves, belts, etc in the closet; Or on the back of the bathroom door for toiletries. I have enjoyed it on a couple cruises. It's not a must have on all cruises. I have a folding popup hamper. It fits in the suitcase perfectly and is very handy. I wouldn't travel with out that. It makes a good laundry basket if you are doing laundry too. Dryer sheets if you are doing laundry. I use one of the multi outlet surge strips. I carry extra ziploc bags. They come in handy for an assortment of things Baby wipes are great to take. I use them to remove makeup, will clean a stain off clothes, and on excursions are really nice to clean up. Sometimes there are no towels or soap in the bathrooms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jertom Posted September 12, 2013 #7 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Binoculars ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seasoned Posted September 12, 2013 #8 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Clip magnets for specialty-restaurant reservation reminders, invitations, tour tickets, etc. All the doors and walls will hold magnets. I pack a few small neodymium magnets with hooks to hold hats, lightweight handbags and belts. A small amount of Handi-Tak or similar reusable adhesive to fasten calendars, maps and other paper information sheets to the wall or mirror. I also pack a few wire hangers, as the wood ones provided take up so much space. -Sukey- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seas_Please Posted September 12, 2013 Author #9 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Speaking of wash cloths, someone told me they don't use wash cloths in Italy or maybe it was all of Europe. Is that true? No wash cloths unless I bring my own? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChatKat in Ca. Posted September 13, 2013 #10 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Yes; No wash clothes in most of Europe. I bring my own bath puff/sponge. Also why I use Baby wipes to take off makeup. The ones by Costco are Tencel and you can rinse them to add soap/facial cleanser and they are eco friendly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPR Posted September 13, 2013 #11 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Small rolls of toilet paper, small package of moist wipes (or large with a couple in the smallest ziploc bag you can buy), and a small spray bottle of hand sanitizer. You never know... We found that a lightweight backpack (Rick Steves has one that is quite strong) is great for walking around and wonderful for avoiding airline overweight charges--it's a personal bag for the male passenger and you can put your heaviest items into it (like guidebooks and reading material, if you don't use a Kindle). Because airline food can be tasteless, I pack a few tiny Tabasco sauce bottles and some mustard packets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twocoasts Posted September 13, 2013 #12 Share Posted September 13, 2013 When going overseas, I buy a pack of baby washcloths for about $5 and use them since I've yet to find one anywhere in Europe. As they get dirty, I toss them--at $5 for a pack of 6, I can afford to! Second the ziplock bags. Pack a couple of gallon and a couple of quart. They come in handy for everything from dirty laundry to carrying snacks. Travel Charmin. Clorox wipes (that I use on the flights and well, anyplace that seems dirty. And moist wipes for hands. I also alway carry some printed reading material and a reading light. I'll pack a couple of magazines in my checked luggage to pull out in the middle of my trip when I'm longing to read in English. And, a good book. On a recent flight back to the US, the power at my business class seat went out. Only affected my row but the flight was full so no place to move. I was the ony person in our row who had a book. Everyone else had iPads or iPhones that dies a few hours into the flight. I wa so happy to have that book! Enjoy your trip. Italy is amazing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digtexas Posted September 13, 2013 #13 Share Posted September 13, 2013 We take a few small magnets to hold paper invitations, shore ex tickets, and other documents on the wall by the desk. It reduces the clutter on the desk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimandStan Posted September 13, 2013 #14 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Each of us brings a pop up hamper (one for whites,one for colors). Open, they fit beautifully into an Oceania closet, using two eliminates sorting, and having a designated place for dirties keeps the cabin SO much more presentable. There are limits to what one can reasonably put a Butler through... Priced below $6 on Amazon, and they weigh less than 7 ounces http://www.amazon.com/Bajer-Deisgn-Pop-Open-Laundry-Hamper/dp/B000MIREPO/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379041281&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=pup+up+hamper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jancruz Posted September 13, 2013 #15 Share Posted September 13, 2013 I print out a calendar with large squares to write in for the time I will be on board and use a magnet to hang it so I can write in tours, dinner dates, parties etc. Jancruz1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Knitter Posted September 13, 2013 #16 Share Posted September 13, 2013 I take some sheets of small bubble wrap and pack between clothes which keep the wrinkles out and then if I purchase something wonderful that might break, I can bubble wrap it for protection. Don't forget a small roll of packing tape, zip lock bags and post it notes. Great ideas from everyone. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moggyhill Posted September 13, 2013 #17 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Less is more. We both took just a carry on bag for 18 days. Clothes can be laundered, you are not so far away in Outer Mongolia that you can't stop by a local store or chemist if you really have missed anything. Don't overpack, no one really cares if you wear the same clothes (as long as they are clean and don't stink!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Knitter Posted September 13, 2013 #18 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Less is more. We both took just a carry on bag for 18 days. Clothes can be laundered, you are not so far away in Outer Mongolia that you can't stop by a local store or chemist if you really have missed anything. Don't overpack, no one really cares if you wear the same clothes (as long as they are clean and don't stink!) Wish I could pack in a carryon like you do but never will :). I bring what clothes and shoes I want to wear and do like the extra conveniences of strip outlets, etc. My carryon has my knitting so that would never work. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
findacruise Posted September 13, 2013 #19 Share Posted September 13, 2013 I never leave home without my Tidestick and the small packets of Shout. They both work wonders on those stains that seem to mysteriously appear - those little drops of pasta sauce on the front of my DH's shirt of a spot of red wine that escaped from a glass! I've even seen a little bit of melted chocolae that somehow missed my mouth! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orchestrapal Posted September 13, 2013 #20 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Less is more. We both took just a carry on bag for 18 days. Clothes can be laundered, you are not so far away in Outer Mongolia that you can't stop by a local store or chemist if you really have missed anything. Don't overpack, no one really cares if you wear the same clothes (as long as they are clean and don't stink!) We each always take 21" carry-on and 1 small bag with electronics. This works for a week or 6-10 weeks when there is no need for the dreaded formal. We've never been thrown out anywhere for wearing the same thing twice. Yes, we also bring Tide sticks and a large printout of shows and concerts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKS Posted September 13, 2013 #21 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Because airline food can be tasteless, I pack a few tiny Tabasco sauce bottles and some mustard packets. Love your suggestion. We live in Northern NM and the food is NEVER spicy enough. I'm going to buy some of those tiny Tabasco bottles for DH as a surprise for our next cruise! He loves it on his breakfast eggs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doubledobles Posted September 13, 2013 #22 Share Posted September 13, 2013 If you are a woman and have a puffy or boufant hairdo, bring a shower cap. The ones supplied by the ship are more for men then women. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ORV Posted September 13, 2013 #23 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Less is more. We both took just a carry on bag for 18 days. Clothes can be laundered, you are not so far away in Outer Mongolia that you can't stop by a local store or chemist if you really have missed anything. Don't overpack, no one really cares if you wear the same clothes (as long as they are clean and don't stink!) It's great that we all have choices. What's not so great is the light packers insinuating that everyone else should do it like them. If it works for you, more power to you. It doesn't for me. Actually there is someone that cares about wearing the same clothes, ME! Once or twice sure, 6 or 7 times in a 28 day trip, no. Sorry, off topic, but I think this thread was about what to bring, not what not to bring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isabelle315 Posted September 13, 2013 #24 Share Posted September 13, 2013 It's great that we all have choices. What's not so great is the light packers insinuating that everyone else should do it like them. If it works for you, more power to you. It doesn't for me. Actually there is someone that cares about wearing the same clothes, ME! Once or twice sure, 6 or 7 times in a 28 day trip, no. Sorry, off topic, but I think this thread was about what to bring, not what not to bring. Totally!! I wear a uniform to work every day, so on vacations/cruises, I am excited to bring all my nice dresses and jewelry and dress up a little! I *could* pack light (and do when I need to), but part of the fun for me is actually dressing nicely in the evenings. And, anyway, most of the time, cruises are the exact opposite of those vacations where you have to schlep your luggage all over the place, so it's not all that much more burdensome to bring the extra suitcase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbaraM Posted September 13, 2013 #25 Share Posted September 13, 2013 I found a nifty multi travel electrical converter that also has 2USB charge ports.. You can charge your phone, camera, iPad all at the same time. Also a clothesline that is braided and eliminates need for clothes pins. Super light weight bags or totes, like baggalini , can't put in your checked luggage on the way there, and hold those extras you pick up on your trip on the way home. iPad mini, kindle, Tripit app, something like "lockbox" app to store photo copies of your cards, passports, important info. Card reader for iPad... Neoprene tote to hold wine bottles, wine stopper. Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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