Goody Bag

[britty1]

Highlighter & post its

I have my mom a crossword book & new pencil. You could always get a magazine or light reading book for around the pool.

 

Re disposable camera - they are hard to find, but they do still make them. I always get an underwater one for our trips.

 

Disposable waterproof camera's are available at Walmart and walgreens.:D

[MOSusan]

Aloe vera gel for sunburn.

 

This is my suggestion also. We found out the hard way that the ship did not carry any (or were out of stock). We were sold a $44 bottle of lotion at the spa that was guaranteed to work (it didn't). Luckily for us our table mates has brought several travel sized bottles with them and gave one to my daughter. We never travel without Aloe - daughter puts it in the refrigerator!

 

P.S. Yes, we do use sunscreen...we just forget to reapply - we are working on that!

[foxgoodrich]

Definitely a HIGHLIGHTER! It's great for marking stuff in the Cruise Compass for things you really want to do.

 

I always pack at least one (don't laugh…:o) 2 gallon ziploc bag. This is very useful for packing home anything that might be damp and/or sandy (swimsuits, cover-ups, water shoes) and if we have wine left over from our wine package, it gets zipped into a bag before it gets packed. It's also nice for segregating dirty clothes from the other stuff in your suitcase when you pack to head home. If I got a goodie bag, I would find a big ole 2 gallon ziploc (or 2) to be very useful!:)

 

A small spiral notebook (like 4" by 6") and a small pen that fits into the spiral. It's a nice way to keep an impromptu trip diary, to make a list of stuff you have to declare on your customs form, to record email addresses or contact info for new friends, and whatever. It's an amazingly useful little item. For some reason I always seem to use my little notebook on cruises a whole lot more than my electronic stuff. It's light and easy to carry in my little ship purse.

 

A TIDE pen for if you happen to drop food on yourself. (okay…I routinely carry one of these. Seems like the older you get, the better you should be at eating, right? Practice makes perfect? Nope. The older you get, it seems you get worse at actually getting that bite of food into your mouth. There are inadvertent spots that appear on your shirt. :rolleyes:) A TIDE pen is just one of those things that you always wish you had with you if you don't have one.

 

A small purse-size package of tissue is always useful when you travel! (and a travel size package of baby wipes is a great thing to have, even if you aren't traveling with a baby!)

 

A fridge magnet is also useful. You can use it to stick a note on the wall of your cabin (it's metal underneath) or on your door.

 

An inexpensive, basic, no frills corkscrew is nice if your friends bring wine aboard. (You can always get one from your cabin steward, but if you have your own, you can open that bottle of wine whenever you want!) But to avoid problems, when you pack, put those corkscrews into the checked baggage prior to boarding and distributing to the goody bags.

 

That's all I can think of at the moment…as I sit here and enjoy a cup of coffee. Now if it were evening…and I had a glass of wine…I'm sure I could be MUCH more creative…:p

 

Judy

[moposh]

Shout Wipe and Go

 

They are great. Individually packaged. If you drop food on yourself, use one of these wipes and the stain is gone. Love them.

 

Everyone else gave you great ideas too.

 

Maybe some chewing gum. Sunscreen, aloe vera, lip balm, hand sanitizer, word search book.

[moposh]

I use disposable waterproof cameras and the pictures came out great.

[moposh]

This is my suggestion also. We found out the hard way that the ship did not carry any (or were out of stock). We were sold a $44 bottle of lotion at the spa that was guaranteed to work (it didn't). Luckily for us our table mates has brought several travel sized bottles with them and gave one to my daughter. We never travel without Aloe - daughter puts it in the refrigerator!

 

P.S. Yes, we do use sunscreen...we just forget to reapply - we are working on that!

 

Yes, aloe is a must. I didn't take any on second cruise and I desperately needed it. I refused to pay the high price at the ship store and took a mini detour to supermarket on excursion in Costa Rica to buy some. Lesson learned!

[rrraydon]

I like to bring a couple of blow up rafts/water tubes from the dollar store. After our beach day I just throw them out and open another pack for the next day's beach stop. :D

[Desiree D]

We did a little beach basket goody gift once, for first time cruisers, included some caribbean music CD, an Hawaiian lei- from dollar store; lots of fun. Also found a little travel toilet seat disposable covers, to take on excursions. They seemed to use and appreciate those the most. I just thought it was fun to fill up a basket, found a candle in a champaign glass, straws with umbrellas... just fun stuff, that reminds us of a vacation- cheap sunglasses....

[Essexlass2]

Do RCI ships have shower curtains or doors? If its a curtain, those little clip-on weights used to keep outdoor tablecloths down are ideal for keeping the shower curtain from sticking to your body.

[Clarea]

Do RCI ships have shower curtains or doors? If its a curtain, those little clip-on weights used to keep outdoor tablecloths down are ideal for keeping the shower curtain from sticking to your body.

They have both. Depends on the ship and stateroom type.

[05mak05]

We're putting together goody bags and have included Energizer Tap lights from Target (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Energizer-Tap-Light-2-Pack/17048215?srccode=cii_5784816&cpncode=27-273661943-2&wmlspartner=pricegrabber.com&adid=csepg00000000000000000000000000000101&veh=cse), a waterproof case for Seapass card (http://www.thewaterproofstore.com/clearcase.html), a small travel alarm clock, highlighter, post-it notes, etc. For our daughter, I bought a very small Baggallini with cross body strap to use in ports. I'm packing these items in a large artistic beach tote bag (http://shopsunnsand.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=712) We're driving so weight isn't an issue.

[lakelorain]

Bonine

Disposable rain poncho

Travel size lysol spray

Plastic sandwich bags to store cookies from WJ or other goodies you want to keep in your cabin.

[griffy116]

After my husband and I couldn't stop talking about our 2 cruises we had been on, my family decided to do a big group cruise together. So far we have 14 people and hoping to add more. I am putting my own little bags together to give to each cabin. This is what I have so far:

 

1. a small pack of ginger chews

2. a yankee candle car air freshener in pineapple to hang in the cabin and have a nice tropical scent

3. a travel bottle of downy wrinkle release spray/clothes refresher

4. Clips to keep towels on beach chair

 

You list is perfect! The car air freshener is a must to go in the bathroom for us. Downy Wrinkle release is the great travel item EVER. Towel clips are wonderful to have. Never tried taking the ginger chews.

[Nessa55]

After my husband and I couldn't stop talking about our 2 cruises we had been on, my family decided to do a big group cruise together. So far we have 14 people and hoping to add more. I am putting my own little bags together to give to each cabin. This is what I have so far:

 

1. a small pack of ginger chews

2. a yankee candle car air freshener in pineapple to hang in the cabin and have a nice tropical scent

3. a travel bottle of downy wrinkle release spray/clothes refresher

4. Clips to keep towels on beach chair

 

Have fun!

 

 

I also did the yankee candle bag - was in the store at the mall and they actually had the gift bags on sale with spray air freshner and smokeless candle and something else but I don't remember what it was that I gave to my group and they loved, loved, loved it. I don't like the chewable ginger so I get the hard ones from Walgreen instead - really good for settling the stomach, also someone suggested the last cruise the clorox wipes for your cabin because nobody wants to get sick to wipe down your personal space in the cabin. We like to hope that the stewards are doing their jobs but it does not help to have your own wipes. I like the clips idea and will look for those.

 

I also do groups and so far have about 8 cabins so I will start picking up items for my goody bags - thanks everyone for all the great suggestions.

[OttoCal]

From staples or the dollar store:

magnetic dry-erase wipe off board for the cabin door (leave each other notes!)

 

Carabiner water holder clip (REI, outdoor places)

 

small round plug in night light- those cabins are DARK at night. We always use one.

 

Mini sunscreens etc.

 

We had to buy the disposable underwater camera on a cruise last week- my digital underwater broke on our first snorkel trip. I got a disposable one- $18 on the ship, $20 from the dive shop we were at. If you can get them cheaper it is handy to have- as mentioned before, everyone usually has a digital camera or some sort, but not one that can go underwater.

 

Dollar bills for tips

 

stamps for post cards

 

I also usually get those gel cling-on decorations to go on my door. Christmas Tree Shops or craft stores usually have them, you can get them on sale after a holiday and save them. They look really cute on the doors. Had snowmen this last time, hearts are cute for couples or valentine's day.

[05mak05]

A nice waterproof ID/money box on a lanyard. We used to call them badeboxes, but I'm sure you can find them both on board and online.

Some are small squares about the size of a deck of cards, others are more tubular. I tend to keep my seapass card, a few dollars and a charge card in mine and loop it through my shorts belt loop, or my bathing suit strap and tuck in in or wear it under my shirt the entire cruise. I hate carrying a purse if I don't need to. It's just right for keeping your valuables on you while swimming.

We ordered them years ago under the name of "Witz Box." http://www.amazon.com/WITZ-Waterproof-Badge-Holder-Clear/dp/B001P5Y08C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390603811&sr=8-1&keywords=witz+case I think these are my #1 favorite cruise item and also the handiest. I stick one in my handbag and put it around my neck as we check in at the cruise terminal. That way I don't misplace the SeaPass card before we get to the room :-)

[Essexlass2]

They have both. Depends on the ship and stateroom type.

 

BOTS balcony cabin