Odd but great items to take with you

[Laney219]

In addition to many things mentioned we bring induvidual sized flavored coffee creamers (non dairy) and truvia sweetner. Truvia is also great for some drinks. The wife will have the bar tender use it instead of sugar or sweetner syrup used in some drinks.

 

I saw this recently and thought it would make a great addition to cruise coffee.

 

http://cm2go.coffee-mate.com/

[Envelope21]

We like to pick up some of those funky light-up rings at the dollar store. (They are often given away on disco night but its fun to go to the disco party already wearing them.) Often times I'll be wearing several and I like to give them away to people dancing around me.

[jaydog240011]

small bottles of noro germstar instant hand sanitizer its kills noro virus

[wannavacay]

Battery operated votive candle -- we don't like so much light that we wake up completely, but need to be able to see in the middle of the night.

 

Magnet or two, use one for the door with some kind of sign so we can find our room faster. Wrap up & keep away from phones, cameras, wallets, etc!

 

Scentsy travel tin for the bathroom (lifesaver!) -- doesn't require a plug, and is pretty small & slim. Enough scent to provide "coverage" but not so strong it is overpowering in the room.

 

Crunchy snacks -- there are dessert-type snacks everywhere, but I can never find potato chips or cheez-its when I'm craving something crunchy/salty. I buy the individual packs so we can carry them with us to beaches, and they are easier to distribute once someone has them and suddenly everyone else in your party wants them too.

 

Hollywood Fashion Tape -- the small travel tin. This is essentially double-sided tape, but it's kinder to your clothes (and your skin) in case your hem comes loose or your shirt gapes at that one pesky button every time you sit down.

 

Baby powder, travel size, for the sand.

 

I like the dryer sheet idea, thank you!

 

I think someone asked where you find the dental kit -- my dentist suggested DenTemp when I had a temporary crown, found at any major drug store. I found it at CVS in the toothpaste aisle.

[tidygirl]

We took 2 of the battery operated tealights only used 1 just enough light without tripping over chair or table legs. The batteries are just a cell battery and last a long time that's why I had the spare light. The closet lights are quite a bit bigger the tealights are SMALL!

[misha1]

The poo-pourri is a MUST sold at most bed, bath and beyond. My DH not allowed to travel with me without it!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

We make our own for pennies...recipe on Pinterest...it works amazingly well!

[lawgirl]

Hollywood Fashion Tape -- the small travel tin. This is essentially double-sided tape, but it's kinder to your clothes (and your skin) in case your hem comes loose or your shirt gapes at that one pesky button every time you sit down.

 

.

 

I agree... Love this stuff. Men, ignore this one 😳.... The same company makes Sticky silicone cover-ups ... In lieu of strapless bra for certain evening dresses or tops.... I won't go into more details, but they work! :D

[Atlanta07]

What a great thread! We've used a lot of these ideas, but will have to add a few to the list.

 

So I don't repeat, i will try to add only what I didn't notice.

 

For coffee lovers: Starbucks VIA is a great solution. It isn't liquid, but is quite good as a substitution for bad coffee on a cruise.

 

Travel Document Case: We got ours from Crate & Barrel as a gift exchange gift years ago and although thought it was a joke at the time, we love it. Put your money in one, travel docs in another. This way you are not flashing your cash while going through your travel docs.

 

Antibiotics - Get your doctor to write you a prescription for antibiotics to take pills with you in the event of a common issue. (strep etc.). It's great to be prepared, especially if you are going to be done for a long time.

 

I think everything else we take has already been listed.

 

Safe travels everyone!

[GreatLakes]

For those that said suction cups, are you using them in a bathtub, mirror, window - or do they actually stick to the metal walls? We don't have bathtubs in our rooms, so trying to determine if we would have any place to put them up (a retractable clothesline, for instance). We'll be in Central Park view rooms on oasis.

 

 

On the last cruise that we took, our shower enclosure was not straight but on an angle. Hence, we could not use the suction cup at one end of the shower as the clothes line was too long. We wrapped it around the opening of the shower enclosure a couple of times and I believe we then tied it to the back of bathroom door so we could hang our swimsuits.

[rednose83]

My packing list:

Clothes

Aloe Vera

Sunblock

Toiletries

Shoes

Kindle/charger

 

Never needed anything else

[kdubbo]

Where is the love button?

[Gwendy]

No idea what a love button is but sounds fascinating.

Funniest thing I ever saw on a cruise was an elderly couple in the laundry. I was helping them work the machines. She was a bit "off with the fairies" and he didn't look like he ever used a washer. Suddenly he produces a plastic bag with washing powder in it. I asked him if he had brought it from home - Canada. Yes he had, he had brought a plastic bag with white powder in it through customs at Vancouver, then into Beijing without being challenged. Wow, don't think I would try this.

[Desert Cruizers]

Every cruise, we take the collapsable hampers with two sides, for whites and darks and kept it in our closet or under the desk, hidden by the chair, night light.

[griffy116]

Love these ideas. Even after 18 cruises, I occasionally pick up on something new. Man of the things that I carry, I've gotten from threads like this. Some I've carried and found I didn't really need but I love seeing new ideas. I will say that we once saw a lady while boarding and my daughter thought she was carrying a food dehydrator on board. When she pointed it out, it was one of those old hair dryers that has a collapsible stand and a big hardshell hood that you sit under. Then there was someone that posted that they take a camping table with two chairs that fold ups for their balcony. Had a photo and everything. We have joined those that try to pack as light as we can. We don't carry packing light to extremes but I don't carry my own coffee pot, kettles, fans, portable hair dryers on stands, camping tables and chairs, our own folding loungers, pillows from home, our own sheets, X-box game systems, ..and I've seen ALL of these on some of the threads in the past. Everyone is different and some people aren't comfortable without bringing these things. Just not for me. If it can't be stuffed in a shoe or the corners of the luggage, it's not going with me on the cruise.

[momto3sons]

I know several people have mentioned bubble wrap, but I have another use.

I bought a roll of bubble wrap several cruises ago. I separated it in sections to fit inside my suitcase. I layer it between my clothes on the way to the cruise and it keeps my clothes from wrinkling. On the way home it protects my souvenirs.

[Thoie]

Suddenly he produces a plastic bag with washing powder in it. I asked him if he had brought it from home - Canada. Yes he had, he had brought a plastic bag with white powder in it through customs at Vancouver, then into Beijing without being challenged. Wow, don't think I would try this.

 

I do this all the time and no-one has ever questioned it. I put about 3 scoops of washing powder into a small ziploc bag (marked "Washing powder") in case I want to do a little bit of hand washing in my bathroom sink. Some of it is so that I don't have to use hand soap, or look around to buy a box of washing powder while on holidays. Some of it is because I'm allergic to a few different things, so by bringing my own at least I know it won't make me itch.

 

If any airport security wants to confiscate it and test it for drugs, they're welcome - it won't ruin my holiday if it disappears. And they can't really arrest you for bringing things that are "not drugs" in your suitcase.

 

For those who like these kinds of threads, there's an older one here as well, but I like this new thread!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=378972

[ladyariadne]

I don't recall if anyone mentioned this but I always pack duct (duck) tape. It has held together many a hem and anything else that should stay together but doesn't.

[kimlovesfl]

Things to remember for my next cruise:

1. Binoculars. I have cruised past Cuba twice now, and wish I had had binoculars to get a closer look. Also would love to see if there is marine life below me. I need to start checking out thrift stores for an inexpensive pair.

2. Small clock. I had forgotten that there are no clocks in the room, and that is really frustrating to me. I have a small plug-in clock that will easily fit in a suitcase.

3. Perhaps an outlet strip? On Celebrity, I didn't have an issue with lack of outlets (the Constellation also had a handy paper file holder thingy on the wall for your daily newsletters), but on the Caribbean Princess, there were 2 outlets-one in the bathroom, and one at the desk. The outlets on the desk were so close together that you could only plug one thing in at a time, so we had to take turns charging our cell phones. Can't believe they can't at least put a plug on a lamp or something like a lot of hotels do.

 

As far as dirty laundry goes, I put all the dirties in my suitcase. I usually pack just enough for the length of my trip, and rarely go home with clothes that have not been worn.

 

If I do my TA cruise next year, I will need to bring some sort of laundry detergent for washing out clothes, because I'll be damned if I pay a fortune to have stuff laundered on board, and because I am allergic to fragrances, I'm better off washing stuff out in the sink. I have done this on vacations before (when I went to England), I have no problem doing it on a cruise.

 

In my toiletries bag, I have a small sewing kit (nabbed from a hotel), and a manicure kit with small scissors. Can really come in handy.

Edited February 17, 2015 by kimlovesfl

[Goodtime Cruizin]

No idea what a love button is but sounds fascinating.

Funniest thing I ever saw on a cruise was an elderly couple in the laundry. I was helping them work the machines. She was a bit "off with the fairies" and he didn't look like he ever used a washer. Suddenly he produces a plastic bag with washing powder in it. I asked him if he had brought it from home - Canada. Yes he had, he had brought a plastic bag with white powder in it through customs at Vancouver, then into Beijing without being challenged. Wow, don't think I would try this.

 

Fascinating indeed. :D

[gooch47]

I cannot stress how important it is to take over the counter medicines with you. But I've never heard of anything being free at the medical center. I have heard you can get seasick remedies at the Purser's desk.

 

I plan to add Crazy Glue to my list.

 

Don't forget to take the charger for your husband's shaver. LOL His battery died the first full day of a cruise and he has never shaved even once with a razor. He looked rather disreputable by the end of the cruise.

[CptSticky]

I cannot stress how important it is to take over the counter medicines with you. But I've never heard of anything being free at the medical center. I have heard you can get seasick remedies at the Purser's desk.

 

I plan to add Crazy Glue to my list.

 

Don't forget to take the charger for your husband's shaver. LOL His battery died the first full day of a cruise and he has never shaved even once with a razor. He looked rather disreputable by the end of the cruise.

I resemble that remark:p haven't used a razor since 1970.

[Desert Cruizers]

Now I like the bubble wrap idea for packing sourvenirs in.

[trev71]

Flashlights for sure. Just a small one to use at night when getting up.

 

 

 

I tell some people that and they make fun of me.

[Suzanne123]

Just a general packing tip -- Those disposable shower caps you get in hotels make great covers for shoes to protect other clothes in your suitcase.

[presjade]

DO NOT bring a crock pot. We saw one on the "naughty table" in the terminal at the end of our ALLURE cruise. The mind reels.

 

WHAT???:eek: That might be the very last thing I would ever pack..This mom wants the cooking/cleaning done for me:p