Besides clothes, I'm packing...

[beachbum53]

If you drink a lot of coffee or iced tea, bring your own large insulated mug. You can use the cups provided by the ship, but they're small, and you can make fewer trips for refills by bringing your insulated tumbler or mug.;)

[Guest maddycat]

The kind with a small hook thats you can hang from the cabin lights. Unless you want to pay for small laundry items that may not come back until much later.

 

For soap, I use BLUE DAWN dish washing soap for every thing, takes lots of stains out if needed.(traveled the world with Dawn) I doubt that it is Ship approved but the little I use cannot hurt much. I have seen some detergent that will work that is more environmentally friendly and may give them a try.

 

Dawn (original) is so environmentally friendly that it is used to clean wildlife when they are covered with oil from an oil spill.

 

I bring a small (1 oz. spill proof) bottle with me whenever I travel. I use it to clean my eye glasses and to spot clean stains on clothing. If I miss a stain and have washed the clothes and put it through the clothes dryer, I will reapply the Dawn to the stain and rewash the item. The stain always comes out. Dawn is great.

[notentirelynormal]

Dawn (original) is so environmentally friendly that it is used to clean wildlife when they are covered with oil from an oil spill.

 

I bring a small (1 oz. spill proof) bottle with me whenever I travel. I use it to clean my eye glasses and to spot clean stains on clothing. If I miss a stain and have washed the clothes and put it through the clothes dryer, I will reapply the Dawn to the stain and rewash the item. The stain always comes out. Dawn is great.

 

Funny enough - the blue Dawn was recommended to me to help seal my new quartz counter top too.

[Rala]

What's Rid?

 

I think there is a product here in the US called RID and it is for head lice! :eek:

 

OOps! Just saw the post from Whogo...sorry to repeat. Hopefully, nobody needs to bring the USA RID!

Edited January 21, 2016 by Rala

[grandmacani]

When taking all that little stuff I like to use plastic shoe boxes to pack it in. I have one for toothbrushes, deodorant ... Daily health

and beauty items. After we use it it's stored away. For what I call the junk drawer items, tape, scissors, magnets... I use another plastic shoebox. I pack clothes in the packing cubes so when we get there unpacking is a breeze.

[Mrs Clooney]

Does anyone know of an Australian equivalent to this wonder stuff called DAWN

[whogo]

Does anyone know of an Australian equivalent to this wonder stuff called DAWN

It is just liquid dish detergent, don't know if it is much different from other brands. http://dawn-dish.com/en-us It is from Procter & Gamble. Is Fairy their Australian product?

[GUT2407]

Seem to recall that yonks ago they sold Dawn here, (I'm talking when I was in retail so late 70s early 80s).

[Mrs Clooney]

Yes, now that you mention that, we did have Dawn..

I always just use the hand soap or shampoo when washing my clothes...never had a problem....

I'm going on the Uniworld River Duchess in July and they have a guest laundry, so I'm assuming that they will supply the detergent..

Thanks for your replies

[Mrs Clooney]

Yes I seem to remember Dawn from ages ago..

I just use the supplied hand soap or shampoo to wash my clothes and have never had a problem..

 

Thanks

[crystalspin]

Does anyone know of an Australian equivalent to this wonder stuff called DAWN

 

Mrs Clooney:

 

It is a grease-dissolving dishwashing detergent. Do you have any friends that process their own sheep's fleece? If they want to leave lanolin, they probably use Naphtha but if they want a grease-free-fleece -- ask them what they use.

[cruisejunkie76]

earplugs (you never know what your cabin neighours are like), nosespray, and pain meds.

 

I also have a small/midium size tupperware box (doesn't Need to be that brand:D)

it might help to Transport fragile items.

 

Usually I always have to much in my suitcase :D but those things will always be in my Hand luggage

[simplelife]

I bring an insulated mug for coffee and a large insulated (Tervis-type) cup for water and/or other cold liquids. Extra eyeglasses and contacts. OTC meds (Pain reliever, Immodium, Tums,etc) and Band-AIDS ( these are very expensive on board). Younger women need to bring their preferred sanitary products even if you think you will not need them. Selection is very limited and very expensive on board. I bring a foldable tote bag which I use on shopping or beach excursions.

[calliopecruiser]

It is just liquid dish detergent, don't know if it is much different from other brands. http://dawn-dish.com/en-us It is from Procter & Gamble. Is Fairy their Australian product?

 

 

It is quite different than many others.......it is significantly better at cutting through grease. So much so, that it has been used for decades by rescue groups and veterinarians to remove grease and oil from animals without damaging their skin.

[catinhat1st]

Great list!

 

Surge protector was my #1! So glad to have had that.

 

In addition to your list I would consider:

 

lanyards (they have hole punches at the service desk you can use, so no need to pack that).

 

lots of $1's or $5's

 

post it notes and pens to leave notes for each other to know where were.

 

Water bottles to fill with water to take to your lounge chair or onto ports.

 

Travel coffee mugs for our morning coffee.

 

Motion sickness medicine and pain killers, cough drops, etc

 

Hair conditioner

 

Our cruise (NCL) had a soap dispenser by the sink and in the shower (along with shampoo in dispenser).

 

print outs and notes on the excursions you want to do if you are making decisions while on the ship.

 

I packed a blanket to have for the flight. Didn't need it for the cruise. Our comforters were awesome and actually so were the pillows. We each had two (one soft and one firmer to choose from).

 

A clock would have been nice to have in the room or maybe pack a watch. We always needed our cell phones to check the time. I know it's vacation and we wanted to be off the clock, but with all the activities going on its always important to know what time it is.

 

Goggles, snorkel, flip flops and water shoes if going to the beach or excursions.

 

Have fun!

[widallas]

Love these posts -- always see something I'd never thought of, and realize there are things I can leave behind.

 

For our second cruise, the must-pack items for us:

1. OTD shoe holder. Some people don't need them -- for me it keeps things organized and off the counters...and it takes up little packing space.

2. Our own snorkel gear -- the alternative is just too gross! I might rent fins, but want my own mask and snorkel.

3. Post-its and highlighters

4. Small pack of clorox wipes

5. Mini-speaker

6. Insulated mugs for coffee/water...we have the stainless steel variety. I agree with whoever said they are great for morning coffee and water the rest of the day.

7. Ziploc bags

8. Daypack: We all have a small pack to carry-on with swimsuit, change of clothes, etc. We can hit the deck to swim and relax before the room opens, and have some clothes and our essentials in case our bags are late arriving.

9. Nightlight/tealights

10. Some magnets with hooks (awesome for hanging odds and ends)

11. Wine -- dinner out is a treat for us, especially with a good glass of wine.

12. Packing list! I started one last cruise with reminders for things to do, packing essentials, reminders on board....so easy to just tweak.

 

What I WON'T take this time....

1. Pop-up hamper

2. Extension cord/charger (Being "unplugged" for a week is awesome!)...but I don't need a hairdryer, etc.

3. Too many clothes and shoes! Will take what fits into a wheeled bag and our backpack...I'll be taking 1/3 less from last time.

 

Hope you have an awesome cruise!!!!

[erinmarie424]

Magnetic hooks, regular magnets, small plastic bins from the dollar store to use as catch-alls on the desk and in the bathroom, and a sham-wow to help get my bathing suit dry enough after I rinse it for it to dry overnight.

[DocF]

The one essential we pack is small LED flashlights with new batteries. The everyday uses of these are many - when one partner needs to use the head in the night, he/she/it can avoid killing him/her/itself in an unfamiliar locale while being less likely to awake the other partner, for example.

 

The main reason is if one ever is forced to evacuate and the emergency lighting is out (ask the folks who were aboard the Carnival Splendor), it may be needed to find one's way out of the ship. These are cheap and take up virtually no space.

 

Doc

[crystalspin]

Great list!

 

Surge protector was my #1! So glad to have had that.

 

Surge protectors are a fire-hazard when connected to a marine electric system. Even if you only use it when you are in the room, the fire may not even start where you can see it, much less respond fast enough.

 

Reasons are explained in this US Coast Guard document.

http://www.uscg.mil/tvncoe/Documents/safetyalerts/SurgeProtectiveDevices.pdf

 

If detected, they will be taken from you. If not detected, I'm sure you don't want to be the cause of fire.

 

Was it really the surge protector that was you #1, or just the power strip? Why not get a splitter or regular extension with three outlets (and no surge protector)?

Edited January 25, 2016 by crystalspin

[SewMuch]

I noticed a lot of people mentioned insulated mugs. Instead of packing one we buy one in the ship's gift shop early in the cruise. That way it doubles as a souvenir.

[crystalspin]

I planned to do this on my first couple cruises, but found I didn't like the ones offered in the gift shop. Seems like they were steel and/or top-heavy...

 

I did buy non-insulated mugs on the Norwegian Star, since we had a small coffee machine (and a bottle of rum!) in our cabin. They were cute! but I never used them once we got home...

[biker@sea]

We bring a solar powered am/fm noaa radio with a built in light.

 

It has a hand crank also and can be use to charge a cellphone in a pinch. ;)

 

I really like listening to local radio in ports and on the beach, Even if i Can't understand the language sometimes . :)

Edited January 25, 2016 by biker@sea

[4x4bob]

a small travel Alarm Clock for those days you want to get up early so you don't miss some activity.

 

Also good for a two nap in the afternoon so you don't sleep through dinner.

 

Bob

[tracesmom]

Yes, now that you mention that, we did have Dawn..

I always just use the hand soap or shampoo when washing my clothes...never had a problem....

I'm going on the Uniworld River Duchess in July and they have a guest laundry, so I'm assuming that they will supply the detergent..

Thanks for your replies

 

We were on Uniworld River Beatrice in a suite last year and they did our laundry for us. I don't know about other cabins but it was nice.

[tracesmom]

Amazon and many other places sell small rolls of duct tape in a two pack. I always have one with me and keep them in all our cars. I keep a box filled with travel items and add to it months before a cruise, I have taped a list of items to double check to so I don't forget. I always have first aid supplies like moleskin, bandaids, otc meds to take too.