Packing tips

[leithbones]

oohh and looks like you could accessorize this as a fetching necklace/lavaliere w/matching clutch for "Dress Up or Not" night.

 

 

[carolmacey]

Use a carry on and pack one complete change of clothing, bathing suit, and your essentials (Meds, etc) there. That way if your luggage is delayed you will have at least one day to not have to deal with it.

I pack one day of clothing for me and DH in EACH carry on. That way we actually have 3 days of clothes. One on our body and two in the carry-ons.

[carolmacey]

This is a tip I got from this site many years ago - cross pack your suitcases. I put pants/tops/shoes for both me and my DH in each of our checked bags, so if one piece of our luggage is misplaced, goes to another city, etc. we each have something to wear. DH is an ex-offensive lineman and he just can't walk into any store to buy clothes!

I do this as well. If you lose one suitcase, the other still has some clothes for each of you.

[carolmacey]

I am a retired medical professional. I have a printed list for cruises. We have been in other countries trying to locate Rx they have not heard of. .

 

I put a 2 week supply of each in small snack -size ziplock bag. with Sharpie- write name and dosage info. put those all together in large ziplock bag -call it the medicine bag. squeeze out air , less space than a shoe.

 

It includes nsaids (pain relievers-Tylenol and Motrin) ,Imodium tabs,(diarrhea ) ,antacids tabs, Meclizine HCl ( motion sickness) tabs (generic Dramamine), Theraflu or NyQuil , Sudafed tabs, Pepto tabs and mucus relief tabs (mucinex). Small tube hydrocortisone cream for insect bites or rash. small individual twist-top saline (for eye wash)

 

RX items are:1 course antibiotics for each (in case of infection) a few Promethazine suppositories (nausea & vomiting-think food poisoning) 1 course Tamaflu and small bottle of antibiotic eyedrops (conjunctivitis -pink eye)

I have small diagnostic items like finger pulse oximeter and wrist BP monitor for husband.

 

Standard bandaids, small alcohol swabs, ointment and small ace bandage. 1 knee and ankle brace.(small, flexible kind)

If we are going to Alaska, not too worried if I forgot something. Insect repellant -Easy to find....

But, we are going on 40 day Australia /Asia cruise next spring and this will be a must.

 

I guess I can cross Bottled water and soda off my list now :confused:. (time for a new list)

 

I guess it depends on ones age and heath status. Just keep cruising :cool:

WOW, this sounds like my list and I an not retired medical. Nice to know I am on the right track. I even bring a folding cane as we have needed one several times, and are tired of buying new ones in foreign countries.

I learned the OTC lesson when I tried to buy mucus relief in Greece. All they had was couch medicine at 8 euros a bottle, and the small bottle lasted about 3 days. I always take Sudafed and mucus relief. Way too many colds on ships.

[carolmacey]

- tylenol is not a NSAID.

 

- cold medicine aren't needed imo. You can live w/ a cough

 

- antibiotics aren't indicated until after 1 week of a cold. otherwise it is mostly viral and you are causing more problems that fixing imo. I.E. I would most likely get diarrhea if I took antibiotics.

 

- I still don't think an ankle or knee brace is necessary.

 

- little vials of saline aren't going to be useful if something caustic gets into your eyes.

 

- antibiotic eye drops is overkill imo

- and a pulse ox reader? C'mon...just take the vitals yourself. If they cannot breath, then you are going to see the doctor no matter what b/c they are going to need something more than what you have.

 

 

And yes, I have gotten sick on the ship. Diarrhea. Just treat it w/ Imodium.

You should feel very blessed that you have not needed such things while traveling.

[carolmacey]

I believe in bringing along the entire medicine aisle with me. I bring things I never use at home, but I'd much rather have it and not need it...

I spend a little time and my first aid kit can fit in my purse- minus liquids, of course. This photo comes from my last cruise. It includes:

• 24 Tums
  
• 12 Pepcid
  
• 6 Pepto
  
• 6 Motion sickness patches
  
• 9 Insect Relief pads
  
• 6 Alcohol pads
  
• I don't remember how many bandages
  
• 12 Bonine
  
• 15 Aleve
  
• 12 Medi-Lyte
  
• 24 Excedrin
  
• 12 Lactaid
  
• 14 (?) Zyrtec
  
• 24 Tylenol PM
  
• 15 Imodium
  
• 35 Advil
  
• 15 Gas-X
  
• 24 Tylenol
  

For things I don't regularly use, I cut the instructions from the back of the box and put them in the bag.

 

Everything fits in a 5x7" pouch.

Great use of mini zip locks. LOVE that idea!

[BRENT AND DIANNA]

What is a cube?

 

 

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[carolmacey]

I don't understand why people want to get so wound up over the fact that others like to bring a first aid kit. It's not like they're asking to put it in your suitcase.

 

Personally I do take a small kit with standard things I might use at home. Yes, its unlikley I'll need some of it, but it takes no room and I'll be very glad of it if I do.

I agree. I also bring a mini sewing kit with needles, thread of 3 colors, buttons, safety pins.

[phissy]

WOW, this sounds like my list and I an not retired medical. Nice to know I am on the right track. I even bring a folding cane as we have needed one several times, and are tired of buying new ones in foreign countries.

I learned the OTC lesson when I tried to buy mucus relief in Greece. All they had was couch medicine at 8 euros a bottle, and the small bottle lasted about 3 days. I always take Sudafed and mucus relief. Way too many colds on ships.

We just returned from our Alaska cruise.

Glad I had my "medicine bag" with me. I needed Rx meds I had not needed for awhile. Glad I had that with me. (Migraine headaches). Husband did need decongestant , pain reliever and meclizine. Many onboard had noticeable coughs:(. We had flu shots before we left. Upper respiratory congestion and headache was the worst of it, for us..

[carolmacey]

I understand you taking them for a pre-existing condition. But I tend to doubt any doctor would hand out prescriptions for a "might be illness" , especially since they won't know exactly what that illness might be. Some here said they take antibiotics "just in case" so that's what I am questioning.

 

 

Taking antibiotics, "just in case" doesn't mean they ingested them Just in case. It means they brought them along in case they were needed. Our Dr has done it for us as well. I specify "For a sinus infection or bronchitis" as I am prone to those. I don't take them for the flu or a cold.

[phissy]

What is a cube?

 

 

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Post #9 has a link for description and ordering .

[carolmacey]

I think the only thing I don't see/hear about is after sun burn creme, I always use Vichy Soleil After burn, which, whilst not necessarily considered medication, is a God-send if you're unlucky enough to get a bad burn (although no burn is good). It definitely helps me.

Did someone list bug repellent? A must for some tropical locales.

[BEACHBARB]

This Portable Clothesline! to hang your wet bathing suits and clotes on the balcony to dry!!! It's a lifesaver :)

 

OHHHH - I LOVE THIS IDEA. I had to google it and buy it right away.

[CruisingUS]

Taking antibiotics, "just in case" doesn't mean they ingested them Just in case. It means they brought them along in case they were needed. Our Dr has done it for us as well. I specify "For a sinus infection or bronchitis" as I am prone to those. I don't take them for the flu or a cold.

 

antibiotics are not needed during the first 7 days of a cold and are counterproductive if for certain populations due to C diff infections and etc. C diff infections will absolutely result in a quarantine.

 

You should feel very blessed that you have not needed such things while traveling.

I am very blessed. It is something that I appreciate everyday as I work with sick people all the time...some of whom pass away in front of me.

 

But many of those meds are still not needed as

1. they don't reduce hospitalizations

2. don't affect the course/progression of the disease

3. are not indicated for the intended use expressed on CC

4. can actively make you sicker when you take it even when you are trying to fix something else

5. are not sufficient treatment and you still require seeing a doctor

[garycarla]

What is a cube?

 

 

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Somebody might have done a link earlier in this thread, but a google of packing cubes will get this to start

[BermudaBound2014]

Holy cow!! I take a few cubes and call it good.

 

 

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[Minoushka]

anti diarrhea meds i can understand....but cold medicine? That I don't think you need.

Yup you do I catch colds on every ship ..so I come prepared ..lozenges, cold and cough remedy

[drvalo]

Yup you do I catch colds on every ship ..so I come prepared ..lozenges, cold and cough remedy

 

You will regret not bringing cold medications on many cruises as they are either unavailable or really expensive should you need them. I seem to always get sick the last few days of any cruise. And I am always annoyed with those who show up sick and make the rest of us sick. :(

[sprint180]

I believe in bringing along the entire medicine aisle with me. I bring things I never use at home, but I'd much rather have it and not need it...

I spend a little time and my first aid kit can fit in my purse- minus liquids, of course. This photo comes from my last cruise. It includes:

• 24 Tums
  
• 12 Pepcid
  
• 6 Pepto
  
• 6 Motion sickness patches
  
• 9 Insect Relief pads
  
• 6 Alcohol pads
  
• I don't remember how many bandages
  
• 12 Bonine
  
• 15 Aleve
  
• 12 Medi-Lyte
  
• 24 Excedrin
  
• 12 Lactaid
  
• 14 (?) Zyrtec
  
• 24 Tylenol PM
  
• 15 Imodium
  
• 35 Advil
  
• 15 Gas-X
  
• 24 Tylenol
  

For things I don't regularly use, I cut the instructions from the back of the box and put them in the bag.

 

Everything fits in a 5x7" pouch.

 

 

 

Ok I only pack Tylenol, Imodium, anti-biotic cream (after I had to pay $15at a hotel once), and some band-aids. But I gotta say, the OCD in me just did a flip flop over your pic. Love it.

 

 

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[LynnTTT]

Pills: I go on six week trips and need to reduce space. On Amazon, buy tiny little bags (about 1" x 1")used for sorting beads. Put all your daily pills in a single tiny bag. Write AM and PM on the baggie first. Each bag will hold quite a few pills. Put them all together in a gallon storage bag and just pull them out as needed. Takes up much less space then trying to carry all those bottles. My PM baggie holds statin drug, Tylenol PM, stool softeners, fiber tablet and even two Tums.

Take a cell phone photo of any prescription bottles, although in 40 years of travel no one has ever questioned me about pills.

[oldguysandgalls]

Medications aside, we always pack a few small plastic/rubber place mats for the nightstand or desk so that our drinking glasses, cups or reading glasses etc. don't slide off. We've even used them for lunch in the cafeteria where there are no table cloths (sliding plates). They are so small we just roll/fold them up and put them in our pockets.

 

We also pack a small stapler and some double sided tape for a quick fix on a loose skirt or pants hem.

[Stace894]

I found Chapstick sized Tubes of OTC meds at my local Bed,Bath and Beyond and they are perfect to fit in my first aid kit and take up a lot less space. I can replace the generics with Brands if I feel the need, but on most things Generic is just fine. I can just keep refilling the tubes and they are all labeled! I've learned the hard way to make sure I have a small, concisely packed first aid kit on all trips. Hate those $5 bandaids.....or $12 bottles of tylenol....And they can run out on a ship. Hubby had a "Lobster" burn a few years ago on ship. Must have been a run on sunburns as I got the last bottle of Aloe with Lidocaine on board on cruise day 3. Would have hated to be someone with a burn on day 6....

[janice2348]

This is a common practice if one is traveling to a 3rd world country. It is for traveller's diarrhea. Normally, they write for only a 3 day supply.

 

This is a bad idea since it could be caused by noro which is viral. Antibiotics won’t help with that. I would not take them if not needed. Take Imodium instead and you won’t contribute to antibiotic resistance.

[jcann4444]

Rolaids and suntan lotion.

 

 

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[janina]

We were on a 28day Pacific crossing to Australia and I had a really bad sore throat. Spent a fortune buying 5 halls at a time onboard....now I make sure to add them to my medicine packing list along with Nyquil!!