Cruise suggestion I haven’t seen recently

[SRF]

Plastic clothespins and laundromat-sized product in case you need to rinse something in your sink - I just use shampoo, works fine.

AIRPLANE TRAVEL TIPS:

On another topic, if you are flying..... I am neurotic about the amount of germs on a plane. I have a zippered make-up bag that I call my flu-free-flying bag, which I always keep packed and ready to add to my carry-on bag, and here's what it contains and why:

1. cleaning/antibacterial wipes - before take-off, wipe down your head rest, your tray table, the arm rests, and the back of the seat in front of you. (you can get a pack of 10 of these individually wrapped at the dollar store for, um, a dollar) - I never do this, and fly a LOT, never had problems. But if it makes you happy

2. hand sanitizer - use it frequently during your flight - share it with your neighbors. - overuse of hand sanitizers actually causes your skin to micro crack from being dried out, and gives a place for bacteria to hide and grow.

3. saline spray - use it about every half hour during your flight - keeps nasal passages moist - when they dry out during flying, you are susceptible to all the germs in the plane's cabin. This is $1.99 at CVS and worth doing. (maybe don't share with your neighbors) - Wet or dry, your nose captures those buggies.

4. something I always have "just in case" but have never used - nose/mouth masks (the loop over the ear kind - you want to have this just in case you get the seat-mate or someone near by who is obviously sick. Don't worry how it looks....stay healthy if this situation arises! - Those masks do not protect the wearer, they are to reduce the chance of the person wearing the mask to infect others. If you want to protect yourself, you need a tight fitting mask, such that all the air you breath goes through the filter media.

 

Airplane Sanity:

earplugs - I only had one pair with me the time we had to listen to a toddler behind me have a 2-hour temper tantrum, but there were two of us. I wanted to be a nice wife, but since I'm the crazy woman that packs all this stuff, I kind of felt entitled to be the one to use them. Guilty, but entitled. I now have two sets with us at all times. Sharing is caring. - wearing earplugs on ANY flight is a good idea. Part of jet lag is actually a reaction the noise exposure. There is a reason frequent travelers have multi hundred dollar noise cancelling headsets. And it is not screaming children

 

Some comments.

[Laurmc8]

Great idea.

In general, I always pack some spare ziplocs when traveling for but those mesh bags seem like an even better idea.

also, wish I woulda have thought to use them for the safe on my last cruise. I typically don't travel with many valuables so don't use the safes that much but on our cruise last month, my engagement ring broke and I had to take it off. I put in in y small purse and put that in the safe because I kept thinking when I check the safe I'm not gonna notice one small thing in that dark space...granted it was the only thing other than passports in there and I was conscious of it so I'm sure I never would have left it... but piece of mind is nice.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

1. cleaning/antibacterial wipes - before take-off, wipe down your head rest, your tray table, the arm rests, and the back of the seat in front of you. (you can get a pack of 10 of these individually wrapped at the dollar store for, um, a dollar) - I never do this, and fly a LOT, never had problems. But if it makes you happy

when we traveled alone as adults, we never cared to either. But now that we travel with a kid, the entire area on the plane gets a good wipe down with Lysol wipes. The tables, the window, the tops of the seats in front of us, the arm rests, etc. Kids aren't as good as adults at remembering not to touch stuff and then stick their hands in the mouth, nose, eyes, etc.

 

When we arrive in our stateroom, every surface gets wiped down with them as well. On Caribbean Princess the wipes were black after wiping the room.

Edited September 12, 2018 by Itchy&Scratchy
added

[Oceans4]

Some comments.

makes me sorry I took the time to write.

[MontiGal]

makes me sorry I took the time to write.

 

Don't be sorry, your advise is excellent. Thank you.

[ck93]

great idea on the make-up bag for the small items in the safe....I love that!

Bring all travel sizes and sample sizes of product (easier to toss the empties than repack) or fill mini travel bottles with your favorites from home, including travel-size hair gel, hair spray, etc. (I just remove all these from my gym bag, as I have mini's of everything I use)

I bring my make-up in a rectangular "lock&lock" storage container - easy to find everything without rummaging through a bag.

Weighted eye pillow and ear plugs (you never know if sound or light will intrude)

Plastic clothespins and laundromat-sized product in case you need to rinse something in your sink (this is great if you have a balcony and can clip wet swimsuits or rinsed clothing to the deck chairs)

My friend says always save your oldest underwear - and throw it out after you wear it. However, remember what your mother said about wearing bad underwear, "If you are in an accident and they have to cut off your clothes, you will be mortified" (LOL!) I have not personally done this, but it's worth a share.

Scented cardboard hanging type air freshener (no, not the review mirror pine tree or the new leather smell), but a nice beachy smell, like Yankee Candle Pink Sands - something else you can throw away or use as a suitcase freshener at the end of the trip.

You already know to bring all that sunscreen - but don't forget your SPF lip protection!

Take lots of $1 and $5 bills for those extra tips to hand out as needed - they really come in handy. (my son had the deluxe drink package, which includes gratuity - he took one hundred $1 bills and came home with none, but he never had to wait for his next drink).

 

AIRPLANE TRAVEL TIPS:

On another topic, if you are flying..... I am neurotic about the amount of germs on a plane. I have a zippered make-up bag that I call my flu-free-flying bag, which I always keep packed and ready to add to my carry-on bag, and here's what it contains and why:

1. cleaning/antibacterial wipes - before take-off, wipe down your head rest, your tray table, the arm rests, and the back of the seat in front of you. (you can get a pack of 10 of these individually wrapped at the dollar store for, um, a dollar)

2. hand sanitizer - use it frequently during your flight - share it with your neighbors.

3. saline spray - use it about every half hour during your flight - keeps nasal passages moist - when they dry out during flying, you are susceptible to all the germs in the plane's cabin. This is $1.99 at CVS and worth doing. (maybe don't share with your neighbors)

4. something I always have "just in case" but have never used - nose/mouth masks (the loop over the ear kind - you want to have this just in case you get the seat-mate or someone near by who is obviously sick. Don't worry how it looks....stay healthy if this situation arises!

 

Airplane Sanity:

earplugs - I only had one pair with me the time we had to listen to a toddler behind me have a 2-hour temper tantrum, but there were two of us. I wanted to be a nice wife, but since I'm the crazy woman that packs all this stuff, I kind of felt entitled to be the one to use them. Guilty, but entitled. I now have two sets with us at all times. Sharing is caring.

 

Great ideas!! Especially # 3! I have to see the ENT specialist regularly and he highly recommends keeping those mucous membranes moist. He says it helps the cilia keep those sinuses clean! And thanks for reminding me to pack my sleep mask! :D

[KansasK]

makes me sorry I took the time to write.

 

I thought many of your ideas were good ones. If someone just uses one of your ideas, it was worth sharing. :)

[tortoni]

Oceans4, many good ideas I will use. Really appreciate the plane ideas. I’ve been wiping down the tray tables since I saw a mom change her baby on one.

[Oceans4]

Thanks all! Now I AM glad I shared my ideas. I have coworkers that come back sick from flights and admit they took no precautions at all! Knock wood, I don't get sick after flying, and I take all those measures!

 

Changing a baby on a tray table.....that's just outrageous. Manners have gone by the wayside for some.

 

It's a shame to have someone feel the need to be snarky or sarcastic when so many on the boards are here for positive reasons.

 

Happy Friday Everyone! And good thoughts and wishes for all those affected by Hurricane Florence. May they stay safe and sound.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

Changing a baby on a tray table.....that's just outrageous. Manners have gone by the wayside for some.

well, I don't know. If it's a little baby and only a pee diaper, it takes 30 seconds to change the kiddo, so doing it in a much nastier bathroom is probably something I'd skip.

The peed on diaper is not going to get you sick with the flu.

[MsYukon]

Great idea. I have been using these m&m containers (they were about $2 with the candy) - red for my jewelry and Yellow for my hair pins etc for a while now. They fit an amazing amount of stuff AND I got to eat the candy! They snap close and have never opened up in a suitcase.

 

Edited September 14, 2018 by MsYukon
added info

[wendychloecruiser]

well, I don't know. If it's a little baby and only a pee diaper, it takes 30 seconds to change the kiddo, so doing it in a much nastier bathroom is probably something I'd skip.

The peed on diaper is not going to get you sick with the flu.

 

Wow. I suppose you believe in the 30 second, dropping food on the floor rule too. Where do you think that diaper has been? Pee or poop...same thing. Completely unsanitary.

[lenquixote66]

I know a lot of hints are often repeated, but I haven’t seen this one recently.

 

I would recommend taking a small zipper bag (ladies I know we all have these “gift with purchase “ cosmetic size bags.). Put your jjewelry, passports etc in the bag, then bag in the safe. I see so many unfortunate stories about rings, earrings, etc being left in the safe. Those safes are DARK and hard to look into for short people like myself. It is so easy for something to get pushed to back (someone even mentioned a ring went “under” the felt bottom.)

 

I have also just taken a large zip lock bag-same thing, easy in and out.

 

Happy cruising!

 

We never take jewelry on cruises .Aside from a Timex watch I do not own any.

[caspersea]

makes me sorry I took the time to write.

Thank you for sharing your ideas!

 

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[vacationlover_mn]

well, I don't know. If it's a little baby and only a pee diaper, it takes 30 seconds to change the kiddo, so doing it in a much nastier bathroom is probably something I'd skip.

 

The peed on diaper is not going to get you sick with the flu.

 

 

 

Are you kidding? Ick!!! Would you also change a baby on your dining room table?

 

I for SURE will be wiping down my tray table in the future....

 

 

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[pcur]

I take a small, flat pill box with the separate compartments for different pills. I put all my jewelry in it. I am not a big necklace person, to it's mostly a few chains, pendants, and all my earrings. The bottom is covered with a folded paper towel strips, and the dividers are added. I also have a folded paper towel on the inside of the lid. This keeps the jewelry from rattling, and also keeps everything in it's compartment.

 

I've used it for years, and it fits in any bag since it's about 1-inch high, plus fits in any hotel or cruise ship cabin safe. Mine is smaller than the one below:

 

[Jaimeglaser]

Are you kidding? Ick!!! Would you also change a baby on your dining room table?

 

I for SURE will be wiping down my tray table in the future....

 

 

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Confession time....

 

There was a time where I was sitting in a window seat with a lap infant with other passengers sitting in the middle and aisle seats sleeping... son began stirring awake. I knew he’d start yelling about his wet diaper and wake the sleeping passengers (I wasn’t traveling with them).. so I turned toward the window with my back to them and quickly/discreetly changed him in my lap before he disturbed everyone around us (and I would feel bad about having to wake the folks sleeping next to me to go change him in the lav)...

 

I deeeeeefinitely did not use the tray table though, that’s just gross!! I will for sure wipe everything down from here on out!!!

 

I didn’t really ever change him in public, but I did that time, seat mates were sleeping so peacefully and hated to disturb them. They were a cute older couple. They slept until we landed (I was incredibly jealous lol). They commented on what a quiet/good baby he was... if they only knew the tiny spaced acrobatics I pulled off to keep him quiet [emoji23].

 

Some may argue that it’s still gross and I should have changed him in the lav... yeah, probably was. But I was careful and no one saw what was going down.. and I made the judgement call to not wake the cute older people. Maybe I should have just woke them up....

 

I’m totally going to have nightmares about tray tables now, however. [emoji15]

 

 

 

 

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[BecciBoo]

My wife has a stash of those gift with purchase cosmetic bags. We have been doing as you suggested for years. In addition we also use them to keep electronic chargers and other accessories together

 

 

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Same here. I use the net type zipper bags, one for rings, one for earrings, etc. They are about the size of a regular mail envelope, not the business long but the short one.

[Oceans4]

Regardless of a baby being changed or not and what the opinions about that may be, wiping the armrests and tray tables are really a smart idea. You have nothing to lose! You can buy twenty individually-wrapped antibacterial wipes at the dollar store. I'm pretty sure the tray tables and armrests are not cleaned thoroughly between flights, and I don't want to touch anything without cleaning it first....I even give them to strangers near me when they look at my wipies with longing! :D:D:D

 

My cruise is still a month away, and I've already put my flu-free flying kit (or let's call it germ-free flying kit to keep the knowledgeable flu police :rolleyes: happy) together and in my carry-on backpack! There are other things in there, but that's just extra stuff I like to have (small hand cream because the hand sanitizer dries out your skin a little, and always a mini toothpaste and travel toothbrush to freshen up before landing).