What would you take?

[winterblue]

Hello Cruisers!

 

We are setting sail soon, and I would love to hear your advanced packing tips. What do you take from home that makes life on board easier? I have the power strip packed, as well as a water bottle and coffee cup. 

 

Looking forward to hearing your suggestions....

Winterblue

[30scruiser]

Make sure the power strip doesn’t have a surge protector or they will confiscate it. The other things I often forget are chapstick and hair ties.

[bury me at sea]

Mandatory in carry on bags:  documentation to board, medications, cash/credit cards/gift cards or some other way to fund your account.  (A passport in your checked bags or on top of your dresser will do you no good.)

 

Everything else is optional.  Pack as you would for any other vacation.

[Dets_Girl]

Hi: 

 

Take some strong magnets.  The walls are all metal and will allow you to hang things up for reference.    I always do a spreadsheet of ports, arrival/departure times, excursions, how may other ships are in port, steakhouse reservations etc...   

 

I use a bath puff and took a suction cup along stuck it to the shower wall so it could dry every day.

 

We met some folks on our last cruise they take a map with them so they can plot their progress as we travel.    Use magnets to hang it on the wall.         

[Out of Iowa]

Don't forget a highlighter, sticky notes, aloe gel and sunscreen!  OTC seasickness meds (think of them as insurance!).  Lanyard for your Sail n Sign card.  Paperback book to read (and leave), puzzle book.  Sand safe or other watertight solution for ID/cash/cards on excursions.  Ones and $5 bills for tipping (porter, room service, tour guide/driver, hotel housekeeping).  Maybe a plug-in nightlight for the bathroom.  Watershoes, if you are going to a rocky or seaweed-y beach.  Sunglasses, hat, pashmina wrap (for cold show lounges). Purell.  Conditioner for your hair!

[winterblue]

Great thoughts! I checked the power strip. Magnets and suction cups are a good idea.

 

Bury Me at Sea, this is NOT like any other vacation for me, lol! Normally I would be packing a box of kitchen staples, spices, knives, etc. so I would be prepared to cook at the "vacation house."  This time I get to let someone else do the cooking (and cleaning!)

 

We do take a big carry on with swim suits and wine along with the needed documents.

[mickiemac]

OTC and prescription meds. Copies of Passport just in case. My Kindle with lots of new books loaded on it and a relaxed attitude. I don't care if you wear a hat in the main dining room or if you come to Lido in your bathrobe. I will not let it ruin my trip!!

[chrislo]

A small battery powered light for the bathroom.  It is super dark in the cabin and when you turn the bathroom light on night you are blinded.  I bring the battery powered tea lights.  

[cruzinfamilyof4]

We always take antibacterial soap in a pump for our bathroom. I hate using bar soap to wash my hands. 

 

[evandbob]

For a Caribbean cruise, as little as possible, or whatever fits in my 21" single piece of luggage and small shoulder bag.

[ProgRockCruiser]

There are quite a few threads here that cover this topic in a lot of detail, so rather than re-creating content, maybe review these:

 

I'll keep looking, pretty sure there was another couple much more recent.

 

This one is about cruise "hacks", which often includes tips about what is useful to bring that isn't obvious a lot of the time.

 

 

 

 

[Oceansaway17]

I take my own sweetner like stevia in case they do not have on ship.

 

I also bring a few quart size zip locks for taking treats back to my room as well as tea bags.

[schazzy]

1 hour ago, cruzinfamilyof4 said:

We always take antibacterial soap in a pump for our bathroom. I hate using bar soap to wash my hands. 

 

 

Same here! We missed having our frilly Bath & Body Works foam soap on our 2017 cruise, so we found one in a nice tropical scent and brought it for our 2018 cruise. It's the little things 

[Relax@Sea]

Half the clothes and twice the money

[angie7911922]

Nightlight if you have little kids. It gets dark in the cabins at night.

[XBGuy]

My wife always packs a stash of Zip-Lock bags.  They take very little space and, sometimes, they can just be so convenient.

[Kartgv]

Besides much of what's already listed - foam earplugs and, if you're prone to aches & pains, an old-fashioned hot water bottle (can be filled with hot water or ice if needed).   Don't forget charging cords for all your toys and gadgets.   

 

While hopefully you won't need any of it, make a list of Important Information:  Emergency contact names/phone #'s, Travel information (passport and visa numbers, flight reservation #'s, where you parked your car, TA and insurance information, shore excursion contacts), Medical information (doctor's names/phone, drug allergies, current prescription list), phone numbers for your credit cards and bank.   

[leaveitallbehind]

Wow.  It really is like packing for any other vacation at any resort.  Never needed a list of special items.  And I would leave the coffee cup at home - they have more than enough on board to use.  

 

One tip I will offer is keep your suitcases under the bed for storage and at the end of each day, place your dirty clothes in them and by the end of the week you will be 90% packed to go home.  That way you can enjoy your last night on the ship out on the ship instead of packing.

Edited February 11, 2019 by leaveitallbehind

[ZoeyVictoria]

I recently added two large (39” x 70”) microfiber towels for excursions.  They take up very little room in my tote bag compared to the ship towels and dry very quickly.

 

A big thank you to the poster on another thread who provided the Amazon link for the towels!

[dkjretired]

6 hours ago, winterblue said:

Hello Cruisers!

 

We are setting sail soon, and I would love to hear your advanced packing tips. What do you take from home that makes life on board easier? I have the power strip packed, as well as a water bottle and coffee cup. 

 

Looking forward to hearing your suggestions....

Winterblue

 

Some cruise lines will not allow power strips whether they have protection or not.  

 

I usually bring very few of the things mentioned but do definitely bring a coffee cup, very often the cups on cruise ships are small necessitating many trips.  I can also get coffee and carry it while walking around the ship.

Edited February 11, 2019 by dkjretired

[Kartgv]

2 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

"Wow.  It really is like packing for any other vacation at any resort......."

 

Except that it's not in some cases....it all depends on where the world you're going and how many sea days you have.    In many resorts you can always drive or take a quick cab to a pharmacy or other store if you need something unexpectedly - hard to do if you're in a small port or in the middle of the ocean.   You're probably right if it's a short cruise with many ports where you speak the language and don't have currency issues - though I'd take some of the mentioned items even to a resort!   

 

Edited February 11, 2019 by Kartgv

[leaveitallbehind]

22 minutes ago, Kartgv said:

 

 

I agree relative to medications, cash, and other such personal necessities.  But the long lists of items that some people suggest to bring are - at least for us with our cruising experience - completely unnecessary.  

[pacruise804]

6 hours ago, cruzinfamilyof4 said:

We always take antibacterial soap in a pump for our bathroom. I hate using bar soap to wash my hands. 

 

 

I usually end up forgetting this (getting better on my land trips at least).  In a pinch you can use the body wash from the shower - the bathroom is so small it's not like you have to reach very far 😉 

[h-sar]

6 hours ago, schazzy said:

 

Same here! We missed having our frilly Bath & Body Works foam soap on our 2017 cruise, so we found one in a nice tropical scent and brought it for our 2018 cruise. It's the little things 

 

I’ve also been doing this for over a decade! Take pump soap on all my travels. With the advent and popularity of pump soaps a number of years ago, I refused to continue using communal bar soaps 🤮! Heck, I can’t even share a bar of soap with just my ownself LOL! 

 

Bring insect repellent. Back of my leg after an hour at Princess Cays last month, 35 bites on my body. Painfully itchy for two full weeks after.

Edited February 12, 2019 by h-sar

[Bookish Angel]

8 hours ago, evandbob said:

For a Caribbean cruise, as little as possible, or whatever fits in my 21" single piece of luggage and small shoulder bag.

 

Same here only I use a backpack instead of a shoulder bag. I bring a lot of minimalism!  Too much stuff makes me anxious - trying to keep up with it all is not for me.

 

I do bring some Dr. Bronner's unscented liquid Castile soap in a small reusable squeeze bottle for handwashing and showering.

 

 

Edited February 12, 2019 by Bookish Angel