Best cruise hacks?

[brillohead]

27 minutes ago, danny1951 said:

My wife & I are first time cruisers.  Retired couple.  Reviewing these hacks; they are great & very helpful, but don't understand the magnetic hooks.  Why?  Assume there are small closets with hangers for the few hanging things.  Wet swimsuits can be hung in the bathroom or on the balcony over a stretched bungee cord.  What am I missing?  Thanks.

I like to wash out swimwear (I'm a redhead, so I am covered from the neck down to avoid sun exposure -- rash guard longsleeved shirt and leggings) and then hang from a hanger off the ceiling by the air vent to dry.  This way they don't need to be moved in/out of the shower every time someone wants to bathe, plus there is more air movement in the stateroom versus in the bathroom.

Also handy for hanging hats, lanyards, beach bags, shawls, etc.  

 

[cruise wizard]

Take a photocopy of your drivers license, passport, list of all medications and any insurance papers................it can save you lots of time and aggravation if documents lost or needed for an emergency!!!! We keep them in a plastic sheet protector and are always packed in our carry on suitcase. 

[lovesthebeach2]

I haven’t read all the responses, but definitely bring lots of magnets. You can hang them on the walls and the ceiling to air dry clothes (also on long cruises we bring Lightweight shirts that can be washed in the sink and dry from the hooks on the ceiling) and I use it in the shower to keep the curtain inside so we don’t flood the bathroom floor. 😉

 I also bring clothespins to keep the balcony curtain fully closed to keep light out nd bring tea lights for a night light in the bathroom.

[Ilovesailaway]

1 hour ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

 bring tea lights for a night light in the bathroom.

 

make sure they are battery operated, no flame

[TNcruising02]

1 hour ago, cruise wizard said:

Take a photocopy of your drivers license, passport, list of all medications and any insurance papers................it can save you lots of time and aggravation if documents lost or needed for an emergency!!!! We keep them in a plastic sheet protector and are always packed in our carry on suitcase. 

This is a good idea.  I actually have all of that saved in a file on my phone.

[joshgates]

Magnet hooks

Poo-pourri 

Airborne / Nuun

Rebound Patches

Anti wrinkle spray

Travel laundry detergent

Small first aid kit (bandaids, superglue, neosporin, aspirin/ibuprofen, allergy meds, tums, Imodium, etc.)

Motion sickness (i bring gingins and bonine and start taking the bonine the night before I fly out)

Waterbottle, i prefer a 32oz wide mouth insulated one

Silicone straws, i prefer these to metal or bamboo ones.

Multiport usb charger and USB charging cables for everything, makes it much easier than trying to find individual plugs.

Power bank, I have a 20000mAh one that’ll let me charge two devices at a time

Pictures / screenshots of all your travel documents / confirmations / etc stored on your phone in a separate album

Twice the money you’ll think you need (just in case).

 

 

[PTAngel]

I agree with most of what has already been listed. 

I also bring extra batteries for devices that use them just in case a battery dies.  

Make sure you bring chargers for all devices that use them.

I bring extra eye glasses (both readers & sunglasses).  You're in trouble if you break or lose a pair.

My first cruise, it was suggested I bring a pair of binoculars.  We tried to use them but it didn't work for me.  So no more binoculars & extra space in case.  Some people might use them though.

 

[Midwest Sunseeker]

We take suction cup hooks to use on the mirror and one or two magnet hooks.  It helps keep the desk and bathroom organized.  

[davekathy]

I always have a corkscrew packed in our first aid kit. The ones RC will provide suck. In case your wine bottles you bring on board don't have a screw cap.

Edited February 16, 2020 by davekathy

[biomedbob]

 I think a 20000 aMh charger could start a Mack Truck!

[Iamcruzin]

Drivers license, passport is saved in a file on our phones so we always have that. I forward all emails that contain documents for insurance, cruise, hotels and excursions to other who are traveling with me so we all have copies. 

[PTAngel]

I bring a pencil with an eraser & a sharpener to use for games.  The pencils they give us aren't much use & they don't have an eraser!

[Casino Comp Chick]

I keep preprinted address labels for everyone with their names & cell phone numbers. It saves having to write out everyone’s info for luggage tags coming and going. It takes forever to write out everyone’s info on the tags they bring you so I just slap a label on and I am done. It helps in case their luggage goes missing, they can be reached by phone. 

[birdylady]

IF we're going on a ship that has the old curtains for showers, we always bring 2 plastic laundry clips to weigh down the curtains. That way they don't 'attack' you when you shower.

We also bring the magnet hooks and bungee cords. If we're in a balcony, we use bungee cords to hang dry the swimsuits and not worry about them flying away.  NOTE: We never do this in port. And we try to do this overnight after our room steward has done turndown service.  We never want to get them in trouble.  If we're not in a balcony, we can use the magnets and hang them from the ceiling and run the bungee cords on those.  Amazing how strong those magnets are.

 

As others stated, battery operated light (we like the tealights) for the bathroom at night. This way, if you get up during the night, you don't go blind turning on the bright light.

 

Erika

[Nanny Bear]

Many years ago we saw suggestion to use the magnetic hooks on the ceiling to run an approved extension cord across the room.  Have done this many times to avoid cord on floor when plug is not near bed and CPAP needs electricity. 😀

[PTAngel]

I keep an extension cord in my CPAP bag always.  So I am ready to go anywhere.  Also bring a roll of duct tape.  Never know when that comes in handy.  I've used it to hem a halloween costume, wrap 2 walking sticks together, hold down cord in place so we don't trip, etc.

[2chiefs]

15 hours ago, biomedbob said:

 I think a 20000 aMh charger could start a Mack Truck!

Need to be prepared. You never know when you need to start one.

[brillohead]

11 minutes ago, 2chiefs said:

Need to be prepared. You never know when you need to start one.

The tour bus might need a jump-start to get you back to the pier in time, you never know!  LOL

 

[joshgates]

16 hours ago, biomedbob said:

 I think a 20000 aMh charger could start a Mack Truck!

 

mAh a unit of capacity, a factor for jumping a vehicle but very much not the determining one 🙂

 

For comparison here's the electronics I travel with and their battery capacities

 

iPad Pro - ~7800 mAh

iPhone XS - ~2650 mAh

Kindle - ~1600 mAh

Camera batteries - ~1250 mAh each

GoPro batteries - ~1220 mAh each

 

Having a power bank lets me be assured that I'll be able to charge things if I'm away from my cabin for extended periods (or long layovers in airports), or to recharge devices/batteries during the day if there's a room steward who's set on following the "do not leave things plugged in / key card in the switch when not in room" rule.

 

 

[jinx73]

Daughter and I found on our last cruise, a small magnetic whiteboard came in handy, as we could update messages to each other on where we were, schedules etc.  We typically don't get wifi, and I know now in many cases you can msg through the app, but this let us not have to worry about our phones as much.

[lovesthebeach2]

23 hours ago, Ilovesailaway said:

 

make sure they are battery operated, no flame

 

oops.... forgot to mention that, yes bring the disposable tea lights for the bathroom night light 😉

[Reynolds13]

By far my favorite “hack”..

 

On the last night of your cruise order some bloody Mary’s without ice from a bar. Store these in your fridge overnight and just add ice in the morning. Perfect for a beverage before leaving the ship and returning to reality. 

[MissCruiseAddict]

When it come down to it as long as I don't forget my wallet, passport, boarding pass and prescription meds anything else I forget I don't really need 

 

But I do like to pack baby wipes.  I like them better than those hand sanitizing wipes, less abrasive on my skin.  I get the non scented sensitive skin ones

 

I also like to pack a cheap cup to carry around on the ship for water.  I don't like to bring my good Tervis Tumblr just in case I lose it.  

[blueridgemama]

23 hours ago, davekathy said:

I always have a corkscrew packed in our first aid kit. The ones RC will provide suck. In case your wine bottles you bring on board don't have a screw cap.

 

So they allow you to bring a corkscrew?

[davekathy]

4 minutes ago, blueridgemama said:

 

So they allow you to bring a corkscrew?

Yes. Mine also has a 1.25 inch foil cutter on it.