What's in your backpack for a day in port?

[BuckeyeMark]

Trying to put together a little bag full of the essentials that I can just throw in my backpack each day and know I'm good.  OBVIOUSLY YOU NEED TO BRING MONEY, PASSPORT, YOUR MEDALLION, ETC.

I'm looking for some of the extras that can prove handy but I'm also trying not to bring the kitchen sink.

So I'm bringing:
 

* small Field Notes notebook

* pen

* 99 store rain poncho 

* couple of band-aids

* protein bar
* phone charger cord

* extra battery for phone
* ibuprofen

What else have you brought along? This is just a day in port. Anything major I could go back to the ship or deal with when I get back to the ship. This is the kind of stuff you need to keep going on your excursion (comfortably!) or that makes the day a little easier. Whatcha got?

[pootsien2]

baggie with tissues or toilet paper because sometimes there isn't any! hand sanitizer or the hand wipes.Sunscreen, Sunglasses. I wouldn't take my charger or extra phone battery.

[Lady Arwen]

Toilet paper!  I know many of us ladies are appalled when public restrooms have none….the worst feeling. Also, a small packet of tissues.   I apply sunscreen before getting off the ship.  We take photocopies of our passports, the real ones stay in our safe onboard.  Headache meds. Ant acid meds.  Bottle of water (we use our own personal stainless steel water bottles, not plastic).  Small travel umbrella (works well to protect from rain and sun).  Extra socks, if it’s raining.  

[SouthAltaCruisingFamily]

Baby wipes (travel size).  Good for cleaning sticky hands, substitute for toilet paper, washing/re-hydrating your face, helps with frizzy hair, and so much more.

 

[Cruise Raider]

Bottle of water, lip balm, hand sanitizer, tissues, small packaged bag of nuts or trail mix ... that's about it.  

I usually don't take my passport but I do take my driver license.  

Edited March 29, 2022 by Cruise Raider

[akeasley]

You mentioned money but I be sure to have coins as well. I was somewhere (can't remember specific island) and was charged a quarter to even use the bathroom by putting the quarter in a slot to open the door. A hat and towel for sun protection. I usually bring a copy of the patter to remind myself when to be back on the ship.  

[Tonsoffun44]

Would leave charger/ extra battery on the ship - unless plan on doing a lot of filming with phone

My bag - Water bottle, sunscreen, Camera, pen, small note pad, tissues, hand sanitizer, travel first aid kit. 

[13cheermom]

Just recently on Panama Canal itinerary and we had to take our vaccination cards with us when we left the ship at all ports, or copy on phone will suffice.

[Mike45LC]

My knapsack has several of those small pocket packs of Kleenex (t.p. substitute), camera and spare batteries and spare memory card, selfie stick, hat, eye glass elastic holder, compact umbrella, battery pack for cell phone, pens and notepad, map of the port, breath mints.  Plus my Kindle, photocopy of passport, foreign currency, and one credit card.  (Vaccination cards and Covid Test results are on the cell phone.)   I usually also have notes on the port, including all of the tourist spots I am interested in, names of restaurants, location of hospital and US Consulate, phone number for the port agent.  Depending on the weather and plans, my prescription swim googles, beach towel, large zip-lock bags.  

 

My bag gets pretty heavy!  At least I stopped bringing my swim fins!!

 

[cruzsnooze]

Always have the number of the port authority (it's in the Patter) to call if I miss the ship for any reason.

[Thrak]

I have a small backpack I hang from one shoulder. We each grab a bottle of water when we leave the ship. We wear our hats but I can put them in the bag if desired. I carry bandaids as they have come in extremely handy at times. I also take a hand towel (or at least a face cloth) from the cabin in my bag. It comes in handy in hot, sweaty locals and I have also put one under my hat and hanging down over my neck. On one excursion where we were in a fairly small open boat it saved me from the sun big time. We never take our passports ashore unless it is somewhere that will require them. For instance in Alaska there are several excursions that enter Canada and require a passport. Otherwise I have pics of the passports on my phone. I have pics of our vaccination cards on the phone as well as the barcodes. If a port decides to require the actual cards I guess we will have to take them. I am always "aware" and on the lookout for pack snatchers. I usually keep my wallet in a back pocket but move it to a front pocket when we go ashore. I never wear my "good watch" when going ashore.

 

As you can see, my pack really doesn't have all that much in it but it's come in handy for the stuff we do take and also as an aid to carry anything my wife may buy.

 

Edit:  Like others here I carry TP and usually some napkins. Some countries don't have toilet paper available. I not only carry it for my wife but for myself as well. It was a lifesaver in Morocco when "the trots" hit suddenly and the toilet facilities had no paper at all. 😱

Edited March 29, 2022 by Thrak

[LACruiser88]

2 hours ago, BuckeyeMark said:

OBVIOUSLY YOU NEED TO BRING MONEY, PASSPORT,

We NEVER bring our passports, they stay in our safe.  Unless as @Thrak mentioned above, the port specifically requires it.  We also have photos of passports, vaccination cards, Driver's Licenses on our phones.  

[thehowlingroad]

Sunscreen, sunglasses, tissues/a bit of toilet paper, an extra battery pack (so 2 of them), printed copies of my paperwork (including excursion tickets and how to reach Princess/the port in case you lose your phone somewhere!), ibuprofen, hand sanitizer. Umbrella, depending on the weather, although I usually skip this if I'm not in a tropical area. My mother is diabetic so she always carries two packs of fruit snacks with her.

 

 

 

 

[BuckeyeMark]

Let me pull us back to the original question: what's in your backpack?  It's not SHOULD YOU OR SHOULD YOU NOT BRING YOUR PASSPORT WITH YOU WHEN YOU LEAVE THE SHIP.  Some do. Some don't. You do you, but this is about stuff to put in your backpack not The Great Passport Debate.  Let's just put "Passport or copies, vaxx card or copies" as a given and move on...  

Some great suggestions here... really helpful.  What are you carrying?

[Chelly]

No backpack.  After 40 years of cruising I have lightened up.  

Tissues stuffed in pants pocket.  

Credit card, room card/medallion, drivers license (or copy of passport) and cash stuffed in bra.  It's all I need.   Works for me.   Hands free at all times.  

Edited March 29, 2022 by Chelly

[Lady Arwen]

16 minutes ago, BuckeyeMark said:

Let me pull us back to the original question: what's in your backpack?  It's not SHOULD YOU OR SHOULD YOU NOT BRING YOUR PASSPORT WITH YOU WHEN YOU LEAVE THE SHIP.  Some do. Some don't. You do you, but this is about stuff to put in your backpack not The Great Passport Debate.  Let's just put "Passport or copies, vaxx card or copies" as a given and move on...  

Some great suggestions here... really helpful.  What are you carrying?

Sorry, but you asked what we bring and some of us said we bring passport copies or on our phones or originals.  I didn’t see any debate about it.  We just answered your question, that’s all.

[Princessfan20]

7 minutes ago, Lady Arwen said:

Sorry, but you asked what we bring and some of us said we bring passport copies or on our phones or originals.  I didn’t see any debate about it.  We just answered your question, that’s all.

 

Agree......the question was poorly stated.....OP is debating the people who are taking time to answer their question....that's rich!!!

[Dock B]

We learned the hard way that the bandaids need to be the waterproof type.

 

I was on blood thinners for a year and we had a cruise during that time. The tender bumped around and the lady next to me cut my arm with her long fingernails!! Needless to say, it was a bit difficult for DW and I to get the bleeding to stop. DW had a tiny first aid kit so after cut was cleaned, a bandaid was applied. However, this was in the Caribbean so heat and humidity did nothing for keeping that bandaid on!! Fortunately, we ran into a relative who was on the same cruise and she had a waterproof bandaid that stayed one.

 

My DW now brings  waterproof ones (and regular ones too) as she also noted the waterproof ones would be best in the event of a blister from her shoes.

[alpha whiskey]

Medical grade face mask would definitely be high on my list 

[Lady Arwen]

28 minutes ago, Dock B said:

We learned the hard way that the bandaids need to be the waterproof type.

 

I was on blood thinners for a year and we had a cruise during that time. The tender bumped around and the lady next to me cut my arm with her long fingernails!! Needless to say, it was a bit difficult for DW and I to get the bleeding to stop. DW had a tiny first aid kit so after cut was cleaned, a bandaid was applied. However, this was in the Caribbean so heat and humidity did nothing for keeping that bandaid on!! Fortunately, we ran into a relative who was on the same cruise and she had a waterproof bandaid that stayed one.

 

My DW now brings  waterproof ones (and regular ones too) as she also noted the waterproof ones would be best in the event of a blister from her shoes.

My DH takes Warfarin and we have the same concern!  We carry heavy duty bandaids that his doctor supplied in case of emergency.  Yes, waterproof!  Great suggestion!

[marden1970]

We take a zip lock baggie with a damp washcloth and some ice cubes.  This came in handy in Catagena when it was really hot.  My DH was really affected and a cool washcloth on the back of his neck really helped.  As the ice cubes melted it kept the cloth cool.

[Pudgesmom]

7 hours ago, BuckeyeMark said:

.  OBVIOUSLY YOU NEED TO BRING MONEY, PASSPORT, YOUR MEDALLION, ETC.

 

Not obvious to this seasoned traveler. There is no reason at all to take your passport ashore, unless you’re hoping to get it stolen and spend some time at the US consulate. Take a copy and  another form of ID. 

[EDDY0827]

Passport ID card and $.

[navybankerteacher]

9 hours ago, BuckeyeMark said:

Trying to put together a little bag full of the essentials that I can just throw in my backpack each day and know I'm good.  OBVIOUSLY YOU NEED TO BRING MONEY, PASSPORT, YOUR MEDALLION, ETC.

I'm looking for some of the extras that can prove handy but I'm also trying not to bring the kitchen sink.

So I'm bringing:
 

* small Field Notes notebook

* pen

* 99 store rain poncho 

* couple of band-aids

* protein bar
* phone charger cord

* extra battery for phone
* ibuprofen

What else have you brought along? This is just a day in port. Anything major I could go back to the ship or deal with when I get back to the ship. This is the kind of stuff you need to keep going on your excursion (comfortably!) or that makes the day a little easier. Whatcha got?

 

9 hours ago, BuckeyeMark said:

Trying to put together a little bag full of the essentials that I can just throw in my backpack each day and know I'm good.  OBVIOUSLY YOU NEED TO BRING MONEY, PASSPORT, YOUR MEDALLION, ETC.

…
 

Obviously you do NOT need to bring passport - most experienced cruisers (and cruise lines) say you need to leave your passport in your safe.  And the “medallion” only exists on certain lines.  The rest will largely depend upon the size of your back pack, whether you plan to leave it on the beach while swimming, and your willingness to carry a lot of stuff - among many other considerations.

[donaldsc]

If I put all the stuff mentioned in this thread, my backpack would weigh 20 pounds.  I try to take as little as possible.  

 

DON