How about every one offering 1 tip to fellow cruisers

[wenhigh]

Do not drink the pool water! Bad mistake! Bring sun block! Third, do not make a cruise more stressful than it has to be. Like someone else said, do not sweat the small stuff!. Fourth, enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

[Nunu]

Great thread and some good ideas that are appreciated by first time cruisers like us!

[LuvSun&Fun]

These are all great suggestions! I'm still learning even after several cruises. I echo the tip for packing shorts, t-shirt, and bathing suit in your carryon luggage. That way you can have a head start on your first day. I'll also go one further and suggest that you hang your dressy outfits on a garment bag and carry that onboard your flight. Just make sure you remember to grab it on your way off. This way you don't have to worry about missing formal night if your luggage is lost. You'll have your formal wear and at least one casual outfit and bathing suit if, heaven forbid, your luggage doesn't make it. Also, bring some dog biscuits if you go snorkeling. This will attract the fish!

[cruisinqt]

I always go to all of the Avon parties, Merle Norman parties, and Mary Kay parties that I can before my cruise. I end up with lots of free trial size goodies like lotion, perfume, lipstick, and lots of make up. It's free and they are small enough that you use them up and toss them away by the time the cruise is over. And it's fun having a bunch of new stuff to go through.:D

If you want to save money on drinks, just bring along the new Crystal light On The Go Single Packets. Each packet is is about the length and width of your finger and will flavor 20 oz. of water. I like to use the lemonade flavored one, and then put in just a little bit of the raspberry. It makes the best raspberry lemonade ever, and it's calorie free!:D I don't like coffee or tea. And I don't like the ship's water either. So I end up buying sodas, bottled water, or a mixed drink. But with the Crystal Light packets, I can toss several into my purse and have a good raspberry lemonade for pocket change. They are hard to find at the stores around here, but if you go to Amazon.com, they are $5.49 for a box with 30 packets in it. And if you spend $20 or more the shipping is free. That's cheaper than what I paid for them at a nearby store. Next time, I'm going to Amazon.com to buy mine.:)

[travel girl23]

There's usually a Cruisecritic log in the library somewhere. Be sure to sign it and read what others before you have written. If you cruise in the fall or winter like we have been doing, go get a spray-on tan before you go.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

ONE tip :

Take a small fan for both air circulation and, most importantly, NOISE!

Walmart carries a cheap ($8.99) - but quality - fan (Honeywell) which will fit easily in a large suitcase... here is a link showing the fan.... though this is NOT Walmart! The box it comes in is comparable to a 12pk of bottle beer...

(2 links, if one does not work!)

[url="http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=APPL&pid=03280121000"]http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=APPL&pid=03280121000[/url]

[url="http://shop.store.yahoo.com/flyyourflag/honblac3spee.html"][/url]
[url="http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/diy_main/pg_diy.jsp?CNTTYPE=PROD_META&CNTKEY=Products_2%2FHeating+%26+Cooling%2FPortable+Fans&MID=9876&ProductOID=525547&cm_ven=1hd.com2yahoo&cm_cat=shopping&cm_pla=prod&cm_ite=prod"]http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/diy_main/pg_diy.jsp?CNTTYPE=PROD_META&CNTKEY=Products_2%2FHeating+%26+Cooling%2FPortable+Fans&MID=9876&ProductOID=525547&cm_ven=1hd.com2yahoo&cm_cat=shopping&cm_pla=prod&cm_ite=prod[/url]

Tom

[IlliniRam]

I would like to reiterate a previous post about camcorders. I have a Sony 8 mm and I got a condensation error. I was not able to use it the rest of the cruise. It works fine now. Make sure if your camcorder is cold from the a/c in the room that you let it thaw out before using it the hot sun and humidity.

[emerald777]

I hate having to spend so much time shopping for gifts for family at home. So before my last cruise, I ordered several heavy silver bracelets, neckchains and ankle bracelets from Ebay. They were much cheaper and the biggest part of my "bring me back a present" responsibilities were done! I still bought plenty of the the little things, T-shirts, magnets, key chains, etc. But didn't have to worry about comparison shopping for the bigger items. Nobody had a clue they weren't bought in the Islands, especially since I made sure to save the bags from the stores I did go to..... :o

[Paladin]

Call your credit card company(s) and let them know that you will be using your card out of the country. This could keep you from having a charge declined because the company sees the out of country charges and when the fraud detection people call your home and you are not there they could suspend your account.

[john kaz]

OK oK This may not be a cruise tip, but it is a tip for fellow cruisers, well there young kids that is. Teach your kids early to like the Red Sox. Why you may ask. Because this way, they will never get use to (or probably see a World Series win in their life time) they will not ever know what it feels like to win a World Series, so they will never miss it. Now, do not get me wrong, I am a Sox fan from CT. Does it not get old to win, and win, and win. And you can always book a cruise in mid October without having to worry about missing your team in the World Series....

[glrounds]

[quote name='RWolver672'] And there's nothing better than sending fellow workers back home a card that says "Sorry I'm here, Glad you're not!"[/QUOTE] [color=Navy][size=3][font=Comic Sans MS][i]LOL . . . .you have such great advice about everything, especially the little notation on the cards.

I love to use the old Jimmy Buffet line . . .

[b]"The weather is here. Wish you were beautiful". . . .:D :D[/b]
[/i][/font][/size][/color]

[glrounds]

[color=Navy]sorry, double post
[/color]

[karlanee]

If you meet some nice people you'd love to maintain contact with - don't forget to get their information. On our first cruise, we were seated with a very nice couple and did a lot of stuff with them. They were so much like us and lived only 3 hours from us. I know we would have continued the friendship. On the return flight home I realized I had forgotten their last name and didn't get their phone number. I knew some details about them - but googled it to death to no avail. Carnival was no help either - obviously they can't give out information - that's understandable. I've regretted that forgetfullness ever since.

[sea_u_onboard]

karlanee - I decided on this next cruise I'm not going to make that same mistake, as I have also done in the past. I purchased some of those make your own business cards - card stock or regular paper will work.

I printed up cards with our names and email and included my CC information (screen name) with the website address in case they wanted to check it out - if they are not a CC member.

I figure I will only give to those I truly want to keep in contact with - as I don't want to give too much personal information to strangers.

[shabcruzn]

and don't forget your duct tape!!!!

[Bucky3]

We use a duffel bag to pack the "odd" things like shoes, bottled water, snorkels, etc. Great for the dirty laundry coming home too!

[carmel]

Having traveled to China at the height of the SARS outbreak, I have learned to rely on Purell (or the like).

It is cheap, comes in a gazillion sizes and applying it often can keep you well. I never leave home without it!

[bjkeen]

Remember to carry on something decent looking to change into before dinner. Luggage sometimes does not arrive in time.

[iluvdoxies]

Since there are no clocks in the rooms, we always bring a small baby ben. It glows in the dark and sure beats turning on a light in the middle of the night to see what time it is. ALso u can set your alarm if u have an early excursion and dont have to rely on a wake up call.

Also on a weeks cruise I pack the dirty clothes about halfway through-usually a sea day if I can. That way, not as much to pack all at once. And do fold the dirty clothes so all will fit back in your suitcase.

[jlane]

Heard a lot of great ideas, here's one if you have a balcony room...

Bring along some bungie cords. We tied our door open every night and listened to the ocean. It was a beautiful way to fall asleep.

Just remember to close the door when you leave for the day.

[ergator]

Another good drink is Bacardi Lymon rum. You can get all the lemonade you want on board (or at least you could-does anybody know if that is still so on the Conquest?) just throw in a jigger or two of the rum and you have a drink that can't be beat especially while being a turtle in the sun. Now, if you pack that blender you could always blend it up.

[Gramsk]

Pack wrinkle remover spray, lightly spray clothes as you unpack and put on hanger, NO MORE WRINKLES.

Pack swimsuits and coverups, wear on ship and at port with shorts, they take up less room in suitcase.

Put brown colored liquor in Listerine bottles, clear liquor in water bottles to smuggle on board.

[Micktooth]

I wanted to bump this post up to see if there are some more excellent tips out there. Thanks everyone!

[pasto5]

My family always sleeps in much later than I do. So I always bring a small disposable flashlight. I can read, get out of bed to the shower without running into anything and not have to turn on a light or open the curtains. I bring one on cruises and when we stay in hotels.

[Micktooth]

Walkie Talkies are great. You can communicate all over the ship or at port. This is especially handy if you have kids on board and want to talk to them or find out where they are.