Top 5 must brings!

[griffy116]

Hairdryer.? Is it really worth taking your own.?

 

I find the hair dryer works well. I use the one in the cabin. My daughter has long, extremely thick hair and refuses to leave without carrying hers. I don't know if that helps you, but there you have 2 different opinions from 2 different females who share a cabin. To be honest, once you head outdoors, you will have windblown hair. It's a cruise so I just enjoy the breeze. I've found that my hair looks just as good in the photos if I don't put as much fuss into it.

[upwarduk]

I always find that I pack too much. There isn't anything that important that you can't buy, except your medications if you need, and your travel documents. Remember...you are on vacation. Have a good time &

Happy Sailing :)

 

I depends what size you are!!!!

[KarenandBruceG]

To hold the door open.

 

To hold the door open! Oh thank God! I got this picture in my head of a guest dangling by the ankle on the outside of the ship!!!

 

:D

[RickySQL]

To hold the door open! Oh thank God! I got this picture in my head of a guest dangling by the ankle on the outside of the ship!!! :D

Too funny! I'm pretty sure that bungee-jumping off the ship is a restriction covered in the fine print of the Cruise Contract (at least between contiguous U.S. ports)!!!

 

Actually, you'll find lots of practical uses for the big and small sized bungee cords - towel wrap, door holder, clothesline, suitcase repair...etc.

[The Whit]

Some how I always seem to bring too much (just in case).

Have been a road warrior I always have an emergency toilet kit packed (need just refresh dated items).

 

Second would be a small travel tote that folds up (can be used for purchases you need to carry off the ship, the last nights bed clothing (your luggage having been put outside the door the previous evening of departure). Can also hold clothes for the overnight in a hotel previous to sailing (keeps you from opening that big suitcase).

 

Paperback books I've been dying to read, can then leave in the ship's library.

 

 

Singles and fives. You can always use these.

 

French coffee press and coffee. (Room service can deliver pot hot water if need be)

 

A blank check from your checkbook to get cash at the pursers along with your Am Ex card. ATM fees too much for cash while abroad or on ship.:cool:

 

NCL's The Dream, Pearl

Carnival's Sensation, The Pride

Royal Caribbeans's Sovereign, Voyager

Celebrity's The Century

HAL Oosterdam (12/10)

[teacher1906]

Several of you mentioned a power strip. I read on another thread that the outlets sometimes don't accept the grounded 3 prong plugs. My power strip and hair dryer have these- Will I be able to plug these in?????

[donaldsc]

1) My laptop

2) All my photo equipment

3) My MP3 player

4) Sunglasses

5) My credit card

 

DON

[barante]

that it took us three pages until duct tape was mentioned. Not that you need it but years ago it topped the list.

[matj2000]

WHAT DO I HAVE FOR A CRUISE.

Rubber band around wallet to impede pickpockets. Use extra one to keep the wrap around one attached and prevent loosing it.

Bungy cord- help hold back our sliding veranda door one time. Also use it to secure a coat to outside of carry on.

Duct tape—repair work if needed.

Extension cord and an additional three way to make 5 receptacles from one.(lighter and takes up less room than a power strip and extension cord usually longer) I actually had two extension cords on last cruise and used them both.

My cell phone is also a PDA, so I have to bring it. Has the Itin. Readily available.

Always carry a copy of passport in carry on and also a copy of birth certificate.

Pack a small tool kit to fix things needing fixing on board. (don’t put in carry on)

Highlighter for daily program things to remember

Sticky Notes- pad to leave messages for cabin attendant.

Clock

Small flash light at bedside

I like the suction hooks for extra hooks on mirrors- Won’t stick to wood.

Mug to put drinks in to keep them cold and also not have to refill juice so often.

Put name and cabin number on mug so honest people know where to return it if left.

Sometimes an extra thermos to get coffee if room service poor.

 

I have been on 10 cruises and never needed one thing on this list. Or pretty much anything mentioned on this entire thread...

[donaldsc]

 

5-mini photo printer and package of 200 sheets of photo paper (good for our longer cruises where we are on board for over 2 weeks). You can print your photos on board and give to your table mates to take with them instead of having to try to email them to them once you get home. You can also print your photos you have taken of your room stewards, MDR wait staff, or favorite crew members to give to them. They then can send these home to their family - they seem to absolutely love to get current photos of them with their "clients". :)

 

The idea of bringing a photo printer with me is one of the more unusual suggestions I have seen. I have better things to do on any cruise I have taken than spending time printing stuff.

 

I seriously doubt that the crew members really want pictures of them with you - they are just trained well enough to not tell you what they really think of the pictures. I would guess that most of them have their own cameras. They can take lots of pictures of themselves and send them home to their families. If they really wanted their families to have a picture of them with their "clients", they would ask another crew member to take a picture of them with you. Since this has never happened to me on any cruise I have ever taken, this suggests that once you have paid your tip and left the ship, they have completely forgotten about you.

 

With regard to giving pictures to your table mates, it is much easier to e-mail them when you get home. If they really want a picture of the "group", they can print them on their own printer.

 

DON

[donaldsc]

Without question.

 

Prove it.

 

DON

[matj2000]

5-mini photo printer and package of 200 sheets of photo paper (good for our longer cruises where we are on board for over 2 weeks). You can print your photos on board and give to your table mates to take with them instead of having to try to email them to them once you get home. You can also print your photos you have taken of your room stewards, MDR wait staff, or favorite crew members to give to them. They then can send these home to their family - they seem to absolutely love to get current photos of them with their "clients". :)

 

This has got to be a joke. The only thing the crew wants from you is your $$$..

[romnan]

I've read tons of tips on packing for a cruise - but my question is really about cruise-specific items that you cannot live without on a cruise ship in particular = e.g. your travel mug, extension cord etc.

 

What are your top 5 items that you MUST take with you on a cruise ship?

Money,Money,Money more money,Did I mention Money

[cruzincurt]

This has got to be a joke. The only thing the crew wants from you is your $$$..

I agree, and they are not on vacation with you, they are working at their jobs and hope they don't get some yahoos to deal with for a week. :rolleyes:

[muti]

1. Kindle

2. Power strip

3. Camera

4. Meds

5. Appropriate clothing -- nothing formal

6. Sunscreen (had to add a 6th).

[Traveller20074]

1. CPAP :D

2. Camera

3. Extension cord for said CPAP

4. Binoculars

5. Earplugs!

[Traveller20074]

I have been on 10 cruises and never needed one thing on this list. Or pretty much anything mentioned on this entire thread...

 

 

You wouldn't take binoculars?

 

lol

 

 

And, you must not have sleep apnea :D

[donaldsc]

This has got to be a joke. The only thing the crew wants from you is your $$$..

 

Remember the recent thread where some woman give the cabin people a CD of her singing. She claimed that she could see that the crew member just loved it.

 

Should we add either audio CDs of us singing or photo CDs of our family to the "must have" list?

 

DON

[cra-z-2cruise]

1. $1 bills for tipping

2. Camera

3. Backpack for carry on on plan with travel documents, rx meds, credit cards, cash, camera, etc, and for taking change of clothes, suncreen etc on some shore excursions.

4. Small fan. dh cant sleep without it

5. Power cord

I know you only asked for 5, but a great attitude is really a must.

[nathaliem]

The only thing that doesn't seem to have been mentioned here and that I always bring is a refillable water bottle (wide mouth stainless steel one). I am a big water drinker and find that having a bottle that I can fill with ice cubes and water to take around with me is great. It saves from buying the expensive (and disposable) bottles they sell on board. They are also great to have off the ship at the beach :)

[Tika]

that it took us three pages until duct tape was mentioned. Not that you need it but years ago it topped the list.

 

Some have said don't bother about Duct Tape but I wouldn't travel with out it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!From one end of this planet to another it has saved us many times and is simply a very convenient tool..............so many uses.....the list goes on and on! Just use common sense, don't panic and just fix it with duct tape!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Davidson Duo]

The idea of bringing a photo printer with me is one of the more unusual suggestions I have seen. I have better things to do on any cruise I have taken than spending time printing stuff.

 

I seriously doubt that the crew members really want pictures of them with you - they are just trained well enough to not tell you what they really think of the pictures. I would guess that most of them have their own cameras. They can take lots of pictures of themselves and send them home to their families. If they really wanted their families to have a picture of them with their "clients", they would ask another crew member to take a picture of them with you. Since this has never happened to me on any cruise I have ever taken, this suggests that once you have paid your tip and left the ship, they have completely forgotten about you.

 

With regard to giving pictures to your table mates, it is much easier to e-mail them when you get home. If they really want a picture of the "group", they can print them on their own printer.

 

DON

 

As far as the crew pictures go, it is not the taking of the photos that is appreciated - it is the printing of it so they have a copy. I have had crew members come up to me and ask if I would take a picture and print it for them so they can post it in their room, or send it home. I usually offer to do the picture of just them alone, but sometimes they ask for a photo with us in it with them. If they are initiating the request, I think I can confidently say that is proof they actually wanted me in the picture.

 

I do not charge for printing the pictures, so it is an opportunity for them to get them without having to pay printing charges themselves from their own pocket. Even if their fellow crew member were to take a picture for them, they would still have to pay to get it printed. Not with me doing it for them. I also will usually do some cropping and editing to enhance the photo and remove clutter so that the photo is of good quality.

 

For many of us more privileged or technologically inclined, we sometimes take for granted that all other humans have access to or use email. The reality is that there are many folks who don't. Many fellow cruisers do not have a computer or email access, so never get copies of pictures we have taken on board. We have had numerous table mates in just that situation. Also, if you have the picture printed right away and give it to them, you are not going to forget to do it once you get home, or have to worry if you lost that slip of paper with someone's email address on it, or if your file size is too large for them to be able to receive.

 

I do not take my printer with me on shorter cruises - just lengthy ones. We enjoy photography and I also like to play with photo editing - it is one of those things that WE like to do.

 

I do not need to bring my own MP3 player to listen to music while on a ship, and neither do I need sunglasses. But these are things that bring you comfort when on board, and I would not ever question your reasoning for doing it.

 

Mostly I use the printer for my own photos for me, but on occasion I have used it to print photos for fellow cruisers and crew members - usually at their request. I do not randomly go around shooting pictures, make copies, then give them out aggressively to people who don't want them. Once people know I have my own printer on board, the requests start to come to me. If I feel it is a reasonable request, and I feel like doing it, I will make a copy for them. I do not force my own attempts on others unbidden.

 

And in response to your statement Since this has never happened to me on any cruise I have ever taken, this suggests that once you have paid your tip and left the ship, they have completely forgotten about you. They probably have forgotten about me. That is not what I give them the picture for. If they ask for me to be in the picture it is usually a surprise to me, but if that is what they want, that is what they get. Just because you haven't seen this happen before, or had it happen to you, doesn't mean it doesn't happen and is not appreciated. I have taken my printer, had crew ask me to take pictures of them and myself and print them for them. To me, that indicates it is appreciated and wanted. And as I enjoy photo printing and editing, it is something that brings me pleasure.

 

So when I go on longer cruises, my #5 item on my list is still going to be my mini photo printer and package of 200 sheets of photo paper.

 

Enjoy your cruise. :)

[scapel]

Some have said don't bother about Duct Tape but I wouldn't travel with out it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!From one end of this planet to another it has saved us many times and is simply a very convenient tool..............so many uses.....the list goes on and on! Just use common sense, don't panic and just fix it with duct tape!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

In Dec 2009 flying out of Punta Arenas to Antarctica we got a sudden wake up call to get ready ASAP and get down stairs since we had a weather window to fly out.

We had a limited amount of luggage which was a duffel type bag of 40 lbs. I was in a hurry putting stuff in it when it tour about 8 inches along the zipper. I had another big suitcase which was to be stored at the hotel. I grabbed the duct tape and taped up the hole quickly. When aboard the Professor Multanovskiy I was able to obtain surgical suture and repair the tear which has remained fixed. I carried that duct tape all the time. It sure helped then.

Marking pens write on it well so it makes good labels.

[panoramaofthepast]

Some how I always seem to bring too much (just in case).

Have been a road warrior I always have an emergency toilet kit packed (need just refresh dated items).

 

Second would be a small travel tote that folds up (can be used for purchases you need to carry off the ship, the last nights bed clothing (your luggage having been put outside the door the previous evening of departure). Can also hold clothes for the overnight in a hotel previous to sailing (keeps you from opening that big suitcase).

 

Paperback books I've been dying to read, can then leave in the ship's library.

 

Singles and fives. You can always use these.

 

French coffee press and coffee. (Room service can deliver pot hot water if need be)

 

A blank check from your checkbook to get cash at the pursers along with your Am Ex card. ATM fees too much for cash while abroad or on ship.:cool:

 

NCL's The Dream, Pearl

Carnival's Sensation, The Pride

Royal Caribbeans's Sovereign, Voyager

Celebrity's The Century

HAL Oosterdam (12/10)

 

We tried the over-the-door shoebag idea this past cruise and found it astonishing how much less cluttered the cabin was. We actually hung it on the wall from the picture rail. Suntan lotion, everyday meds like aspirin, brush, daily newsletters, notices for spa appointments - whatever you need it for. It kept lots of little things organized, so there was none of the "have you seen my sunglasses?" aggrevation. This is now our #1 item.

[popcorn328]

1. blender (don't laugh we make the best drinks)*

2. alcohol (for said blender)

3. Huge insulated mug (to carry said drink, made from blender and alcohol)

4. My personal snorkel equipment

5. camera

 

*in our cabin we have to have more than one blender because on last carnival cruise they confiscated one,:eek: I guess that the blades might be dangerous. Has this happened to anyone else?