I wish i had taken that?

[gray1011]

Hi to all,

On the 27/06/09 (Thomson Spirit) we are going on our first cruise. Not knowing what to expect is probably the most exciting part.:D

As this is our fist cruise, I wondering

1) What you wished you had taken with you on your first cruise? :confused:

2) What would you have done different, if you had you had only known? :eek:

Thank you,

[Cymro1953]

Hi,

Packed less stuff, we seriously overpacked on clothes last year and were right up to the weight limit.

Bring a travel mug with a lid. We got ours cheap in ASDA. handy for taking a drink from the buffet to the cabin, especially early morning tea/ coffee.

 

Great itinerary tou've got. Pack some warm stuff I think for up there.

 

Berwyn

[kruzseeka]

A 4-way extension lead (and adaptor) so that you can charge up phone and camera batteries simultaneously and still use such items as hair tongs etc.

 

I also take Cappuccino sachets so we can make a late night drink in the Lido restaurant. (Tea and ordinary coffee available free).

 

Don't worry about how much you pack - you're sailing out of the UK so there's no luggage restrictions. I always take an extra case when doing Northern Europe as you may have to be prepared for the very warm to the very chilly. We did the North Cape at that time last year and were wearing T-shirts and crops in the southern part of Norway and winter weight fleeces, gloves and hats at the North Cape - I guess Iceland could be similar.

 

Berwyn's suggestion of insulated mugs is a good one if you want to take a hot drink to your cabin.

 

Anyway, have a great time - the planning and anticipation is half the fun and it looks like a fabulous itinerary. :) It's a shame it won't be available to do next year. :(

[Cymro1953]

Just make sure your cases don't weigh more than about 23 kg. each.

I forgot about the extra ones Kruzseeka with sailing from UK.

I wouldn't have booked a balcony cabin in April in the Med BRRR!! the best use we got from it was being able to prop the door open for fresh air as we sailed along.

 

Also plan ahead and look on Thomsons Cruises website at the ports of call and excursions for ideas of what you want to see. Then you can book any you want quickly when you board and get ahead of the queue so you get the ones you want.

http://www.thomsonbeach.co.uk/th/cruise/viewItineraryList.do

 

I'm sat here ready to go at the weekend with a load of stuff next to me ready to pack and I can't think of what you might need.

 

Berwyn

[Cymro1953]

We tend to treat it like a floating hotel, and pack all the usual stuff we'd pack for a hotel holiday abroad.

Probably traditional cruisers will be horrified at that statement !!

Apart from your alchoholic drinks etc you won't need much spending aboard, only for drinks, snacks and souveneirs while ashore.

We were lucky as got all inclusive on the last cruise and the next two in Dec. and next year with Thomsons so only spent for extras ashore

 

Berwyn

[Beckyfaye-2008]

On Spirit, do they have tea & coffee making facilities in your cabin.:confused:

[Cymro1953]

On Spirit, do they have tea & coffee making facilities in your cabin.:confused:

 

NO.

You'll have to wander up to the buffet restaurant Beckyfaye.

Get a travel mug with a lid from ASDA like us and you can bring it to your cabin safely.

 

Berwyn

[Flopsy]

Take your binoculars! I forgot mine the first cruise but I remembered this time.So useful to 'take a closer look' when you are anchored off shore.

 

I also like to take something typically English- eg.a toy London taxi - I always find a local child to give it to when I am ashore (I ask their mum first).Terry's chocolate orange (made in York) always goes down well too.

 

Flopsy

[Cymro1953]

A Terry's Chocolate Orange always goes down well anywhere Flopsy. Yum Yum. At least it won't melt for them in Iceland

Some people say take a battery alarm clock, but we've always used the one on the mobile phone and never had a problem.

It might sound odd with your destination, but don't forget the sunglasses. You'll probably get quitea bit of glare off the ice up there.

 

Berwyn

[verso]

I found a toilet bag with loads of seperate compartments that opened up with a hook and hung on the bathroom door. This was great, it stopped bottles, jars, cotton buds etc rolling around in the bathroom, and saves time on packing and unpacking. Think I bought it from Ikea :)

[Cymro1953]

I found a toilet bag with loads of seperate compartments that opened up with a hook and hung on the bathroom door. This was great, it stopped bottles, jars, cotton buds etc rolling around in the bathroom, and saves time on packing and unpacking. Think I bought it from Ikea :)

We've got 2 of them, we got ours from QVC shopping channel.

It used to go as hand baggage but once they stopped the liquids we didn't use them as took up too much room in the suitcase.

 

Berwyn

[vwgolf]

We always take a small compass. It's fascinating to see how the direction of travel changes. Or are we a bit sad? :confused:?

[davecttr]

I wish I had taken a bigger bladder!

 

One sea day I went to the toilet and missed the whale:(

 

A couple of hours later I went again and missed the dolphins:mad:

 

Smaller binoculars are better as is a small camera, I now have these.

 

Plus a spare wallet to take ashore on excursions when you leave your 'real' one in the safe.

 

Plus something to cut the cable ties on the luggage.

 

Plus a pen to fill in the declaration that you are not really ill, you always look that colour.

[jocap]

:cool:I have a little drawer with cruise items waiting-an evening bag (Oxfam),mini sewing kit, ballerina-type fold up slippers, tiny first aid-and spectacle repair kit!-jocap

[Cymro1953]

One thing I've bought recently is a small wallet with compartments that holds my SD cards for the digital cameras.

 

Berwyn

[Cymro1953]

I wish I had taken a bigger bladder!

 

One sea day I went to the toilet and missed the whale:(

 

A couple of hours later I went again and missed the dolphins:mad:

 

Smaller binoculars are better as is a small camera, I now have these.

 

Plus a spare wallet to take ashore on excursions when you leave your 'real' one in the safe.

 

Plus something to cut the cable ties on the luggage.

 

Plus a pen to fill in the declaration that you are not really ill, you always look that colour.

 

You could always have p****d over the ship's rail Dave then you wouldn't have missed them :D

 

Berwyn

[ROSEBASKETS]

You could always have p****d over the ship's rail Dave then you wouldn't have missed them :D

 

Berwyn

 

NO; NO; NO; HOW VERY DARE YOU!

 

This is the Thomson Forum not the Ocean Village Forum.

 

On Thomson we would urinate wouldn't we?:confused:

[Cymro1953]

NO; NO; NO; HOW VERY DARE YOU!

 

This is the Thomson Forum not the Ocean Village Forum.

 

On Thomson we would urinate wouldn't we?:confused:

Seriously No. But I was 3/4 of the way down a bottle of nice Italian red at the tme and as I'm going on RCI on Monday with their extortinoate prices for wine I'm getting some good stuff down before going.

As I book early and get free all inclusive with Thomsons I wouldn't go with O.V. as I'd have to pay for the stuff :(:D.

At time of typing this I'm halfway down 2nd bottle:eek:.

Sorry for any offence, but it was a good idea at the time.

 

Berwyn

[Cymro1953]

P.S.

I'm a nurse and by the time you've run round making sure all the patients are O.K. you learn to develop a large bladder, unlike Dave. So about 4 hours later it hits you that you need to go.

[ROSEBASKETS]

No offense taken, don't worry, I was teasing you! :D No need to explain ;)

[Cymro1953]

No offense taken, don't worry, I was teasing you! :D No need to explain ;)

 

All's fine then :) and to be fair to the O.V. customers they've taken some stick recently over on the P & O boards by some of their "posh" clientelle looking down their noses at those who want a casual informal cruise.

I thought that sort of stuff was confined to the American boards like the RCI.

 

Anyway back to the topic, last time I was worried when looking over the ship's rail that my spectacles would fall off and end upin the sea.

So this time I'm taking a spare pair just in case.

 

Berwyn

[jenny wren]

you could always get one of those straps that you attach to your spectacles and put round your neck so if they do blow off they won't go far!!

[gray1011]

Thanks to Everyone who has contributed to this thread.

 

Now my problems have started, Bring on Wall, sorry I meant to say "Bring on the case" number 4

 

but still have more room for any more suggestions.

 

Please can somebody please tell my wife that we do not need our the kitchen sink, just because she cant see a picture of our suite with a sink in it.