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Things I'm glad I brought, things I wish I'd brought, things I didn't miss


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Notes to self, shared in case they offer insight to anyone else.

 

Just back from a two-week cruise in Alaska, after prior two week cruises through the Panama Canal and in the Baltic Sea. Each time I pare down a little more of what I carry, but I also add something new so I'm not sure I've achieved any net improvement in the amount of stuff I carry. At least I didn't bring anything that I didn't need and wouldn't have used.

 

Things I brought and I'm glad I did:

 

 

  • pop up hamper from the dollar store (fit in the bottom of one of the closets and kept everything neat and in one place, plus it was easy to see where I stood laundry-wise and was cheap enough to toss out at the end)
  • plastic water bottle (the glasses in the Lido for iced tea are so small I would spend all afternoon walking back and forth to fill them, this let me cut my trips in half ... guess I'm just kinda lazy)
  • large travel coffee mug (it was pretty cool in the early mornings and evenings on this cruise, a big spill-proof mug of hot tea was a joy to have on hand)
  • Multi-plug extension cord (there was only one outlet in the cabin, recharging the Kindle and the phone every night wouldn't have been possible otherwise)

 

Things I wish I had brought:

 

  • I forgot the post-it notes that always make it easy to leave notes for the cabin stewards
  • I meant to pick up some shelf-stable tetra boxes of lactose free milk for my mother but wasn't able to find any in a couple of supermarkets in Seattle (HAL does offer specialty milks but you have to ask for them and they dole it out one small glass at a time, it would have been easier to have my own in the cabin fridge)
  • Travel clock (watch is too small to see when I wake up in the middle of the night and the cell phone can't be counted on to align with ship time)

 

Things I brought and didn't need:

 

  • As usual, too many books/other reading material (my eyes are always bigger than my stomach, so to speak, in this regard)

 

Things I brought and didn't need, but glad I had just in case:

 

  • Cheap waterproof poncho (the odds of rain in Alaska are pretty high, we just lucked out)

 

Things I didn't bring and didn't miss:

 

  • The over-the-door organizer (our cabin had more storage space than the two of us could use as it was, there was no need for more storage)

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Yeah... For 4 of us, with 2 of us not yet in school... Over thr door org is a must. For 2 it'd be extraneous.

Our must with littles? Color your own bibs and placemats, and washable markers. My kids behaved beautifully at formal dinners!

3dc0286edda50559d14135777ce0d9ed.jpg

 

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

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I always bring a few magnets with me. Two are pretty strong little hooks, good for hanging small items of washing to dry (usually from the ceiling, in front of the a/c vent) and the others are for keeping excursion tickets, invitation cards, and other important bits of paper stuck to the wall beside the desk.

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HAL ships have laundry space in the stool under the desk. Or in the drawer at the end of the bed.

Magnets are not useable on all ships. But handy when they do work. For keeping invitations, receipts, etc also.

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HAL ships have laundry space in the stool under the desk. Or in the drawer at the end of the bed.

Magnets are not useable on all ships. But handy when they do work. For keeping invitations, receipts, etc also.

In the stool! This I will definitely use. ^_^

 

Sent from my K00L using Tapatalk

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I would never leave home with out my over-the-door-hanger otherwise after DH was done in the bathroom I would never find anything. Our first two cruises we did that and it was a disaster. Even with the over-the-door-hanger. it a battle to keep everything in order.

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Good list. I agree about the over the door hanger. We always have 4 in a room. Never had an issue with needing space, we have done Carnival, Princess, and NCl. To me they make a room look cluttered and junky. Did enjoy the cheap hamper last trip though.

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Great suggestions. Here are a few more:

3M Command Hooks. Great to stick up to hang things & then a snap to remove without any damage.

Small pair of folding Bushnell binoculars.

Beach towel clips to keep the towels on the chairs by the pool.

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Great suggestions. Here are a few more:

3M Command Hooks. Great to stick up to hang things & then a snap to remove without any damage.

Small pair of folding Bushnell binoculars.

Beach towel clips to keep the towels on the chairs by the pool.

Thanks for sharing these tips. So handy.

 

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk

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Hi,

 

I took a 10 slot over-the-closet-rod sweater hanger from Bed Bath and Beyond. Kept all my shoes off the floor, evening bags handy, bag of sunscreen/bug spray easy to grab, visors and hats and sunglasses together, etc. Since closets are often right inside the cabin door, it worked great to unload into on the way in and retrieve from on the way out.

 

That and the pop-up hamper kept the floor clear and my belongings easy to access.

 

Won't go without either now.

 

Kay

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That's a good list. Since everyone is different, here is my short list:

 

Things I brought and am glad I did:

Travel clock with numbers that light up -This is probably my number 1 item because I rarely sleep through the night and hate fumbling for my phone or watch.

Pop-up hamper - I put it in the closet to keep things neat.

Lanyards - I got a great deal on Amazon. They worked just as well as the ones sold by the ship.

Small travel bag with shoulder strap - Worked well for excursions to carry only the essentials.

Binoculars

Insect Repellent

Conditioner - I learned this the hard way

 

Things I brought and didn't need:

Nothing. I needed everything I brought.

 

Things I didn't bring but wished I had:

Poncho - It poured during one of my excursions and I was soaking wet by the time I got back to the ship. I will never cruise again without a poncho. I found some inexpensive ones that I can easily fit in my travel bag for excursions.

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To the pop-up hamper and over-the-door hanger people: Do you take these items everywhere you go, say a week at a resort, or just on cruises? No judgement, just curious.

 

Yes to the hamper on cruises - there's no place to put dirty laundry & no, when at a resort there's usually a laundry basket.

Edited by 57redbird
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Yeah... For 4 of us, with 2 of us not yet in school... Over thr door org is a must. For 2 it'd be extraneous.

Our must with littles? Color your own bibs and placemats, and washable markers. My kids behaved beautifully at formal dinners!

3dc0286edda50559d14135777ce0d9ed.jpg

 

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

This picture is adorable!! That's a great idea on the color your own bibs and placemats for kids.

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To the pop-up hamper and over-the-door hanger people: Do you take these items everywhere you go, say a week at a resort, or just on cruises? No judgement, just curious.

 

I only use the pop up hamper. And, yes, for a longer hotel stay I take the hamper with me. We stayed several days for our Grandson's wedding and it came in quite handy. Ours fits nicely in our rolling duffels so it is not a hassel or cumbersome.

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Thanks.... Ikea sells color your own fabric. I personally bought these from Crafted by Cassie on FB, because i am to lazy to sew.

10 day cruise, 2 smalls, 4 bibs, 4 placemats. Zero tantrums, zero washing, zero messes.

 

 

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

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To the pop-up hamper and over-the-door hanger people: Do you take these items everywhere you go, say a week at a resort, or just on cruises? No judgement, just curious.

 

I take the pop up hamper anywhere I am going to have damp, sweaty clothes. Last cruise was in the Caribbean and I must have changed twice a day, especially after shore excursions since the humidity is so very high. The hamper let the clothes air dry instead of get ripe sitting in a closed drawer or suitcase.

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Our tips.

 

Leave the TV on at night. Ships forward view camera. After dark, there is enough light to be able to see in the dark. Also a small dim night light or small battery candle for the bathroom for those late night trips. Turning the bathroom light on destroys your vision getting back to bed.

 

Small, magnetic dry erase board for notes. No post it notes. To easy to overlook. Place it over the bed for easy seeing. Also a couple of magnetic clips for odds and ends like invitations, tour tickets, etc. Saves them from being mixed in with the clutter of paperwork piling up on the desk and being overlooked.

 

Harry

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