Vista question - What did you bring that was most helpful?

Sailing on the Vista in April. Trying to purchase things I will need on the cruise. I have seen a lot of packing lists on the internet.

Did anyone bring the following items and find them helpful:

• Magnetic hooks (I read that the walls of the staterooms are metal and these come in handy for hanging up beach towels, etc.)
  
• Powerstrip (I actually purchased an adapter that plugs in and has 3 outlets on it and also has a night light attached.) How many outlets are in a stateroom?
  
• Masking tape / duck tape (I can't imagine needing this on a cruise??)
  
• Pen, Highlighter, Sticky notes, pad of paper (I can imagine using some of this, like if I wanted to leave a note for our room steward for example)
  
• Over the door shoe holder (we are only two people so I have decided to forgo this - it looks like there is a lot of shelves in the bathroom for toiletries)
  
• Anything else you found helpful?
  

Also I have bought some supplies to make a cool door sign. What should I use to hang the sign? Will magnetic hooks work or should I pick up some Command hooks?

Thanks!

This seems like a lot of extra stuff to bring. I have travelled a lot and never brought anything like this.

My last all inclusive trip (different from a cruise, I know), people were suggesting the same things, power strips, damp rid, extra hangers, etc. Did we ever feel like we needed any of it? No. As soon as we arrived, we didn't even hang out things up, let alone spend time in the room....we were in the pool immediately!

Seems like a lot of hassle to worry about such things.

I take my Tervis tumbler on every cruise. Keeps my drinks ice cold and I have a larger portion to enjoy longer (Carnivals cups are small lol).

No tape....you can't use that to stick anything to walls, doors, etc. That's a no, no.

I don't take power strip and manage just fine with my curling iron, charging phone, charging tablet, charging camera batteries. Just have to plan and think about it a little. If you do take power strip, make sure no surge protector ones..again that's a no, no.

One general cruising tip I found very helpful is to bring battery-operated tea lights to be a nightlight in the bathroom. We put one on the desk in the room, too. Some bathrooms cut power to the outlet when the light is turned off, so this is a way around that. We tried it and it worked great.

door stop or bungee to keep the balcony door open

Rum runner! Oh wait, that's contraband. I vote for the power strip and MAYBE magnetic hooks. All others not needed.

One general cruising tip I found very helpful is to bring battery-operated tea lights to be a nightlight in the bathroom. We put one on the desk in the room, too. Some bathrooms cut power to the outlet when the light is turned off, so this is a way around that. We tried it and it worked great.

thats a great idea

We'll be bringing magnetic hooks this time; we've needed such things in the past, in an effort to keep the cabin tidier. A powerstrip is essential for anyone who relies on Kindles for reading material, smartphones for photographs, etc. The most critical need for duct tape is to repair damage to luggage caused by careless and negligent airline baggage handlers. I think the rest would be unnecessary for us.

The only thing I bring extra are the car hanging trees by yankee candle so my room can smell good. I only hang up a few things that we may have ironed but most of my clothes stay in my packing cube

Liquid hand soap. Bar soap is yucky.

One general cruising tip I found very helpful is to bring battery-operated tea lights to be a nightlight in the bathroom. We put one on the desk in the room, too. Some bathrooms cut power to the outlet when the light is turned off, so this is a way around that. We tried it and it worked great.

Yes! We did this too and found it worked perfectly for those middle of the night trips to the bathroom! Also was nice to use on our balcony at night too.

We take insulated drink cups to keep drinks from getting watered down. Boca clips for beach towels and chairs (and to keep curtains completely closed to keep light out in early morning on ship and at hotels), magnet clothespin to keep paperwork (FunTimes, etc) on the wall and off the desks and tables, outlet extender w/ USB ports for charging all electronics, travel size Glade/Febreeze spray for bathroom smells, and travel size Downy Wrinkle Release and Static Guard for packed clothes. (I also pack a travel size lint roller since we seem to always bring along a little bit of our cat along with us!)

One of the best tips I learned earlier this year is a small collapsible bin that can sit on or near the desk area to catch all of the things that get put in that area. Worked great on our April cruise and is now a permanent fixture in my suitcase.

I have seen binder clips suggested to weight the shower curtain and keep it from attacking you;) we will try this our next cruise.

We usually bring ear plugs and maybe a thin blanket to help the room smell like "home" if you don't sleep well in other beds.

Possibly binoculars?

door stop or bungee to keep the balcony door open

Please don't do this. There are other threads that explain it will affect the a/c in the surrounding cabins (and create a wind tunnel if your cabin door is opened).

Enjoy your cruise!

Sailing on the Vista in April. Trying to purchase things I will need on the cruise. I have seen a lot of packing lists on the internet.

 

Did anyone bring the following items and find them helpful:

 

• Magnetic hooks (I read that the walls of the staterooms are metal and these come in handy for hanging up beach towels, etc.)
  
• Powerstrip (I actually purchased an adapter that plugs in and has 3 outlets on it and also has a night light attached.) How many outlets are in a stateroom?
  
• Masking tape / duck tape (I can't imagine needing this on a cruise??)
  
• Pen, Highlighter, Sticky notes, pad of paper (I can imagine using some of this, like if I wanted to leave a note for our room steward for example)
  
• Over the door shoe holder (we are only two people so I have decided to forgo this - it looks like there is a lot of shelves in the bathroom for toiletries)
  
• Anything else you found helpful?
  

Also I have bought some supplies to make a cool door sign. What should I use to hang the sign? Will magnetic hooks work or should I pick up some Command hooks?

Thanks!

Wow, are you moving in for more than 7 days?

You don't need any of it really. A PS....maybe.

Only thing I used duct tape for was to put around our luggage in case we had to check it at the airport. That way it would be easy to identify at baggage claim (I bought duct tape in a wild, multicolored pattern).

We didn't have to check our bags, but it actually came in handy because they took one of our bags to the wrong stateroom. My aunt and uncle who were on the ship with us saw it in front of the wrong room and knew it was ours because of the duct tape.

I didn't take the actual tape with us, though.

I always take a highlighter for highlighting things I want to do in the daily list of activities - and it takes up almost no room in my bag. I also take an outlet adapter or a SMALL power strip. We also bring two small pocket sized flashlights. We almost always get an inside cabin, and if the ship were to lose power, I would definitely want these handy. I know the odds are slim of that happening, but they take up very little space. We keep one on each of our nightstands - they also come in handy when getting up in the middle of the night. Keeps us from leaving the bathroom light on. A travel size bottle of Downey Wrinkle Reducer is very handy! The new ships no longer have rooms with ironing boards/irons for passengers to use. This stuff really works!! Ear plugs are also an essential item for me. We are minimalistic packers, but these items are important to us and are compact.

I have a set of magnetic hooks that I use on every cruise. They hold damp towels, bathing suits, tote bags, and on occasion have been used as a clothesline.

Magnetic hooks, definitely a power strip for charging phones , iPod, iPad, camera, etc. there is one outlet in the room and one in the bathroom. Yes the bathroom has room and shelves for storage and also a hook on the door that comes in very handy. We take bleach wipes and air freshener. We use the hub app on our phone so no need for paper fun times or highlighter on those ships that have the hub . We also bring a popup dollar store hamper that helps keep our dirty clothes separate. It folds flat so no space is lost. The magnetic hooks are great for hanging things on the walls. When we were on the breeze, we actually had the hooks and a shower curtain to create a private space for my pre teen son, who slept on the couch. The walls and ceiling are magnetic on some ships. I like e idea of a nightlight or flashlight because those trips to the bathroom can be deadly even in an ocean view room, it is still very dark and unfamiliar. The mug with lid/yeti is another thing we can't do without and we usually throw those and some empty bottles with lids for ice water for the ports into the cooler. We carry on wine and cans of soda and use a small rolling cooler with pockets.

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I have never taken any of this stuff and by the time you're finished you will need another bag.

I take charges for my phone and tablet, a tumbler for water ( the cups on the ship are extremely small), and that's it.

Sailing on the Vista in April. Trying to purchase things I will need on the cruise. I have seen a lot of packing lists on the internet.

Did anyone bring the following items and find them helpful:

• Magnetic hooks (I read that the walls of the staterooms are metal and these come in handy for hanging up beach towels, etc.)
  
• Powerstrip (I actually purchased an adapter that plugs in and has 3 outlets on it and also has a night light attached.) How many outlets are in a stateroom?
  
• Masking tape / duck tape (I can't imagine needing this on a cruise??)
  
• Pen, Highlighter, Sticky notes, pad of paper (I can imagine using some of this, like if I wanted to leave a note for our room steward for example)
  
• Over the door shoe holder (we are only two people so I have decided to forgo this - it looks like there is a lot of shelves in the bathroom for toiletries)
  
• Anything else you found helpful?
  

Also I have bought some supplies to make a cool door sign. What should I use to hang the sign? Will magnetic hooks work or should I pick up some Command hooks?

Thanks!

I just take my favorite lanyard, and binoculars.

For what it's worth, here's my "cruise prep" checklist...which I actually need to start following since we're 9 days away. :)

More than two weeks before the cruise:

• Purchase travel insurance (for Cancel For Any Reason, right after first payment)
  
• Book popular excursions in advance
  
• Conduct online check-in, verify legal names match, etc.
  
• Cash in Carnival reward points for onboard credit
  

Two weeks and less before the cruise

• Forward info for pre-cruise hotel-rooms, insurance, etc. to work for printing
  
• Print en route and cruiseport hotel info at work
  
• Print trip-insurance info at work
  
• Print confirmation of Cheers, etc. purchase
  
• print luggage tags and boarding pass at work (sneaking onto the color laser printer)
  
• reset home thermostat for vacation mode
  
• Notify USPS to hold mail -- usps.com
  
• Obtain cash for cruise, small bills also for tipping
  

Packing and prep in the days before departure

__ Passport, visa(s) and photocopies

__ Cash, including lotsa $1s

__ Credit and ATM cards

__ Cruise documents

__ Day pack/small backpack

__ Comfortable walking shoes

__ water shoes

__ Dress shoes

__ in-room shorts

__ Carnival lanyard

__ insulated cup/tumbler

__ boonie hat and/or Carnival BtF "crew" cap

__ Pants/trousers/khakis

__ collared Shirts

__ dress shirt

__ suit coat

__ Shorts ("nice"?)

__ Socks

__ dark socks

__ Swimsuits, at least 3-5

__ rashguards

__ Sneakers

__ T-shirts

__ Underwear

__ drinking horn

__ binoculars

__ laptop and accessories

__ extension cord(s) or strips

__ iPod

__ Spare batteries

__ Travel alarm clock

__ Underwater camera

__ Beach towel

__ Sunscreen

__ Sodas to bring onboard

__ Highlighters

__ Pen(s)

__ "Hello" nametags for meet'n'greet

__ masks

__ fins

__ snorkels

__ snorkel gear-bag

__ anti-fog

__ sunblock (for Coz, biodegradable)

Packing -- Day of departure for cruise

__ Cell phone and charger

__ deoderant/anti-perspirant

__ Hairbrush and/or comb

__ Shampoo/Conditioner

__ razor and charger

__ Toothbrush

__ Toothpaste

__ prescription meds

__ pain reliever

__ Snacks "for the road"

A few more thoughts:

an extra toothbrush

an extra weeks worth of medications

an extra swimsuit (to have a dry one each day)

several gallon sized ziploc bags for any wet/damp clothes to take home (like a swimsuit) or extra food that you take back to your room

maybe a quart sized bag to protect a smart phone in case of rain

extra cash for additional tips

The one thing i take that is a necessity is a luggage scale i weigh my luggage before leaving but always have more to pack leaving so looking for a scale to make sure i don't go over the 50lb weight , now i have one that i keep in my luggage at all times.

Sailing on the Vista in April. Trying to purchase things I will need on the cruise. I have seen a lot of packing lists on the internet.

 

Did anyone bring the following items and find them helpful:

• Magnetic hooks (I read that the walls of the staterooms are metal and these come in handy for hanging up beach towels, etc.)
  
• Powerstrip (I actually purchased an adapter that plugs in and has 3 outlets on it and also has a night light attached.) How many outlets are in a stateroom?
  
• Masking tape / duck tape (I can't imagine needing this on a cruise??)
  
• Pen, Highlighter, Sticky notes, pad of paper (I can imagine using some of this, like if I wanted to leave a note for our room steward for example)
  
• Over the door shoe holder (we are only two people so I have decided to forgo this - it looks like there is a lot of shelves in the bathroom for toiletries)
  
• Anything else you found helpful?
  

Also I have bought some supplies to make a cool door sign. What should I use to hang the sign? Will magnetic hooks work or should I pick up some Command hooks?

 

 

Thanks!

I would not bring any of the things listed. I would bring a can of lysol airfreshener and individual bathroom scrubs/wipes.

For what it's worth, here's my "cruise prep" checklist...which I actually need to start following since we're 9 days away. :)

 

 

More than two weeks before the cruise:

• Purchase travel insurance (for Cancel For Any Reason, right after first payment)
  
• Book popular excursions in advance
  
• Conduct online check-in, verify legal names match, etc.
  
• Cash in Carnival reward points for onboard credit
  

Two weeks and less before the cruise

• Forward info for pre-cruise hotel-rooms, insurance, etc. to work for printing
  
• Print en route and cruiseport hotel info at work
  
• Print trip-insurance info at work
  
• Print confirmation of Cheers, etc. purchase
  
• print luggage tags and boarding pass at work (sneaking onto the color laser printer)
  
• reset home thermostat for vacation mode
  
• Notify USPS to hold mail -- usps.com
  
• Obtain cash for cruise, small bills also for tipping
  

Packing and prep in the days before departure

__ Passport, visa(s) and photocopies

__ Cash, including lotsa $1s

__ Credit and ATM cards

__ Cruise documents

__ Day pack/small backpack

__ Comfortable walking shoes

__ water shoes

__ Dress shoes

__ in-room shorts

__ Carnival lanyard

__ insulated cup/tumbler

__ boonie hat and/or Carnival BtF "crew" cap

__ Pants/trousers/khakis

__ collared Shirts

__ dress shirt

__ suit coat

__ Shorts ("nice"?)

__ Socks

__ dark socks

__ Swimsuits, at least 3-5

__ rashguards

__ Sneakers

__ T-shirts

__ Underwear

__ drinking horn

__ binoculars

__ laptop and accessories

__ extension cord(s) or strips

__ iPod

__ Spare batteries

__ Travel alarm clock

__ Underwater camera

__ Beach towel

__ Sunscreen

__ Sodas to bring onboard

__ Highlighters

__ Pen(s)

__ "Hello" nametags for meet'n'greet

__ masks

__ fins

__ snorkels

__ snorkel gear-bag

__ anti-fog

__ sunblock (for Coz, biodegradable)

 

 

Packing -- Day of departure for cruise

__ Cell phone and charger

__ deoderant/anti-perspirant

__ Hairbrush and/or comb

__ Shampoo/Conditioner

__ razor and charger

__ Toothbrush

__ Toothpaste

__ prescription meds

__ pain reliever

__ Snacks "for the road"

Love your list, especially the work printouts! ;p

OP, I would add child Motrin and neosporin and bandaids if you have kids.