"If only I'd brought..."

Would the Cruise Ship protest anything on their walls, though?

Best thing for attaching stuff to the bulkheads is magnets. We have also used Command Strips for many years.

Master Lock 5900D personal safe for pool and beach days. Locks onto anything less than 14" around. Great for keeping phones, passports, cash, etc. secure. Wrap the cable around a lounger and someone would have to walk off with the whole lounger to steal your stuff.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005K6JQXQ?pf_rd_p=d1f45e03-8b73-4c9a-9beb-4819111bef9a&pf_rd_r=H0KBTHCCXK63MM5DQTWB

A corkscrew/bottle opener for when in port.

Someone else's credit card

Someone else's credit card

Nice one, :D

I just returned from my first cruise. I brought a power strip and an over-the-door shoe holder based on advice kindly given on various online sources.

Power strip - absolutely invaluable!

Shoe Holder - We had a mini-suite which had plenty of storage and counter space so this didn't turn out to be necessary. In a more crowded cabin or when traveling with children, however, I can see how it would be a lifesaver.

Poo-pourri.

 

 

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I found a pack of minis at Ulta.

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Travel sewing kit

Small Flashlight (waterproof if paranoid)

Travel sized OTC drugs, on board store had 2 Tylenol for $8.00

Smallest roll of duct tape or about three feet wrapped on cardboard. Don't laugh, suitcase handle self destructed at out going airport. Fabricated a new one in five minutes. No time to sew, make an instant hem. Reverse wrap on hand to lift lint just to name a few.

Band-aides, tweezers and Neosporin. Ship doctors not free.

sunscreen and crush-able hat that can be packed.

Electrical outlets are sparse and very close together. Small power strip if your taking small electronics. NOTE some cruise lines prohibit strips WITH surge protection.

Batteries and cables

If you think you may be playing cabin tag with your party, stack of postits and pencil (for this to work, where theyre going AND THE TIME). Keep in mind each cabin has "mail" slot by door.

Small stack of $1 and $5 bills for room service tips.

Cough suppressant as a pill (Mucinex makes it) and coricidin. Spent too long looking for a pharmacy in Cabo!

 

Eventually I put together a rollup medicine chest that goes on every cruise -- and for those who say, just pack what you would on any vacation -- we now take it on land-based trips too. In a larger toiletry case like the attached, only all of the pockets zip. The lower pocket is deep enough to hold dollar store tylenol/ibuprofen/benedryl, the coricidin and mucinex, and a smallish ace bandage rolled up, with a roll of paper tape on top of it.

 

I don't use everything all the time, but I use SOMETHING on every trip! It does take as much room in our carry-on-only packing, but it is worth it (we only take one pair of shoes not on our feet anyway).

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LOL--I now have TWO of those rolling/hanging toiletry bags. Pretty much covers almost all those needs. Sometimes hard to find a spot to hand them in hotels!

I got one from Thirty-one. Pricey but can be washed so pretty durable. It is an old design.

Here is a used one:

https://www.mercari.com/us/item/m21602590749/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=860520439&utm_content=t0&adgroup=44259517100&network=g&device=c&merchant_id=117144024&product_id=m21602590749&product_id=325418297884&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxdqS_pWc3AIVjVuGCh0QawdjEAQYDCABEgKyKPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CKHMutiWnNwCFdEGgQodUwcBZg

New design isn't as good, imo. I'd go with the Land's End design instead:

https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/507361?originalProduct=73882&productId=879642&attrValue_0=Navy&pla1=0&mr:device=c&mr:adType=plaonline&qs=3108008_google&lsft=qs:3108008_google,product:0FGR521000&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxdqS_pWc3AIVjVuGCh0QawdjEAQYBCABEgJzQ_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CK3vztKWnNwCFc4KgQodDRkMtw

I just stumbled on a 2nd at Aldi for much less ($8-9?) & I like the storage better. But it is all vinyl so will break down eventually.

Here is a pretty good substitute:

https://www.yesstyle.com/en/info.html/pid.1050380860?cpid=1050380862&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxdqS_pWc3AIVjVuGCh0QawdjEAQYAiABEgK7YvD_BwE

Some ships prohibit anything being attached to the walls with tape or magnets and some ships prohibit over the door shoe hangers.

 

A simpler approach is to buy the wifi plans if you need to be in communication with your party throughout the day instead of trying to use the GMRS radios in a Faraday cage.

yeah, but the wifi plan is not going to be anywhere as cheap as a $5 magnetic dry erase board.

Command hooks (for walls to keep the cabin tidy)

Brita Water Bottle

Stitch Witchery (emergency clothing repairs)

Stitch Witchery is only useful if you have access to an iron. Some ships don't have self-sevice laundered off that many be closed at the time you need them.Take some double sided tape instead.

I second the lidded coffee mug and I also bring a Yeti or Tervis type cup for water and cold drinks. Other things I have learned to pack: zip lock bags, disposable plastic rain ponchos, clothes pins

Seasick kit: Motion eaze aromatherapy, Bonine, ginger chews, seabands, lemon ginger tea bags, written tips (horizon, fresh air, hydration, green apples). Motion detector night light. Battery operated travel alarm clock that folds up. Patch kit. First Aid kit with PRN meds. Sewing kit. Pen and highlighter.

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We are the opposite. We used to say....'why on earth did we pack this'. We started to keep track of items we packed but never used or used once. We are now down to traveling with 20" carry on rollers.

I wish someone had said 'take large towel clamps to fix towels to loungers in the breeze'...2 weeks watching smug old timers getting up and down with out piling stuff on the towel. Have now bought a pack of 8 for next cruise for £2.70 and they will be invaluable!

However last cruise had lots of storage so no need for organiser, plenty of sockets but did use the magnets to hold shower curtain. Zip bags too invaluable.

Also what i wish i'd bought was a way of avoiding the horrible coughing bug caught on the ship and really set in 3/4 way through and spent the first 3 weeks back home in bed....only felt slightly better knowing the Queen was laid out with it too..

If this has been mentioned, whoops! But one thing I did to pack some of hubs tshirts. Put tshirt, tightie-whites and socks in ziploc. He loved it, just grabbed a ziploc each day. Surely saved packing space, too.

Forgot about this standby, pack it whenever we travel. Container of BAKING SODA.

Heartburn Remedy, dissolve some in water for INSTANT relief.