Helpful things to bring on the cruise

[Jon65retired]

where do you find travel sized lysol? i've tried some stores like target and have not been able to find them

 

You can order online at homesolutionsstore.com.

[Konagal]

Just in case you didn't get enough ideas from this thread, go to FUN STUFF > cRuise Rituals> Need Great Ideas of Clever Things to Bring where you will find 239 posts which more than 60,000 CC members have looked at!

[chubbypiggy]

I bought mine at Wal-mart.

 

I was at Ralph's Supermarket yesterday, and I saw it there. The size is 1 oz. The one I bought at Wal-mart was $1.50, and I saw it for about $2 at Ralph's.

[GAPeachessweety]

Better yet, tune the TV to View from the Bridge Channel. Mute volumn. It will be dark all night, then in the morning it will be daylight, Just like a window.

 

That has got to be the best idea I've heard yet. We slept one morning until 11:00 a.m.. Even then we woke up thinking it was about 7:00 a.m......since the inside rooms are darker than the insides of a cow :D. (love it)

 

I'm going to chime in on the spelling/grammer thing as well. Leave people alone about it. Last time I checked there are no perfect humans alive including the people that feel the need to correct someone elses spelling.

 

I didn't see this mentioned:

A travel size sewing kit. Ya know, for that button that just popped off his shirt right in the middle of his chest....or the hem you're thinking about using duct tape on :p.

 

Also, a small 1st aid kit

lint roller

scissors (small)

cork screw (if you plan on bringing on a bottle of wine)

waterproof windbreaker type jackets

small white noise maker

[happycat Bainbridge Is]

my husband would try to fix a lost button with duct tape (once a rowing coach ....)

 

Peaches and the Brain made me laugh too, because I have a B.A. in English and Literature with honors - but I'm also dyslexic, and it just so happens, Brian (a.k.a. the Brain) - one of the typos I make most often is typing your name as "Brain."

 

I forgot about the overly friendly (!) shower curtains - definitely second something to weight it down and keep "Mr. Grabby" in his place ....

 

HCBI

[gailisacruzin]

I love reading cruise critic but don't often contribute but will share my ideas as well. I keep a list that I refer to everytime I pack for a cruise:

 

Plastic shower curtain from $ store - at least if the curtain touches me its mine

Travel alarm clock

Sewing kit

Roll of lint remover tape

Ziplock bags to bring snacks on excursions

Insulated cup for cold drinks from buffet (saves alot of money)

Imodium, Correctol, Z-pack antibiotics, benedril, dramamine, advil, bandaids and neosprorin,

Nail clippers, emory board

Purell in small travel size to bring ashore to use before eating

Water if possible

Backpack

Ponchos

Suntan lotion, aloe

Gum, sucking candy

Book

Hat

Local currency for ports

Laundry bag

Power Strip

Batteries

Hairdryer

Camera, Binoculars

Netbook

 

I hate to travel and need something and have to waste time shopping for these things. Hope this was helpful to someone.

 

Thanks for the new ideas of a roll of quarters and laundry detergent. Our next trip is a cruisetour to Australia and New Zealand on the Diamond starting 12/29. We will be away for 3 weeks and there is no way we will be able to avoid doing laundry.

[2bout2c]

I love reading cruise critic but don't often contribute but will share my ideas as well. I keep a list that I refer to everytime I pack for a cruise:

 

Plastic shower curtain from $ store - at least if the curtain touches me its mine

Travel alarm clock

Sewing kit

Roll of lint remover tape

Ziplock bags to bring snacks on excursions

Insulated cup for cold drinks from buffet (saves alot of money)

Imodium, Correctol, Z-pack antibiotics, benedril, dramamine, advil, bandaids and neosprorin,

Nail clippers, emory board

Purell in small travel size to bring ashore to use before eating

Water if possible

Backpack

Ponchos

Suntan lotion, aloe

Gum, sucking candy

Book

Hat

Local currency for ports

Laundry bag

Power Strip

Batteries

Hairdryer

Camera, Binoculars

Netbook

 

I hate to travel and need something and have to waste time shopping for these things. Hope this was helpful to someone.

 

Thanks for the new ideas of a roll of quarters and laundry detergent. Our next trip is a cruisetour to Australia and New Zealand on the Diamond starting 12/29. We will be away for 3 weeks and there is no way we will be able to avoid doing laundry.

Don't carry a roll of quarters. In the casino or front desk, change a $10bill for quarters.

[gailisacruzin]

Your are absolutely right.....I was so busy trying to pick up on new ideas...you are right about the casino....I'm there every night anyway.

[Buddy604]

Ziplock bags to bring snacks on excursions

A great list, but do be careful with taking food from the ship to the shore - some ports (especially many in North America) have agriculture restrictions to protect local plant life. Besides being generally a bad idea to bring food ashore in these ports, if you get caught the fines are hefty.

[Buddy604]

A lot of good suggestions, and covers a lot of my items too. Here's a few thing I'll add that I haven't seen listed yet:

 

• a small power tap plug cube - turns one outlet into three, without taking much space.
  
• 3-M removable hooks - hooks on the wall in the cabin, closet and bathroom hold my paperwork, sunglasses, hat, bathrobe, etc. Comes off easily and cleanly before disembarkation.
  
• 3 or 4 letter sized mesh zippered envelopes - available from the container store and holds patters, fliers and shore brochures and can be hooked on the 3-m hooks for fast organized access.
  
• 3-m removable document clips - goes on the mirror and holds invitations to parties and events
  
• correspondence folder - a small coupon accordion file where I keep preaddressed mailing labels, postcards, personalized notecards, small envelopes and stamps from various countries in a variety of denominations.
  
• a set of iGo charger tips and a charger so I can power up all my gear (notebook, camera, iPhone, eBook Reader, spare cellphone) with just one power adapter.
  
• an eBook Reader instead of 25 books. :D I prefer the Sony PRS-505 - lets me carry a couple of hundred titles, including travel guides, fiction, best sellers, etc, in less than the space of a thin trade paperback.
  

[Buddy604]

Forgot one - small salt and pepper shaker. If the norovirus strikes and they yank all the salt and pepper shakers from the tables, it's nice to have your own rather than asking the waiter to pop over regularly to refresh your pepper.

 

Its also handy at the international cafe, where you'll usually only find sets up at the counter.

 

I have a swiss spice card, a very portable option, and, if I'm feeling fancy, two very small waterproof grinders for fresh pepper and sea salt. They're square, about the size of a 35mm film canister, and can be found in a camping supply store. You can adjust the grind on them - good for those of use who like really coarse pepper!

[PaperSniper4]

I don't understand the credit card for the safe thing. Why do you need a cc for the safe? isnt there a key pad on the safe to open it?

 

Depends on which cruise line and probably which ship. Some safes have a keypad, others use a "credit card reader". Those often work on any plastic card with the magnetic-data strip.

 

As far as I know all rooms have a small safe. At least in about 20 cruises since 1990 I've always had one. Princess and CCL I believe use the keypad. I think HAL uses a card, but someone will need to verify that.

[PaperSniper4]

Some really good suggestions above on what to bring; I particularly like the one on the 3M hooks, I may do that on the next cruise.

 

Has anyone mentioned a night light? I find it uncomfortable to stumble around in the dark getting to the head, and the step up into it can be tricky. I started carrying a small ac night light years ago for general travel and it works fine. On SOME ships there is a plug in the head labeled "for shavers only"; but those work very well for powering my night light. Mine is the non-bulb night light, the one with a blueish-green panel. For heads that have no outlet, and some do not, I have a battery powered 3 LED light, a small circular one, about 2 inches in diameter. It is adjustable so that you can use 1, 2 or all 3 LEDS. On the 1 setting it makes a decent night light, on the 3 setting it makes a dandy flashlight. I think I got mine at Wal-Mart or Walgreens...............

 

Another suggestion for those who like martinis is to buy a stainless steel martini "glass". Between trips I store mine in my luggage along with a single martini shaker. My wife doesn't care for martinis, so the single size works very well in saving space in the luggage. With my own martini "glass" I don't need to have the steward or barman get me one which I subsequently break! :o The ss is much better than a plastic "glass" as it chills as well or better than glass.

[PaperSniper4]

..........

Bathroom outlet is only for shavers.

..................

 

It will usually work okay for night lights also. At least the non-bulb light I use.

[AlaskaGolden]

A lot of good suggestions, and covers a lot of my items too. Here's a few thing I'll add that I haven't seen listed yet:

 

• a small power tap plug cube - turns one outlet into three, without taking much space.
  
• 3-M removable hooks - hooks on the wall in the cabin, closet and bathroom hold my paperwork, sunglasses, hat, bathrobe, etc. Comes off easily and cleanly before disembarkation.
  
• 3 or 4 letter sized mesh zippered envelopes - available from the container store and holds patters, fliers and shore brochures and can be hooked on the 3-m hooks for fast organized access.
  
• 3-m removable document clips - goes on the mirror and holds invitations to parties and events
  
• correspondence folder - a small coupon accordion file where I keep preaddressed mailing labels, postcards, personalized notecards, small envelopes and stamps from various countries in a variety of denominations.
  
• a set of iGo charger tips and a charger so I can power up all my gear (notebook, camera, iPhone, eBook Reader, spare cellphone) with just one power adapter.
  
• an eBook Reader instead of 25 books. :D I prefer the Sony PRS-505 - lets me carry a couple of hundred titles, including travel guides, fiction, best sellers, etc, in less than the space of a thin trade paperback.
  

 

WOW! I'm impressed. Jeez, I thought I was organized, but the above list puts me to shame. :o Well, I've certainly learned a few things today about being more organized on a cruise.

 

I especially like to hook ideas, those two hook in the bathroom are not enough for towels and robes for two people. We need at lest two more, maybe four more if we include the pool/beach towels.

[GAPeachessweety]

my husband would try to fix a lost button with duct tape (once a rowing coach ....)

 

Peaches and the Brain made me laugh too, because I have a B.A. in English and Literature with honors - but I'm also dyslexic, and it just so happens, Brian (a.k.a. the Brain) - one of the typos I make most often is typing your name as "Brain."

 

 

That is funny as I also have to watch carefully to make sure I don't call him Brain when I write his name....and I'm not dyslexic :D.

 

Love the 3M hooks too.

[klgallo]

Here's my list that I have used for cruises for Alaska as well as Mexico.

 

I. CARRY ON STUFF

100 $1 bills for tipping

2 rolls of quarters for laundry if necessary

Cruise and travel documents

copies of passport, itinerary, drivers license and credit cards

Photos of kids

personal checks

business cards

two big envelopes--one for receipt and one for customs

Bright colored electrical tape on handbags

Thank you notes--for crew

 

 

II. ESSENTIALS

post it notes

eye covers for sleeping

small extension cord and power strip

mini-flashlights

pocket calculator

radiation shield for film

binoculars

extra duffel bag in suitcase for purchases

sewing/laundry kit

toiletry kit

pocket knife PACKED

wine opener

corks

insect repellant

Landyards for Kids

Power strip

hand warmers--Alaska

insulated mugs--Alaska

 

III. BASIC STUFF

night light

alarm clock

camera/film

reading material

sunglasses

 

IV. MEDICAL

Diarrhea medicine

cold medicine

aspirin

motion sickness pills/ginger tablets/sea bands/Bonine

spare glasses

copy of eye prescription

Perscription medicines

antacid

laxative

sun screen

band aids/ neosporin

foot balm

ear plugs

[tahoe782]

I always take an eyeglass repair kit.

tahoe782

[Minoushka]

a THIN CHEAP PLASTIC LIKE rain JACKET.I KEEP MINE aLWAYS IN A SUITCASE .very hANDY

cALAMINE LOTION FOR BUG BITES

bug SPRAY OR sKIN SO SOFT

double plug

Door stopper for balcony

sewing kit

manicure set

PERFUME in suitcase not CARRY_ON!!!!

[Ohio-C-Luver]

Bonus: 11. I love the suggestion of duct tape ... they should make it in a travel size. If you're ever had a cabin that has something "jiggling" .....

They do make a small travel size thingie of duct tape. I never can find it when I'm about to cruise, but see it every other time. Next time I see it, I'm going to snag one. I'm thinking I saw it at Wal Mart or in a travel section of Target. It's the silver stuff, normal width, but it's flat, and only about 5 yards. It's about the size of a mens billfold. We actually had to borrow some from a friend on a cruise-duct tape to the rescue! LOL

[mytime53]

duct tape to the rescue! LOL

 

Off topic, but had to share: Yesterday my DH showed me pictures of a small plane that had been thrashed (and I mean almost totally) by a black bear. The pilot had enough duct tape to repair the fuselage and fly the plane home!

 

Duct tape...priceless.

[belldebb]

I always carry a travel mug! If you like to drink a cup of coffee and walk around the deck; no spilling and will hold more than most of the small cups they have!

happy sailing!

[belldebb]

One other thing....we like Diet Cokes and the ones that you buy on the islands and the ship just do not taste like the ones in the US so we pack the plastic 20 oz bottles in our luggage. Ask the cabin steward to remove everything in the refrig in our room and in go our North Carolina Diet cokes! MUCH CHEAPER also!!!

[HA Chick]

Bring zip lock bags. Last cruise I slipped on a ramp and injured my ankle. Medical facility was closed and cabin steward couldn't find anything to put ice in. Zip lock bag saved the day!!

 

Linda

[floatel_lvr]

Lots of great ideas in here and also quite a bit to carry. Some of you really bring a ton of "essentials". I would add one thing I haven't seen (although it may be lurking in someone's list) is a highlighter. You can't imagine how handy that will come in when you review the daily patter and want to mark off the items you don't want to miss.

RA