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A lot of people need the fan or whitenoise to sleep -- not silence. People get used to sleeping with fans or other noise at home -- and want it on the cruise too.

 

So, it isn't a matter of ear plugs being a solution for them -- because they aren't looking to make it more quiet necessarily.

 

Just to note it.

 

- John...

 

We often sleep with our TV on. This is probably a dumb question, but is there 24 hour tv in the rooms? That's our white noise lol

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So you think I ought to bring a power strip?

 

plantcrone aka elle

 

You may not want to bring a power strip. A lady we cruised with this year had hers confiscated, making her luggage late to her room. Instead of a power strip, get an outlet plug that's smaller in size and has place for two more plugs.

 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Forums mobile app

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When I first started traveling many years ago I called VISA as per several other peoples suggestions and they (VISA) said 'Don't bother calling" Their attitude was that a thief could call, say they were me and that they were traveling and wanted to pre authorize out of country charges. Made sense to me, actually..even though I have a secret password on my account now.

 

I never had a problem with either my VISA or Debit card in several Central & South American Countries, Mexico, Canada.

 

I'd be interested in knowing what others who have actually made this call heard from their VISA carrier.

 

I do know that I get charged extra for out of country charges..sometimes a pretty hefty additional charge.

plantcrone/aka elle

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When I first started traveling many years ago I called VISA as per several other peoples suggestions and they (VISA) said 'Don't bother calling" Their attitude was that a thief could call, say they were me and that they were traveling and wanted to pre authorize out of country charges. Made sense to me, actually..even though I have a secret password on my account now.

 

I never had a problem with either my VISA or Debit card in several Central & South American Countries, Mexico, Canada.

 

I'd be interested in knowing what others who have actually made this call heard from their VISA carrier.

 

I do know that I get charged extra for out of country charges..sometimes a pretty hefty additional charge.

plantcrone/aka elle

 

We always call our Visa card company and let them know. We haven't been told that. In fact several years ago my husband was in Tokyo for business and he tried to charge his hotel room and they wouldn't allow it to go through. I got a call here at home from the fraud department at Visa and I had to authorize it They told me to always let them know ahead of time. They verify you by the phone number you called in on. If it's not one on record you have to go through a verification process. Must be individual to each bank?

 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Forums mobile app

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When I first started traveling many years ago I called VISA as per several other peoples suggestions and they (VISA) said 'Don't bother calling" Their attitude was that a thief could call, say they were me and that they were traveling and wanted to pre authorize out of country charges. Made sense to me, actually..even though I have a secret password on my account now.

 

I never had a problem with either my VISA or Debit card in several Central & South American Countries, Mexico, Canada.

 

I'd be interested in knowing what others who have actually made this call heard from their VISA carrier.

 

I do know that I get charged extra for out of country charges..sometimes a pretty hefty additional charge.

plantcrone/aka elle

 

We always call our Visa card company and let them know. We haven't been told that. In fact several years ago my husband was in Tokyo for business and he tried to charge his hotel room and they wouldn't allow it to go through. I got a call here at home from the fraud department at Visa and I had to authorize it They told me to always let them know ahead of time. They verify you by the phone number you called in on. If it's not one on record you have to go through a verification process. Must be individual to each bank?

 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Forums mobile app

 

when I called AMEX I was told it wasn't an issue they would know by my charges I was traveling but my bank that I have my debit card through did put a note on my account so it wouldn't be an issue with them. So I think it all depends on the company that issues the card.

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We always call our Visa card company and let them know. We haven't been told that. In fact several years ago my husband was in Tokyo for business and he tried to charge his hotel room and they wouldn't allow it to go through. I got a call here at home from the fraud department at Visa and I had to authorize it They told me to always let them know ahead of time. They verify you by the phone number you called in on. If it's not one on record you have to go through a verification process. Must be individual to each bank?

 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Forums mobile app

 

We had a similar experience with our Visa card in the Caribbean. I forgot to call ahead and our booking fee with an independent snorkel excursion was blocked. Fortunately the company still picked us up for our private trip and my husband was able to go through the security process of unblocking us. This was with a card that gives us airline miles, so we have used it many times for much more 'exotic' travel than the Caribbean, and our credit limit was considerably more than the excursion. I've never forgotten to call after that experience.

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We are first time cruisers and are leaving less than two weeks out of Ft Lauderdale for the Panama Canal, can't wait!

 

Question: When I filled out the form, I put a queen bed as our preference but I've been wondering if I should change it...

 

I think I read somewhere on this board that the steward (or do we do that?)will push two singles together to make a King sized bed. Do they provide King sized bedding for this or does each bed have single sheets/bedspreads? We sleep on a King at home, so what will be more familiar/comfortable? a Queen or two singles pushed together?

 

Thanks to ALL who posted such valuable information on here. I've been out shopping for my list of things I wrote down from this forum.

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Hello, first time cruiser here,

1. Is there a hair dryer in the room?

2. Why do you need a multi plug electrical outlet?

3. Cruising on RCI - Oasis of the Seas, do we need formal wear?

4. I imagine the ship is so big that seasickness isn't a problem....thoughts?

5. Any problems in port....traveling with a friend who isn't very adventurous, is it best to go with the shore excursions RCI offers?

6. Average amount of cash needed, over and above the credit card you give to the ship?

 

Thanks!

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We are first time cruisers and are leaving less than two weeks out of Ft Lauderdale for the Panama Canal, can't wait!

 

Question: When I filled out the form, I put a queen bed as our preference but I've been wondering if I should change it...

 

I think I read somewhere on this board that the steward (or do we do that?)will push two singles together to make a King sized bed. Do they provide King sized bedding for this or does each bed have single sheets/bedspreads? We sleep on a King at home, so what will be more familiar/comfortable? a Queen or two singles pushed together?

 

Thanks to ALL who posted such valuable information on here. I've been out shopping for my list of things I wrote down from this forum.

 

The room steward will put the beds together for you if it isn't already done when you arrive and yes they use linens for a king size bed not 2 sets of twin sheets.

 

Hello, first time cruiser here,

1. Is there a hair dryer in the room?

2. Why do you need a multi plug electrical outlet?

3. Cruising on RCI - Oasis of the Seas, do we need formal wear?

4. I imagine the ship is so big that seasickness isn't a problem....thoughts?

5. Any problems in port....traveling with a friend who isn't very adventurous, is it best to go with the shore excursions RCI offers?

6. Average amount of cash needed, over and above the credit card you give to the ship?

 

Thanks!

 

Yes there is a hair dryer in the room but it is the type you need to hold the button to keep it on :(

there are typically only 2 electrical outlets in the room so if you have a few things to plug in it is helpful to have a power strip

You only need for wear if you want to dress up for the 2 formal nights they won't turn you away from the MDR if you aren't in formal wear or you can go to the Windjammer for the buffet dinner.

Even though the ship is huge you will still feel some motion and if you are prone to seasickness you should come prepared just in case.

There are all kinds of excursions either on your own or through the ship that aren't adventurous just do a bit of research before you go to see what interests you

As far as cash it all depends on your plans will you gamble? Shop in port? Have lunch in port? Will you want to give extra tips?

I hope this answers some of your questions :)

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I'm a big advocate of calling the credit card companies in advance (from my home phone) to notify them that I will be charging items in other countries during particular time periods.

 

When traveling internationally, I also make sure to note the phone numbers for calling collect that are listed on the back of each card. I record the card data as well as the phone numbers on an encoded piece of paper that I keep with me but separate from my credit cards. If I'm being particularly paranoid, I also email the same coded information to myself. That way I am prepared should my purse be stolen or if I otherwise lose a credit card. Americans sometimes forget that those memorized "800" numbers on their credit cards don't work when traveling abroad.

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I believe the rules are different depending on the card and/or bank. Our credit union wants to know EXACT dates and countries! We also took the advise of a poster a few years back, who recommended that each of us travel with a different credit card so that if a wallet or purse is stolen, we can still charge on the other one. I did have a charge questioned once when in Tokyo, and since daytime there is night here, they could not check with the card company. Prepare a backup plan!

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Hello, first time cruiser here,

1. Is there a hair dryer in the room?

2. Why do you need a multi plug electrical outlet?

3. Cruising on RCI - Oasis of the Seas, do we need formal wear?

4. I imagine the ship is so big that seasickness isn't a problem....thoughts?

5. Any problems in port....traveling with a friend who isn't very adventurous, is it best to go with the shore excursions RCI offers?

6. Average amount of cash needed, over and above the credit card you give to the ship?

 

Thanks!

1. Hair dryer in room is fine for me. My daughter prefers her own.

2. Multi-plug is because there are only a couple of outlets. Plugging more than one or two things in is impossible with the multi-plug.

3. They will have 2 formal nights. It is suggested that you dress up. If you chose not to dress up, there are other dining options.

4. Seasickness isn't a problem for me, but my daughter always takes a bonine the night before we cruise and the first night. You can also try the bands that some people use.

5. Go to your cruise itinerary and see what ship excursions are available. You'll see there are some that require nothing other than boarding a bus and watching out the window. If you just want to explore the shops near the dock, you'll be safe.

6. Everything on the ship will be charged to your seapass, linked to your cc, but you'll need cash for tips (taxi, luggage handling at the port and hotel, shuttles) and you'll need it for some of the shops in ports.

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Holy cow! I am so glad that I found this website… and this thread! I have spent the past two weeks reading each and every post. My fiancé and I will be going on our honeymoon cruise in February and all of this information will definitely help us plan for the trip. Special thanks to everyone who contributed. I’m sure it will make our vacation much more enjoyable, since we now know what to expect. There were many things posted on these 83 pages that I would never have thought of. Some of my which are…

 

- Ginger for sea sickness

- Power Strip because of lack of / location of outlets

- Post-It Notes

- Duct Tape

- Tipping etiquette

- Chair hogs!

- Moleskin

- Removable Command Hooks

 

That just naming a few off the top of my head! We have traveled, but neither of us have gone on a cruise before. Thanks again for everyone’s input!

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My daughter has cruised on HAL a few times and says clothes hangers are in short supply..So I'm cramming 6 into my suitcase..they aren't heavy and don't take up much room and how the heck can you get wrinkles out of your clothes without hanging them up?

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Crewzer, I agree that this is a really awesome thread and even as a seasoned cruiser I've tried many of the wonderful hints & ideas. We're never too old or experienced to learn more! Check out the thread for "First Time Cruisers". There are more good ideas/suggestions there. You mentioned that you read 83 pages of this thread...if you'll turn OFF signatures it will be 42 pages. Turning off signatures allows many more posts per page and to me is much easier to read. Also, it's not so overwhelming when you first begin. I too am sailing in Feb. and it will be here before you know it!!!

 

Plantcrone, I used to take 6 hangers with me also; just couldn't make it without a few extras. When I learned that more than one thing can be hung on a hanger, I finally saw the light. My motto is, every hanger has to have at least 2 things hanging on it, and pants hangers must have at least 3 things. If after that I still need more, then I've taken too many clothes. Also, I always take a travel size bottle of Donwy Wrinkle Releaser...a traveler's best friend!!

 

Hope you all have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving.

 

Marilyn (kruzkween)

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Crewzer, I agree that this is a really awesome thread and even as a seasoned cruiser I've tried many of the wonderful hints & ideas. We're never too old or experienced to learn more! Check out the thread for "First Time Cruisers". There are more good ideas/suggestions there. You mentioned that you read 83 pages of this thread...if you'll turn OFF signatures it will be 42 pages. Turning off signatures allows many more posts per page and to me is much easier to read. Also, it's not so overwhelming when you first begin. I too am sailing in Feb. and it will be here before you know it!!!

 

Plantcrone, I used to take 6 hangers with me also; just couldn't make it without a few extras. When I learned that more than one thing can be hung on a hanger, I finally saw the light. My motto is, every hanger has to have at least 2 things hanging on it, and pants hangers must have at least 3 things. If after that I still need more, then I've taken too many clothes. Also, I always take a travel size bottle of Donwy Wrinkle Releaser...a traveler's best friend!!

 

Hope you all have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving.

 

Marilyn (kruzkween)

 

kruzkween, thanks for the suggestion about disabling signatures. I can't tell you how much time I spent scrolling past them. Some of them are pretty large with pictures/icons and I'll have to admit that it did get annoying after a while. I will check out more in the "First Time Cruisers", also!

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You mentioned that you read 83 pages of this thread...if you'll turn OFF signatures it will be 42 pages. Turning off signatures allows many more posts per page and to me is much easier to read. Also, it's not so overwhelming when you first begin.

 

How do you turn off signatures?

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