"I wish I knew before..."

[sandimom]

Lastly, an extra memory card for the digital camera or one large enough to take all the pictures. It's disappointing to me to have to delete pics 1/2 thru a trip to make room for the next days adventures!!

 

After losing a larger capacity card with my ENTIRE week's worth of photos on it in 2010, I invested in smaller memory cards and now take one for each day of my trip. Each day I take out the card from the day before and it goes into my little travel bag that my glasses and contact stuff go in. If I lose a card, or my camera gets lost, I only lose ONE day of photos. The first photo on all my memory cards is of my name and email address, in case the card is lost and found.

 

Oh, that also reminds me, if you wear contact lenses, bring a spare pair!

[websiteauthor]

After losing a larger capacity card with my ENTIRE week's worth of photos on it in 2010, I invested in smaller memory cards and now take one for each day of my trip. Each day I take out the card from the day before and it goes into my little travel bag that my glasses and contact stuff go in. If I lose a card, or my camera gets lost, I only lose ONE day of photos. The first photo on all my memory cards is of my name and email address, in case the card is lost and found.

 

Oh, that also reminds me, if you wear contact lenses, bring a spare pair!

 

That's a terrific suggestion, sandimom.

 

I admit I'm pathological about backing up photos . . . I took a notebook with me on our recent cruise and every night I'd copy all new photos/videos to two separate external hard drives, then clear the cards to use the next day. That's extreme, but as much as I shoot (275 GB of video and images over the week) it's a good plan.

 

For most people, taking multiple cards is the way to go. If one card fails, you don't lose everything.

[sandimom]

First photo on digital camera is typed page with itinerary and contact number (cell phone). Include the name of the ship, cruise line, etc. Do NOT include your home address. If someone honest finds the camera, they can reach you and return it. We cruise on RCI, and the elevator has the day of the week on the carpet. First photo before heading out, is of the Cruise Compass, 2nd is the elevator. When we get back home, we always know what port we were in and what was going on the day we took all the photos.

 

Awesome idea! Thank you! :D

[DnDNerdGirl]

Bring something to hang on your cabin door, so you can easily tell which one is yours.

My first cruise was my honeymoon, and we got celebratory decorations, including a "Congratulations" sign on the outside of our cabin door. It made identifying our cabin easy. I plan to bring something similar on our next cruise.

[denatravels]

Bring something to hang on your cabin door, so you can easily tell which one is yours.

 

My first cruise was my honeymoon, and we got celebratory decorations, including a "Congratulations" sign on the outside of our cabin door. It made identifying our cabin easy. I plan to bring something similar on our next cruise.

 

 

This is especially useful if you have purchased a drink package:)

[denatravels]

Bring something to hang on your cabin door, so you can easily tell which one is yours.

 

My first cruise was my honeymoon, and we got celebratory decorations, including a "Congratulations" sign on the outside of our cabin door. It made identifying our cabin easy. I plan to bring something similar on our next cruise.

 

 

This is especially useful if you are purchasing a drinks package:)

[tropicgirl52]

CrusinMark, if you'll turn signatures OFF you'll only have 47 pages of this thread. Sounds so much easier and faster to read than 96 pages, doesn't it...well it is! That simply eliminates the "fluff" and contains only the posts.

 

Sign up for the roll call thread for your cruise and you'll learn a lot from that also. And the one for first time cruisers might be helpful too. Lots of great information out there and lots of tremendously nice & helpful people.

 

Good luck on your wedding planning...and congratulations.

 

~Marilyn

 

I have my signatures off and the thread is 100 pages long! Love love everything in here. Lots of great ideas and advice.

Thanks everyone!

[sandimom]

So far, every single useful tip I could share, I've seen already posted by another user...except this one:

 

On our first cruise, my husband and I kept seeing masses of land and wondering what each one was. So, on our next cruise, we brought the GPS unit from my car. It told us how fast we were going (land speed, of course), which direction we were traveling, and identified the nearest land masses and how far away they were. Yes, it was just another electronic doodad to take up outlet space in the stateroom, but we enjoyed having it with us. :D

 

Ooooo... I like this idea!

[LoveByrds]

Because of the amazing cruise critic posts we brought the following helpful items on our 2013 Cruise:

 

1. Bring a battery operated tea light for the bathroom. A stubbed toe saver!
   
2. Lysol Spray - to sanatize all surfaces. We didn't get sick!
   
3. Asked for a top sheet. Who know top sheets were a luxury?
   
4. Port side of the ship is the left because they are both 4 letters. I still got lost though and couldn't figure out why my cabin wasn't in numerical order. I was on the wrong side of the ship!
   
5. You can ask for multiple desserts/meal/etc. Heaven!
   

 

This next trip we are adding the following:

1. Battery operated fan. In case the A/C goes out again.
   
2. Less clothes and better walking shoes.
   
3. A small tension rod and sheer curtain from home. So that we have a "changing" area and if the A/C goes down we can open our main door and still have privacy.
   

We might be a little paranoid about the A/C, but after our cabin was 95 degrees for 3 days we are coming prepared this time!

[Cgaope]

There is a great little noise machine that is available for the iphone' date=' so it will take up very little room.[/quote']

 

These don't work for me. I have tried tons of them. Also have tried the white noise machine. I need the fan. It's the only thing that works.

[Chantill0308]

I'm on page 7 reading the comments and have a notebook jotting notes for a buy list and a idea list!

[Raxter54]

These don't work for me. I have tried tons of them. Also have tried the white noise machine. I need the fan. It's the only thing that works.

 

Best sleep aid I ever bought was our aft balcony. Just before bed DW and I would sit on the balcony, look at the stars, and listen to the sea passing bye. ZZZZZZZZZZZZ......

[cadien]

This has probably already come up, but cute full-skirted sundresses are an issue with windy decks. And they're always windy.

[Anthomaniac]

This has probably already come up, but cute full-skirted sundresses are an issue with windy decks. And they're always windy.

Wear shorts underneath :)

[julie3fan]

This has probably already come up, but cute full-skirted sundresses are an issue with windy decks. And they're always windy.

 

An issue with the gals...maybe not so much with the guys! ;-)

[cadien]

Wear shorts underneath :)

 

I actually did! But people still looked scandalized.

[CarenBear]

Best sleep aid I ever bought was our aft balcony. Just before bed DW and I would sit on the balcony, look at the stars, and listen to the sea passing bye. ZZZZZZZZZZZZ......

 

 

I totally agree on the aft balcony. If the lounge chairs had more padding I would have slept on the balcony.

[Anthomaniac]

I actually did! But people still looked scandalized.

Bwahahahahahahahaha

[AnchorsAweigh2011]

My Top 5 Tips for First-time Cruisers

 

1) You don’t always have to be doing something. It’s your vacation, so stop and relax. I enjoy sitting on our balcony and taking in the peacefulness of the ocean.

2) Have breakfast delivered to your room at least once while on vacation.

3) Read the ship’s daily newspaper or watch the cruise director’s channel to find out what’s going on, so you plan your day.

4) Treat yourself and eat in a speciality restaurant at least once while cruising.

5) Try something new on your cruise. Research your ship and ports of call before you sail, so you can enjoy every minute of your vacation.

Edited June 7, 2015 by WiseChoices

[retiredtoday]

I also asked this... Was told there is a ships number but it's like $10 a minute. But in a emergency do you really care?! Should be in your docs I would think or maybe contact your cruiseline.

 

we had a death in the family while we were in cozumel. The family did contact the ship and we got a msg to call home. I don't remember the charge being usually large. We also go to a starbucks or internet cafe when in port and can email or skype from there.

[JABrown104]

ah, 2bthereagain, there is no 'have to' when I'm on vacation. I've skipped muster drill at least twice, if not 3 times on carnival. I do think dh did make me go the first time. But I know for a fact we didn't the last two times. That's when I unpack. :D Yes, then knock on the door, and call for you. But smoldering in the heat waiting for the crew to drag everyone is not my idea of fun.

 

NCL got a little pissy, they leave a nice note and something about make up muster drill. didn't do that either.

 

We will go this time, being a responsible parent and all. Plus we don't have to wear the lift jackets.

 

How do they know you've missed the muster drill??? Do they come into your room? Or just knock? Im not trying to miss the drill, just curious.

[baronessk]

On Princess they scan your cruise card. They KNOW who tried to sneak out of muster drill. I find it a good use of 20 - 30 minutes...JIC. (Just In Case). I also make a plan with my cruise mates. It's naive to think it never happens to me/you.

[Smokeyham]

ah, 2bthereagain, there is no 'have to' when I'm on vacation. I've skipped muster drill at least twice, if not 3 times on carnival. I do think dh did make me go the first time. But I know for a fact we didn't the last two times. That's when I unpack. :D Yes, then knock on the door, and call for you. But smoldering in the heat waiting for the crew to drag everyone is not my idea of fun.

 

NCL got a little pissy, they leave a nice note and something about make up muster drill. didn't do that either.

 

We will go this time, being a responsible parent and all. Plus we don't have to wear the lift jackets.

 

This was originally posted in November, 2012 but since it was recently quoted I thought I would respond with a strong request that you DO NOT skip the muster drill.

 

Fires and other emergencies do not cease simply because you are on vacation (as evidenced by the loss of 32 lives aboard the Costa Concordia) and physically having gone to your muster station will help to ensure that you really know where it is in the event an emergency. So yes, there are some "have to's" on your vacation, and this is one of them.

[OldManBack]

Probably been said a millllllion times but my favorite.....Listerine bottle filled with vodka + blue food coloring = I can't believe it's not mouthwash!

[griffy116]

Not sure about all cruise lines, but Royal checks off a sheet using your SeaPass card. They know who didn't make the muster drill, and yes, they do come looking for you. We saw them tap people on the shoulder in the hot tub on a Med cruise with multiple embarkation ports, to let them know they were REQUIRED to attend their muster drill.