The one thing I wish I knew before my first cruise...

[CupKayke]

I take this... 3-plug extender and a nightlight all-in-one!! They are $2.97 at my local Wal-Mart but the one I got at Wal-Mart has a bit bigger light.

 

[lymah]

One tip I learned the hard way is to inform your credit union/bank you are going out of the country. On the 2nd day of our first cruise our S/S account was deactivated by my credit union with their fraud protection measures. But I guess most use credit cards instead of debit to fund their on board accounts. A simple visit to guest services fixed the problem. But having to be told my card has been denied is something I do not EVER like happening.

Was told in the future to call my CU and they would note the account and that problem has never happened again.

Good advise. Doesn't hurt to inform them.

[javamom]

I knew most of the things mentioned here thanks to reading CC beforehand. The one thing I didn't realize until my fourth cruise is there are public laundries convenient on each ship. I pack half the sleeping and casual clothes and wash once midway into the cruise.

 

My newest idea for my upcoming cruise: I have never wanted to take an insulated mug for watching sunrise, etc due to having to keep up with said mug. However, since the mugs on the ship are so small, I am going to take a sleeve of large disposable mug in my carry-on this time. :)

[VickiD59]

I'll echo you on the "informational talks." The port shopping show doesn't do me any good. They give you coupons to redeem free things, but you have to run all over the port to get them - and they aren't even worth picking up.

First cruise I went to one of the Port Shopping seminars with my 13 year old niece. She collected all the coupons for "free" gems, and where we'd need to track down the jewerly store in each port to collect. After wandering around Old San Juan in the drizzling rain looking for this hole in the wall shop, just to trade her coupon for a chip of purple something or other :rolleyes:. Needless to say ports #2 and #3 we did NOT go on the scavender hunt for free crap. That seminar was 2 hours of my life I'll never get back ;) But again.. first cruise.. ya live and learn :)

[amyj23]

I'll apologize ahead of time if anyone said any of these, but I'm not going to read all 200 posts!!! These are items that I pack that I learned about on here or from fellow cruisers...

• Anti-diarrheal
  
• Ginger pills (I don't generally get seasick, but just in case...)
  
• Travel sized bugspray
  
• Bungee cords (if you want to waste energy and prop the balcony door open and leave the A/C on)
  
• Extra digital camera batteries
  
• Little float for leisurely floating in the ocean
  
• Nalgene bottle to bring water on-shore for excursions or to fill up and bring to the cabin
  
• Insulated mug for drinks from the Lido so I have a cold drink by the pool (when I'm not drinking beer!)
  
• Soft-sided cooler (the steward can keep it filled with ice if you have any sort of drinks in the cabin)
  
• Magnets for our cabin door (this way we easily know which door is ours)
  
• Neat sheet/old sheet for the beach
  
• Lysol wipes (so I can be OCD and wipe down the remote control/fixtures in the cabin when we arrive)
  
• Febreze (after a smoky night at the bar/club)
  
• Room freshening spray
  
• Purex detergent sheets
  
• Quarters for laundry (we do B2B's so we do laundry in between cruises)
  
• Post it notes (to leave the steward notes or reminders for ourselves)
  
• Highlighter to highlight the Funtimes for activities we don't want to miss
  
• A lanyard for the Sign and Sail card
  
• Ear plugs (in case we have loud neighbors or the hallway is loud)
  
• Over the door storage (it fits inside one of the closet doors and all the pouches are great storage)
  
• Alarm clock (there isn't one in the room)
  

[mzloolue]

:)

 

It's like a bread pudding with chocolate in the middle and drizzled with warm vanilla sauce. It's my favorite dessert!

 

Bitter and Blanc can be wonderful.

 

Sadly sometimes it is overcooked and dry.

The last time I had it it was dry and had no chocolate in it.

So if you try it and it is yuck, give it another try later.

Apparently it is better on some ships than on others.

[blondietink]

Bitter and Blanc can be wonderful.

 

Sadly sometimes it is overcooked and dry.

The last time I had it it was dry and had no chocolate in it.

So if you try it and it is yuck, give it another try later.

Apparently it is better on some ships than on others.

 

Thanks for clarifying this. I tried it on our last cruise and wondered what all the fuss was about as mine was dry and didn't have any chocolate in it. I'll try it again to see if it is made right.