First time cruiser tips

[Dune_mama]

We are leaving in 11 days for my first cruise, My boyfriend has sailed before but when it comes to packing, he's no help at all! I was wondering what are some items that you would recommend taking. I'm new to this and don't want to kick myself in the pants for not bringing something. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[paul929207]

Camera and enough memory capacity for all the pics. You will take more than you plan. Extra batteries or charge.

Hat

Sunscreen

Passport or other ID.

Money, credit card, ATM card.

Dinner attire.

[cb at sea]

Pack what you'd pack if it were a land-based vacation to that area....you really don't need anything special for cruising!

 

If you use a strong blowdryer, bring your own....the ship's are very weak...no "blowing" power!

[deladypilot]

We packed an outlet splitter. One that makes one outlet into 3. Easy to pick up at Walmart or any hardware store. This way if your cabin does not have enough outlets, you can easily have more. With today's technology and everyone having cell phones with different plugs, cameras that have rechargeable batteries etc, it is a big help.

 

The other thing is throw in a kitchen trash bag to put your dirty clothes in. Does not take up as much room as a laundry bag.

 

Make sure your carry on bag has anything you might need before your luggage arrives. Often your luggage wont show up until 10pm. Sometimes sooner, but no guarantee. So pack your swim suit, medications etc that might be needed before then.

 

have fun, relax and enjoy

[maldenmusic]

Take a large insulated cup with a lid for when you are up on deck. You can get ice at a few places and it will keep your drinks colder longer.

[kruzerci]

Bring more bathing suits than you think you will need if it's a Caribbean cruise.

[panoramaofthepast]

We are leaving in 11 days for my first cruise, My boyfriend has sailed before but when it comes to packing, he's no help at all! I was wondering what are some items that you would recommend taking. I'm new to this and don't want to kick myself in the pants for not bringing something. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

Some suggestions:

 

• a plastic 12-shoe rack to hang on the closet door - great for storing things like glasses, suntan lotion, little stuff that adds to clutter
  
• surge protector - for all those things that must be charged!
  
• extra batteries for the camera - yes, you can buy them on board, but Walmart is cheaper!
  
• something to read/Kindle - the offerings in the library are . . . not spectacular!
  
• cabin "nibbles" - strange, I agree, on a ship with seemingly unlimited food, until you are just dying for a potato chip or M & Ms!
  
• Soda card - if you are a soda junkie [more than 3 a day] it is probably worth your while to pay for a soda card. That gives you unlimited soft drinks for a set price/day - usually $5-6. If you cannot purchase it in advance, it is available the day you board.
  

Hope this helps - have a ball!

[Colorado Kat]

Sunglasses, a hat, and aloe vera.

A totebag for when you go to the beach.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

Check out the Cruise Line that you will be sailing on for tips on evening attire.

 

Join your Roll Call - that's another section.

 

Check out the Ports of Call.

[Dune_mama]

Thank you so much for all the replies!

[Vol fan]

I put this list together over the last few years from my experiences. I over packed significantly on the first few cruises I went on, but not any more. So, here goes:

 

Take a couple gallon or two gallon Zip Loc bags to put wet swimsuits in for packing in your luggage on the last day. I always take a few small Zip Loc bags, too. They always come in handy for something and they don't take up any space.

 

Take a very lightweight back pack to take towels and bottled water ashore for the beach. Use it as your "purse" too and just take ashore what you absolutely have to have.

 

Take an extension cord just in case you need it in the cabin and small binoculars. (You won't need these if you book Concierge Class as there are binoculars in the cabin)

 

Pack as lightly as possible - wear the same shorts or slacks two days with different shirts, etc. Bring cargo shorts with lots of pockets, then you don't have to take a purse ashore at all. Just fill your pockets with your stuff.

Bring lightweight, non-wrinkle dresses that you can just throw in the suitcase. If you stay in one color family (like a little bit of black in everything) you can cut down on the shoes you have to bring and one lightweight black sweater and one black wrap go with everything.

 

Bring minimal jewelry. Bring a cover-up that you can wear inside to eat breakfast and lunch. Then for at-sea days, you only need a swimsuit and cover-up for at sea days. Just bring 2 or 3 swim suits. You may remember that you have already worn a suit, but no one else will.

 

Buy brightly colored leis at 3 or 4 for $1.00 at Micheal's or Hobby Lobby in one color (ours is yellow) and put on all of your luggage, even your carry-ons. Then the last day you can pick your luggage out easily on the pier and on the carousel at the airport. The porters can find all of yours that goes together easily too. It's very cheap and it works. And if they get torn up, they are cheap to replace.

 

I print out the crosswords and Sudoku puzzles from USA Today and my local newspaper online before my cruise and bring them with me. You can print as many days as you want if you are a USA Today subscriber. I love working crosswords and the ones they give out each morning on ship are just not enough to keep me busy. I also bring a clipboard to hold the puzzles and bring mechanical pencils, too.

 

Bring plenty of paperback books if you like to read. Or you can bring a Kindle.

 

Bring a large insulated cup or mug (32 ounce if you can fit it in) to fill with tea, soda or just water. I carry mine around with me all day on the ship and drink lots of water. Then you don't have to keep asking for more of those little plastic glasses full and you don't have to refill so often. (you can pack part of your small things in the cup or mug so it isn't taking up empty space in your luggage.) I also bring an insulated coffee mug, too. Again, I stuff it with stuff, medicine bottles, etc. in my luggage so it's not just taking up space.

 

Bring a sticky note pad to leave notes for your traveling partner during the day, etc. "Gone to the pool - getting us coffee - playing trivia" etc. Makes it easier to find each other. We bring two highlighters and also get an extra copy from Guest Relations of the Celebrity Today so we can each have one to highlight the things we are interested in for the day. We each carry our copy around with us.

 

You will get a Celebrity tote bag in your cabin, probably on the second day. Like those "green" bags at the grocery store. If you are in Concierge Class or above, you will also get a second, nicer tote bag with leather handles and a zipper.

 

I bring big colorful magnets to put on our cabin door so we don't even have to look for the cabin number, but recognize it from a distance. You can also print out the Cruise Critic Door Sign http://www.cruisecritic.com/doorsign.pdf and put it in a plastic sleeve or laminate it with a magnet attached and put it on your door too. The walls and cabin doors are also metal. You can keep all the papers they leave in your cabin at night out of the way by hanging them on the wall with magnets. I also bring some heavy duty small hook magnets and hang all of my necklaces on the wall of the cabin. Makes it much easier to get ready to go to dinner and it looks kind of pretty, too.

 

Bring a small roll of duct tape. ( I just roll some duct tape around a vitamin bottle instead of actually bringing a roll.) I have used this several times for various reasons. Sounds silly, but it really does come in handy. If anything in your cabin rattles, it can keep it still. If a door won't stay closed, it does the trick, etc. It also holds the button down on the hair dryer in the cabin so your hand doesn't get tired when drying your hair.

 

We packed in those vacuum space saving bags on our last few trips and they were awesome. Bought them at Wal-mart. You just borrow the vacuum from the cabin steward on the last night (the vacuums are in the corridor anyway) to pack for going home.

 

It sounds like a lot of stuff, but it's not. Just takes a lot of words to write and read.