Dollar store cruise aids

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Flash lights ..

[Vol fan]

Magnets. I put all the papers I want to reference on the walls of the cabin with magnets. The ones I want to keep go in an expandable file folder. I also hang my necklaces on the wall to make getting ready to go quicker.

 

Leis. Buy one bright color and put on all your luggage to readily identify it on the carousel at the airport and in the customs area.

 

Sack of Mardi Gras beads for wearing to the Sail A Way party. We usually use these to identify other CC members at our Sail Away party.

 

Carole

[SadieN]

-A thin garden tote to corral the little things on the vanity.

-A 6 pocket holder- (when there is three in the cabin) for the bathroom and as a nightstand for the one in the upper.

-rain ponchos

-flashlights

-hard candy (got to have my root beer barrels)

-hand wipes

-tissue packets

-game books

-sewing kit

[johneeo]

Reading glasses and sun glasses.

[Debbers]

The small ones can be handy for keeping things open or closed, and for stowing things in a stack. We haven't actually used them on a cruise yet, but on a rail journey we had one holding the foldup sink open, and two lashing our suitcases in a neat stack against a wall.

 

Also, duct tape. I haven't used it yet, but someday I am sure to need it!

 

We also bring flat-packing cubes to corral papers, scarves, keys...whatever is getting out of hand. And, of course, flashlights.

[donaldsc]

We were inundated with Patters, ads, announcements etc that seemed to get out of hand after a while. I just like a place to keep that kind of stuff--same with electronic chargers, tv controllers etc. The boxes pack flat and weigh a few ounces.

 

There is a place in the cabin for the excess out of date patters and the other junk that they leave for you - it is called the waste paper basket and it is emptied daily.

 

DON

[sept10dsm]

Yes, dollar store ponchos, glasses, and sunglasses are truly worth it not just for cruises but any trip. I often find little items in the dollar store that cost much more elsewhere, the little sewing kits are another good item!

[GlendaleCruiser]

- clothes pegs

- plastic shower curtain liner

 

Many of us know how, umm, intimate the shower curtain can get with us on a cruise ship. ;) Both of these come in handy if you sail on a ship which does not have shower doors, but has a shower curtain. You hang the new curtain inside the existing one, secure it on all sides and the bottom to weight it down, and you have a hygienic shower curtain for your cruise. :)

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I buy clothespins at the dollar store and attach 6-7 of them along the bottom of the shower curtain. Make sure the curtain is inside the stall and it will stay there while you shower. You also have them to hang hand wash items in the shower stall clothesline. If you don't bring them home, no worries.

 

Also, a touch night light if someone gets up during the night and especially if you are in an inside cabin.

Laundry holders for $1 that collapse. I love to use them and they pack up flat and light to come home.

[Alaskanb]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I hope the thread helps those who are new to travel- especially cruising- to have items that can make a trip more comfortable at a fraction of the cost of even a big-box store.

[Happy ks]

I always think simplifying is a better way to go rather than loading yourself down with "what-if's". But I also remember planning our first cruise and being so excited that I purchased everything I'd read on these lists. Unfortunately much of it was a waste and ended up in the trash or Goodwill bag.

 

So, no matter where you buy it and what it cost, really think about if you absolutely need that item. If you didn't think of it, chances are great you won't use it.

 

Ziploc baggies? A great thing to rake in multiple sizes. Over the door shoe holder? A waste of space unless there are 3 or more people in the cabin, there really is enough storage, especially if you don't pack for a camping trip.

 

The one thing I like to do with travel papers is to put as much info in one piece of paper, you really only need confirmation numbers. One for outbound, one for inbound, you may need deprecate ones for excursions. I trash on the way so I don't have a huge collection.

 

Our first couple cruises we saved the daily newsletters, now I just look at them as clutter, I only take then if someone from home requests them.

[GlendaleCruiser]

I have used duct tape once to put a big pink X on my suitcase. Recently, a friend said her suitcase had been in the garage heat too long and she feared it was going to split. She used the duct tape to wrap it up and make sure it made it home.

 

The clips that have magnets on them are great for attaching to the wall. I have one that's very strong and I hang my camera on it, and sometimes my S&Sign card in the holder.

[Cjh1975]

I have a 3-prong folder that I put everything in. Last year when we getting ready for Oasis, I had so many reservations for shows, dinners, excursions, etc. I used tabs and labeled them by day and then put each paper behind the appropriate tab for the labeled days. It was soooooooo easy finding what I needed each day.

 

Good idea

[CruzieSue]

Travel size bottles of Downy Wrinkle Release - works wonders on most fabrics and provides a little freshness in the event of smelly suitcases or smelly closets !!

 

Ziplock bags for miscellaneous small items or big ones for cameras, etc. that you wouldn't want to possibly get wet by the pool or on an excursion involving water.

 

I too do the small 3-ring binder, keeping everything I will need in the order I will need it ... hotel reservation/info, small printed maps of the area we will be visiting before cruise, boarding papers, excursion tickets or confirmations, etc. all in clear sleeves with extras for any "bits of paper" I might actually want to keep up with. Yes, some of it does go in that receptacle of various shapes and sizes that magically gets emptied every day !!! :rolleyes:

 

Basically just take what you would normally take with you on any other vacation, just don't over do it with the gadgets, and most of all have a great vacation !!! :)

[overeasy]

All of our Christmas decorations were purchased last-minute at a dollar store near Galveston--

 

[dustyroad]

i bring a garbage bag with a flat car freshner in it too put the dirty clothes in. no muss or nasty smells.

[NCTribeFan]

I always pick up a bunch of the $1 rain ponchos and throw them in a side pocket of the suitcase. Great to take on shore since some of those islands can be sunny one minute and rainy the next. And then just toss. :)

 

I bought about 6 once because I never had one when I needed one. Then I carried them around on every cruise for about 5 years. But when I finally needed one, I ended up needing almost all of them (it was a rainy week!). Sure is easier than carrying even a small umbrella!

 

After I found Cruise Critic, I brought along ALL THESE THINGS that people on the board said were essential. How had I managed five cruises without them???

 

I brought every one back without ever taking them out of my suitcase. Never again!

 

I take travel size bottles of shampoo and pain meds. I count out all the Ginger Root tablets I'll need and those go in a snack-size baggie.

 

I do bring lots of bandaids for those new sandals that rub blisters on the first port day! :o

 

I don't bring a binder, but I do bring all my documents in a file folder with pockets. Since I normally do independent excursions, I have all the confirmations printed out. As the cruise progresses and I no longer need them, they get trashed. I do keep the daily activity sheets because I write thorough reviews when I return and they help refresh my memory. Lots of people want to see copies, so I usually scan and add them to my Webshots album.

 

I try to pack less and less each cruise, not keep adding all sorts of little things that I "might" need, but probably won't.

 

I don't bring a power strip. Waste of weight and space. I just recharge my phone overnight and the camera in the evening when I'm getting ready for dinner.

 

I can now pack for a week with a 22" case and a smallish rolling duffle bag. I carryon a bottle of wine, and I "dress" for dinner every night. It can be done. I even used these bags for a 2-week roundtrip cruise to Hawaii and came home with unworn clothing!

 

I pack a lot of things in 2-gallon ziplock bags, rolling the air out. I then use the bags to collect dirty clothes during the cruise. Then I just throw them in the suitcase on the last night. Makes repacking easy and keeps the cabin neater.

[cruisingnana87]

I take a fabric laundry bag and 2 plastic trash bags ( kitchen size) 1 for dirty clothes and also one wet stuff.