Cooler

[hockeypapa]

WHAT IS THE BEST AND CHEAPEST POP UP COOLER TO TAKE ON A CRUISE???:eek: WHRE DID YOU BUY YOURS AND THE COST OF IT:p THANKING EVERYONE FOR THE INFO IN ADVANCE :rolleyes:

[firefly333]

I dont bring one. I assume you mean collapsable when you say pop up. (since you can only bring a 12 X 12 X 12 cooler according to the rules).

 

How big of one do you need? Id buy one at Target or some place if I really needed one. Are you sure your ship doesnt have a refrigerator?

 

You will have a ice bucket too in your cabin.

[Cruizinman]

Ice buckets are by request only now .

 

The pop up coolers are found at various stores, usually something thats spring loaded that will fold flat into your luggage.

I bought ours at Food Lion .

[SadieN]

We bought an $8 12x12x12 soft sided cooler at Walmart. Never leaked on our car trip.

 

hockeypapa- typing in all caps is considered yelling on message boards.

[firefly333]

Ice buckets are by request only now .

 

The pop up coolers are found at various stores, usually something thats spring loaded that will fold flat into your luggage.

I bought ours at Food Lion .

 

I cruised the end of feb/early March and had a ice bucket and didnt even look at it until half way thru the cruise. My cabin steward filled it at least once daily, maybe twice.

 

The signs I have read at times in the past .. ice is by request only now (but I supose you would not need a ice bucket if you didnt want ice) .. but sometimes they give it to you anyway.

 

So this varys by ship... or by cabin steward?

[bandnurse]

Sam's club has a beach bag like cooler that folds flat. It has the soft insulation and plastic lining and usually are by the check out counters. I have taken one of these along on all of our cruises as well as used it for multiple other events and it has worked well. Now after several years my inner liner has cracked from all of the folding and started to leak so I need to replace it but well worth the $15 or so dollars I paid and think that they are still about the same price. If you don't have a Sams card, try the other box stores.

 

It is made by California Innovations.

 

Just Googled the name and found several vendors selling. They have a wide variety of types and sizes. Here is one like I have.

 

Hope this helps.

 

[mondello]

WHAT IS THE BEST AND CHEAPEST POP UP COOLER TO TAKE ON A CRUISE???:eek: WHRE DID YOU BUY YOURS AND THE COST OF IT:p THANKING EVERYONE FOR THE INFO IN ADVANCE :rolleyes:

I found an insulated bag at Publix in Miami. It was definitely the cheapest thing available, just $2 or $3.

It had handles and a zippered top; basically just unfolded to a boxy-shaped grocery bag, to be used in the Miami heat. Worked great at keeping our drinks ice-cold; BUT, it leaked (hey, it was only a couple bucks). Our steward kept us in ice and I just moved it between the sink and shower.

[Cruizinman]

Also ;) you want one that has a padded bottom as the ice will puncture a normal bottom in a matter of a year. Our Thermos is several years old and still holding up well, around $25.00.

[Cruizinman]

I cruised the end of feb/early March and had a ice bucket and didnt even look at it until half way thru the cruise. My cabin steward filled it at least once daily, maybe twice.

 

The signs I have read at times in the past .. ice is by request only now (but I supose you would not need a ice bucket if you didnt want ice) .. but sometimes they give it to you anyway.

 

So this varys by ship... or by cabin steward?

 

On the way out ,fleet wide is the word. But you know and I know that Carnival is slow at times on getting the word out :p;):)

[tree.critter]

I purchased one of the cheap small foam coolers, was perfect size, lightweight and we used it to pack some of our carryon energy drinks and mixer. When we met our room steward on the Dream we told him we had just one request and that was to keep us in ice. We always had a small cooler full and it did not sweat condensation as a pop up style did for us in the past. Cost was 2.95 at local supermarket. We had plenty of Bon Voyage alcohol and brought mixers so this worked out great for us.

[dallas52]

we bought a soft sided cooler from Sams a few years ago, it had roller so we loaded our drinks in it and rolled in onboard. two cruises ago we were told it was too large, even when i told them it was 12x12x12, they measured it and it was 12 1/2 inx12x12 so we bought a smaller one. some friends had bought one like our and had it taken away when they told them it was a cooler, if they had put clothes into it and said it was luggage it would have been fine, just be careful about the size.

[tasmith09]

Just picked up one for $8 from Walmart. Collapsible and within Carnival's sizing guidelines.

[firefly333]

we bought a soft sided cooler from Sams a few years ago, it had roller so we loaded our drinks in it and rolled in onboard. two cruises ago we were told it was too large, even when i told them it was 12x12x12, they measured it and it was 12 1/2 inx12x12 so we bought a smaller one. some friends had bought one like our and had it taken away when they told them it was a cooler, if they had put clothes into it and said it was luggage it would have been fine, just be careful about the size.

 

Actually I know those folks in Galveston can spot those coolers on wheels a mile away and it doesnt matter what you have in them, they will not allow them. There have been posts saying they were confiscated.

 

Dont assume they dont know its a cooler if you put clothes in it ..they will not allow them as you found out even if one side is only 1/2 inch too big. I dont know why people bother.

[shellsd]

a bigger cooler is OK if it it folds flat and is in my checked luggage, right?

[Cruizinman]

a bigger cooler is OK if it it folds flat and is in my checked luggage, right?[/quote]

Right .

[Cruizinman]

Actually I know those folks in Galveston can spot those coolers on wheels a mile away and it doesnt matter what you have in them, they will not allow them. There have been posts saying they were confiscated.

 

Dont assume they dont know its a cooler if you put clothes in it ..they will not allow them as you found out even if one side is only 1/2 inch too big. I dont know why people bother.

 

Sounds familiar, lady 5 ft 2, jumping 5 to 6 feet high shouting ,

 

Cooler :D:p;)

[ameliaw]

ya know , on one of my cruises, i wasn't allowed mine on the ship(about 6 years ago). our 2nd stop on an eight day cruise, was san juan and we just went to the walgreen store and bought a cheapie for a couple of bucks and they let us right on. just a thought.

[davex100]

The earlier post recommending California Innovations is spot on they have the greatest products. That last forever and don't spring leaks

 

http://www.californiainnovations.com/coolers/picnic-cooler/item/ci-24-can-pop-up-party-cooler-red.html

[matj2000]

They took my cooler Canaveral about 4 years ago.

I used it as a carry-all and had my cameras, video, wallet, and many small essentials in it.

They said I could not take it back to the car and they to confinscate it.

I was given a trash bag for my stuff.

Since then I have brought a collapsable and put it in my luggage.

But the last 2 cruises we never used it...

[firemanbobswife]

Anyone have any experience with the ones that come with 4 beers that you can buy through Bon Voyage? I was thinking about getting my sister one. Is the beer the same cost through that vs just at a bar? She drinks Bud Light.

[norituck]

The earlier post recommending California Innovations is spot on they have the greatest products. That last forever and don't spring leaks

 

http://www.californiainnovations.com/coolers/picnic-cooler/item/ci-24-can-pop-up-party-cooler-red.html

 

I like this one. Thanks.

[PAPERBKWRITER]

Related; My wife uses a collapsable cooler to put her makeup and "stuff" in for travel and on the ship we use it for a cooler.

[picomullet]

Now I know!! I bought a rolling cooler, cute, $20 to use as a carry on. Planning to put my sodas, the few I take, kindle and other personal none drinking items in. Had no plans of using it as a cooler. We don't need one on ship. It will stay home now.. Thanks for the heads up!

[All4fun&fun4all]

Related; My wife uses a collapsable cooler to put her makeup and "stuff" in for travel and on the ship we use it for a cooler.

 

This is what I do as well. All of my toiletries and small misc items are inside. It sits nicely on top of my rolling carry on suitcase and I wrap the handle of the cooler around the handle of the suitcase.

 

It is within the size requirements but mine has one of those hard inner shells which keeps the vanity area from getting wet.

[Straitlover]

On our last cruise (first one actually!), I bought one of those cooler tote bags like someone posted from Sam's (got mine at Target I think). I put it in my checked luggage, brought our drinks/water in my carryon wheelie bag, and put some of them in the cooler bag once we were in the room. Tipped the steward to keep ice in it for the trip, and we kept the bag in the shower in case it leaked (it didn't). Added cans/bottles to cool as we got low. The water was mainly to take off the ship as the water onboard tasted fine to us!