Ladies- purse/bag ship&port

[Tiger85]

First cruise in a month and wondering what you use for personal items in port and on ship. Also what items do you take on beach days and excursions? 4 day cruise.

[Azulann]

I use a small cross the body purse,that way your hand are free. I take it with me in port and sometimes around the ship. Other times I only carry my seapass in a pocket on the ship.

For beach excursions, I also carry a beach bag with the ship beach towel, sunscreen, and a bottle of water.

The best item is a small nylon bag in a pouch, the size of a small wallet. I use it for carrying all my purchases when i am in port.

 

enjoy your cruise and i hope you will be hooked on cruising when you get back.

[Scrapnana]

I carry a crossbody on board and into ports. Depending on how long and what I will be doing in port, I might carry a larger crossbody than what I carry on the ship.

[ruffiangirl]

For ship days I have a small cross body purse. If it's just me on shore days I have a small coach backpack that works for me. If I have my son and the husband I have a larger backpack with wheels that I take, since it would seem, boys don't carry purses so their stuff ends up in mine lol.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I also carry a cross the body small black purse since I am in charge of carrying DH's pill boxes besides my own personal items.

[Pack My Bags]

Around the ship I generally don't carry anything, I put my card on a lanyard, maybe a small tote for sunscreen & a book. At dinner I have a small wristlet to hold some casino cash, my camera, my card & a mint or gum.

 

In port, I must be hands free. I bring a good roomy backpack. One with zippered compartments & not just a snap. Beach stuff & all our purchases go in there. MORE importantly, I wear a water wallet around my neck for cash, credit card, ID & sea pass so I can swim worry free. I like the ones that are the size of a pack of cigarettes. You can pick them up in the cruise shop, in ports or in your local waterpark.

 

 

Enjoy your trip!

Edited September 22, 2013 by Pack My Bags

[Pack My Bags]

Tiger -- Many places or online have see thru pouches, but I am not a fan. I prefer ones like these.

 

Happy happy Cruising!

[janetz]

In port and at the beach, a tote but our cards go a zip lock bag, folded and into my DH swimsuit pocket, which has a zipper. :)

Edited September 22, 2013 by janetz

[cb at sea]

I have a very small purse I use on the ship....big enough for comb, lipstick, etc....and my room key. I stick that into a tote if we're going to the beach. If we're just shopping, I pop a few dollars/credit card and ID into the small bag and take that ashore without the tote.

 

Unless you're doing something that requires major equipment, you don't need to take much ashore! Whatever you'd take into town or the mall at home!

 

I don't carry water around, unless I'm in a place where there are no drinks available.

 

Don't carry anything too big, or you'll end up being the "pack mule" for your party! (Hon, can you carry this? Will this fit in the bag?....etc, etc....)

[Canugess]

I have a cross body bag, that converts to a bum bag when in port. It was just big enough for a small purse, camera and a pot of hand gel. In then evenings I tended to give my husband my sea pass card and not take a bag at all.

[amibelle]

I found that I didn't use any bag on board, did use a lanyard when I was poolside if huby didn't have pockets.

 

In port i used a small nylon bag/backpack to carry essentials and a beach bag for towels when going to the beach.

[1kaper]

We carry a small one strap backpack in port, one or both of us depending on what we need to bring, beach towels, etc.

In crowds and places where I need to worry about pickpockets - they will cut purse /backpack straps - I carry it in front of me. I don't worry about that as much in the Caribbean, but we did Barcelona where it happens frequently and we also warned in Rome that in the really crowded tourist spots like the Trevi Fountain.

 

Beach days - sunscreen, camera, book, cash, room key and towels if needed. Sometimes I'll bring a change of clothes depending.

Excursions would depend on the excursion but I always bring a bathing suit if there is even a remote possiblity of getting in the water.

[CruiseGirlKS]

I carry a crossbody on board and into ports. Depending on how long and what I will be doing in port, I might carry a larger crossbody than what I carry on the ship.

 

I do the same thing. I find have a larger one is helpful at times but not always needed.

[Daisyloo]

On the ship I use a small cross body purse. I like to have my reading glasses, lipstick, a pack of gum etc as well as my ship card. When we go ashore I take a larger cross body purse

[calliopecruiser]

First cruise in a month and wondering what you use for personal items in port and on ship. Also what items do you take on beach days and excursions? 4 day cruise.

 

On ship, I put my sea card/room card on a bracelet, and usually carry nothing else other than my iPhone. Sometimes a book as well. On shore, I use a cross-body camera bag in which I also have some "purse" stuff (wallet, iPhone, tissues, water bottle).

[Hydrokitty]

I have a small Vera Bradley wallet that holds about 4 credit cards, a small amount of change and plenty of folding money. It completely zips around and the front has a clear pocket for my ship ID card. Best part is it clips to a belt loop and fits in your pocket!! It would be difficult to steal and if you drop it, it's attached to you so you won't leave it anywhere or lose it. I also wear cargo type capris or shorts so I can stow my camera in a pocket while I'm eating or shopping. As for on shore excursions, if I'm going to a beach I bring my back pack so I can bring and store my bathing suit and or a change of clothes, cover up, towel, sun screen, water bottle, camera, etc. I got the VB wallet at the outlet for around $15, it would be a little more on line or at a dealer but it's so convenient it's worth whatever it costs and has become one of my favorite travel accessories.

[Lionesss]

I used to wear a fanny pak until my family disowned me for being to touristy:eek: (I donated it to the Smithsonian:D)

 

Now when I go to shore I wear a cross over purse and on board I use a wristlet.

 

If we are going to the beach or doing swimming stuff we rotate who lugs the beach bag............

 

Sea Ya

[Hydrokitty]

I used to wear a fanny pak until my family disowned me for being to touristy:eek: (I donated it to the Smithsonian:D)

 

Now when I go to shore I wear a cross over purse and on board I use a wristlet.

 

If we are going to the beach or doing swimming stuff we rotate who lugs the beach bag............

 

Sea Ya

 

Sue: I wonder if our fanny packs are side by side in the Smithsonian:D

[trish1c]

Years ago I bought a colorful child's fanny pack. It's not nearly as loathsome or visible as the "real" ones. I can fit my S&S card, some chapstick, a small comb, a few dollars & a credit card. Usually it gets tucked into my beach bag rather than worn but I have the option of carrying it separately. I have also managed to tuck those things into my digital camera bag; one less thing to carry.

Edited January 28, 2014 by trish1c

[crystalspin]

Last month (Panama Canal), for shore trips I used a "monk's bag" worn cross-body. Packs flat for the airline trip, and holds an amazing amount -- ultrabook, kindle fire, binoculars, everything for "personal care" like sunscreen -- and still room for all the shopping I did including a fair-sized metal lizard wall-plaque in Cabo. Like this, aka hobo or hippie bag:

http://www.beautybatik.com/ebatik/themes/orange/images//slider_graphic/slider_0189.jpg

 

On the ship I used a black wristlet, one that is deeper than just a wallet, maybe an inch thick with slots for cards and a pocket on the outside. If I used anything at all, sometimes just a lanyard for my SAS card was all I needed.

 

We are not pool-loungers or sunners, but if we were, the monk's bag would also serve as a beach bag although not water repellant of course.

[sjcarter407]

I am also going on my first cruise soon. We are planning on going zip lining and swimming with dolphins. Would you recommend a backpack for our stuff? I have a cross body and a backpack vera bradley but I was debating on taking an actual backpack in case we buy things.

[crystalspin]

@ sj

 

Everybody does have to work out what works for them, of course!

 

Our "personal items" for airline plane rides are medium-large daypacks. All the electronics/cameras, personal care/meds, paper printouts & tickets, my knitting, snacks, and a sweater apiece go in them -- anything we absolutely do not want to be separated from in case our 20" carryons (that are our only luggage) have to be checked once on board, i.e. if the overhead storage is ALL taken. Of course, my foldable, stuffable monk's bag is also in mine! On long plane rides I can remove it and use is as a more-useful back of seat pocket by looping the strap over the tray table in stowed position.

 

On recent cruise, I put everything (that wasn't unpacked somewhere in the room) into one of the daypacks, leaving the other to carry into port. We did that once or twice, then I discovered that the ultrabook would ride in the monk's bag (although unpadded so I had to be very careful!). Note that we did no high-activity excursions like you are planning. In that case I would probably use a daypack, but remember -- I'm already have not one but two along! It may be that a beach bag or some other tote you're planning to take will serve as well.

 

One thing you may or may not be aware of, on excursions that go multiple places or stop for meals/shopping, etc, -- you will almost always (call it always) be able to leave items on board. The bus driver either stays with the vehicle OR locks it up if he is eating too.

[Hydrokitty]

I am also going on my first cruise soon. We are planning on going zip lining and swimming with dolphins. Would you recommend a backpack for our stuff? I have a cross body and a backpack vera bradley but I was debating on taking an actual backpack in case we buy things.

 

I prefer a back pack because it holds everything and I don't have to carry anything in my hands. Not sure why your VB wouldn't work unless it's the real small one. I would just make sure I had a large zip lock bag for my wet bathing suit and beach shoes. I have an LL Bean back pack that's big enough to hold a LOT of stuff and small enough to fit under the seat in front of me on the plane. It's amazing what you can fit in them! But again, I always take a large zip lock for wet clothes, towel and shoes (I use rubber boat shoes that slip on like "mary janes" and weigh nothing. Cross body is pretty small no?

[sjcarter407]

My VB isn't the actual school backpack one. A kindergartner would carry it as a backpack. It can hold a lot but I'm more worried about souviners. I don't want to be stuck carrying them and don't want to make my boyfriend carry them. Plus it hurts my shoulders once it gets too heavy.

[Glith]

My VB isn't the actual school backpack one. A kindergartner would carry it as a backpack. It can hold a lot but I'm more worried about souviners. I don't want to be stuck carrying them and don't want to make my boyfriend carry them. Plus it hurts my shoulders once it gets too heavy.

 

A small collapsible tote or backpack would work. I have two small backpack that collapse to pocket size plus a roomy tote that collapes like an old fashioned rain bonnet into a tiny pouch.

Extra room Guaranteed!

Found the backpacks at Overstock.com and the tote at discount department store.