What one thing was UNNECESSARY?

[NewCruiserMPC]

We have only been on 2 cruises and so far I have learned that I dont need:

 

1. To take so many shoes.

2. Dont need to bring towels. you can take the cruise ships off the ship or get them at the pool area.

3. Dont need A change of clothes for every single day.

4. Only one formal dress. Last cruise we only did one formal night and skipped the second to go to the specialty restaurant.

5. Bring a book. They have a library on the ship if I feel like reading something. I bought a book at the airport twice and never read it. I was to busy relaxing and going to the shows or on excursions.

6. Take less tops and buy a souvenir top to wear on the last day or when off boarding.

 

We are doing the Mediterranean next year and plan to pack as lightly as humanly possible! Def doing laundry before we get off the ship since we will be doing a land trip for a week after.

[SeagoingMom]

We have only been on 2 cruises and so far I have learned that I dont need:

 

1. To take so many shoes.

2. Dont need to bring towels. you can take the cruise ships off the ship or get them at the pool area.

3. Dont need A change of clothes for every single day.

4. Only one formal dress. Last cruise we only did one formal night and skipped the second to go to the specialty restaurant.

5. Bring a book. They have a library on the ship if I feel like reading something. I bought a book at the airport twice and never read it. I was to busy relaxing and going to the shows or on excursions.

6. Take less tops and buy a souvenir top to wear on the last day or when off boarding.

 

We are doing the Mediterranean next year and plan to pack as lightly as humanly possible! Def doing laundry before we get off the ship since we will be doing a land trip for a week after.

I have a little anecdote about borrowing a book on board: we were on a 10-day southern Caribbean itinerary on HAL Zuiderdam, and I was looking for something to read. I found Dead Souls by Nikolai Gogol in the ship's library. (I know, strange title to choose while cruising ... :o) I read a little every night, and became very interested in the story, but was nowhere near finished when the cruise ended. So I borrowed a copy of the book from our local library when I got home. But when I started to read my local library's copy, I realized it was a different translation, and I did not like the translation at all!

 

So I spent some time searching the internet to find a copy of the same translation I had been reading on board. I finally found it, and had to BUY a used copy of the book I had previously borrowed on board, just to finish it! And the irony was, I had become very intrigued by the story as I read on the ship, but the rest of the story got less and less interesting as it went on. I had read the best of it while on board anyway, but hadn't realized it!

 

(These days when I cruise, I bring magazines. :rolleyes: When I am done with them, I leave them on board for someone else to pick up and enjoy. :))

[whataboutport]

And this is exactly what I did not know as a first time cruiser! :) I am pretty sure I did not read this cooler suggestion on a CC list -- CC members would have known better! I must have read it before I discovered CC. The idea seemed very reasonable to me at the time: I am paying for food in my cruise fare -- if I go to a port, I don't want to have to pay for food I could have gotten "for free" on board, so I will just "brown bag it." In the end, I never attempted this, so I was never stopped exiting the ship for taking food off.

 

Oh I totally am with you on this! This time I will bring some packed nuts from home. Almost every time with a few exceptions, eating off the ship was costly and not very good, nor was it very authentic. The tacos at Senor Frosty's after going to Tulum were some of the worst I ever had. But we were so hungry we needed something.

[SeagoingMom]

Oh I totally am with you on this! This time I will bring some packed nuts from home. Almost every time with a few exceptions, eating off the ship was costly and not very good, nor was it very authentic. The tacos at Senor Frosty's after going to Tulum were some of the worst I ever had. But we were so hungry we needed something.

So far, on 4 cruises, there was only one time when we were in a position to want to eat on shore -- it was in San Juan on our first cruise. But San Juan was one of our early port calls, and I was still not totally recovered from motion sickness (having naively thought I would not be affected so brought no meds with me, and found the ship's meds did not work well or fast). We were walking around OSJ, having been all the way up to Fort Morro, and my husband really wanted to try some authentic local food. But I just did not think my tummy could handle it. So we went back to the ship and had hot tea and sandwiches. I still want to go back to San Juan just to eat!

 

Otherwise, we have taken ship or private excursions which included food, or had a hearty breakfast on board and then eaten a late lunch/afternoon tea when we returned to the ship. (But the idea of bringing packaged snacks for port visits is one I may adopt.) Our practice would probably be different if we were cruising in Europe, for example. I cannot imagine that we would not stop at a cafe, restaurant or gelato stand (or all three ! ;) ) if we were in that region!

[AmberCascades]

We usually have some packaged snacks with us (nuts or bars of some kind). Mostly because DH needs to eat gluten free so finding a suitable place can be a hassle. Also because we don't want to waste time sitting around in restaurants when we could be exploring. So we eat a big meal before leaving the ship and then have our snacks while we are out if we need them.

 

One thing that I brought on a couple of cruises and have since ditched is a travel alarm clock. We either leave the curtains open at night so we wake up with the sun, or request a wake up call. It wasn't soooo heavy, but just a few "light" things eventually add up to some weight.

[jammen]

Super excited! We are taking our first ever cruise in December to celebrate by 40th birthday! As I'm looking through all these "MUST" pack lists, it makes me wonder :confused: ...

 

What was the one item you packed that you thought you HAD to have with you... but then never used and was a waste of space?

 

Over packing too much cloths.

[SeagoingMom]

One of my "waste of space" items was my Water Pik. It is small and easily packed, so I brought it, but the only electrical plug in the bathroom on Caribbean Princess was a "shaver" outlet, and it did not have enough power to turn my flosser on! I had not brought an extension cord, and even if I had, it would have had to stretch quite a way from the nearest plug in the cabin. I have a feeling this is the case on all ships, as I don't know if any of them have a "normal" electrical outlet in the bathroom. :( I suppose that is why they always have the hair dryer in the cabin rather than in the bathroom! I actually tried to use the Water Pik in the cabin, using the waste basket as a substitute for the sink, but it just did not work out well. :mad: So I never was able to use the water flosser. I will have to look into a battery operated "travel" model, I guess.

[Jono 70]

Anyone ever packed a crate of condoms and not even got to use one?

[missmoo4]

torches for interior staterooms - there are lamps on both sides of the bed, which also had a small light on the base, just turned it on if I got up in the night! wasn't bright enough to wake hubby, but was enough to see my way to the bathroom. (this was on serenade of the seas)

[NMLady]

torches for interior staterooms - there are lamps on both sides of the bed, which also had a small light on the base, just turned it on if I got up in the night! wasn't bright enough to wake hubby, but was enough to see my way to the bathroom. (this was on serenade of the seas)

 

When we're in an inside cabin we put the tv on the ship's bow channel and turn the sound all the way down. That is just enough light to walk to bathroom, and it's easy to know when daylight comes.

[preschool teacher]

A book...had to much doing other things...will never bring another one....

[Ehpride]

I actually could have used duct tape last time when I got a hole in my suitcase on the way home. Luckily, it made it on the last flights home. But I would have felt more comfortable if I'd been able to patch it.

 

I do pack what I want for clothes and shoes because I enjoy dressing up.

 

I did pack a travel steamer once a long time ago. I never used it.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TruckerDave]

"What one thing was UNNECESSARY?"

 

 

This easy to answer......ALL the stress and worry that happens on this message board. :D

[wassup4565]

Bring whatever you want, subject to the regulations of the airline you travel on to get to the ship. If it fits in your suitcase, and you don't have to pay overweight baggage to the airline, you did fine!

 

Who said the objective was to bring as little as possible? Just don't bring so much you have to pay extra for it.

[donaldsc]

There are lots of "must have" lists on CC. Every item on any of the lists are unnecessary.

 

DON

[SewMuch]

Oddly enough we never used the electrical outlet that everyone says to bring. We just don't travel with much that needs charging.

[kensinsd]

I'm glad I found this, though I'm still a bit befuddled... Leaving day after tomorrow and I've been told I should take 14 pairs of shorts and one pair of jeans for a 7 night cruise. :confused:

[April7901]

I've never taken anything on any trip that I didn't deem necessary.

 

I've taken lots of things I ended up not using, but there is nothing that I have determined will NEVER go again. Though I may not have needed something on one trip, I would still consider taking it on a different trip.

 

Classic wants vs. needs discussion - there is no right answer, despite the many assertions of absolutes ;)

[April7901]

I'm glad I found this, though I'm still a bit befuddled... Leaving day after tomorrow and I've been told I should take 14 pairs of shorts and one pair of jeans for a 7 night cruise. :confused:

 

That might make sense if you were doing a very port-intensive trip and planned on being very active during the day - would be nice to have something to change into when you got back to the ship.

 

That said, you could always do laundry (or send it out on the ship) - but a lot of us don't want the time/expense of that - much easier to just pack more clothes!

[MrsPete]

Super excited! We are taking our first ever cruise in December to celebrate by 40th birthday! As I'm looking through all these "MUST" pack lists, it makes me wonder :confused: ...

 

What was the one item you packed that you thought you HAD to have with you... but then never used and was a waste of space?

We've found pretty much everything other than clothing to be unnecessary! Things not worth bringing:

 

Over the door organizer -- the staterooms have pretty good storage, and the organizer is a big space hog inside the suitcase.

 

Loads of shoes -- match all your dinner clothes to one pair of fancy shoes, and bring two pairs of casual daytime shoes -- pretty much all daytime outfits will match simple white or tan sandals.

 

Gadgets that add extra outlets -- do you really need to charge your phone, your tablet, your kid's Gameboy, your camera, and whatever else ALL AT THE SAME TIME . . . while you're drying your hair? First, they don't all need to be charged every day . . . and you can easily charge one while you're at dinner, then switch to another item for over-night charging.

 

Bags for shore excursions -- choose ONE bag and use it as your carry on . . . then let it serve as your shore excursion bag later.

 

Duct tape, flashlights, coffee mugs, irons, and -- as I said -- pretty much everything else on the lists.

 

And some oft-repeated items aren't necessary at all. For example, the alarm clock. Your stateroom TV has a clock channel -- just a big black screen with the time in white. It's also a great night light, and you can adjust the brightness with your remote control. No, the TV clock channel won't wake you up . . . but a wake-up call through your in-room phone will do so.

 

 

Things that ARE worth the space in your bag, even if they aren't used:

 

Medicines and first-aid items. If these are even available onboard, they'll be expensive. And going to the doctor onboard (especially for something you could've easily fixed with a bandaid and some Neosporin) is both expensive and time-consuming. However, you can minimize your space by packing your over-the-counter medicines into tiny ziplocks or a SuMTuWThFSa case -- and write instructions on the outside (i.e., Sinus 2 every 4h).

 

A battery powered candle. Real ones aren't allowed for obvious reasons, but a small light for your balcony is a wonderful treat. Another option: Bring a handful of glow sticks (cheap on ebay).

I have a little anecdote about borrowing a book on board: we were on a 10-day southern Caribbean itinerary on HAL Zuiderdam, and I was looking for something to read. I found Dead Souls by Nikolai Gogol in the ship's library. (I know, strange title to choose while cruising ... :o) I read a little every night, and became very interested in the story, but was nowhere near finished when the cruise ended. So I borrowed a copy of the book from our local library when I got home. But when I started to read my local library's copy, I realized it was a different translation, and I did not like the translation at all!

 

So I spent some time searching the internet to find a copy of the same translation I had been reading on board. I finally found it, and had to BUY a used copy of the book I had previously borrowed on board, just to finish it! And the irony was, I had become very intrigued by the story as I read on the ship, but the rest of the story got less and less interesting as it went on. I had read the best of it while on board anyway, but hadn't realized it!

 

(These days when I cruise, I bring magazines. :rolleyes: When I am done with them, I leave them on board for someone else to pick up and enjoy. :))

I'm a big reader, and I LOVE my Kindle. It allows me to bring literally hundreds of books in about the space of one medium-sized paperback. I don't mind bringing my Kindle to the pool onboard, but for the island stops, I like to have a paperback or two. I pick up promising choices at yard sales or library sales for $1 or less. It's the best of both worlds.

 

We usually have some packaged snacks with us (nuts or bars of some kind). Mostly because DH needs to eat gluten free so finding a suitable place can be a hassle. Also because we don't want to waste time sitting around in restaurants when we could be exploring. So we eat a big meal before leaving the ship and then have our snacks while we are out if we need them.

When we started cruising, we didn't bother with snacks -- food's always available onboard. However, since my husband was diagnosed with Diabetes, we bring pre-packaged cheese crackers and peanuts. When we're ashore, the heat and extra exercise can throw him into the need for a snack RIGHT NOW, and we don't always know where to turn for a snack . . . and when he's in that state, he doesn't want to wait to be seated and order a meal.

 

Incidentally, he does the same thing at home: He always has these same pre-packaged snacks in his truck and his office desk.

[CapeCodCruiser]

I found that the bill they give you at the end of the cruise is TOTALLY unnecessary!

 

I do not pack all that stuff in those lists - we travel with carry-on only (even on a ship) so I have fine tuned what we pack.

[Roz]

I've seen some really crazy stuff - rice cooker :eek:, blender, juicer, blow up wading pool, tea kettle, etc. I guess people who drive to the port have the luxury of bring all these appliances, but why bother?

 

Roz

[DYKWIA]

From our first cruise on Celebrity Eclipse 14 nights around the med we learnt..

 

too many trousers and shorts, too many shoes

too much sun tan lotion (wife insisted on packing 8 bottles of various strengths for 2 of us)

too many books! ipads and Kindles in future. Based on the Celebrity Eclipse, I wouldn't assume you'll find a book to read from their library

[marshhawk]

Our first cruise=we brought towels-dont need to, beach towels are provided both in the cabin for shore excursions, and at the pool for your pool area adventures.

Second cruise-DH brought way too many shoes. He just needed one comfortable pair for the day, and one for the dining room at night. (once out of the cold I just wear flip flops and nice evening dress sandals)

Third cruise -we learned that just by going to a warm climate doesn't mean that it will be warm, so DO bring a sweater and a jacket if cruising during the fall and winter.:o

Fourth cruise-OK, we now learned we brought too many clothes. We found out how many times we didn't need to change clothes, we seemed to live in our shorts for three out of five days.

Fifth cruise-bring one book if you are a big reader, but not a whole lot of books. You have all these great plans of relaxing and reading, but there you are in the sun, with a warm breeze, and your eyes close, and that book falls from your hands, or you are reading and some music starts up, and there is a trivia game you get involved in, or you start watching people being people, and that book goes in your beach bag, and you get up and get involved. I still like to have one book, just in case I cant sleep.:p

If there are just two of you in a cabin, you dont need the over the door hanger.

It is easier if you are traveling with a spouse or SO, you know where to put their stuff, but this next cruise I am traveling with a friend. We both take a LOT of meds, and I dont want to mix my bottles up with hers, so instead of putting them in the bathroom or the desk in the cabin, I will put mine in a drawer. or leave them in the travel bag near my bed. (she is mandating that the beds are far apart, I guess my DH told her I snore:o)

The truth is, you may think you need certain things to make your life easier on the ship, and in most cases you find out you dont need what you think you need, but you learn as you go. I hope all your cruises are wonderful!

Edited October 18, 2014 by marshhawk

[Lionesss]

The number one useless thing we brought was....an over the door organizer for storage................we had enough cubbynooks for everything.

 

Also the best Item I brought and will continue to bring is a mini first aid kit with bandaids, neosporin, tylenol. immodium.

 

Also love my easy erase magic markers,

Leave messages on the bathroom mirror for the DD, and she gets them, no harm no fowl, it washes right off:D

This way she knows what is going on when and where.

 

 

Sea Ya