What do you wish you would've brought with you on your cruise?

[paigek]

I always carry a few sizes of safety pins (especially the extra large craft type pins). I use them to pin my cruise card to my bathing suit cover up or anything else that doesn't have pockets, pin drapes closed when we want to sleep in, quickly mend any clothing disaster, etc....

[MoneyGuy]

Duct tape is just a good overall thing to have anytime anywhere and since you have a suitcase or two, bring some along. A must-have for the trunk of your car too.

 

Maybe the twin beds come apart with too much whoopie. Tape them bed legs together!

 

 

Or tape the wife's legs together and then you won't need to tape the bed legs together. :D

[MoneyGuy]

I always, always pack Duct Tape. Thankfully, I now have a new use for it -- taping the bed legs together LOL

 

If the wife tapes her legs together then you wouldn't need to tape the bed legs. LOL

[WKM]

Taking your laptop or GPS. Put your valuables in your empty suitcase and lock. Put suitcases under the bed out of the way.

 

Take your business cards or mail labels to give to all the new friends you will meet!

 

Pepto Bismol tablets. Take 2 before you eat off the ship. Helps coat the stomach and prevents infection.

[WKM]

I'm not sure if toothpaste is provided but I'll bring my toothbrush and most importantly - dental floss! See how well it works -> :D

 

You flossed well !

[yesitsfree]

Peanut Butter....I am getting some in those take along sticks they make now...great on pancakes.

[sweetpea-2]

MORE $$$$$$$$$$ :p

[craftinmom]

binoculars for when you're coming and going from port and any other thing you may want to look at while at sea.

 

great idea...adding it to my list now!

[bubiesmom]

Extra dollar bills for the ladies on the top deck:D :D

 

WHY???????????????

[prettypixie]

also a black sharpie marker.... it washes off with just a wet washcloth or a wet wipe if you pack those.

 

A permanent marker? that sounds scary, are you sure you don't mean a dry erase marker? That just makes more sense to me.

 

I like a lot of these ideas I'll definately be taking some of these things on my upcoming cruise.

 

Oh PS - what is a "snap hook" ??

[H2Obics]

A permanent marker? that sounds scary, are you sure you don't mean a dry erase marker? That just makes more sense to me.

 

I am pretty sure it should be a dry erase marker as well. I hate to think anyone actually tried a sharpie on the mirror, those things don't come off too easy.

 

Oh PS - what is a "snap hook" ??

 

I had the same question and it just came to me that this is one of those hooks that is suctioned on when you "snap" the hook down. Very strong.

 

After reading all these suggestions I picked up a few new ones I hadn't heard before and ones I didn't quite understand before. I am definately packing duct tape now.

[catnanny]

Take small bottles of bubbles for the Sailaway! I have some small ones from weddings I've attended. :p We love to blow bubbles on the balcony.

[H2Obics]

Take small bottles of bubbles for the Sailaway! I have some small ones from weddings I've attended. :p We love to blow bubbles on the balcony.

 

Neat idea! I hadn't even thought about Sailaway yet.

[tksail]

I always, always pack Duct Tape. Thankfully, I now have a new use for it -- taping the bed legs together LOL

 

I sure wish BC had the really really large ziploc bags for packing clothes so the airport security didn't paw thru our stuff.

 

Thanks for the bungee cord idea. I'm off to the Caribbean in Feb and will make sure my balcony stays open.

I think this thread is worth reviving! We bought a special traveling power strip so we could recharge batteries for three different cameras, plus plug in my electric curlers when needed-so much more convenient.

 

Highlighters are a must, post its, journal, something sturdy to carry photos home in my carryone without bending them. just a few ideas

[capncarp]

A small pair of binoculars. Enroute to Nassau from Cozumel, just off Havana, our ship stopped for an hour to overwatch a small boat filled with Cuban refugees apparently trying to make it to Key West. Our Captain halted our ship until US Coast Guard craft could take it under tow. I would have loved to have been able to see this as it unfolded, as voyeuristic as it may sound. There were also times when the glasses would have been handy on tours we took.

[capncarp]

Take small bottles of bubbles for the Sailaway! I have some small ones from weddings I've attended. :p We love to blow bubbles on the balcony.

 

My co-worker and her sister are taking a cruise over Halloween--she's taking the bubble-gun she had bought to amuse her little dog at home--sailaway will be filled with bubbles if I know them.:D

 

Me? I'd try to find one of those big paddles with multiple holes in them--one dip, one sweep, and voila!--scads of bubbles. That would be great to do on the top of the forecastle and have the bubbles sweep back over the pool area as the ship leaves port.

[missanarchy]

A garbage bag for dirty clothes. A wine bottle opener.

[downsized]

An extra disposable lighter.

A small pen knife to open those d**ned "bullet-proof" clam-shell packages.

A pocket flashlight.

Ibuprofen.

Tums.

Extra batteries (for everything!)

Aloe Vera.

Wide brimmed hat.

Sun Glasses.

Cash.

[guyver]

Passports

Cruise docs

Credit cards (this will help with all of the other things you forget):D

[jcm996]

3-4 empty 12 or 24 oz soda/water bottles. Good for filling up with water and not having to buy new bottles when you leave the ship. Also if you go and a cruise where you are going to be at the beach, you can fill one with cherios and get the reef fish to come to you for treats. (Can also use them to sneak rum back on the ship if you are with a line like carnival who confisates it.

 

Duct tape - my wife bought a hand carved wood chest not much smaller than a carryon bag. So we got a garbage bag and wraped it up, used duct tape to create a carrying strap and all.

 

We also have "stacking" luggage where each one fits in the next bigger one. So we will pack the second biggest, then put it in the biggest for the trip down and then we have 2 good size cases to bring home one totally empty, cause we always come back with more than we left with.

 

I recycle clothes on cruise, nothing ratty or anything, but shirts/pants I do not wear much anymore (or I have almost "outgrown") go with, get left behind, usually I let the steward know that if no one wants them to throw them away. I had one shirt that shrunk too bad after only 2-3 washes, nothing wrong with it, just didn't fit. It was a great beach shirt then it stayed behind (its replacement came home)

[Atlastalady]

If you are bringing any dresses you will need, Pretty Panties, in case your dress flies up!:eek: Unless you are an exhibitionist.....then no need for panties at all! :D

[jkudzu]

A garbage bag for dirty clothes. A wine bottle opener.

 

 

Be careful the room steward doesn't throw your dirty clothes away by mistake. We use a pop-up hamper and either wash them on board or wait and pack all the clean in one suitcase and the dirty in another.

[beachpeach1]

A pop-up laundry hamper kept us from having our clothes all around the cabin.

Definitely a highlighter for the activites on the ship's daily newsletter that we are interested in.

Also, clothes pins. Can be used to put at bottom of shower curtain to add weight to curtain so that it doesn't "hug" you, and can be used to hang bathing suit from "laundry line" in shower.

I keep a first-aid kit in my linen closet that includes pepto-bismal, Advil, bandaids, thermometer, , etc all in a quart ziploc bag that I just grab for each out-of-town trip, including cruises.

Alcohol wipes. I wipe the tv remote and door handles when we first get there, and put wipes in beach bag to use onshore if needed (for snorkeling excursions, I always wipe down the mouthpiece).

And always bring a good attitude and smile on your face...goes a long way!!!

[Litehouse9]

Here is what I would put on this list:

 

- A small, portable FAN: I found one that is 4" across diameter. Packs easily. The fan cools me off (menopausal, always hot) and also acts as "white noise" in case you have noisy neighbors

 

= A POWER STRIP to recharge several things at once: I pods, phones, etc.

 

= SMALL BILLS to tip people and to have exact change in the ports you visit (In Mexico, our cabin mates who had no small change got ripped off when they gave servers a $20 for $8 of beer... servers said "we have no change to give you"..)

 

= A plastic "to go" COFFEE MUG: fill up with coffee (or water, or juice) before leaving the ship

 

= HAIR CONDITIONER! Ship/gift shop did NOT have any... my hair was so frizzy from the humidity. Wish I had brought some.. now I always do!

 

= HIGHLIGHTER PEN/S: when you get the "Daily" paper, it helps to highlight those activities you wish to partake in for the day so you don't forget !

[Litehouse9]

A couple more things I forgot below:

 

= a small, battery operated, "stick on" (suction cup) CLOCK... helps to see what time it is at a glance

 

= A few 3M "Command" hooks.. (they can easily be removed with NO damage to walls, etc); I hang my necklaces/jewelry on them, belts, tote bags, hubby's ties, etc. for easy storage.

 

= A few rubber bands, twist ties, and a small length of string: comes in handy for broken straps, broken luggage handles, securing packing around breakable sourvenirs, etc. etc.

 

= A magnetic PEN and some STICKEE NOTES: for when you want to leave your spouse/family a note like "Mom gone to the Pool" or "meet me in the Buffet at 5pm", etc. Put Stickee note pad on outside door with magnetic pen.

 

= Extra hangers - I always bring a few wire hangers.. great for hanging up more stuff in the closet of the cabin; OR hanging up wet clothes to drip dry in the shower...