Worst Cruise Packing Mistakes

[txmom11]

Being a nurse I am known for packing a medical bag :eek:

 

I bring a med kit too! I'd much rather have it and not need it than be stuck searching for something at the last minute and making do on the cruise. I pack my DH's meds (bringing 1.5 times the amount needed). I also pack a mean first aid kit with Zofran (just in case), Benadryl, Pepcid (to be given with the benadryl in case of an allergic reaction), something for irritated skin issues, Motrin, BANDAIDS and other bandages, etc.

 

I pack my bathing suit, one full set of clean clothes, and an extra set of clean underwear (including an extra bra) in my carry on bag just in case.

 

I'm an overpacker but I like options. I don't go over my weight limit and we don't pay extra for luggage. Thank you Southwest! :p

 

My husband doesn't care and I roll my own bag anyway.

[tea4ular]

Late May cruise from NYC to Bermuda; hey, it's late May, it's Bermuda, didn't pack any long pants. Shivered for 2 days heading back to NYC!

[2 for a Cruise]

LOL.... DH starts packing, unpacking, packing from the moment we are booked.- no matter how far out the cruise is... But he is the organized one of us both. He makes me a BINDER that has a page for everything..first cruise he had no bathing suit. He now brings two! He thinks I overpack. But we havent had to go shopping yet.

[RW20]

When I vacation I have known too many people who have lost their bags. So in my carryon I always hve one change of clothes and my bathingsuit. I also do the same for the kids too. As for shoes if I am cruising out of Florida I leave time for shopping before. So I may leave home with 4 pair but return with 8.

[NoDayButToday]

Forgot nail clippers on our last cruise. For most this would not be a big deal, for my husband it was. He bites his nails unless they are kept short-he normally trims them once or twice a week. He spent the whole week obsessively trying to remember not to bite his nails and we ended up going to find a pair in a drug store in port. So now there is a pair that lives in my suitcase so that it never gets forgotten again.

 

Worst mistake going home was forgetting to check all the drawers the last day. I left my makeup bag and Pandora bracelet in the desk drawer. They sent me back the makeup bag, but the bracelet was never recovered (well the jewelry box was...the bracelet wasn't in it). Thank goodness for travel insurance, it was filed as stolen jewelry and I was able to replace the entire thing.

[cmjb4ever]

I am a list maker. Something to do with being a Leo I'm told. So I have a travel list in a file in my computer. I print one and put it on a clipboard. So now I'm ready to pack. All my toiletries are in one column BUT they are all packed in a small travel bag. When I return from a trip I replenish used items. I always have enough supplies for at least 10 days. That saves lots of time by having them always ready. We have toothbrushes, combs, brushes etc. always packed. (I take about 3-4 big trips per year). I also plan out our clothes for daytime & evening. I pack a few days to a week before we sail and I check out every item as its placed in the suitcases. I also cross pack for both of us. I haven't forgotten anything yet.

 

 

Finally! I was wondering how in the world No one else made a list. Packing is about organization so with these stories it's easy to see who is organized or not. Would hate to see the state of some of these peoples houses!

[surfjock27]

I am a list crazed cruiser also!

So glad to know I'm not alone.

 

It absolutely drives my husband insane.

I'll go over my lists constantly and he will say "we just went over this the other day!"

He appreciates it eventually when he has everything he needs and isn't paying $20 for a bottle of shampoo in the middle of the ocean.

 

I have a packing list, toiletries list, documents list, excursions list, cash needed list, pre cruise list, post cruise list.

Within these lists, I have a timeline of what needs to be done and when, broken down by days before/after the cruise.

Edited October 7, 2015 by surfjock27

[WahooFan]

I too am a list maker. I love the ship mate app because I can make my own packing list on my ipad and then check the items as I place them in the suitcase. We leave Friday for our cruise and I am in uber packing mode. Of course hubby hasn't done a thing and will probably stay up late Thursday doing it. I too am a nurse and I bring a med bag. You never know what you need and of course when you do need it its late and everything is closed.

[mommom of 7]

This was our MILESTONE cruise # 50. B2B on the Paradise. That is a lot of packing.

 

Wouldn't tell this except Larry told the whole ship one person at a time.

 

I got out of the shower dried opened my drawer & NO panties NONE opened all the drawers still no Panties :eek:. At this point I knew I had forgot to pack them :o The rest of the week I had to wear Lar's ;)

 

When we got back into port I got off ship ran home got mine & of course Larry's were all dirty then so packed him some more also. :)

 

Still don't know how I did that. Got off at the port in Cozmel but they had nothing & it would have been to expensive to go downtown.

 

Char :D

[TerReuv]

Count me as one of the list crazed cruisers! I have several lists. I even have a cruise notebook with dividers for each port (including a tab for the home port and the ship). Haven't forgotten anything yet.

 

I take my notebook to work with me each day the week or two before the cruise (it is with me now). That way, if I think of anything I just add it to the list. My parents travel with us and my mom tends to forget some things now so I also have a list of what to ask her if she has. We sail next Saturday and this Saturday I go over to her house to help her get everything packed. I have been folding clothes and putting them in my office ready to pack this weekend.

 

First time we cruised, we remembered everything! However my parents totally forgot my mom's wheelchair! She can walk but not long distances. We drive and were halfway to Jacksonville when I looked into the back of the van and noticed there was no wheelchair! Thankfully, we were able to call the special needs folks and there was a wheelchair waiting in her room.

[kublaieod]

Best way to not overpack - make a list with each day on it and have a day outfit and evening outfit. Most sea days you will be in a bathing suit and coverup but use that day for your same pair of denim shorts and tank top. Have one pair of dressy shoes that coordinate with all dinner outfits, a formal pair, flip flops, and maybe tennis shoes if you are a sneaker person.

 

I do this every cruise and I never overpack, my husband, on the other hand, still packs like he has a vagina ;)

 

 

Also, bring sample size toiletries that will be empty or near empty and you can toss before you pack for departure. I buy shampoos and body washes that come with the free ones attached throughout the year so I always I stuff on hand. Bring plenty of sunscreen, do not be stuck buying it for $25 on shore or the gift shop.

 

Yea my wife packs much lighter than me. I am trying to change. It is funny though I only overpack for cruises. I am an extremely light packer on land. Not sure what it is but I need to get over it. I will use the BIG suitcase for a 7/8 day and my wife will get everything she needs in a carry on size suitcase. Still together though we only have 2, so I am not too worried.

[berrieh]

I swear you wear an outfit for more or less three hours out of the day and then it is swimsuit to dinner wear to pj's. Even at an outfit a day I feel like we had too much.

 

An outfit a day! This must highly depend on particular habits. I can easily wear 4 outfits a day (Port outfit, pre-dinner, dinner, night or on a sea day even more so breakfast, pool outfit, afternoon outfit, dinner, night). Some of those pieces I do mix/match and re-wear later if they haven't gotten dirty.

 

Even with swim suits, I bring a few so one is always clean/dry. And I bring different outfits to wear on top or cover ups.

 

I guess it depends on particular habits, but definitely if a new cruiser, I don't recommend the leaving 1/2 thing as you may be disappointed if you don't have enough clothes. My first cruise I definitely didn't have enough stuff as it is warm on a cruise (often) and I hate wearing clothes once I've had a sweat or two. And I don't even particularly sweat compared to other people I know and live in a warm climate already.

[Jeafl]

Jeafl the only thing I can think of is that the Norway cruise was perhaps in a colder climate hence "shrinkage" was working in your and the other cruisers favor. Unless he liked the hot tub.:eek:

 

Unfortunately it was in the Caribbean. Let's just say yellow silk gets very clingy when wet. Ugh. Every time I see a smiley face now I cringe.

[suzycruiser2]

I am an overpacker, but I have decided that I am going to start cutting down on a lot of it so we can do self assist. (We will see if that happens!):D

 

My biggest mistakes:

 

1) Not bringing a spare pair of sunglasses. Mine broke and I paid about $30 for a pair in the gift shop.

 

2) Packing an item that was considered contraband. Last year we were on the Dream for a Halloween cruise and we took costumes. I was a police officer and my DH was my prisoner. I took a pair of PLASTIC handcuffs. My DH was in the cabin while I was on the deck. He got a call to report to the gangway. He went and they presented him with the handcuffs and told him they were forbidden. He told them they were taking his fun away and they all had a big laugh. I am SO thankful that he went down there instead of me. How embarassing! (He was just glad the call was for the handcuffs and not for the hidden booze in the same bag!);)

[Retired_to_Cruise]

I get laughed at and called anal retentive when I tell people that I make a packing list. I have a small spread sheet that I fill out with what I am going to wear for each day of the cruise. Includes all pieces; shirts, shorts or pants, socks or not, underwear, and footwear for day and evening. I started this because I wanted to stop over packing, and get to a carry on roller bag and a small carry on tote bag. The result is that I bring very few clean clothes back home in my suitcase. There is a small section on the sheet for "accident" planning, but it must be done with care and attention to matching pieces. You will be surprised how much you eliminate by using this method rather than the old "pile a bunch of stuff on the bed and then get out the appropriate number of suitcase" method. Plus it keeps you from forgetting the shoes or swimsuits, or things you should be bringing for the excursions that you have planned.

 

Give it a try!

[sweetsixteencruisers]

I do have a list!

I am guilty of overpacking!

I also have one small suitcase dedicated to toiletries! Crazy I know... But I have it all, just in case!

 

My husband used to pack for himself, well no more.. Always forgetting or not having enough of something. So I decided when packing for our liberty cruise last October I was going to help him.. I took out a pair of his dress shoes and ask him if these were the ones he wanted. He gave me a quick glance and said yeah! Well, guess what? The shoes didn't match...close but not a pair. He wore them to the first elegant night, no one notice in our party. Wore them the second elegant night, no one notice until we brought to everyone attention. It was very funny!

So moral of the story, make sure your shoes match. Lol.....

[vdarrell]

Here is another good one to have packed

I learned the hard way to pack an spare pair of prescription glasses (hubby forgot his one trip and it was miserable) so now we always both :)

Also take two pairs of sunglasses as one of us ( usually hubby ) looses one pair :cool:

[KatieCharlotte]

When our basement flooded a few hours before we left for our cruise, DH, who prides himself on dressing nicely in the dining room, left his garment bag with all his pants, his dress shirts, his shoes, and his suit hanging in the closet. :eek:

 

Facing the clean-up expense at home, he was reluctant to buy a new wardrobe. So, he grabbed a pair of khaki cargo pants from Walmart on the way to the ship and wore them to elegant night with a polo shirt and tennis shoes. He wore shorts to cruise casual nights for the first time ever. From then on, we were much more forgiving of people who don't dress up in the mdr. :D

 

My packing mistake was not bringing pajamas for a cruise to the Bahamas with my husband when we left the kids at home. An unexpected cold snap made our room freezing at night, so I slept in the Carnival robe. I was also the one wearing my robe in the buffet at breakfast and lunch because it was VERY COLD.

[waywyrd]

I think the worst thing I've done is not pack makeup remover. Sounds like a minor thing, but try taking off waterproof makeup with no remover! :rolleyes:

 

My husband has forgotten swim trunks several times. Now he gets a list.

 

My goal is to pack like ImANewfie...wow!

[brepri_h]

I always way over pack. This time my plan is to pack half the amount of clothes and pay for a load of laundry half way through the cruise.

[pebbles1102]

My very first cruise I left my bathing suit in the suitcase to be delivered to your room later. Now I make sure my bathing suit, sunscreen and flip flops are in my carry-on bag

[adamt]

We get free laundry so we always pack really light. The only thing I overpack are underroos.

 

if you don't want to do laundry, i'd suggest packing 1-2 pair of dress pants and solid button up shirts that can be repressed and reworn. You're only in them a few hours before going back to your room. If you happen to spill on them, just launder them in one of the laundry facilities on board.

[DaisyGirl55]

Seriously OVERPACKING!

Like bringing 6 pairs of shoes once!

 

Reading this made me do a count...I am also bringing 6 pairs of shoes on Saturday for my cruise on the Breeze! hahaha....the cost of looking pretty! Also, while I commend those who can go on a 5 to 7 day cruise with only a carry-on...my toiletries alone take up a small cosmetics base. Like I said...the cost of looking pretty! LOL

Edited October 7, 2015 by DaisyGirl55

[srlafleur]

I once packed 1 each of 2 completely different pairs of black dress shoes for my husband. Good thing his Crocs were black, as well. (He was happier in the Crocs, anyway, and, as far as I know, no one noticed.)

[Boozebabe]

I think the worst thing I've done is not pack makeup remover. Sounds like a minor thing, but try taking off waterproof makeup with no remover! :rolleyes:

 

My husband has forgotten swim trunks several times. Now he gets a list.

 

My goal is to pack like ImANewfie...wow!

 

Your post reminded me that make-up remover was the one thing I forgot several years ago. I had to buy a bottle on the ship. It was $16.00. I made sure I used every last drop of that bottle.