What is your favorite cruise "hack"?

[grillinchillin]

Think of a "hack" as a creative (and legal) way to make something better.

 

My favorite food hack is to take a Deli Sandwich over to Guys Burger Bar and add Bacon, Tomatoes and Chipotle Mayo to for a take on a BLT.

 

What's yours?

[Joebucks]

Grab some guac from Blue Iguana and put on my guys burger with Pico, Bacon, and Chipotle Mayo.

[MommytoAsquared]

Get up early and put a towel or magazine on a deck chair to save it all day.  Then go back to bed.

 

😈

 

Just kidding!

Edited November 8, 2018 by MommytoAsquared

[Chervil]

These are the first that come to mind:

 

We love having scones at tea time. 
The only problem is they only have clotted cream and butter, no preserves of any kind.
My wife brings a ramekin with a plastic lid and gleans her own preserves at breakfast, then brings them to tea!
Makes the scones that much more delicious and tasty!

Have the Bottomless Bubbles or Cheers package?
Get some root beer and head to the soft-serve machine for a refreshing root beer float!
This is especially good while eating popcorn and watching the Dive-In movie!

At dessert in the MDR, in addition to whatever other treat I indulge in, I always order the fruit and cheese platter to go (they will bring it out with a lid just like room service!)
Then I take it back to the room so we can enjoy it later that evening with some of the wine we brought!

 

[coevan]

3 hours ago, grillinchillin said:

Think of a "hack" as a creative (and legal) way to make something better.

 

My favorite food hack is to take a Deli Sandwich over to Guys Burger Bar and add Bacon, Tomatoes and Chipotle Mayo to for a take on a BLT.

 

What's yours?

 

 

 

Or, you could just order a BLT.

When they served roast beef in the buffet, I go to the Deli and get a hoagie roll, mayo, lettuce and tomato and take it to the carving station. I ask the cook to slice me some thin slices. 

[grillinchillin]

Ha! Last 2 Cruises I could not get any bacon from the Deli, thus my pilgrimage to Guy's Burger Bar!

[bahacca]

Over the door shoe organizer. I bought one that lives in my suitcase so I never forget it.

[TrqoisWtrs]

4 hours ago, grillinchillin said:

My favorite food hack is to take a Deli Sandwich over to Guys Burger Bar and add Bacon, Tomatoes and Chipotle Mayo to for a take on a BLT.

I order Guy's fries and go over to the topping station and top with donkey sauce, bacon and mushrooms for loaded fries.   ♥️

 

1 hour ago, Chervil said:

At dessert in the MDR, in addition to whatever other treat I indulge in, I always order the fruit and cheese platter to go

I've also ordered it as an appetizer. 

 

You can also go to Lido at lunch and get a plate of the meats and cheeses.  We've had that on our balcony with wine.  

 

The guava juice at breakfast is awesome.  We always take a larger container of it back to the cabin frig and mix with our alcohol for delicious cocktails.   Top with a Carnival gummy funnel and its a work of art.  😄

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Nightrythm]

I don't have any of my own, but I'm taking notes. Keep 'em coming! *Root Beer Float *Guava juice cocktails

[Out of Iowa]

I learned it here:  after a hot day on an excursion, when family arrives back at the cabin, order Room Service:  cold drinks, a basic sandwich, cookies or chocolate cake, depending on your preferences.  First thing, dial the phone for Room Service!! 

 

Start the cycle of showers/getting ready for dinner.  Room service will arrive and everyone can enjoy a worthwhile snack so no one gets "hangry" and dinner doesn't seem too distant. 

when everyone is clean, dressed, fed and happy, the result is an opportunity for family time making memories with a game on deck, music in the atrium, etc. before dinner in MDR.

[Number12]

I love my over the door organizer, but instead of hanging it on the door, I use some strong magnet hooks from Amazon and find a convenient place to put it on the wall.  This keeps it out of the way and eliminates the possibility of damaging the door.

[nyo1011]

keep your room service tray...they don't have trays on lido to carry food

 

I don't remember how to find it but there was a thread a few yrs ago that had a ton of "hacks" on it

[FSHLOT]

Not sure if its a "hack",  but I mix my lemonade and iced tea from the lido deck....

[scrotser]

I've brought my own chips cause I like some crunchy with my Blue Iguana tacos and burritos (plus the salsa bar!).  I've also brought crushed up Oreos, gotten some milk, mixed it with ice cream, and made my own Oreo shakes.  Done the root beer floats thing too (my son is looking forward to that in 2 weeks!).  

 

Love the fixed up fries idea!  I'm going to have to try that one!  

[monykalyn]

1 hour ago, Out of Iowa said:

I learned it here:  after a hot day on an excursion, when family arrives back at the cabin, order Room Service:  cold drinks, a basic sandwich, cookies or chocolate cake, depending on your preferences.  First thing, dial the phone for Room Service!! 

 

Start the cycle of showers/getting ready for dinner.  Room service will arrive and everyone can enjoy a worthwhile snack so no one gets "hangry" and dinner doesn't seem too distant. 

when everyone is clean, dressed, fed and happy, the result is an opportunity for family time making memories with a game on deck, music in the atrium, etc. before dinner in MDR.

Taking kids on first cruise (and only my second) next June. This is brilliant. My son is firmly in hangry camp if goes too long without food.

[Crazy4Camping]

Definitely following this thread.  Keep the good ideas coming!!

[sanmarcosman]

1 hour ago, Out of Iowa said:

I learned it here:  after a hot day on an excursion, when family arrives back at the cabin, order Room Service:  cold drinks, a basic sandwich, cookies or chocolate cake, depending on your preferences.  First thing, dial the phone for Room Service!! 

 

Start the cycle of showers/getting ready for dinner.  Room service will arrive and everyone can enjoy a worthwhile snack so no one gets "hangry" and dinner doesn't seem too distant. 

when everyone is clean, dressed, fed and happy, the result is an opportunity for family time making memories with a game on deck, music in the atrium, etc. before dinner in MDR.

That's a great action plan or organization chart for a family but it's not a hack. 

[PhillyFan33579]

Not really a hack, but we always bring a fan with us. Helps keep the room cool at night if we end up in a cabin that is on the warmer side. 

[travelchica915]

If you have the cheers package and are drinking at the Red Frog/Blue Iguana, order a shot and whatever you want to mix it with separately (along with a glass of ice) before going back to your room to get ready for dinner. Stick them in the fridge while you shower and then you can mix a drink while you are getting ready. No need to leave the room get another drink!

 

[wo5m]

If you have a cabin with a Balcony and need to quickly cool the room or quickly purge the... um... fumes from a recent bathroom visit, prop the balcony door fully open and then open your cabin door for a few seconds. The positive pressure from the inside part of the ship will blow your cabin air(and lose papers if your not careful) out the balcony.  

[Jerseygirl1416]

When drinking in the Red Frog Pub ask the bartender for some pigeon peas. They’re a nice little spicy crunchy snack that goes great with beer. They don’t keep them out, you have to ask for them.

[coevan]

6 hours ago, grillinchillin said:

Ha! Last 2 Cruises I could not get any bacon from the Deli, thus my pilgrimage to Guy's Burger Bar!

 

 

Isn't the bacon at Guys crumbled leftover bacon from breakfast? Just get 4-6 pieces of bacon from the breakfast buffet and save them for lunch or room service makes a decent BLT.

[robindina]

9 hours ago, Chervil said:

These are the first that come to mind:

 

We love having scones at tea time. 
The only problem is they only have clotted cream and butter, no preserves of any kind.
My wife brings a ramekin with a plastic lid and gleans her own preserves at breakfast, then brings them to tea!
Makes the scones that much more delicious and tasty!

Have the Bottomless Bubbles or Cheers package?
Get some root beer and head to the soft-serve machine for a refreshing root beer float!
This is especially good while eating popcorn and watching the Dive-In movie!

At dessert in the MDR, in addition to whatever other treat I indulge in, I always order the fruit and cheese platter to go (they will bring it out with a lid just like room service!)
Then I take it back to the room so we can enjoy it later that evening with some of the wine we brought!

 

Love the fruit and cheese idea

[ScubaDuck]

One of my favorite is taking a box of waffle cones with us on the boat. We've done it twice now, and both times got lots of asks "Where do you get those?" I just tell them "Walmart", and keep going (LOL). Heck, I even had our favorite CD Malcolm stop us while we walked through the Lido deck to ask. Of course both times we had a few left over on the last night and so we find a group of kids hanging out near the ice cream machines and share the fun 🙂

[LindyWebb]

1 hour ago, robindina said:

Love the fruit and cheese idea

I have never heard of asking for something “to go” at the mdr....  do they look at you funny when you do?  It’s brilliant!  Late night fruit snack, my kids would love it.