Make your cruise better with proper planning.

[misguy]

We Things not to forget (some that we forgot)

Take a roll of duct tape to secure the extension cord, and also for miscellaneous other uses.  On the CC site, there is a great deal of discussion of the value of duct tape.  Another item that we take one or two of is the over the door shoe holder.  On this trip, we took two and used both of them.  They are invaluable for holding small items that you use often.  We also took a couple of small led tea lights, they are not bright, but in a dark (pitch black) cabin they make it easy to find your way to the bathroom without turning on a light.

I am particular about sweetener, so I took along some stevia.  We also took along a large cup each.  The cups onboard are usually very small.  Mine was a 32oz. coffee cup and I used it for coffee and iced tea.  My wife took a 24 oz. cup for tea and flavored water.  We would fill these on the buffet and then had what we wanted to drink around the ship.

Another thing to take is zip lock bags.  These come in very handy for taking food from the buffet to your room.  We used several each day.  They do not have plastic straws on the ship, so if you like plastic straws; take a reusable one with you.

 

One of the things we forgot was my sunglasses.  My wife packed two pairs, and I intended to take at least one pair, and then didn’t get any in our bags.  Another item that we missed was emergency rain ponchos.  You can get them fairly cheaply, and one day it started pouring about the time we were going to head out on an excursion.  We were fortunate in that there was a pharmacy in the port where we could purchase them, but they were more expensive than in the US.

 

I also forgot our selfie stick and realized that for much of what I was filming, I would need to use a directional or a lavalier microphone.

You should advise your bank and credit card companies that you will be traveling out of the country.  We failed to notify the card company that we used for the cruise, and that resulted in a freeze on our onboard account until I could take another card to the front desk.

 

One other mistake I made, was not putting an out of reach message on my phone and out of office on my email.  I did not answer my phone while onboard, and could only check my email without paying for it in Mexico, so that meant that for much of the cruise people that tried to contact me had no way to know why I didn’t reply.

 

Besides clothes, several other things can and will make your life easier on board.  To start with, we always take a medium length extension cord with the ability to plug in multiple devices.  I travel with a CPAP, and with chargers for phones, cameras, toothbrushes, shavers, etc., there is always a need for more plugs.  YOU CAN NOT TAKE EXTENSION CORDS WITH CIRCUIT BREAKERS.

[Toofarfromthesea]

52 minutes ago, misguy said:

 

Besides clothes, several other things can and will make your life easier on board.  To start with, we always take a medium length extension cord with the ability to plug in multiple devices.  I travel with a CPAP, and with chargers for phones, cameras, toothbrushes, shavers, etc., there is always a need for more plugs.  YOU CAN NOT TAKE EXTENSION CORDS WITH CIRCUIT BREAKERS.

Some good tips for newbies.  But on what I quoted, it is not the circuit breaker that is the problem it is any kind of surge suppression.  Which is completely unnecessary on a ship anyway and which causes a serious fire hazard - both because of the difference between how the electrical system on a ship works compared to how they work on land.

[misguy]

I do appreciate the correction, usually, you only find circuit breakers with surge suppression, I should have been more precise.  Thanks.

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, misguy said:

 

Take a roll of duct tape to secure the extension cord, and also for miscellaneous other uses......

 

Another item that we take one or two of is the over the door shoe holder.........

 

I also forgot our selfie stick..........

 

YOU CAN NOT TAKE EXTENSION CORDS WITH CIRCUIT BREAKERS.

Some items in OP's original post are OK and thanks are in order. However:

 

Duct tape? Not a good idea because of the mess it makes, often ruining the finish of anything to which it has been applied. Though a tad more expensive, the better all-purpose tape is "gaffer's tape" (sticks great but is easily removable with no residue, which is why it is used in the entertainment industry).

Likewise, certain over-the-door organizers have grab hooks that can mar the cabin door finish and earn you a charge back for repair (happens more often than you may think). In all honesty, if one needs a hanger, they've probably brought way too much stuff.

It's worth mentioning that an ever increasing number of museums are now banning selfie sticks (for the obvious reasons).

Finally, as regards extension cords: the problem is surge suppression, which requires different equipment in a marine environment. A basic rule of thumb (to avoid surge suppressors) is to avoid 3-prong plugs. As for CPAP, connect with the line's Special Services department before hand and request that they provide an appropriate extension cord.

[GUT2407]

Personally none of the above make my list.

 

 

Duct Tape, me never took it never missed it.

 

she thing, we must take enough junk with us I guess.

 

Selfie stick, strewth I hate having my photo taken so I’m not going to take my own.

 

 

[misguy]

We used two over the door shoe bags, neither marked up the door and we had every pocket filled with something, from toothbrushes and toothpaste, camera, small odds, and ends of things that we wanted easy access to and even shoes.  One side was on outside of the bathroom door, the other on the inside.  I will have to check into the gaffers tape, I did take the glue of where the duct tape left it, but that was a nuisance.  

 

We weren't going to any museums, and we used the selfie stick for an occasional selfie, but also to hold the camera while we were filming with my wife riding in her wheelchair.  If you aren't into selfies don't take one.  We always take our own extension core, I have a three plug 12'f cord that worked very well.  The cordless toothbrush charger and my CPAP stayed plugged into it for the duration.  We only had two usable plugs, and they were the far side of the cabin from our bed. 

[misguy]

30 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Some items in OP's original post are OK and thanks are in order. However:

 

Duct tape? Not a good idea because of the mess it makes, often ruining the finish of anything to which it has been applied. Though a tad more expensive, the better all-purpose tape is "gaffer's tape" (sticks great but is easily removable with no residue, which is why it is used in the entertainment industry).

Likewise, certain over-the-door organizers have grab hooks that can mar the cabin door finish and earn you a charge back for repair (happens more often than you may think). In all honesty, if one needs a hanger, they've probably brought way too much stuff.

It's worth mentioning that an ever increasing number of museums are now banning selfie sticks (for the obvious reasons).

Finally, as regards extension cords: the problem is surge suppression, which requires different equipment in a marine environment. A basic rule of thumb (to avoid surge suppressors) is to avoid 3-prong plugs. As for CPAP, connect with the line's Special Services department before hand and request that they provide an appropriate extension cord.

I would say that the gaffers tape on the holders for the shoe bag would protect the door.  Carrying our own cord is easier than requesting one and only getting a single outlet.

[SRF]

2 hours ago, misguy said:

I do appreciate the correction, usually, you only find circuit breakers with surge suppression, I should have been more precise.  Thanks.

 

Incorrect.  You can find many cords with a circuit breaker without surge suppression.  Two totally different things.

 

We have NEVER taken an over the door shoe holder and never thought, oh, we should have brought one.  To each his own.

 

We don't do selfie sticks. 

 

Tea lights, ziplock bags are good ideas.   
 

Gaffer's tape is MUCH better than duct tape.  Less residue, easier to remove.  And don't take a whole roll, roll a few yards around a pencil or some form, and carry that.

 

Depends on your credit cards.  None of mine require pre-notification.  At worst, they will send me a message or email to question if a charge is real.  But that seldom happens.

 

Out of office is always a good idea.  Out of reach on home phone or out of town on personal email may not be the brightest idea.

[misguy]

We only use cell phones, and mine is one I use for business.  People called and I didn't return the call, so an out of office message would have been better.  You different opinions on things and that is your prerogative.  You can find numerous posts on Cruise Critics where people talk about the needing tape, extension cords and using the shoe holders.  They worked for us and they may work for others to each his own.

 

Also, I never said that you couldn't find a cord with a circuit breaker, just that usually if they have surge suppression they also have a circuit breaker.

 

I would think it was more helpful to add things I missed rather than telling me why I am wrong.

[suspaul]

misguy, I too have used the over the door shoe organizer and love it, you can see what’s in each pocket and it organizes and keeps items from cluttering the bathroom counter.  Thanks for your hints and I agree, if something isn’t to your liking, why make remarks about what you’d never use or do.  Not helpful in my opinion, just move along.

[shipgeeks]

IMO, way too much stuff!  If anybody had told me I should take all those things, before my first cruise, I would have gone nuts.  We've now done 40+ cruises.  We pack clothing, our glasses, our passports and ID, toothbrushes and a few other toiletries.  For a week or two away from home, how many emergency/comfort items does one need?

[SRF]

14 hours ago, misguy said:

We only use cell phones, and mine is one I use for business.  People called and I didn't return the call, so an out of office message would have been better.  You different opinions on things and that is your prerogative.  You can find numerous posts on Cruise Critics where people talk about the needing tape, extension cords and using the shoe holders.  They worked for us and they may work for others to each his own.

 

Also, I never said that you couldn't find a cord with a circuit breaker, just that usually if they have surge suppression they also have a circuit breaker.

 

I would think it was more helpful to add things I missed rather than telling me why I am wrong.

 

I did state on PERSONAL phone and email.  Nothing like advertising that your house is empty for a time.

 

Never said you did not need tape, or extension cords.    Although some lines are now confiscating ALL extension cords, rather than dealing with the hassle of determining the ones with or without surge suppression.  If you need one for medical equipment, such as a CPAP, if you ask, they will supply one.

 

As for the shoe holder, there are just as many people who has stated they have not used or needed them.

 

YOU are the one that presented ALL these items as must haves, not just for consideration.

 

Of all these threads (and yours is not the first by far), the only thing I have found useful are the towel clips and tea lights.

 

I always have tape and ziplock bags in my suitcase.  They are useful on any trip.

Edited February 4, 2019 by SRF

[misguy]

I apologize if I presented these as must-haves.  These are all things that make us more comfortable and our trip easier to manage.  We managed to fit all this in 1 large, 1 med, and 1 small suitcase plus our clothes for a 10-day cruise plus our time in port beforehand.  We have only been on 8 cruises and are simple people.  There are different styles and methods for cruising, I just wanted to provide ideas for new cruisers to think about.

[ldubs]

Don't take and have never missed duct tape, organizers, lava lamps,  magic markers, flashlights, binder clips, magnets, etc.  

 

You will have to pry my selfie stick out of my cold dead hands. . . . 

[SRF]

Oh, one other thing I have seen mentioned that I have used, is a small folding bin from the dollar store.  It is about 6" x 8" and about 2 -3" high.  It folds flat.

 

One of these, on the desk, is nice for the little things.

[Slugsta]

We take the shoe organiser for longer trips, will probably use one for our 24 day cruise later this year, but don't find we need it for anything much less than 2 weeks. However, this does vary according to where we are going, it was useful for hats, scarves, gloves etc when we went up to see the Northern lights.

 

As with many other things in life, one man's 'must have' is someone else's waste of space!

[SRF]

4 hours ago, Slugsta said:

As with many other things in life, one man's 'must have' is someone else's waste of space!

 

The other big thing is, what level cabin are you staying in?  Your needs are a bit different between an interior and a suite. 😄

 

 

[Hlitner]

Over the decades of our travel and cruising we find that there are fewer things we need :).  But we do take a power strip (no surge protector) and also an extension cord as well as extra chargers and various charger cords (our trips are usually measured in months).  As to tape, we simply carry a small scotch tape dispenser.  One thing that has often proved useful in my Swiss Army Knife which I always pack in checked luggage.  We have heard of folks having that kind of thing taken...but have never had an issue.  I am now thinking about buying a small Anker 4 or 5 port USB charger.  Somebody suggested that in a post and it does make a lot of sense for those of us who have multiple devices.  We agree that ziplock bags are great to have and I always keep a stash (various sizes) in my carry-on bag.  But the idea of using that to bring food back to the cabin from a buffet does not get our interest.  In over 1000 days of cruising I cannot recall ever bringing food to the cabin (from the buffet) other then a cookie (which is usually eaten before I get to the cabin).  

 

As to duct tape, I must admit that its probably a good idea.  But those rolls are just too big and heavy to pass our own muster.  Probably our priority when packing is to bring a drug store supply of various drugs and medically related items (like band aids).   Even a basic OTC item like Tylenol can prove to be quite expensive on a ship.

 

Hank

[TruckerDave]

oye vey....people take way too much stuff with them on cruises.  The amount of luggage people drag with them to carry all their "stuff" is insane. duct tape??  over the door shoe holder??  why. It's generally a 7 day (or less) cruise on a modern vessel, not a 6 month expedition to the middle of the African desert. 🙄

[misguy]

17 minutes ago, TruckerDave said:

oye vey....people take way too much stuff with them on cruises.  The amount of luggage people drag with them to carry all their "stuff" is insane. duct tape??  over the door shoe holder??  why. It's generally a 7 day (or less) cruise on a modern vessel, not a 6 month expedition to the middle of the African desert. 🙄

Again, everybody has a plan that they like. I just shared mine.  I used everything I took on our 10-day Breakaway cruise.

[LynnTTT]

We have gone on European vacations for a month and then done a transatlantic cruise home and never needed the hanging shoe thing.  And some ships don't allow the door to close properly with them.  And never take a real candle .

One tip; I bought by mail from Amazon a box of the little tiny plastic bags used by jewelry makers.Very cheap.  I go thru my morning and evening meds and divide them up into the bags; one set marked AM and one marked PM. You can easily fit 7 pills in each little bag..  Put the little marked bags into a larger sandwich bag . Then in the morning you have all your AM pills together, dump into your hand and swallow!  I've done this for trips up to six weeks; it's much easier than taking all those bottles of vitamins, etc.  I also package up a few Imodium/aspirin/Aleve etc.  I do take a picture on my smartphone of each prescription label, but never been questioned in 40 years of travel around the world.

I also put a set of my earrings in the little bags and my necklaces separately.  Somehow travel beats up the earrings and the necklaces get twisted.

Big believer in ziplock bags!!

[GUT2407]

34 minutes ago, LynnTTT said:

We have gone on European vacations for a month and then done a transatlantic cruise home and never needed the hanging shoe thing.  And some ships don't allow the door to close properly with them.  And never take a real candle .

One tip; I bought by mail from Amazon a box of the little tiny plastic bags used by jewelry makers.Very cheap.  I go thru my morning and evening meds and divide them up into the bags; one set marked AM and one marked PM. You can easily fit 7 pills in each little bag..  Put the little marked bags into a larger sandwich bag . Then in the morning you have all your AM pills together, dump into your hand and swallow!  I've done this for trips up to six weeks; it's much easier than taking all those bottles of vitamins, etc.  I also package up a few Imodium/aspirin/Aleve etc.  I do take a picture on my smartphone of each prescription label, but never been questioned in 40 years of travel around the world.

I also put a set of my earrings in the little bags and my necklaces separately.  Somehow travel beats up the earrings and the necklaces get twisted.

Big believer in ziplock bags!!

If only seven pills would do it for me.

 

Edited February 8, 2019 by GUT2407

[zqvol]

Four things to remember.

 

1. Your cabin is small and everything has to stay in it with you.

2. If you don't use something at home you are not likely to use it on the ship.

3. After you pack take out at least half of what you put in the suitcase, you won't use it or need it.

4. Take twice as much cash as you think you might need.

 

Personally there is nothing on the OP's list that I would even consider taking.

[SRF]

On 2/7/2019 at 12:49 PM, Hlitner said:

As to duct tape, I must admit that its probably a good idea.  But those rolls are just too big and heavy to pass our own muster. 

 

As I mentioned before, you can just take something like a pencil and wrap a reasonable amount around it to make you own smaller roll.

 

Also, gaffers tape (found on Amazon, but make sure it is CLOTH tape) is less messy than duct tape.  It is designed to be removed and not leave tons of sticky residue.

[pacruise804]

On 2/8/2019 at 10:54 PM, zqvol said:

Four things to remember.

 

1. Your cabin is small and everything has to stay in it with you.

2. If you don't use something at home you are not likely to use it on the ship.

3. After you pack take out at least half of what you put in the suitcase, you won't use it or need it.

4. Take twice as much cash as you think you might need.

 

Personally there is nothing on the OP's list that I would even consider taking.

I will respectfully disagree with some of your list.

1. This is good advice and unless you are in a suite I can't think of times this wouldn't hold true.

2. I don't use (or rarely use) several things at home that I do enjoy on a ship: binoculars for the balcony, wet/dry bag for excursions, snorkel gear

3. Before we started cruising we camped for vacations.  We learned to pack what we needed but not overpack.  If I took out 1/2 of what I packed I would be doing laundry every other day, run out of sunscreen, and likely be uncomfortable because I was missing several otc medications.

4. I tend to be a cash person rather than relying on credit cards for most purchases (although I do use them).  I have rarely spent even 1/2 of the money brought and would be uncomfortable taking twice what we do.  Unless you are paying your ship account with cash (or never carry any cash) most people should be fine with a reasonable amount for extra tips and shore purchases.