A question for the ladies...

[cruzinchris]

Greetings, cruising gals (...and guys who are interested).

Something has been bugging me since I got home from our 1/28 cruise on the CB, and I'm hoping that some of you will provide an explanation. I noticed many women carrying large handbags around the ship on our last cruise. I'm not talking about pool totes; I'm talking about "purses." I noticed this more on the recent cruise than I had in the past and wondered if it was because there were so many newbies on board.

 

I never take a purse (or wallet) on a cruise vacation. I carry a good-sized Coach tote on the plane with many of the items that I would ordinarily have in my handbag (hairbrush, lipstick, Kleenex, etc.), plus travel documents, meds, reading material, but I store the tote in the closet and never use it on the ship. I always pack a very small purse with a shoulder strap (evening bag) that holds my glasses, my inhaler/cough drops, and Kleenex, that I might take to a show. During the day, my keycard is on a lanyard, and I never carry a purse around the ship.

 

I'm curious as to why women carry a handbag around the ship. Do you keep cash, credit cards, jewelry, etc. with you at all times rather than lock them in the stateroom safe (like I do)? Likewise, do men have their wallets in their back pocket (DH locks his in the safe)?

 

I'll look forward to your replies.

Chris

[CruisinChris]

As a woman, traveling with another woman - my mom, we both always carry small evening bags at night. We have to carry our key and lipstick and no husband's pocket to stow that stuff in. (I refuse to wear a lanyard - reminds me of latchkey kids). I have noticed some older ladies carrying larger everyday purses. I guess they have a lot of stuff to tote around - perhaps med, eyeglasses, etc.

[mozfoz]

 

I carry a good-sized Coach tote on the plane with many of the items that I would ordinarily have in my handbag

 

Chris

 

What airline gives coach passengers a tote? Or do you mean the expensive, designer brand, I have one, Coach?

[Jaxsonbrownie]

Chris, I have to say, I am like you, just carry small evening bag when out to dinner, cruise card hangs on lanyard around my neck during the day,everything else goes in the safe.The only thing we carry during the day is a backpack to excursions if we have them.I can't see dragging something around with me on the ship that has cashless cruising? Only other thing can think of is, maybe if the "circus "is in town:D might have to carry feminine hygiene products with you,but still, wonder about big bags and purses being carried around.To each his own I guess!:)

[LARGIN]

From a man's point of view... We always leave wallets in safe and just carry cruise card while on the ship. Wife's normal purse is left home and she brings small wallet and small evening bag when cruising. The small wallet is when she goes off the ship and the small evening bag is so I won't have to carry her stuff on formal nights in my tux.

As for the big purses you observed... I have not seen this on any of our recent cruises, however I have not been on the CB. I do think that the CB caters to first time cruisers so I tend to agree with you. I bet those with large purses, overpacked by a whole lot.

[cruzinchris]

What airline gives coach passengers a tote? Or do you mean the expensive, designer brand, I have one, Coach?

 

The signature model, no less.:D

 

I've always thought that a girl can never have too many Coach bags, and I've been a Coach girl since the days of That Girl.

Chris

[cruzinchris]

Only other thing can think of is, maybe if the "circus "is in town:D might have to carry feminine hygiene products with you

 

Too much information? :eek:

 

Sorry, but I'd forgotten about that! It's been a lotta years since I've had to think about those things.:p

 

Thanks for the chuckle.

Chris

[cruzinchris]

I do think that the CB caters to first time cruisers so I tend to agree with you. I bet those with large purses, overpacked by a whole lot.

 

Thought as much.:p

Chris

[ssbeagle]

I guess some women would feel naked without a purse. I clean mine out and use the safe. If I go on shore I just carry my camera in a small case with a credit card, some cash and my cruise card. I leave as many valuables behind as possible. I try not to carry unessentials.

[crazy4themouse]

Wow, guess I'm in the minority here. :) I always have a beach-type tote with me at all times. I have the usual ship card and i.d., two-way radio, suntan lotion, camera, book, Purell, Personal Navigator (Patter), and whatever else I feel the need to have with me. For formal nights I just have a small evening bag, but then I have to juggle everything else.

 

I would be lost without my tote. :)

 

-gina-

[DesrtDrmr]

I carry my purse, I do NOT carry a tote bag on a plane, nor do I wear a lanyard thingie...reminds me of camp, too............or working somewhere that it is necessary to wear one. In my home town, only "tourists" wear fanny packs, and I don't do that, either. I take everything unnecessary out of my medium sized purse before I leave home, but I do have my patter, i.d., ships id card, camera, cash for the casino, purell, meds, sunglasses, sunscreen, and sometimes, even a crushable hat in my purse. I use an evening purse from dinner on.......

Do the rest of you not carry sunglasses, camera, etc? :)

[nlb1050]

I am like DesrtDrmr on this. Don't have a crushable hat but will have a book in place. I don't carry a big purse but do need some place for all that stuff.

 

 

Nancy

Star Princess 1-2005

Sun Princess 10-2005

Carribean Princes in "23Days" :D

[cruzinchris]

I guess some women would feel naked without a purse.

 

Not this woman. I don't even feel naked without a bra any more! Let it all hang out, hang loose, or just plain hang! For better or for worse. :D

Chris

[Pam in CA]

I never, ever carry a "purse" while onboard. I have a very small basic "wallet" with a shoulder strap that I use to carry my iPod, cruise card and drink/shopping receipts.

[Twinsmomct]

That's what I love about cruising (at least one of the things!). I only take an evening bag on formal nights but carry nothing else on the other nights! I hate carrying a pocketbook and since the room is close, I don't feel a need to carry one!!

[Wabashmom]

I guess I'm in the minority here, but I actually like wearing the lanyard. Only if I'm sitting up on deck in the sun do I carry a bag up there with lotion, book, etc. I like the freedom of NOT having to carry everything, and my pants don't always have pockets. I do wear a lanyard at work, so maybe it just doesn't bother me that much. We were on the CB in January, and I don't remember noticing that many handbags...more totes up by the pool areas.

[OhioDogLover]

I carry a very big purse except when I ditch it for the evening bag. We travel with a large group and it appears I am responsible for things like foldable raingear, sunscreen, tic tacs, cough drops, advil, everyone's glasses, etc., etc. It has become a family joke, but I am still expected to have it. I feel like Mary Poppins, except that I do not have an umbrella that permits me to fly!:D

[BarbaraM]

Pockets -- I never leave home without them~

[stoneharborlady]

I WAS a first time cruiser on the CB, and am pleased to say I boarded with NO purse (cept the tiny evening bag). And this from a girl (OK, an old girl) who never goes out the door without her purse at home. So dont lump all first timers in the same bin please. And by the way, not only first timer dummies love the CB you know. Lots of frequent cruisers love her. (As do I, even though I am a frequent cruiser of one cruise only) (well, so far) I know you love the smaller ships Larry, but that doesnt mean the CB is not fabulous, just that its not your cup of tea dear. And Im smiling when I say that, not scowling. Karen

[mii]

Well I guess that I am also in the minority. I carry a medium size canvas style bag which has wallet, cruise card ,sunglasses, suntan lotion, kleenex, camera etc. I do have a small evening bag for nighttime.

 

Marilyn

[LisaH]

I have always carried a small purse during the day - even if we stay on the ship. A cute Coach wristlet or something like that. There are things I must have during the day - gambling money, lipstick, cruise card, glasses or eyedrops if I have contacts in. It just saves from going back and forth to the cabin.

[crazy4themouse]

I carry a very big purse except when I ditch it for the evening bag. We travel with a large group and it appears I am responsible for things like foldable raingear, sunscreen, tic tacs, cough drops, advil, everyone's glasses, etc., etc. It has become a family joke, but I am still expected to have it. I feel like Mary Poppins, except that I do not have an umbrella that permits me to fly!:D

 

 

LOL!! That's the family joke about me, too. One time my mom and I were somewhere and she said, "I sure wish I could have a cup of tea right now." I rummaged around and pulled out two different kinds of individual tea bags for her. :) I have no idea why I even had those in there.

 

One time, at a bar, I even won a scavenger hunt just with my purse. :D

 

-gina-

[Steven_&_Daniel]

We rarely carry wallets around the ship and might carry wallets into port (sometimes only take a credit card and ship ID). Vacation (especially a cruise) is the time to leave as much as possible behind and get away from everything.

 

I have to say, Jaxsonbrownie, that I couldn't stop laughing at your animated gif (penguins). That is too funny!

 

 

Steven

[SaylorGirl]

I never leave my cabin without my camera and binoculars. Sometimes I throw them in a tote along with my sunglasses and a book.

[cezovski]

I didn't carry a purse either. On the Shore Excursions, I brought a large tote bag with "stuff", but on the ship itself I generally just used the lanyard around my neck to hold my cruise card on one side and a tube of Blistex or Lipstick, a Kleenix, etc. in the little pocket on the other side. The only thing else I could have carried around if there had been room was the Princess Patter and Map of the ship, but I could usually remember where I was going and when.

If my husband was with me, he got the honor of putting all this stuff in his pocket so I didn't even have to carry the lanyard! :p