Looking for hints of room extras to bring.

[deec]

SM77 why don't you just use the liquid body soap from the ship's container ?

[Sleep7]

I always bring a small round 15X magnified suction cup mirror that helps with eyebrow tweezing.

You can stick it on the balcony door and get great light there.😃

[tamc321]

We always bring insulated cups or bottles for around the pool

[Mich3554]

I bring a lingerie bag to put underwear and socks in to wash.  I came back to my cabin after emptying the dryer to find I was missing the mates of 4 pair of socks.  I only brought 6 pair, so this was a problem.  Luckily, no one had gone into the dryer I just vacated, so 8 found them all.

 

Next trip, I’m bringing a couple hooks to hang wet coats on to let them dry out before returning to closet.

[kkapaldo]

You know there's a night light low on the wall before the bathroom door?  The switch is on near the nightstand wall closer to the bathroom (the switch is grey)

 

[LindaS272]

40 minutes ago, kkapaldo said:

You know there's a night light low on the wall before the bathroom door?  The switch is on near the nightstand wall closer to the bathroom (the switch is grey)

 

But it’s way too bright in the middle of the night. On our recent TA I brought a small nite light to plug into the razor socket under the shelf in the bathroom—it was perfect for low light navigation in the wee hours.

[CILCIANRQTS]

We bring two prong European to US adapters so we can also use the European electrical outlets in the cabin when plugging in multiple devices. 

[CILCIANRQTS]

9 hours ago, LindaS272 said:

But it’s way too bright in the middle of the night. On our recent TA I brought a small nite light to plug into the razor socket under the shelf in the bathroom—it was perfect for low light navigation in the wee hours.

“Wee hours”…good one!!!! 👍😁😳

[SM77]

18 hours ago, deec said:

SM77 why don't you just use the liquid body soap from the ship's container ?

I like being able just to use the pump on the container instead of picking it up, opening tube, closing the tube, less touch points when washing hands.  

[LindaS272]

1 hour ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

“Wee hours”…good one!!!! 👍😁😳

😉

[JDincalif]

Neon colored Post-It notes are useful to alert the cabin steward about specific requests or flag items needing specific attention. 

[Squawkman]

3 hours ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

We bring two prong European to US adapters so we can also use the European electrical outlets in the cabin when plugging in multiple devices. 

These are even more necessary these days if you have to quarantine in a European hotel. 

[SailorPaulH]

42 minutes ago, JDincalif said:

Neon colored Post-It notes are useful to alert the cabin steward about specific requests or flag items needing specific attention. 

My wife uses this system on me 🤪

[hmcrn]

I am a Viking Ocean newbie - will go on first trip with them in September.  Am i understanding that there are laundry facilities on board?  That would be fabulous!  Do they supply detergent or do we need to bring our own?  Thank you!

[Clay Clayton]

Just now, hmcrn said:

I am a Viking Ocean newbie - will go on first trip with them in September.  Am i understanding that there are laundry facilities on board?  That would be fabulous!  Do they supply detergent or do we need to bring our own?  Thank you!

Welcome to Viking!  There are launderettes on each deck that are completely free including detergent!  

 

If you haven’t already discovered this thread for Viking newbies, you may want to read through it-lots o ld good tips and advice to get all you can from your cruise.  
https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2416372-tips-for-new-viking-ocean-cruisers/page/62/#comment-62141739

 

 

[hmcrn]

Wonderful!  Thank you Clay!

[paulinenpeter]

I also like the Liquid hand soap so I bring a 1/4 full bottle of foaming soft soap

I bring collapsible "boxes" from the Dollar Store ... usually 4 of them ... a 9x11 inch to keep on the coffee table to collect papers in, then 9x9 inch ones to keep on the desk, the bedside table and in the BR to collect odds and ends so the cabin is neater.

I pick up some kind of decorative garland at the Dollar Store to put around the mirror with the magnetic hooks.   I bring 4-6 magnetic hooks

I bring note paper or a small whiteboard and "pen" to leave notes for husband

I bring 8 clothes pins to hand things on the clothes line in the shower

I bring 6-8 thin "velvet" hangers ... I like to hang up most of my things

I bring earplugs to wear at night ... I like it very quiet

I buy bags of individually wrapped Life Saver mints and give each room steward a bag in the beginning of the trip ....we have always had 2 attending to our cabin, and I bring Merci chocolates to give them plus extra tip at the end of our cruise (in addition to the paid gratuities for the crew). 

[paulinenpeter]

Not room related but I also bring plenty of small bills for tipping on excursions..... 

   When we did River Cruises and then Ocean cruises to South America, the suggested excursion tip was $2 for the guide and $1 for the bus driver from each person..... but on the Viking Ocean cruise we did in May on the Pacific coast (LA to Vancouver) the recommended tips for excursions were $5 for the guide and $3 for the bus driver from each person.     

   I start saving months in advance so I have crisp new bills to hand out ...I had brought $1 and $5's so was surprised when I read about the increase ...  glad I had gone to ATM before the trip and got new $10 bills so had money for tips from us.   

[deec]

On 6/7/2022 at 6:03 PM, tamc321 said:

We always bring insulated cups or bottles for around the pool

we take them to get great coffee in the "living room" and then take it to breakfast!

 

[janetcbl]

1 hour ago, deec said:

we take them to get great coffee in the "living room" and then take it to breakfast!

 

Great idea! Thanks!

[MSEm]

We always bring dryer sheets to put in the dryer.  Really helps to eliminate wrinkles. Viking supplies the detergent, but not dryer sheets or any fabric softener.

And always various sizes of Zip lock bags.

[SM77]

On 6/10/2022 at 8:58 AM, paulinenpeter said:

Not room related but I also bring plenty of small bills for tipping on excursions..... 

   When we did River Cruises and then Ocean cruises to South America, the suggested excursion tip was $2 for the guide and $1 for the bus driver from each person..... but on the Viking Ocean cruise we did in May on the Pacific coast (LA to Vancouver) the recommended tips for excursions were $5 for the guide and $3 for the bus driver from each person.     

   I start saving months in advance so I have crisp new bills to hand out ...I had brought $1 and $5's so was surprised when I read about the increase ...  glad I had gone to ATM before the trip and got new $10 bills so had money for tips from us.   

This is great information about the increase in tips - I try to collect new bills as well since foreign banks are very particular about the condition of money when exchanged for local currency.  Sometimes when getting cash from our local bank I ask for new bills if possible, lately it has been hard to get new bills.  

[duquephart]

42 minutes ago, SM77 said:

This is great information about the increase in tips - I try to collect new bills as well since foreign banks are very particular about the condition of money when exchanged for local currency.  Sometimes when getting cash from our local bank I ask for new bills if possible, lately it has been hard to get new bills.  

 

"You get whatever comes out of the machine."

[SM77]

17 minutes ago, duquephart said:

 

"You get whatever comes out of the machine."

I don't use an ATM; I actually interact w/ a teller when I get cash.  

[duquephart]

2 minutes ago, SM77 said:

I don't use an ATM; I actually interact w/ a teller when I get cash.  

 

I get told to just go to the machine.