something you bought on a cruise that became very helpful

[ontheweb]

(I originally read the title on another thread as bought instead of brought.)

 

In the Greek setting for the original Olympics, DW bought a book that showed the site both as it is now and was then by fliiping the transparent covering over the page. Since she is an elementary art teacher and Greek art is part of the curriculum, this turned out to be very useful for her.

Edited June 19, 2022 by ontheweb

[cruisemom42]

I bought a small pair of excellent quality binoculars on my Alaska cruise in 2001 and have taken them with me on many travels since. I especially enjoyed using them in Florence at the Duomo to look at the ceiling in detail.

 

 

[jsn55]

I bought a watch on a cruise ship because mine died suddenly.  I always thought those onboard shops were just full of overpriced junk.  Paid a very fair price and am very happy.  I refer to it as my 'free watch' because I used onboard credits for it.  The most expensive thing was a gold bracelet in Cozumel of all places.  As my family says, I'm so picky that I can't even buy myself a gift ... I had been looking for just the right bracelet for several years.  I remember thinking that the quality might be suspect, but I counted on my credit card to protect me.  The bracelet is ten years old, looks great, and I wear it often.  I will also buy jewelry ... more expensive stuff in the Caribbean and costume jewelry other places.  Every time I wear something purchased on a trip, it brings up happy memories. 

[Blondilu]

I bought this bag for $45 I think.  Well, mine has 2 pockets in the front.  I have literally carried this on every trip I've been on since.  Perfect size for weekends or as a carry-on.  It has little wheels so I can put the bag on the floor and just drag it with me in lines.  The bottom unzips and expands to nearly the size of a full-size suticase, perfect for when you buy too much stuff on your trip.  If it ever breaks I would go on a cruise (LOL) just buy another one, that's how much I love. it.

 

Edited June 19, 2022 by Blondilu

[hueyjudy]

Good grief, how could I forget my Coach handbag?  Back in the day, the San Francisco Bay Area didn't have any discount stores.  I bought all my clothing from catalogues and trips home to Minnesota, where everything was 30% less expensive.  Sales at Dayton's had incredible prices.  I found my taupe handbag and absolutely loved it.  Several years later, I decided I wanted a black one.  Couldn't ever find a bargain, they retailed for about $300 back then.  Off a ship  in a taxi on a Caribbean Island, there was an ad for the "Coach Outlet".  Quelle excitement!  We went directly there, and I got my bag for about $125 or so.  Still have both bags more than 20 years later.   So I know EXACTLY how you feel about that Princess bag!

Edited June 19, 2022 by hueyjudy
clarity

[Aquahound]

Best thing I ever bought on a cruise was my next cruise.  🙂

[SRQbeachgirl]

We bought my DH a replacement wedding band because his original one had been damaged. We're still married, so I guess that proves it's usefulness. 😆

[PurpleHays]

A magnetic bottle opener. It's on my fridge and I used it a few hours ago.

[Honolulu Blue]

14 hours ago, Aquahound said:

Best thing I ever bought on a cruise was my next cruise.  🙂

I flipped through all the (mostly) little things that I bought on cruises - the T-shirts, the postcards, the gifts, the excursions, the casino contributions... but I think the post I highlighted is probably the best answer for me.  Ask me in 9 months. 👍

 

P.S.  Thanks for the interesting thread everyone!

[SimplyMarvie]

I bought my first EU travel adapter on a cruise... and then didn't buy any more, even when I moved to Europe, because somehow it didn't occur to me that even if everything was dual voltage if I owned more than one thing I'd like to plug in (like, say, the TV AND a coffee maker...) I might just possibly need more than one adapter. The one I bought on HAL in 2003 got a WHOLE lot of love until we got more in the mail...

[lenquixote66]

I was looking for a unique gift and bought a hand carved wooden turtle .

[ontheweb]

8 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

I was looking for a unique gift and bought a hand carved wooden turtle .

We were able in St. Petersburg to buy enough nesting dolls to have Christmas presents for the entire family.

[DarrenM]

On 6/20/2022 at 1:48 AM, SRQbeachgirl said:

We bought my DH a replacement wedding band because his original one had been damaged. We're still married, so I guess that proves it's usefulness. 😆

My wedding ring fell off my finger at that ship wrecked cove in Zante, Greek Island many many years ago.

 

Wife tried to get me to have another one but as I hate jewellery I never did.

 

Somewhere there, there is a very expensive gold ring buried in the sand slightly under water.

 

When I say very expensive, I am lying of course. We couldnt afford expensive back then.

 

Probably about 50 english pounds. Which will be worth about £10 now.

[Joebucks]

My facemask snorkel. I got a really good one for $40 on Amazon. It comes with me on all places that might have good snorkeling. So much better than the crappy ones you rent. Many places don't have rentals even available.

Edited June 22, 2022 by Joebucks

[jsn55]

4 hours ago, Joebucks said:

My facemask snorkel. I got a really good one for $40 on Amazon. It comes with me on all places that might have good snorkeling. So much better than the crappy ones you rent. Many places don't have rentals even available.

Amazon delivers to cruise ships???  What fun that would be. 

[Nebr.cruiser]

I didn't buy it but once Celebrity gave us a very nice cloth bag that zips--I still use it a lot on cruises to hold things for the beach, etc. It was much nicer than the regular bag some cruise lines give out.

 

Otherwise, rarely buy anything on a cruise and nothing super useful.  I do enjoy my (fake) tanzanite ring I bought because I had OBC that had to be used, couldn't be refunded.

 

 

[ovccruiser]

Again I didn't buy this, but Fred Olsen gave me a digital suitcase scale, use it every time i go on holiday now

[ldubs]

On 6/19/2022 at 12:12 PM, Blondilu said:

I bought this bag for $45 I think.  Well, mine has 2 pockets in the front.  I have literally carried this on every trip I've been on since.  Perfect size for weekends or as a carry-on.  It has little wheels so I can put the bag on the floor and just drag it with me in lines.  The bottom unzips and expands to nearly the size of a full-size suticase, perfect for when you buy too much stuff on your trip.  If it ever breaks I would go on a cruise (LOL) just buy another one, that's how much I love. it.

 

 

We had one exactly like that - given us some time ago.   

[jocap]

An NCL bum bag, which came in handy for holding dog treats at the puppy training classes, then ended up in the bin. 😄

[AKJonesy]

I bring things I had to formerly buy when sailing; cough drops, heating pad, aspirin, motrin and basically anything in case I get sick or ache and that will make me feel more comfortable.  I've had noro a few times on cruises.  I also hurt my back and I bought a heating pad at the CVS in Key West and now that is always with me.  Stuff like that.  

[Bound4Bermuda]

Got an amazing deal in St Thomas for my engagement ring, which appraised back home for twice what we paid for it. Basically got a “free  12-day cruise,” as a similar ring back home would have cost what we paid for the ring and the cruise!

[Hlitner]

Another cruise 🙂

 

Hank

[rtdiva]

What is on our luggage for every trip is a bright pink JAZZ CRUISE luggage strap.

Np problem seeing our luggage among others.

Edited August 7, 2022 by rtdiva

[John Bull]

A cheap little tub of Cocoa Butter.

Bought from a selection of locally-made products at a smallholding up in the rainforest of some Caribbean island - the vendor assured me that it was excellent for grazes and for rough skin generally, but I bought it as just a rather pointless little souvenir trinket,

It stayed in the bathroom cabinet for a couple of years.

Then because of excessive time spent on a desktop PC the skin of my left elbow became cracked & dry. I bought a couple of different remedies that didn't work, then remembered the cocoa butter.

Superb stuff, worked a treat.

 

I've just dug it out again to see which Caribbean island it came from ..................................

Englewood Cliffs, N.J. 😀

 

JB 🙂

[Nebr.cruiser]

6 hours ago, rtdiva said:

What is on our luggage for every trip is a bright pink JAZZ CRUISE luggage strap.

Np problem seeing our luggage among others.

After my husband's luggage disappeared and was never found after leaving it outside the room on the last night on a Princess cruise (and we had it marked with a bright ribbon on the handle), we bought neon green straps to help distinguish our bags.  Makes them so easy to see and hopefully harder for someone to mistake as theirs.