Cruise Vets - What are some items to pack you would NEVER leave home without???

[lahlah57]

Wall magnet hooks for up to 50lbs. I use for jackets, hats, swimsuits, pj,'s, and purses. You can get them on amazon.

[Coast To Coasters]

For us things like paper copies of all our travel documents and insurance in case we lose our phone, it gets damaged etc! Having a hard copy is always handy to have even if it stays tucked away in a suitcase!

[juneandchris]

Our must take

extension lead with normal plug sockets and also usb points.  Use a cube shape as takes up less room

 

luggage scales.  Nothing worse than guessing the weight 

 

bungee style washing line.   Better than pegs as you can just pick it up and move around the cabin as necessary without stuff dropping off 

 

small motion detector lights.  Perfect for inside cabins or even just not needing to put all the lights on when you get up in the night and wak3 others. 
 

Hooks,  magnetic, suction, sticky.   One of these will always work somewhere 

 

cheap plastic hangers from home that you are willing to leave behind.
 

if flying.  The airline adaptors for head phone sockets (1pin to 2 pin).  Rather use my noise cancelling headphone than airlines in the ear cheap ones.  
 

 

over the door shoe holder.   Brilliant for storing toiletries or basically anything else you use frequently on holiday.  If taking more than one sun tan lotion for example we put the current one near the top and the spares near the bottom so we don’t use two.   
 

A small analogue clock to display.  Most cabins don’t have one 

 

inside each case we have a email contact point and phone number printed off in case the baggage goes  missing.  As a last resort someone will open the case and hopefully they will then contact you (don’t forget to do the mobile number with the international dialling code) 

 

plastic luggage tag holders for embarkation day. Failing that a small stapler with a few staples I. (Don’t fill it full of staples it’s all about marginal gains on weight) 

 

See which charging leads you actually need.  Will one lead charge two different devices.  Saves weight.  

 

At least two power banks and two travel adaptors.  
 

If travelling as a couple split your luggage between each case

one bag may get lost. 
 

Large bin bags.  Mutiple use.  (1) it rains, simple coat.  (2) it rains while queuing with luggage, put around the luggage to keep dry. 
(3) you are dirty or have to sit somewhere dirty . Sit on a bin bag. 
 

the more things you can find with a multiple use the better.  
 

Randoms.   We always run the shower on max heat for at least a minute before using for the first time.   It may have been weeks since your cabin / room was used and who knows what bugs are lurking in that pipe work.   Legionnaires disease springs to mind.  
 

take some hand wipes and give the cabin a quick clean yourself.  Last person may have been  confined to the cabin with Norovirus or worse.

 

take a photo of your passport on your phone/camera in case you lose it. Possibly even do your credit cards (don’t forget the back) 

 

Take a photo of the instructions given when you dropped your car off at car park before embarkation.  (Eg. Phone this number on return) and make sure you have house keys suitcase keys and your local currency readily available for when you land back in your home country.  
 

 

 

 Hope this helps someone. 

Edited March 16 by juneandchris

[shipgeeks]

On 1/23/2024 at 12:01 AM, jlawrence01 said:

 

In Mexico, MOST vendors prefer to be paid in USD.  Ditto in many parts of Canada.  

In Mexico, yes.  In Canada, I have yet to meet anyone who prefers US dollars. Why would they?

Edited March 16 by shipgeeks
spelling

[puppycanducruise]

35 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

In Mexico, yes.  In Canada, I have yet to meet anyone who prefers US dollars. Why would they?

Some places in Canada will take US money - at par.

😉

[Mum2Mercury]

On 12/21/2023 at 10:41 AM, 9tee2Sea said:

I dont know if this has been said, but I always bring an empty tote bag.  Can be used as a hamper, or mostly used to bring back fragile items purchased that i dont want to stick into my luggage.  

The best "hamper" is your suitcase.  Lay it in the bottom of your closet and drop in dirties.  At the end of the trip, zip it up -- your packing is done!  No extra item to bring, no extra weight to carry.  

On 1/11/2024 at 10:44 AM, CDNPolar said:

I know you made this post a long time ago, but will a simple tea light with a battery last for 10+ days and 8 hours a night?  How many replacement batteries do you have?

Another good option for a small night light is Dollar Store glow sticks.  We started giving them to our kids for camping trips -- the soft glow is just enough for them to take to bed in an unusual place -- but we started using them for other vacations. 

On 1/21/2024 at 11:23 PM, jlawrence01 said:

Make sure that ALL of your bills are in excellent condition as most locations in Mexico, the Caribbean and in Asia will not accept a torn bill.

This is true!  Last time we were in Cozumel, one of my bills was really old /looked like it'd been under a coffee cup.  The cashier asked me politely if I had another bill. 

On 3/12/2024 at 4:30 PM, Coast To Coasters said:

For us things like paper copies of all our travel documents and insurance in case we lose our phone, it gets damaged etc! Having a hard copy is always handy to have even if it stays tucked away in a suitcase!

Yes, I make a copy for myself and a copy for my husband, and we both tuck them in the bottom of our carry-on backpacks.  We've never needed them, but -- worse come to worse --it's good to know that we each have a print copy of our insurance info, our OBC info, etc.  

7 hours ago, juneandchris said:

luggage scales.  Nothing worse than guessing the weight 

If you don't want to spend on another travel gadget /pack another travel gadget, just take your suitcase down to the gym.  They have scales.  

7 hours ago, juneandchris said:

over the door shoe holder

If you have two people in the cabin, you'll have more than enough storage ... an open shelf + hidden storage in the bathroom, lots of hidden storage at the desk /dresser.

The over-the-door thing takes up more space than it's worth and brings all your clutter out into the open.  

7 hours ago, juneandchris said:

A small analogue clock to display.  Most cabins don’t have one 

I do like bringing a small bedside clock.  Yes, I have my phone, but it's sometimes over on the desk charging.  

7 hours ago, juneandchris said:

plastic luggage tag holders for embarkation day.

I have a small home laminator, which is more handy than you might imagine -- great for laminating luggage tags.  Laminating a standard page (which can be 3 luggage tags) costs ten cents.  

7 hours ago, juneandchris said:

Possibly even do your credit cards (don’t forget the back) 

Do you have Google Wallet?  Very handy.  Not only does it "hold" your credit cards, it also holds tickets -- museum tickets, concert tickets -- and grocery store loyalty cards.  I've never sent my boarding pass to Google Wallet, but now I'm wondering if it'd work.  

But don't use such things unless you have A LOCK on your phone.  

[jlawrence01]

2 hours ago, puppycanducruise said:

Some places in Canada will take US money - at par.

😉

I have traveled all over Ontario as my father had a cabin north of Belleville, ON.  We could US currency and all of the businesses accepted it and gave a decent exchange rate.  Ditto on the western provinces .

 

The only place where they only gave us par was in Halifax.  It was also the ONLY place where a bank hassled us when we tried to exchange US currency.

[jlawrence01]

3 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

In Mexico, yes.  In Canada, I have yet to meet anyone who prefers US dollars. Why would they?

The resort owners and many of the business owners in the resort towns that we vacationed in PREFERRED US dollars as they spent all winter in Southern Florida or Arizona.

 

My business in Detroit always accepted Canadian currency. Why?  I made about 2% on the exchange.  Some of my customers were in healthcare and were Canadian nationals.  Also, I used to make significant purchases in Windsor and carrying $C was helpful.

[BBGrace273]

On 1/14/2023 at 1:49 PM, Crew News said:

The small ice buckets in your stateroom hold only a few cubes and the minibar temp averages 40 degrees.  I now bring a collapsible, insulated, cooler for ice that needs filling only every few days, keeps beverages at 33 degrees, and has ten times the ice found in your stateroom ice bucket,

Could you tell me what brand this is, or a link?

[Crew News]

5 minutes ago, BBGrace273 said:

Could you tell me what brand this is, or a link?

As requested: Cooler

[MacMadame]

On 3/16/2024 at 8:55 AM, Mum2Mercury said:

I've never sent my boarding pass to Google Wallet, but now I'm wondering if it'd work.  

It works on Apple Wallet so I'm sure it works on Google Wallet. It's very handy, too.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

On 3/16/2024 at 11:55 AM, Mum2Mercury said:

Another good option for a small night light is Dollar Store glow sticks.  

I would think this a bit wasteful. Disposable glow sticks which stay aglow only for several hours vs. a reusable night light (usb or rechargeable battery operated).

[TwoNavySalts]

The OTC medicine stash. I have a clear vinyl zippable Dopp-kit sized container that I fill with small or travel-sized bottles, or packets, of:

ibuprofen

acetominophen

Pepto-Bismol tablets

throat lozenges

Metamucil gummies

decongestant tabs

cough suppressant tabs

a few BandAids in different sizes

little single-use packets of Neosporin

 

You get the idea. Customize to your likely needs and trip length. Ship’s store may or may not have what you need, may not be open when you need it, and will definitely cost you more. 
 

Grocery stores and drug stores usually have a travel-sized area. And - search the check-out areas in Staples and Office Depot, as they cater to business travelers. 

 

 

Edited March 20 by TwoNavySalts

[moviegal]

On 3/7/2024 at 7:22 AM, Noledad77 said:

I've got the wife and one of our adult children on board (no pun intended) with the magnetic hook part, but the full size trash bag idea is pretty genius to me. I may suggest that, since 3 of my kids are technically "adults" now, and they have the opportunity to be "responsible" haha!

Seriously, though. Thanks for the suggestions!

The trash bag idea is seriously the best for us! I love it because all the dirty clothes are corralled into one big trash bag after our trip. I tie it up and throw it in one suitcase (and it doesn't mix with the clean clothes that I move to our second suitcase). When I get home, I just unzip the suitcase, take out the garbage bag, and haul it straight to the laundry room! So, so easy! I need to start a "lazy travel tips" blog, LOL!!!!

[shipgeeks]

On 3/9/2024 at 7:59 PM, Pudgesmom said:

Take a small sprayer of air freshener or perfume. The bathrooms are small and your traveling companion will thank you. 

Or....find the little drain in the floor of the bathroom (not the one in the shower), and pour a glass or two of tap water into it. That will alleviate most odors. (And personally, I wouldn't appreciate the use of a freshener or perfume. But that is a personal preference.)

[SoberDogLover]

On 2/6/2023 at 7:30 PM, donaldsc said:

 

You left off your espresso machine.  Don't laugh. There was a recent post that I read somewhere that a couple tried to bring their full sized espresso machine on the ship.

 

DON

Lol, I'm considering bringing my stainless steel french press.
~Margi

[TwoNavySalts]

The OTC medicine stash. I have a clear vinyl zippable Dopp-kit sized container that I fill with small or travel-sized bottles, or packets, of:

ibuprofen

acetominophen

Pepto-Bismol tablets

throat lozenges

Metamucil gummies

decongestant tabs

cough suppressant tabs

a few BandAids in different sizes

little single-use packets of Neosporin

 

You get the idea. Customize to your likely needs and trip length. Ship’s store may or may not have what you need, may not be open when you need it, and will definitely cost you more. 
 

Grocery stores and drug stores usually have a travel-sized area. And - search the check-out areas in Staples and Office Depot, as they cater to business travelers. 

[crystalspin]

2 minutes ago, TwoNavySalts said:

Grocery stores and drug stores usually have a travel-sized area. And - search the check-out areas in Staples and Office Depot, as they cater to business travelers. 

Do you know, I found perfect-sized containers for Tylenol, ibuprofen, and benadryl at Dollar Tree some time ago! I think they came with like 6 tablets each originally, but hold 20 or more when refilled from the home bottles.

[Greg4502]

Like said above: The OTC medicine stash. Plus, any personal meds. Passport and government issued ID. I also take a couple of empty gallon size zip lock bags. I call them my bug out bags.

Just in case there is an emergency and you have to abandon ship, you can put essential meds, passport, ID, money, cell phone, camera cards in the bag just in case you do end in the water.

 

[shipgeeks]

On 2/18/2024 at 11:27 PM, moviegal said:

Two things I'll never cruise without:

 

* Large, strong magnetic hooks come in handy and will stick to your cabin walls. Great for hanging umbrellas, lanyards, sweaters, backpacks, swimsuits, etc.

 

* Full size trash bags (they come in handy for wet swimsuits and make excellent dirty clothes "hampers"). At the end of the cruise, we just throw the entire trash bag full of dirty clothes in our suitcase, all sealed up in a trash bag. Makes packing a breeze!

 

 

 

 

I never understand why people seem to need more hooks. Every cabin we've been in had good, strong hooks in the entry hallway, more in the bathroom, and a drying line in the shower. Someone left their magnetic hooks in our cabin recently, and they didn't even support a ballcap.

 

[moviegal]

On 4/27/2024 at 4:33 AM, shipgeeks said:

I never understand why people seem to need more hooks. Every cabin we've been in had good, strong hooks in the entry hallway, more in the bathroom, and a drying line in the shower. Someone left their magnetic hooks in our cabin recently, and they didn't even support a ballcap.

 

They didn't buy the strong ones, lol! We use them for EVERYTHING - hanging up wet bathing suits in the bathroom, umbrellas, hats, lanyards, sweaters, beach tote bags, snorkeling equipment, etc. Gets all of that stuff off the counter and frees up a ton of cabinet space. You just have to buy the good hooks that hold more than a few pounds.

[MacMadame]

I was planning to buy the 100 lb ones but some of the reviews I read said they are TOO strong. What ones do you buy?

[Woody14]

20 hours ago, MacMadame said:

I was planning to buy the 100 lb ones but some of the reviews I read said they are TOO strong. What ones do you buy?

50 lb ones are great

[CDNPolar]

I have suggested to my husband magnetic hooks and he always looks at me and asks - when have we ever needed them, and that is just more junk to pack.

 

He is right - we have never had a need.  I read here and think wow, what a great idea which fuels a "want" without a "need".

 

I do understand why some would need them.

[Mum2Mercury]

On 3/18/2024 at 1:15 PM, Itchy&Scratchy said:

I would think this a bit wasteful. Disposable glow sticks which stay aglow only for several hours vs. a reusable night light (usb or rechargeable battery operated).

That's true, but we got into the habit of bringing them when our children were small -- they liked being able to have a small glow stick in their own beds.  

On 3/20/2024 at 4:56 PM, TwoNavySalts said:

The OTC medicine stash. 

Oh, yes.  While I'm a light packer, I never stint on my OTC meds.  

Like another poster here, we have collected small travel-sized containers, and we refill them at home ... yes, when carefully packed they hold at least 2Xs the original number.  I've also painted the tops with bright nail polish for classification ... bright pink for help with pain, bright blue for digestive woes, motion sickness remains its original white.  

Two notes on your list:  I always make some of those bandaids waterproof for a cruise, and I buy those bandaids with built-in Neosporin.  

On 3/21/2024 at 2:43 PM, moviegal said:

The trash bag idea is seriously the best for us ...  doesn't mix with the clean clothes 

We just use the suitcase itself ... nothing else to move around on the last day.  And we never have any clean clothe

On 4/26/2024 at 11:24 AM, Greg4502 said:

I call them my bug out bags ... just in case you do end in the water.

Just know this is an incredibly unlikely possibility.  Last time it happened was 2012.  Time before that was in the 1980s.  

Edited May 2 by Mum2Mercury