What Extras Do You Pack?

[Laszlo]

11 hours ago, dbrown84 said:

I'm going to have to look into getting a fan.  I was just on a cruise, and although I kept the AC on the lowest setting, it seems like the room still got warm overnight. 

These work really well, I bring two of them.....   https://amzn.to/3DAn02s

[KateQ22003]

9 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

 

I didn't think you were allowed to bring your own?

You aren't. Regular toilet paper can do a real number on the ship's system.

[JamieLogical]

1 hour ago, KateQ22003 said:

You aren't. Regular toilet paper can do a real number on the ship's system.

 

This reminds me of a sticker I saw on the inside of a toilet lid on the Celebrity Summit. I was definitely amused that they felt the need to warn you not to flush your engagement ring down the toilet:

 

[Treasure Hunter]

We bring an extensive first aid kit : Tylenol, Aleve, band aids, Pepto in liquid and chewables, Bonine for sea sickness,  vitamin C, Aquaphor for dry lips, Antibiotic cream for cuts ( I once sliced open my toe on a metal door), Gly-oxide for sores in the mouth, Eye drops, Ayer Saline nose spray, the best organic cough medicine of all  Chest-all, Chloraspectic throat lozengers, Benadryl for allergic reaction, Lotrimin for athletes foot, and Zrytec for a cold. Call me crazy but we've used them all at one time or another over 50+ cruises. And I bring a bar of Dove soap , my own Shampoo and Conditioner and skin cream.

[jlacy1987]

I'm also planning on bringing collapsible hangers. My toddler's clothes are fine folded, but a lot of my clothes I want to be hung and my husband will also have items he wants hung and cruise lines just do not provide enough hangers for the closet space. 

[libtrek]

Got this idea from a relative. Use your phone to take pictures of passport, both sides of credit cards you are taking, the lane marker in the park/ride lot (learned this one the hard way, lost the little slip), your cabin door. Delete after vacation.

[RocketMan275]

51 minutes ago, Treasure Hunter said:

We bring an extensive first aid kit : Tylenol, Aleve, band aids, Pepto in liquid and chewables, Bonine for sea sickness,  vitamin C, Aquaphor for dry lips, Antibiotic cream for cuts ( I once sliced open my toe on a metal door), Gly-oxide for sores in the mouth, Eye drops, Ayer Saline nose spray, the best organic cough medicine of all  Chest-all, Chloraspectic throat lozengers, Benadryl for allergic reaction, Lotrimin for athletes foot, and Zrytec for a cold. Call me crazy but we've used them all at one time or another over 50+ cruises. And I bring a bar of Dove soap , my own Shampoo and Conditioner and skin cream.

Add some anti-diarrhea medication.

Edited October 26, 2022 by RocketMan275

[globetrotterjay]

I bring pictures of my dogs and include myself in one of them. It makes my heart happy to see *my girls* and I include myself because I solo cruise. God forbid I disappear, they have an instant picture of what I look like. Ya never know!! 

 

Definitely bring my own toiletries and travel size Lysol wipes. I feel better knowing I personally cleaned the top of my toilet seat and the handles around the room. 

 

Extra pens, plastic straws, extra tampons because even if i don’t need them another gal might, pimped out first aid, skincare face / hands / feet masks, ALOE !!, pedialyte

 

Thank you for the hamper reminder!! I forgot last cruise and what a difference they make 

[weltek]

Large plastic bag for dirty clothes (a good use for the big department store ones I accumulate).
Highlighter for daily
Playing cards
A handful of old trivia cards from Trivial Pursuit
Two books

Snorkel gear (had too many ill-fitting mask issues with rentals), if we have port plans for beach days
Small bluetooth speaker

Water wallets if we have any water-based excursions
Thin, absorbent travel beach towels (because the NCL ones don't fit in a backpack and I like to travel light on port days)
French press, coffee and travel kettle

I've tried some misc suggestions like the shoe organizer, and don't need it for the two of us. But I do want to purchase a few magnetic hooks. We use the ones in the room a lot and want more! Also interested in travel hangers for both cruises and other long-term travel.

[JamieLogical]

2 hours ago, jlacy1987 said:

I'm also planning on bringing collapsible hangers. My toddler's clothes are fine folded, but a lot of my clothes I want to be hung and my husband will also have items he wants hung and cruise lines just do not provide enough hangers for the closet space. 

 

I have never once had any issue just getting extra hangars from my room steward on any cruise on any cruise line.

[lgdesign]

27 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

 

I have never once had any issue just getting extra hangars from my room steward on any cruise on any cruise line.

Me too... and yet my husband STILL to this day packs crappy metal hangers in his bags making me totally bonkers.  I don't care that they "weigh nothing", sigh.  🥴😜

[GeezerCouple]

40 minutes ago, lgdesign said:

Me too... and yet my husband STILL to this day packs crappy metal hangers in his bags making me totally bonkers.  I don't care that they "weigh nothing", sigh.  🥴😜

 

Heh.  At least it's a way to get rid of them... just leave them behind.

I swear they reproduce in dark closets. 😱

 

GC

[hallux]

1 hour ago, weltek said:

Playing cards

I've seen these mentioned a couple times, have a funny story.

 

I had a pack of playing cards in my carry-on, flying to a cruise.  Go through airport security, get pulled aside.  They saw something in my bag and wanted to check it out.  They got to the playing cards, "oh, this must have been it", and told me to move along.  The cards were still sealed, and were a 'gift' I acquired from my cell phone carrier that had a vending machine of branded trinkets set up inside security at Midway (and a couple other airports).

 

What I think they REALLY saw on the x-ray was something like this that was also in the bag, but it was a similar size and shape as the cards:

[Treasure Hunter]

My gastroenterologist says Pepto Bismol is the best ( tried and true) to take for any runs situation

[Laszlo]

3 hours ago, libtrek said:

Got this idea from a relative. Use your phone to take pictures of passport, both sides of credit cards you are taking, the lane marker in the park/ride lot (learned this one the hard way, lost the little slip), your cabin door. Delete after vacation.

I also take photos of any checked baggage just before its handed to a porter. Will probably never need it but you never know. On two occasions the people in the cabin next to us never got their luggage. I remember someone coming to talk to them and the first question was what did the bag look like?

[jlacy1987]

1 hour ago, JamieLogical said:

 

I have never once had any issue just getting extra hangars from my room steward on any cruise on any cruise line.

That's possible? Good to know! Will save me the hassle of buying some and packing them. It always kills me when hotels provide like 6 hangers. 

[weltek]

1 hour ago, JamieLogical said:

 

I have never once had any issue just getting extra hangars from my room steward on any cruise on any cruise line.

I've gotten extra, but it's been like "here's four" when I needed 20. 😆 Honestly, I could make do with 10 extra...has anyone had trouble getting that many?

[GeezerCouple]

21 minutes ago, jlacy1987 said:

That's possible? Good to know! Will save me the hassle of buying some and packing them. It always kills me when hotels provide like 6 hangers. 

 

You can also ask for more hangers at most hotels.  (Well, you can ask at any hotel; at most, you'll get some more. 😉 )

 

Things like that... just ask.  It can't hurt and will usually work.

GC

[RocketMan275]

1 hour ago, Treasure Hunter said:

My gastroenterologist says Pepto Bismol is the best ( tried and true) to take for any runs situation

You will regret leaving home without it.

[TenForward]

19 hours ago, dbrown84 said:

I'm going to have to look into getting a fan.  I was just on a cruise, and although I kept the AC on the lowest setting, it seems like the room still got warm overnight. 

 

I bought this one specifically for cruising... small, lightweight and quiet!  It's USB plug only so you'll want an adaptor. 3 speeds and tilts.   https://www.amazon.com/TriPole-Powered-Portable-360°Rotation-Personal/dp/B0867DC9MP/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=I0BH4JSTO6VN&keywords=tripole+fan&qid=1666813590&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIyLjA1IiwicXNhIjoiMi4xNCIsInFzcCI6IjIuMDgifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=tripol+fan%2Caps%2C210&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

[Robkat]

Lots of good suggestions ... we use most of these.

One item we use that's indispensable and hasn't yet been mentioned:

Collapsible cloth hanging shelves

With NCL's lack of open shelves and drawers, we use these plus the scant few shelves the closets do provide.  We like these better than the cloth storage bins since we can actually see what's on each shelf.  Love these.

 

[dbrown84]

1 hour ago, TenForward said:

 

I bought this one specifically for cruising... small, lightweight and quiet!  It's USB plug only so you'll want an adaptor. 3 speeds and tilts.   https://www.amazon.com/TriPole-Powered-Portable-360°Rotation-Personal/dp/B0867DC9MP/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=I0BH4JSTO6VN&keywords=tripole+fan&qid=1666813590&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIyLjA1IiwicXNhIjoiMi4xNCIsInFzcCI6IjIuMDgifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=tripol+fan%2Caps%2C210&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

this looks nice.  I could power it with my portable battery pack

[Travelling2Some]

4 hours ago, Laszlo said:

I also take photos of any checked baggage just before its handed to a porter. Will probably never need it but you never know. On two occasions the people in the cabin next to us never got their luggage. I remember someone coming to talk to them and the first question was what did the bag look like?

Great tip.  My first job (back when dinosaurs ruled the earth) was in an airline's lost luggage department.  The job was mostly about being verbally abused all day, lol.  (Luckily I had attended parochial schools.)  But the most important thing I learned was to make your luggage stand out visually in some way.  We had a huge room full of black suitcases with no distinguishing features.  Frankly, nobody ever bothered to look through those.  We focused on the bags we had some hope of spotting from the description. 

[BirdTravels]

Door decorations (gotta figure out the non-metal doors). 

[Niffernay]

On 10/25/2022 at 7:56 PM, dbrown84 said:

I'm going to have to look into getting a fan.  I was just on a cruise, and although I kept the AC on the lowest setting, it seems like the room still got warm overnight. 

I don't go anywhere without my fan. I have several travelling ones. I run hot and now menopause has rare reared it's ugly head. 😄