What essentials and fun items do you bring?

[LuCruise]

Staples we bring on each cruise:

• shampoo/conditioner
• liquid soap (pump)
• magnetic hooks
• fanny pack for me...family uses lanyards but I use the pack in the day to carry phone, suntan lotion, sea pass, etc
• small purse for evening
• beach bag (if have beach days)
• medicine - prescriptions and OTC

[lenquixote66]

3 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

- I loathe the idea of wearing a lanyard around the ship, but I can see the point in wearing one for boarding -- would keep the boarding pass, passport, etc. handy.  

- We have a paper template we've created /tweaked over the years that keeps us organized during a cruise.  We type in /print our dinner reservations and shore plans, and once we're onboard we write in shows, etc. that we want to see.  A magnetic hook keeps it on the wall.  

When we "returned to cruising" I was worried about carrying food /drinks because my husband has some mobility issues -- but it hasn't been a problem.  

Consider it's easy to get a tray from Room Service.  

I couldn't do without my Kindle!  I love that I have several thousand books at my disposal; and, as long as the wifi is turned off, it stays charged several weeks (even with heavy use). 

Do not assume you'll find something you like in the ship's library -- it's basically 20-30 paperbacks left by previous passengers.  

Yes, the one place I don't skimp is my OTC meds bag.  

Instead of bringing a basin, why not use the sink? 

I've only cared about closing the curtains securely in a Promenade Room, and they have velcro closures -- maybe all ship curtains do?  

I never had a kindle.To me there is nothing better than an actual book.

[Rouque]

DH packing list: toothbrush

My packing list: 

[The sea calls my name]

On 3/15/2024 at 2:18 PM, island lady said:

A couple of other things I forgot:  

 

Insulated coffee mugs with tops.  (I pour coffee into them from the paper cups at the machine...to bring back to "sleeping beauty").  😉 

 

Our own bar soap...not happy with the chips of soap they give you, and very easy to pack.  

 

A fold up collapsible laundry hamper.  

 

Small bottle of dish soap for washing the mugs and wine glasses, etc. 

 

Fold flat portable wash basin for hand washing light things, and extra plastic hangers.  

 

Packs of ones and fives picked up from the bank ahead of time for cash tips.

 

 

 

 

To avoid packing extra cups, we order room service the first night for breakfast the next morning. I keep the coffee cup, spoon and coffee carafe in the closet.. Each morning, my DH ( who usually wakes up before the sun( goes and drinks his coffee, then brings me back the full carafe right about the time I am ready for it.  It has worked beautifully for us.

.     

[Mum2Mercury]

2 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

I never had a kindle.To me there is nothing better than an actual book.

Nope, nope, I'm on my second Kindle (I squeezed every ounce of good out of the first one), and I strongly prefer it -- for most applications -- over DTBooks.  I don't particularly enjoy collecting books, and the idea of "the feel of a book in my hands" doesn't resonate with me -- I like reading, not necessarily books.  My thoughts: 

 

- When I read book-books, I never had enough bookshelves -- piles of books all over the house!  Now I've given away the majority of my paper books and have literally thousands on my Kindle.  When I was a kid, my dad added extra support under our house because he was afraid our books were too heavy.  Now I can lift all those books in one hand.  My Kindle books don't grow old and yellow, nor do they deteriorate or need dusting.  

- I remember my last pre-Kindle vacation:  I brought two big, fat books with me.  The first one I loved and devoured in days.  The second was a stinker, and then I was left without anything new to read.  That never happens to me now.  

- I can "borrow" electronic books from multiple sources ... just like checking out a library book, except I don't have to go to the library (or return the books ... they automatically return at the end of the time frame).  Some books can be "lent" electronically to friends.  

- I constantly get free books from Amazon.  Not all of them are winners, but I keep picking them up.  I just delete the ones I don't like.  

- My Kindle books are easy to find (no searching through multiple bookcases), as I have them neatly divided into search-able categories.  They're also marked read /unread.  

- My Kindle automatically bookmarks my pages.  If I leave the book (or fall asleep), the Kindle "remembers" where I stopped reading. 

- My Kindle weighs next-to-nothing.  It's easier to hold than a big, fat book -- nice when you read away a whole rainy afternoon.  And you know that when you're in the first few /last few pages of a big book, a real book wants to "close" instead of staying open.  

- I can increase the size of the font, which is especially nice late at night when my eyes are tired. 

- I love the dictionary feature.  By touching a word, I can see a definition instantly.  I already had a pretty good vocabulary, but this feature has improved it.  

 

However, a Kindle is not good for all applications: 

 

- I don't like the Kindle for my toddler grandson's books.  He likes color and pictures, and that's just not the Kindle's jam.  

- I don't like Kindle cookbooks, as the recipe doesn't always appear fully on one page. 

- I don't like textbooks or non-fiction (like gardening books) because so often they have images or side-bars that end up being pushed to another page. 

- I don't like the Bible on the Kindle.  When the preacher says, "Turn to this verse", it takes too long to move between chapters and verses.  This isn't an issue when you're reading a novel and just clicking straight through from page 1 to page last.  

 

 

[lenquixote66]

5 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Nope, nope, I'm on my second Kindle (I squeezed every ounce of good out of the first one), and I strongly prefer it -- for most applications -- over DTBooks.  I don't particularly enjoy collecting books, and the idea of "the feel of a book in my hands" doesn't resonate with me -- I like reading, not necessarily books.  My thoughts: 

 

- When I read book-books, I never had enough bookshelves -- piles of books all over the house!  Now I've given away the majority of my paper books and have literally thousands on my Kindle.  When I was a kid, my dad added extra support under our house because he was afraid our books were too heavy.  Now I can lift all those books in one hand.  My Kindle books don't grow old and yellow, nor do they deteriorate or need dusting.  

- I remember my last pre-Kindle vacation:  I brought two big, fat books with me.  The first one I loved and devoured in days.  The second was a stinker, and then I was left without anything new to read.  That never happens to me now.  

- I can "borrow" electronic books from multiple sources ... just like checking out a library book, except I don't have to go to the library (or return the books ... they automatically return at the end of the time frame).  Some books can be "lent" electronically to friends.  

- I constantly get free books from Amazon.  Not all of them are winners, but I keep picking them up.  I just delete the ones I don't like.  

- My Kindle books are easy to find (no searching through multiple bookcases), as I have them neatly divided into search-able categories.  They're also marked read /unread.  

- My Kindle automatically bookmarks my pages.  If I leave the book (or fall asleep), the Kindle "remembers" where I stopped reading. 

- My Kindle weighs next-to-nothing.  It's easier to hold than a big, fat book -- nice when you read away a whole rainy afternoon.  And you know that when you're in the first few /last few pages of a big book, a real book wants to "close" instead of staying open.  

- I can increase the size of the font, which is especially nice late at night when my eyes are tired. 

- I love the dictionary feature.  By touching a word, I can see a definition instantly.  I already had a pretty good vocabulary, but this feature has improved it.  

 

However, a Kindle is not good for all applications: 

 

- I don't like the Kindle for my toddler grandson's books.  He likes color and pictures, and that's just not the Kindle's jam.  

- I don't like Kindle cookbooks, as the recipe doesn't always appear fully on one page. 

- I don't like textbooks or non-fiction (like gardening books) because so often they have images or side-bars that end up being pushed to another page. 

- I don't like the Bible on the Kindle.  When the preacher says, "Turn to this verse", it takes too long to move between chapters and verses.  This isn't an issue when you're reading a novel and just clicking straight through from page 1 to page last.  

 

 

I wrote a book in 1988.It is still being sold in Barnes and Noble and at at least two other book stores.For several years I brought copies on cruises,signed them and offered free copies to anyone who showed up at the Meet and Mingle who wanted a copy 

I have approximately 1200 books in my home ,some that I have had since the 1950’s.

[life is to be happy]

Cool sunbed pegs to hold beach  towel down - trust me these will just make it so much more relaxing in the sun

universal diffuser if you have curly hair 

adapters for UK hair tools

shampoo essential as the one on board is no good

kindle with lots of books to choose - essential for lazing on sun beds in the sun - so peaceful