What things have you pack that you wish you didn't?

[cruisinbuddy]

We have an over the door toiletry kit that we took last cruise and it was a pain in the butt, every time we opened or closed the door it would swing all over. Nope not anymore.

[renata102]

Help me I'm scared. I am an overpacker. Its my 4th cruise above other types of land type based vacations... my problem I overpack JUST IN CASE!

Now my problem is I overpack for my 4 year old girl JUST IN CASE! and now, for my 1 year old. My husband always said all he needs is his tooth paste tooth brush two pairs of underwear and swimshorts :eek: Than I over pack for him, becuase he doesn't pack enough things JUST IN CASE. He moans and groans, cuz he's a Marine and he wants to travel light. This will be our first vacation with FOUR of us now (Son is just born) and we are also going to be in Florida for a month BEFORE the cruise and he is GROANING at all the stuff and baby things we are packing in our car. HONESTLY i pack like its the end of the world and .... I...... CAN'T.....................STOP!:eek:

[YooperGale]

It's not what i packed--it's how I packed. I found that a garment bag was a waste of a piece of luggage. My second cruise I was able to pack even dress clothes in a suticase without them getting too wrinkled.

 

 

I'd like to hear other comments on this.

Gale

[lovemylab]

I packed all kinds of useless things for my first cruise. I found lots of threads about packing and convinced myself that I needed what everyone else took. Some examples...

 

1) Duct tape. I read a post where someone said they wouldn't travel without duct tape(incase of suitcase rips perhaps?). Of course, I took some with and am still trying to figure out why.

 

2) Chip clips. I read another post where someone suggested using bag clips to keep the shower curtain closed. Great idea...except I was on the Explorer which has shower doors.

 

3) Bungee rope. Another post mentioned using a bungee rope to keep the balcony door open in the evening. Once again, the Explorer has sliding doors so this was useless.

 

When I factor in the purses, shoes and extra clothes I took with I packed WAY too much stuff that never did get used. I wasn't sure about the dress code on board so I ended up packing too many dressy clothes.

 

Next time I am packing much lighter. Or at least that is my plan;)

[misfit cruiser]

We were pretty good about packing minimally, but there were still a few things we brought and didn't need -

 

I'd heard it could get cold in the ship, so I brought several different sweaters that could be worn in the dining room. Of course, I was never cold and never used them. Also, we brought a power cord because it was suggested, but we didn't need it; all we needed to plug in was the battery recharger. I'm glad we didn't bring the bungee cord, because we didn't need it to keep the French doors open. Also glad we didn't bring the steamer, because there was only one pair of pants that ended up needing pressing, and it was easy enough to send it to be pressed for us.

[Nliedel]

We were pretty good about packing minimally, but there were still a few things we brought and didn't need -

 

I'd heard it could get cold in the ship, so I brought several different sweaters that could be worn in the dining room. Of course, I was never cold and never used them. Also, we brought a power cord because it was suggested, but we didn't need it; all we needed to plug in was the battery recharger. I'm glad we didn't bring the bungee cord, because we didn't need it to keep the French doors open. Also glad we didn't bring the steamer, because there was only one pair of pants that ended up needing pressing, and it was easy enough to send it to be pressed for us.

 

My solution for this problem is wraps. I never get cold enough to need a sweater, but I get chilly on planes and in the dining room. Joanne Fabrics has GORGEOUS Indian prints this summer. I went out and got a yard and a half in yellow, red and a white and black. I sewed the ends up, but if you don't sew get a sewing friend to do it for you. Took me all of five minutes. Voilà! They fold super small, double as bathing suit sarongs and can be draped over your shoulders and look amazing. I went a step further and embroidered the ends (my mother in law has a sewing machine that does professional embroidery). They are gorgeous. I have friends asking to buy them from me and people stopping me on the street. They packing room is infinitesimal.

[LonghornKJK]

Believe it or not, I brought a boombox for our satellite radio because at home I go to sleep listening to old-time radio programs which help cover my husband's snoring. The voices lull me to sleep while my brain won't stop thinking and planning when I'm listening to music.

 

Anyway, we never could get the darn thing to work. The receiver had a docking problem so we'll never know if there was reception out there in the Caribbean because I'm not lugging that thing with us again! Also, I found that the hum of the ship's engines was enough to cover my husband's snoring and I had nothing to worry about to keep me awake! :)

[kimegge]

Well I am glad to see that I am not the only Overpackaholic. Yes, that's me. I can't help it, I just think what If I don't want to wear that shirt or blouse. Or what if those shoes aren't as comfortable as I want them to be. And the makeup I brought. I don't even wear half of it, so why bring it....lol. The jewelry, well I never even wore but two things the whole time, so why did my jewelry collection just happen to come along? Good question! Then to top it all off I listened to everyone who said you needed to bring everything on this list JUST IN CASE, and guess what, there it all was in my suitcase. I had one suitcase just for shoes and didn't wear but 3 pairs the whole time. I NEED HELP!!!!!

 

The sad thing is, this next cruise I will be getting married on the ship and it scares me......HELP!!!! Who do I turn to, who can get me out of this overpacking rut? Can I bring the kitchen sink?

 

Kim

[kimegge]

That's ok, my DH wants to bring a fan this time. He can't sleep without a fan, and what scares me is neither can my oldest son and he is going with us this time. What to do.:eek: Can you see that going through the xray machine...lol:o

 

Kim

 

[LonghornKJK]

That's ok, my DH wants to bring a fan this time. He can't sleep without a fan, and what scares me is neither can my oldest son and he is going with us this time. What to do.:eek: Can you see that going through the xray machine...lol:o

 

Kim

 

Do they want the fan for the sound or the moving air?

 

If it's for the sound, you might consider getting a white noise machine. I have one that sounds like moving air and it really helps cover my husband's snoring. I'm bringing it on our next cruise because the creaking sounds of the cabin bothered me last time. It's much smaller than a fan! :)

[kimegge]

More for sound, I am pretty sure, I will have to ask them. I have no clue what a white noise machine is. Explain please.

 

Kim

 

[LonghornKJK]

More for sound, I am pretty sure, I will have to ask them. I have no clue what a white noise machine is. Explain please.

 

Kim

 

 

There are different kinds but the main idea is that they make a consistent, generally soothing sound so that other noises don't seem as loud. For example, when I come to bed after my husband or he gets up before me, the opening or closing of a door or clinking of a belt buckle, etc., don't "punctuate" the silence as much when the sound of gentle, whirring air is in the room.

 

When my husband snores loudly, it may still wake me up but the light snoring or occasional snort or loud breathing no longer wakes me (nor that of the snoring dog! :) ) So I've gone from waking up four or five times a night to once a night or not at all.

 

Anyway, I got mine at amazon.com for about $50. We have it on an appliance timer. Some of them play music or nature sounds such as birds or running water. Ours just sounds just a little louder than our ceiling fan but with no air movement. In fact, it also drowns out the sound of the ceiling fan, which can sometimes be a little out of balance so that it makes more of a tapping sound. I also don't hear the AC or heater cycling on or off, something else that occasionally woke me up. It's about four inches tall and five inches in diameter and you can adjust the volume.

 

I'll be glad to post the link of the one we got if you're interested. You can also google "white noise machine." Good luck!

[kimegge]

I asked my DH what it was he liked about the fan and he said both, the sound and the cool air. I reminded him that he complained that it was too cold in the cabin the last time. And he said yes you are right. So I believe it is the sound he admires more than the cool air. I would have to get him use to the white music machine before we leave, I guess, without our fan on, to see if it is ok with him. Do you know if maybe Walmart has something like that. We live in a remote area and only have a Walmart here. If not go ahead and send me the link that way he could get use to it and I wouldn't have to bring fans with me.

 

Thanks

Kim

 

[LonghornKJK]

I asked my DH what it was he liked about the fan and he said both, the sound and the cool air. I reminded him that he complained that it was too cold in the cabin the last time. And he said yes you are right. So I believe it is the sound he admires more than the cool air. I would have to get him use to the white music machine before we leave, I guess, without our fan on, to see if it is ok with him. Do you know if maybe Walmart has something like that. We live in a remote area and only have a Walmart here. If not go ahead and send me the link that way he could get use to it and I wouldn't have to bring fans with me.

 

Thanks

Kim

 

This is the one we have.

 

 

It only took a couple of nights to get used to it and even then, it didn't keep us awake. I'm afraid I don't know about Walmart but you could, of course, buy it online. I've always had great service from amazon.

 

Good luck!

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0007XJWYA/102-9758759-1316109?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance

[AZUDO]

A good tip from a friend of mine was don't take any perfume with you.

Just go to the duty free shop pre dinner. You can were a different one every night. Why waste your own!;)

[kimegge]

Thanks a bunch, I am going to have to get a couple of these and see if they both like them. My DH said it was mostly for the noise.

 

Kim

[Buddy604]

That's why I started hauling ebooks. I am hoping to get a reader later this year. I can drag along many books in a small space (I take a laptop, but I write). If I get bored I have a book. If not I am not taking the Library at Alexander on a cruise.

eBook readers totally rock. I have one of the old Gemstar ones (actually, I have seven, some colour, some greyscale) and I can take 50 to 70 books on one smart media wafer. The reader itself is about the size of a large paperback and fits comfortable in one hand. The battery last 10 hours between charges.

 

I even bring a medium sized freezer bag so I can read in the hot tub.

 

Besides making travel a lot lighter for me now, it's also helping to reduce the overcrowding in my home due to books.

 

Sony is coming out with a new one this spring - I'm looking forward to getting my hands on one.

 

Can you tell my nickname in college was "bookmobile?" :D

[Buddy604]

Oh, and re: the OP's original topic, the one thing I always bring, and always feel like I shouldn't have bothered is my formal wear - white dinner jacket, slacks, tux shirt, studs, suspenders, bow tie and cumberbund.

 

Considering I always try to go carry-on, and I take a CPAP breathing machine for night as well as my laptop, it pains me to use my precious space to bring along the formal wear when I'm usually one of the few people so attired and end up looking like the headwaiter.

 

I keep telling myself I'll just bring a sports jacket and wear it on the place, but somehow I keep hoping that I'll finally run into a formal night worth dressing up for.

 

I'd rent a tux onboard, but I'm a 66 Long and hard to fit with off the rack stuff.

 

Edited to add pic: