What I didn't need...

[Cloud9 Bob]

Recently enjoyed Enchantments 4 night Key West/Cozumel cruise. Loved all the tips I've gotten here over the last few months and have made good use of many...but...didn't need to use the night light (bathroom light w/door closed was fine) duct tape, wrinkle release, power strip, ginger tabs, etc....but...I was glad I had 'em with me :D

 

I think I'll always keep bringing the tape though...that you'll never know when you'll need it, and then you'd better have it.

 

What have you eliminated from your list over the years?

[isujim]

Less clothing............after 13 cruises........you learn less is more........doesn't weigh as much in your suitcase and is easier on your back.:)

[lephysteria]

I completely agree with my friend Jim :)

(hi Jim, long time no see)

 

I pack lightly, then take out 1/3 of the clothing! It's awesome! :)

 

I also recommend not taking the electric blanket (for sailing to Baja in winter). The new bedding is awesome! You'll cook under the new comforter if you bring any more blankets :)

[isujim]

Hey lep

 

Good to hear from you............

 

Tell me about the new bedding.........We haven't experienced that yet.......pretty nice??

[Cruising89143]

Less clothing............after 13 cruises........you learn less is more........doesn't weigh as much in your suitcase and is easier on your back.:)

 

I agree with less clothing. I send stuff out mid week to the laundry. Very easy to deal with.

[lephysteria]

It is nice. This is an excerpt pasted from my Monarch review.

 

We then went to our cabin, and our room had been outfitted with the new upgraded linens. The new additions were decorative pillows and a down comforter. The sheets are starched and stiff. The sheets are soft, but I thought that since they were upgrading the linens, I assumed they would also upgrade the bed sheets to a higher thread count.

The turquoise color is also very pretty. The new changes are a nice touch, a great comfort and definitely keep you toasty at night! Some nights, in fact, I was a little TOO toasty!

The sheets don a very pretty new RCCL Crown and Anchor logo. It adds a nice

touch to the linens.

 

(There were pics too)

 

:D

[isujim]

Thanks Lep

 

If all goes to plan.........the Jewel will be in the middle of a refit for the bedding when we board her next March. Thanks for posting that.

 

Sorry for the interruption Cloud9Bob

[cb at sea]

We've never taken any of the "stuff" that is recommended here, with the exception of an extension cord! (Hubby had a bad shoulder and needed the heating pad). I always take a small sewing kit--why would I need duct tape?????? Less is more, when cruising!

[ColeandAbby]

Does the SOS have the upgraded bedding?

[sdear]

I loved having the wrinkle release..that stuff works great !

 

I took wayyyyyy too many pairs of shoes. ( I think 6 ). I could have done the whole 7 days with one pair of dress, one nice sandal, and one knock around pool sandal.

 

I practically lived in a bathing suit and cover up the whole 7 days.

 

I used the laundry service one day for a pair of my DH dockers. That worked out great, and was cheap. From now on, I am packing alot less. I had 2 large suitcases for each of us, and could have gotten by with 2 total ! :eek:

 

We brought our own snorkel stuff. Next time I will only bring our own mask and snorkel..and leave the fins home. too much lugging around !

 

Live and learn :)

[Happy ks]

Our first couple of cruises we packed way too many clothes and quite an assortment of things you read about on most cruise packing lists.

 

I have it pared down to just the essentials now, clothes, shoes, makeup, toiletries, first aid kit, camera. I have found that my most comfortable sandals are essential and the cute ones that aren't good to walk in can be left at home, that takes care of quite a load of shoes :)

 

The essentials will be different for everyone. One person may feel they can't live for a week without their laptop, but feel fine about using the mystery shampoo and bar soap on the ship. I find the pens and paper adequate and use voicemail for messages, the next person has to have assorted colors of highlighter pens, post it notes and journals along.

 

Probably the one thing that I found I really didn't have any use for at all was my address book and stamps. A weeks vacation is just not long enough (to me) to warrant the time spent writing to others on postcards.

 

I've never used duct tape, an extension cord, we forgot our alarm clock and nightlight once and found out we did just fine without them. I don't take anything that is supplied already by the ship, that leaves out coffee cups, towels, coolers (we just use the provided ice bucket).

 

A few cruises ago we cut way back on clothing and use the laundry/dry cleaning service provided onboard. We pack far lighter and breeze by the overloaded carts hauled along by porters after the cruise. The best part of that is there is a lot less laundry to do when you return home. Mix and match, wear the same items 2-3 times, wear the same clothes the first and last night, embark and disembark in the same clothes, there's lots of ways to cut back without forsaking style.

 

The one thing you should absolutely not skimp on is a first aid kit. It doesn't have to be huge, just a few bandaids and assorted OTC meds for common illnesses and comfort. But, if you have ever tried to find your choice of an OTC along with the exhorbitant price, you will be glad for your foresight.

[jdkey]

I agree w/ Happy KS. I leave the milllion pairs of shoes & take what is comfy. I have also learned to mix & match & take a lot less clothes. We leave the night light & extension cord at home and bring the OTC things & small first aid kit w/ bandaids, neosporin.

Debbie

[sgttami]

 

The one thing you should absolutely not skimp on is a first aid kit. It doesn't have to be huge, just a few bandaids and assorted OTC meds for common illnesses and comfort. But, if you have ever tried to find your choice of an OTC along with the exhorbitant price, you will be glad for your foresight.

 

 

I agree 1000% !!

 

We always take our first aid/med supplies and for some reason on the last cruise, we forgot it!! Since we travel a lot to a remote area of the Caribbean, it's part of our staples..

 

Towards the end of our last cruise. DH and I both got sick and thought we were coming down with colds. Went to the ship's store and spent $16 on a ten tab packet of Dristan!!! By the way, the selection is REALLY limited!!

[CruiseZapper]

i will always take the first aid kit, a extenion cord, and a small high power flashlight for both of us, as for the duck tape i tear off a small piece roll it up,and throw it in my bag,i take very few clothes, and never anything

uncomfortable, i don't care about looking HOT, i'm on vacation and my hubby of 41 years is with me, what else do i need?:Di match up our clothes to double up. and we have been on so many cruises that we have learned to leave all the hubba-bubba at home, we do take nice clothes for dressy night because this is where we do most of our picture taking, the prices are so cheap that we don't do the studios at home anymore.

[montana200024]

We've never taken any of the "stuff" that is recommended here, with the exception of an extension cord! (Hubby had a bad shoulder and needed the heating pad). I always take a small sewing kit--why would I need duct tape?????? Less is more, when cruising!

 

When we were on the Explorer of the Seas in 2004, we brought duct tape...because we read somewhere that it is a must..well to make a long story short...the room across the hall from us on the night we had to leave our suitcases outside, was someones suitcase wrapped with a fine string, the zipper had broken on their suitcase, so my DH went into our room got the duct tape out and left it on top of their suitcase, went to the dining room and came back and there was the suitcase all taped up...I bet he was glad we brought duct tape...

 

have a great day

[lonig]

For short cruises you can take far less along. I like the multi extension cord for cameras, curling irons, etc. The one thing I have found great to carry with all the time is liquid bandage, has antiseptic in it too and you don't need all different sizes one size fits all. Works on sore places you may get on a heel or toe from walking or a cut or scrape on a hand, arm or leg. I pack less and less clothes each time except on our mediterranean cruise, seemed like we dressed more for dinner and it was 12 days. Was nice there was a laundry on board, that helped us to not over pack.

[M&M CRUZERS]

I loved having the wrinkle release..that stuff works great !

 

Live and learn :)

 

Where is a good place to find the wrinkle release. We have looked everywhere here in Austin, well, Wal Marts, Targets, can't find it. Would love to take some with us on our b2b coming up.

 

Thanks!!

[SAILVESTER]

Where is a good place to find the wrinkle release. We have looked everywhere here in Austin, well, Wal Marts, Targets, can't find it. Would love to take some with us on our b2b coming up.

 

Thanks!!

 

I found the small 4oz travel size cans at Wal Mart in the area where they keep the small travel size samples of stuff. Shampoo, tooth paste, etc.

[sdear]

Where is a good place to find the wrinkle release. We have looked everywhere here in Austin, well, Wal Marts, Targets, can't find it. Would love to take some with us on our b2b coming up.

 

Thanks!!

 

I found it in WalMart, near the spray starch etc. You can also order it online at www.downy.com

 

Good luck !

[zotzer]

I don't pack "outfits" anymore. Now, before someone goes around thinking I am a nudist, I'll explain.....LOL

 

Basically, bottoms are all solids: white, tan, and black. Then lots of brightly colored very light cotton or linen tops. You can mix and match and bring far less clothes this way, using the ships laundry along the way if need be.

 

T