Don't Forget ___ and Don't Bother With ____

[TwoMateys]

My dd8 and I both took ginger starting a couple of days early. Neither one of us had any problems but I did bring children's bomine and sea bands too just in case.

[Morgsmom]

There are some really great tips here! Thanks everyone! Any clothing tips for a first-timer with a 22mo DD old & 4yo DS? I want to be sure that I'm taking the right type/qty of clothing. Our ports will be San Juan, Tortola and St. Thomas. TIA

 

 

Since the Miracle has self serve laundry facilities I would bring much less clothing than you think you need -- about 1/2 way through the cruise have DH watch the kids while they are napping (which they hopefully still do!) and do a load of laundry. This will allow you to bring far less than you thought -- you also won't feel compelled to pack them fancy outfits for every dinner that way.

[Tagging Along]

My dd8 and I both took ginger starting a couple of days early. Neither one of us had any problems but I did bring children's bomine and sea bands too just in case.

 

We also took ginger caps starting the day before we left and had no problems. When I found out someone in our party was getting slightly nauseous I gave her some ginger caps to start taking immediately and she said they worked really well for her and she kept taking them.

 

I said it on another thread, but I will repeat it again here.

Take a HAT for EVERYONE! You don't realize how fast the top of your head will burn and you can't really put sunscreen there. By day three (even with sunscreen) our foreheads and noses were also sunburned, so if I had not packed the hats we would have had to buy them for the port days. And a backpack was very useful on these days too.

 

We did not need the over the door organizer for 2 people, but with kids it would probably be helpful. We did use a converter to make our one plug (on Carnival Conquest) turn into 3 plugs with a nightlight. The hairdryer provided would be okay, unless you need higher power or don't want to have to hold the button down the entire time. I used my own blow dryer only once, the one provided worked good enough for my hair. (It's in a drawer by the desk. One in our group thought that she didn't have one, she thought it would have been in the bathroom.)

 

Did use: bandaids, neosporin, tylenol, visene, lots of lotion, my own hair conditioner & hair products, clips to keep hair up, purell, clorox wipes, plug converter, highlighter for Capers, post its for notes to each other or on other doors. Lots of $1's for porters & room service tips, backpack, water shoes, swim coverups, sunscreen, hats, waterproof camera for excursions, our own insulated mugs to make & carry our own drinks... oh yeah...

Big tip: LOVED the Rum Runner flasks used in our checked-in luggage thanks to this board! (rumrunnerflasks.com) Saved us some big $ !! ;)

 

Happy sailing to all!

[Frosty 77]

Duh. I just saw what I wrote. Duh Duh Duh.

 

I purchased ginseng, not ginger. I really had a bad brain fart.

 

Well, ginseng is for memory, so maybe that's a good thing. :p;):p;)

[oceanbums]

I'm not the experienced cruiser like a lot of people on this board-I've learned a lot here, so many good tips-but after 2 cruises and a trip to Hawaii this is my must have and don't need lists:

 

must have:

a lot of lipgloss with sunscreen

straw hat

waterproof sport sandals

3 swimsuits

3 pair quick drying shorts with zippered pockets

disposable insulated coffee cups with lids(you can purchase these at most drugstores)

good hair conditioner

 

don't need:

a lot of tank tops and shorts

hardly any makeup-just for dinner

jewelry

or a set agenda-my DH and I like to get up each morning knowing we don't have a strict schedule

 

Hope this helps.

[PrincessRobbo]

Lanyards obviously mean something differently over here. Please can someone tell me what you use them for on a cruise.

Many thanks

[Sandiclaws]

In my world, lanyards are long necklace-type cords or ribbons that have a clip at the end to hold ID cards, etc. Onboard they can be used for holding your cabin card when you don't have pockets, want to get at it quickly, etc. I would also think that it would make the card easier to find in the bottom of my bottomless totebag.

[PrincessRobbo]

Thank you for that - over here a lanyard is something that is part of a mlitary uniform.

[AllieInMD]

for the romancin that if I did it by the pool with the band playing -they'd throw us off the ship ;)

 

 

Why do you need IPods when the ship has live music playing by the pool? It is part of the cruise experience.

[mtncouple]

I ALWAYS get blisters. (I know, I know, the darn "cute" shoes!) I found a product called Blister Block Stick, made by Band-Aid brand. Amazing. I use it all of the time now. It is tiny, takes up no space, and saves me a lot of pain.

 

I bring one moleskin sheet. Cut to fit. My first cruise I used it and was so glad I brought it. Never go on a trip without it again. It takes up no space and is sticky on one side to hold in place.:D

[Chacooe]

Get some tips from this web page. cruisediva

 

They give great packing tips.

 

Antioch Cruiser, you are going to the Mexican Riviera a week after I am. What ship are you going on? I am going on the Sapphire Princess.

 

BTW, I am a first time cruiser and this board has such valuable information. Thanks to all of you, I know I really appreciate it. Also does anyone know what the weather is like in Mexico and on the ocean at that time of the year?

[Chacooe]

I bring one moleskin sheet. Cut to fit. My first cruise I used it and was so glad I brought it. Never go on a trip without it again. It takes up no space and is sticky on one side to hold in place.:D

 

The reason that a person gets blisters from new shoes is that the she is not fitting them correctly. Every shoe that I have bought from a actual shoe store and had been fitted, I never got a blister, but the ones that you take right off the shelf and try one there are the ones that give me blisters. This is a known fact, even the American Podiatry Association will tell you this. This is also the biggest cause of bunyons (also spelled bunions), is imprper fitting shoes and or also can be inherited. When a person gets new shoes, to prevent blisters, put a piece of Moleskin on the areas that you would normally get your blisters, this was you have some extra cushioning when you are breaking in the new shoes.

[TMR]

Regarding the ginger-tabs, gum, powder...do they all work pretty much the same?

 

How often do you take it and do you take it along with Bonine or instead of?

 

The last night of our Alaska cruise when we hit the open water I was quite sick. The Bonine works very well but would like to try the ginger.

 

We are doing 12 night European and looking at the map on the itinerary it looks like we stay pretty close to land except for the 2nd to last night, so I am hoping it won't be a problem but wondering if I should take something each day anyway.

 

For our Alaska cruise we did use the over the door shoe bag and found it very useful. For a family of three, everyone had there own space for toothbrush,shaving gear,make-up, hair brushes and gels, Tylenol and first aid items. It kept everything off the counter in the bathroom and everyone also knew where things were.

 

Thanks for all the valuable tips..this is only our second cruise and there is a lot to learn from all of you veteran cruisers!!

[btobey]

Just returned from our trip yesterday! Here are a couple of things that worked great for us:

 

*2 ginger pills daily in the a.m. and no seasickness for me!

*A travel alarm is a MUST--our cabin had NO clock at all! There was a wake-up call service that worked very well, but I like having a clock I can see.

*Ladies will probably want wraps for evenings, but I was glad to find that most of the public rooms were not overly ACed (there were some exceptions though). Also don't forget a daytime wrap--if you are sitting on deck and it is windy, it can get quite chilly!

*Our pop-up hamper worked great--packed flat and fit into our closet!

*Definitely bring a mini-wallet instead of your usual one (both DH and I did this).

*I second the eye drops recommendation, especially for contact lens wearers!

*Finally, don't forget to leave some extra room in your suitcases and/or pack an extra bag for taking home souveniers. ;)

[cruisinwithboys]

Ginger also works great if you've had a little too much to eat or drink! :p We only needed conditioner and shaving cream, everything else was in the room. I brought 2 bathing suits and 2 cover ups, which doubled as a sundress for most of the days, and about 2 casual dresses for night. No one notices what you are wearing, you don't need a different outfit for each meal!

[btobey]

Ginger also works great if you've had a little too much to eat or drink! :p We only needed conditioner and shaving cream, everything else was in the room. I brought 2 bathing suits and 2 cover ups, which doubled as a sundress for most of the days, and about 2 casual dresses for night. No one notices what you are wearing, you don't need a different outfit for each meal!

I agree that you can re-wear clothes; we had a total of 11 "smart casual" nights on our 14-day cruise, so I did a lot of mixing-and-matching of tops and bottoms. Also, I wore the same couple of pairs of shorts and t-shirts on board ship on multiple days. However, one thing to keep in mind is that if you are going to tropical ports like we did on our Panama Canal cruise, you might find yourself sweating on port days, so you might not want to re-wear those clothes! :p

[Disneygirl4ever]

A question about the lanyards: I'm assuming you use the ones with the clear pouch to carry your key card with you? Where do you find these? We have lanyards that we use for keys, but they don't have the pouch on them. If you have children, do they wear these too? All day? To the Kids Crew?

[mtncouple]

A question about the lanyards: I'm assuming you use the ones with the clear pouch to carry your key card with you? Where do you find these? We have lanyards that we use for keys, but they don't have the pouch on them. If you have children, do they wear these too? All day? To the Kids Crew?

 

I got the springy coil kind for my wrist. You can get a hole punched in your card at the desk ( I bring my own punch) Or they have the $1.97 neck lanyards @ Wal Mart. I brought both and used the wrist one the most.

[GenRN45]

OK -- jsut thought of a few other items... \

 

Hope this helps others.

 

tcs.

 

TCS - which cruise line is this?

 

Thanks!

Genna

[GenRN45]

I ALWAYS get blisters. (I know, I know, the darn "cute" shoes!) I found a product called Blister Block Stick, made by Band-Aid brand. Amazing. I use it all of the time now. It is tiny, takes up no space, and saves me a lot of pain.

 

Does that stuff actually work? What is it?

[aubriee]

Does that stuff actually work? What is it?

 

I'm not the original poster, but yes it does. There is also a bodyglide antichafing stick that is great. In fact, I like it better. You can get it online or in most sporting goods stores. Since using Bodyglide I have never had a blister (or chafing between my legs either:o ).

 

Believe it or not, Monitat also works very well.

[UlvaZell]

Don't Forget: I have seen tons of lists, but these are the must have items from my experiences...

• extra batteries for your digital camera and extra memory cards
  
• backpack/daypack for use in port - to carry towels, swimsuits and shopping finds, and it frees up your hands
  
• extra pair of prescription eyeglasses if you wear them
  
• plastic clothes pins for the shower curtain
  
• corkscrew for opening wine bottles
  
• small sewing kit
  
• an extra piece of luggage like a collapsable duffel bag

[forensic]

Thanks for the quick reply. I forgot to ask what about my DD(8). What can I give her for sea sickness?

 

What makes you think she is going to get sea sick? Does she ever read books in the car while you are traveling?

Most children will not get sea sickness, unless they are exposed to parents that talk about it so much that there psyche thinks they are suppose to ( Sorry but studies have shown this to be true - children can be "talked into" having allergies also)

 

If your child can read books in a car there is very little chance they will get sea sick. Same with an adult, if you can read in a car, you are "talking yourself" into getting sea sick. Science does not say you do not get sick, it just says you have talked your subconscience into it. You CAN talk your self out of it. Why placebo's work on some people :)

PS: My DH has been in the PSYCH business for 25+ years.

 

Please do not give meds to children that they do not need:cool:

[forensic]

I'm just gonna rely on my cell phone to know the time. I haven't used an alarm clock in years.

 

I was concerned about how to get the wrinkles out of my clothes after I unpack, and I decided that I'm just gonna use a dampened cloth and a hair dryer. I tried it already. Works great. Saves me money on buying a steamer.

 

I tried using my cell phone on one of my cruises when I forgot to pack my alarm clock - never again! No matter what changes I made to my cell phone I could not get it to stay in the changed time zone! Everynight it reset itself back to my home time zone - I was late for everything - everyday! What a pain! (same cruise that my watch battery died) :mad:

[ger_77]

you have talked your subconscience into it. You CAN talk your self out of it.

 

Your DH can tell my subconscious that I just talked myself into being seasick when I'm barfing in the bathroom instead of enjoying myself in the dining room. :D I can read a book in a car - for a short time; I can knit for hours in a car, but once in a while onboard the ship I get seasick. And it doesn't even have to be particularly rocky; my equilibrium goes askew and soon I'm talking to the great white telephone. I've tried holding it off by thinking positive thoughts, but that only lasts so long before the lurching starts. I begin taking Bonamine the day before we leave and for the most part it works - sometimes there's not a darn thing I can do about it.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)