Ultimate Packing List for the Newbies....

[rogerwaters]

Some amazing tips! Thank you everyone! :D

[MrsPete]

I read one post that said "Why bring all that stuff, there are stores in every port, you can always find a store and buy what you need, or buy on board . . . But on a cruise I, on the other hand would hate spending even 10 minutes of my vacation doing that.

I'd hate spending my vacation buying things I'd forgotten too, but I can't remember having forgotten anything on a cruise -- not even on our first cruise. Seriously. Nothing. I used to bring too much, but now I've got it down to a science.

 

Packing light doesn't equal leaving out necessities or being unprepared. After our second cruise we decided to quit being beasts of burden, and we made a great list of things we'd actually used, and we still have it saved in our computer. I'll throw out a few tips on planning well:

 

Don't wait 'til the last minute to begin packing. Make a list of what you really need. Add to it things that you need for your specific excursions: snorkel equipment, for example.

 

Keep a vacation toiletries bag ready at all times; include in it small packages of any medicines you'd use on a regular basis. You may need to add or subtract things from this bag for a specific vacation (i.e., the anti-biotics that you're just finishing up or several bottles of sunscreen), but keeping toiletries always ready is a way assuring that you will always have the basics ready.

 

Three weeks ahead of time, begin with your dinner clothes (because they're probably not everyday things, and they're already clean). Lay them out in a living room or a place where they won't be in the way. Go ahead and put out your shoes and jewelry too. When everything's assembled, spend an hour doing a try-on of each outfit to MAKE SURE that everything's in good repair, still fits well, and is complete -- this also assures you that you won't reach the port without socks or a slip. If you need to buy something, WRITE IT DOWN.

 

Two weeks ahead of your trip, begin shuffling daytime cruise clothes straight from the laundry room to your prep station. When you're ready to put it all into the suitcase, go through and lay things out in complete outfits. Add shoes, jewelry, etc. At this point, I put out all my favorites, knowing that it won't all go, knowing that much of it will return to my everyday closet. This is the "get real stage" in which you figure out what you need. This is where you say, "I love these cute new pink sandals, but they don't match any of the outfits I've chosen. Am I going to leave the sandals, or am I going to switch out two of the outfits for things that'll match them?"

 

Make a rule that your suitcases MUST BE 100% PACKED by Wednesday (assuming you're leaving on Saturday). This means you're not rushing around at the last minute, and you're not likely to forget to pack those shorts that were still in the dryer.

Edited March 16, 2010 by MrsPete

[Janet Foster]

I love this... GOOD STUFF and GOOD ADVICE!!!

 

After our first and second cruises we really got it all together and knew what we needed as well. Our first cruise we were so UNPREPARED!!

 

The stress load will come off of you all if you just follow these wonderful guidelines by Mrs. Pete!!!

[diane.in.ny]

Make a rule that your suitcases MUST BE 100% PACKED by Wednesday (assuming you're leaving on Saturday). This means you're not rushing around at the last minute, and you're not likely to forget to pack those shorts that were still in the dryer.

 

Great suggestions.

 

I also prepare for the next cruise when I come home from a trip. After everything is washed/cleaned cruise only clothes get hung in a special corner of the closet. Makes it a LOT easier to pack for the next one

[dinnysuw]

we are going on carnival fascination in May-it says you can bring a bottle of champagne or wine-does it have to be in carry-on?

[Janet Foster]

Guests are prohibited from bringing alcoholic beverages onboard. However, at the beginning of the cruise during embarkation day, guests (21 years of age and older) may bring on board one bottle (750ml) of wine or champagne, per person, only in their carry-on luggage. A $10 corkage fee per bottle will be charged should you wish to consume this wine in the main dining room; $14 corkage fee per bottle in the steakhouse

 

So I will answer this two ways. My daughter went on this cruise and she hand carried a bottle of champagne in her carry-on luggage. Then she brought two bottles of wine that were wrapped in bubble wrap inside her checked luggage.

[dinnysuw]

Guests are prohibited from bringing alcoholic beverages onboard. However, at the beginning of the cruise during embarkation day, guests (21 years of age and older) may bring on board one bottle (750ml) of wine or champagne, per person, only in their carry-on luggage. A $10 corkage fee per bottle will be charged should you wish to consume this wine in the main dining room; $14 corkage fee per bottle in the steakhouse

 

So I will answer this two ways. My daughter went on this cruise and she hand carried a bottle of champagne in her carry-on luggage. Then she brought two bottles of wine that were wrapped in bubble wrap inside her checked luggage.

thanks for the reply-i bought some rum runners for my malibu rum but my mom prefers wine and didnt know where to put it!

[chapps]

I just returned from my first cruise. Because of this thread, I packed an extension cord with several outlets on the end. That was so helpful! I never could have kept my camera batteries charged to film this video!:

I used it to charge my iphone, and play my bose sound dock. And since I couldn't get the outlet in the bathroom to work, I used it plenty for my blowdryer.

 

 

HAHAHAHA! good stuff! i will show this to DH...we still have yet to go on our first cruise (timing and such) and he loves the real song, "i'm on a boat."

[GlendaleCruiser]

Good information in here for newbies and deserves to be bumped up.

[Janet Foster]

Thanks GlendaleCruiser!~

 

Always happy to help!

[Adri204]

Thank you so much for this list. I read it and now I feel so much more prepared. I appreate all the generous replys and suggestions and thank everyone for thier generosity for contributing :)

 

Adri

[Janet Foster]

Very nice... I bet you do feel more prepared..

[Cristallo]

I wanted to add that there are a couple of companies that make collapsible water bottles now. We've used them in the past for hiking. They lay flat when not in use and some can be rolled up. So if you're interested in bringing your own bottle to refill but don't want to waste space they might work well for you.

 

Just google collapsible water bottle.

[Janet Foster]

I wanted to add that there are a couple of companies that make collapsible water bottles now. We've used them in the past for hiking. They lay flat when not in use and some can be rolled up. So if you're interested in bringing your own bottle to refill but don't want to waste space they might work well for you.

 

Just google collapsible water bottle.

I saw those at Target... Not bad.. When you are done drinking you can fold it up and put it in your pocket!

[Cristallo]

Another thing to try for packing personal items are free sample items. Websites like Walmart, Costo or the companies themselves give away free samples of different products from time to time. You can send for them and use them on the cruise. Since they are samples they tend to be small. You can send for them and put them aside for the cruise.

 

Best of all, they are FREE.

Edited April 19, 2010 by Cristallo

[mustard_seed07]

One of the first things we do when we get in the cabin is wipe down all the door knobs, handles, phone and remote control with those Clorox Disinfecting Wipes. If you think about it, but the time you get in your cabin, another couple or family has been living in it for a week and has touched everything. The cabin has been cleaned but who knows if they wipe every little thing down. This is for my own piece of mind. So I would add that to your shopping list. I carry my Clorox Wipes in my purse because once I get to the cabin I do it right away as the luggage won't appear for a couple of hours.

 

Other things I bring:

 

Ø Zip-lock bags – different sizes for many different things

Ø Hangers – I think you can ask your room attendant for extra but I always bring mine own. The room attendant may not get the hangers to you fast enough because they are generally still delivering things to the cabins, introducing themself and then they have to go to the life boat drill.

Ø Power Strip – not many outlets in the room.

Ø Alarm Clock – Some people just use their cell phones.

Ø Night Light – Cabin is dark, if you don’t use your cell phone for light then bring one.

Ø Landyards – these are those things you wear around your neck and attach your Sea Pass card to it. Front desk will hole punch your card or bring your own hole puncher.

Ø Motion Sickness Medicine – if you think you need it, some you need a written RX.

Ø Prescriptions and Medicine – the over the counter, Tums, Imodium, Pepto Bismol, aspirin

Ø Cell Phone charger – you will need to charge up before we get home!

Ø Snack Items We have cocktail parties in our cabins with our friends so we munch on snack or salty items. We buy these at the store before we go to the port.

 

 

o Ritz Crackers

o Cheese in Can

o Nuts

o Cookies

o Candy

o Plastic Glasses as the ones in the cabin are too small.

o Powdered Crystal Light – for our bottled water

 

I did not realize that we could bring so much food and water bottles on board the ship. I'll be on the Carnival Legend in a week, are we allowed to bring water bottles? How safe is the water from tap in the restuarants on the ship? I've heard some horror stories.

 

I've heard that Carnival won't allow you to bring a Power Strip anymore.

[Janet Foster]

I did not realize that we could bring so much food and water bottles on board the ship. I'll be on the Carnival Legend in a week, are we allowed to bring water bottles? How safe is the water from tap in the restuarants on the ship? I've heard some horror stories.

 

I've heard that Carnival won't allow you to bring a Power Strip anymore.

I have not heard about Carnival not allowing power strips any longer but I haven't searched on their boards either. The water on the ship is just fine, my husband and I prefer to add drink mixes to our water and prefer to keep our bottled water on ice when we come back to our cabin. It is just a matter of preference. I have never heard of any ships tap water being undrinkable.

 

Hope you have a great cruise and check back when you return to let us know what Carnival does and doesn't allow.

[TravelRocker]

Hi there Janet Foster! I printed out this entire thread and read it over the weekend. Thank you so much for going to all the trouble, (though I think you enjoyed doing it a lot!). You had things on your list that I found to be very necessary for a first time cruiser like I will be soon. I've traveled overseas several times but a cruise requires different types of necessities and fun "party" type items. After reading how you decorate your cabin and door I think I want to go on my 1st cruise with YOU!

 

Using your info I found the best stuff at the 99 cent store yesterday. As I was throwing Hawwian leis, (for the luggage), deoderizers in tins, Mexican themed "stickems" for the mirror and a big cardboard poster with chili peppers and "HAPPY FIESTA" across it for the door, and small bags of cactus and sombrero "confetti" plus a chili pepper necklace just to hang where ever appropiate in the cabin my DH is thinking I've lost my mind. "Why are you buying all this stuff, we're not going till January???" (Mexican cruise on Princess). I said yes, that's true but we will be shopping during the winter and be very hard pressed to find fun Summer type party stuff in December. He saw the logic in that!

 

Again, thank you so much for your list and to others who added this and that, we are going to have a "blast". Now if they can just get that debate on another thread settled regarding bringing your brought-on-board wine to dinner, geesh, who cares, LOL!

 

Happy Travels!

Edited May 10, 2010 by TravelRocker

[Janet Foster]

Thank you for writing.

 

I did have fun making that list and I put down everything I could think of to help out our newbie cruise traveler friends who were going with us. I just knew if I didn't make a list I would hear this:

 

"Why didn't you tell me to bring an over the door shoe holder?" "Why didn't you tell me..." etc.. and I didn't want to be responsible for them missing out on something they would need. So that is how the list got started.

 

Then we started doing the themed cocktail parties on our last cruise. Our next cruise to Alaska next year is already gathering up a big crowd of our friends who heard and saw the pictures from our last cruise... so much pressure!!

 

I too enjoyed the input of others who had idea's as well. I know this list isn't for everyone and you certainly aren't rquired or may not need every little thing but it does make you think ahead in your planning and packing.

 

You are right in getting your decorations early while the getting is good..

 

Have fun planning!!!

 

 

Oh BTW my girlfriend who had the Hawaiian Themed party got her items at the 99 cent store also. Good party deals there..

[Janet Foster]

If you are sailing on Carnival you may need to read their prohibited list...

 

WHOA!

[Set Free]

I just read through the thread and appreciate all the thoughts.

 

I'm a planner and my hubby calls me "Preparation A". I make sure I'm prepared for most anything. We have a sailboat and we sail for 3 weeks each summer, trying to pack and provision so that we have to do minimal laundry, minimal shopping and we are ready for anything. Honestly, knowing the way life goes, you can't plan too much IMO. If it doesn't take up much room and others have found it to be handy, it's not a big deal to bring at least an outlet multiplier (1 to three outlet thing). I know there have been some years I've packed stuff that was just never touched and took up room but other years I've been ever so grateful that I brought it.

 

I'm definitely going to overpack on this trip that we're taking. Fortunately we don't need to worry about airplanes since we're driving but I'd rather have it and not need it than to need it and kick myself because we were warned. The biggest thing I'm taking is a hanging pocket organizer filled with medications. I have things for whatever may come because you just never know. I have Benadryl for allergies and stings, Mucinex for any stuffiness to avert a sinus infection or for coughs to help get the gunk up, Sudafed for stuffy noses/allergies/colds, generic Prevacid for gas, Immodium for the runs, Advil for whatever ails you, Bonine for seasickness, cortisone cream for bites/itchy skin, neosporin and bandaids for cuts/scrapes and an herbal salve for everything else. Additionally, I'll have my migraine meds, hubby's asthma meds and a spare rescue inhaler that he never uses but you just never know. I also have a thermometer since we're traveling with the kids, a tweezer for splinters and such and an ace bandage. These are the sorts of things I got on sale with coupons over the last month and would hate to pay inflated prices for. It's nice to know we're set for whatever illness may come and this pack will then go straight to our sailboat for the rest of the summer to stock our medicine chest there.

 

Is there any medications/needs that you can think of that I might have missed?

 

ETA: All the meds were taken out of their boxes and put into the pocketed organizer with a post-it with the name of the med (brand name and name of actual medication), strength of medication, and doseage instructions. It takes up a LOT less room this way.

Edited May 20, 2010 by Set Free

[Janet Foster]

I just read through the thread and appreciate all the thoughts.

 

I'm a planner and my hubby calls me "Preparation A". I make sure I'm prepared for most anything. We have a sailboat and we sail for 3 weeks each summer, trying to pack and provision so that we have to do minimal laundry, minimal shopping and we are ready for anything. Honestly, knowing the way life goes, you can't plan too much IMO. If it doesn't take up much room and others have found it to be handy, it's not a big deal to bring at least an outlet multiplier (1 to three outlet thing). I know there have been some years I've packed stuff that was just never touched and took up room but other years I've been ever so grateful that I brought it.

 

I'm definitely going to overpack on this trip that we're taking. Fortunately we don't need to worry about airplanes since we're driving but I'd rather have it and not need it than to need it and kick myself because we were warned. The biggest thing I'm taking is a hanging pocket organizer filled with medications. I have things for whatever may come because you just never know. I have Benadryl for allergies and stings, Mucinex for any stuffiness to avert a sinus infection or for coughs to help get the gunk up, Sudafed for stuffy noses/allergies/colds, generic Prevacid for gas, Immodium for the runs, Advil for whatever ails you, Bonine for seasickness, cortisone cream for bites/itchy skin, neosporin and bandaids for cuts/scrapes and an herbal salve for everything else. Additionally, I'll have my migraine meds, hubby's asthma meds and a spare rescue inhaler that he never uses but you just never know. I also have a thermometer since we're traveling with the kids, a tweezer for splinters and such and an ace bandage. These are the sorts of things I got on sale with coupons over the last month and would hate to pay inflated prices for. It's nice to know we're set for whatever illness may come and this pack will then go straight to our sailboat for the rest of the summer to stock our medicine chest there.

 

Is there any medications/needs that you can think of that I might have missed?

 

ETA: All the meds were taken out of their boxes and put into the pocketed organizer with a post-it with the name of the med (brand name and name of actual medication), strength of medication, and doseage instructions. It takes up a LOT less room this way.

Two weeks from today.. Sounds like you have thought of everything. I generally have all items that I think I might possibly need to.. I don't mind bringing it along and often times some of our friends on the cruise will ask me for something.

 

Have a great time "PREPARATION A"..

[MMitchell29]

WOW!! Janet all I can say is that you are totally AWESOME. I read your trip report and for a minute I thought I was there with the group. Sadly someone already used my theme for their room which would have been the Mardi Gras theme;) I also love you packing list of which I will be printing out. I just have a couple quick questions

 

How much was the zip line excursion? and do you only go once?

 

The flo rider and rock climbing is that something you pay separate for?

 

I know it was 10 of you all did you guys plan for a year or less than a year?

 

Thank you and you ROCK

[orangewater69]

Hi Janet,

 

I am not a first time cruiser, but I thought I would look on this thread to see what was there. Awesome list that you put on here. I went down the list and just checked off the things that I bring when I cruise and I can honestly say that I probably take 75% of that stuff. I'm sure on this last one, it was more like 90% since I took my fiancee on her first cruise. I just got off the Carnival Freedom just a couple of weeks ago and it was great. I have done Royal in the past and after looking at a few ship reviews for Royal, think I might try to make that my next one (not sure what ship yet). I can't think of anything specific that I would add to your list at this point, but if I ever do, I will suggest it for future cruise 'virgins'. I loved your review of the ship you were on. I wrote a review on the Carnival Freedom if anyone is interested.

 

Bill

[Janet Foster]

WOW!! Janet all I can say is that you are totally AWESOME. I read your trip report and for a minute I thought I was there with the group. Sadly someone already used my theme for their room which would have been the Mardi Gras theme;) I also love you packing list of which I will be printing out. I just have a couple quick questions

 

How much was the zip line excursion? and do you only go once?

 

The flo rider and rock climbing is that something you pay separate for?

 

I know it was 10 of you all did you guys plan for a year or less than a year?

 

Thank you and you ROCK

MMitchell29:

 

Thanks for your note. For the zip line excursion, I believe it was about $85. This was in Labadee Haiti. You get all the gear on and they take you on a short run to get the feel of things, then they take you by jeep up a mountain for the big run. You are out over the edge of the water. Very pretty. My daughter did a zip line in Montego Bay and it was more jungle type... (need bug spray for that one..)

 

Flo Rider and Rock climbing on RCCL was at no extra cost you just had to sign off on a waiver.

 

Planning for the 10 of us, I was the one in charge (oh really???). I had done the research ahead of time and selected the cabins/ship we wanted and we all knew that we wanted to go at a certain time. So as soon as the bookings opened up (I checked almost daily when I knew they were to be available) I called and got all the cabins reserved so that they all were in a row. Then after I secured the cabins, I let all of our friends know that they needed to call in with their deposits.

 

Over the course of time I would email notices to everyone for discussion on the cocktail parties and the excursions we wanted to do. It was fun doing all the planning and that is how my "ULTIMATE PACKING LIST for the Newbie’s was born" .. because everyone kept asking me the same questions about what to bring ... so I made the list with everything I could think of and let them all decide what they actually needed to bring.

 

Our group has gone on two cruises and we just booked an Alaskan cruise for June of next year. I went through the same process of securing the cabins. It seems like each time we go our crowd gets a little bigger. So this time I think two cabins are going to have to host a costumed cocktail party. So that everyone gets a change to host. The Princess Alaskan Book for 2011 just opened up around May 12th. So we just got our cabins. Everyone gets the insurance because you never know if something comes up. And if it turns out that someone can't make it, we will call and have our cabins moved together so that our line of cabins is not compromised. LOL We like having all our cabins in a row so we can open up all the balconies so they all connect. So much fun let me tell ya!!

 

If you have any other questions let me know.