Unthought of...things to pack!

[OLS]

It has been said, but I can't emphasize enough the need for a power strip for all those chargers you'll bring.

 

How many sockets are actually in the cabins please?

[margord]

Two things not mentioned that I have found to be helpful.

 

1. Go to the dollar store and get a blow up swim ring. It is great to float around the water at the beach and cheap enough to leave if you don't want to deal with it coming home.

 

2. Address labels. The kind you get that you peal off. These are good on the last days when you have to fill out the luggage tags for your bags for coming home. Saves time and lots of writing.

[J & G]

I always pack a dental repair kit, It has material that can be used to "fill" your own tooth if a filling falls out. You can also use the material to "reglue" a crown if it comes out. It is temporary, but should last the trip. (once I did such a good job, my dentist had trouble removing the crown to recement it with "regular" sealent) You can get it at Walgreens - look by the tooth ache products. It's cheap and small. (Much cheaper and easier than finding a dentist while on a cruise - not to mention the "pain" if you don't.)

 

Wow! This is a great idea! Nothing can ruin a vacation like dental problems!

 

Thanks for that! We are 1st time cruisers, and when reading all these things it's easy to get it in my head that I "need" all this stuff! I used to be such a good packer, I would only take a carry on just about anywhere and I would be fine for days! Now that I have kids, I seem to think that I "need" so many more things. The suitcases really fill up quickly! I agree that it would be useful to really pick and choose what looks important to us. There have been a couple of items listed that I never would have thought of, but that I do think I would use. I think we all find different things useful and it's been fantastic to see what everyone finds that they really use. I will go through the list and really choose what applies to us! Thanks to everyone for their thoughts.:)

 

I have to tell you that we have, in the past, brought so much "just in case" stuff that it took up another whole suitcase.....OK, a small one, but nevertheless, a whole suitcase! We have to be more judicious on our next cruise, as we have to fly to our departure port.....one suitcase per person :eek: !

 

The "can't live withouts" for us are:

sunscreen (Bullfrog gel or spray for kids - waterproof and doesn't burn the eyes)

over-door shoe organizer (keeps miscellany out of the way, especially if you have kids)

fold-up hamper

power strip

extra camera battery, memory card, and camera charger

duct tape

first aid supplies

disposable rain panchos

disposable hand wipes

 

Since we are flying in a day early, we will buy some of these things at our departure location. Many of these items are relatively inexpensive and we will leave them with our cabin steward when we disembark. He or she can keep or toss as necessary.....

 

Also, our doctor recommends taking along a week's supply of antibiotics.....just in case. Although we are not pill-poppers, we follow that advice and were very glad on one recent cruise. That has been hotly debated here......it's a conversation for you and your doctor, if you have any interest in that.

[Happy ks]

Happy ks... you sound very negative to me. i'm sure we don't need all the things that people suggest to pack, but we are adults and we can decide what might work for us. everyone is trying to help fellow cruisers and i think that is great. i have learned a lot of helpful information from these boards and don't think i'm alone.

 

Not at all. The first time I cruised I went and bought so much stuff that I read about on lists like this. Plus almost all new clothing for the entire family. Much of it was not needed and never used.

 

I'm thinking I'm rather on the positive side, trying to save people money, time and packing frustrations.

[amybeth4]

Happy ks... you sound very negative to me. i'm sure we don't need all the things that people suggest to pack, but we are adults and we can decide what might work for us. everyone is trying to help fellow cruisers and i think that is great. i have learned a lot of helpful information from these boards and don't think i'm alone.

 

I couldn't possibly disagree more. Happy KS is being PRACTICAL. First-time cruisers are going to look at every one of these posts and with each added "suggestion" could EASILY think, "OMG, I should bring all this stuff?" Someone above said they packed a whole small suitcase FILLED with "just in case" stuff. Happy KS is just showing the other side of the coin - with airline regulations the way they are, it's also nice to know many of us have never needed 99% of this stuff.

[snookymom]

Bring disposable plastic glasses for in your room or make sure you wash the glasses yourself. :eek:

[Kellie Poodle]

[One odd thing I packed was a Sham Wow. DH likes to work out everyday, but didn't want to pack 7 gym outfits. Instead he brought some Woolite and washed his clothes in the shower after going to the gym. Then he rolled the clothes up in the Sham Wow and they were mostly dry by then.

 

 

What a great idea! I'm putting a Sham Wow with the little bottle of Woolite and clothes pins right now!

[Kellie Poodle]

Careful with the cell phone! Check with your cellular carrier before you leave. I worked many years for a cell phone company (developing pricing plans and negotiating roaming agreements) and understand pricing intimately.

 

Once you are out at sea, the ship has the right to charge you a daily access charge - just for turning on your phone. You could also be subject to per minute rates from the ship, as well as international roaming rates from your carrier. Your carrier could also charge you a daily international roaming access charge. A single call/ text message could cost you over $10. It all depends on the fine print in the pricing plan you contracted for.

 

 

I have taken my Verizon phone on RCI cruises to Mexico, Australia, Central America and the Mediterranean and have never gotten any charges from the cruise line. The only charge is $2.49 per minute from Verizon when I either make or receive a phone call. (I don't text, so I have no idea about that).

 

Royal Caribbean's policy clearly states that they do not charge for cell phone usage, but your individual carrier will. You really need to check with your own carrier.

 

Verizon has a listing of which ships provide service for them on their web site.

[Kellie Poodle]

While some cruisers don't think the over the door shoe bag is a necessity, all I can say is that we think it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. Ours has clear plastic pouches and weighs practically nothing but holds a whole lot of stuff that we need to have in the bathroom.

 

If we were young, totally healthy and wrinkle-free, we probably would not need one as there would be no need for my day-time moisturizers, my night cream, my cosmetics, his favorite flavor tooth paste, my favorite flavor tooth paste, the fluoride gel and the little trays that go with it, the plastic cup that holds the fluoride trays,the packets of tablets used to clean the dentures both of us wear, the plastic cups that hold the dentures when they are soaking, the bottle of sun screen, the bottle of after shave, the bottle of my cologne, the his and hers deodorant sticks, the Q-tips, the hair brushes, the little Olay face clothes that I use to wash my face each night, the deodorizer spray, the equipment for the insulin pump, etc.

 

The cabinets in the bathroom are just about big enough to hold the drugs we take. :)

 

I suggest that each cruiser make a list of what they need to have handy in the bathroom and make their own decision as to whether or not they need one. Personally, I would not travel without ours, but we are old and wrinkled.

 

As for the duct tape, it is one of those things that if you don't bring it, you will needed it. It is an "evil eye" aversion and I'll keep on bringing it along with me.

[amybeth4]

While some cruisers don't think the over the door shoe bag is a necessity, all I can say is that we think it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. Ours has clear plastic pouches and weighs practically nothing but holds a whole lot of stuff that we need to have in the bathroom.

 

If we were young, totally healthy and wrinkle-free, we probably would not need one as there would be no need for my day-time moisturizers, my night cream, my cosmetics, his favorite flavor tooth paste, my favorite flavor tooth paste, the fluoride gel and the little trays that go with it, the plastic cup that holds the fluoride trays,the packets of tablets used to clean the dentures both of us wear, the plastic cups that hold the dentures when they are soaking, the bottle of sun screen, the bottle of after shave, the bottle of my cologne, the his and hers deodorant sticks, the Q-tips, the hair brushes, the little Olay face clothes that I use to wash my face each night, the deodorizer spray, the equipment for the insulin pump, etc.

 

The cabinets in the bathroom are just about big enough to hold the drugs we take. :)

 

I suggest that each cruiser make a list of what they need to have handy in the bathroom and make their own decision as to whether or not they need one. Personally, I would not travel without ours, but we are old and wrinkled.

 

As for the duct tape, it is one of those things that if you don't bring it, you will needed it. It is an "evil eye" aversion and I'll keep on bringing it along with me.

 

First, let me say I've never even CONSIDERED taking duct tape and I've never come close to using it.

 

Second, I've also never taken or come close to needing a shoe rack for toiletries. HOWEVER, I did find your post quite amusing and I completely see why you'd take it. Thanks for the laugh. :)

[DrmnOfMaui]

Bring disposable plastic glasses for in your room or make sure you wash the glasses yourself. :eek:

 

My husband is an airline pilot, and after he saw one of those shows on tv that showed just how dirty the glasses in hotel rooms are he began taking his own drinking cups! Either that or he brings along a small bottle of dishwash soap to clean what is there.

[amybeth4]

My husband is an airline pilot, and after he saw one of those shows on tv that showed just how dirty the glasses in hotel rooms are he began taking his own drinking cups! Either that or he brings along a small bottle of dishwash soap to clean what is there.

 

I've seen bartenders simply clean glasses by dipping them in a bucket of water. It seems pretty standard.

 

Drink from the not-really-THAT dirty glasses that are given to you...it'll keep your immune system working!! :)

[snookymom]

I've seen bartenders simply clean glasses by dipping them in a bucket of water. It seems pretty standard.

 

Drink from the not-really-THAT dirty glasses that are given to you...it'll keep your immune system working!! :)

Well they have had reports on the news here of the same rag that cleans sinks & toilets being used to clean the glasses in the rooms.

[rbdaniel]

I can remember one excursion in Cozumel being eaten alive by mosquitoes. I take bug spray now every time we go to Cozumel.

[MrsPete]

I couldn't possibly disagree more. Happy KS is being PRACTICAL. First-time cruisers are going to look at every one of these posts and with each added "suggestion" could EASILY think, "OMG, I should bring all this stuff?" Someone above said they packed a whole small suitcase FILLED with "just in case" stuff. Happy KS is just showing the other side of the coin - with airline regulations the way they are, it's also nice to know many of us have never needed 99% of this stuff.

I have to agree. Most people pack way too much, and it's just trouble: packing it, transporting it, stepping over it all week, packing it up again on the last night, and -- oh, yeah -- paying for it. Less is more!

 

Here's my list:

 

4 casual shorts outfits -- they can go to the laundry once midway through

2 dinner outfits -- we've given up on going to the main dining room every night

2 swimsuits / coverups

Workout clothes, including shoes, if you'd really work out

2 sets night clothes

Under garments

1 pair casual, matches-all sandles

1 pair pool shoes or flip-flops

1 pair of dressy shoes for dinner -- much match both dinner outfits

Toiletries, hair items

Sunscreen & bug spray

Beach bag -- which doubles as a carry-on

Wristlet to carry SeaPass around ship

Kindle & iPod

Good camera & several waterproof disposables

Medicines & first aid

Battery-powered candle

Door decorations

Post it notes & pens

 

One suitcase & one carry-on, and you're done! It's not negative -- it's practical.

 

I may've forgotten a couple things, but I promise I didn't forget much in that quick list! Overpacking takes too much mental energy (and too much space!) and cuts down on the enjoyment of the trip. The older we get, the less we pack.

[margord]

Someone else mentioned this and it has saved us a couple of time is antibiotics. I think you tend to pick up stuff from the planes and travelling in general. It is sure nice to have if needed.

[J & G]

We travel with two to three other couples most times......one couple travels for a week with one small suitcase each!

 

Of course, they are always borrowing our "just in case" stuff......they have no need to take their own! :rolleyes: And, of course, we have plenty......

[IBookHePays]

While some cruisers don't think the over the door shoe bag is a necessity, all I can say is that we think it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. Ours has clear plastic pouches and weighs practically nothing but holds a whole lot of stuff that we need to have in the bathroom.

 

If we were young, totally healthy and wrinkle-free, we probably would not need one as there would be no need for my day-time moisturizers, my night cream, my cosmetics, his favorite flavor tooth paste, my favorite flavor tooth paste, the fluoride gel and the little trays that go with it, the plastic cup that holds the fluoride trays,the packets of tablets used to clean the dentures both of us wear, the plastic cups that hold the dentures when they are soaking, the bottle of sun screen, the bottle of after shave, the bottle of my cologne, the his and hers deodorant sticks, the Q-tips, the hair brushes, the little Olay face clothes that I use to wash my face each night, the deodorizer spray, the equipment for the insulin pump, etc.

 

The cabinets in the bathroom are just about big enough to hold the drugs we take. :)

 

I suggest that each cruiser make a list of what they need to have handy in the bathroom and make their own decision as to whether or not they need one. Personally, I would not travel without ours, but we are old and wrinkled.

 

As for the duct tape, it is one of those things that if you don't bring it, you will needed it. It is an "evil eye" aversion and I'll keep on bringing it along with me.

 

Thanks for the laugh, old and wrinkled one! LOL!

[gxchan]

We travel with two to three other couples most times......one couple travels for a week with one small suitcase each!

 

Of course, they are always borrowing our "just in case" stuff......they have no need to take their own! :rolleyes: And, of course, we have plenty......

 

Got room for one more?:D

[Jeka]

First and foremost, as said before sun screen!!

[houtxcruiser]

Regarding the cell charges, if you have a smart phone, just turn off your connections and you won't accidentally use any data plan minutes but can still use your alarm clock. I think we may do this with hubby's phone, he only gets personal messages anyway. I am going to have to totally power my phone down, too much on there!

[cruzincurt]

I've seen bartenders simply clean glasses by dipping them in a bucket of water. It seems pretty standard.

 

Drink from the not-really-THAT dirty glasses that are given to you...it'll keep your immune system working!! :)

 

Do you think they ever clean those cabin ice buckets and tongs? I only use the ice to cool bottles, never in the drinks.

[H2OH!]

I will not leave home without the over-the-door shoe hanger! This is where everything goes...all supplies for contact lenses, DH's medication, all seasickness meds, sunscreen, all travel sized lotions, shampoos and shaving cream, razors, underwater camera, tums/rolaids, hairbrush, wrinkle release, wet ones, hairspray, cosmetics etc, all easily visible and available!

 

It drives me insane having to dig for stuff !!

[H2OH!]

While some cruisers don't think the over the door shoe bag is a necessity, all I can say is that we think it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. Ours has clear plastic pouches and weighs practically nothing but holds a whole lot of stuff that we need to have in the bathroom.

 

If we were young, totally healthy and wrinkle-free, we probably would not need one as there would be no need for my day-time moisturizers, my night cream, my cosmetics, his favorite flavor tooth paste, my favorite flavor tooth paste, the fluoride gel and the little trays that go with it, the plastic cup that holds the fluoride trays,the packets of tablets used to clean the dentures both of us wear, the plastic cups that hold the dentures when they are soaking, the bottle of sun screen, the bottle of after shave, the bottle of my cologne, the his and hers deodorant sticks, the Q-tips, the hair brushes, the little Olay face clothes that I use to wash my face each night, the deodorizer spray, the equipment for the insulin pump, etc.

 

The cabinets in the bathroom are just about big enough to hold the drugs we take. :)

 

I suggest that each cruiser make a list of what they need to have handy in the bathroom and make their own decision as to whether or not they need one. Personally, I would not travel without ours, but we are old and wrinkled.

 

As for the duct tape, it is one of those things that if you don't bring it, you will needed it. It is an "evil eye" aversion and I'll keep on bringing it along with me.

 

 

Agreed and thanks for the laugh!!

[margord]

This is a great post. Please keep the idea coming.

 

Marilee