What is the one item you can't cruise without?

[bermuda triangle]

I know for some it is Lysol wipes, cameras, crockpots ;), etc.

For me it is Dermatone Sunblock.

What is it for you?

Laura

[jhannah]

My DW. Wouldn't be healthy to cruise without her! :D

[thomasale]

Ipod and Bose docking station....makes the room like home :)

[SandRaven]

A swimsuit! :cool:

[benchmarklearning]

iPod and docking station
Bose headphones
camera
books
******

:p

[Chivalrygirl]

We have an ad down here that goes. "Don't leave home without your Mum", Mum being a well known brand of deoderant. So I guess I can't go cruising without my "Mum" :D

Val

[Sundagger]

If it is just one item - it would be an electrical outlet strip with a longggg cord. Other things I bring would be useless without it.

[prescottbob]

Ahoy!

Necessity #1 : AMEX card to pay on-board account.
Necessity #2 : Elvis wig
Necessity #3 : "Big Bird" slippers

Bon Voyage and Good Health!
Bob:)

[RuthC]

My CPAP machine. When you stop breathing it puts a real crimp in the pleasure of a cruise. :D

[NoNoNanette]

My DW. Wouldn't be healthy to cruise without her! :D

WONDERFUL answer, Jim! :)

[MissWindyCity]

My DW. Wouldn't be healthy to cruise without her! :D

That is sooooo sweet! :)

[LONESTAR 101]

My DW she controls the Debit Card and sex!!:p

[Happy HALer]

An overwhemingly positive attitude. Gets me through anything.

And my wife too. She's the reason I can have such an attitude.

[Krazy Kruizers]

My DH!!!

[maxout]

A Ship! ;)

[LONESTAR 101]

:p A Ship! ;)
:D ;)

[lka1012]

My earplugs, money, a sense of humor!

[dchip]

My Camera, I don't go anywhere without it!!!!!!

Cheers, Denise

[mamaofami]

My white noise machine, and my DH.

He can't go without his C pap machine.

[mamaofami]

Ruth, do you take along distilled water for your machine or do you get it on the boat, or just use regular boat water?

[Bill S]

Not to be a copycat, but Jim's response is exactly what I was going to say!

I wouldn't cruise without "the Queen". Happy wife; happy life! :)

[fcorey]

My DW. Wouldn't be healthy to cruise without her! :D


Ooh Jim great answer.... I'll need to remember that one to score some points with the misses

[Lynne Myrna]

Besides hairspray......plenty of patience:):):)

[May4]

really good dark chocolate
reading glasses ( I must read the menu, mustn't I?)
my favorite sun hat
my mittens when I sail from Montreal in October

[NoNoNanette]

Ruth, do you take along distilled water for your machine or do you get it on the boat, or just use regular boat water?

Distilled Chocolate Syrup, perhaps? :D

[Harry1954]

moglie mia

[cdkempton]

A zero balance credit card and a big smile. :):)

[bepsf]

Credit Card, Airbourne and a Tuxedo.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

In this order, following in Jim Hannah's reasoning;)

DH has to be with, my Passport, Visa card, and my curling iron. I would not want to be seen in public without my hair done :D

[mamaofami]

Nannette,
My question to Ruth was serious and your reply was mean spirited.

[NoNoNanette]

Nannette,
My question to Ruth was serious and your reply was mean spirited.

ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ruthie is ALWAYS talking about her love of chocolate!

I was not trying to be "mean spirited". :mad: Lighten up.

[mamaofami]

OK. I will. Point taken!

[RuthC]

Ruth, do you take along distilled water for your machine or do you get it on the boat, or just use regular boat water?
Carol, I used to have them boil some water for me, but now just use the tap water. It works fine.
(and you were right the first time. ;) )

[AlohaPride]

In this order: DH, DD (yay), and TONS of extra luggage space ;)

[Juanita462]

RuthC - I was very interested in your answer because we have been ordering distilled water at $4 per gallon - at home we pay $1.50 so that is quite an increase. Tell me, did you ever notice any pink residue in your humidifier? We get that even with distilled water and the sleep apnea people said that it is bacteria and not good to breathe in. We clean the equipment regularly so there shouldn't be any.

Anyway, that is why we hve been ordering distilled water from HAL before we go as they said it was the purest form of bottled water. sure would like to use the tap water if we could.

another thought - wouldn't the hot water on the Lido deck be held at the boiling point for tea? that should be safe to use. We did wonder about the salt content in the water.

[leoandhugh]

A sense of humor and an open mind so that i won't complain when things are not all to my liking or expectation. and so that i can smile at the chair hogs and the dress code police!:)

[RuthC]

Juanita, I've never seen any residue in my humidifier. I would expect on the shorter trips there would be even less of a chance of a problem; I take medium-longish trips.

As far as I'm concerned the hot water for tea isn't hot enough for tea; I want it at a full rolling boil for that! When I first got the CPAP I was told that water boiled for 20 minutes was as good as distilled, so that's why I used to have HAL boil some up for me. When I learned how the tap water is processed I decided that was good enough. So far---so good.

[Tricia724]

My cosmetic bag. I live under the delusion that I look like a completely different person with makeup.:)

[cruznon]

Carol,
I thought I was the only one who had to have a white noise sound machine!!!!

[rebeljohn]

Wife............then........
Appetite.....
Cigars........

[Cruising-along]

Definitely DH's CPAP machine. He needs it for sleep apnea, I need it so I can sleep -- I love that machine, NO MORE SNORING!! :D :D

[Ask4Jay]

My wife.

[mamaofami]

Carol,
I thought I was the only one who had to have a white noise sound machine!!!!


I take that machine with me everywhere...even to sleep at my daughter's house. Now we have that and the ipod in common.:D

[m steve]

Mt. Gay rum!:)

[Solo Cruiser]

My cosmetic bag. I'm under the same delusion as Tricia apparently. OH NO :eek: do you think delusions are contagious?

[FR926]

The water you get out of the tap is disilled water. That's where the ship gets it's water. They distill their own from sea water.

[Happy HALer]

The water you get out of the tap is disilled water. That's where the ship gets it's water. They distill their own from sea water.

The prefered method of potable water production for cruise ships is reverse osmosis. Distillation consumes alot of energy. They will also "bunker" water from shore and chemically treat it. This is usually a very expensive alternative, particularly in the Caribbean.

In summary, you can never be sure what you are getting from the tap. Not to say it is unsafe, just that you never know the source.

[FOOTNOTE]

Cpap, Dw, And Vixodent

[drtee]

The friend I travel with most of the time and I have an ongoing discussion about this very thing when we have that last-minute packing panic and fear that we've forgotten something.

In reality, you need only three things (possibly two of you're lucky):
1) Prescription medications and other medical supplies you need (this is the one some people may be lucky enough not to require
2) Credit card
3) Travel documents and i.d.

All other things you could actually obtain while on your trip (clothing, toothbrush, etc).

But other than the literal, tangible things that I need, the one thing I can't travel without is an attitude of openness, flexibility, and gratitude that I'm having this wonderful adventure. If something goes wrong, I usually figure it's an "opportunity" to step outside my comfort zone. If I get lost, I'll see something I might not otherwise have seen.

[NoNoNanette]

For us, anything that matters in in CARRY-ON luggage....

Including... Meds, ID, Credit Cards, any printed email exchanges with tour providers, a map, 1 change of casual clothes and most importantly.... BATHING SUIT! (Tops being optional) ;)

[jhannah]

For us, anything that matters in in CARRY-ON luggage.... This is an absolute. Many people don't think of doing this and end up sorry. So, listen up, people! :)

[Copper10-8]

For us, anything that matters in in CARRY-ON luggage....

Good point, NNN!

1. Maria (scored some brownie's with that one, Jim!)
2. A positive attitude (and a sense of humor;) )
3. One suitcase and one garment bag each
4. A valid passport (don't wait 'till the last minute to renew, folks!)
5. A positive attitude (and a sense of humor;) )
6. Formal and casual clothes
7. Amex travellers checks (don't leave home w/o them!)
8. A positive attitude (and a sense of humor;) )
9. A working camera

[oh2cruisemore]

My own coffee pot and Starbucks coffee!

[SummerKruizer]

a good book... to read while i'm sitting by the pool sipping on my cocktail....:D

[GmaPajama]

I absolutely have to have my plastic shoe bag to hang inside the bathroom door. I've even started taking it for land based vacations. So nice to have all the toiletries neatly organized, within easy reach, and mostly non-spillable. I got that idea here on the HAL board, and wonder how I ever managed without it!

[JimVrhovac]

SLIPPERS SLIPPERS SLIPPERS


Ruth and Jim

[ANSalberg]

On the Grand World Cruise - I kid you NOT - one couple had 23 suitcases AND a VERY large box that held a Lazy Boy Recliner!!!!!!!!! They said NEXT year they will ship 2 Lazy Boys....... I know of at least one [single] guy that had 17 suitcases.........

[jhannah]

La-Z-Boy recliners? On a cruise? I know it's for a long time, but jeez! Seems a bit overboard to me.

[bobpatj]

Can't do without my camera, travel alarm and Bob!:D

[iliv2cruz]

Among the regular vacation items, I also bring:
my own favorite coffee, filters & filter cone (I haven't met a cruise line yet that makes a cup worth drinking)
2 large insulated coffee mugs
power strip, plug adapter, hair dryer
battery charger with several extra rechargeable batteries
1 whole bunch of happy, "yahoo it's vacation!" type attitude.

[JimVrhovac]

Please do not bring the recliners up again my wife may get ideas.

She already takes 11-13 suitcases for a 7 day cruise....

Ruth and Jim

[hammybee]

Please do not bring the recliners up again my wife may get ideas.

She already takes 11-13 suitcases for a 7 day cruise....

Ruth and Jim

Ok, just between you and me, Mrs V. does not really take 11-13 suitcases, does she? I have read your posts about the drive to ports and still chuckle at your take on life and always, so much luggage.

[gizmo]

Money :D