Last minute cruise packing

Hi all,

Getting ready to sail for 5 days in the eastern Caribbean. Any last minute things you can suggest to pack that would be useful on the cruise?!

As long as you have your passport (or other required ID) and a credit card, you can get by!:D:D:D

Don't forget the suntan lotion. It can be brutal at this time of year in the Caribbean.

You probably already took care of this, but prescription drugs are on the list with passport and credit card.

A first aid kit which you can make for yourself but good to carry with you.

Keith

DW

Though she often says she wished she did have to take me. :eek::D;)

Your bathing suit.

I pack books before clothes as the thought of not having something good to read on deck or in the Solarium is unthinkable for me.

Large lightweight beach bag, large ziplock baggies for bringing back your wet bathing suits from the cruise - they might not have dried out by the morning you leave the ship. These baggies are also good for packing toiletries that might leak in transit.

Binder clips - good for holding your clothes to furniture on your balcony to dry or holding your towel to your chair or holding drapes closed if they close in the center.

Bonine - you may not need it but it is good to have just in case.

Hat for your wet hair between the beach and the ship or ponytail holder or headband - however you handle this.

What I would not bring is too much stuff. Leave some space for souvenirs such as beach towels with the name of the islands you visit.

Put a pen in your purse for filling out customs forms on the airplane - they usually do not hand out pens, only the form and you have to have your own pen or borrow one from someone. Keep your personal medications with you at all times.

My typical cruise emergency kit includes:

safety pins

Bug spray

Benedryl

Tylenol or other pain reliever

plasters

nail scissors

tweezers

nail file

callus remover pedicure tool

eye drops

Yes, at the risk of sounding awkward but you did ask - several times I have neglected to pack feminine hygiene products (sorry guys!), even when I was sure I wouldn't be needing them... well let's just say that anything like that is very expensive onboard ship and you certainly don't want to be searching in port for a drug store or similar. Just bring stuff. :D:D:D It doesn't weigh anything and you'll be glad you did if you need it.

Also, the Caribbean sun is brutal anytime of year. I would advise sunblocking in your cabin before you go into port. Sunblock should be applied 20 - 30 minutes prior to exposure so it can soak in. Hubby and I take turns blocking each other. :D

Have fun.

A power strip, if you plan on taking electronics that are going to need to be recharged. There never seem to be enough outlets in the cabins.

That a "deep breath" and remember you'll only be away for 5 days. :D

A power strip, if you plan on taking electronics that are going to need to be recharged. There never seem to be enough outlets in the cabins.

Just a note that more and more power strips are being confiscated these days. Our recent cruises have seen them piled up on the table with the irons and such.

Just a note that more and more power strips are being confiscated these days. Our recent cruises have seen them piled up on the table with the irons and such.

Really?

I'm taking 2 cameras, an iPad, my iPhone, and a Fitbit, all which need charging (most likely not all at the same time, though).

Are there particular cruise lines that have a reputation for confiscating them?

We have a small power cube that gives us three receptacles instead of one, and takes us less space (Belkin, I believe). We carry zip-locks for damp swim suits and for toiletries so they don't leak on the way home. We carry swimsuits, cover-ups, flip-flops (for the deck), the usual clothes for evenings in the dining room. We also carry over-the-counter meds. Nothing worse than needing an Advil or Pepto, tums, etc in the night and all shops are closed and you have nothing. I carry my prescription drugs and a small package of individually wrapped antiseptic wipes. I can't help it. I have to wipe the drawers, remote, phone, coffee table, table on balcony, toilet, etc. Takes less than two minutes. I keep a few of the individually wrapped ones with me when we go into a port. I can't tell you the number of times they've come in handy or I've given them to someone else from the ship that needed one. Small individual packet of Kleenex for ports. I always find the restrooms in port that is out of toilet tissue. I also carry a few plastic clothes pins to pin wet clothes on the line in the shower or the back of a chair on the balcony to dry. I stick things like this into the corners of my luggage where they don't take up any room.

Please. Lets not start another 1000 post "must have" thread. CC has way too money of these with tons of useless junk that will double your suitcase weight and is totally unneeded.

DON

If you are going to Barbados....a hat that says "No Taxi Needed, Thank You."

I used to work in Bridgetown and couldn't walk anywhere without the Taxi guys harassing me about needing one. I know I probably looked like a tourist but sheesh! :)

Please. Lets not start another 1000 post "must have" thread. CC has way too money of these with tons of useless junk that will double your suitcase weight and is totally unneeded.

 

DON

Thanks for your contribution to this thread, Don.

Hi all,

 

Getting ready to sail for 5 days in the eastern Caribbean. Any last minute things you can suggest to pack that would be useful on the cruise?!

Tip: Take two pics

One of your contact info ( if you loose your camera It's a better chance for return)

Another of your luggage ( To show what your looking for if it get lost )

.

DW found that when she started to pack early she took too much clothing and had a higher probability of forgetting something important. It is the day before for her and the night before or morning of our flight for me. Works for us. I did a lot of business travel so packing for me is almost by rote.

A magnet to post papers, Cruise Compass on the wall since they are metal.

+1 on taking a picture of your luggage. Mine did not show up in Amsterdam when I did. It was really handy to be able to show the attendant a picture of the missing bag. (It turned up the next evening, just as I was heading out to do some emergency clothes shopping.)

I take tylenol, feminine items, bandaids, tums, and cold medicine because those things are so expensive on the ship and when I need a tylenol, I want it now, in my cabin, without any fuss.

Other than that, swim suit, hat, sunblock, cover up, and sandals. You're good to go!