Packing and General Cruise Tips

This is a document that I compiled based on our specific interests. I used this forum to find suggestions and the below is what we have found helpful for us. It is always a working list and we will remove or add things after every cruise - Always learning!! I wanted to post this as so many have been helpful to us and I hope this will be helpful to those searching for advice as well!

Cruise Packing List

Clothes - think minimal (We each have a carry-on roller bag and each have a backpack - that's all)

Pair of sandals

Pair of dress shoes

Pair of tennis shoes

Power plug with extra plugins (not a power strip)

Ink pen

Highlighter

Zip lock bags and bigger ones for wet clothes

Sunglasses

Hat

Backpack

Insulated cup

Over door organizer with clear pockets

Single hole punch (I know they punch your card onboard if you want, but I can do it myself as well *smile*)

Small umbrella and/or small travel poncho

Shower poof

At least 2 bathing suits per person

Lanyards

Travel binoculars

Camera

All electronics charges and memory cards

Thank you cards for staff

Chapstick

Tylenol / Aleve

Bandaids

Neosporin

Sunscreen

Insect repellent

All toiletry items

Downy wrinkle release

Poo-Pouri (best stuff ever - look it up!!)

Aloe

Lotion

Prescription medications

Vitamins

LAST MINUTE HELPFUL HINTS

DON'T forget your passports and cruise documents!!!! I always check expiration just after booking cruise to ensure I have at least 6 months validity after last date out of country. I do this for all trips really, not just a cruise.

Call your credit card companies and your bank(s) to let them know you'll be traveling out of the country so they don't block charges!

Stop mail service/put mail on hold.

Schedule pet boarding or sitter as needed.

Board the ship as early as possible, you're paying for it!! (We like to arrive at 10:30)

Put your phone on airplane mode, as soon as you get on the ship!! Time to forget about everyone else!!

If you are traveling with a companion, unpack together so you both know where everything is located.

Read the compasses / FunTimes at night before bed and in the morning every day. It's just fun!

Try to take the stairs as much as possible for exercise, but don't worry about the gym!! ;-) Treat yourself with an ice cream and desserts for a job well done taking the stairs (or hell, any time, for whatever excuse - I mean, job well done!)

ALWAYS get back to the ship with plenty of time before departure, they WILL leave you!!

DO watch the pier runners at least ONE day!

TRY to get to the shows at least 30-minutes before if having a good seat is important to you!

Order more than one thing from the menu, try things you never would elsewhere, it is all included so it is the best time to try it!!

Ask for a side of peanut butter to go with the warm chocolate melting cake!! Also kids menu will have some different desserts ;-)

Sleep in at least one day AND take a nap!! Naps are always great but man are they good on a cruise!!

Room service is great for early morning coffee, mid-day-after-nap snack or midnight snack!

DO bring comfortable walking shoes AND sandals for the ship. The deck GETS HOT HOT HOT and WILL burn your feet! Note the deck is also VERY slippery, sit and watch, you'll see someone fall! It's ok to laugh, well after checking if they are ok, well maybe a bit before and than a LOT after! ;)

Get up for at least one sunrise and watch at least one sunset!! Oh, and don't forget to stargaze!!

Get a plate of cookies, chips and other snacks to bring back to the room, remember those ziplock bags?! BAM!! Midnight snack all ready when you need it and you don't have to leave the cabin or wait for room service!!

Remember BINGO adds up, can be well over $300 on your final bill if you play them all. As long as you know what you are spending, GOOD LUCK!!

Review your bill the day before disembarking to make sure all charges are correct.

If you think BINGO adds up... Might be best to check your balance before the last day. Or if you have increased your card limit, then who cares about wasting time to check and buy me a DRINK!!

Please keep the pre-paid gratuities and remember that the tip guideline is just a guideline, my opinion, tip your cabin steward more and servers more and any other crew member who goes above and beyond for you more than what is included with the pre-paid gratuities. Yes, it is their job, and yes, they took it on the contracted wages they are making, and if I hear, "well it is more than they make in their country" one more time, I could scream. They are away from their families for months on end and if they make an impact on your holiday, make an impact on them as well!! You don't know how much everyone appreciates being recognized in this way (I mean, don't you? I'm sure you enjoy getting a BONUS)!!

It is vacation!! YES there will be A LOT of people (at times), YES the buffet is VERY crowded the first day (and at peak dining times), some cruise ships serve lunch in the dining room on embarkation day as well (check as this will be the least crowded and best option. Only eat in dining rooms if they are open.), The buffet will be on the verge of disgusting at times, YES some people are VERY annoying, BUT it's your VACATION just laugh it off and FINALLY just breathe and relax, breathe and relax... (no laundry to do, no cooking to do, no cleaning to do...it's all about YOU...it's YOUR cruise...) it is that easy to relax!! ...until I start thinking ... If only parents would stop treating the ship like a floating pack-and-play / crib / full time babysitter / nanny ... BUT I have to remember my own advice...BREATHE AND RELAX!!

NOW YOU ARE READY FOR YOUR CRUISE VACATION!!!! HAVE FUN!!!!

Great list and suggestions! I would add to bring a sweater or sweatshirt. It can get chilly at night or in the air conditioning. We had a pop up laundry hamper that started out flat in the luggage. It really helped. Nail clippers or mini nail kit. Also some kind of anti seasickness remedy, like Bonine or ginger candy. You don't want to need it and not have it!

Happy cruising!

Good list. Bring some reactine.

Great list Calvin and Jason!

We got Poo-pouri from one of our kids as a Christmas present....great stuff, and we will be bringing it for sure:D

Great list Calvin and Jason!

 

We got Poo-pouri from one of our kids as a Christmas present....great stuff, and we will be bringing it for sure:D

Haha it was my Christmas gift to all my Family this year. Once you discover it you will never go without it!!

Another piece of advice is if you're traveling to your embarkation port, go at least a day ahead. You'll be rested on the first day of your cruise (rather than being stressed out over delays, etc.) and if you forgot to pack something (or don't want to schlep it in your luggage on a plane), you can do a quick shopping trip.

Wow I love reading peoples packing lists and yours is really good! And yes.. I did have to go look up the Poo-Pourri! I then proceeded to run to Amazon and buy Poo-Pourri! My DS will go threw Febreze like it's going out of style when we have it in the house!

Some of the things not mentioned on your list which might not even be applicable to you personally but someone else:

Tummy Meds

Old pair of glasses, repair kit, and extra contacts

Small sewing kit

If you have a "must have" of something every day, bring it if it isn't outrageous. I am not saying bring a candy store with you (but some if that's your thing, candy is expensive on board!) but little things that will make your day better. I bring my current tea I am drinking. Or coffee syrup. Or specialty hot drink mix. For things like this that could make your day brighter, it is worth the extra pound or two!

Good list. Bring some reactine.

I'd never heard of reactine so I googled it. It's a antihistamine.

Not sure why you recommend bringing it. Although we bring a first aid kit with several meds, including for diarrhea and for upset stomach as well as for seasickness, an antihistamine is not among them although we do bring meds for a cold.

It's a good job we're all different, but I wouldn't bring half the things on the lists I see here, just a few I'd leave off:

Highlighter

Zip lock bags and bigger ones for wet clothes

Backpack

Insulated cup

Over door organizer with clear pockets

Single hole punch

Small umbrella and/or small travel poncho

At least 2 bathing suits per person

Lanyards

Travel binoculars

I never take more than one pair of shoes (but I do have a pair that are very comfortable but go fine with formal wear) and a pair of thongs [flip flops]

But agree with others

Sea sickness remedy if you are susceptible, I've never been seasick but herself does get a touch and swears by Travelcalm and Ginger [including a cup of Ginger Tea each night]

Old pair of glasses, repair kit, and extra contacts

And agree with these suggestions

Read the compasses / FunTimes at night before bed and in the morning every day. It's just fun!

Treat yourself with an ice cream and desserts

ALWAYS get back to the ship with plenty of time before departure, they WILL leave you!!

DO watch the pier runners at least ONE day!

Order more than one thing from the menu, try things you never would elsewhere, it is all included so it is the best time to try it!!

Sleep in at least one day AND take a nap!! Naps are always great but man are they good on a cruise!! Nana naps are fantastic especially when you can have one with the one you love.

Think twice about stopping mail (or newspaper). As a general rule, it is best to alert no one other than trusted friends or family that your home will be unoccupied for a week or more. Ask someone to pick things up for you with a promise to return the favor.

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Another piece of advice is if you're traveling to your embarkation port' date=' go at least a day ahead. You'll be rested on the first day of your cruise (rather than being stressed out over delays, etc.) and if you forgot to pack something (or don't want to schlep it in your luggage on a plane), you can do a quick shopping trip.[/quote']

 

 

That is so true.

I always bring my over the door organizer. When or if you have three or four people sharing one bathroom, it is nice to have a place for a toothbrush, etc for everyone instead of on counters or in cabinets.

We always bring magnetic clips. Most of the time, the cabin walls are metal and will use the clips to hold schedules, appts, etc.

Great items and everyone has different needs and wants. I say, pack what you want or think that you will need. And learn from there. However, I can say that I take less and less clothes on each cruise and I still end up with too many.

Have a good cruise.

Rachel

If you have a balcony, a few clothes pins will keep things on the chair while they dry & if you want to sleep in they will keep out that ray of sunshine that always hits you right in the eye.

I have started just leaving a couple in my makeup bag.

The magnetic bag clips work as well and do double duty.

If you need reading glasses, bring a couple of pairs - I kept one pair in my wristlet (glasses, lip balm, ship card, daily schedule, tissue) so I always had them for the dining room menu and for the cabin and didn't have to find and pack them whenever I left the cabin.

I had to google pier runners - ha ha, will look out for them now !

Hi I am new to Cruise Critic, and really enjoy all the comments made, but on the subject of packing, there are lots of very good suggestions for individual cruisers needs, but my wife and I have found one of the most important things to do when packing, which so many people overlook, is to pack 50/50, ie. you are taking 2 cases, one each, pack half of first case with husbands gear and half with partners gear, then the same with the second case, so that if the unthinkable does happen and you loose a case, everything is not lost, and it give you a chance to either get some replacements or wait for your case to turn up, there's nothing worse than going down for your evening meal in a towel, and a pair of your wife's sparkly flip flops.

Working in the health field, I've learned to always ask for a straw with my drinks, load up on Airborne or Emergen & put a little Neosporene in each nostril while flying. Being in an airplane for a few hours & having your immune system weakened from the stress of traveling are perfect conditions for a cold (or worse). And you KNOW someone on your flight probably has a fever! 'Keep it to yourself', is what I say. Safe travels 🐳

Working in the health field, I've learned to always ask for a straw with my drinks, load up on Airborne or Emergen & put a little Neosporene in each nostril while flying. Being in an airplane for a few hours & having your immune system weakened from the stress of traveling are perfect conditions for a cold (or worse). And you KNOW someone on your flight probably has a fever! 'Keep it to yourself', is what I say. Safe travels 🐳

I agree! for the first 3 cruises we took, I suffered with a horrible cold/respiratory illness and DH got it when we got home. Last time we traveled, I wore a light scarf (from Vermont - it was cold) and on the plan I rode with it lightly over my nose and mouth and diverted the forced air above me or shut it off. I didn't get sick! I also use straws- even for coffee! and bump up my vitamins and Airborne for a week before we travel. I enjoyed the cruise so much more because I wasn't sipping on brandy or amaretto to calm a cough due to lack of cough medicine! Of course I did have a good buzz for most of the cruise!

 

Board the ship as early as possible, you're paying for it!! (We like to arrive at 10:30)

 

 

Our ship has advised us that checkin is between 11.30am and 4.30pm, with our deck boarding at 4.30pm. Are we able to board earlier, and if so, will we have access to our room? Will we also be made to wait while others are from the specified deck check in?

I should mention we are on Royal Caribbean.

Thanks

I am not sure about RC- we always do Carnival and always go early to start the fun!

As far as packing, I'd add--

sea Bands (for motion sickness, they go on your wrists-- I've only felt sick once or twice, but like having these as an option.)

Folder/Baggie to collect papers/post cards etc-- we are scrap bookers so we like to take maps, fun times, postcards etc back and this helps keep everything together

Cards-- if we have a little time between activities, we play card while people watching. Sometimes we go early to something like the comedy show to get good seats and then have something to do while we wait.

Happy cruising! 14 days to go for me!

Our ship has advised us that checkin is between 11.30am and 4.30pm, with our deck boarding at 4.30pm. Are we able to board earlier, and if so, will we have access to our room? Will we also be made to wait while others are from the specified deck check in?

 

I should mention we are on Royal Caribbean.

 

Thanks

That cruise lines are beginning to suggest boarding times to stagger everyone. From what I can tell these are SUGGESTED check in times (Celebrity rep said that, anyway)

But I cannot confirm if this is so for RCL.

Our ship has advised us that checkin is between 11.30am and 4.30pm, with our deck boarding at 4.30pm. Are we able to board earlier, and if so, will we have access to our room? Will we also be made to wait while others are from the specified deck check in?

 

I should mention we are on Royal Caribbean.

 

Thanks

Yes you can get there and board earlier. Many cruisers "in the know" arrive by 11:00 and are on the ship by noon.

No you won't be made to wait while other decks check in - you'll just be in the same line as everyone else that showed up, whatever their deck.

No you might not have access to your cabin, depending on when you board. The cabins on Royal Caribbean aren't available til about 1 pm.

Personally, there's no way I'd wait til 4:30.

Working in the health field, I've learned to always ask for a straw with my drinks, load up on Airborne or Emergen & put a little Neosporene in each nostril while flying. Being in an airplane for a few hours & having your immune system weakened from the stress of traveling are perfect conditions for a cold (or worse). And you KNOW someone on your flight probably has a fever! 'Keep it to yourself', is what I say. Safe travels 🐳

Thank you. Your tips are what I need as I take immune suppressant drugs for RA. I can't take any immune boosters, but am preparing myself for efforts that will best protect me from getting sick.

So, we are packed and ready......we have precription meds in one of those little daily pill boxes...should we take a printout from the pharmicist too or should we leave the meds in the bottles......or just take the daily box and not worry. Nothing special, just high BP, that sort of thing......thanks,