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Best Packing List Ever


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Thank you to those who did up the packing list. You had some things on there that I would not have thought of taking with me. Like the Power Strip for charging batteries for camera/video recorder and MP3 player. I always pack my aqua shoes with me when I go on cruises. I never know when I will be at a beach or to even wear them up to the pool on the ship.

 

One of the items that I learned to take with me after my first cruise is a travel mug for my morning coffee. I had more coffee spilled on me or my tray on my first cruise than I would have liked from the rocking or people not paying attention to what they were doing. So I started bringing a travel mug with me. I have had so many people stop and ask me where I got my mug, I told them that I brought it with me and use it because I got tired of wearing the coffee. I would see some of them later on with travel mugs that they bought as souviners and using them. They all would tell me thank you because they would never would have thought of that. Plus you get more coffee in a travel mug than you do in one from the ship. The staff is nice enough that they will fill it for you with a carafe (because they don't fit under the machine).

 

I also take blank note cards with envelopes to write out thank you's to the staff when you give them their tips along with Hershey Kiss's that I bring with me straight from Hershey's Chocolate World in Hershey, PA. They always are excited to recieve this type of thank you because it is something that makes them feel special.

 

I am getting ready to head to Hawaii in August for the first time. Can't wait to go since I will be celebrating a milestone birthday a little late but it is worth it.

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I would not bring a huge roll but it does come in handy! We went to Italy a few years ago and the rough cobblestone streets broke a new suitcase-duct tape to the rescue! It holds practically anything together.

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If you are going to have an inside cabin, take a couple of light sticks, the plastic kind that glow when you bend them. If you hang them on the bathroom door handle, it will be a guide to help find the bathroom without disturbing everyone else. You haven't seen dark until you are in a inside cabin at night!

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If you are going to have an inside cabin, take a couple of light sticks, the plastic kind that glow when you bend them. If you hang them on the bathroom door handle, it will be a guide to help find the bathroom without disturbing everyone else. You haven't seen dark until you are in a inside cabin at night!

 

We take a kids night light to plug in to the power socket, or if not that then leave the bathroom light on, it's amazing how much light comes through a slightly open door or even a closed one!!

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One thing to remember though is that it also works when you return.:( Sailing into Sydney it picks up a signal at about 2-30 am :eek: and then all your messages start to arrive at about 1 minute intervals:mad: . I learnt that through experience.

<spurts hot chocolate all over the screen>

 

Hadn't thought of that - all our previous travel's been by plane ... I can just see it in my mind's eye :-)

 

<still chortling at the thought...>

 

Gra

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  • 2 weeks later...

Great list...not sure what you would do with the lanyard or torch...welding? soldering? TSA even takes lighters away. The hand gel is Purel or similar; everyplace including Dollar Tree has bottles of various sizes...it's the stuff that Holland American has Everywhere!

I add a mesh hamper (folds flat about 1' square, but pops out to abour 2 1/2" tall by 1 foot square)...since it's mesh, it can be put in the corner of the cabin and laundry that's well aired doesn't smell like it would in the closet. On another thread someone suggested a hanging shoe bag for the bathroom door...I'm packing it for our 30 day HAL cruise to Hawaii and the Marguesas...I'm even making labels for some of the stuff I know will go in it that I want handy but not man-handled by the crew or out on the sink.

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Great list...not sure what you would do with the lanyard or torch...welding? soldering? TSA even takes lighters away. The hand gel is Purel or similar; everyplace including Dollar Tree has bottles of various sizes...it's the stuff that Holland American has Everywhere!

I add a mesh hamper (folds flat about 1' square, but pops out to abour 2 1/2" tall by 1 foot square)...since it's mesh, it can be put in the corner of the cabin and laundry that's well aired doesn't smell like it would in the closet. On another thread someone suggested a hanging shoe bag for the bathroom door...I'm packing it for our 30 day HAL cruise to Hawaii and the Marguesas...I'm even making labels for some of the stuff I know will go in it that I want handy but not man-handled by the crew or out on the sink.

The torch--I have no clue, LOL...but the lanyard is good if you want to carry your room key/Seapass card around w/you...

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  • 5 months later...
Great list...not sure what you would do with the lanyard or torch...welding? soldering? TSA even takes lighters away. The hand gel is Purel or similar; everyplace including Dollar Tree has bottles of various sizes...it's the stuff that Holland American has Everywhere!

I add a mesh hamper (folds flat about 1' square, but pops out to abour 2 1/2" tall by 1 foot square)...since it's mesh, it can be put in the corner of the cabin and laundry that's well aired doesn't smell like it would in the closet. On another thread someone suggested a hanging shoe bag for the bathroom door...I'm packing it for our 30 day HAL cruise to Hawaii and the Marguesas...I'm even making labels for some of the stuff I know will go in it that I want handy but not man-handled by the crew or out on the sink.

Two countries separated by a common language! A "torch" would be a flashlight on the American side of the pond. :)

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 5 months later...
  • 1 year later...
  • 3 weeks later...

DUCT tape is a strong tape used a lot in industry. Commonly grey in colour

DUCK tape is a brand name for the tape (I think) we are discussing here. This style of tape can easily have strips ripped off using your hands (No need for scissors). but is excellent for repairs to various travel goods, including broken suitcases...

 

Well, there ya go. You learn something new every day.

I thought 'duck' was the name people used when they were grammatically challenged :D

 

BTW I'm finding these threads really helpful, preparing for our FIRST EVER CRUISE IN AUGUST!! :):)

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  • 10 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Save up those little red moist hand wipe towels you get at KFC and keep a couple in your pocket while walking around those hot and humid Ilses, they make a nice refreshing face wipe, I always ask for extras when in the shop.

 

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  • 4 weeks later...
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Hello everyone. This (so far) is my complied packing list. In some cases it could be specific to me, since I am a female cruiser. I recommend checking out cruisediva dot com for more packing lists and tons of helpful tips/tricks for new cruisers! (Men's/kid's packing lists on there as well!)

 

This might be helpful for you to copy and print out if you desire and tweak it where needed. :) PS I'm pretty OCD so you may notice that! I described a few things on my list so you know why i'm bringing them too. I am sailing through NCL Epic so there's a few hints at the bottom for those who are also on NCL.

 

 

I hope this helps and feel free to let me know if i've missed anything!

 

To do before vacation:

Copy Birth Certificates and ID's (we are not bringing passports) also copy an extra set to leave with someone back home

Download spotify playlists/music to listen to

Make sure bills are paid

Check for room upgrade?

Get food/leave money for housesitter

Save emergency numbers to bring, etc.

Make emergency list for housesitter

Clean house for housesitter

Print luggage tags for embarkation and laminate with packing tape so they don't rip

 

THURSDAY:

Car cleaned out

Contact bank/credit card and let them know you're leaving the country

Check weather for drive and flight

 

FRIDAY:

Book excursions or restaurants by TODAY

Start taking Bonine/Drammamine

 

SATURDAY:

Check in with airline and print boarding tickets

Check in online at NCL/make sure to print boarding docs if not done so already

Pedicures/nails done (cheaper to do before the ship I think!)

Take pics of luggage (in case they get lost)

 

(SUNDAY we leave for our cruise!!!)

 

Clothes to Pack:

9-10 pairs of underwear

bras

shorts

dresses

beach pants

White dress for white hot party

Socks

swim cover up

extra swim suit

jewelry

purse

robe or nightgown

Shoes: Dressy sandals, flip flops, water shoes and tennis shoes

 

Other Things To Pack:

Luggage tags?

zip ties for luggage (so sticky fingered baggage handlers cant unzip your bags)

zip locks with cash for each day

Sea bands for seasickness

Mini Lysol wipes (wipe down remotes and door handles etc)

Prescription eyeglasses

Headbands

business cards (to hand out when making connections with people!)

Hair ties

Vitamins

Sticky notes

Bobby pins

Air freshener for bathroom

Extension cord

Insulated drinking cup with lid/straw and or/coffee mug

Emergency bag: Band aids, pepto-bismol, tums, bonine, aspirin

Hand sanitizer

Face cleanser wipes

Room speaker with charger

duct tape (people always say you need it)

5hr energy (These things are like gold when you want to stay up after laying in the sun all day)

Earplugs

Sunscreen

Tanning lotion or oil

Aloe

Baby powder (for getting sand off your feet at the beach)

Makeup

backpack (comes in handy for excursions)

bag for dirty clothes

blowdryer

power strip, extension cord (usually not enough plugs to charge all your electronics)

hilighters (to hilight what you want to do each day)

regular tape and magnets (door cabins are magnetic)

watch

ziplock bags

bug spray-- sometimes needed at night if you're sitting up on the deck by a large light

cash

water bottle-ships water is reverse osmosis-SAVE money and dont buy their bottled water! We bought a 24 pack last time and barely made it through 10.

Door decorating stuff to help you find your cabin door, gel clings work great :)

 

makeup remover/facial cleanser

freshener/moisturizer

cotton balls/q-tips

toothbrush/toothpaste/mouthwash/floss

perfume/body & hand lotions

deodorant

shampoo/conditioner/gel/hair spray (non-aerosol)

brushes/combs

bobby pins/clips/bows/hair bands

hair dryer/curling iron/shower cap

caps/visors

Zip-Lock bags/garbage bags for wet stuff

contact lens supplies

nail file and buffer/nail clippers & scissors

tweezers

razor/shaving accessories

 

Carry On Bag

Mini sunscreen

Pen

Beads/leis for sail-away :)

Lanyards (you can get on ebay-perfect for holding your room key that you will need for everything)

Bathing Suit

Sunglasses

Glasses, contact case

Gum

Headphones

airplane neck pillow?

Phone charger

Change of clothes

Reading material?

Lotto tickets (to scratch off on plane!)

ID/cash/important documents

medications

 

HINTS:

*Room service is FREE from 5am until 12midnight

*You can load up to $300 cash onto each room key

TIP: "We always put our itinerary outside, as well as inside our luggage. To do this, I type up the itinerary, reduce it, and tuck it into the luggage tag, behind our identification. We always make sure our address and itinerary are taped to the inside as well. I have heard that many times lost luggage is forever lost because of no identification on the bag. Tags do come off."

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 year later...

I find " over the door hangers" invaluable , especially in the bathroom for your vanity bag etc.. And in the cabin for scarves and handbags etc.

Some fridge magnets to put on the walls to hold the newsletters and tickets from the ship.

I also found online ( Wish.com) these small plastic thingo"s that fit toothbrushes and paste and a second one for mascara, brushes and pencil lipsticks..

They just stick onto the tiled walls or glass with the little suction caps that ACTUALLY work.

This saves stuff piling up on the bathroom benches and at $2.00 , disposable.

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  • 1 month later...

Just back from a 5 night on Carnival Paradise. We hadn't cruised in over 10 years so this thread was invaluable.

Best things we brought: non-surge protector extension cords, over door shoe hangar for odds and ends.

Didn't bring but wish I had: lanyards. Paying $8 each onboard was overpriced but obviously not going to break the bank.

Didn't need: small fan for room. AC worked fine.

 

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread!

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  • 9 months later...
  • 6 years later...

Just came back from a cruise where a family group of about 20 people aged fro 3 to 80 wore tropical shirts with a pineapple motif. 

This caused great hilarity from fellow cruisers.

"What does wearing a pineapple shirt mean? As pineapple is a tropical fruit, pineapple-print shirts are popular to wear on cruises. However, you should know that the pineapple is a secret code for swingers. By wearing pineapple clothing you may attract the attention of couples looking for a swinger party." So be aware. 

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