Name some things you forgot to pack but wished you did?

No need to bring dish soap. The shower gel that's provided works just as well as dish soap. And, a clean dry wash cloth works well for drying out your cup(s).

Also usable to washing out quick dry underwear and socks.

More cash.

Loose shoes .On my last cruise my feet really swelled and putting on anything but the loosest shoes was painful.

A sun hat. I routinely forget to pack a hat and end up buying one somewhere along the way. I wear hats routinely at home, so they do get used.

I've used duct tape many times in my travels for everything from blister covers to last ditch luggage repairs.

I use shampoo for hand laundry and washing cups. I do, however, bring my own laundry soap because my skin is very sensitive.

Have seen and avoided many passengers who seem to have forgotten common sense and common courtesy!!

Go thru your magazines and tear out articles you haven't had time to read. Take a stack of those instead of the whole magazine.

Go to used book store or load up your kindle/nook. Ships don't have many books anymore

deck of cards

Aspirin,tylenol and an all purpose cold medicine

smallish lightweight (maybe mesh) backpacks- use for the beach or onshore rather than lug around a purse

hi-liter to mark up the "daily"

plastic storage bags, for wet bathing suits breakables etc

a few safety pins

nice water or thermos bottle- I even pour my "cocktails" into it so it stays nice and cold

The last time that I shaved off my beard was the evening that Richard Nixon was re-elected to the White House. Regrew it right after her family members voted on Thanksgiving that I really, really needed to have the beard!

Jim

 

Go to used book store or load up your kindle/nook. Ships don't have many books anymore

 

This is an excellent idea and what I do for all holidays..

Buy good quality Charity shop books, then leave them on ship/ in hotel so others may read them...as stated libraries on many ships are not well stocked these days.

 

Go to used book store or load up your kindle/nook. Ships don't have many books anymore

 

This is an excellent idea and what I do for all holidays..

Buy good quality Charity shop books, then leave them on ship/ in hotel so others may read them...as stated libraries on many ships are not well stocked these days.

 

Although I think this is kind, Google germs on magazines and books in public places (such as a Doctors waiting room or cruise ship). I never, ever touch one.

 

Although I think this is kind, Google germs on magazines and books in public places (such as a Doctors waiting room or cruise ship). I never, ever touch one.

 

 

If you think a used book is a germy danger, you will go crazy on a cruise ship I would think! Crowded elevators, people coughing, germy hands up and down railings, exotic ports, mass prepared food, etc.!

 

That said, we are cruising this summer and just signed up for a world cruise in 2020!

Perhaps it is a sign that he needs to grow a beard ?

Or pack for himself? I can't imagine packing for my husband. But, I know my dad and father-in-law probably never packed anything is their life.

I'm cold natured and I generally only wear shorts when I know it's going to be terribly hot and I'm going to be outside for an extended period of time. It never even occurred to me to bring shorts when we took our cruise to Mexico in January. It's January, right? How bad can it be? Big mistake.

A tiny bottle of dish soap to wash our Freestyle soda cups. And a tea towel to dry them with.

 

A Sharpie to mark which cup belonged to who!

just a little tidbit for you, I worked closely with a photographer once. did you know alcohol will wash the "permanent "sharpie writing away??

No, but I can tell you a few things I've packed "just in case" and never needed:

 

Pop up hamper

Over-the-door cosmetics bag

Duct tape

Magnets

Highlighter (to highlight activities I might miss :rolleyes:)

Hangers

 

...and many more

This is also my experience....not "what should I take", but "what should I leave at home."

Long ago I read a similar thread and started collecting all sorts of "important" items that I should never forget to take....such as listed above: duct tape, highlighters, cosmetic bag, etc. After a few cruises where I didn't use these things, I started to keep a list of them so I wouldn't take them again. This has cut way down on packing.

One thing, though, that I wished I had on a 2015 cruise was a flashlight! There was a fire on the ship at 5:30am and all the electricity went out for 12 hrs. We were awakened by the fire announcement from the Captain and our suite was pitch black! Pretty scary and wandering around in the dark didn't help. Now I take a little teeny, weeny flashlight and keep it on the nightstand.

just a little tidbit for you, I worked closely with a photographer once. did you know alcohol will wash the "permanent "sharpie writing away??

Sadly there is never any alcohol in my cup! I’ve also used dry-erase markers to remove Sharpie. Thanks to my awesome kid who used to draw on anything and everything.

Great call on the slippers and the extra cash, both things I wished I’d brought last time.

Or pack for himself? I can't imagine packing for my husband. But, I know my dad and father-in-law probably never packed anything is their life.

To each his own. I've been the one to pack for 52 years. For me, it is just easier. Yes, I forgot his shaver once. Not since.

I once forgot to pack underwear for hubby. Now I always double check!

Have seen and avoided many passengers who seem to have forgotten common sense and common courtesy!!

You are assuming they have it off the cruise.

More money.:D

To each his own. I've been the one to pack for 52 years. For me, it is just easier. Yes, I forgot his shaver once. Not since.

I'm with you, I'm the packer in our family. For short weekends away, DH packs his own, but for cruises, I pack for both of us and then I'm sure we haven't forgotten things like socks, etc. (yes, it happened the first time we cruised when he packed his own suitcase) Often DH will open the closet on a cruise and say "Oh, you packed this, thanks!" Yay for me. LOL

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

My wife forgot socks for one trip, so now she has souvenir socks from several ports.

I have used the pop up hamper. And I use one at home. :D

 

Never had to use the over the door bag, but also have always had a full suite.

 

Never used duct tape, but carry it, as it can come in handy.

 

Never used magnetis

 

Used the highlighter a couple of times, but then leave the Cruise Compass in the room and don't have it to look at. :D

 

I use hangers, but the ones provided. And if you need more, ask your room steward.

I actually use the over the door shoe hanger on my bathroom at home. It’s suoer handy and keeps the mess off my counter. Not sure it would be necessary on a cruise because I won’t have as much stuff

Or pack for himself? I can't imagine packing for my husband. But, I know my dad and father-in-law probably never packed anything is their life.

Sometimes I pack for him and then he also puts stuff in. I just do it while doing laundry. I don’t want him to do laundry unless it’s towles lol. Then he checks to see what is packed and what else he needs or wants. He does all his bathroom items.

"Go to used book store or load up your kindle/nook. Ships don't have many books anymore"

While I prefer to bring my iPad with books on my kindle app, I have yet to be on a cruise that didn't have at least a small library...

DH pulls the items he wants to be packed but since I went to packing cubes he lets me do the packing. That way it's HIS fault if he forgets to pull something. But we LOVE those cubes! (I'm the travel research nut...constantly researching packing tips, ways to find a good deal, etc., so it's fair. Hey, this guy does most of the laundry at our house...)

I make sure to bring a pair of binoculars. It's fun to see the ships off in the distance and other things at sea.

Jonathan