What do you wish you'd packed?

We're leaving Saturday for the Celebrity Summit cruise from Seward to Vancouver, and are thinking about what to pack. I wondered if any of you who have done an Alaska cruise, particularly this time of year, could offer advice as to what to bring. Everytime I go someplace for the first time there's something I wished I had brought with me (binoculars, more warm clothes, more lightweight clothes or whatever).

 

So if any case, if anyone had an example of something they wish they had taken along, or were glad they did bring, the advice would be much appreciated.

Hoping to get some items that I never thought of, I am planning on Starting to pack for my trip after next weekend which is going to be hectic so hopefully can compile a list from suggestions here!!:D :D

Packing list

 

Passport and personal identification

Imgration form

Gloves, the home depot brown work gloves would be fine

Sunglasses

dress shoes

sneakers

boots for the glacier landing

camera with film and batteries

Video camera,

cell phones work in AK can be used as alarm clock

Power cord limited out let on board one per cabin

Binoculars, technically each person should have one, I'm bringing two

warm hat for the fishing trip and arora borealis viewing in late evening.

fishing rod if can figure out how to pack it

reading material for the long flight,

poker cards

zip lock bags for any items that might get wet

Sunscreen

Bug spray something witrh deet

small flash light

bungee cord

small umbrella

duct tape

spare eyeglasses

A few blank checks

Medications and dosing information

Address list of folks you want to send postcards or gifts to

Land maps of the ports

 

formal night dining jacket or dress

two dress shirts

two dress slacks, get khakis and use other occasions

rain jacket with hood

sweater or fleece

blue jeans

casual pants

underwear for at least seven nights, laundry services on ship

I pair of shorts

exra socks

warm jacket,

Flannel shirt

swim suite for the pool and jacuzzi

personal hygiene items, tooth brush razor blade, tampons

thanks for the list ZSO. i found that very helpful. :)

I also take a small journal to write in each evening, a ball point pen and blank Thank You notes to write for personnel who have been especially helpful; these notes really DO help them in their "moving up the ladder" on a ship. I write during the cruise and on the last evening I write others and include extra TIP $; they can keep it IF you have not removed your name from the $10. a day "Service Charge."

I also take an empty water bottle in my checked on luggage.........I can fill it on the ship (in the Lido) and it leaves a bit of room for something I've bought on the trip.

I also take my door decorations and some tacky stuff to keep them up.

and, last............lots of zip-lock bags............

Having just got off Radiance yesterday, and the weather was fairly cold, windy and rainy, I would lean toward packing fewer shorts and short-sleeves, and substituting more long-sleeves and warmer stuff. I'd be asking however about the many things I wish I HADN'T packed...

I wish I had taken along a tripod to set up for my camcorder on our balcony. There is no way to hand-hold a video camera and zoom in without getting camera shake. I also wish I had brought full-size, insta-focus binoculars with a tripod mount for the same reason. I like zoom binoculars, but unless you put them on a tripod, the zoom is worthless because you just can't hold them steady.

I wish I had taken along a tripod to set up for my camcorder on our balcony. There is no way to hand-hold a video camera and zoom in without getting camera shake. I also wish I had brought full-size, insta-focus binoculars with a tripod mount for the same reason. I like zoom binoculars, but unless you put them on a tripod, the zoom is worthless because you just can't hold them steady.

I agree that image shake is a huge problem with video equipment and binoculars when viewing wildlife at maximum magnification. Few people realize that it is nearly impossible to hold the equipment without shaking while often observing from a moving ship too. Personally I'm going to invest the $1000 to $1500 for image stabilized binoculars the next time, but I suspect most people will balk at that expense so a tripod is a very good alternative.

If you do a search on this forum for Packing List or something similar I think you will find a really helpful post. It was not just a packing list but info on many ports as well. I must say though, that I would also not bring as many things as I did (extra hangers were senseless since our room had so many hangers to begin with, for example). Post It notes were really helpful though to leave notes for the others in our room where we were going and when we were going to be back.

I am a habitual overpacker. We are leaving Wednesday for southbound and I have been checking the weather - it will probably be pretty cool the whole trip. DH and I have 4 full suitcases - by the time you pack dress clothes, dress shoes, tennis shoes, hiking shoes, jeans, and tops to layer it doesn't leave much room for a lot of extras. How do people do it????:)

Personally, I would suggest against a tripod if you are using high magnification/focal length lenses. The motion and the vibration of the boat will be just as annoying as the hand held shakes you experience when hand holding.

 

A monopod placed on the top of your shoe, to dampen out the vibrations from the ship, works well to minimize hand shake and reduce the fatigue of holding the equipment for long periods of time. You still have to actively compinsate for ship motion though.

 

Optical stabilization does work wonders and imo, it is worth it if you plan to hand hold long lenses/high powered binoculars. Assuming it is in your budget. However, OS/VR/IS will not compinsate for the large displacement type movements of a rolling ship.

 

 

As for things not to forget, a small plug in alarm clock so you can see what time it is when you wake up in the middle of the night.

 

-Suntan

Just got back from two weeks in Alaska in July. We were lucky to have beautiful weather most of the time however, I had way over packed!!!!. All you need are jeans, long sleeve and short sleeve shirts, fleece jacket and rain proof jacket. I was so glad I had taken a nice warm hat, a knit scarf and gloves. They were used for both glacier days. I also took a insulated coffee cup (big) so I could fill with a lot of coffee or tea and take on the deck. I thought we would get more dressed up each evening for dinner, but we didn't. So I had nicer clothes for each night. I only needed the clothes for formal nights. Each room had a blow dryer, so if you don't mind using the one provided, don't bother taking your own. We were also packing for the land tour part of our trip and I just took too much. But I thought I needed it all:) Have fun.....I wish I was going again. BTW, take lots of memory sticks and take a lot of pictures.

So if any case, if anyone had an example of something they wish they had taken along, or were glad they did bring, the advice would be much appreciated.

 

Even though I warned him the weather could be terrible, my SKINNY-always-cold hubby didn't bring his winter jacket. I was fine with my sweatshirt with a hood and waterproof rain/windbreaker. HE was not. (It was cold and rainy in every port.) We had to buy him a heavier coat! And, even though I reminded him, he didn't bring a knit cap (he's bald) or knit gloves. We had to buy those, too. So if you're thin-blooded like he is, I'd go prepared to be cold. That will assure you'll have absolutely wonderful weather and won't need the stuff! :D

 

Robin

There were a couple of things that we had planned to bring but forgot. The most notable was the downloaded TV shows we purchased for the ipod which we forgot to load to the ipod! My daughter was quite distraught over not getting to watch "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody" on the firve hour flight. Oh well the new episodes of "Southpark" and the kiddie shows were waiting for us on our computer when we got home.

 

As far as what did I wish I had brought but didn't... one thing that comes to mind is a second bathing suit. We went to the spa every day to use the thermal suite and my bathing suit never dried from one day to the next.

When we went to Alaska years ago I packed a fleece jacket but forgot a knit hat and gloves. We stood outside on deck for hours going thru Misty Fjords ... it definitely got cold there.

Question; and pardon my ignorance on this .. but with the news lately.. what CAN you pack??

We won't be leaving on an airplane till Dec so I am hoping things on the homefront will be better... but for now.. I keep hearing conflicting info regarding what can or not be in the carry on? If you can actually carry something on? and what or not can go in the suitcase.:confused:

I love my own shampoo, my own soap.. my own mouthwash. And I don't have the finances to buy new every place I go. I economize constantly so I MAY cruise. I am one of those people who buy the plastic bottles at CVS and fill with shampoo from my large economy size bottles. etc.;)

I hope I don't get flamed for this or removed, but I really don't know what the new "limits" are in packing to travel via plane.

Thank you to all of those who respond in kindness and understanding!:D

blue

I always bring a stack of $1 bills for those extra little tips. Always have them handy. Also, an over the door shoe holder for all the incidental items you use on a daily basis. Really helps with the small bathrooms. Purchased this at the Dollar Store.

Question; and pardon my ignorance on this .. but with the news lately.. what CAN you pack??

 

We won't be leaving on an airplane till Dec so I am hoping things on the homefront will be better... but for now.. I keep hearing conflicting info regarding what can or not be in the carry on? If you can actually carry something on? and what or not can go in the suitcase.:confused:

 

I love my own shampoo, my own soap.. my own mouthwash. And I don't have the finances to buy new every place I go. I economize constantly so I MAY cruise. I am one of those people who buy the plastic bottles at CVS and fill with shampoo from my large economy size bottles. etc.;)

 

I hope I don't get flamed for this or removed, but I really don't know what the new "limits" are in packing to travel via plane.

Thank you to all of those who respond in kindness and understanding!:D

blue

i believe for a domestic flight you can take your own poo, toothpaste, liquids/gels, etc.... it just needs to go into your checked luggage. :) a very valid question btw. i'm like you, i use the travel bottles as well for my shampoo, conditioner, etc and prefer my usual toiletries. i fly out next wednesday so have been *trying* to keep up with the latest info.

Tonight we just met a family of 4 adults, 2 teenagers and 1 young child from New Jersey. For their 12 day Alaska vacation, they had a total of just 7 carry-on size bags! All 7 passengers and their luggage easily fit inside their rented Dodge Durango WITHOUT anyone sitting stuff in their laps or under their legs! Now THAT'S packing light and I think most people should be able to do the same! :D

One thing I'd add to the packing list is a powerful air freshener. Our bathroom on the Summit had a very strong musty odor. Even one of those "air neutralizer" cones didn't hide it. Also flip flops / shower shoes if you intend to swim. Best extra thing we packed was a second camera. The difference in our pictures was enough to make looking at the photos later more interesting, and we ended up with more photos of each other. Usually I take all the pictures, and appear in none.

 

You should be OK putting shampoo, etc. in smaller bottles in checked baggage. Just be sure any prescription drugs you carry on are in the original package with your name on the label, and pack the over-the-counter stuff. Glad we went in June, when I could carry bottles of water!

We're leaving Saturday for the Celebrity Summit cruise from Seward to Vancouver, and are thinking about what to pack. I wondered if any of you who have done an Alaska cruise, particularly this time of year, could offer advice as to what to bring. Everytime I go someplace for the first time there's something I wished I had brought with me (binoculars, more warm clothes, more lightweight clothes or whatever).

 

So if any case, if anyone had an example of something they wish they had taken along, or were glad they did bring, the advice would be much appreciated.

 

I wish I had packed one pair of shorts. The day we left Vancouver (July 1st on the Sapphire Princess) it was very warm outside on the ship and I got hot in my jeans.

 

I suggest that you not pack too many jackets, sweatshirts, sweaters etc. The clothes on the ship were surprisingly reasonably priced and the prices in the ports were even better.

If you are transferring any liquid items into smaller bottles to pack in check-in luggage, be sure to pack them in plastic zip log bags. Nothing worse than gooey shampoo or messy cough syrup all over your clothes.

Question; and pardon my ignorance on this .. but with the news lately.. what CAN you pack??

 

We won't be leaving on an airplane till Dec so I am hoping things on the homefront will be better... but for now.. I keep hearing conflicting info regarding what can or not be in the carry on? If you can actually carry something on? and what or not can go in the suitcase.:confused:

 

I love my own shampoo, my own soap.. my own mouthwash. And I don't have the finances to buy new every place I go. I economize constantly so I MAY cruise. I am one of those people who buy the plastic bottles at CVS and fill with shampoo from my large economy size bottles. etc.;)

 

I hope I don't get flamed for this or removed, but I really don't know what the new "limits" are in packing to travel via plane.

Thank you to all of those who respond in kindness and understanding!:D

blue

 

A lot of the choices will be determined by where you are travel from/to. People traveling in Europe are heavily restricted right now, whereas in the US we are restricted but can still take carryon with us. I have found that the tsa website is the best to use for the details of what is OK, what is not: http://www.tsa.gov/ they are the ones that make the rules, so when in doubt check with them.

 

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/new-items.shtm#1

Prohibited Items (this pertains to carryon luggage)

 

 

Makeup and Personal Items

Food and Drinks

Other Items

We flew home from Anchorage on Monday AM checking everything except our breakable gifts which my husband attempted to carry on. This included 3 small (4oz) jars of crowberry jam. He was "busted" by security! They are considered jell products. Fortunately we had time to go back and stow them in our checked bags and we had a good laugh and another story to tell about our great trip to Alaska.

I wish I had packed......................LESS!! :eek:

 

But what I can tell you is what I am glad I packed.

 

BONINE!!!!!!!

Rain Hat

Rain Jacket

Fleece pullover

Fleece Jacket

Fleece Gloves

Flip Flop and Slippers

Extension cord (We took 2 and used both!)

Travel Mugs

Small pair of Sissors (We actually used those all the time!)

Travel Umbrella

Travel Clock

A Few Ziplock bags

Dog Treats for the Sled Dogs......Their Owner was so appreciative that I brought his dogs treats! (As a courtesy, ask permission first)

Hand Sanitizer

A Large Tote bag....I used this constantly in port for carrying stuff, (DH carried the backpack)

A large Canvas Duffle bag for packing all those t-shirts, sweatshirts and souveniers to bring home

Diet DP & Bottled Water

My own Blow Dryer (The cabin one was permanently mounted in a drawer in the poorly lit vanity area)

Of course, our cameras, binocs, laptop, cell phones and all the chargers

 

 

Don't forget to roll up socks and undies and pack them in shoes.

 

Here are some of the souveniers I was really glad we bought:

 

Alaska Wildflower seeds

Alaska Blueberry muffin mix in a really pretty burlap sack

Local Newspapers from each port

Polar Bear Smooches (I bought 5 boxes of those and everyone has loved them!)

T-shirts from Coastal Helicopter

 

Good luck and have a wonderful trip! :p