TOP 10 THINGS newbies forget to bring on their 1st Cruise...

[sunshine252]

HUH?????

 

Why, because I'm property?

 

No. Because if you changed your name your new name no longer matches your birth certificate & the TSA wants to verify why.

[Cookson]

HUH?????

 

Why, because I'm property?

 

No, because you need to have a document with a seal that documents your last name change. Your birth certificate doesn't have your new last name on it, so you have to bring the marriage license, which documents the name change.

[MermaidMomma]

Birth control.

 

We have 3 cruise souvenirs at our house ages 19, 17 an 17

 

Best advice on CC EVER!! LOL

[evgal/nj]

depending were your going & how pron you are to catching things, having your md give you rx's for ie upper resp tx infection, zofran for vomiting,

uti tx, ect. i haven't had to use them ,knock on wood!!! lol & bring over the counter cold med's

last yr both dh & i came down with a cold & i didn't bring enough nyquil/dayquil, we had a hard time trying to get the appro. med in corfu.

[Marian Paroo]

Keeping one's original birth name would work, too.

[Ang16430]

A lot of people that are married don't realize that you have to bring the marriage license for the wife, if you're not using a passport for those certain cruises you don't need a passport for!

 

 

Wouldn't it not matter if your name has already changed, on drivers license, passport and SS card? i mean you've legally changed your name.....

[wandrr]

First you take the (huge) composite list from 23 pages of these recommendations, then you pack everything as tightly as possible into as many suitcases as it takes. Next, carry all of them around the block. After that, take out about two-thirds of the stuff, maybe more. What is left is the essential stuff.

 

I have not seen mention of a computer (laptop or tablet or netbook or even smartphone) with all of the paper documents recommended here stored electronically. Saves lots of weight as well as trees. In addition, you can always take pictures of the various documents like the daily schedules or whatever and carry them home weightlessly. Also eliminates the need for extra camera memory cards.

 

One other item (hardly essential) is a GPS receiver. Nice to track where you are out on the empty ocean, as well as being able to find your way back to the ship if you are knocked overboard. ;) Oh, sorry, I mean find your way back from a shore excursion.

[Ang16430]

duct tape (you just never know)

night light (if an inside cabin)

if briniging an alarm clock...it should be battery operated

spare set of eyeglasses if you wear them

 

 

why battery operated??

[Cruisergal1208]

why battery operated??

 

Not always enough electric outlets. We use our Smartphones for alarms. Just be sure to put them in Airplane mode.

[drumexpert510]

Birth contol

Camera

Sunglasses

Air freshener

Ibuprophen

Tide to go

Cash

Phone card

Aloe

Mixers ;)

[cooki801]

 

I have not seen mention of a computer (laptop or tablet or netbook or even smartphone) with all of the paper documents recommended here stored electronically. Saves lots of weight as well as trees. In addition, you can always take pictures of the various documents like the daily schedules or whatever and carry them home weightlessly. Also eliminates the need for extra camera memory cards.

 

:DThis is a great suggestion for people who scrapbook. I have a big envelope full of memorabilia from our last cruise and the book is finished and didn't have room to put them in!

My DH loved taking his GPS up on the top deck and finding our position too.

[jame_g]

1. Common Sense

2. Courtesy

3. Responsibility

4. Planning/Research

5. Kindness

6. Positive Attitude

7. Packing Light

8. Honesty

9. Friendliness

10. Patience

 

This goes for a lot of repeat cruisers too.

 

And I reiterate... Ignore 99% of the things people have told you to bring or you would need several steamer trunks. Instead decide how many suitcases and carry-ons you really want to bring and and can easily carry. Then put everything out that you want to pack. Next put at least half of it back. And remember that you still won't use a lot of what you have left. See if what you have left can easily fit and is comfortable to carry. If not, start over.

 

Most important, just enjoy your cruise and ignore all the little things.

[ladybugpug]

That was the best comment I have ever read!

 

I agree!!:)

[kcdancerkc]

we usually book excursions through recommendations on here or tripadvisor, so we keep that and our passport copies and such in an email that can be accessed incase we need to prove we paid! OR in case something goes really wrong and we need to prove identity!

 

I found sunscreen that is in the form of a stick - like a clear deoderant - no more spraying or rubbing !

 

I prefer to bring my longer personal beach towel -- sometimes towels don't get dried or replaced in time

 

pack snacks -- cruise ships we've been on have so little to chose from - so when we are flying or waiting in expensive airports - I can just pull something simple out.

 

britta has personal filtered water bottles - if you are ever on any vacation and are worried about the water -

 

high-humidity hairspray !

 

 

 

Bring loose comforable shoes in case your ankles swell - happens to mannnnny !

[PhotoGal07]

My thought on packing, we don't pack everything we might possibly need, but things that will make life survivable until we can conveniently stop and grab more. Example, I don't pack a sewing kit, but i do bring some safety pins.

 

We have a small makeup bag that we use as a trave first aid kit with it has:

 

Band aids

Neosporin

Aloe for sunburns

Peptobismal (works for pretty much every stomach ailment)

Zantac

Tylenol

NyQuil

Tampons (1 days worth, gives you plenty of time to get somewhere that sells them without ruining your day)

Cough Drops

Cuticle Scissors

Tweezers

Cortisone

Children's Tylenol

Children's Cold Medicine

Pedialyte Powder

Moleskin

Eyeglass Repair Kit

Burn Cream

Safety Pins

$100 emergency cash

 

*if you buy travel sized versions of all the meds they really don't take up that much space, and I don't pack more than a day or two worth of supply for each medication.

 

Then we have a slightly bigger hanging bag that we keep the following in:

 

Playing cards

Ponchos

Bug Spray

Sun Tan Lotion

Power Strip

Small Flashlight

Extra phone charger

Thank you notes

Pen

Baby Powder (excellent for getting off caked on sand)

Bubbles for blowing (great to occupy kids)

Packet of Tissues

Pop-up Hamper

Couple Gallon size and small ziplock bags

Chapstick

Travel Alarm Clock

Travel Cork Screw

Crayons (it's usually pretty easy to find paper wherever you are)

Couple granola bars

 

 

If there's anything else we desperately need, well that's what the emergency cash is for.

 

We just keep these bags packed up and ready to go. Whenever we use something it gets replaced when we get home. That way we never worry about it when packing to leave on vacation. Just toss the bags in the suitcase, add clothes and voila.

 

We keep copies of all our emergency numbers, tickets and documentation, and credit card info (I put the whole credit card number in, but all digits off by one, in case the email account is ever hacked) the actual expiration date and security code and number to call to cancel in case the card is stolen) in our email, so if they are lost all you have to do is log in. No need to pack them.

[JenAir]

Here's a new item! A kindle with a zip lock bag (for my next cruise . . . Less than two days from now! I splurged on a fancy heavy duty zip lock type case from REI). Not the kindle fire or any other tablet with a back lit screen-you want one with E-ink that you can read in direct sunlight. I bought guidebooks last summer for my Mediterranean cruise on the epic last summer. I also had my pleasure reading on there as well!

 

I checked out ten books from my Town's library on my kindle before I left-for free! if those were hard copies I would have needed an extra suitcase!

 

Also, you can buy books for the regular price and have them delivered over 3g for free when you are overseas! That's how I got a dance with dragons for my transatlantic flight home!

 

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk 2

[MCAT48]

Benadryl.

Needed some on our cruise to bermuda last year and while in port the gift shop is not open - neither is any other store in the dockyard at night!!! will def. be in our suitecase this time around!

[LaPrincesa]

That was the best comment I have ever read!

 

Birth control.

 

We have 3 cruise souvenirs at our house ages 19, 17 an 17

 

 

I laughed so hard, I fell out of my chair!

[Sheils65]

I glanced through some posts and did not see one of my absolute necessities, LYSOL DISINFECTING WIPES. We disinfect everything from door knobs, phone, complete bathroom, light switches, etc. That is the first thing I do when arriving in room, when done, let the festivities begin!!! LOL. :D

Edited May 5, 2012 by Sheils65

[clo6216]

Birth control.

 

We have 3 cruise souvenirs at our house ages 19, 17 an 17

 

 

Thanks for the chuckle.

[dongordon]

duct tape (you just never know)

night light (if an inside cabin)

if briniging an alarm clock...it should be battery operated

spare set of eyeglasses if you wear them

 

I always bring duct tape, but never had any use for it.

I can't even remember what the uses were for it (senior moment!)? :)

 

What is it for?

Edited May 7, 2012 by dongordon

[Lighthouse Nut]

I always brought duct tape too... it came in handy when the handle of my main suitcase broke... also when on a different trip, a cloth suitcase got a bad tear in the side, and the duct tape was great at repairing it. Other than that, many times it just took up room in the luggage.

 

Things I always bring on a cruise:

 

-MAGNETIC CLIPS, so I can stick them on the cabin walls and use them to hold necklaces, receipts, itineraries, tickets, notes, Daily schedules, etc.

-A couple extra plastic hangers (the cabins never have enough)-- I sometimes hand wash an item or two during the cruise, and the hangers are great for hanging item to dry in the shower

-Tummy medicine: If you get a case of "Montezuma's revenge" you do NOT want to report it to the ship... treat it yourself with Pepto (if you report it, they will quarantine you, and you won't be able to leave the ship when you dock in port)

-A small notebook for my purse, to make notes about what we saw, where it was, interesting factoids of the sights, foods we tried, names of restaurants, etc.

-Extra memory cards for my camera-- I only take one memory card out to a port and leave 1 or 2 in the cabin... if we camera is stolen, I won't then lose ALL my vacation photos.....

-Small flashlight (in case the ship has a power outage)

 

I love to cruise.. wish I was going on one soon! :cool:

[WinSoms]

1. Bring a multi-plug outlet as there are limited number of outlets in a cabin. With all this new technology, you'll need it for the curling iron, laptop, cellphone, camera/video recorder, ipod, etc.

 

2. If you have a balcony room, you may want to consider bringing a bungee cord to keep the door cracked for fresh air.

 

3. Air freshener - Those are some tight quarters:D with the bathroom being two steps from the sitting area. Yikes. Do everyone a favor and bring air freshener. Those car fresheners work like magic. They are light weight and powerful in cramped corners. And a 3 pack is only about $3.00 max.

 

4. If you plan to snorkel, a one piece bathing suit is a bit better than a two piece because you have to wear the life-vest and jump in the water, then climb back on board the small boat. So, to prevent a wardrobe malfunction, the one piece is the way to go.

 

5. Seabands, Ginger tablets, Dramamine, Sun hats, visors, pepto bismo tablets, your own soda and water, sunscreen, and if you're cold natured a sleeping bag or electric blanket (check to see if its allowed) for a comfortable nights sleep.

 

Thats all I can think of for now.

Edited May 9, 2012 by WinSoms
forgot to add something

[WinSoms]

Oh yeah, don't forget to pack all of your clothes in a plastic bag. Just in case the airline drops it on the wet ground, your belongings will be protected. Contractor bags are the best.

[clo6216]

I like to bring a couple of battery-operated tea lights to use instead of a night light.