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

[Granny Smith]

Don't bring an iron. It's a safety hazard.

 

Do bring Post-Its.

Most important.... bring your tickets,documents,passports.

and be sure that your tickets, documents, passports are in your hand when you are embarking, as the kind porters take all your luggage to go direct to your cabin while you complete the embarkation procedure.

[cruisingsherry]

hangers (We bring extras because we are not light packers. )

Motion SIckness meds (Meclizine Hydrochloride???)

Travel Mug(s) for coffee or other beverage

Ask your steward for extra hangers, the will be glad to help you. Motion sickness pills are also free just ask! :)) I was told by a vet cruiser to take ginger pills for two weeks and while on the cruise.............never sea sick!

Good ideal on the travel mugs!

[cruisingsherry]

Bring sunscreen!!!! A journal to enjoy reading when we are too old to cruise! If with a large group walkie talkies are great.

[spacewoman]

What everyone said was great! Some absolutes for us to bring, is a VERY good box of chocolates and a couple battery operated candles for a glow in the room at night and my Ipod and the little portable speakers...Nice for a little romance...We eat our chocolates, have a drink and...well, ya know... whatever happens next is up to you...;)

 

 

and as second poster said don't forget BIRTH CONTROL:D

[spacewoman]

Definitely a must for first aid items!!!! My SIL took a bad spill in Bermuda (she actually fractured her foot). I hit the gift shop for neosporin and bandaids --whew!!! but she needed for some nasty cuts.

 

I had wicked heartburn and some acid reflux last cruise and I was lucky my SIL was carrying some pepcid otherwise that would have been costly. Would recommend carrying rolaids or tums for mild heartburn relief.

 

As one other poster said if you buy too much you wind up buying something to carry your stuff. We usually use one large suitcase for me and hubby and last year I put a smaller suitcase inside of it. That way I had one completely empty suitcase to bring home anything we bought. This year the second suitcase is going to carry some soda for all of us and it will serve as a spare for bringing home stuff again.

 

Any my goodness cannot stress enough ---sunscreen

you would not believe how many fair skinned whiter than white people sit out around the pools the first day and that night they look like the lobster special.

[antmilant]

Don't forget THE PASSPORTS. I almost did.

[MissRabbit]

Don't forget THE PASSPORTS. I almost did.

Yikes~ :eek:

 

I see you're about to leave on a cruise. Bon VOyage :)

[Gutenberg]

Calling cards. We purchased 250 business/calling cards with our basic information - names, address, email, phone # to give to those people we want to stay in touch with after the cruise. (Vistaprint.com has a great selection). As a result we have wonderful friends all over the country. Before a cruise I also put our room number on about 10 of them to give to people so that can contact us in our room during the cruise as well. Calling cards save so much time looking for paper and pen and then writing out the basic info. The backs of the cards can also be used for people to write their information on as well to give to us.

[Gutenberg]

Currency conversion charts. A cruise can take you to 4-6 different countries within a week or two time period and understanding the money and how to convert it in each country can be mind-boggling. My favorite site is http://www.gocurrency.com to create a handy pocket-sized converter chart to tuck in my pocket before we go ashore. Buy souvenirs with confidence knowing the value of such an item in your own currency. I put US dollars/to the new country on one side and the new country/to US dollars on the other and then laminate it, which would not be necessary. These charts were so handy on our South American cruise and so many people were borrowing ours in helping them to make purchases.

[mikeybee]

Birth control.

 

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

 

lmao !!!

[spacewoman]

Birth control.

 

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

 

 

Gee did you get those souvenirs on one of the fun ships????:D:D

[spacewoman]

Gee did you get those souvenirs on one of the fun ships????:D:D

 

 

and by the way my nose still hurts from the coffee coming out of it when I first read about those souvenirs

Edited August 8, 2010 by spacewoman

[handwcruisers]

I agree with the don't bring an iron on some cruiselines, Royal Caribbean for sure, it is a big no no. Considered a safety hazard and if you do try to bring one you may find a note to come open your luggage and remove and they take the iron. They don't look highly on it. Same with candles-fire hazard.

[Zimomiller]

Gee did you get those souvenirs on one of the fun ships????:D:D

 

From our perspective, all ships are fun ships.

 

But to be specific, our first souvenir was a stowaway from the NCL Seaward.

 

The twins were surprise souvenirs from a cruise on the Majesty of the Seas. (her third cruise after launch)

 

Note: We did not sail Royal Caribbean again for many many years for obvious reasons.....

[DonnaMarieNJ]

HAHAHAHA!

 

Too funny!:D

[CRZCRAZY]

A tip on the credit cards - When we travel I carry one, such as the Visa, and my wife carries a different one like a MC. That way if her purse or my wallet is "missing" the other one's credit card is still good. If you both carry a card on the same account and one looses it, the other person's card is no longer any good when you call it into the credit card company.

For our trip to Spain next year, we'll have an ATM card linked to an account with the bare minimum in it. An ATM card linked to one of your major bank accounts can get very expensive if it is hacked.

 

On Carnival they have irons in the laundry room for those quick touchups.

[BarbRN]

We do the same on the two separate credit cards but go one further and call those companies if you are going out of the country. They make a notation on the account to expect overseas spending and won't put a hold on charges when you get there. I add this step to my packing list along with stopping newspapers and mail delivery.

[loves celebrity]

Small travel-size steam iron. I didn't think to bring one on my first cruise. I thought there would be one in the cabin (like a hotel room). No iron, had to send things to be pressed, very pricey. Now, I always pack it. Our friends went with us after Thanksgiving and borrowed it. They didn't think to pack one either.

 

Have fun!

I thought irons are a no no on a cruise fire hazzard!

[kimala]

Doe's Norwegian CL not already add gratuity to your bill?

.

 

 

...This year will be my 14th cruise...In my experience it is a good idea to bring along some $1.00 bills. Although the cruise line does auto charge the bulk of your tips, some other areas you will need to tip are:

1) excursion operators

2) taxis on the islands and to and from port

3) the porter who takes your bags ( last I sailled it was customary to give $1.00/ea bag)

4) Room service (pre & post hotel stay as well as on the ship if used)

5) Small bills are better bargaining chips when haggling price for homemade crafts for take home gifts on the islands. It's difficult to pull out a $20.00 and say "can u take $3.00 for this?"

I'm sure there are others Ive forgotten, but maybe thats another thread...LOL

[TITISSA]

Birth control.

 

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

 

Oh, I love it :D!

[Gairy Fodmother]

Am I the only one who brings their old nightclothes and underwear and old towels and toothbrush and then just bin them? I said old not minging. I find it leaves room for goodies to bring back :D

 

No one is going to see your old towels and old toothbrush, I understand the excitement of buying all new and I still do that, but I leave them at home.

Edited August 10, 2010 by Gairy Fodmother

[Gairy Fodmother]

Either no one is going to own up to doing the same or I have completely horrified you all.:eek:

[Mooder]

Either no one is going to own up to doing the same or I have completely horrified you all.:eek:

 

I've heard of it before and think it's a great idea, but I've yet to do it. Maybe next cruise since the souvenirs do make it harder to pack for the return home. Except I've never packed a towel! Why do you pack towels?

Edited August 10, 2010 by Mooder

[Gairy Fodmother]

I've heard of it before and think it's a great idea, but I've yet to do it. Maybe next cruise since the souvenirs do make it harder to pack for the return home. Except I've never packed a towel! Why do you pack towels?

 

Oh my lord, shoot me now. I pack towels to chair hog. But in my defense I DO use the chairs.

[Mooder]

Oh my lord, shoot me now. I pack towels to chair hog. But in my defense I DO use the chairs.

 

lol Then I don't believe you met the definition of chair hog. I would say we would have to know the saving to sitting time ratio to be sure though. :rolleyes: