Little Known Cruise Essentials

[Ohio-C-Luver]

Love the flashlight idea, will have to bring one for my cruise next week.

 

You can always get extension cords at the dollar store so you aren't spending a lotyou can also get a travel mug for them. Makes it easier to do your coffee/tea in the morning (the ships mugs are always too small for this tea drinker) and great way to carry your beverage of choice. Also nice is a lanyard of some time to attach their sign and sail card to. My cousin gave me a gift bag at xmas with the lanyard, chapstick, sunblock and a small battery operated candle for our balcony.

We always pack an extention cord, but have found packing one of those multible plugs by the vanity is very handy. A multible plue allows for a curling iron, and maybe a room freshner to be used at the same time along with plugging in the chargers at night. You can plug multible things with those 3 to 6 outlet plugs and it's easier to pack if you're worried about weight. Don't forget the Duck tape or a small pad of sticky notes to post requests for the room steward.:)

 

Jan

[Ohio-C-Luver]

Thanks, but I DON'T want an alarm clock, I just want a clock that I can see in the middle of the night. I have one that is about 1 inch by 1 inch...works wonderfully...the IPAD would barely even fit on that tiny nightstand!!:eek::D

We love our projection clock, it projects the time on the ceiling so you can just quickly look for reference in the night!

[BridgeMates]

We always pack an extention cord, but have found packing one of those multible plugs by the vanity is very handy. A multible plue allows for a curling iron, and maybe a room freshner to be used at the same time along with plugging in the chargers at night. You can plug multible things with those 3 to 6 outlet plugs and it's easier to pack if you're worried about weight. Don't forget the Duck tape or a small pad of sticky notes to post requests for the room steward.:)

 

Jan

 

New to Celebrity. I read on this board where extension cords and power plugs aren't allowed as well as coffee pot, fan (which really concerns me) and other electronic items.

What's the real scoop here? Do I need to be concerned as you definitely have what I need on your packing list?

 

Hope everyone will let me know their experience with these items.

Thanks so much.

[Wineart]

Since we always have a bottle of champagne in the cabin from our TA and DH doesn't drink, I never cruise without a champagne stopper!

[ginny123]

Bridgemates - We never travel without a small fan, especially in the Caribbean. Target, or any place that carries camping equipment, usually has a portable fan which runs on batteries. We have one about 8 x 10" and it takes two D batteries, the other is 11 x 14 and uses four D batteries. The batteries will last about a week if you only use it at night and don't forget to turn it off during the day.

[CruisinNana]

I take an 8 inch extension cord that is perfect for the makeup table without the length of wire that is so messy on the 6' or 8' ones. I got it at Radio Shack.

[shoelover536]

Highlighter to highlight the things in the Celebrity today that you want to do.

 

Pens.

 

Business cards or notepaper to exchange info with the great people you meet.

 

Ponchos.

 

Rolling carryon suit case (for the last night when you have to leave your luggage outside the room)

 

Hot sauce (that one is for me since I love things spicy and always ask for hot sauce. The selection on board was lacking, lol).

 

Plastic forks and knives (in case you forget utensils when bringing stuff back to the room for a snack. We got sushi one evening to have while we dress for dinner. My DH also got some sort of pudding thing and forgot a spoon. He had to eat it with chopsticks, lol).

[ghstudio]

Hot sauce (that one is for me since I love things spicy and always ask for hot sauce. The selection on board was lacking, lol).

 

If you are cruising the caribbean or mexico, one of the best buys is hot sauces....and you can bring them onboard. Buy an "extra" and use it on the boat :)

[shoelover536]

If you are cruising the caribbean or mexico, one of the best buys is hot sauces....and you can bring them onboard. Buy an "extra" and use it on the boat :)

 

 

Love it. I bought some, but foolishly "saved" it for home. Next time I get 2. :)

[Ken Hoover]

we always take an extension cord.

[geospyder]

A set of four clothespins with heavy fishing weights attached to them. We clip them to the bottom of the shower curtain to keep it from getting up close and personal with us when showering.

[pxy cda]

Heres my list

 

postit notes - handy for leaving notes for cabin steward

highlighter pen - to note activities in the daily schedule

travel sized zero or woolite for rinsing out bathing suits

small emergency kit (bandaids, polysporin etc)

water wallet

lanyard/small evening purse for seapass card/lipstick or balm

 

I also take a small bottle of bubbles to blow on sail away. We entertained someones kids for close to an hour leaving from balitimore - they had a blast chasing them - then we gave them what was left - would have thought we gave them iphones the grins on their faces.

 

I put all my travel documents in one of those clear plastic binder sleeves - keeps it all together and you can see everything easily.

[BridgeMates]

Bridgemates - We never travel without a small fan, especially in the Caribbean. Target, or any place that carries camping equipment, usually has a portable fan which runs on batteries. We have one about 8 x 10" and it takes two D batteries, the other is 11 x 14 and uses four D batteries. The batteries will last about a week if you only use it at night and don't forget to turn it off during the day.

 

Thanks Ginny. I always take my fan on Princess, no problem. The motor is about the size of a softball with nylon cloth blades but because it's electric I guess I can't take it on my Celebrity cruise, right? :(:(:(

I will take a look at the ones you suggest. Just hate to have to buy one for this trip.

 

Some say ok on the extension cord, others - it's a no, no. I'm still not sure.

[Lois R]

I am the minimal category. Everytime I read about the other things

people bring I know I am in the minority. There are quite a few items

mentioned in more than 1 post....the tape, clothes pins, extension cord,

power strip.....I have never sailed with any of these items. I don't

bring highligters, flashlights, or pictures of anyone or anything.....I have

no pets. Alarm clocks, (the phone in the cabin works as a wakeup call).

 

I travel solo and bring what are necessities for me...clothing, shoes

(maximum of 6 pairs), toiletries, jewelery and my travel documents.

I don't have business cards and if I meet folks and we want to stay

in touch I use the ship's stationary or a napkin will always work;)

I really am very low maintanence and do not like or want to bring

extra stuff. (well, what I consider extra for me).

[jimcruser]

While we always bring an extension cord +/- a power strip, we were told that on the Equinox there was no string to use in the shower to dry things. I get stuff cleaned by the folks on the ship (I mean we are on vacation and who wants to do wash) but my DW has some things that never get sent to the laundry and that she only does by hand. We brought along two 36 inch bungee cords and they worked like a charm. Also we now take a small scale to weigh the luggage. Seems funny to bring extra things to weigh the bags to make sure you don't have too much! Lol. The power strip was needed as there was only one outlet in the room besides an outlet for an electric razor in the lavatory.

[CruisinNana]

I am the minimal category. Everytime I read about the other things

people bring I know I am in the minority. There are quite a few items

mentioned in more than 1 post....the tape, clothes pins, extension cord,

power strip.....I have never sailed with any of these items. I don't

bring highligters, flashlights, or pictures of anyone or anything.....I have

no pets. Alarm clocks, (the phone in the cabin works as a wakeup call).

 

I travel solo and bring what are necessities for me...clothing, shoes

(maximum of 6 pairs), toiletries, jewelery and my travel documents.

I don't have business cards and if I meet folks and we want to stay

in touch I use the ship's stationary or a napkin will always work;)

I really am very low maintanence and do not like or want to bring

extra stuff. (well, what I consider extra for me).

 

When I grow up (I am 68) I want to be just like you. My friends always laugh at me for all the things I take on a trip, but they don't mind borrowing/asking for something they need, and I usually do have what they need. I really wish I could be a minimalist but don't think that will ever happen!

[Lois R]

When I grow up (I am 68) I want to be just like you. My friends always laugh at me for all the things I take on a trip, but they don't mind borrowing/asking for something they need, and I usually do have what they need. I really wish I could be a minimalist but don't think that will ever happen!

 

It works for me;). As for asking for something from someone

else? I honestly cannot think of the last time I did that either.

Wait, I did ask the bartender for a drink:D

 

But thanks, I will take your post as a compliment. It really is what

makes us all different individuals, which is a good thing:)

I am going on my first cruise to the Med in May and I plan on packing

as I usually do....1 checked bag and 1 carry on!

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

New to Celebrity. I read on this board where extension cords and power plugs aren't allowed as well as coffee pot, fan (which really concerns me) and other electronic items.

What's the real scoop here? Do I need to be concerned as you definitely have what I need on your packing list?

 

Hope everyone will let me know their experience with these items.

Thanks so much.

 

I've cruised with a power strip for years, ever since I first read that hint on Cruise Critic. Have never had a problem with its not being allowed. Couldn't do without it.

[Sloop-JohnB]

Hi Jennifer6800,

 

GADGETS & GIZMOS & OTHER ITEMS

 

Lol, ok here is a comprehensive list of what we took / and didn’t take on our first Celebrity Cruise (Solstice an S-Class Ship) based on recommendations made by others here on the CC CELEBRITY BOARD

 

LANYARDS – Invaluable. Picked them up at Walmart and slipped them on the minute we boarded. Guest Services punched a hole in our Sea Passes and we were all set. Whenever we had to give our cards to a Server who needed to take them to a terminal (such as in the Dining Room) they found it easy to remember which cards belonged to us as they came with a lanyard attached. For security of our card and personal info, when in port we took our cards off the lanyards, and used our Concierge Class Wallet (came with the room)… this meant that we didn’t attract attention to ourselves (lol, or maybe not as much attention… we still had a camera around our neck !!)

 

CORKSCREW & CHAMPAGNE STOPPER – As wine lovers we never travel without these !!

 

FLASHLIGHT – Teeny Tiny ours are a mere 3 inches long. A real lifesaver in the middle of the night (even outside cabins can be quite dark in the middle of the ocean). On S-Class Ships the nightstands are very small (13 inches long by 6 to 7-1/2 inches wide… they are narrower at the front than the back). So not a lot of space here to put items.

 

NIGHTLIGHT – Did Not Take (DNT) – Not applicable for Celebrity’s S-Class Ships as the bathroom light has a dimmer, we just kept the bathroom door ajar. A nightlight though comes handy in other Celebrity Ships as I understand it, and we probably could have used it at other times as well… (such as if one has gone to bed early, and other room-mates are still to arrive) as we found that the other lights didn’t offer much in the way of being able to be dimmed, it seemed to either be too bright or too dark.

 

BATTERY CANDLES – DNT – Never did find them before my trip (figure they sold out before Christmas). May or may not take them for future travels. The balcony on S-Class Ships is pretty dark out there in mid January… doubt that these small battery candles would shed much light if one was planning to eat dinner under the stars.

 

BUNGEE CORDS – DNT – Have read that these are handy for keeping the Balcony Door open… wasn’t an issue on the Solstice… door would stay open or closed as you wished.

 

CLOCK – DNT – Mr Sloop’s watch has an illumination feature. With the flashlight and my watch by the bed was able to check the time whenever I wanted in the middle of the night. Also, the phones on S-Class Ships can be programmed for Wake Up Calls.

 

POWER BAR / EXTENSION CORD / OUTLET MULTIPLIER – DNT – and found that we got along just fine with the limited outlets that were in our cabin. BUT then again, we didn’t use our Cell Phones while on the ship, and the Ipad was on “Airplane Mode” and wasn’t being used for Wifi… so very little recharging needed to be done while we were aboard… our camera operates on standard batteries (we did bring extra of those, and needed them)

 

FILM / MEDIA DISKS – Brought extras and did use them… also used up several of our spare batteries for our camera.

 

POST IT NOTES – Brought and used them… we would leave notes for our Room Steward and each other. Found that a bright colour was best… and that leaving the note in the middle of the big screen tv (huge black background) meant that it was very visible and never missed by the person who was meant to read it.

 

WALKIE TALKIES – DNT – Contemplated buying and using a set of these… but in the end didn’t. Found that we really didn’t need them. We did fine with the Post It Notes. Don’t really believe that a couple needs them (maybe fine for a family with kids… but again not 100% sure… never did see anyone with them aboard)… although the ship is BIG it isn’t that hard to find your favourite spots and decide that they will be your “meet up” location. Lol, in our case we even had a favourite Bar (in a central location) and Bar-Tender (ok we were there a lot)… and it was common for us and our friends to check in to see if he’d seen any of us. Of course we also all tipped him extra at the end of our cruise… he really was a sweetheart to us.

 

HIGHLIGHTERS – Several colours… they came in handy for reviewing the Ship’s Dailies, and also going thru our Onboard Account… we were able to highlight things that we wanted to note or bring to the attention of Guest Relations.

 

NOTE BOOK & PENS – Used it primarily as a Travel Journal, but also was able to write notes when needed.

 

INFO COPIES – I brought along copies of our important paperwork… Celebrity X-Press Pass, Flight Confirmations, Hotel Confirmations, Travel Agent Info, Credit Card Info, Passport Info… AND print-outs of the research that I had done in regards to other possible cruises if we decided to do a re-booking while aboard. What I didn’t bring along was a copy of my Celebrity Brochures… I assumed they would have them on the ship… they DID NOT (not even in Future Bookings). I so wished I had that Brochure on different occasions as it had a ton of info about Celebrity, the Solstice, and the rest of the fleet that I could have used / referred to from time-to-time (like detailed ship maps with cabin numbers etc) … this was more acute of an issue I think for me, because we didn’t have an internet package whereby I could have jumped on-line to find the info I wanted. Would not travel again without packing along my Celebrity “Bible”

 

CREDIT CARDS – Advise that everyone bring at least two credit cards… one to serve as a backup if need be (someone else has suggested that when ashore you leave one in the safe in your cabin). If one is a Canadian and has cards in both US and Canadian Currency, bring both. We found out for example that sometimes things are cheaper in one currency vs the other (surprisingly this happened with Celebrity… it was cheaper to pay in Canadian Dollars at the time of our cruise than in US Dollars, despite the fact that the two currencies are almost at par)

 

ADDRESS BOOK & PHONE NUMBERS – Handy for writing postcards to the folks back home, and also a place to write down the names and contact info for NEW friends you make onboard.

 

SELF-PRINTED BUSINES CARDS – You can get these at Staples, and run them off on your computer. Great for handing out to your NEW friends with your own contact info

 

MAGAZINES & DECKS OF PLAYING CARDS – Things to do on the long flights… the gently used Current Issue Magazines I left in the Library upon my departure. Hopefully others can enjoy them. The Playing Cards all featured “local” aspects from my hometown (Scenery, Sports Teams etc)… those I gifted out to our favourite Celebrity Crew when I delivered their Thank You Notes / Tip Envelopes on the last night.. and I picked up replacement Mags & Celebrity Playing Cards at the Ship Gift Shop for the trip home.

 

TRAVEL GUIDE - You can find them now that are dedicated to Cruises and their Ports of Call.

 

SMALL CHANGE - We brought along a stack of US $ 1 bills... they came in handy for the various times we found we wanted to tip folks on shore (and sometimes on the ship). Airline Porters - Taxi Drivers - Port Porters etc.

 

TRAVEL MUGS – We brought one stainless steel mug, and one stainless steel water-bottle. We took turns each morning going for hot bevvys (as we were on the Premium Plan)… he got Premium Coffee in the mug, and brought me back Hot Water in the water-bottle (and a Premium Tea Bag). Sometimes we’d do the same before bedtime. Although one can get Coffee & Tea from Room Service (FREE) the standard Coffees & Teas leave a lot to be desired once you’ve tasted the Premium offerings… definitely worth the walk to Café al Bacio.

 

FOLDABLE SMALL COOLER – DNT – We got along perfectly well without this. Were able to get COLD Bottled Water each and everytime we left the ship. And well, you cannot take food ashore from the ship (so forget the picnic with sandwiches or fresh fruit).

 

PLASTIC CUTLERY – DNT – On the first day, we picked up a set of cutlery from the Buffet (including napkin) and brought it back to our Stateroom. Left it in the top drawer of the Desk, and it was there if we needed it.

 

ROOM FRESHENER – Brought a Glade type plug-in for the bathroom (with the oil)… it did make the room smell nice… BUT because on the S-Class Ships the outlet is sort of in the ceiling the plug-in hangs upside down… so with the rough seas that we had, it ended up leaking. I would bring one again, but this time would opt for one that offered the “solid” fragrance not the oil.

 

SANI WIPES – Brought a travel pack and used them the first day to wipe down our cabin’s most frequently used / touched items… toilet lid & seat, taps & faucet, door handles, phone, remote control, etc. Neither of us got sick this trip, so I think it was worth the extra few minutes of our time and effort.

 

CLOTHING CARE – Brought Downy Wrinkle Release, a mini Lint Roller as well as a small Sewing Kit (the kind you get in a Hotel with a needle and a few wisps of thread in various colours) and a Woolite Travel Kit (soap and sink plug)… we used the Wrinkle Release with good results and the Lint Roller… we didn’t use the Sewing Kit or the Woolite Kit… we have figured out we just are too busy / lazy to do laundry on vacation !! In future we will either pack enough to get us thru the week, or budget better for the Ship’s Laundry & Drycleaning Service.

 

ORGANIZERS – DNT – Thought about packing various items that would collapse / fold (over the door shoe pockets – cubby boxes – over the rail shelves for the closet etc) but in the end brought none. On the S-Class Ships I found the storage space to be adequate and well organized… especially so in the bathroom (literally TONS of space in there). There was a fold down rail in the closet (so as to make two tiers for hanging) and still leave room for “long” items. We moved our Bathrobes to the hooks behind the bathroom door which gave us even more space in the closet. The vanity and the above bed storage in the bedroom was adequate as well. The room safe was quite spacious, and I did bring my jewellery in small boxes, so didn’t use any organization items in their either… but I might consider bringing something in the way of a tray to corral small items in the future.

 

PLASTIC BAGS & ZIPLOCKS – A Must on all our trips… keeps shoes separate from clothes when packing, and dirty clothes separate from clean when going home… and on day trips great for wet bathing suits, towels etc. Like others we use them to separate out receipts, small change, treats for the plane, makeup… whatever.

 

DRYCLEANING BAGS – These were invaluable… we used them to pack up our formal wear (vs heavier suit or dress bags). Everything arrived in good condition, and the wrinkles hung out easily.

 

LEAF RECYCLING BAGS – Large clear bags (sort of like garbage bags) we used these to line our luggage (one on the bottom) before packing. They meant that if our luggage was left out anywhere in the snow or rain that the contents would have stayed dry… on the return trip, these bags became our dirty clothes bags… and filled up the majority of our packing space, so again, if we had seen bad weather, our suitcase contents would have stayed dry.

 

PLASTIC CABLE LOCKS – Found them at the Dollar Store… used them to secure our baggage that was going on and off the ship. In this way we would know if anything was opened / tampered with by the Porters (who don’t work for Celebrity). They were easy to put on, and easy to remove by using nail clippers. Did not use these or any form of locks when flying (you check in with your airline and then you know it is them or Homeland Security who has access to your stuff… in both cases they are supposed to let you know if they go thru your bags)

 

LARGE PACKING ENVELOPE – Happy I brought one. The folder that the Ship’s Photo Service gives you for your souvenir photos is quite flimsy. This served me well in protecting my photos for the trip back home.

 

MAGNETIC HOOKS – These were invaluable… we bought the 20 lb versions at Walmart and used them as extra hooks to hold some of our clothes (formal wear in particular). Meant that there was more room in the closet for other hanging items, and that our formal wear was not in anyway crushed… we could place the hook at whatever height we needed… handy for my long gown. Found that the magnets worked best when hung near a visible “seam” in the wall or corner (or close to where the ceiling met the wall) guessing this was because although the walls are metal, there are beams imbedded in certain spots.

 

CLOTHESLINE – Again invaluable. Bought the twisty type (no pegs required) at a Travel / Luggage Store (they are also available on-line). Strung it out in our bathroom (S-Class Ships don’t have clotheslines) by utilizing the magnetic hooks at ceiling height. These clotheslines offer a variety of options on how they can be utilized, suction cups, clips or just tie them to a fixture.

 

ALLIGATOR CLIPS – Again invaluable. These are jumbo clothes pegs. Bought them at a Beach Store (got ours in Myrtle Beach)… they are better than regular clothes pegs because they have such a huge “mouth” and you can use them to clip items onto the patio furniture on your veranda for example… things dried out a lot faster outdoors using this method than they did indoors in the cabin using the Clothesline. We used the Alligator Clips to secure bathing suits, and even swim shoes to the backs of our patio chairs.

 

SWIM SHOES – They were great for walking on “shell-y beaches” and I also ended up using them when I went snorkelling. I found the flippers to be very uncomfortable that I was given (rented), so just switched to my swim shoes. Where we were snorkelling was a popular destination for such water activities, and I noticed that some of the more local “pros” who went out to lead scuba experiences used water shoes inside their fins… I will definitely do this in the future (rent a bigger set of fins)

 

UNDERWATER DISPOSABLE CAMERA – Packed one of these along for our snorkelling adventure… hoping that the pics turn out to give justice to the millions of fish that I saw !! The downside to having the underwater camera we discovered was that it couldn’t be used for regular pics out of the water… we had not brought our good cameras to the beach that day, because we wanted to make sure we had no valuables left in our beach bag ashore when we were in the water. To remedy this in the future we will also purchase another cheapy disposable camera that takes regular pics so we at least can take some scenery and memory pics when on our beach day(s).

 

SWIM WALLET – Again invaluable… in that we both could be in the water at the same time, and not have our valuables left on the beach. Unfortunately the version we brought leaked so although our plastic cards (Sea Pass, Driver’s Licenses and Credit Card were ok) our money got quite wet. Will use again in the future, but will put everything into a zip lock bag first.

 

SNORKLE – We brought our own snorkels. Primarily for sanitary / health reasons (ultra clean mouthpieces only used by us) and secondly for the fact that many of the rental ones aren’t the best… you can make do with an ok mask & flippers… but not so much with a short, leaky or low quality snorkel.

 

AN OLD T-SHIRT – Perfect for wearing into the ocean when snorkelling… helps to ward off extreme sunburn and keep you cool when wet and you are ashore basking on the beach. When all is said and done, you can bring it home… or not when your vacation is over.

 

HATS – The Caribbean sun is wicked even in January… it doesn’t feel as HOT as it really is… and one can truly get burned in a short time… shorter still if one is near water (be it at the beach, or even just onboard the ship… you are literally in the middle of the ocean). So pack along some sort of a hat that will keep some of the glaring sun off your face whether you are a guy or gal. Sunhats can be quite charming, we saw lots of variety while aboard… trust me all looked much better than the poor guy we saw with the bright red (and peeling) bald spot !!

 

OTC MEDS – As stated there isn’t a lot to be found at the Ship Store. So I was happy to have things in small quantities that I picked up in my local drugstore at home on hand… if you are flying internationally they need to be their original containers !! Advil, Pepcid AC, Pepto-Bismol, Vitamin C, Echinacea, Hand Sanitizer, Chap Stick, Suntan Lotion, After Sun Creams (look for ones that are either high in aloe or moisture retaining… Solarcaine is also a god-send when it comes to irritations like sunburns, bug bites, or minor scrapes etc). We were happy to have brought these OTC Meds, and used most of them (Vitamin C and Echinacea are great to pop before and after a flight… because if there is one place you are going to pick up “something” be it a cold or flu, scratchy throat etc it is on a plane… these help ward off such things we find)

 

SEASICKNESS REMEDIES – We packed along Seabands, Ginger Root Capsules, and Crystallized Ginger… along with the Advil… we had a rough time on the Atlantic Ocean part of our trip… no one actually got ill… but it was an “unusual” journey… so all got used (we were happy to have them)

 

MEDS & PRESCRIPTIONS – Brought everything in their original packaging, and well labelled… including an extra set of eye-glasses.

 

SUNGLASSES – Brought an extra pair for both of us… too many times we’ve travelled and lost sunglasses (lol, didn’t happen this trip).

 

EARPLUGS – Packed them, but fortunately didn’t have to use them on the ship (wish though that I had had them for the flight home… by then they were packed in our checked baggage … as there was a screaming child for a good portion of our flight)

 

EARBUDS / HEADPHONES – Didn’t have to rent any for the flight… we were able to use the ones that work with our Ipods.

 

BINOCULARS – DNT – There is a “mini” set that comes with Concierge Class Cabins, not super powerful, but very compact. They worked out fine.

 

UMBRELLA – DNT – There is both a large umbrella and a collapsible that come with Concierge Class Cabins… although we had showers on our holiday, it was a “warm” rain (lol, 80F and raining in the Caribbean is 1000x better than “freezing rain” in January back home)… we both agreed we could survive the experience without an umbrella… infact it turned out to be a treasured memory this trip.

 

LIGHT WEIGHT RAIN JACKETS – We both have jackets that fold up into a very tiny matching bag (ends up being aprox 4 x 4 inches). We did pack those, but never used them on this trip.

 

SLIPPERS – I packed a pair of ballet slippers that take up virtually “no space” in my luggage. They did double duty as slippers in the cabin, and on nights when my feet were too tired or sore to wear fancier shoes to dinner. Mr Sloop managed in the cabin / on the veranda in either bare-feet or his flip-flops.

 

And of course no Packing List would be complete without…

 

DUCT TAPE – DNT – Lol, I know many will say I was skirting with “fate”… but we never did need it… this trip. If I can find it in a flat-pack variety vs the HUGE rolls I was only able to find in Canada, I will take some next time. Did however bring some Scotch Tape, and used it on several occasions.

 

--- --- ---

 

And lastly a few tips we discovered…

 

PERSONAL HYGIENE – As ONLY Toilet Paper (lol, Celebrity’s now famous 1-Ply) can be disposed of down the loo, I would recommend that if anyone needs to dispose of other items in the cabin garbage cans (diapers, baby wipes, feminine hygiene products, condoms, etc) that it would wise to pack along some small paper bags for this purpose. Although the Cabin Stewards are really good at cleaning up the cabin several times a day (so there are no odour issues), I think it would the “considerate” thing to do for them... no one really needs to come face-to-face IMO with anyone else’s “personal stuff” / body fluids.

 

THANK YOUS - Those in Concierge Class and above get Personalized Notepaper… it came in handy for writing up our Thank You Notes. Envelopes and Non-Personalized Notepaper is also available at Guest Services if one wants more for this purpose.

 

You can take your digital media cards to the Photo Centre and have 4 x 6 prints made of pictures for 40 cents each… we did this and were able to hand out to the crew on our last night, photos that we had taken of them (with them) earlier in the week. Added to the Thank You Notes made for a nice personal touch.

 

Hope this info is helpful,

 

Cheers!

[ehnotsomuch]

What a nice idea! My new favorite thing is a multi-plug I got from Amazon. There are never enough outlets in the stateroom (especially when you're charging iPhones, cameras, iPads, etc., etc.!), and this has 3 plugs and 2 UBS slots. It's not that expensive either. Small enough for your carry-on bag so you can use it at the airport too!

[ehnotsomuch]

What a great idea! I may have to try this, thanks!

 

The most practical item we bring is a foldable shoe bag, with space for 20 or so pockets

 

We put all our shoes, sandals etc in this over the door material shoe holder (from the dollar store)

 

We also throw any other item that can be kept off the floor, especially when you are four in the room.

 

Good Luck

[CruisinNana]

It works for me;). As for asking for something from someone

else? I honestly cannot think of the last time I did that either.

Wait, I did ask the bartender for a drink:D

 

But thanks, I will take your post as a compliment. It really is what

makes us all different individuals, which is a good thing:)

I am going on my first cruise to the Med in May and I plan on packing

as I usually do....1 checked bag and 1 carry on!

 

One checked bag and 1 carry on....now I really envy you!!!! :D Have a wonderful first cruise. I have a feeling it won't be your last!

[ariawoman]

New to Celebrity. I read on this board where extension cords and power plugs aren't allowed as well as coffee pot, fan (which really concerns me) and other electronic items.

What's the real scoop here? Do I need to be concerned as you definitely have what I need on your packing list?

 

Hope everyone will let me know their experience with these items.

Thanks so much.

 

I brought a fan on Celebrity Equinox in October. I got to security. They scanned my carryon. They saw the fan. One asked the other "a fan, is it allowed" and the other said "yes" and they let me through.

 

If you're really worried - you can call and ask that a fan be placed in your cabin. If they have one, they'll put it. I had HAL do that for me 2 years ago. I prefer knowing i have one though with me as I CANNOT sleep in silence and can't sleep with the TV on really (too much light too active).

 

I also checked celebrity's site recently and it does NOT say you cannot bring a fan so I'd print that page out if you're nervous about bringing one.

[Sloop-JohnB]

One checked bag and 1 carry on....now I really envy you!!!! :D Have a wonderful first cruise. I have a feeling it won't be your last!

 

TO CRUISIN NANA,

 

One checked bag and one carry on... I thought that was the "norm" these days ??

 

The folks who are incredible are those who can travel for a week or longer and only tote along their small carry ons... they breeze thru everywhere they go as they NEVER have to wait for baggage. Lol, a bit too minamilist for me though.

 

Mr Sloop and I are between us 3 checked bags and two carry ons (so one suitcase over) BUT then again, we brought along all our best formal wear (tuxedo and 2 long gowns plus accessories including dress shoes for each of us).

 

Cheers!

Edited January 27, 2012 by Sloop-JohnB

[goldencruiser]

ALLIGATOR CLIPS – Again invaluable. These are jumbo clothes pegs. Bought them at a Beach Store (got ours in Myrtle Beach)… they are better than regular clothes pegs because they have such a huge “mouth” and you can use them to clip items onto the patio furniture on your veranda for example… things dried out a lot faster outdoors using this method than they did indoors in the cabin using the Clothesline. We used the Alligator Clips to secure bathing suits, and even swim shoes to the backs of our patio chairs.

 

 

In regards to using the Alligator clips for drying out on your balcony, it was well publicized that leaving any items on the balcony were a fire risk. Because anyone who might toss a cigarette overboard could cause the items on the balcony to catch fire. This happened a number of years ago on the Star Princess and a good portion of the ship caught fire and had to be brought to dry dock and rebuilt. I believe it was later found that the cause of the fire was from smoking material carelessly discarded overboard by another passenger up above and the wind carried the smoking material back onto someones balcony and caught their personal effects left on their balcony on fire.

 

During our recent muster drill they reminded everyone not to leave anything on their balconies when they are away. They stated that fires are a major concern at sea and leaving any thing that might be ignited would be a hazard.

 

So PLEASE do not leave any ignitable material out on your unattended balcony.