Packed something you didn't need

[derf5585]

Have you ever packed something for a cruise that you didn't need or use.

[pungo3]

Yep, an alarm clock. It's much easier using the automated wakeup call. Only made that mistake once.;)

[lrizit]

Does my husband count? :p

 

 

Shoes.....I packed entirely too many shoes...surprising, I know, coming from a woman.

[phlydude]

Yeah, too many pairs of dockers and too many bathing suits. Realized 2 suits was enough and 2 pairs of pant were plenty.

[LucyPixie]

Packed about 12 pairs of shoes. Bought a new pair in St. Thomas and wore those the entire time. I also took 6 bathing suits and only wore 2!

[staylor]

Too many shorts outfits...you don't need them on sea days...you will just be wearing a bathing suit and cover-up.

[staylor]

And too many shoes!

[mared1]

Too many clothes in general - too many shorts, dresses,blouses, etc. as for shoes, I learned from the first cruise and now only take 1 pair of dress shoes, 1 pair sandals and tennis shoes.

[NoNoNanette]

On our first two cruises (Holiday and Olympia Voyager), we brought along, and used an "over the door shoe organizer" for shampoo, cosmetics, etc.

 

However, on the large Conquest and Grand Princess, we didn't even unpack it...plenty of counter space to use.

[ladycaveat]

Duck tape . . . never could figure out what to use it for but every list I read included it.

[GoinCruisin]

Half of both of my suitcases are filled with things I don't need and don't use/wear... but I can't stand the feeling of "what if", so I pack it anyway :p

[Maryandi]

Things like duct tape - extra glasses - alarm clocks - flashlights - 'Drop dead, do not spend ,money- copy of passport - (fill in your own blank ). - are in the category of 'Never want to use but will always bring '

 

Sooner or later (hope not) you will need one of those. Just bring em'

 

Have fun !!:o

[WazAnOkie]

Brought rain poncho's, and luckily didnt need them, but will probably take them next time too.

 

I too have several 'what if' items, may or may not ever use 'em, but always take them.

 

Actually used duck tape, was a quick fix when I ripped the hem on my slacks, will take it, and hope I dont need it again.

[Nliedel]

Reading material. The ship has plenty and you are not really going to delve into War and Peace on a cruise.

[KJPG]

I was on the 4/3 Conquest. It was our first cruise as a family. I read these boards for 2 months before sailing. DH laughed at my shoe organizer, my power strips and my duct tape.

 

Shoe Organizer was used in the closet to hold all non bath items (sunscreen, sticky notes, band aids etc). Everytime he'd ask me where something was, I'd tell him "In the closet".

 

The one outlet in the cabin is located at the vanity / desk and is upside down. Without the power strip, the walky talky charger transformer & nightlight (son's cabin) wouldn't have been able to be plugged in.

 

The duct tape? Well, I think I used it in two of the most creative ways ever.

Our 5 year old used the bathroom as soon as we got in the cabin to unpack. She asked how to flush (there's a push button on the wall). I tried and nothing. Tried again and again, no flush.

 

I'm a very hands on kinda girl so took the plastic piece off the wall (I could see it was one of those "pop off" pieces). There's a rubber encased mechanism under it that, when pushed, flushes the toilet. Well, the rubber was torn. With the hole, there wasn't the right pressure (or whatever you need) to flush. Out came a small piece of duct tape to cover the hole. VOILA - one flushing toilet. :D

 

The second use? DD got a nasty cut on her big toe. Have you ever tried to keep a bandaid on the toe of a 5 year old? Again, the duct tape came in very, very handy...

[conwakr]

Alarm clock, never needed and the phone has an alarm set-up. I brought 4 shorts but never wore shorts on at-sea days so could have gotten away with 2. Bathing suits, I could have gotten away with only 1, I brought 2. Shirts, I brought one for each day, but could have gotten away with less than that. I waaay over packed for the kids, I brought a pair of shorts and a shirt for each day and they probably wore 2 pairs of shorts and 4 shirts the whole week. I brought some soda pop for the kids, but they never drank it because of all the different juices and things available on the Lido deck and they could quench their soda urge at dinner (although they only did this on one night). One thing I didn't bring but bought at the first port and used all week was a bathing suit cover-up. Those are invaluable for popping on to go get lunch, run to the cabin etc. Much easier than shorts and shirt over damp bathing suit. I brought a bungee cord for our deck door but it was a short one and not long enough to use so we had to stuff a towel under the door. A longer one would have been more practical. I did NOT bring enough sunscreen and had to buy some in the ship store. One tube was not enough for a family of 5 for the whole week.

[marvholly]

For Alaska:

rain ponchos

2 sweaters

never used wither but would NOT chance going without.

 

For Carribean:

always have an extra unworn light weight pant outfit and a couple blouses. Again, will continue to take as we generally add on days pre and/or post cruise and want the freedom NOT to do laundry on vacation.

 

All cruises:

more underthings and nylons than I ever use, but again want the freedom NOT to do laundry on vacation.

 

Most of these things take up little extra space (except sweaters) and could be needed.

[DreadPirateRobert]

I always pack way too much clothing. My wife brings less than I do and always gives me flack about it. I just didn't want to show up at dinner in the same shirt more than once. I've finally realized that no one is paying attention to that and I need to get over myself. Next trip I'm bringing a lot less clothing.

That's one thing you can say about Windjammer cruises. You can do them on 2 pairs of shorts, 2 bathing suits 5-6 t-shirts and one "polo" ( if you want to dress up for "The Captain's Dinner")

[Momw/4boys]

Brought 2 pairs of jeans (thought it would be cold on deck at night) and 4 pairs of capri pants. Only needed 2 pairs of capris. Brought too many t-shirts. Brought a warm sweater and a sweatshirt. Only needed the zip up sweatshirt (also had a shawl for Formal nights as the dining room does get cool).

[seking]

Brought way too many casual clothes (shorts & tops). Also, never used the over the door shoe thingie because there was plenty of storage space in the cabin.

[SoCalgirl]

Same thing - too many clothes. I also like to have options and not have to do laundry. Since an extra tank top or two and extra underwear hardly takes up any space, I figure it's better to have too much than too little. Then I may even have something to wear when I get home before I have to do laundry from the trip! I've gotten pretty good at estimating the amount of stuff to pack and my suitcase is never full, so I have plenty of room for bringing new stuff home!

[Valentinecruiser]

Personally, I will *ALWAYS* take an alarm clock because I like to know what time it is, day AND night.......I don't use it just for the wake up call!

 

Otherwise, I would have missed: dinner in the dining room, on stage events and games, scheduled port events, sunrise, sunset......etc....

 

On shore, I only use my cell phone as my WATCH.....couldn't use it on the ship, so the alarm clock was very helpful!

 

Also, we have had the occasion that our telephone wake up call did not operate properly and we nearly missed the planned trip in port!

 

I guess one could use any watch with an alarm for all of the above and save the space though! :)

 

One thing we should have taken.....our umbrella-I had lost it! It rained to and from the ship (we drove several hundred miles to the port).

[zydecocruiser]

Brought a suit once. Then discovered jeans were fine on formal nights. :D

[Happy ks]

My "packed and didn't use" list used to be as long as the packing lists you read here. We have learned over the course of several cruises, to only take what you cannot live without for a week. What we now leave off:

 

alarm clock

duct tape

nightlight

books

water wallet

highlighter pen (use the pen in the cabin)

post it notes (use the voice mail on the phone)

extra suitcase (OK, now I have one the size of a key chain when folded)

address labels, stamps (never seem to have the time for those darned postcards)

travel guides (copy the page you need)

coffee mugs/insulated mugs (actually, we've never taken these, but still worth mentioning, they have lots of coffee mugs on the ship)

a different outfit for every night

more than one cover up (I still like several bathing suits, though)

cute sandals that only go with one outfit (take your old, comfortable ones)

more than one disposable waterproof camera

laundry soap (the shower soap works fine)

extension cord (never taken one, never needed one)

CD player and CDs

laptop computer

 

 

What I always now take:

My own hair dryer

slippers

more sunscreen than you think you need

more film/memory than you think you need

small reading light

cell phone (never use it on the cruise, but it comes in handy if you have travel problems or when you get back into your town)

a very small first aid kit with limited meds for most uses (cold, stomach, headache, bandaids)

seasick meds

comfortable sandals

accordion shoe organizer for the closet ( it keeps the shoes off the floor, plus can hold purses, papers, etc.

binoculars

an extra pair of contact lenses

the thing that holds your sunglasses around your neck (?) mine is leather, but they come in beaded and string-type too

 

Both lists could go on....

[ladycaveat]

I've spent all day today trying on clothes that I have finally freed from their plastic in my "summer closet" . . . (spent all day yesterday putting winter clothes in plastic and exchanging closets). Thank Heaven's I didn't go out and buy any new clothes for my upcoming cruise . . . I have soooo many capri outfits. Exactly how many outfits do ya all take on a one week cruise. My last cruise was in September 2003 and while it was an eleven day cruise . . . I took entirely too many outfits. I'm not someone that wears a bathing suit and cover up all day (whether it's a sea day or a port day) or a pair of shorts and tee shirt (I'm 58 and haven't worn shorts in years . . . just don't feel comfortable in them) . . . and I don't like to wear the same outfit twice. But . . . I'm still stumped as to what to take (clothes only . . . know what to take and what not to take as far as everything else). Have no problem with the evening . . . got my two formal outfits and five other dinner outfits . . . it's just daytime wear that I'm confused about.