PACKING for a Cruise: Your Best & Worst Packed Items

[MicCanberra]

???? Perhaps both.

[MJC]

Best item: my Canon underwater camera (that also takes great snapshots on land). So nice to have memories of our snorkel and beach experiences.

 

Worst item: too many formal night shoes. Now I take one pair that matches all my dinner outfits, whether formal or resort casual.

[LynnTTT]

Bring Poo-pourri. Hi-liter to mark off on your daily the activities you are interested in .  Batteries and extra cables/plugs for cameras and devices. Sweater for chilly decks.  Pare down dressy clothes- I have on pair of dressy black pants and just bring a few blouses that dress it up. Lots to read.  No umbrella-you can usually get a cheap one if it rains.I like to have binoculars.  

 

[crystalspin]

11 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

I am glad I brought my credit card and I should have left my swimmers at home!

 

I stopped bringing swimwear after our 26-day transAtlantic when they went unused. But may bring one set each on the 2020 28-day So.Pacific. We are not big on beach days or hot-tubs, but it seems that hanging out under an umbrella and sipping rum drinks may be part of the experience!

 

@LynnTTT -- I wouldn't recommend putting anything in the vacuum toilet system. Most likely odors are not from YOUR use anyway -- I take a flat hanging airfreshener from the automotive store, takes up essentially no room in the toiletry 3-1-1 bag.

[MicCanberra]

1 hour ago, crystalspin said:

 

I stopped bringing swimwear after our 26-day transAtlantic when they went unused. But may bring one set each on the 2020 28-day So.Pacific. We are not big on beach days or hot-tubs, but it seems that hanging out under an umbrella and sipping rum drinks may be part of the experience!

 

@LynnTTT -- I wouldn't recommend putting anything in the vacuum toilet system. Most likely odors are not from YOUR use anyway -- I take a flat hanging airfreshener from the automotive store, takes up essentially no room in the toiletry 3-1-1 bag.

For a cruise with definite beach ports yes, but otherwise I will not bring them just for possible swims on the ship or hot tubs, I find it just doesn't seem to happen.

[GUT2407]

2 hours ago, LynnTTT said:

Bring Poo-pourri. Hi-liter to mark off on your daily the activities you are interested in .  Batteries and extra cables/plugs for cameras and devices. Sweater for chilly decks.  Pare down dressy clothes- I have on pair of dressy black pants and just bring a few blouses that dress it up. Lots to read.  No umbrella-you can usually get a cheap one if it rains.I like to have binoculars.  

 

We used to bring highlighters, now just a red and black pen and underline or put a Star next to things, red for stuff she wants black for mine.

 

once forgot my battery charger (back when digital was just coming into mainstream) fortunately I saw a bloke using a camera with the same battery, he kindly charged me up a couple of times.

[dreadpirate3]

Best things brought:

Camera with extra batteries, charger, and sd cards.

Small first aid kit, reef safe sunscreen, over the counter medications.

Small toiletry bag that hooks over the shower. 

 

Worst thing:

The cruise where we forgot our batteries and charger for the GoPro. 

Too many shoes.

 

Plans for the next cruise: 

4 port days in a row, three are beach days, so we will bring 2-4 swimsuits since they take time to dry.

Sneakers for walking, sandals for the beach, dressy sandals for dinner, a pair of flats. Different shirts each day, but I will repeat shorts and pants.

I always bring my laptop for cruises longer than 5 days because I download my photos each day, edit them, and have them ready to post in the next port that includes a connection. 

 

[Thisisgood]

2 hours ago, dreadpirate3 said:

Best things brought:

Camera with extra batteries, charger, and sd cards.

Small first aid kit, reef safe sunscreen, over the counter medications.

Small toiletry bag that hooks over the shower. 

 

Worst thing:

The cruise where we forgot our batteries and charger for the GoPro. 

Too many shoes.

 

Plans for the next cruise: 

4 port days in a row, three are beach days, so we will bring 2-4 swimsuits since they take time to dry.

Sneakers for walking, sandals for the beach, dressy sandals for dinner, a pair of flats. Different shirts each day, but I will repeat shorts and pants.

I always bring my laptop for cruises longer than 5 days because I download my photos each day, edit them, and have them ready to post in the next port that includes a connection. 

 

I love these ideas, esp more than one bathing suit and one shirt for each day. Made the mistake of trying  to wear some blouses twice in the Caribbean and felt a bit "unfresh" probably due to humidity. Sound advice!

[crystalspin]

Yes, tropical cruises/vacations mean more shirts (or more laundry), but they are thinner so more numbers fit in the same suitcase -- or in my husband's case -- no undershirts for his wear-anywhere vented nylon travel shirts.

[dreadpirate3]

For the pants and shorts, I buy lightweight, quick dry fabrics from brands like Columbia sportswear. Makes a big difference in weight.

 

We drive to the ports, so our 3 bags are not too much to carry.

[Thisisgood]

1 hour ago, dreadpirate3 said:

For the pants and shorts, I buy lightweight, quick dry fabrics from brands like Columbia sportswear. Makes a big difference in weight.

 

We drive to the ports, so our 3 bags are not too much to carry.

So envious...drive to ports!

[RocketMan275]

The worst thing I ever packed was too many clothes.

The best thing I ever packed was more money.

 

As they saying goes:

Put all the things on the bed you think you need to pack.

Put half of them back in the closet.

Go to bank and get more money.

[Thisisgood]

3 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

The worst thing I ever packed was too many clothes.

The best thing I ever packed was more money.

 

As they saying goes:

Put all the things on the bed you think you need to pack.

Put half of them back in the closet.

Go to bank and get more money.

LOL, so true!

[nathick]

do i need to pack a clothes iron , or is there one in the rooms?

[jwcruise1]

58 minutes ago, nathick said:

do i need to pack a clothes iron , or is there one in the rooms?

irons on most lines if not all will be confiscated, they are on the prohibited items list. no irons in rooms but some ships have laundry rooms with irons.

[2cruiseluvrs]

9 hours ago, nathick said:

do i need to pack a clothes iron , or is there one in the rooms?

 

Irons are a fire Hazzard and aren't allowed. Iron at home and then carefully fold. Interestingly enough I had GREAT success this past cruise by packing my shirts and jackets in a half-fold manner. When I unpacked there were NO folds or wrinkles! I laid the shirt flat, folded the sleeves across the chest, then brought the bottom of the shirt up to meet the top. It was a nice rectangle. Then I just stacked those on top of each other. It was great!

 

 

[shellman]

Best thing was our pool chair towel clips (which also double as our "drying swimwear on the balcony chair blow away into the ocean" arrestors). They're cheap, colorful, and surprisingly a good conversation starter (see attached image).

 

Worst thing was no extra room in our luggage for souvenirs. 

[Sagittarius traveler]

I’m thinking about bringing a coffee mug because their little cups doesn’t help me at all hahaha.

Edited November 4, 2018 by Sagittarius traveler
Spelling

[SuiteTraveler]

There is such a thing as packing light and too light.  The one nuisance item that my husband never remembers to pack is a watch for himself and therefore, he spends the first couple of days of the cruise consulting the daily program and asking me what time it is all day and all night until I can get off the ship and go into any store that carries cheap watches and buy him a watch which he only wears for the duration of the rest of the cruise.

[mom says]

5 hours ago, Sagittarius traveler said:

I’m thinking about bringing a coffee mug because their little cups doesn’t help me at all hahaha.

 

For the last few cruises I've been bringing my insulated steel bottle with me. It works just as well for hot drinks as it does for cold, and holds about 2 regulations coffee cups worth. Just rinse it out as soon as you're done. That way tomorrow's mimosa (using the cheap bubbly from your cabin) won't taste like this morning's  coffee.  😉

[crystalspin]

7 hours ago, Sagittarius traveler said:

I’m thinking about bringing a coffee mug because their little cups doesn’t help me at all hahaha.

My mom always brings her "Go Cup". Holding 12-oz, it is the type that you can slide a soda (or beer) can into to keep it colder and give you a handle as well.

[panoramaofthepast]

Best thing - a small night light for the bathroom. Cruise cabins are really dark at night!

Worst thing - shoes/clothes. I keep trying to reduce both, usually not very successfully!

 

One note about the over the door shoe hanger - don't put it over the door. Get a couple of heavy duty magnetic hooks and put it on the wall. It's out of the way and definitely helps keep the clutter down.  

[SRF]

On 10/31/2018 at 3:22 PM, shellman said:

Worst thing was no extra room in our luggage for souvenirs. 

 

 

After buying 3 or 4, we always pack a foldable/collapsible duffel bag.  It takes up little room, but if you buy a lot of stuff, you can put the dirty clothes in the duffel, and the good stuff in the normal bag.

[SRF]

On 11/5/2018 at 1:46 AM, panoramaofthepast said:

Best thing - a small night light for the bathroom. Cruise cabins are really dark at night!

 

 

Only interiors. 😄

 

But we got some of the electric LED tea lights and carry a few of them.  One in the bathroom at night.

 

And they can be used for soft lighting for a romantic evening.

[Beachdude]

Best thing - Binoculars. Can't seem to step outside without them.

 

Worst thing - Our mothers.

 

Burt