best cruise packing/ room set up tips

[kochleffel]

Speaking only for myself, I wouldn't bother with pop-up or folding bins. But I use packing cubes, and in a cabin that has shelves rather than drawers, I leave things in the packing cubes, which I set on the shelves. Generally I use an open suitcase under the bed to collect laundry, but for my next trip, which isn't a cruise although it entails three nights on ships, I will take a bag for laundry because the trip includes several stays on land where it will be possible to do laundry. I've never been on a cruise ship that had self-service laundry facilities, although there are some.

 

I always take a water bottle, for excursions. Some ships make passengers empty water bottles before reboarding, but I've never had to. I'm not sure whether they're afraid of the local water, or whether they think that one might have gotten the bottle filled with gin.

 

 

 

[Hlitner]

DW and I have done this cruise thing forever (since the mid 70s) and have been truly blessed to have spent about 3 years of our lives on cruise ships.  Reading this thread does make me smile as we read how everyone deals with travel.  For us, we do have a routine.  On embarkation day we see it as a day to enjoy and don't get hung up on unpacking.  When we get a chance (it is often just before the muster drill (which has now changed) or while we are getting ready for the evening, we will both unpack all of our stuff.   We have done this so many times it is almost robotic and only takes us a few minutes to move everything to hangers or drawers (we pack heavy).   The issue of "setting up a cabin" is just a big nothing for us.  Sure we put our clocks on the nightstands, set up our charging stuff, etc.  We never waste our time decorating our cabin (and certainly not our door) as it is just a temporary home (even on 2 month + cruises) but we do put things in their proper place.  For us a cabin is a place to sleep, shower, and dress.  Otherwise we like to be out and about.   In the morning I am up long before DW and might spend some time reading on the balcony....but will often quietly leave the cabin and head to wherever there is coffee (such as the International Cafe on Princess, Explorations on HAL, Seabourn Sqaure, etc,) where I relax with my Kindle while DW sleeps.  Once she decides to leave the cabin she will quickly find me as we know each other's habits.

 

I think other long time frequent cruisers have their own routines (this has been a topic with new friends on cruises).  But one routine that will never change is any desire to "decorate" our cabin.  We see the ship as our home away from home and our cabin is a very tiny part of the ship.

 

Hank

[dkjretired]

On 7/23/2021 at 6:44 AM, BoozinCroozin said:

I am reading as much as I can. My concern is over packing. We have a first aid kit with general things that is required, packing our snorkel gear, and toiletries. Add in the night light, power strip, and other things, leaves us about 30-40% of weight and space for clothes. I think we are going to have to do a dry run packing to see what we can fit and remain at weight for flights and not have to pack a 4th bag for 3 people.

Some cruise lines will confiscate your power strip.

[iancal]

When we changed how much we packed only one thing worked.

 

We bought the bag.   What fit in the bag went.  Forced us to make choices. Worked for us.

 

We still make choices.  When we return home and  unpack we take not of items that we seldom or never used.  Replaced them with something else next trip.

 

Decorate the room?   We do not decorate hotel rooms. Not about to decorate a cruise cabin.  Besides, it does not belong to us.

 

 Definitely a huge no to door decoration and any  other bits of tat to pin up, hang, or stick on some surface.

Edited July 26, 2021 by iancal

[Lois R]

I sail solo and bring the same thing every cruise----(luggage wise)......one checked bag and one carry on and a cross body bag.  Doesn't matter what the itinerary. 

 

As for all the suggestions, I guess it is all about "the different strokes".......I have no desire to decorate my cabin and nothing goes on my door either.

 

I don't bring a hamper and use my carry on throughout for that purpose LOL......then I will decide if I just send out my clothes for cleaning once throughout the sailing. 

 

Who said it is all about choices? That is exactly right.  My choice may be different than someone else's and that is ok........we are all different and that is a good thing. Life would be pretty boring if we were all the same.

[2BACRUISER]

Like somebody already said we use packing cubes and they slide straight out of the suitcase onto shelf or into drawers.

We nominate one empty suitcase for dirty laundry this way when we arrive home this goes straight to the utility room for laundry without having to schlep it upstairs sort and carry back down again!

My personal issue is shoes,but i've got it down to dressy sandals, sketchers, fli-flops and flatish day sandals. 

We also take a OTC first aid kit and towel clips. 

[whogo]

First rule: Only one person packs/unpacks at a time. Even larger cabins are too small to have two people filling closets, drawers, and shelves at the same time. In our case, Mrs. Whogo unpacks first and takes the best spots.

 

I use a tall kitchen garbage bag as a laundry bag, keep it on the floor of my closet. The bag weighs almost nothing and takes up almost no room in my suitcase. The plastic keeps any dirty laundry odor from contaminating clean clothing in the same closet. We send out laundry daily on HAL for $7-9 per day, will send laundry out or or use the machines on other lines.

 

It is easy to pack dirty laundry at the end of the cruise, sit on the plastic bag to squeeze out the air and seal with a twist tie, pop it in the suitcase.

[Joebucks]

Some people travel with two suitcases. Some people pack with little more than the clothes on their back. I like think I found a happy medium in-between. I have no interest touching laundry or putting my favorite clothes in those super-heated machines. I like having my wine, cigars, suncreen, and snorkel. Things I would have likely paid more for a lesser option. I believe all of the organizers start to get a little excessive.

[canlin1]

I save store hangers or dry cleaner wire hangers and hang most of my packed clothing on. The hangers don't take up that much and I can quickly get them all put into the closets once we reach the cabin. I leave some hangers for the next cruisers.

 

When we send in our laundry, we request they be returned washed only, on hangers we provide. I never dry certain clothes at home to prevent shrinkage. Of course a nice tip is in order for both the steward and laundry to do this extra for us.

 

I will wash my linens out and lay them on top of the fridge in the cabinet. The heat generated from the fridge will dry them in no time. 

[Hlitner]

Night light!  Although some ships (such as with Seabourn vessels, some Celebrity ships, etc) have some type of night light, most ships and many hotel rooms do not.   Trying to get to the bathroom in the middle of the night without waking your partner or breaking a toe is good motivation.

 

Hank

[simplelife]

On 7/25/2021 at 7:26 PM, dkjretired said:

Some cruise lines will confiscate your power strip.

That generally won't happen if it is in good condition and does not have a surge protector 

[dobiemom]

On 7/21/2021 at 6:56 PM, neverbeenhere said:

put your rotary dial phone into the heel of your shoe. 

😂🤣😂

[iancal]

My spouse has never packed for me.  Business or pleasure.  Ever.  Nor can I imagine her doing it.  Nor could I pack for her.

 

I did have a boss whose significant other 'packed'  for him. He found out late one night when he came off the elevator, turned the corner and saw his packed bags sitting outside their apartment door!

[shipgeeks]

I quite dislike packing and unpacking.  One of the things that has made it easier, on both ends, is leaving many things (jackets, dresses, trousers, shorts) on their wooden hangers.  They're hanging when they're ready to pack, they stay on the hangers in the luggage, and they are ready to just hang up when we get to the cabin.  Same with coming home.

I use clear bags for socks, undies, jersey tops, etc.   They stay in those bags on the ship.

Things we rarely use remain in an open suitcase under the bed.

[clo]

2 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

I quite dislike packing and unpacking.  One of the things that has made it easier, on both ends, is leaving many things (jackets, dresses, trousers, shorts) on their wooden hangers.  They're hanging when they're ready to pack, they stay on the hangers in the luggage, and they are ready to just hang up when we get to the cabin.  Same with coming home.

I use clear bags for socks, undies, jersey tops, etc.   They stay in those bags on the ship.

Things we rarely use remain in an open suitcase under the bed.

I probably learned here about packing cubes, tried them and love them. All of our underwear and tee shirts. Just unzip them and put them away.

[ldubs]

On 7/27/2021 at 4:35 AM, whogo said:

 In our case, Mrs. Whogo unpacks first and takes the best spots.

 

 

 

I get the spots that are too high for Mrs Ldubs to reach.  

[iancal]

Pre retirement we usually requested more hangers for those clothes that we never did wear.

 

Never had to do this in retirement...bags of room left over.   We pack less, carry less.  It is why we do not start packing days in advance.  We can pack and be out of the house, out of the cabin, or the hotel/resort  in a half hour if we need to.

[donaldsc]

2 hours ago, iancal said:

Pre retirement we usually requested more hangers for those clothes that we never did wear.

 

Never had to do this in retirement...bags of room left over.   We pack less, carry less.  It is why we do not start packing days in advance.  We can pack and be out of the house, out of the cabin, or the hotel/resort  in a half hour if we need to.

 

I can get my clothes together in 1/2 hour.  Takes me a lot longer to decide which electronics and optics that I want to bring and then find them.  I guess that this is a problem of having too much stuff.  LOL!!

 

DON

[awhcruiser]

Packing cubes.  Take cubes out of suitcase and put on shelves and/or in drawers.

[Alvarado Cruiser]

1. Take toiletries bag out of carry-on, put in bathroom. 

2. Take 3-4 books from carry-on, put on bed side table. 

3. Take phone charger from carry-on, plug in by desk.

4. Take set of clothes out of carry-on, set on shelf in closet.

5. Put carry-on in closet.

6. Open big suitcase, shove under the bed. Or lay on the couch.

7. Let vacation begin!!

[clo]

1 hour ago, Alvarado Cruiser said:

2. Take 3-4 books from carry-on, put on bed side table. 

 

You take, like, books that you carry in your hands? Wow!

[Alvarado Cruiser]

8 minutes ago, clo said:

You take, like, books that you carry in your hands? Wow!

Yep. Old school. I am all about technology at work. But when it comes to reading for pleasure, electronic just doesn't cut it.

 

Side note: on last cruise I had a wonderful conversation with room steward who said that he liked to read to improve his English, so I left my books in the room for him.  Win-win, since I didn't have to schlep them back home.

[CPT Trips]

On 7/22/2021 at 10:31 AM, Pudgesmom said:

Crosspack with your traveling companion; this works great in the event one piece of luggage is lost. Similarly, pack one change of clothes and for me, a swimsuit, in your carryon. As a plus size person, it can be near impossible to find clothing in other countries or in onboard shops. No one wants to spend their cruise finding replacement clothing.

Absolutely!

 

On 7/23/2021 at 1:19 PM, gotta cruise again said:

For this tip, please double check the TSA rules to make sure things haven’t changed!

 

I have a CPAP and it does not count as a carry-on item. It is in addition to what an airline allows. As the machine is a medical device, we add all our medical items to this bag. So our Rx and OTC meds, first aid kit, wrist brace, extra contact lenses, etc. Now our carry-on or roll-aboard bag has a little more space for other items. DO be aware that you still cannot put liquids into the CPAP/medical bag…those still have to go into your little baggie for TSA or checked luggage.

 

This is certainly good advice. I also pack electronics in the CPAP bag. TSA doesn’t care if you mix medical and non- medical stuff in your bag.

Magnets or magnetic clips for dailies, schedules, and other paperwork you’ll need during the cruise.

If a non balcony cabin and not newlyweds, separate the beds. Instead of a small space between the bed and each wall, you’ll have double that space between the beds. Everysquare inch of usable floorspace matters. 

Edited October 12, 2021 by CPT Trips

[mom says]

2 hours ago, CPT Trips said:

If a non balcony cabin and not newlyweds, separate the beds.

😮😝😒  LOL.  Maybe that's a popular choice in your family. We've been married 45 years, and if I suggested something like that- well there aren't walls thick enough to muffle the response to that!

[lissie]

On 10/13/2021 at 9:03 AM, mom says said:

😮😝😒  LOL.  Maybe that's a popular choice in your family. We've been married 45 years, and if I suggested something like that- well there aren't walls thick enough to muffle the response to that!

We're only been together for 24 years - but if he wanted to separate the beds - he'd be needing to book a separate cabin - on a different ship!