Name a few little creature comforts that you miss while sailing

[JGmf]

8 hours ago, Muckyduckway said:

...made me realise that my own pillows are the only thing I truly miss when away from home

 

Agreed.  Only thing I miss is my rather flat, mostly firm, pillow.  The ones they provide are WAY too giant and unyielding in my opinion.  Requests to the room steward for a "flatter pillow" don't yield any great results. 

 

That said, have enough cocktails, and sleep time isn't a challenge.

 

 

 

[HappyTexan44]

It is truly amazing the difference having your own pillows and comforter makes when away from home.  Unless the bed is truly horrible or a double (instead of our King) in that first moment of awake I think I'm home.   In fact, after I started to bring my own bedding I also had to bring a nightlight because without one I'd walk to the bathroom as I would at home and run into something in the dark.  

We used to look like the Beverly Hillbillies moving in with the luggage cart.    We are getting enough duffels now for the pillows and comforter, so we wouldn't look quite as bad.  But we like to travel with lots of stuff.  I've traveled for weeks in Europe with just a school backpack.  But, I'd rather have everything I need for comfort.  

 

[eileeshb]

I’ll join the crisps club, specifically Irish crisps, the Tayto brand was the first in world to do flavoured crisps (potato chips for the heathens) and they’re still the best, so good you can use them as a sandwich filling. Also Irish/uk version of Cadbury chocolate bars, hersheys has too much artificial sweeteners or something, it’s just not the same and cadburys from other countries has some weird additives to stop it melting. 
I resort to buying a big bag of Cheetos, red or rainbow vines and galaxy chocolate from a local store when I get stateside to bring onboard for snacking. I do have a corn intolerance so that severely limits the amount of those I can consume per day.  I’m one of those oddballs that actually loses weight on a cruise ‘cos I can’t indulge in my normal snacks. 

[pcakes122]

On 10/15/2022 at 12:12 PM, Travelling2Some said:

I guess bringing a recliner would be pushing it, lol.   

I don't think so! I rent one on every cruise I take. 😁👍🏻

[Sigyn]

My Tempur-pedic mattress. My cat. And work. Just kidding. I don't miss work. 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2022 by njsmom

[Beer Belly]

[Oceansaway17]

I miss my flavored coffee creamers and won't pay extra on ship. I feel they should provide at least vanilla.

I miss some tv like Golf channel and Hallmark and CNN.  

[Sailing12Away]

8 hours ago, eileeshb said:

I’ll join the crisps club, specifically Irish crisps, the Tayto brand was the first in world to do flavoured crisps (potato chips for the heathens) and they’re still the best, so good you can use them as a sandwich filling. Also Irish/uk version of Cadbury chocolate bars, hersheys has too much artificial sweeteners or something, it’s just not the same and cadburys from other countries has some weird additives to stop it melting. 
 

Same. We refuse to eat Cadbury here in the states because we're tainted from our travels to the UK. Always stock up at the local stores with tons of real Cadbury to bring home.

 

Now for crisps.... I tend to lean towards Walkers simply because they're easier for me to get here. Are the Tayto that much better and worth an extra few minutes of hunting down?

[wacruiselover]

8 hours ago, Oceansaway17 said:

I miss my flavored coffee creamers and won't pay extra on ship. I feel they should provide at least vanilla.

I miss some tv like Golf channel and Hallmark and CNN.  

We always take a bottle of Signature SELECT Coffee Enhancer with us and squirt it into our coffee with the supplied half & half. You can get it in Hazelnut, Caramel, or Vanilla from Safeway if you have one in the area. It's a little bottle so no problem carrying it in your pocket or purse.

Hazelnut: https://www.safeway.com/shop/product-details.960113423.html

Caramel:  https://www.safeway.com/shop/product-details.960113424.html

Vanilla: https://www.safeway.com/shop/product-details.960113422.html

[RocketMan275]

21 hours ago, Beer Belly said:

We will miss our two boys.  Standard poodles.  Brothers from the same litter.  One is solid black, the other has a small white blaze on his chest.  Good thing we have a king size bed.  They are accomplished counter surfers and would really enjoy the buffet.

[eileeshb]

17 hours ago, Sailing12Away said:

Same. We refuse to eat Cadbury here in the states because we're tainted from our travels to the UK. Always stock up at the local stores with tons of real Cadbury to bring home.

 

Now for crisps.... I tend to lean towards Walkers simply because they're easier for me to get here. Are the Tayto that much better and worth an extra few minutes of hunting down?

Walkers are more like Pringles than Irish style crisps, Tayto are a bit thinner cut and a bit more oily.

there’s Tayto’s both in Northern Ireland and in the republic, once upon a time they were the same company but no longer. I’ve had the northern version and they’re very very similar to the republic version.

Tayto Cheese and Onion are my favourites (red and blue packet in the south, yellow pack in the north). If you’re a fan of crinkle cut then Hunky Dory’s are good too, they actually own Tayto these days. 
There was near riot in Thomond Park at the first rugby game after its’ revamp because some dope had stocked Walkers instead of Tayto’s. 
An American comedian called Josh Pray  (YouTube link included) was introduced to Taytos and the Tayto sandwich concept and fell in love. Mark Hamill of Star Wars developed a taste for Tayto BBQ flavour when he was filming the latest trilogy in Kerry. 
 

btw default Taytos = cheese and onion, if speaking about a different flavour this will be specified. 

[FLAHAM]

I am a lifelong shooter.  In 1961, I made Atlantic crossings on the Leonardo da Vinci (eastbound) and the United States (westbound).  On both ships, each day I shot clay pigeons launched off the stern with a shotgun.  I miss that.  

[Oceansaway17]

14 hours ago, wacruiselover said:

We always take a bottle of Signature SELECT Coffee Enhancer with us and squirt it into our coffee with the supplied half & half. You can get it in Hazelnut, Caramel, or Vanilla from Safeway if you have one in the area. It's a little bottle so no problem carrying it in your pocket or purse.

Hazelnut: https://www.safeway.com/shop/product-details.960113423.html

Caramel:  https://www.safeway.com/shop/product-details.960113424.html

Vanilla: https://www.safeway.com/shop/product-details.960113422.html

thanks.  I used to pack the little international delights as well.

might check out Signature brand as shown above

[SunshineGal2022]

On 11/3/2022 at 9:57 PM, Muckyduckway said:

Just back from a Gem cruise, many things to love about the Gem, especially the crew, but the beds were the worst we've had on any cruise ever. A mattress topper resolved that but the experience made me realise that my own pillows are the only thing I truly miss when away from home. And having sufficient space for my knees when using the toilet is something I have definitely taken for granted!

Did you bring a mattress topper or did you request one?  Which level room did you have?  

[juju2454]

On 12/12/2022 at 5:27 PM, Oceansaway17 said:

I miss my flavored coffee creamers and won't pay extra on ship. I feel they should provide at least vanilla.

I miss some tv like Golf channel and Hallmark and CNN.  

You can actually bring them...

[cruiseat50]

On 12/12/2022 at 2:03 PM, pcakes122 said:

I don't think so! I rent one on every cruise I take. 😁👍🏻

Seriously - you rent a recliner on a ship?  How does that work?  Do they deliver to your suite?  Who do you rent them from and what's the cost?  I would love to have one but doubt it would be in the budget but I can only hope.

[pcakes122]

1 hour ago, cruiseat50 said:

Seriously - you rent a recliner on a ship?  How does that work?  Do they deliver to your suite?  Who do you rent them from and what's the cost?  I would love to have one but doubt it would be in the budget but I can only hope.

Seriously! 😊 Yes, they deliver to your suite so it's there when you get there and you just leave it when you leave.  I rent from Scootaround and they offer 2 types of recliners. One is a regular manual recliner and the other is a motorized lift chair (that's the kind I rent because I am disabled.)  I'm on a cruise right now (sitting in my recliner as I'm typing this lol) and the rental fee was $305 for a 10-day cruise. (I add other insurance and protection fees so my total was $394.)  I'm sure the manual recliner is cheaper, but I don't know the cost. Here's a photo of the types they rent. 

[Muckyduckway]

 

13 hours ago, SunshineGal2022 said:

Did you bring a mattress topper or did you request one? Which level room did you have?  

 

We asked our cabin steward if there was anything could be done to make the bed more comfortable - he added the topper that same day.

We've been told they have a limited supply, so if needed, ask ASAP.

 

 

 

[Muckyduckway]

And we were in a balcony.

 

 

[HappyTexan44]

34 minutes ago, Muckyduckway said:

 

13 hours ago, SunshineGal2022 said:

Did you bring a mattress topper or did you request one? Which level room did you have?  

 

We asked our cabin steward if there was anything could be done to make the bed more comfortable - he added the topper that same day.

We've been told they have a limited supply, so if needed, ask ASAP.

 

 

 

 

Had that been pre or post lockdown?    
Somewhere I read that they got rid of them because you can't really get them clean.  

 

 

[Muckyduckway]

Re Tayto crisps (not that it matters to most of CC), the Irish company was set up in 1954 by an entrepreneur (Dubliner Joseph Murphy) who spotted an opportunity to make Irish crisps (until then they were imported from mainly the UK).

 

Shortly afterwards, Thomas Hutchinson, who had just acquired a 500 year old "castle" in Tandragee, County Armagh (Northern Ireland) bought the rights to the Tayto name and recipes for sale outside Ireland.

 

They never operated as one company and to this day neither can be sold in each other's market.

 

I live in the North but prefer the southern cheese and onion version. After a tour at Tayto Castle we decided to do a blind taste test and the whole family agreed. Still like the Cas.tle version though - both have a flavour unlike any other cheese and onion crisp, but for us it's more about nostalgia and nothing else beats either one in a sandwich!

 

[Muckyduckway]

 

34 minutes ago, HappyTexan44 said:

 

 

Had that been pre or post lockdown?    

Somewhere I read that they got rid of them because you can't really get them clean.  

 

It was in October 2022 on the Gem.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[graphicguy]

3 hours ago, Muckyduckway said:

 

34 minutes ago, HappyTexan44 said:

 

 

Had that been pre or post lockdown?    

Somewhere I read that they got rid of them because you can't really get them clean.  

 

It was in October 2022 on the Gem.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Got a topper last month when I sailed on the Breakaway.  Requested it from the cabin steward.

[cruiseny4life]

On 10/24/2022 at 6:00 PM, Laszlo said:

Our last cruise in the Haven I slept on the second most comfortable bed in my life. I swear that was the best part of the Haven Lol

  

On 10/25/2022 at 8:06 AM, cruiseny4life said:

We purchased a Haven bed while we were still on our September cruise! It arrived last week...now if only the new bedframe from Ethan Allen would arrive. We're going to be getting the best sleep of our lives! And, with a king, all four of our dogs should be able to still kick us to the edge of the bed. 

I mentioned, above that we purchased the Haven bed. It sat in our bedroom from mid-October until last Friday waiting for that stupid bedframe!

 

It's finally been setup and is as comfy as I remember in the Haven. Now, a little bit of the Haven is with me every single day. 

 

Don't judge the disaster that was our living room while the bed was being set up! Just note the wonderful, comfy soft padding on top of that Tranquility mattress!

 

And here's the beauty in its' entirety! We've had a week's worth of comfy sleeps. 

 

[cruiser123!]

diet mountain dew

flavored coffee creamers

my doggies :)