Odd things we sometimes like to bring with us on a cruise

[Cruise Raider]

On 6/1/2023 at 12:49 PM, Nicole&Pete said:

Does anyone take a stapler with them for luggage tags?

We usually try to pack in carry on laughed only but in the event we go on a longer cruise or a cold weather cruise, we just put clear packing tape on the tags we print out and punch a hole and take a couple of those little twist ties to secure them.  

[onboard2005]

I must have a dozen clear luggage tags with the attaching loop from AAA from my travels. I cover my printed luggage tag with packing tape and insert it inside.  Keeps ink from smudging off inside. Switch the insets out as needed.

 

Have tags must travel...

[Purple Gallinule]

We always bring extra AA and AAA batteries and an extension cord. Not all our "stuff" is rechargeable!

[Expat Cruise]

7 hours ago, MissP22 said:

Changing the input into their TV certainly wouldn't affect it. If the TV was bad, that's another story altogether. 

If there so concerned about electronic devices causing the problem  then they should ban people from bringing on board ANY devices.  

If they banned all devices, they would not have enough guests to cruise. I'm not going to give them any weapons to try to blame us for anything that goes wrong on the cruise. Besides, bring this back to the original question. It is best just to have Princess take care of the light issue so not questions can be raised if any problems. 

[WestCoastDeb]

I think the oddest thing I travel with is a baseball -- which I use to roll the knots out of my shoulders. 

 

It isnt exciting but oh is it helpful.

 

Or, I guess, my purple fuzzy sloth slippers. 

 

For a while I had a wooden phallic keychain that lived in my suitcase - a joke souvenir I got as a gift years ago. It has fallen out somewhere along the way, I hope whomever found it got a laugh.  

[PescadoAmarillo]

I bring empty Restasis eye drop containers to organize things in my nightstand drawers on long cruises. ‘Cause I’m a little too much in that way. And a silk sleep sack to put the comforter in because I really dislike Princess’s bedding.  

[remydiva]

On 6/1/2023 at 9:50 AM, Nicole&Pete said:

Maybe I’m not quite as thorough as that! Makes me think though that I should be wiping more areas. Maybe even walls?

I use Lysol wipes and wipe light switches, door knobs in/ out, sliding door handles , TV remote, phone received and buttons, fridge had he, ice bucket top, sink taps and faucet .. anything that the steward may have wiped or touched using a cloth no doubt used in previous cabins.

I do this every time we return to cabin when I can see steward has been in.

After 20 cruises, several with code red Norwalk cases, we have remained healthy ( also do other precautions like don’t use elevator, use arms not hands on hand rails etc) 

[remydiva]

10 hours ago, KatRangoon said:

So, something I haven't brought before but I'm bringing this time is a cheap bed sheet to tuck around the loveseat in the room. The last time we cruised was in a family suite and the group before us must have had out of control kids because there was jelly or syrup or something all over that couch. Our steward tried to clean it as soon as we brought it to his attention, but we still found sticky spots as we would sit the rest of the trip. We also joked about what other things are probably embedded in those couches and were so grossed out we're going to see if we can use a sheet as a protective cover this time. 

ok I just  went ‘ewww’ and May never get a delux balcony or mini suite again!

[metairiegal]

So much for trying to pack light!  

[Thrak]

We take our own detergent pods (in a baggie that travels inside a shoe in the luggage). I always take a back scratcher. At home there is by "my" chair in the living room, one on my desk, and one by my side of the bed. There is also one in our teardrop trailer, one in my wife's car and one in my truck. The back scratcher is one of man's finest "inventions".

[jackiel3290]

On 6/1/2023 at 9:59 AM, Rick&Jeannie said:

Many people have commented that they do not like the "new" motion sensor lights on the nightstand and in the "hallway" outside the bathroom.  It can be quite annoying for the person still in bed if the other gets up in the middle of the night.  Take a short length of blue painters tape wrapped on a pen or any other type of item that packs easily.  Tear off about 3-4 inches for each motion sensor.  Blue tape removes very easily and will not harm the sensor at all.  I carry this wrapped on a popsicle stick and carry it in my little "emergency" toolkit (a very small plastic pouch with things like ty-wraps, tiny/medium screwdrivers & anything I can think of that might get you out of a bind.)

 

 

Those motion sensors were a problem for my husband. I am the one getting up during the night. Blue tape is a great suggestion. There is also the sensor that turns on the closet light. It is really bright. I am not sure where the sensor is for that.

[damiross]

1 hour ago, Thrak said:

We take our own detergent pods (in a baggie that travels inside a shoe in the luggage). I always take a back scratcher. At home there is by "my" chair in the living room, one on my desk, and one by my side of the bed. There is also one in our teardrop trailer, one in my wife's car and one in my truck. The back scratcher is one of man's finest "inventions".

I found out every building has a built-in back scratcher.  I use the door frames to scratch my back. 🙂

[damiross]

1 hour ago, remydiva said:

I use Lysol wipes and wipe light switches, door knobs in/ out, sliding door handles , TV remote, phone received and buttons, fridge had he, ice bucket top, sink taps and faucet .. anything that the steward may have wiped or touched using a cloth no doubt used in previous cabins.

I do this every time we return to cabin when I can see steward has been in.

After 20 cruises, several with code red Norwalk cases, we have remained healthy ( also do other precautions like don’t use elevator, use arms not hands on hand rails etc) 

After 6 cruises, many airplane flights, hotel stays, etc., I have remained healthy.  I do admit one time I got on a plane with a stuffed head.  Not recommended!  I swear the pilot took his sweet time going from cruise to landing just to maker my ears hurt more.

 

On a serious note, I find this posting to be quite condescending.  I thought of a quote from Planet of the Apes when I read this post.  It was the first words spoken to the apes by a human:  "Take your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!" 

[damiross]

26 minutes ago, jackiel3290 said:

Those motion sensors were a problem for my husband. I am the one getting up during the night. Blue tape is a great suggestion. There is also the sensor that turns on the closet light. It is really bright. I am not sure where the sensor is for that.

On the Royal in a handicapped cabin, we had the lights under the nightstands.  They shined out, not up, and didn't really bother us.  

[Nicole&Pete]

Just now, remydiva said:

I use Lysol wipes and wipe light switches, door knobs in/ out, sliding door handles , TV remote, phone received and buttons, fridge had he, ice bucket top, sink taps and faucet .. anything that the steward may have wiped or touched using a cloth no doubt used in previous cabins.

I do this every time we return to cabin when I can see steward has been in.

After 20 cruises, several with code red Norwalk cases, we have remained healthy ( also do other precautions like don’t use elevator, use arms not hands on hand rails etc) 

So you wipe after the cabin attendant has been in? That’s a lot of wiping. Maybe I need to up my game!

[Nicole&Pete]

Just now, damiross said:

After 6 cruises, many airplane flights, hotel stays, etc., I have remained healthy.  I do admit one time I got on a plane with a stuffed head.  Not recommended!  I swear the pilot took his sweet time going from cruise to landing just to maker my ears hurt more.

 

On a serious note, I find this posting to be quite condescending.  I thought of a quote from Planet of the Apes when I read this post.  It was the first words spoken to the apes by a human:  "Take your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!" 

If your referring to wiping after the cabin attendant that does make sense on the basis they have cleaned multiple rooms before going to yours and using the same cloths etc. Last year I saw them wearing gloves and masks to clean cabins, that’s probably gone away now. 
 

Maybe I need to take a large pack of Lysol (called Dettol in the UK) with me, I was just going to take a 30 pack!!!

[2 cruises a year]

On 6/1/2023 at 1:13 PM, KatRangoon said:

I always take a couple trash bags. Those tiny trash cans are never big enough for a family of 4 even when changed every day and I hate leaving a overflowing pile of trash for the steward to mess with. 

 

Also flip flops to wear around the room. I'm sure housekeeping does their best to keep the carpets clean, but just like with hotels, some bodily fluids just can't be vacuumed up and I don't want to walk in it with my bare feet and then snuggle up to it when I get under the covers in bed!

Yuch, TMI, but boy are you correct!😉

[Gwendy]

Have been wiping airplane seats, screens, remotes, arm rests for years.  One person laughed at me, then covid came along.  I do the same in the cabin, including the bathroom.  On a long cruise tend to repeat every 5 days or so.

[Honolulu Blue]

On 6/1/2023 at 10:40 AM, larrybritt said:

We are going on our first Alaska cruise in July. We have done several from Florida and we live on east coast and drive to the port. So in the past we could bring a few extra things. We have always travelled with a fan as the noise is something we have gotten used to and we bring a travel fan, not too big but not tiny either. One time we did see someone bring on a full box fan. We have also typically all brought our own pillows and sometimes even a light blanket.

 

I know none of these are needed, but obviously we are flying to Alaska and are going to still try to at least bring the fan. Pillows and blanket may not make it. Does anyone else travel with a fan? The noise really does help us sleep. 

 

Any other oddities that people have brought with them? Just curious as I'm sure we are not the only ones that like their fan and pillows, LOL

And I do know that Princess has for the most part comfortable beds and pillows, just creatures of habit I guess.

 

I don't personally travel with a fan, but I've heard of many cruisers that do, so I don't think it's all that unusual.

 

Pillows are more unusual, I think, but you're certainly not alone.  I find myself inundated with TOO MANY pillows when I travel - both hotels and cruises.  Anything more than two is overkill, IMHO.  That's probably more rare than people who bring pillows along.

 

Anyway, my newest friend insisted I bring him along on my last cruise (Ruby in April).  That's a little unusual:

 

[Yehootu]

20 hours ago, CruzeQueen2 said:

@YehootuWhen were you on the Crown last? I'm getting worried about the condition of the mattresses. I may switch to another sailing on another ship. Crown has many pluses, over the Royal class ships, but a bad bed is not acceptable. TIA 

March 17-April 14 2023.

[Roberto256]

10 hours ago, Thrak said:

We take our own detergent pods (in a baggie that travels inside a shoe in the luggage). I always take a back scratcher. At home there is by "my" chair in the living room, one on my desk, and one by my side of the bed. There is also one in our teardrop trailer, one in my wife's car and one in my truck. The back scratcher is one of man's finest "inventions".

For car use, I suggest something like this:

 

 

Also handy in the supermarket to reach the very last one of something at the back of an out-of-reach shelf.

A lot of use during the pandemic!

 

 

[Bwana Tom]

One of the best things I have found to take along are 3 large paper clips. Some people call these bulldog clips which are used generally to hold a large stack of paper together. I can't claim this as my own idea; I read it on this board several years ago, but clip these to the bottom of the always short Princess shower curtains and they keep it in place....no water on the floor. We put one on each corner and one in the middle. They work great!

Duck tape is a great item, but rather than take a little bit wrapped up on a pencil or popsicle stick we take a roll that has already been partially used up. Baggage handlers are terribly hard on luggage and on a few occasions they have been known to damage the bags so severally they won't even close again. If that should happen a partial roll of duck tape would surely be handy to have along with you.

When the airlines once damaged our luggage I asked the guy taking the report if he thought when the baggage handlers went on vacation themselves if they stand back 6 or 8 feet from the trunk of their car and throw their bags inside, but I got no answer. 

I also use several pieces of duck tape to secure the top of the laundry bag that we send out for washing. I've seen dozens of bags out in the passageway that are apparently in transit to the laundry room with the tops wide open and wonder how many cloths become lost along the way.

[EatonDoolittle]

12 hours ago, remydiva said:

ok I just  went ‘ewww’ and May never get a delux balcony or mini suite again!

 

If the couch looks / feels / smells / nasty, I just grab a nice big pool towel and use it as a slip cover. 

[remydiva]

7 hours ago, Nicole&Pete said:

So you wipe after the cabin attendant has been in? That’s a lot of wiping. Maybe I need to up my game!

Yes AFTER they’ve been in. My reasoning is I know where MY hands have been and that I’ve washed/ used sanitizer. Did they? Or did they cough into their hand? 

AND they use the same cloths to wipe and clean every cabin so if any bacteria like coliform, or viruses present in Cabin A, there’s a good chance they may be transferred to Cabin B.

I guess 40+ yrs working in medical labs where we wiped everything down every day makes me extra cautious. 

[remydiva]

7 hours ago, Nicole&Pete said:

If your referring to wiping after the cabin attendant that does make sense on the basis they have cleaned multiple rooms before going to yours and using the same cloths etc. Last year I saw them wearing gloves and masks to clean cabins, that’s probably gone away now. 
 

Maybe I need to take a large pack of Lysol (called Dettol in the UK) with me, I was just going to take a 30 pack!!!

The 30 pack would do for a 14 day cruise; it did for me. The cabin steward usually only came in 2x a day ; morning to do beds and clean then after dinner to freshen up.