Transatlantic Novice Looking for Advice/Recommendations

[mahasamatman]

13 hours ago, cjpj said:

I take my prescription receipts with me that identify the drug. I've never had a problem and don't think any older person would have a problem. The original container stuff is BS because you can put anything in that container.

 

Likewise, taking the prescription is also BS because there's no guarantee that the pills you have match the prescription.

 

For short trips, it's just the pill dispenser. I take the bottles for long trips because I can't fit more than two weeks of medications in my pill dispenser. And after well over a million miles in the air, mostly international, I have never had an issue.

[Hlitner]

We have done dozens of TAs (over more than 40 years) and we still will often do 2 a year.  So lets talk about reality.  Regarding prescription med, simply take enough for your trip plus an extra week (just in case you somehow get delayed).  Unless you are carrying narcotics, just bring them along in their original containers!  In over 50 years of extensive international travel nobody has ever done anything other then a glance at our drugs.  Copies of your scripts are fine, but useless outside of your own country,

 

Nobody gives a ^%$$ about your toiletries but they do need to meet the requirements of TSA (the UK is even ore strict).  If in doubt, just pack them in your checked luggage.  

 

As to packing, we simply pack for a 2 week trip and use the cruise ship's laundry (we get unlimited free laundry on Princess).

 

Regarding the Caribbean Princess, it is our least favorite Princess ship (take a near perfect Grand Class ship and add a few hundred more passengers without increasing the public areas).  Have no clue what they will do on your embarkation day (the Lido, Slice, Alfredos, etc will be open).  When we embark on Princess, we go directly to Alfredos (or Gigi) to relax and avoid the usual first-day mess in the Lido.

 

Hank

 

 

 

 

[Mississippian]

I've taken four transatlantic cruises over the past two years. They are my favorite way to do nothing, catch up on my reading, and see a few ports.

 

It is very substantially cheaper to by a round-trip ticket from Europe to the USA than the other way around. In fact, the round-trip can be cheaper than a one-way ticket. Add to this the fact that most airlines now allow free ticket changes, and the best strategy is to take a USA to Europe cruise in the spring, then buy a round-trip ticket home. In July or August, search cruise fares for a cheap Europe to USA cruise, and if you find a deal, see if you can change your airline ticket dates and take advantage of the bargain. I've done this the last two years and am doing it again this year.

[Globaler]

29 minutes ago, Mississippian said:

I've taken four transatlantic cruises over the past two years. They are my favorite way to do nothing, catch up on my reading, and see a few ports.

 

It is very substantially cheaper to by a round-trip ticket from Europe to the USA than the other way around. In fact, the round-trip can be cheaper than a one-way ticket. Add to this the fact that most airlines now allow free ticket changes, and the best strategy is to take a USA to Europe cruise in the spring, then buy a round-trip ticket home. In July or August, search cruise fares for a cheap Europe to USA cruise, and if you find a deal, see if you can change your airline ticket dates and take advantage of the bargain. I've done this the last two years and am doing it again this year.

We are looking to do the same in 2025 - we sold our house and are nomads. I would live fulltime on a cruise ship if my wife would agree!

[ColoradoMom!!]

35 minutes ago, Mississippian said:

 

It is very substantially cheaper to by a round-trip ticket from Europe to the USA than the other way around. In fact, the round-trip can be cheaper than a one-way ticket. Add to this the fact that most airlines now allow free ticket changes, and the best strategy is to take a USA to Europe cruise in the spring, then buy a round-trip ticket home. In July or August, search cruise fares for a cheap Europe to USA cruise, and if you find a deal, see if you can change your airline ticket dates and take advantage of the bargain. I've done this the last two years and am doing it again this year.

This is next level!! Love it.
You ( and @Globaler ) have given me new cruising goals!!

[Globaler]

1 minute ago, ColoradoMom!! said:

This is next level!! Love it.
You ( and @Globaler ) have given me new cruising goals!!

Do the future cruise credit and buy 100 shares of carnival and you are good to go with 400 of OBC plus 250 Stock holders credit on a 2 week cruise!

[rdsqrl]

14 hours ago, Robkat said:

All of this info has been so useful (even when answers have been contradictory! 😂) and we're now clearer how we'll handle things with pills/meds/vitamins, etc.  

 

Along slightly different lines, how do you all handle toiletries and make-up ... As I mentioned, I normally transfer creams, etc into smaller jars and put them in toilet bags, that we carry on in our backpacks.  Obviously, there would be additional "small jars and/or bottles" for a longer cruise, which we can't carry in the backpacks,which we bring on the plane with us.  Does anyone just leave all that stuff behind and purchase new stuff at your destination?  I mean, we normally have 4 good sized travel bags, and I'm can't help but worry about that extra weight in our checked luggage.  

In any case, would love to know how you all go about that aspect.

 

Again, this is such a great community with such a wealth of experience and info, and we're grateful to all of you who share your "learned from experience" knowledge!

Suggestions From a High-Maintenance Traveler:

 

Shampoo/Conditioner:  I buy 5-oz tubes of Nexxus Therappe Shampoo/Humectress Conditioner (available at Target). That has lasted me for trips up to 4 weeks.  It's not my preferred brand (I'm an Aveda girl) but it treats my hair well with the ship's soft water.

 

Styling:  I use Aveda Invati Thickening Foam and have to take it with me; there's no comparison to anything else! 

 

Hairspray:  Buy in port city

 

My preferred hair spray, Ellnet, is readily available in Europe, along with plenty of high-end stying products.  I wouldn't hesitate to just leave them out and purchase them upon arrival.  Plus, I purchase sunscreen and hand lotion also upon arrival. 

 

Moisturizer:  Lancome (or your preferred brand) free gifts!  They almost always include moisturizer in a perfect size for travel, sometimes eye cream, too.  The secret is buy something and get the free gift every time the promo is offered; that way, I have a stock of little pots of cream ready to go.

 

Foundation:  I ask at the make-up counter (when I'm buying the aforementioned free-gift eligible purchase) for a couple of the tiny little plastic bottles they put foundation samples in.  I fill 'em up at home and take 2-3 with me, depending upon the length of the trip. 

 

Toothpaste:  This is a problem I have.  I run out on every trip, and have a lovely collection of toothpaste containers from random ports around the world.  So my advice here is don't be like me:  bring more than you think you need!  But I never have any trouble finding Crest or its equivalent in some far-flung region.  

 

 

[Robkat]

10 hours ago, aladin said:

One modern option is to take photos of prescription bottle labels with one of the pills next to it.  I also take a quick photo of my ID and passport. Cell phones have certainly cut down on carrying paperwork. We did a west bound transatlantic in Oct 22 and are excited to do an east bound on Sky Princess in a few days. We enjoyed the sea days and were never bored. Have a great time.

Thanks for the reply.

Hope you post on how you like the eastbound vs the westbound you already did.  

Enjoy the Sky ... she's pretty ship.  Have a great cruise!

[Robkat]

8 hours ago, Mississippian said:

I've taken four transatlantic cruises over the past two years. They are my favorite way to do nothing, catch up on my reading, and see a few ports.

 

It is very substantially cheaper to by a round-trip ticket from Europe to the USA than the other way around. In fact, the round-trip can be cheaper than a one-way ticket. Add to this the fact that most airlines now allow free ticket changes, and the best strategy is to take a USA to Europe cruise in the spring, then buy a round-trip ticket home. In July or August, search cruise fares for a cheap Europe to USA cruise, and if you find a deal, see if you can change your airline ticket dates and take advantage of the bargain. I've done this the last two years and am doing it again this year.

Wow ... this is unique (at least to us).

DH makes our air arrangements and is the cruise itinerary researcher, so I'm sure he'll be really interested to hear this.

Thanks for your reply!

[Robkat]

5 hours ago, rdsqrl said:

Suggestions From a High-Maintenance Traveler:

 

Shampoo/Conditioner:  I buy 5-oz tubes of Nexxus Therappe Shampoo/Humectress Conditioner (available at Target). That has lasted me for trips up to 4 weeks.  It's not my preferred brand (I'm an Aveda girl) but it treats my hair well with the ship's soft water.

 

Styling:  I use Aveda Invati Thickening Foam and have to take it with me; there's no comparison to anything else! 

 

Hairspray:  Buy in port city

 

My preferred hair spray, Ellnet, is readily available in Europe, along with plenty of high-end stying products.  I wouldn't hesitate to just leave them out and purchase them upon arrival.  Plus, I purchase sunscreen and hand lotion also upon arrival. 

 

Moisturizer:  Lancome (or your preferred brand) free gifts!  They almost always include moisturizer in a perfect size for travel, sometimes eye cream, too.  The secret is buy something and get the free gift every time the promo is offered; that way, I have a stock of little pots of cream ready to go.

 

Foundation:  I ask at the make-up counter (when I'm buying the aforementioned free-gift eligible purchase) for a couple of the tiny little plastic bottles they put foundation samples in.  I fill 'em up at home and take 2-3 with me, depending upon the length of the trip. 

 

Toothpaste:  This is a problem I have.  I run out on every trip, and have a lovely collection of toothpaste containers from random ports around the world.  So my advice here is don't be like me:  bring more than you think you need!  But I never have any trouble finding Crest or its equivalent in some far-flung region.  

 

 

Thanks so much for this great reply!  Very useful info! 

 

Had to laugh at the "Gift with Purchase" suggestion ... for years, I'd always have store schedules for all my favorite brands of when they were having their promos!  Too bad for me if I ran out of something I liked when a promo wasn't running ... I'd wait to get those goodie bags (and soooo many make-up bags!) 

[Robkat]

15 hours ago, shiner6 said:

I think we might be in the same situation. Our first TA is to Rome in November also. I  booked another TA from Barcelona to Florida in February.  So, today I stated looking for advice and found this thread. I always take a homemade first aid kit. I do not wear makeup (I have makeup tattoos) lol!  Our hair products are in bar form (they work really well).  Since we limit ourselves to one carryon and 1backpack, we also limit our clothing to mostly Merino wool which can be worn multiple times between laundering. A great site is called Wool & Prince. I take a few silk scarves and jewelry to dress up with. Hope this helps!

Hope you're finding this thread as interesting and as useful as I have!

The idea of makeup tattoos is intriguing ... like eyeliner and such?  

And what is bar products for hair?  Wracking my brain but can't remember ever seeing anything like that.

Oh, and thanks for the Wool and Prince suggestion ... will definitely check it out.

Enjoy your upcoming TA's ... we're really looking forward to them!

[shiner6]

6 hours ago, Robkat said:

Hope you're finding this thread as interesting and as useful as I have!

The idea of makeup tattoos is intriguing ... like eyeliner and such?  

And what is bar products for hair?  Wracking my brain but can't remember ever seeing anything like that.

Oh, and thanks for the Wool and Prince suggestion ... will definitely check it out.

Enjoy your upcoming TA's ... we're really looking forward to them!

The makeup tattoos I had done are eyeliner (both upper and lower), eyebrows and lips. I cannot say enough great things about them. They are a life changer for me. 

Amazon has lots of bar shampoos-The ones I use are from Hibar-they do not hurt my color treated hair/ very good quality.

The Wool& (women's) clothing is very fine quality, the men's is Wool and Prince--requires little washing, no ironing, odor free and very versatile.  I am plus size and find it difficult to find quality clothing in my size. If you look at their website, they have a special 100 day challenge offer. At first, my husband was a skeptic, but now, he wants to change his wardrobe over to all Merino.

Edited March 3 by shiner6
add

[shiner6]

On 3/3/2024 at 6:10 AM, Robkat said:

Hope you're finding this thread as interesting and as useful as I have!

The idea of makeup tattoos is intriguing ... like eyeliner and such?  

And what is bar products for hair?  Wracking my brain but can't remember ever seeing anything like that.

Oh, and thanks for the Wool and Prince suggestion ... will definitely check it out.

Enjoy your upcoming TA's ... we're really looking forward to them!

Robcat, Just wondering which part of Florida are you from? I will be in Cocoa beach visiting my sister soon--anywhere near there?

[Robkat]

13 hours ago, shiner6 said:

Robcat, Just wondering which part of Florida are you from? I will be in Cocoa beach visiting my sister soon--anywhere near there?

We're in South Florida, so not too close to the Central area (although we do really like finding cruises that leave from Port Canaveral ... it's a nice change from Miami and FLL!)

Enjoy your visit to Cocoa Beach, and if you get a chance over a weekend, you can go to see cruise ships departing from PC.  It can be fun to sit and watch them cruising past you! 

[CruiseCrabs]

If you have toiletries you must have, either use silicone travel bottles and jars (they do not leak and some can be hung in the shower, which is super convenient), buy at your destination city, buy travel sizes, or buy onboard. If you are using global brand products, they will be available in most major cities.
 

We also take a small in case of kit with bandages, blister plasters, wound gel, cold/flu meds, meclizine, and Pepto. This covers most of the minor issues that can pop up.

 

We usually leave Rome around 10ish and roll to the port to board with few, if any, challenges or delays. We generally stay in Southampton a day prior to boarding to not worry about traffic issues on boarding day.
 

We hit the International Cafe upon boarding for a light lunch (ham and cheese croissants, salad, and champagne) and boarding drink while watching the safety video so I’m not sure about the MDR. 

[Globaler]

16 minutes ago, CruiseCrabs said:

If you have toiletries you must have, either use silicone travel bottles and jars (they do not leak and some can be hung in the shower, which is super convenient), buy at your destination city, buy travel sizes, or buy onboard. If you are using global brand products, they will be available in most major cities.
 

We also take a small in case of kit with bandages, blister plasters, wound gel, cold/flu meds, meclizine, and Pepto. This covers most of the minor issues that can pop up.

 

We usually leave Rome around 10ish and roll to the port to board with few, if any, challenges or delays. We generally stay in Southampton a day prior to boarding to not worry about traffic issues on boarding day.
 

We hit the International Cafe upon boarding for a light lunch (ham and cheese croissants, salad, and champagne) and boarding drink while watching the safety video so I’m not sure about the MDR. 

I will second the suggestion to take cold meds. I have really bad hay fever and last year I ran out. I could not find Mucinex or Advil cold and sinus anywhere. Needless to say I’ll be taking double. On the bright side most places have Pharmacias everywhere and they can prescribe most meds - you just won’t find your favorite brands.

[suzyed]

On 3/2/2024 at 10:10 AM, Coral said:

Definitely take more days of meds than "number of days you are gone" just in case something happens.

 

I take original pill bottles when leaving the country. I don't want to risk anything.

Ours have NEVER been questioned nor even inspected.  We carry on all our meds (except vitamins and such). Would never think of packing them in our checked bags...what if the luggage is lost? 

[Coral]

23 minutes ago, suzyed said:

Ours have NEVER been questioned nor even inspected.  We carry on all our meds (except vitamins and such). Would never think of packing them in our checked bags...what if the luggage is lost? 

I never suggested putting them in checked bags.

 

I had medication looked at in Japan.

Edited March 6 by Coral

[dickinson]

On 3/2/2024 at 8:41 PM, Hlitner said:

  Unless you are carrying narcotics, just bring them along in their original containers!  In over 50 years of extensive international travel nobody has ever done anything other then a glance at our drugs.  Copies of your scripts are fine, but useless outside of your own country,

 

Hank

 

 

 

 

What does one do if carrying narcotics (or I assume any other type of controlled medicine)?

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, dickinson said:

What does one do if carrying narcotics (or I assume any other type of controlled medicine)?

No easy answer as the ultimate answer will depend on each country to be visited.  Not only do you need to comply with whatever rules your cruise line might have in place, but you need to comply with the laws of each country.  Some countries, such as Japan, have very strict rules (in their case you need prior approval).

 

That being said, you certainly should carry those drugs in their original container and also have copy of the prescription.  DW and I have never carried any narcotics so do not have first hand experience.  And by the way, the various rules can even impact over-the-counter drugs.  Many countries do not allow the import of any pseudoephedrine (i.e Sudafed) with some countries not even allowing over the counter drugs that have that ingredient.  I live in Mexico for part of the year, and Sudafed (and its main active ingredient) are absolutely illegal here.  

 

Speaking of narcotics, a bigger problem exists for folks who spend months out of their country and truly need a narcotic drug.  It can be difficult to get more then a 30 day supply of those drugs, which means one would need to get narcotics in a different country.  This is very difficult in many places and usually requires a prescription from a physician licensed in the same country.

 

We know cruisers that simply bring along all their drugs and take their chances.  That works unless they get caught.  

 

When DW and I travel to Japan, we go through all their paperwork (often required for even over the counter drugs when you have more than a month supply).  It takes me over an hour to fill out the Japanese forms which then have to be e-mailed/faxed to a specific address in Japan.  One then waits for approval.  The last time I submitted those forms their official requested follow-up info on the "origin country and drug manufacturer" for all our drugs including basic blood pressure meds.   As you might guess. when we did enter Japan, their officials paid zero attention to our drugs and did not ask to see our approval (which we had).

 

Hank

 

[dickinson]

@Hlitner Thanks for your info.  We don't take any narcotics but do take a controlled drug.  My last cruise last year I tried finding out info from the countries we were going to and found some info was non existent.  Even emailed the embassies and did not get a response from most.  Spain, for one, did not respond. When I emailed again I got a response making it seem easy to send in paperwork and any questions don't hesitate to ask.  I had a question and emailed back but never heard back from them. Ugh.  That is probably one reason why some people take their chances.  

 

The biggest thing for me is what happens in the worst case scenario if you are taken from the ship to a hospital in a country that does not allow your medication.