What are things you feel the need take with you?

[iheartbda]

passport and clean underwear.

 

You're overpacking, you can wash out your underwear.:D

[sagiv666]

Why bring a laundry hamper? I leave my suitcase open when I scoot it under the bed and put my dirty laundry in there during the week.

 

I put my dirty clothes into a clear plastic garbage bag I brought from home or into one of the laundry bags the ship provides. I can either give the bag to the ship's laundry, or on shorter cruises I can just put in in my suitcases at the end of the cruise to bring home, were I can take the bag straight to my laundry room to wash them myself or straight to the laundromat and ask them to wash my clothes. I might have another bag for clothes that go straight to the dry cleaners. I can keep these bags anywhere in the cabin (usually in the closet) with the clothes folded, then just put them into my suitcase (or give to the ship's laundry). I add dirty clothes every night, so these is no fuss later and time taken from the cruise -- and if I do bring them home, they may not come in contact with clean items not needing washing.:)

[sj25]

In my opinion, all this "stuff" is really unnecessary. Kind regards to those who offer these tips, but why bring the entire house and half the Wal-Mart down the road? I'd rather travel light than take everything JUST IN CASE. I realize that's just my personal preference.

 

Water on the ship is perfectly good. We take a couple of empty water bottles and refill them (be sure to do so from glasses and not from spout). As another poster recommended, why take a clothes hamper? Just a laundry bag to hang from a hanger.

 

And speaking of hangers, there are plenty. If you need more, your room steward will be happy to supply them.

 

Money? You can get cash from the casino for anything you need. It will be charged to your Seapass card.

 

Don't believe these tips have been mentioned:

 

1. Notify your credit card company if you plan to use your card overseas. They might suspect it has been stolen otherwise.

 

2. I have at home a "travel drawer." Just chuck in there what you need for trips. Before you trip begins, pull from that drawer what applies to that particular trip. No wondering where things are. Hubby knows to go to the travel drawer when he needs something pertaining to travel.

 

3. Type up your packing list. When you get home, delete what you did not use and add what you wish you had taken. I have a packing list for cold-weather cruises, beach cruises, land trips of various lengths. Save your brain. I have very few brain cells left, I think, and I don't want to waste them!:D

 

4. Rather than (or maybe in addition to) decorating your suitcases with colored duct tape, we found it very helpful on our last trip to have our party of four put a colored shower "pouf" on the handle of each suitcase. They stand up and you can see these at a distance, whereas the duct tape is obvious only when you are standing over the case. This even helped us find our cabins quickly the first day when luggage was outside our room. On the day of disembarkation, our luggage was automatically grouped together. That hadn't been the case on previous cruises. Won't guarantee that the porters will do that, but they will see the obvious grouping. Also quicker on luggage carousel in airport.

 

Happy sails to you!:)

 

 

I always put the duct tape, a strip around the edges on the entire suit case...and use black yellow since Pittsburgh fans and I always catch that when looking for my suitcase! Porters always say easy way to find them.!:)

[Happy ks]

Is a small travel steamer that doubles as an iron necessary?

 

Pack your clothes in dry cleaner bags and folders, you will have no need for a steamer.

 

 

Why the cell phone? We leave the cruise line's number with the fam. in case of emergency. We don't particularly want to be reached on a cruise. Isn't that what it's all about?

 

I am getting some great ideas here. I hope the thread continues.

 

The cell phone, for us, is a necessary item. We don't use it while we are onboard the ship but for calls for transportation pickup and if there are flight delays or cancellations, you can call the airline instead of waiting in a long line. We don't take the charger, we don't need it as the phone is turned off and only turned on for emergency calls.

 

Don't get too many ideas ;) or you'll end up needing an extra suitcase for all the "stuff".

 

 

I'm trying to recall where there was just ONE outlet on any ship I've been on..

 

Perhaps I never noticed because I never needed more than one at a time. We don't travel with gadgets that need charging. My hair looks best when air dryed so I rarely use a hair dryer. I sware I'd probably never even miss an outlet!!

quote]

 

 

I do have a 3 receptacle power strip in my carry on, it's always there but rarely used. We tend to charge things overnight, usually just the camera batteries. But many people bring numerous gadgets along and not only use a hair dryer but a curling iron as well.

 

There was a post about copying the contents of your wallet in case your wallet is lost or stolen. While it is a good idea, a better idea is to clean out your wallet, or take a small travel wallet, with only the necessary items. You don't need anything but your ID, one credit card and perhaps your health insurance card. If you have your own business cards, you may want a few of those, but not enough for everyone onboard!

 

I have an aunt who brings along everything in her wallet when she travels, a large checkbook wallet that is stuffed to the gills with receipts, every credit card she has, club cards, business cards, it's so full she can no longer get money into it. So, she then carries a second wallet, stuffed to the gills with more of the above so she then has a Ziploc baggie (I swear) with her cash. I know she won't change, but it has been a great lesson for me ;) ! I even got her a small organizer purse for travel a few years back for Christmas and showed her how to pack it for travel. She mailed it back to me last year, never used, so I gave it to Goodwill.

 

She carries all her "stuff" in a backpack, it weighs around 20 lbs. and it is killing her shoulder! Sometimes I think she is just too scared of life, having to have all these things with her at all times. I sometimes wonder what she thinks of me, carrying nothing at all on shore excursions except what will fit into my pockets. The last time she was here, I showed her how I can pack for a 4 day trip (including formal wear) in a rolling backpack, she was amazed. When she comes to visit us for a week, she brings a full sized suitcase, a maximum sized carry on plus the above mentioned backpack and.....never, ever uses even a quarter of what she hauls.

 

This is what I think of when I see these enormous packing lists with all the suggestions. I've witnessed so many couples disembarking cruises with 2 suitcases each and a carry on each. We take half the amount of luggage as most people and do just fine. We are able to dress nice, clean ourselves up and keep healthy with just the basics.

 

You are not going on a camping trip! You are going on a cruise ship with many of the ammenities you need. Keep it light and simple...if you have to ask what an item is used for, chances are extremely high that you will not need it. Try just one time packing light and you will discover a whole new world of travel, easier packing, repacking, organizing and hauling.

[rednancy1]

I need my ionic tourmaline hair dryer as RCI's makes my hair stand up straight.:eek:

[BigTee2000]

bump

[BigTee2000]

bump

[budmeister]

Over the counter drugs of whatever you think you might need, and first -aid stuff. Look around your bathroom and see what you might want. You just may not find visine or canker sore medicine if you need it on the cruise. I also like my water proof beach bag and a fanny pack can be truly useful, if not a fashion statement.:o

[cruzfiend]

If you are bringing a travel alarm clock, make sure it is battery operated. The electric on the ship is not conducive with the electric clocks you buy here in the states.

[volleyballmom87]

Sunscreen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BigTee2000]

bump

[Crewzer33]

I'd say it's pretty obvious who the males and females are in this thread!

 

How many of the males pack anything???

[Head Shot]

This is funny stuff. The long two part list I just read was amazing. At least a third of it I didn't understand why. Only about 30 tips I found it useful. How some people can manage to go to great lengths to make their trip as much as possible to being at home , I'll never understand. Might as well not go. I thought I was bad until I read some of these options. Makes me feel almost inadequate:D

[jdbmga]

Great tips!

[linznjody]

After having to use various "squatty potties" and toilet seats with footprints on them, I ALWAYS bring travel size toilet paper and seat covers with me whenever I travel. Sorry, I know it's gross, but I like to be prepared.

 

If you're travelling with a group, pack a few walkie talkies. They work great on the ship, keeping up with kids, and in port, trying to find each other.

 

Also, if you don't have a long flight home, offer some snacks to your steward or other favorite employee. The ports don't always carry our favorite products and the ships are expensive! It helps create room for all of your souvenirs and it makes someone's day.

[WarmWaters]

Thanks so much for all the wonderful ideas. We are sailing the Majesty shortly and I am wondering about bringing a few small magnets to hold up the daily leaflet on one of the walls of our cabin.

 

Previously on the Star Princess it worked like a charm to highlight the previous night all the activities onboard that we would like to attend the following day and then we just stick it to the wall with a few small magnets and it was out of the way and on eye level to quickly read.

 

Will magnets work on the walls of Majesty of the Seas?

 

Thank you kindly in advance.