Ultimate Packing List for the Newbies....

[Paddy41]

Just found this thread and found it very useful even though I've been on quite a few cruises before. We are going RCI in October and I have been told by my daughter-in-law who cruises RCI several times a year that they have become very strict about liquor and soft drinks and water being brought on board. That she has heard some people had it confiscated and returned at the end of the cruise. Has anyone had that happen? We are only interested in taking a bottle of sherry aboard for before dinner as we are not into cocktails at all.

[ecosense]

THANK YOU for all the lists, suggestions, rebuttals, ETC!

I have cruised a few times, some from the states, some overseas, and am a chronic over-packer. My rule is to never take more bags that I, personally, can lug MYSELF. Yes, I have had some days when I ached carrying all my "stuff" but love having my "stuff" with me. Friends and family are always giving me grief about having so much, but also know that if they need something, to ask me! Works out great because i love to travel and love having what I need!

the over the door hanging pocket thing is great. I also bring a couple of extra over the door hooks to hang stuff.....

One thing I brought on my last cruise (BluesCruise from Ft Lauderdale on Holland America.........BEST....CRUISE...EVER!) were battery operated string lights as part of our door decorations. I also brought tiny stick-on hooks for the door frame to hang the lights on. They come off without leaving sticky on the frame......These lights were GREAT because they looked awesome, but also helped me/us FIND our door. Sometimes I would be "tired" later in the evening! ;) The batteries in the battery pack (4 AA's per strand, used 3 strands to make it "pop") lasted the entire week.

Am cruising next month (Oct 23-30) on Carnival Dream. I'll be with 13 other people and will be celebrating my 50th bday on board! YAHOO!

I cannot wait, and also have been browsing and dreaming about future cruises. Have already booked the Blues Cruise for next January, and plan on going on that one EVERY year. Its remarkable and if you like music, its an amazing way to travel and get daily overloads (in a good way) of all sorts of great music! The most wonderful thing was realizing within a day or so that I was on a pretty large ship but found that the majority of us were SO SIMILAR in so many ways; all being there for the same thing. Music, fun, relaxation and letting our hair down. WAY less regimented than some other types of cruises and BOY did this group of people know how to party! Awesome! I met very few "strangers" on this particular cruise.

One thing I was amazed at was on the blues cruise, we had 4 women in ONE regular-sizedcabin and not only did HAL have plenty of storage places, but good and very comfortable sleeping surfaces for all 4 of us. We did have a balcony; that was the only thing we decided we had to have! 2 of the 4 of us are over-packers, but even with that "issue" we had plenty of room for everything and had a great time!

 

ANYHOW.......i appreciate all the work you all have done to put these various lists together. Not everyone will take, or use, what is ON those lists, but if someone really wants to, having a reference list made by someone more experienced is a godsend.........if you don't need/want to take some/all the listed items, then don't!

I appreciate ALL of you and am looking forward to my next cruise........50 is going to ROCK! :D:p

 

Nancy

[Janet Foster]

Loved your posting Nancy....

 

We we cruise our friends know that I am the "go to" person if they need something that they forgot to pack... LOL Sounds like you cruise with a fun group!

 

I have brought a strand of lights before also but used them on our balcony for one of the parties that we hosted. It required an extension cord as mine were not battery operated. Makes it nice out! I also bring those "Command Strips".. those are pretty useful also.

 

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Paddy41: I find threads all over the place saying "this or that" cruise line has become strict about liquor and soft drinks and water being brought on board. Liquor is never allowed to be brought. Some ships allow bottle(s) of wine to be carried on. When we are in port and have bought liquor the cruise line will take it and store it in a secure area until the last day of the cruise. That being said "several people" put liquor in their luggage. Some people even use rum runners to store it in. I have never been turned down by bringing a case of water or soda at curbside check in. The baggage handlers are the ones who tag your items and load it up. If I found that my case of water or soda did not make it, it would not ruin my trip.

 

However when I find my case of water and soda sitting by my cabin door along with my luggage it does bring a smile to my face. I enjoy having drinks in my cabin.

 

So for future cruises I will again bring my case of water and soda and whatever happens, happens..

 

Happy Cruising Everyone!!!

[Electricflyer]

I have a foldup 2 wheel cart to tote my carry ons. I like to use a briefcase for the ship required documents and also all my meds and little items that I may need before the suitcases get delivered. Don't forget a little LED flashlight, very small and batteries last a long time. As far as clothes, keep it to a minimum. For the ladies just mix and match. Chances are you won't see the same people twice anyway and even if you do they won't remember what you wore the last time. For the men one pair of shoes and something to wear to the beach. 3 pair of slacks or dungarees and 4 shirts. Of course ample underwear. Pajamas for men (nada)!!! 2 swimsuits for each of you, one to wear the other to dry.

Main thing is keep it light. We went to Germany for a week with 2 carryons as we were flying standby we didn't want to check any bags.

The primary objective is to have a good time and don't worry about what the others think.

[Janet Foster]

:-)

[hankmary]

50 plus cruises and about to go on the Queen Mary II. Agree with those who noted each of us is different and there are no bad crusise. That said, folks who spend big on luggage are saying “steal me”! Take color pictures of your luggage, run them off on plain paper, and keep them with your passport. Great help at the airport to describe lost stuff. Never check something valuable you actually want to see again! Mark your bags colorfully, inspector told me thieves hate colorful bags, love the plain stuff with one address label, they can always claim they were mistaken if caught, not our bags! Pack stick on mailing labels you get from Vet groups. Put them on ship luggage tags for departure, clean, clear and complete address. Add phone number of a friend who is back home. If they find your lost bag and call, he answers and tells them what to do. Labels make quick work of filling out forms of all kinds. Buy "ear lights" from Travel Smith? Sometimes you see them in the Dollar store. Great for focused reading and good for a room flashlight. We are rarely in our cabin but when we are we want it to be special. Get a collapsible vase. You fill it with hot water and it takes the form of a rigid vase, flowers brighten any room. A battery “tea candle” in a colored votive cover adds a little romance. Add a folding picture wallet with 10 slots for 5x7 family pics, it opens and stands up for display. Touch of home and always interests the room staff, gets them talking about their home. Use slip ties as much as possible. Thieves long ago beat the TSA locks. No safe? Slip tie valuables in your luggage under the bed, good deterrent to crimes of opportunity. Sadly you can just push a ballpoint pen into just about any luggage zipper and it pops right open. Put your drugs under lock and key, staffs have been known to slip one or two sedatives from a bottle, you will not miss them and they bring real money on the drug market. Buy small, sealable, reusable pill packets for daily vitamins, etc. at the drugstore, great organizers. Flight attendant friend recommends putting the TV remote in the free shower cap, says remote is always the most germ ridden thing in the room. Buy a Kindle, 3500 books! Most of our books are free or very cheap. Paper books are heavy. Read one book on a Kindle and you will be hooked. All this stuff takes no real room and no weight but adds a nice touch. Hank

Edited September 10, 2010 by hankmary

[Nuggetbear]

Thanks for the list Janet and all the tips from everyone. Gail and I have cruised Holland, Carnival and Princess since 2001 and taken sometimes 2 cruises a year and we still forget things............<g> I have printed your list out, not to say that we will take it all but there are a few real useful things we never thought of. After a lot of cruises we have got it down to 3 suitcases leaving home and sometimes up to 5 or 6 coming back. Oh those nice little shops love Gail....................she loves to make sure she is supporting all those shops.

 

HAL Nieuw Amsterdam 2010

Carnival Conquest 2009

HAL Rotterdam 2009

Princess Dawn Princess 2008

Carnival Splendor 2008

Carnival Freedom 2007

Carnival Miracle 2006

Carnival Liberty 2005

Carnival Valor 2005

Carnival Spirit 2004

Carnival Destiny 2003

Carnival Victory 2002

HAL Zandam 2001

[whitehousecruises]

I was just reading your Cruise List and what you take. I wish I was as organized as you! Fortunately my husband is. .... I love the idea of theme cocktail parties.

 

But I just had to grin at all of us.... the amount of things we all take is crazy... but who wants to be without them...

 

Isn't cruising great?!?!? We love it.

 

Thanks for your info - it's amazing how checking out other people's info is a great help!

 

We're just packing to leave for 5 weeks in The Med with 24 days on ship. Thank Goodness for my husband and his lists!!

Edited September 10, 2010 by whitehousecruises

[TennesseeLeigh]

Thanks for all the suggestions and ideas. We're getting ready for our first cruise and I found it really helpful to see what different folks pack.

[astrocruises]

Working out on the last day of the cruise in the ship's fitness center, and when I went to weigh myself on the scale one of the trainers said "The scale is broken, some ***** tried to weigh their suitcase on it."

 

Just sayin' ...

[astrocruises]

What I do on the first day of the cruise is to ask the cabin steward for an extra pillowcase, then clothes-pin it to a hanger in the closet. When I go to the self-service laundry (try to pick a time when it won't be busy, so you can do a white load and a dark load at the same time) I throw the pillowcase in as well so I don't have to go directly back to my cabin. I set my alarm watch for the estimated duration of a cycle, set with a little extra time if I have to go back to the stateroom to get hangers for the permanent press shirts and pants. I'm back in the laundry room as the load(s) finish up, with clean clothes and a clean pillowcase to stuff them in.

Edited September 10, 2010 by astrocruises

[scapel]

Janet,

Thanks for taking the time to advise everyone. It is a very good list.

Remind everyone also to tell the cabin attendent to leave one copy of the next days itinerary for each person in the cabin. You can get more copies at the desk, but if you are tipping why should you go to the desk.

My friend wrote and told me to check this out. He thought I must have written it. HA!

Well I also bring some of those little suction hooks that will work on mirrors or glass. They will not work on Wood. Good for hanging things.

I also bring those stick-um hooks. They will work on wood and are easy to remove. Can use to hang a door sign. These are good for hainging up hats or binoculars or whatever you want to hang to grab on the way out the door or onto the veranda.

Prednisone is not expensive but OH how nice to have if you or someone has an allergic reaction. Yes you would need a Rx.to get it. Bring Benadryl also.

Did you read the story of the young passenger that died. They thought it might have been an allergic reaction to food. Never did find out the final decesion. Sounds like he may have needed epinephrine.

Don't forget to remind the men to put the rubber band around the wallet if they use a wallet. Anti-pickpocket.

[carlosv]

Oh yes.. My list is not intended to be a must have must pack. Common sense plays into everything regarding the list. For us I do need a power strip and we travel in large crowds, we work for airlines we don't pay for airline baggage fees. Weight is not a problem however for lots of people traveling on carriers that charge fees it is. Lucky are those who live near ports.

 

So as I have said many times on this board take what pertains to you. I hope I have helped trigger something in your mind that you might need. I love planning and packing. It's so much fun.

 

Regards!!

 

Janet,

Hey peep, you forgot to list toilet paper, LOL, OMG! You people!

[Janet Foster]

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Janet,

Hey peep, you forgot to list toilet paper, LOL, OMG! You people!

 

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Loved "most" all the comments...

 

Nuggetbear..

Too funny on how your wife likes to support all the shops while she is cruising.

 

Whitehouseparties..

Oh yes.. we do love our themed cocktail parties.. They are such a big hit we have to do them all the time now. I have already sent out an email to our 2011 Cruisers suggesting that they pick their themes soon because with Halloween coming up there are lots of decorations that will be available... I am envious over your 24 day Med Cruise... have a good time..

 

TennesseeLeigh... I bet you are really excited about your first cruise. I wish I knew about this site before our first cruise and boy did we go into it blindly... HAAA

 

Astrocruises... good hamper idea for taking care of the dirty laundry when using the laundry facilities...

 

Joe.. I like the rubberband around the wallet tip. I had heard that before but forgot about it.

 

 

The tips and suggestions that everyone provided are great and so helpful. It is fun planning is all I can say...

 

Common sense might tell you that you don't need to pack toilet paper but then again... the key word is common sense... LOL OMG YOU PEOPLE!!

[knukruzer]

After perusing through this thread I noticed a couple of what I would consider necessary items missing & they are

1)eyeglass repair kit

2) extra pair of glasses should the repair kit not fix the problem

3)for contact lens wearers bring one or two extra pairs, keeping one pair in your pack or purse should you lose one or both contact lenses or they get damaged.

4)reading glasses for reading menus

You can't enjoy what you can NOT see;)

 

this is a must for those of us with sight limitations! i thought of the spare glassed while i was on a jet ski / wave rider on the first port of call!!! panic hit when i thought 'OMG if i lose my glasses i will be blind for the next 9 days' :eek: :eek: :eek: then i backed off the throttle and was very careful :p note to self - always pack spare glasses when cruising!

[Janet Foster]

You are so right. That would be terrible to lose sight of things!!!! Thanks for posting!!

[chiltonj]

 

The beat part of planning a cruise is preparing. I don't take everything on the list but depending on the situation I may decide differently. Thank you for your "review"?? Now go help your wife with your 22 month old..

 

Some like to prepare for a cruise while others actually prefer to experience the entire cruise itself. We prefer the latter.

 

If you want to bring plastic glasses because the ones in the cabin are too "small", then that's your prerogative.

 

Finally, please refrain from making personal statements about myself, wife and/or child. Thank you for being considerate.

 

 

[Janet Foster]

Thank you.....

[purplethorn]

Thank you for the list! Very helpful

[purplethorn]

um... I actually have a question.. first timer here ... I read about bringing sodas, water and groceries on board and I am a bit shocked ... is there no water and sodas on board for free? we will be on the celebrity solstice in 2 weeks

[Janet Foster]

um... I actually have a question.. first timer here ... I read about bringing sodas, water and groceries on board and I am a bit shocked ... is there no water and sodas on board for free? we will be on the celebrity solstice in 2 weeks

Oh there are plenty of sodas, water on board but they are not free. You can also order room service at any time for snacks. There is a charge for soda's and water and tips are added to the price of the drinks. For a group like ours we like to have unlimited sodas and water so we bring a case of each and keep it iced down in our cabin. Oh we still order from the bar but not as much. We don't bring "groceries" just a few salty snacks and gum. They do have water fountains around the ships that you could fill up a glass with water but we like things ICE COLD and we also bring those flavored Crystal Lights. We wait till we get to port and buy what we need so we aren't loading down our suitcases.

 

Everyone is so helpful on these boards so if you think of anything else just post and you will be sure to get an answer or several.. LOL

Edited September 16, 2010 by Janet Foster

[Gunther1]

is also free.

 

You could also bring a bottle and fill it and then put it in the fridge. IMHO, bottled water is usually a total waste of money and plastic.

[scapel]

um... I actually have a question.. first timer here ... I read about bringing sodas, water and groceries on board and I am a bit shocked ... is there no water and sodas on board for free? we will be on the celebrity solstice in 2 weeks

I just refil my water bottle from the tap and carry it ashore for water. If you forget, there will be water by the bottle to purchase as you go off the ship which is twice what you would pay ashore at any little store selling water.

[MrsPete]

Working out on the last day of the cruise in the ship's fitness center, and when I went to weigh myself on the scale one of the trainers said "The scale is broken, some ***** tried to weigh their suitcase on it."

 

Just sayin' ...

If your suitcase weighs enough to break the scale (more than the average adult), then you're definitely packing too much.

[MrsPete]

What I do on the first day of the cruise is to ask the cabin steward for an extra pillowcase, then clothes-pin it to a hanger in the closet. When I go to the self-service laundry (try to pick a time when it won't be busy, so you can do a white load and a dark load at the same time) I throw the pillowcase in as well so I don't have to go directly back to my cabin. I set my alarm watch for the estimated duration of a cycle, set with a little extra time if I have to go back to the stateroom to get hangers for the permanent press shirts and pants. I'm back in the laundry room as the load(s) finish up, with clean clothes and a clean pillowcase to stuff them in.

We just use a suitcase for a hamper -- we keep one open in the bottom of the closet, and when it's full, we zip it up, store it under the bed, and bring out the other suitcase.