One of my best finds for my recent cruise was just $1.25 — and I’m already heading back to the Dollar Tree to stock up on more.
Before every cruise, I like to swing by the store for any last-minute items before I start packing my suitcase. Recently, the dollar store has become my top choice for cruise must-haves before any trip — and it never disappoints!
For this trip, I’d be embarking on a major getaway to Asia with my parents and sister. Our 12-night cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas included exotic ports of call throughout Asia, such as Singapore, Vietnam, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea and Japan.
My flight schedule included 30 hours of travel across three different airports before even setting foot on our cruise ship. Once aboard, we had full-day excursions planned for each port of call to make the most of our time in these far-flung destinations. Needless to say, this was going to be an epic adventure for our family!
As a self-proclaimed germaphobe, I am always paranoid about getting run-down and sick while traveling. Although I travel often, I try my best to stay rested, hydrated, and healthy during my trips. There’s nothing worse than getting sick on your long-awaited trip, and potentially ruining your vacation.
In this way, I am constantly reaching for hand sanitizer or disinfectant wipes to keep my hands clean while traveling. If I can’t wash my hands, I typically reach for a pack of disinfectant wipes as the next best thing.
As you can imagine, I was thrilled to find a pack of 40 disinfectant wipes to pack for my cruise at the dollar store for only $1.25! It ended up being the smartest item I purchased for trip for many reasons.
Here’s why you should head to the dollar store before your next cruise to stock up on this must-have item.
Don’t overlook the dollar store.
As cruise prices continue to climb, so do the costs of all your must-have travel essentials. In this way, I am always looking for ways to save money when I can. Even still, I usually enjoy making a quick shopping run or placing a few online orders before a cruise to make sure I’m fully prepared for my trip. The last thing I want is to overpay onboard the ship for something I could have picked up at home for just $1.25.
Last fall, I decided to visit the dollar store for the first time in many years. My small town has a Dollar Tree that I’ve heard friends rave about, so I decided to check it out. I was seriously impressed by the quality and quantity of items available for only $1.25!
While I pictured the store having mostly junk that I didn’t need, I couldn’t believe the selection of travel necessities and cruise staples. Everything from door decorations and magnetic hooks to travel-sized toiletries and on-the-go cleaning supplies was available for just $1.25.
I had an entire shopping spree and spent less than $20 — you can hardly get a fast food meal for less than $20 these days! Now, I always stop at the dollar store before my cruises to stock up, especially on these hand sanitizing wipes!
Sanitizing wipes were a lifesaver during my trip.
Before flying to Singapore for my cruise, I quickly stopped by the dollar store to pick up a few go-to cruise items, such as a pop-up hamper, liquid hand soap, and travel-sized toothpaste.
While walking through the store, I found a pack of BioPure Hand Wipes with 40 wipes in a resealable package. The product had 5-star reviews online, so it seemed promising. In addition, I found a 2-pack of the same product at Walmart online selling for $14, so this seemed like a great deal.
I snagged one package before checking out and packed the wipes in my carry-on suitcase. According to the packaging, these wipes contain aloe and vitamin E with a refreshing honey wildflower scent. Supposedly, the product claims to kill 99.9% of germs with an advanced anti-bacterial formula.
I’ll be honest, I was expecting these wipes to be poor quality. For $1.25, my standards were quite low and I didn’t expect much. Truthfully, I wouldn’t have been surprised if these wipes were cheap, thin, and flimsy.
However, I was proven wrong! The resealable pack felt high-quality and the wipes didn’t flake or fall apart when pulling from the package. They were easy to remove, and didn’t leave any sticky feeling on my hands. The lasting scent was a nice touch, too!
During my long-haul flight through Seoul, I was already reaching for the wipes to clean off the tray table and entertainment screen. Considering how dirty airplanes can be, I think having disinfectants wipes is a must. The tray seemed to have some sticky residue, which is always off-putting on a plane. Luckily, these handy wipes took care of the stain quickly, and I was relieved to have these instead of relying only on hand sanitizer.
Once we boarded the cruise, I kept grabbing for these wipes.
As promised on the packaging, the compact, resealable pack was perfect for traveling. I could easily toss the wipes into my purse or backpack each day without taking up much space. Though slightly larger than typical travel-sized wipes, this pack was still slim and light enough to carry around the ship or on shore excursions. I never left our cruise cabin without throwing the pack into my pool bag.
Even though Anthem of the Seas offered handwashing stations at the entrance to the buffet, I noticed not everyone was using them. Plenty of passengers skipped right past the sinks and headed straight for the serving tongs.
This made me extra glad I had my wipes handy before every meal. Germs can spread quickly on cruise ships, and I wasn’t about to let poor hygiene practices ruin my vacation.
Some studies even suggest that the physical motion of wiping with disinfecting wipes can be more effective at reducing bacteria on hands than hand sanitizer. Of course, handwashing is always the gold standard, but when it wasn’t available, these wipes were the next best thing. I used them regularly before eating, after touching railings or menus, and any time I needed to refresh my hands.
I packed the wipes in my purse for long days ashore.
While it was helpful to have these wipes onboard the ship, sinks for handwashing are never too far away on a cruise ship. However, this isn’t the case when you’re ashore — and certainly not the case when traveling to off-the-beaten-path destinations in Asia.
I kept my pack of wipes in my daily bag during our long days ashore. While I’m not usually overly concerned about sanitation when traveling, this trip was different. It was my first time visiting countries like Vietnam, Taiwan, and South Korea, and I wasn’t sure what to expect in terms of restroom facilities or cleanliness.
I wanted to be prepared for the worst case scenario, and packing these wipes gave me peace of mind.
As expected, there were several times when I walked into a bathroom and realized there was no soap or even running water. In those moments, I was so thankful to have my handy wipes in my bag!
I felt confident my hands were clean enough after using them, and I was more than happy to share them with others when needed. Being able to wipe my hands after browsing handmade goods in Vietnam or handling souvenirs at the street markets in Hong Kong made a big difference for me. I felt more comfortable exploring without worrying about germs.
By the end of the cruise, my trusty $1.25 pack was nearly empty — the sign of a worthwhile purchase!
I already plan to grab a few more before my next adventure.
If you haven’t checked out the dollar store for travel or cruise essentials, I definitely recommend swinging by before your next trip. It wasn’t always on my radar, but I’ve been consistently surprised by the quality and variety of items I’ve found there, especially for the price.
Beyond the sanitizing wipes, I also picked up some fun self-care items for me and my sister to use during our cruise. I packed a cherry blossom body scrub (perfectly fitting for our stop in Japan) and a couple of hydrating face masks to enjoy some affordable, in-cabin spa time. For only $1.25 each, I didn’t feel bad leaving the remaining product with new friends we made onboard.
Of course, I won’t swing by the dollar store without picking up more packs of these sanitizing wipes before my next cruise!
