Whizbank

@mom2mybugs thanks for mentioning my blog. I too packed more for unexpected than expected. 4 night cruise with 2 hotel nights before and I ended up wearing:
Same shirt and jeans days 1+2 including on plane. Wore sneakers since they take up most room. Those I should have left at home. Love my rothy"s and they would have worked everywhere for every occasion. Never even got out the pool sandles. Ended up wearing shorts on way home instead of jeans. So really the jeans could have stayed home. 
Took 2 pairs of shorts, wore 1
Took 2 dresses, did actually wear both in main dining room. They were casual enough to wear during day or during travel too so that could have cut out some other clothes
Took a skirt to pair with shirts but ended up wearing only dresses. Took a shrug to wear in case cold and also to make dress look different each day. 
Took too many shirts since I ended up either wearing the dresses or my swimsuit and cover up.
Took too many undergarments. I could have washed these in sink if necessary
Wire socks with gym shoes and if I didn't have the shoes I could forgo the socks
Took jewelry I never put on. 
Did good with family toiletries though, that was not an overpak. Toothpaste toothbrush some spray in conditioner a small shampoo and conditioner and deodorant. No makeup since I never wear it anyway. 
It was a good learning experience and I'll do better next time.  And, since we aren't going deep into the jungle, I can buy stuff if I forget something that I can't live without (deodorant, I'm talking about you) 
Didn't try packing cubes, but I did pack my leaving outfit in my carryon when I unpacked everything else because of a deep fear of leaving ship in my nightgown 
 

Epic fail update. My TA contacted special needs at sea for me. They said the o2 tubing should have been in a bag with the concentrator. They also said I should have gone to guest services by 2pm and they would have had the SNAS representative fix any problems.  Since I didn't notice a problem until that night didn't really work for me.  Plus, I didn't know that I could have done that. I suggested they give a better explanation letter so you would know to do that. Now I know for next time, as does everyone who reads the blog. 

Oops

Epic fail update. My TA contacted special needs at sea for me. They said the o2 tubing should have been in a bag with the concentrator. They also said I should have gone to guest services by 2pm and they would have had the SNAS representative fix any problems.  Since I didn't notice a problem until that night didn't really work for me.  Plus, I didn't know that I could have done that. I suggested they give a better explanation letter so you would know to do that. Now I know for next time, as does everyone who reads the blog. 

Nice toe shot !
??

Never apologize for asking questions.  That is what this forum is all about and guess what ?  We were all "new" at some point !

So I just got done reading @Whizbank live blog and she stated that she would pack lighter next time.  I'm now sitting and looking at the suitcase I'm going to have trouble closing today.  Ugh!  So thought I'd share some things I'm going to do for the European cruise this summer (16 days in Barcelona and on the ship) as an accountability post lol.  Please chime in with suggestions and encouragement lol.  I know like the drink pkg we have beaten this to death, but hey, it's fun! 
1.  Royal has amazing storage in their rooms, both interior and outside.I have sailed 5 classes now and fit everything every time.  Majesty had a dinky closet but a great big side table and window ledge.  Others have hidden shelves, ottomans, other closets.   Obviously the longer cruises are a bit more challenging which leads to....
2.  Rewear!  I have favorites that I take on every cruise that I could totally wear over.  Some things I will wash when I get home that I only wore once (or not at all) and they aren't even really dirty.  I get if it's super hot you might have to selectively rewear, but I don't pack that way.  7 days, pack for 9 lol.  Ugh!   Do I need 2 formal dresses? Heck no. Is it ok if people are me in the same outfit twice... Absolutely.    Do I need extra clothes not at all... That's where #3 comes in...
3. Laundry!  I will freely admit I haven't used it in the ship and I won't risk any favorite clothes (I worry about too hot dryers).  But I spend everywhere else...Porters, drink pkg, extra 2 dollars for my favorite ? etc....   A bag of laundry will not kill me to pay for!   And my bathing suits, etc, are wet when I came back...I can hand wash them in the shower.  Now again, with how long everything takes to dry I am not bringing detergent and hanging everything... But a small stain is solvable by a  quick rinse.
4.  Packing cubes....   That was a long thread earlier.  I personally love them but didn't use them correctly.  I was in 3 different places pre-cruise, cruise and post-cruise.  I should have packed the cubes that way rather than every time I wanted an outfit having to go through different ones.  I could have put my pre-cruise two outfits in a bag with a bathing suit and pair of jammies and never opened the rest!
5. Shoes....  Sigh.  I did do better this time.  I wore my tennis shoes on the plane and once again, it wasn't necessary for me personally to have them.  I will just wear my walking sandals on the plane too.  I took my lighter weight sandals this time and didn't fuss with the 3 inch heals I would wear once or twice. I actually packed 2 pairs of flip flops in case one pair broke....omg WHY?  Which leads to...
6.  This next cruise no matter what I'm going with the Rick Steve's packing rule which I never do but am going to start!  I love his travel blogs and YouTube videos and he says "always pack for the expected, not the unexpected".  Ok...I'm a pack for the unexpected....my shoe might break, my phone cord might break, I might spill coffee on my 4 sweaters... All 4!  All the unexpected back-ups come home unused and talking up space.  I'm not traveling to the middle of Africa where I might have trouble getting something!!!! (If you are, you are probably better at packing than I am anyway and not reading this!).  Next time I will truly try and follow this.  Heck I will pack a $100 extra dollars just for things I might need to get and when I don't, take myself out to a nice Cafe somewhere!  
7.  Go with your history and your gut.  Every trip I pack shorts "just in case I feel like wearing them" and workout clothes "just in case I want to work out".  Ok...I've now been on 6 cruises.  Not once have I put on shorts or tshirts (Im a sundress girl) and the only time I've set for in the fitness center is to take pics on day one.  If I haven't used something at home (do I really want that dress) or on a ship, it is just not gonna get used here!  
8.  Compare with the other lovely people in your family.  In March my family brilliantly brought 3 tubes of toothpaste.  Seriously.  We all packed our regular travel kits and we all have toothpaste.  Oh well.  Next time I'm going back to the family ziplocks...1 toothpaste and common shampoo, soap, etc.  And I'm getting slightly better at judging amount we use.  For example, I love using the bath & body works squirt soap better than the bars.  They smell nice and I just like them.  We don't need a whole bottle...I can bring a half-used one and then I have 2 more oz and space at the end of the trip!  Same goes for shampoo, lotion, etc!  
9.  Suitcase stuffing.  I'm a stuffer.  If the suitcase is at 40 lbs and not full, I can stuff just one more extra dress or pair of shoes just in case.  Nope.  The problem is that it takes me forever to fit everything in at home.  I don't have that time on the trip and what happens is I frantically stuff everything in and one day I'm gonna break the zipper.  I have had to buy and check an extra suitcase at Disney before (ok...I could get into souvenir shopping here.  I didn't buy the rum in Nassau because I knew I wouldn't have the space or weight lol).  So next time, things will fit better at the start.  I will do what you are supposed to... Pack and then unpack and take out a bunch you don't need!  Because I don't need the stress at the end of the trip!
So I've now spent time I should have been packing avoiding it but when I get home, this is what's I'm going to re-read before I pack!!!!!! Jane

There is no need for water shoes in the water at the cabana area, however, I found it easier to walk in the sand with water shoes on than wearing sandals or going barefoot.  ymmv
When you check in at the Cabana Cove hut the staff will ask if you would like snorkel gear.
On our April 6th sailing on Anthem, we went to the Shore Excursion desk right after boarding to choose a Cabana Cove cabana and were told that cabanas were now being assigned based on reservation date.  I will assume that if a Star class guest reserved a cabana that they will still get to pick.
I can also confirm 4 bottles of water in a cooler are provided - plenty of ice in the cooler if you want to bring wine or other beverage that needs to be chilled.
NO roaming bar staff in this area - small bar in same covered area where the buffet was set up and every frozen drink order turned into a Coco Loco.

Love your blog too. You did significantly better with pictures than I did. Glad you got to spend so much family time together. 

I took to writing blog posts on my Keep notes app then cutting and pasting onto the blog after this happened to me a couple of times. 
Looks like you've had a good start to your trip. Enjoy your day of relaxing. 

Update day -1 of trip!!!!
For the first time in my cruise history I have not packed a single item yet!  Ugh.  Usually i stay up super late the night before charging things, clearing pics off my phone etc, but life has totally gotten away from me this week with work and my silly ankle.  I'm working today until 4 and then I am on vacation for 10 days!!!!!
My ankle is still not great.  Maybe the silver invisible lining if no Cuba is that this cruise will have less walking.  9 days post sprain the ankle is still swollen.  Oh well...pool deck and adult beverage here I come.  We will just Uber everywhere in fort Lauderdale.
My girls are packed and ready to go.  I haven't told them I've ordered matching tshirts, water bottles and totes for the treppagirlsvacay!  I also have bought a ton of pamper items (face masks, lotions, chocolate) that I will pack in the tote bags.  Good thing kids only graduate every 4 years because I'm spending a ton of money... Though not as much as I spent on college lol!
So that is where we are at!  We leave tomorrow and I will start taking pics soon I promise!  Jane

Loved your blog... You included so much detail and info.  Thank you for taking the time.
I just finished up my majesty cruise and vacation.  It is truly amazing how much stuff the rooms can fit!!!!  I definitely need to work on my overpacking though lol!!!    Jane

So, final day and observations
I woke up at 4 and couldn't get back to sleep so read and waited for 6 when I could get Dave up. Eventually we made it to Windjammer for breakfast which was quite good. Took final pictures, hugged and kissed friends goodbye then went to Boleros to wait for wheelchair disembark
1. Boleros is right outside of the casino. Even though everything was closed we couldn't stand the smoke smell from the casino. It was Bad  if you are sensitive I would stay away from the 4th floor. We had to get as far away as possible
Wheelchair disembark is not well organized. You show up in boleros, and a staff person is there writing down names in some random order. I told her we had the rented wheelchair and it needed to stay on board. She really didn't know anything about it. Eventually a nice man in dress whites told us they would bring a wheelchair and we could leave this one in boleros and special needs would pick it up. After waiting for a while a pusher came and the crew member asked if they had a large wheelchair for someone else  there was some discussion and then she told him to push us out. I told him again about the rental and he said it was fine he'd push us to terminal and then bring chair back to ship. So he took us past scan out, up gangway to terminal, and then we exchanged wheelchairs with a pushed in port building.  He took us down to get our luggage, then asked what id we had. Dave and I had only our birth certificates license, and he said that the incredibly long line was for those people, passports could walk right out.  So, if you were wondering, THIS IS WHY YOU SHOULD HAVE A PASSPORT!  However, he told us to be quiet and then he took us around the line and right to customs who looked at our stuff and waived us through.  While I usually try not to place the disabled card, in this case Dave would have really suffered so I was ok with it. Then we went out to get picked up by our private car
The port building and pickup really harshes your mellow. It's a beautiful building but the pickup area was designed by idiots. The area reminds me of a cage match between Chicago, New York, and LA cab drivers. It's disorganized, cars randomly stop, block, cut each other off. There are obviously "special" people who are allowed to sit at curb longer while everyone else gets threatened with tickets. The fumes are causing premature death. Our wheelchair pusher was nice but we basically were in everyone's way until our driver came and he had to drive around 3 times before he could stop and get us.  I really was shocked at how badly it was designed, and he said Saturdays are twice as bad. So, plan for plenty of time and craziness. 
Eventually we made it out and went to FLL. there was a terrible accident going south on 95 and traffic was backed up for miles. So, anyone driving down to ship was going to get there much later than they planned, so, I agree you should try to get to terminal as early as possible so you don't have problems. That said, don't get there until the boat is unloaded and all of those people are out of the way 
FLL airport was crowded. The wheelchair pusher was very nice but security worked a little differently than Cincinnati and it was more crazy. But she nicely took us to family restroom and waited while we went. Dave was really not feeling well so we took forever and I ended up having to give her a really big tip for waiting. FLL gate seating is tight and not setup like Cincinnati so it was crowded and you couldn't sit near counter. In Cincinnati Ms Ginger took our boarding passes to gate and made sure they knew we were there to help us. FLL didn't and when I went yo talk to gate people they really didn't much care. Basically said to figure it out and when they were ready to board a pusher would get us. Eventually he did, they called for us to go forward, he said we had to wait, and basically the other passengers pushed him to take us up front. It was confusing and I feel bad because I didn't tip him. Eventually though we made it and first class was still worth it. A more turbulent flight but went OK. A nice young guy from San Diego cane to push us off plane and to baggage. We asked for family bathroom again and he said they are locked and pushers don't get keys. So, we ended up waiting at baggage. I called for shuttle and they told me pickup spot but it was hidden and we went to wrong place. Finally asked safety guy and he gave me better directions. Shuttle guy was great, took us right to the car, helped Dave in. Got luggage loaded and headed for home, where I was looking "forward" to the loads of laundry awiting me.  Which would have been much smaller had I not overpacked so much!! 
So, observations
Dave and I would cruise again, but I would prefer a port I could drive to
I'd bring a lot less stuff
I'd try for an itinerary that started with a sea day so I could rest up and then enjoy Port days on ship while everyone else is gone
I'd take the time and effort to get passports even if they aren't necessary 
I'd skimp in other areas to be able to spring for 1st class if flying
I'd have just arranged a private car to take us from home to airport and pick us and take us home
I'd take a closer look at wheelchair options, because larger front wheels would have made pushing around ship easier. If Dave wasn't blind I would definitely recommend a scooter instead for getting around the ship
I'd make sure I knew exactly what I needed to bring to use the oxygen with the cpap and I wouldn't have been so slow to realize I didn't have tubing
I used my friend Denise to arrange everything since she is a travel agent and I would definitely do that again. In fact, I recommend using a travel agent no matter what. It's free and they are the experts so take advantage of what they can tell you
I'd use Robert at Prestige as private car in Florida and let him get gray hair from Miami traffic
I wouldn't get the drink package again, mostly because I didn't get out enough to use it
I would eat in MDR as long as I was meeting friends or not in hurry. The food in MDR was better than the buffet as was service but it's not a quick meal. I would have ordered more desserts too. 
I'd eat at cafe promenade more because that was actually the best food I had. I actually ate a lot less than I thought I would the whole cruise which is good for my waist but not as much fun. El Loco fresh was good too. 
I'd hang out in viking lounge during the day more, where it's quiet but a nice view
I'd get a virtual balcony if offered, that really made the room feel bigger
While I don't like heights I never found that to be a problem on ship even standing at balcony
I was incredibly disappointed with the coffee. You better like your coffee really strong/burnt. You cannot put enough cream and sugar in to make it palatable. 
I'd take a longer cruise. Since the travel to and from is the hardest part, a longer cruise would have allowed for more relaxation and we would have eventually done more stuff. When we planned this a year and a half ago, I had just started my own company and I couldn't see being away 5 days much less longer. Now I know I can make a longer vacation work and/or take a computer if necessary
I'd make a bigger effort to learn and remember people's names. I was discombobulated and always keeping an eye on Dave and making sure I didn't lose anything and it interfered with my natural desire to be gracious and friendly
I wouldnt try to travel with just Dave alone. That was hard and I either need to have really good friends along or bring a companion to help me keep track of Dave and everything else. 
That's about it for now but I may add some comments later as I think of things
 

Some more observations: I majorly over packed. I should have gone with 1 pair of shorts, 2 shirts, 2 dresses, underwear and swimsuit. My rothys were perfect for everywhere including the pool deck so 1 pair of shoes was plenty. I brought phone and Kindle and chargers and Bluetooth. Actually only used the phone so the rest could have stayed home. Thought I did good but in retrospect it's obvious I brought too much
The Rc shampoo/body wash is not good for my hair. Made it both dry and unmanageable. The Paul Mitchell I got at FLL hotel was much better
I would love to have their designers come and design rooms for me. The use of space is awesome. The closet, the shelves, the drawers. The room under the bed. The ottoman with storage. The shelves beside and behind the mirror in the main room and the bathroom. The shelf above the closet. I'm really impressed with how well that all worked. 

Definitely ask about it. C'mon, $90 is... like... 7 Kraken Lava Flows!!!

In our room tonight+royal caribbean 50th anniversary cake served to all tables tonight. 

First day letter and voom letter

First day brochure

Boarding day brochure

Coco cay info

Special needs at sea brochures. Company where we rented oxygen concentrator and wheelchair

Special needs at sea brochures. Company where we rented oxygen concentrator and wheelchair

All my pants are hip huggers and thigh huggers, truth be told.

You can complete this form and submit to Royal on their website ahead of time. They'll mark your reservation and have it waiting for you in your cabin.
https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/allaboutcruising/guestSpecialNeeds.do

Special needs at sea brochures. Company where we rented oxygen concentrator and wheelchair