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Favorite Cruise Hack/ Tip


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We are going on our very first cruise On Royal Radiance of the Seas 12 night Hawaii- Vancouver. We already purchased the Unlimited Dining and Deluxe Drink Package. You guys have had fantastic information and I really appreciate all of your input and ideas. I saw an idea somewhere to store your empty luggage under the bed, an invaluable tip, so I got to thinking, I would love to know all of your favorite cruise hacks/ tips?

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There are so many!!  Definitely read past threads as they will have a wealth of info!  I would say board early and enjoy as much of day 1 as you can.  I always bring 3m or metal hooks for hanging things on the wall.  No fans in the bathrooms so bring little air fresheners.  I like to bring a small clothes hamper...they fold flat in the suitcase and as it fills then you can dump clothes in the empty under the bed suitcase.  A little battery travel clock is nice as there usually aren’t any plugs next to your bed.  Don’t forget towel clips for windy deck chairs!   Ones or small bills for ports and tipping, though less an issue with your ports.   Have a wonderful time...the radiance class is one of the very last one for me to experience!   Jane

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Forgot to mention this before, check this link out. https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-ships/radiance-of-the-seas/deck-plans/1829/02. Deck plans for the Radiance, study them before you get on board. That way you will know where everything you are interested is once you board the ship. Some folks like the idea of wandering around aimlessly looking for a particular place. I prefer not spending my cruise time like that. 

Bring a highlighter. Every night your cabin attendant will place a copy of the Cruise Compass on your bed. The Cruise Compass has all of the next days activities, shows, etc. listed. We highlight those we are interested in. Take a look at the Cruise Compass heading at the top of the page and you can see exactly what this thing is.  When is your cruise? :27_sunglasses:

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Ok I know that this is more than one, but the cheap over the door shoe hanger is an absolute must!!!  Saves quite a bit of space in the bathroom, and while I am on that subject Poo-Pourri is another absolute must!!! Not going to go in great detail about that product but the stuff absolutely works and the stuff is a game changer.  Strong magnets are another wonderful item to add because the walls are metal, and it is wonderful to have the extra hooks from time to time! 

 

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I never buy the Voom package  since it gives me a chance to unplug from the world.   I always take dry erase markers that we use on the mirror to put where we are going to be.  Its an easy way to keep up with kids and husband.  If we travel with a group we put a dry erase board on the outside of our cabin door.  

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4 hours ago, rjac said:

Forgot to mention this before, check this link out. https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-ships/radiance-of-the-seas/deck-plans/1829/02. Deck plans for the Radiance, study them before you get on board. That way you will know where everything you are interested is once you board the ship. Some folks like the idea of wandering around aimlessly looking for a particular place. I prefer not spending my cruise time like that. 

Bring a highlighter. Every night your cabin attendant will place a copy of the Cruise Compass on your bed. The Cruise Compass has all of the next days activities, shows, etc. listed. We highlight those we are interested in. Take a look at the Cruise Compass heading at the top of the page and you can see exactly what this thing is.  When is your cruise? :27_sunglasses:

May 5-17 coming up so fast!

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Oh gosh, there are so many “musts” I have now (so many that I keep a permanent list of them and it definitely includes some of those shown above {like the wrinkle spray and a mesh bag for dirty clothes to hang inside the closet}).. But here are the ones that I have added to the list in the last year::

1. small sissors (small, blunt ones such as the type for nails or the small ones used for needlework and tip cover that comes with them).  I am always shocked at the number of things that I need to cut when I’m on a cruise!

2. Moisturizing eye drops (I have spent my life near water, including the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, but the water in the Caribbean seems 50x saltier and my eyes really hurt after a dip!). So, I now always carry this if I am headed to the beach or snorkeling and it really makes my day much nicer.

3. 1-2 disposable food prep containers - sometimes I want a small snack at night, but the room service menu is almost solidly very greasy foods and that is the polar opposite of what I want in the evening. So when I get a chance I sometimes squirrel away a roll and a small slice of cheese or a less sugary pastry into my lidded, thin food prep container that I can toss at the end of the cruise).

Happy Sailing! ??‍♀️??‍♂️

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2 hours ago, Sweety said:

We have nine cabins on Navigator in June. We have mini white erase boards for each door. We also have magnetic dry erases for each door. We give each cabin a list of everybody's cabin number.

I’ve seen those ships when several singles are sharing a cabin. It always reminds me of college back back in the olden days before cell phones when there was a pay phone in the hall and people used the one on your door to let you know who had called ???

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40 minutes ago, rjac said:

That close, how can you sit still? Are you planning to get to the port the day before you board? That's what we do on all of our cruises.:27_sunglasses:

Actually we are flying in that day but we are overnight on Oahu that first night , don’t set sail until the next day. Has anyone ever done this, do you know if they would hold the muster drill the first day on board or the next day before we set sail?

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For shirts you want to bring and keep them without wrinkles  - A week before the travel  , I give some shirts to the dry cleaning , ask them to iron it , fold it and pack it in nylon bag with the tick paper inside. Yes it cost money but it saves allot of time later on.

Shampoo - bring with you small bottle of your favorite Shampoo/conditioner the one they have on most of the rooms are OK to use but not everyone like them (its one dispenser which being used for all three functions)  

But the best tip I can give is to remember . you are on vacation , do not rush  (well maybe only when its close to all aboard and you are still on the peer) , do not get mad on other people behavior and just let yourself enjoy the  cruise.

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3 hours ago, Traveler said:

But the best tip I can give is to remember . you are on vacation , do not rush  (well maybe only when its close to all aboard and you are still on the peer) , do not get mad on other people behavior and just let yourself enjoy the  cruise.

Have to agree with this - it's vacation, enjoy yourself because be you know it it'll be 365 days before your next cruise ? and you'll be counting down all over again.  Also, be nice to the staff - cause, yeah, they might be slightly moody but remember there have probably been other not so nice to them.  

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10 hours ago, 2Beeze said:

Oh gosh, there are so many “musts” I have now (so many that I keep a permanent list of them and it definitely includes some of those shown above {like the wrinkle spray and a mesh bag for dirty clothes to hang inside the closet}).. But here are the ones that I have added to the list in the last year::

1. small sissors (small, blunt ones such as the type for nails or the small ones used for needlework and tip cover that comes with them).  I am always shocked at the number of things that I need to cut when I’m on a cruise!

2. Moisturizing eye drops (I have spent my life near water, including the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, but the water in the Caribbean seems 50x saltier and my eyes really hurt after a dip!). So, I now always carry this if I am headed to the beach or snorkeling and it really makes my day much nicer.

3. 1-2 disposable food prep containers - sometimes I want a small snack at night, but the room service menu is almost solidly very greasy foods and that is the polar opposite of what I want in the evening. So when I get a chance I sometimes squirrel away a roll and a small slice of cheese or a less sugary pastry into my lidded, thin food prep container that I can toss at the end of the cruise).

Happy Sailing! ??‍♀️??‍♂️

Small food containers are good for bacon for your hamburger at lunch.

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Go to WJ when it opens for dinner.  Make a plate for your late night snacks and take it back to your room.  Place it in your mini-fridge.  So much better than their pre-made selection at midnight.  My husband is Italian, so we usually make an anti-pasta salad.  Deli meats/cheeses, olives, veggies, etc, with breads. I on the other hand like to hit the carving stations and add that to the plate for me.  We than get some sweet treats too.  

We always now take a balcony.  We are early risers, 7 a.m. is late for us... I blame that on my Husband working in No VA.  We go to the gym, walk the track or ship when we wake up.  We love doing this because nobody else is out there, it feels as if you own the ship.  The night before we place our continental breakfast request on the door with our requested time for delivery.  IT IS FREE...no delivery charge.  Again,  we go to WJ before returning to our cabin.  We get omelets, hash browns, and whatever hot items catch our intention.  We try to time it right, so within minutes of being back in our cabin, the continental breakfast, with coffee is delivered.  We get the best of both worlds and more.  We don't have to scrounge for a table in WJ.  We can eat on the balcony.  We are able to have a very leisurely breakfast, while at the same time get ready for the day in our room.  Nothing like having the last sip of coffee while you are applying your makeup as you pull into port.  No need to run back to your cabin bc you realized that you forgot to pack something in your beach bag.  We did this with an ocean view, but it feels more cramped since you don't have the balcony.

If you have the DBP,  always ask for a bottle of H2O when you order an alcoholic drink.  You will need to hydrate.  Plus, at the end of the night or go on excursions you have them on hand.

Take a flat iron (hair) even if you don't need it.  Traditional irons are not allowed, but hair flat irons are.  The beauty of a flat iron is you can use it like a traditional iron for shirts and pants.  I don't take downy release because I take a flat iron.  Look at a flat iron, and you can see how you can use it to iron out wrinkles in the sleeves of a shirt, or crease the pant legs.  It takes up little room, and you don't need to worry about any liquids leaking on your clothes.

Think before you pack your carry on board suitcase or any suitcase.  1 of our cruises we didn't get our last bag of luggage until after 7.  Hubby's bag was delivered at 1.  Mine...7 pm..  We physically walked up and down the hallways to see if it was dropped at the wrong cabin...nope.  Luckily,  on my carry on I had packed a dress for dinner just in case.  After that cruise, we now make sure each bag has clothes for both of us.  

Go on FB and search to see if there is a group set up for your cruise.  IE for my cruise in July, we already have a FB page and will be doing a bar crawl on day 3 starting at 10 p.m.  I want to say the number of participants are @ 25 passengers.  

Finally, I don't know about Radiance lunch in the MDR, but, the Tutti Salad is a must if they offer it.

 

 

 

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My husband and I are going on this same cruise May 5-17!!  We are so excited!  I had already read several of these tips but am seeing some new ones to make note of.  We are flying in to Honolulu 5/4 and spending the night in a hotel so we can have an extra day on Oahu.  It is literally like next week! 

 

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Things we have to bring with us:

Laundry hamper, magnetic hooks, battery powered alarm clock, charging USB hub (since almost everything charges via USB, and this won't get taken by security as a "power strip").  I also prepack all of my pills using a pill suite pill organizer from Amazon.  It seals each dose in a little plastic bag, which is great if you have a lot of pills/vitamins you take throughout the day.  

We also swear by the over the door travel dop kits as it saves a lot of space in the bathroom.  Double-zip compression packing cubes are great.  And the last thing I always take is a travel luggage scale, that way there are no surprises at the airport when I repack.  

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6 hours ago, bmhightower said:

My husband and I are going on this same cruise May 5-17!!  We are so excited!  I had already read several of these tips but am seeing some new ones to make note of.  We are flying in to Honolulu 5/4 and spending the night in a hotel so we can have an extra day on Oahu.  It is literally like next week! 

 

I know I am so excited!!!! We are coming in from the Northeast and our first flight is 5/4 coming in to Seattle. Then we have a hotel overnight and in the morning start the next flight to Honolulu. We aren’t coming in until noon 5/5 but Its not like we have to worry about departure until next day! Maybe we will see you aboard!!!!

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On 4/21/2019 at 9:03 PM, Anditoo72 said:

muster drill the first day on board or the next day before we set sail

Muster drill is typically held once everyone is onboard and the ship has been cleared to leave the port. We have been on the Allure a couple of times and the muster drill happens as they are untying the ship and moving away from the pier. Muster will always happen in port before the ship actually makes it out to the open ocean/waterway. :27_sunglasses:

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A couple of random thoughts on things we used and experienced....

  • purchased a small usb rechargeable fan for use in the bathroom and at night
  •  brought a couple of battery powered mini "candles" to use as a night light in the bathroom
  •  not all suit cases fit under bed. With us, one did. One did not.
  •  when we ate at WJ, we did it at off times. Either earlier or later than most. Cut down on crowds.
  •  brought whole fruit back from WJ to keep in cabin fridge. 
  •  port days are a great time to stay on ship. Pools empty. Lots of room to walk around. Spa treatments less expensive, if you so choose.
  •  on beverage package, always picked up a couple of bottles of water on the way back to cabin, to stock the fridge.
  •  if you are taking excursions, choose ones that have only a stop or two. You will have more time at each location. All day trips, entice you with a lot to see, but you will spend as much time on the bus, getting from here to there as you will seeing the sights.
  •  the helipad was a great place for sail away. Went there right after muster.
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@Pima1988

“Take a flat iron (hair) even if you don't need it.  Traditional irons are not allowed, but hair flat irons are.  The beauty of a flat iron is you can use it like a traditional iron for shirts and pants.  I don't take downy release because I take a flat iron.  Look at a flat iron, and you can see how you can use it to iron out wrinkles in the sleeves of a shirt, or crease the pant legs.  It takes up little room, and you don't need to worry about any liquids leaking on your clothes.”

I never thought of this ?

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1 hour ago, Anditoo72 said:

@Pima1988

“Take a flat iron (hair) even if you don't need it.  Traditional irons are not allowed, but hair flat irons are.  The beauty of a flat iron is you can use it like a traditional iron for shirts and pants.  I don't take downy release because I take a flat iron.  Look at a flat iron, and you can see how you can use it to iron out wrinkles in the sleeves of a shirt, or crease the pant legs.  It takes up little room, and you don't need to worry about any liquids leaking on your clothes.”

I never thought of this ?

Well my mind is definitely blown away by this tip! ?  I don’t own a flat iron but may be in the market for one before next weekend! 

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