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Cruise Kit - what's in yours?


KLA

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So, whenever my husband and I pack for a cruise, we have what we refer to as our "cruise kit". This is basically a packing cube filled cruising essential items that always gets tossed in our bag prior to embarking on a cruise. These items include: 

  • large, well lit alarm clock with USB ports (for those interior cabins so you know what time of day it is)
  • plug with extra outlets and usb ports (non-surge protected/no cord)
  • clips with magnets to stick to the walls (to hang up documentation and Cruise Compasses)
  • over the door shoe hanger to keep toiletries and medication in on the bathroom door
  • towel clips

Our latest addition: metal straws! 

What's in your "cruise kit"?

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Pop up hampers. We planned on taking 1 for the kids and just a mesh laundry bag for me and DH. Amazon was selling a 2 pack, so we went ahead and brought the second one. It's a little thing, but we loved being able to just toss dirty clothes in instead of having to mess with finding the opening on a shapeless bag. 

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1 minute ago, melmar02 said:

Pop up hampers. We planned on taking 1 for the kids and just a mesh laundry bag for me and DH. Amazon was selling a 2 pack, so we went ahead and brought the second one. It's a little thing, but we loved being able to just toss dirty clothes in instead of having to mess with finding the opening on a shapeless bag. 

I love this as well.  Mine lives in the big cruise suitcase so that I never forget it !

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12 minutes ago, melmar02 said:

Pop up hampers. We planned on taking 1 for the kids and just a mesh laundry bag for me and DH. Amazon was selling a 2 pack, so we went ahead and brought the second one.

Is this the item you bought? Might add this to my "Cruise Prep" shopping list. ?

https://smile.amazon.com/Pack-SimpleHouseware-Pop-Up-Laundry-Hamper/dp/B01DYXFHR0/ref=sr_1_7?crid=2PSNZB0XAAAM4&keywords=popup+hamper+travel&qid=1568295902&s=gateway&sprefix=popup+hamper%2Caps%2C224&sr=8-7

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14 minutes ago, melmar02 said:

Pop up hampers. We planned on taking 1 for the kids and just a mesh laundry bag for me and DH. Amazon was selling a 2 pack, so we went ahead and brought the second one. It's a little thing, but we loved being able to just toss dirty clothes in instead of having to mess with finding the opening on a shapeless bag. 

I got the pop up hampers from Dollar tree. It cost $1 and I already use on my 2 cruise and it still working. https://www.dollartree.com/essentials-pop-up-hampers/175897

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We are cruise-newbies compared to most of you, but a few things we've learned to bring are a usb hub, phone battery bank, and a couple extra usb cables.  We always seem to misplace a cable and not find it until the last day.

We also bring a couple spill-proof coffee cups...we are early risers and like to get a cup of coffee and go topside to watch the sun rise.

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1 minute ago, Susie said:

I got the pop up hampers from Dollar tree. It cost $1 and I already use on my 2 cruise and it still working

Nice tip. I'll have to pick up one or two of these.

24 minutes ago, KLA said:

What's in your "cruise kit"?

Another Dollar Tree item, a two pack of battery operated tea lights. These are really nice to use in the bathrooms as a mild night light (particularly in very dark interior rooms) and are bright enough to avoid blinding yourself in the middle of the night.

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Just now, SPS said:

Nice tip. I'll have to pick up one or two of these.

Another Dollar Tree item, a two pack of battery operated tea lights. These are really nice to use in the bathrooms as a mild night light (particularly in very dark interior rooms) and are bright enough to avoid blinding yourself in the middle of the night.

Jinx! ?

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2 minutes ago, FManke said:

I see a correlation between cruising and shopping at Dollar Tree. Hmmm? I wonder why? ? 

Dollar tree stuffs are cheap so we can have more money to spend on RCI Cruise. Most things in dollar tree are the same other place has just a little lower quality and serve the purpose for the cruise. Just don't go overboard buy too many things. Just pick what you need for your cruise. 

Magnetic clip      https://www.dollartree.com/jot-heavy-duty-magnetic-metal-clips-4ct-packs/220186

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3 minutes ago, Susie said:

Dollar tree stuffs are cheap so we can have more money to spend on RCI Cruise. Most things in dollar tree are the same other place has just a little lower quality and serve the purpose for the cruise. Just don't go overboard buy too many things. Just pick what you need for your cruise.

If the stuff lasts for the entire cruise, it's more than paid for itself. If you get more cruises from them, bonus!

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39 minutes ago, JLMoran said:

Yes, this it the 2 pack we bought. 

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37 minutes ago, Cruise Newbie said:

All Great Tips!!! I'm taking notes. Leaving in 11 days. Pop up hampers is a really awesome idea.

I keep pop-up hampers from the dollar store in my suitcases and use them whenever we travel. Best idea I've ever had. Then I can just dump the dirty clothes back into the suitcase for the trip home. 

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I just found some pop up hampers the other day at Walmart for about $3.50 and they were slightly better quality than my dollar tree ones (which I was looking to replace because my kids have destroyed them). They are the twisty kind that collapse down to about a 6-inch circle. Look in the laundry basket area.

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We throw in a USB power bank to use on-shore to recharge my underwater camera and cell phones (used for above water camera). Have several giveaways that I have picked up at seminars and meetings but the kids gave me a nice big one for Christmas that takes care of all of the above with plenty of power to spare for even tablets. https://www.amazon.com/Voorpret-Portable-10400mAh-Multi-Angle-External/dp/B0180PWGM6/ref=sr_1_10?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIp7b0yMXL5AIVFs53Ch3RxQp5EAAYASAAEgLt-_D_BwE&hvadid=287902800421&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9026803&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=14660941989147076733&hvtargid=aud-649564993678%3Akwd-324003007634&hydadcr=25254_9899863&keywords=10400mah+power+bank&qid=1568300223&s=wireless&sr=1-10

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I find the more we cruise, the less we take. There are certain little things we do take. We take a plug-in night light (those rooms are dark at night!), I do like the strong (40 lb) magnetic hooks as well as the light-up battery powered clock. I might take metal straw but I hate taking anything that I have to clean.

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I take a mini medicine kit.  One plastic sleeve each of Benadryl, anti-diarrheal, mucinex, ex-lax, Sudafed, Pepto-Bismol tablets, etc.  A few band-aids, small tube of Neosporin.  Much cheaper and more convenient to have it if needed.  I also take a mini can of Lysol in case one of us gets sick, we can manage the germs to protect the other.  I also put two Clorox wipes in a Ziploc bag and wipe down the entire cabin first thing, just in case.

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If your smart watch or Fitbit-like device (or anything else) has a special charging cable, buy an extra 1 or 2 and stash one in your travel kit.

A friend realized a couple days into a cruise that she had forgotten her Fitbit charging cable.  I have a different model so I couldn't help her.  While waiting for a show to start in the main theater, I suggested that she just stand up and ask the other passengers if anyone could help her - she was not brave enough.  Needless to say, I won the step challenge for the week.  Thank you 70's dance party!!!!

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40 lb metal hooks, towel clips, door decoration magnet, Shout wipes, a hair straightener and sesame body oil.

  1. Metal hooks are a must for us.  They are strong enough to hand our hats, and beach totes.  I hate clutter.  Before the hooks, my tote would hand on the back of the chair.  Hats were on the sofa.  Plus, depending on the ship, you can either put them on the balcony (depending on the divider) or on the bathroom walls to hang your bathing suits.
  2.  Towel clips are great for no other reason an easy way to find your lounger very quickly if it is in the big pack of loungers.  Let's be honest you get out of the pool, or from the ocean at Coco Cay and all it is, is a sea of powder blue pool towels.  
  3.  On larger ships where the hallways seem to go on for forever,  It is a great way to easily find your cabin...kind of like seeing the light at the end of the tunnel!  When we travel in groups, we tend to get the cabins all in 1 bank of cabins next to each other, but sometimes we can't, so it also makes it easier for them to find our cabin as we usually all take the same style Magnet..  I can't tell you how many times we go did they say they were in 7528, or was it 7526?   The magnet makes it easy to say...oh it must be 7528
  4.  Typically we do cruises with 2 formal nights.  Hubby wears a suit for both nights.  He brings 1 suit, 1 white shirt, and 2 different ties + pocket square to make it look different.  We dress for the dinner and go back to our room and change immediately after dinner.  Thus, he is in that shirt for @ 2 hrs tops.  The problem is, during night 1 if he has escargot and get some garlic butter on the shirt, he is screwed for wearing it the 2nd formal night.  By bringing the shout wipes, no problem.  I get a glass of club soda on the way back to the room, use a shout wipe, rinse with club soda and let it hang to dry.  Saves us on taking a 2nd dress shirt, and me saying please don't order this or that in case you spill.
  5.  I have very short hair and do not use 1, except for my cruises.  Not for my hair, but my clothes.  You are not allowed an iron, but you can take a flat iron for your hair.  In a pinch it can be used to iron wrinkles out of your clothes.  I bought a cheap one....maybe 20 bucks.  This way I don't need to take Downy Release (traveled too many times where a liquid bottle breaks in the luggage...we typically place all liquids in a gallon ziplock bag so it won't get near our clothing)  Funny thing is since we travel with the same family/group,  they know I have 1 and just ask to borrow mine.  My SIL this last cruise asked to borrow mine for her hair bc she didn't realize that the humidity was going to be so bad.  OBTW the cheaper flat irons impo are better than the Chi style, unless you use a flat iron everyday.  The reason is simple, cheap ones don't get as hot, no need to worry about damaging the clothing.
  6.  I use Neutrogena Sesame body oil.  The water on the ship, be it the shower, or pool is very drying for your skin.  Plus add in the salt from the beaches, and maybe a little burn.  Sesame oil will moisturize your skin and you can use it like aloe vera to soothe a slight burn.  It is lighter in texture than aloe, and as a woman it gives you that nice sheen/glow, with no sticky feeling.  The oil will absorb into your skin and not transfer to your clothing,  It does not smell like sesame oil you use for making Chinese food (hahaha),

I have taken metal straws with me, but have recently stopped for 2 reasons

  1.  You need to bring the medal straws that can be used for milk shakes if you plan to get a frozen drink. I have the multi pack they sell on Amazon, hubby drinks the fru fru frozen type (Miami Vice, Pina Colada, etc) during the day and I am a mojito girl, so my straws don't really work on his, and I don't like the diameter of the frozen drink straws.   Got to a point where I took the bent straws for me, and the straight for him so I could quickly tell which was which.  No jokes about how my straw my reflect personality (bent)
  2.  I found that the staff has always been on the ball, a little too fast for me.  I would leave maybe 1/8-1/4 in left in my glass and maybe hit the hot tub or Pool for about 15-20 mins.  Came back and my glass had been cleared away along with my straw (UGH).  I know they thought I was done drinking my drink, and I appreciate them constantly cleaning around the ship, but couldn't they take my straw out and place it on my little table by my lounger instead of taking it with them?   I think is also why I now stay with non-frozen drinks....can't stand the texture of paper, so on the rocks I can drink it with no straw.

 

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On ‎9‎/‎12‎/‎2019 at 9:59 AM, FManke said:

I see a correlation between cruising and shopping at Dollar Tree. Hmmm? I wonder why? ?

1. It's a good place to find essentials. I've bought the tea lights, magnetic clips, and towel clips there. (And now I need to look for those hampers!)

2. "I left them in our cabin". Oh well, easily and cheaply replaceable.

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USED GIFT CARDS: For staterooms that need them to turn the power on.  My SeaPass card is in a sleeve and I don't want to get it out just to turn the power on in my room.

EUROPEAN PLUG ADAPTOR:  Allows the use of the outlet for US type plugs.  Just make sure the item you are plugging in is rated for 220V.

IMG_5666.thumb.jpg.adb21d2cfe44c6f29c76397c94a35d0f.jpg

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8 hours ago, Pima1988 said:

40 lb metal hooks, towel clips, door decoration magnet, Shout wipes, a hair straightener and sesame body oil.

  1. Metal hooks are a must for us.  They are strong enough to hand our hats, and beach totes.  I hate clutter.  Before the hooks, my tote would hand on the back of the chair.  Hats were on the sofa.  Plus, depending on the ship, you can either put them on the balcony (depending on the divider) or on the bathroom walls to hang your bathing suits.

Do you have one that you would recommend? Strong enough for a towel? (if not the bathroom door hooks would be fine). 

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I have my travel medicine kit, it includes anti diarrhea, anti nausea, a laxative, cold and flu meds, allergy meds, tylenol, alleve, heartburn (both of the pepsid variety and Tums variety) and dramamine.  Then I have the first aid kit which has bandaids, neosporin, bug bite ointment, blister pads, an ace bandage, nu skin (this also works in place of the old nail polish for a run in the pantyhose trick), visine, alcohol wipes, and a small tooth repair kit (temporary filling, crown repair, oral lidocane etc)  Yes my portable pharmacy goes with me wherever I travel on land or on sea.  Also I bring a little thing of nicorette mints.  This keeps the temptation at bay when you cant smoke anywhere (mostly for my train travels when there arent long stops for smokers, but they work on cruises too to kick the habit)

Then I have the electronics kit.  This has chargers in an elastic case with color coded labels for my cable checkin/checkout system.  These are all spare chargers in case any did get left behind or lost, the originals are all at home.  I also include what I call my squid, which is a USB splitter of sorts.  5 standard USB plugs for one port.  And then 2 USB adapters (trade shows are wonderful places for giving these things away and if you're an IT company giving these away at trade shows, I love you for this).  A european to US adapter because you can never have too many electrical outlets.  Then the USB hub with 8 USB ports for one US outlet spot.  Also included are 2 micro SD cards (and adapter) a flash drive and spare batteries for all of my camera stuff. Depending on my mood I'll also bring one or two power banks.

Then the makeup kit.  Its essentially duplicates of everything I use at home, and so I dont have to worry about losing my favourite foundation when travelling and then not having it back at home.  Then the hair kit.  Mini versions of my favourite hair brushes, travel hair dryer, flat iron, curling iron, I refill my travel bottles of shampoo, conditioner and body wash between trips, 4 hair scrunchies (I always lose these so my luggage accumulates these)

Just for cruising I have a little travel alarm clock, travel fan, popup hamper, towel clips, magnetic hooks, highliters, sharpies, spare lanyards with leash (I love these leash lanyards) and an easily foldable tote bag.  I usually dont pack so heavily that I need the tote but its there should the luggage ever get overly full.  

Also a throwback to the 80s, I bring business cards with hub and my names and our email address/social media stuff.  Nice to give to new friends.  

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17 hours ago, RatedPG said:

USED GIFT CARDS: For staterooms that need them to turn the power on.  My SeaPass card is in a sleeve and I don't want to get it out just to turn the power on in my room.

EUROPEAN PLUG ADAPTOR:  Allows the use of the outlet for US type plugs.  Just make sure the item you are plugging in is rated for 220V.

IMG_5666.thumb.jpg.adb21d2cfe44c6f29c76397c94a35d0f.jpg

We bring an old SeaPass card (they stay in our lanyards till we go on our next cruise), & attach it to magnetic clip (we bring both hooks & clips) right next to the slot -- this way, we always know where it is, & it's very handy to put in/take out as needed

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5 minutes ago, MaryCS62 said:

We bring an old SeaPass card (they stay in our lanyards till we go on our next cruise), & attach it to magnetic clip (we bring both hooks & clips) right next to the slot -- this way, we always know where it is, & it's very handy to put in/take out as needed

I'd rather have a generic card for the room's power switch.  My SeaPass cards are part of my cruise memorabilia collection.  I actually plan to display them in a shadow box someday.

I don't even take the generic card out of the slot.  The room attendant often raises it up a bit to disengage it from the switch. I just push it back in when I go into the room.

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