Planning a cruise? Get The Ultimate Cruise Planner. It's a 47 page printable cruise travel planner with packing checklists, shore excursion planning forms and much more! ($10 off for a limited time). Here are the details: lifewellcruised.com/ultimate-cruise-planner/
I got the cruise planner last year and it was very helpful. I’m going on another cruise in 9 days. I need the planner again but don’t know how to retrieve it. Is there ay way you could send it again? I panic when packing or preparing for a trip, no matter ho much I travel. Thank you so much. Pearl Weisberg
I LOVE the cruise planner especially the packing lists and the Port of Call pages. I use them as a diary for the day to remember special things. Thank you!
As a nurse bring ALL the original containers!! Many reasons why but if something happens the medical staff need to know what you’re taking and you don’t want to be questioned about what the pills are!
We always have a list of my husband's meds. Btw, we had to use the medical facility on a cruise, my husband was impressed, he's a paramedic. We had the list of meds and dosage, came in handy since we didn't have the bottles in hand but had them in my phone.
Does this include vitamins and supplements as well?? It’s not technically “medication” but I have some vitamins that I take in the am and some in the pm (things like probiotics, digestive supplements, sleep aid, biotin, etc) I bought pill boxes so I don’t have to take ALL the bottles with me 🫣
The little thing we always pack to make the cruise better are Poopouri for the toilet, silicone straws WITH a keychain holder to put on our lanyard, and our own tea bags. We aren't coffee people so we love having our own assortment of our favorite teas on vacation!
On a recent cruise I checked a weekend roller bag that I normally only use for driving trips - and completely forgot that I always keep a pocket knife and full-size scissors in a zipped compartment! Of course it was removed at the port which probably accounts for my bags being delivered hours after everyone else’s. I would have just left them but the pocket knife is a really good one that I’ve had for at least 40 years. The lady at the table with confiscated items was soooo nice and we all had a good laugh about grandma in her 70s trying to smuggle in contraband.
Please bring your patience!!!! Embarkation day can be a little overwhelming especially for first time cruisers. Al though I have to say the embarkation process on my last cruise(Galveston) was quick and smooth. From the time we got out off our shuttle bus until the moment we stepped on board was 15 minutes!!
Regarding carry on luggage as opposed to checking it in. On our most recent cruise on Carnival (1/22/2023) I couldn't begin to count the number of people who were lugging really oversize luggage to the point of having problems even handling it all. There was even one cruiser that had so much carry on luggage that it was toting a wagon with other items as well. I think that was carrying the self assist just a little too far.
Ikr! I don't understand why people do that. It's cumbersome. I make my kids carry backpacks and myself a tote, with our bathing suits, meds, phone charger change of clothes. We have complete mobility, nothing to pull.
Our last cruise on Wonder of the Seas lost my husbands luggage. Luckily they found it the next morning. But because of that ordeal…we will ALWAYS carry on from now on. We were sick to our stomachs that my husbands entire belongings, clothes, swimsuits and shoes might have been lost for our 7 day cruise.
We just got off Celebrity cruise. I brought 2 bottles of “premium” wine and 12 bottles of sparkling mineral water since we opted for Classic beverage pkg on this trip. I would fill my wine glass before heading to the dining room, generally one glass per day. No corkage fee applies when using the bottle in your room. We are trying different things to save $$s. Note for next trip, make sure wine opener is in checked bag for return flight! Esp if it has one of those tiny knives on it. Yup, had mine taken away at the airport as it was mixed in with my “hardware” bag.
last summer we were actually told by a worker at the terminal to not check but carry our large suitcase as a carry on, it was when they were testing for Covid before boarding, he said if you don’t pass & have to leave it’s very difficult to get luggage returned quickly, we did pass, rolled our luggage on ourselves, it was great!
Packing your passport in checked luggage on embarkation day. It’s a huge mistake but I can tell you that sometimes miracles can happen. It happened to me in Vancouver on a day with not only one but three ships embarking. A SEA of luggage. So I did truly believe I would be left behind. The folks in the terminal and on the ship were absolute heroes and it was found at the very end of embarkation. It was quite and experience and actually had a great time with the terminal staff while I sat along the back wall watching the thousands of people walk by me. I was amazed at how they could keep order to what looked like absolute chaos to me. They are all amazing. So enjoy your trip…and keep your passport on you when you get to the terminal 😉
Hi IIana, my husband and I are going on our very first Cruise in 13 days along with my sisters, their husbands, and their children. We will be celebrating our mom's 85th birthday. We are all super excited!!! I've watched your entire playlist and I LOVE all of your videos. They are awesome!!! You always provide great info, tips & hacks. Thank you very much, your Channel is Wonderful!!! ❤️
We flew in the day before our cruise but our luggage didn’t make it onto the plane. 😧 Sitting in the hotel that night I was regretting that I hadn’t packed a few more clothes in my carry on. Enough to get me through 2 or 3 days (or more!) if needed. It all worked out in the end, but I’ll be better prepared come this April for our trans-Atlantic cruise!
Thanks Lana ❤. I’ve came across a tip about boarding. Suggested to board at say 1:00 ish. Less lines, rooms are almost ready. Still time for lunch. Especially if ur not on a warm weather cruise. So u won’t be using the pool. Especially a Mediterranean cruse in early May.
I went on my first cruise in decades (literally, my last ship was Sovereign of the Seas- largest at the time).I watched your videos and some others to get caught up, and well your Ultimate Cruise Planner was extremely helpful, as were your various tips and tricks. They served me well, everything went smoothly. So, thank you!😊
For sea/motion sickness ginger is great if you don't want to have any kind of prescription or OTC meds for it. Ginger pills, candy, ginger beer (not alcohol like root beer) on board, rice, green apples, papaya, toast, banana's are all good options. To save corkage fees, don't take the bottle to any dining venues, take a glass. You can also carry on a cork opener, suggest in a carryon bag so they can see it if needed instead of having to go to security and open the bag and delay receiving checked luggage. The cruise lines should have a size limit for carry on bags on their website. I've carried on our biggest suitcase and it worked fine. As you said, the downside is having to keep it with you till you can get to your cabin.
Don't know about other cruise lines but NCL has a desk right inside security when you board, they charge you corkage right there...unless you have a beverage package :)
I did forget my prescription medications once on a cruise for blood pressure and acid reflux. If you are almost anywhere in the Caribbean, you can go into a pharmacy and obtain most of these in small quantities. You need to know the medication and dose of course. I hurt my back pretty bad on one cruise and my wife, and RN, went to the pharmacy in port and was even able to get Tramadol. Also, I'm not suggesting anyone do this, LOL; If your ship allows two bottles of wine per cabin and you're traveling as a couple, if you each put two bottles in your carry on, nobody will blink an eye or notice. They might well notice if one of you has four bottles though.
LOL, my family is planning a cruise soon, and though it wouldn't be stated because I don't know anyone who would do this, I was reading the list of contraband due to some medical reasons and found catapult listed. Yes, catapult, I don't know anyone who would own such a thing or think to bring it along on a vacation. But let's all remember to not be pirates while on vacation.
I bought the beautiful rose pink bag thru your list from Amazon. I love it and it's perfect for our carry on's. I love that it's also a backpack. We are in our hotel now getting ready for embarkation tomorrow and it's the 1 thing we brought upstairs with us 😎😊 Thanks, Ilana❤️
@@sstesh84 here you go, it’s towards the bottom of this post. It’s actually a red, but there are different colors lifewellcruised.com/what-to-wear-on-a-caribbean-cruise-outfit-ideas/
Depends on the lines. I have never had a problem with Cunard. Boarding doesn’t start typically until around 12 30 ish when the ship is ready. Never had a problem going straight to cabin to collect cruise card then to muster station.
Thank you for the wonderful information. I did not know that I could not bring a traveling iron, so I took it out of my luggage. I would have been upset if they would’ve confiscate my iron. Your advice is very helpful and I appreciate your hard work. Thank you again.
@@LifeWellCruised in one of your videos, you mentioned something about locks being approved for your luggage can you tell me which ones are they please
Remember when the cruise line would claim your luggage for you and take it straight to the ship? A representative from the cruise line would meet you as you got off the plane and take you straight to your transfer bus. One year they stopped doing it and nobody told me. I was totally confused. After claiming my luggage, I almost missed getting on the ship since I did not know where cruise line station was or how to get on the transfer bus.
Of note: what to expect with a dive knife. My spouse and I are SCUBA divers, and we had dive knives in our SCUBA gear, which caused our dive bags to get held down in the bowels of the ship. Happily, the good folks at Royal Caribbean were fairly understanding when we tracked down what had happened, and opened the bags to show the rest of the SCUBA gear (fins, goggles, BCDs, etc.). The arrangement we came to was that they'd hold onto the knives until we came to pick them up right before debarking for our (3rd party) dive trip, then we returned them to the staff as we re-entered the ship, to be picked up again right before final debarkation.
Great video. I don’t like to take more than my Mia Tui travel bag as I can’t face lugging it about. Cabins are ready when you board on Cunard and luggage is usually reasonable quick to arrive. Always take a bottle of wine to enjoy in my cabin .
You likely won't see or answer this, but I have confirmed with NCL that you CAN roll on a large hard sided suitcase and not leave it with the porters off ship... they say it does not have to be small enough to go thru a small xray machine, they can check it out if they need to. I realize most don't want to wheel it around until the room is ready, but I don't want to leave it and risk the small chance it won't get on board.
Very informative video Illana. Your tips are absolutely right on for what to carry on. We both have CPAPs and we carry those on and don't put them in our checked luggage. Your tip of using a holder for the checked luggage was really helpfu. We used them for our last cruise in November and made putting tags on a breeze. Ditto for the seapass card lanyard. Thanks for all your tips. Even as a veteran cruiser I still get some very useful tips.
Read the rules for the cruise line you are going on.... Holland America does NOT allow you to bring on any pop or other beverages other than a bottle of wine - corkage fees apply. Great video Thank you
People can use regular water bottles as a "sharps" container. This can be used by cruisers who have diabetes for glucose testing and needles for insulin.
Many thanks about the advice about prescribed medication as I have recently being diagnosed type 2 diabetes, and I was wondering what I needed to do. Concerning my prescription meds.
Two questions: do vitamins need to be in the original bottles? And where did you get your red tote? I didn't see a link for it. We purchased your cruise planner. It is really nice
Just wanted to add a tip! Keep your cruise friendly power strip in your carryon! My friend's was confiscated from her checked bag on RC. Old ship- only 2 plugs!!!!! (I cruise with her in less than 2 weeks, lol)
Never pack anything valuable in your checked luggage, on my last cruise out of Tampa, one full luggage cart accidentally rolled off the dock and dropped into the water. Some bags were not recovered.
What about carry on oxygen? I've seen a lot about other things but nothing for the disabled that like to travel. I understand that most ships carry emergency oxygen only and you are responsible for it if you need it but never heard from the expert which is you. Thanks for the videos they are a great help to first timers like myself.
Hi Ilana, love your channel! Just want to let you know the luggage tags that have wire loops do actually get ripped off. I missed the embarkation cocktail party recently because my luggage wasn’t located until late that night due to tags being ripped off.
Call your cruise line, they will usually supply your room with an extension cord if you ask in advance. The medical machines do not require surge protection .
Can you please give me an idea of an acceptable tip for the porter who takes my luggage. I’m 62 and this cruise will be my first vacation ever. Thank you!
Bring meds with you, Federal and state law requires Th at All Meds are in there container, with your name, doctors name, where filled and when, and dosing information. Just so you know
TSA website says this, "TSA does not require passengers to have medications in prescription bottles, but states have individual laws regarding the labeling of prescription medication with which passengers need to comply." Georgia, for instance, can arrest you for having your own medication in an unmarked pill tin, which is preposterous. Florida and Ohio don't care. That said, if someone arrives at the airport with a garbage bag full of Xanax, I feel like that will raise some questions...
@@georgegarich252 Yes, there are a few states which make lots of money from citizens through their criminal justice system. It's amazing that they can and will prosecute someone's Nana for having a few blood pressure pills in her purse. I'm taking my prescriptions and non-Rx in a pharmaceutical advent calendar, along with a chart of what's what. I don't have room for all those bottles so it will have to be fine.
Hi Ileana was wondering if we can pack hiking poles in the suitcase or carry them on, we are going to do the Mexican cruise in April and we are planning on hiking, on a excursions . We are never did a Mexican cruise, we are from LA California. Thank
I’m assuming if you use a CPAP machine to bring with you. I know as far as flying goes it does not count toward your carry on because they are a medical device.
Hi Ilana! We're booked for a 14 day Southern Caribbean cruise with Carnival in January of 2024. Do you have recommendations about the luggage locks? Carnival website suggests not locking up, but I have heard that it's a great idea to lock it. Any thoughts on this?
Thought I should point out in many country's including the US and Canada ALL prescription pills MUST be carried in the proper container with the label, Dr.s name and so on on it.
Now a days, I carry on luggage and pack a lot less. If I need anything, I call it a souvenir😂 I recently used a carryon that expanded to hold more stuff. I did have the bag taken off the ship, and found it on the pier no problem😊
Great video! First time crusier the carry on luggage i have a new set do the clothes go into the zippered section? Going for a week but taking just enough for the week thanks to your video.
Hello I appreciate your videos. I’m preparing to sail in 2 weeks. Question Are TSA clearance passes recognized on cruises? I’m cruising Carnival. Also I can drink milk. Will they allow me to bring Almond Milk or is it available on ship? Thank you!
It's my understanding that the 2 bottles of wine for two people CANNOT be stowed in your suitcase, but must be in your carry on bag? Is this true? If so, you mean to tell me you'll have 2 bottles of wine clanking around in your shoulder bag until your room is ready??
Thank you for the information. I was wondering should I put the bottle of water inside my luggage or carryon bag? Also, how many bottles should I bring?
Hi, Thank you for your wonderful and informative videos. My question is: Can I bring onboard a Princess cruise: two small bottles of lemon juice and a bottle of apple cider vinegar? Thank you.
? I found your last comment concerning?, illegal drugs even if prescribed. I use pain medication and cannot survive without it, I will bring it in the original bottle, are you saying that’s not allowed? I guess I’m contacting the cruise company to ask about this …. I’ve ever herd of such a thing.
Hey llana I love your channel Thank you so much for all you do. I do have a question about a topic never mention. The topic is about taking supplements and vitamins. I have quite a few vitamins and supplements that I take. Some of them are in powder form and some of them are in pill form. Just wanted to know what the regulations are about bringing my supplements on board.
I don’t have prescription medication but I DO take certain vitamins and supplements (mostly for digestion) do I have to bring them in the original containers???? I was planning to put them into am/pm pill boxes so they don’t take up so much space and also easier to remember to take them 🤷🏻♀️ what should I do?
Are chewable vitamins (multi vitamin, probiotic, vitamin D and vitamin C) in a pill Sunday through Saturday case organizer allowed. The original bottles are very big for me to carry?
We are leaving out of Baltimore in early March - it could be cold so how do we pack? How do we pack when we are leaving from cold cruise port to travel to warmer climates.
Hi, great informative video. Since I don’t want to check my luggage and give to porter, does all the carry luggage has to fit into the scanner to qualify as a carryon?? do you know if I can just carry the medium/large size luggage with me onto the carnival ship?
