I love how you got straight to the point, other ones just go on and on about how to look cute and I'm like bruh come on I'm leaving Thursday not in a year. Thanks you've earned a subscription
Hey no one said to bring this, but I saw a woman film her room. In her bathroom was an over the door shoe organizer with about 20 pockets/ she had hair dryer/ tooth paste/ shampoo/ shoes in the bottom. These rooms are small/ and what a way to get stuff out of the way.....So I went out and got one....I thought that was a neat add on....
+Paul Rock In my 20+ cruises, I've never felt the need to bring this. Maybe I'm more organized than most? I know people do this but I find it totally unnecessary.
I use the shoe holder in our room on every cruise, not just for our bathroom items but it also holds my curling iron, my tennis shoes and flip flops. If you put a stocking over the hooks that go over the door it does not scratch the door.
I have started bringing magnets with me on my cruises. Most of the doors are metal so if you bring some magnets with you, you can put your cruise itinerary on the door between the rooms. We have used it to hold our excursion tickets, our daily itinerary, and if you decorate your door (as some people do) you can order a sheet of magnets (Amazon) with sticky backs to put on whatever decoration you are using for the door. For instance, our last cruise was to Hawaii - so we decorated our door with a hula girl, some totems and flower leis around it. The magnets held them in place and did no damage to the door. We have also laminated an piece of paper and put that and a dry erase magnetic marker on the door, this is great if you are traveling with other people so you can leave notes for each other. This worked great when we traveled with our kids (teens/young adults) and had separate rooms. We could leave notes for the kids with times to be ready for dinner, where to meet us and what time. It worked really well, especially on Carnival when they were always busy!
OMG, you are just like me, I cruise quite a bit too. I carry all kinds of stuffs along too, my family always say I have a magic bag. Whenever someone needs something they would say: Ask Victoria.
Usually cellphones do work but the charges are astronomical (at least in Europe!) Like $3 a minute. That's why it's usually suggested you keep them switched off on board.
A lot of people put their phones on airplane mode and lock them up so they don't have to worry about loosing them and won't get charged crazy prices for the data that will be flowing in/out if not on airplane mode (or at least the cell data turned off). I like having mine and use the cruise lines app and ship wifi (NOT cell data) to keep up with both time and what's going on around the ship. Some apps even let you book dinner reservations (depending on cruise line) for the specialty dinners. Just make sure your cell data is off or you may be surprised at your next bill. The ships wifi is local (unless you setup ahead of time to use their internet) to the ship and doesn't cost to use for their apps (at least part of the app, person to person communication piece usually cost extra).
For holding travel documents, I use one of those plastic folders that people sometimes use to hold coupons only it's larger. It has tabs that I label: hotel, airline, cruise boarding passes, luggage tags, etc. I take a Vera Bradley tote bag as a carryon and it fits well in one of the side pockets.
one thing most people don't do as far as I know my wife and I are the only ones but to tell or luggage from everyone else we go to Walmart and spend $1.00 to buy a bright colored bandana and tie it to our luggage it is very easy to tell ours from everyone elses
Learned my lesson, returned from a cruise last year. At my home airport someone took my luggage home. I had unusual luggage tag on my bag. Leaving for my next cruise this month, will be getting a ribbon for my bag.
I buy bright and unusually patterned duct tape and place a strip right across the top of the suitcase(s). I've used this idea when I've traveled by plane or ship and it's really helped me to identify my bag from others. It comes off easily when I store my luggage and leaves no marks or sticky residue.
My comment might be a little late for you, but maybe it will help other first time cruisers. Getting on the ship isn't the problem. You print out tags that the cruise line has for you in your booking profile and end up leaving the luggage at curbside (like airline curbside check-in) and they bring it to your room. This helps make boarding quicker and less crowded. The problem comes when it's time to get OFF the ship when you get back. Depending on the cruise line, they either give you a numbered/colored tag or you go get a numbered/colored tag that tells you when to get off the ship. You place your luggage outside your cabin door the night before you arrive back in port (with the new tags on them). They "magically" take them and they end up off the ship in a warehouse type room grouped by the number/color of the tags on the luggage. Your luggage will (should) be in the right group, but may not all be right together. By putting something easily noticeable and different from others, you can pick it out easier from the rest of the luggage that may or may not look like yours.
Great tips...one thing I have also found necessary to include in my luggage is a small roll of bubble wrap, This has saved many souvenirs from breaking ! They weigh nothing !
I use the plastic containers that I get bed linens or curtains. It’s see through, sometimes has a small compartment to put passports in, and can be zipped. I save these and they come in many different sizes. For example, pillow case containers are perfect for one person. Best of all, it’s free. Thanks for your advice.
I also use the linen plastic bags. They work great for my toiletries, shoes, first aid kit, medicine bag, jewelry bag. They come in all size and they are recycled.
The pencil case is genius! I have document holders but opted for your idea. I bought 5 in different colors, and they have plastic windows. We traveled after the cruise, so we had a case for plane/ship, one for hotels, one for trains, one for booked excursions and one for busses. They are light and bright. It made it so easy to find and take out dox. I thought of you during the entire journey. Thanks so much!
Since the cruise ship walls are made of metal/steel, I take magnetic hooks plus a shoe bag. The hooks are great for holding papers on the walls plus hanging up extra items.
I also pack in a vacuum bag! Does not change the weight, but it allows you to get more things into your suitcase! Then, when it is time to pack for disembarkation..just borrow the vacuum from your room steward!
Loved this video! I always pack all kinds of over the counter medications too, and I had all mine in a 10"x7.5"x7" box and you inspired me to consolidate it into a smaller bag! Thanks so much! Also, we always carry an over the door shoe organizer with clear pockets to keep small items off the counter (sunglasses, some toiletries, camera, etc, etc). It definitely helps to keep things tidy!
I find that empty linen bags (bed sheets, for example) are great to store things you need to travel with because you can find things you need quickly since they are transparent. Thank you for your ideas. Lucie C.
This was EXTREMELY helpful! I'm going on a cruise in November and this just really helped me think about stuff that I wouldn't have otherwise. Thanks so much for sharing!
Most important "to do" on a cruise, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water as well as handwash gels before eating, avoid touching food with your hands, whenever possible., there are germs on Lift buttons, stair rails, chair backs, chair seats, even when the crew clean clean clean. Some people are not hygenic !!!
I was going to say that hand washing is the only thing that’s going to keep you well. Keep hands off of food and face. Sanitizing wipes and gels don’t do anything whatsoever in terms of killing Norovirus. You have to have bleach.
Thanks for the tip on putting tape on the spray sunscreen. Last year my husband, sister, niece and I flew to Orlando for a cruise out of Port Canaveral. We decided to check a duffle bag with shoes,sunscreen and other things. we had the sunscreen in a Ziploc bag but it came open and the sunscreen sprayed all over the inside of the bag. My husband's dress shoes got covered and the chemicals in the sunscreen caused the outer layer of the shoes to peel off in large areas. He had no choice but to wear them for formal night. Luckily they were black and his pants covered the top part of his shoes. He threw them away after the last formal night. Things happen, don't let it ruin your day/vacation! 😊
I loved your video. I pack all of that for cruises except the extra outlet. Great idea. One thing I always bring is a Sharpie pen. It's great for labeling drink cups, zip locks, room keys, etc. Also, we always bring a lanyard and have our room keys hole punched. Having the keys on the lanyard helps to not lose them and keeps them together since we usually have multiple rooms.
Nicely done. I hate the coffee onboard and don't appreciate waiting in line for special coffee. I love the instant Starbucks VIA pockets and never travel without them :)
This was so helpful! My fiancé and I are taking a cruise for our honeymoon! While we've both been on cruises before it was with our families, and let's be honest our moms took care of the important stuff! lol. Thank you for making this, it will make packing so much easier for me when we go!!
I had taken a trip to New Zealand a few years ago and now planning a trip to Alaska on the Ferry. Your tips are spot on. In fact I'm glad I found your video to remind me of what to take.
Don’t know if someone already recommended this, but I bring sturdy magnetic hooks for hanging hats or other things that you want to have quick access to.
We did this for the first time on the cruise we just went on (i've been on several cruises). We hung the hooks on the door & hung our sunglasses & sail & Sign card lanyards on the door. This way it was easy to remember to grab on the way out the door :)
Removeable command hooks. Ziplock bags for almost everything. Duck tape to repair luggage if needed, make an extra “bag” for souvenirs or whatever won’t fit for trip home. Pen, pencil,sharpie. I have a copy of my friends passport and she has a copy of mine. Scarf or shawl. I put a sheet of bubble wrap in my suitcase (on bottom and on top)and use to wrap souvenir wine, olive oil or other breakable.
We bring a small roll of tape and super glue just in case. We also have copies of passports, credit cards, etc. We don't find the other items must haves though. And you have to be careful with hooks, magnets, hanging shoe racks, etc. because a lot of cruise lines are not allowing those items due to potential damage.
6:20 *At each hotel I not only wipe down the remote with lysol wipes...but use a sandwich ziplock bag or even better, I'll use one of those thin plastic baggies provided by grocery stores in the fruit/veges section that we put our fruit/veges in.... and I insert the tv remote in that giant "baggie"! lol Changing the channel with that giant baggie is no problem at all. The Today show (Rossen Reports) showed that in the majority of hotel rooms...that the tv remote control had MORE microbial germs than the toilet seats! Yikes!....and Eww.🤢*
I'm packing for my cruise around New Zealand. I've been on lots of cruises but I always watch your cruise packing videos to make sure I don't forget anything. =0)
We have a 'pad-folio' that we use for trips, we put the 'lose papers/documents' on the one side under the flap & it has a notepad for keeping notes of stuff but I liked the pencil pouch idea so we ordered one on amazon. For anyone using this idea, those pouches, the back pocket is big enough to also include a smaller sized notepad so put one of those and a pen in also because your always scribbling down notes here & there & this way you'll have a notepad to do it instead of having to scribble on the back sides of your important travel documents.
Great video. My husband and I cruise a lot and I use the same travel clock. I also use it for alarms for morning spa appointments. It's much more reliable than a wake up call and I don't like draining my cell phone battery. I also use wipes to clean the drawers and their handles. Those are always missed by cleaning staff.
My family and I have cruise on ten carnival cruises and I just realize that having a mini iron is helpful. I am always looking for ways to pack light, therefore, I find your information is on point. Thanks
Hi, actually clothing irons of any kind are prohibited on cruises. I'm surprised you haven't gotten it taken. Some cruise lines, Carnival is one, have laundry facilities where you can use the irons provided. Thank you for watching! :)
We have travel wallets that hang around our necks with 3-4 different compartments that have come in real handy. Plus, we bring extra lariats and have cards punched at the front desk.
Great video, thanks. Going on my very first cruise next month, and I’m very excited. Couple of things: #1 I don’t know if anyone else here has asked, but have you ever had airlines give you trouble with all those liquids you pack? And #2. While I definitely see the purpose in packing sanitary wipes, the reality is that they are completely ineffective at killing Norovirus. The only thing that I would amend there is that I would pack latex gloves, and then find some bleach in one of the stores on shore or on the ship and go over everything with a bleach solution. That’s the only thing that’s been proven to kill stomach bugs. Pretty much that, and obsessive hand washing.
Well, wiping things down is always better than doing nothing. And hand washing is a must on cruise ships! As for the liquids, you can bring as many as you’d like in your checked bag. Carry on guidelines are still the same 3:1:1 rule.
I am going on my first cruise in Feb 2017. I know I have a few months, actually a lot of months before I need to start wondering about packing and stuff. But since it's my first cruise my anxiety kicks in, and since I found your videos my anxiety has been down a little. I have been on trips lots before, but I always travelled thru airlines, so I really enjoy your cruise videos! And the outfit ones as well
Genius idea -- pencil case with mesh pocket and then a enclosed pocket. Love it! I get so anal about our passports, and always find myself frantically going through my carry on to be TRIPLE sure that we have then. Awesome tip! Hadn't seen that before.
I cruise all the time and you are spot on. I bring a sports bottle for ice tea or water for around the pool area or for ports. This way you don't have to spend a ton of money on a bottle that is not even cold at the ports. It also keeps my drink covered while at the pool area. The cups on the ship don't have tops. I also bring a hot travel mug for coffee/tea. This way in the morning I can get a larger amount and again have it covered. I also recommend a neutral color sweater because the shows at night seem to be very cold. The ships seem to blast the air conditioning. I always need a jacket or sweater at night on the ship. No matter if Im going somewhere tropical or going to Alaska.
I've watched a lot of these types of videos but this is by far the best one with essentials to bring on a cruise. I've been on a bunch of cruises b4 but I love to still see what others bring as well :)
Loved your video and tips! We make two copies of our ID's, passport page, Credit cards, ship info and cruise itinerary and leave one copy at home (dog sitter) and one goes with us for our cabin safe in case of emergency. We also always have travel insurance, purchase a waterproof pouch that holds our cell phone, S & S card, CC and a few bucks, ID that goes around our necks when we are swimming at foreign ports and carry an inexpensive waterproof watch because we know our phones are set to airplane and so not giving us the SHIP'S time and we don't want to miss our SHIP! We carry a simple beach bag or backpack to have essentials in and bought thin, microfiber towels that dry off easily and are not heavy when wet (not bringing the ship's towels and then replacing them if something were to happen to them) ours are compact and lightweight! We always bring water shoes! Too many people get hurt with coral and pointy sea creatures...not worth it - and a waterproof camera - have an inexpensive one that ties onto my suit and takes great pics. In Hawaii and sensitive coral reefs, we use reef safe sunscreen and/or Rash Guards to swim and snorkel to protect the fish and sea creatures.
Yes, we always bring copies of passports, etc. when traveling out of the country, not just for cruises. We also have an inexpensive but good quality waterproof camera. We just started taking it a couple of years ago though. So I wouldn't have called it a must have. Depends where you're going. :) Thanks for watching!
They may take the fan off you when you are boarding. We were not allowed one on Princess. I think it was due to safety. We were allowed hairdryers and straighteners but no fan.
This is, by far, the most comprehensive and helpful video I've watched on packing for your cruise. Miss Crystal, thank you so much for the awesome tips and the links you provided! VERY appreciated!
Thank you so much! Even though I filmed this a few years ago and we've taken many cruises since, I've found the info to still be the same. Thank you for watching and I'm glad you found it helpful! :)
I just came back from a cruise. THANK YOU for the tips. The CLIPS were great for weighing the shower curtains down, as well as clipping snacks closed. Downy wrinkle spray was great as well, since irons weren't allowed on the ship.
I am bringing a wristlet because it does double duty as a wallet and as a clutch/purse. For check in I am keeping all my travel documents, cash, cards, etc in the wristlet for quick boarding, for during the day I will use it as a wallet within my day bag, and for dinner or drinks it will be my purse/clutch.
To Carry all travel documents, hotel member cards, printed maps and passports I use Vera Bradley Travel Wallet. Made sleeves with tags and placed inside to organize those documents. I have made pictures of what I did. It's ready for me to grab when I need to complete filling out info and need to grab our passports quickly when booking our cruises.
I had a great time on the cruise to New Zealand and I did buy a lot of this stuff but for the ship we went on, The Golden Princess, I found some things that weren't necessary but that was for me. The weather was cool so I had to wear warmer clothes. I didn't need a bathing costume because it was too cool but still packed them because of the spas that were situated around the pools. I took too many warm weather clothes that I didn't need at all so make you are packing appropriate for the weather. Check out the weather forecasts for where you're going first. I wore mostly jeans and a t shirt around the ship. Everything was very free and easy. The tip of the extra power strip was good. We had several things on the go at the same time. The bathroom spray is a must. A few times, the toilet wouldn't flush so we had to get someone to look at it but in the mean time, the smell was pretty bad. We didn't need the clips at all but they would have come in handy if the weather was blustery. They were very conscious of germs on the ship so you needed to wash your hands a lot. After toilet, before meals, after meals. The pool bag was necessary though I used a small back pack for my essentials. We didn't use a foldable laundry bag. Just took a plastic bag with us, put out stuff in there and put it aside until we needed to wash. I am not a good sailor so was thankful that we were in the middle of the ship. Keep your sea sick tablets handy if you are not good with swells. I was very nauseous on the first day but that was because I had a coffee on an iffy tummy. Was ok the rest of the time though but still had a tough time at either end of the ship with the rocking motion. It's an easier version of going on a carnival ride where you are going up and down. If you can book early, get a cabin near the middle. Just my take on my cruise experience.
Glad you enjoyed your cruise! This video wasn’t about clothing but the other items needed for a cruise. We take these regardless of the actual cruise. Each climate will be different as far as clothing and you’ll need to pack according to that plus season. 😊
It's a good idea to have a waterproof travel bag, you never know when your phones or documents can be exposed to water! My passport got soaked once when I was on a small boat during tour excursions
I carry a 1 inch binder passports go in the inside cover pocket then I use the clear sleeves for documents in order of use .. we cruise twice a year works great you just turn the page as you go
Great idea and I actually use something like that at home in our safe for passports and important documents. Was looking for something a little smaller for travel. I'm actually still using the pencil pouch because it just works so well!
I like to bring febreeze. Laundry is expensive and if I decide I want to wear something twice( that isn't too dirty of course) then febreeze can make it smell fresh again. I also bring dryer sheets to put in my shoes to keep them smelling fresh.
I've never been on a cruise and neither have my parents so I'm gonna take them on one & this video really helped Thanks Any other recommendations including the best cruises are very welcomed
Hi there! There's really no best cruise although Alaska, Caribbean and Panama Canal are usually the top over everyone's must do list. Everyone likes something different. But that's the great thing about a cruise - you could have 10 family members all on the same ship and each person may have a different type of vacation. I always suggest trying out different cruise lines to see which are your favorite. And the ships are also so different within each line. But trying them out is part of the fun! We personally like Princess, Holland America and Royal Caribbean. Enjoy your cruise!
Holland has a Sunfarer Panama Canal. Fort Lauderdale to Fort Lauderdale. You actually go through 3 locks so get that wonderful experience..but there is a shore excursion not to miss: you can book a small vessel through the locks on the Pacific ocean side and take a bus back to meet the ship. Going thru the locks in a small vessel is not to be missed. You can actually touch the walls of the canal. We have done a full crossing in a ship and the Sunfarer. Definitely loved this.
Buy shower caps in packages at the dollar store. I place a large shoe or pair of flip flops in each one to make sure clothes do not come in contact with dirty soles.
I know a lot of people use shower caps, but I’ve always preferred actual soft shoe bags. They protect shoes better. I shared them in my recent packing tips video. 😉
Great vid !! I’m trying not to pack to much because I’m sharing a very small room with a relative who I don’t really know but this really helped me with the essentials
I am a heavy packer, so learned early on to place the actual creams, lotions, shampoo, etc. without their containers in small baggies labelled with masking tape in regular pen and placed at the bottom outside of the baggie. Not elegant, but saves tons of space and you can discard them for travel back home. I prefer the zipper type closures, rather than those you have to press shut. I place all those baggies in one larger one just in case they leak. It has worked great for me, but last time my smoothing gel just seemed to evaporate! No gel inside when I got to our destination. Huh. I guess I will have to cave and get a small plastic travel container for that.
A highlighter/s is something some people find useful for making sure you don't miss a show or activity you really wanted. Also magnets as the walls are all magnetic in your storeroom.
I know others consider those items must haves but I don't. I have brought a highlighter once but found I just used a pen to circle what we wanted to do. Thanks for watching!
about the document holder, we use a little "clutch type thing" that we got in Jamaica. but it is about the same size as the pencil bag that you had...... and also. another must have are sticky notes....we were on a cruise and we couldn't find the Stewart so we left sticky notes. very use ful
Great tips. Even though we have cruised several times it's always good to hear new tips. My must have for cruising is a lanyard for our Seapass. It makes it easier for me to be hands free on the ship. :)
Thank you MS Crystal what I loved about your video is that all items are fairly small so you meet the purpose of showing us plus in an efficient space saving way..and I also like you love Vera Bradley bags. I use my medium cosmetic bag for all extra papers, keys, etc in my purse . I may add binoculars and small umbrella sometimes they are needed.
AmandaF116 I'm the same way with being out of the country and wanting certain things. I've had to buy hydrocortisone cream twice in Mexico for sun poisoning. Luckily the box looks similar enough but I'm not great with Spanish, lol. I think having separate smaller bags is great because you're not looking everywhere for something. Plus that, then whomever you're traveling with knows such and such is in a certain bag. Glad you enjoyed the video! :)
Love your video’s! Very informative, And makes sense! Love All of your clothes!! My husband and I (married for 50 yrs) are going on RCCL, Symphony of the Seas 9/28. Can’t wait!!
Thank you for your tips. I like to pack a disposable raincoat and a fold up fan in my carry-on bags. One or two hats are a must for me to protect my face.
Depending on where you are cruising, yes, those can be must have items. Those aren't the types of items I was referring to in this video though. Everyone has their own must have clothing type of items. Thank you for watching!
Our agent from Carnival Cruise Lines (Cindy) suggested taking a roll of DUCK TAPE. It may not be considered a "must have" but is very handy for a number of things. Can tape up a hem, keep a closet door or drawer from banging (if loose .. on a rough sea day) and my #1 REASON is ... should a zipper or closure on luggage break/fail, a roll of the tape would be a life saver. Without luggage being securely closed, the ship's staff WILL NOT handle it.
Since we carry our phones everywhere, I suggest the app for a flashlight (or might be already in your I phone) so we don't carry extras. The one from that app is soooo bright!!! Thank you Ms. Crystal, so useful tips! 💜💜💜
Everyone, please be sure to check your specific cruise line for restricted carry-on items. We sail on Royal Caribbean and they prohibit portable clothes steamers onboard. We bring Downy Wrinkle Release and it works pretty well.
Instead of a night light, you can get those small flashlights at Target, Walmart and the Dollar Tree. The last few I got from the Dollar Tree had a tiny magnet on them. They stuck to the walls.
My family is going on our first cruise to the Bahamas. This video was really helpful to me on what to pack. I really loved the outlet one. Never thought of bringing one!
