Great tips! One I learned on our last cruise was to put a dab of dish detergent on a piece of paper towel and fold it up in a ziploc bag. This can be used to wash your refillable water bottles in the sink (helpful if you've used your bottle for sticky margaritas/daquiris, oops), and takes up virtually no space/weight in your suitcase. :)
We just got on a ship today for a month and as I was unpacking, my husband asked where the rest of the hooks were. I told him we were conserving space and I only brought 6. For the first time - ever, he wished I'd packed more!@@DocksideTravel
You can get a fan from your room steward so you don’t have to haul one. Your room steward is a valuable resource, ask them what they can get for you and tip them accordingly in cash.
The powerstrips aren't allowed on ships anymore just so you are aware. There are wall plug in ones that are allowed. Your powerstrip will get confiscated. It has to be surge protected.
The power adapter we use was purchased on Amazon, and it is noted as being "cruise ship approved". It is not surge protected and we have used it on a number of cruises now without issue. (including two this year). Unless the guidelines have changed very recently the cruise lines require a "non surge protected" set up. We are cruising again soon on two different cruise lines so we will let you know if we experience any issues.
@@mandywalker3393We were not allowed to bring any type of extension cord on Royal Caribbean, but they provided one free of charge for my husband’s CPAP. They also provided the distilled water for it as well free of charge. Our next sailing is with NCL on New Year’s Eve. They allow extension cords no longer than 6 feet. Go figure. All lines have different rules!
😁 We are always adding to our list of neat items so limiting it to 20 was tough - and we try to pack as efficiently as possible so over time some things will no longer make the cut 🤣
I'm probably dating myself, but we still like to bring a travel alarm clock, especially on longer cruises when the ship's time will frequently change. We also bring a small motion sensor night light to put in the bathroom, saves blinding yourself by turning on the overhead light in the middle of the night when nature calls, lol! Great video folks, lots of good tips! 👍
Can you suggest how much we can tip stateroom steward at the beginning ? Do we need to tip them everyday for housekeeping ? Thanks Edit: I will go on first cruise in Jan 2024. I did think about that, but since this is my first cruise 😀
I’m sure I will be over packed. I am going to make a list of everything as I pack and note where I purchased each from. I did notice that I have both the peach and mint green bags just like yours! Temu specials! I love them and the fact that they slide over luggage handles.
I would add a good quality roll down, wet or dry bag. It keeps other items from getting wet during transport. I’ve switched from plastic baggies to reusable silicone ones. They have different colours for the opening so we can sort toiletries, first aid, makeup, etc. We use a fabric drawstring bag for laundry as you would have to unpack and repack the contents of the hamper. No fuss just put the bag in the suitcase at the end of the trip if it isn’t already stored there.
My husband and I are always arguing over the hangers in the cabin, since there are so few of them. I pack along an additional hangers, that are portable and able to be folded up. I got them off of Amazon and a package of 12 for $13. They have ones that have clips for pants, if needed.
Helpful tips! Paying the balance owing on our first cruise together as a couple on the Celebrity Apex - Western Caribbean. January 2024 Getting excited!
Thank you so much! Some of these things didn't exist when we first started cruising but now that we have discovered them we don't know how we lived without them before!
@@DocksideTravel trust me, we had none of these items our first cruise. We had no idea what we were doing.😂 Now, thanks to researching, and watching channels like this one, we’re much more prepared these days! Makes the cruise more enjoyable.
I have everything you mentioned (except airtags) and will not cruise without. I would bring ear plugs and dramamine or motion sickness bracelet just in case.
When we cruise we take a small magnetic white board and some markers that attach to the bathroom door. You can leave the stateroom attendant notes on something you might need than try and hang around to find the attendant. It’s also a nice way to say thank you if they do something special and leave a little extra cash attached to it.
@@DocksideTravel Amazon it’s $7.99. Whiteboard Magnetic Dry Wipe Board Self Adhesive for Any Smooth Surface with New Stain Resistant Technology,Home Kitchen Fridge Shopping List and Office Notice Board (12” X 8”)
These are great tips. I'm going to use some that you suggested. Your video was done so well! It was concise and to the point! A nine-minute video to discuss 20 products is impressive. I'll be subscribing to your channel!
I bring a plastic compression bag or two to put my dirty laundry in when packing to go home. Makes room in my luggage in case I end up purchasing something.
I enjoyed your easygoing banter. I bring everything you mentioned except the fan and phone cases. I bought some cases for my daughter for her first cruise and she was glad she had them. So I guess I will pick up a pair. Great video presentation.
The power adapter we use was purchased on Amazon, and it is noted as being "cruise ship approved". It is not surge protected and we have used it on a number of cruises now without issue.
You are not correct. They can have a cord, as long as they are non-surge protected. Just to be sure, I bought one on Amazon with a 15 foot cord to keep by the bed for C-pap, phones, other rechargeable devices, and made sure it said "cruise approved ".
LOL! Actually, we try to travel as efficiently as possible - that's why we pack it in there using cubes and compression bags. For cruises of a week or more we each take one regular sized suitcase and one carry on item. However, on shorter cruises Kris has gone with just a carry on! For us, these items just make life on board easier and more convenient. Thanks for watching!
I take just about everything on this list, and you would be surprised how little room they take up if you pack well. And in my opinion, they are so useful it's worth skipping an extra outfit or pair of shoes if necessary.
Here is the electronics organizer we have: www.amazon.ca/OrgaWise-Electronics-Accessories-Three-Layer-Three-Layer-Grey/dp/B07T1QXP1V/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=3IV9PUBP3PNOD&keywords=orgawise%2Btravel%2Belectronics%2Borganizer&qid=1696165659&sprefix=orgawise%2Caps%2C90&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1
It's not only what you pack - it's how you pack it! Many of the items we bring help us pack better and more effectively, and generally do not take up much space. But we learned many cruises ago that its better to have it and not need it, rather than need it and not have it!
1. How do you get the bags vacuumed down to travel back home? I used to use ziplock bags for a lot of stuff. I like that they are clear. Havn't tried packing cubes, yet. 2. magnetic hooks. yes! I also got magnetic clips to hang things like papers and excursion tickets. 3. pop up hamper. I got a pack of 6 of these. Everyone got their own 4. extension/power card. Took a 10 foot one for my CPAP machine. not surge protected, of course. 5. power bank nah... don't have one of these. I don't use my phone like other people. I think I had to charge it once on a 9 day cruise. And i don't have any other electronic devices. 6. portable fan. considered it. but did not take. Did take a small noise maker (made for baby cribs) (charged before with left home) 7. apple air tags. well. i have a droid..... 8. water proof phone pouch. yes. We each had one and I pretested them before we went on the cruise. Just used a paper towel, a bowl of water and a weight. I got ones that were on the larger size and we also kept out credit card, cruise cards, pass port cards and a little cash in there as well. 9. Yes, i bought the plastic luggage tags. And I leave them on there all the time. I just put pertinent information on there. I also put a pieces of paper inside the luggage with all the information in case one got torn off. (That hasn't happened.) 10. ziplock bags. as stated above, i pack with them, and use them. I prefer the slider because it is faster. 11. stain remover pen. I took it. never used it. But you know what would have happened if I didn't have it! 12. downy wrinkle release. Too it. and followed directions. Just couldn't make it work. I had no idea you had to spray that much on though (going by your demo) 13. basic first aid kit. yes. I have sons. We go through lots of band aids and antibiotic ointment. 14. electronics organizer. My husband took care of this. It was nice having all the cords in the same place. 15. hanging toiletry bag/shoe organizer. yes. I had one of each. 16. beachbag/ back pack. yes, took along a huge mesh beach bag. We brought our own snorkel gear. Between being wet and sand. Perfect. My boys each had their own back packs for excursions, but it was also used as a carry on. 17. Towel clips. I also used the chair clips on our balcony. I liked to take towels out to sit on and that just made me feel better knowing the towels wouldn't go anywhere if someone wasn't careful. We have the pink flamingos. 18. reusable water bottle. We didn't take these because we bought 2 cases of bottle water for our rooms. MY husband did bring a reusable coffee mug, though. I get up earlier than him and i just filled it when i was walking around in the early morning. He always got up to hot coffee. 19. hand sanitizer. Not only does every back pack/beach bag/purse have hand sanitizer on it... I also brought wet wipes. We would use those when we sat down to eat. 20. lanyard and card holder - I purchased, but I found I didn't use it. Because it is also the room card... it's too hard to get out for me. But my husband used his. BTW, he had to replace his just as often as I did. They were always peeling (the room cards.) Things I pack but my husband thinks it's overboard. eye glass repair kit dental repair kit Paper napkins and small ziploc bags. Because the cloth napkins are non absorbent and I like to take fruit/muffins/cookies etc back to my cabin.
There are now compression bags that can use either a vacuum or a hand held pump. I didn’t use vacuum bags in the past because there was no way to compress for the return trip home. These were great for our last cruise to Alaska as they enabled me to bring bulky (read warm) wraps easily. I plan to use them again for our next cruise in May to Norway. The little pump fits easily into my carry on.
Great tips! One I learned on our last cruise was to put a dab of dish detergent on a piece of paper towel and fold it up in a ziploc bag. This can be used to wash your refillable water bottles in the sink (helpful if you've used your bottle for sticky margaritas/daquiris, oops), and takes up virtually no space/weight in your suitcase. :)
That is a great tip!
Cut up a kitchen sponge, dampen, wring out, and add the detergent. It will easily last the entire cruise.
I have to deal with baby bottles and sippy cups so I just bring a tiny bottle of dish soap and bottle cleaner with me.
Not essential, but I like to bring poo-pourri spray. There are no windows to open in stateroom bathrooms.
Yes, many would say that is essential - it can be cramped quarters for sure!
Really great editing and on camera presence. The more we travel, the less we bring. But the magnets for cruises are a must. New subs here!
Thanks so much! The magnets really do make things convenient.
We just got on a ship today for a month and as I was unpacking, my husband asked where the rest of the hooks were. I told him we were conserving space and I only brought 6. For the first time - ever, he wished I'd packed more!@@DocksideTravel
Wow - a month!!! That is going to be great - enjoy your trip!!! @@welltravelledlife
You can get a fan from your room steward so you don’t have to haul one. Your room steward is a valuable resource, ask them what they can get for you and tip them accordingly in cash.
That's a great tip - we never knew the room steward had access to fans!
This was a fantastic video. I love cruising and heading to the Caribbean next year. What great ideas.
Thank you! Have a great cruise!
I really enjoyed this video. Thanks for sharing!!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for watching!
The powerstrips aren't allowed on ships anymore just so you are aware. There are wall plug in ones that are allowed. Your powerstrip will get confiscated. It has to be surge protected.
The power adapter we use was purchased on Amazon, and it is noted as being "cruise ship approved". It is not surge protected and we have used it on a number of cruises now without issue. (including two this year). Unless the guidelines have changed very recently the cruise lines require a "non surge protected" set up. We are cruising again soon on two different cruise lines so we will let you know if we experience any issues.
You CAN use power strips, and they can NOT be surge protected. Just used a 10 foot corded one with my CPAP machine....
They must be non-surge protected. Each line has different rules. Verify first before embarking so you don’t have anything confiscated.
@@mandywalker3393We were not allowed to bring any type of extension cord on Royal Caribbean, but they provided one free of charge for my husband’s CPAP. They also provided the distilled water for it as well free of charge. Our next sailing is with NCL on New Year’s Eve. They allow extension cords no longer than 6 feet. Go figure. All lines have different rules!
At first I thought “20 things??? What in the world” and then I watched and realized I have every single one of them! 😂
😁 We are always adding to our list of neat items so limiting it to 20 was tough - and we try to pack as efficiently as possible so over time some things will no longer make the cut 🤣
I'm probably dating myself, but we still like to bring a travel alarm clock, especially on longer cruises when the ship's time will frequently change. We also bring a small motion sensor night light to put in the bathroom, saves blinding yourself by turning on the overhead light in the middle of the night when nature calls, lol! Great video folks, lots of good tips! 👍
Those are excellent tips - the nightlight really helps!
Tip your stateroom steward AT THE BEGINNING of the cruise. Trust me.
Good tip! No pun intended…
Can you suggest how much we can tip stateroom steward at the beginning ? Do we need to tip them everyday for housekeeping ? Thanks
Edit: I will go on first cruise in Jan 2024. I did think about that, but since this is my first cruise 😀
Super helpful tips folks. Wall magnets will definitely keep cabin better organized to quickly grab and go!
Thank you! Hope you get cruising soon!
I always bring a hanging air freshener (think Little Green Trees) to attach to my pop-up hamper. Keeps the tiny closet from smelling like dirty socks.
Great tip!
Dryer sheets help as well.
I’m sure I will be over packed. I am going to make a list of everything as I pack and note where I purchased each from. I did notice that I have both the peach and mint green bags just like yours! Temu specials! I love them and the fact that they slide over luggage handles.
They are great lightweight bags!
I would add a good quality roll down, wet or dry bag. It keeps other items from getting wet during transport.
I’ve switched from plastic baggies to reusable silicone ones. They have different colours for the opening so we can sort toiletries, first aid, makeup, etc.
We use a fabric drawstring bag for laundry as you would have to unpack and repack the contents of the hamper. No fuss just put the bag in the suitcase at the end of the trip if it isn’t already stored there.
Those are great tips!
My husband and I are always arguing over the hangers in the cabin, since there are so few of them. I pack along an additional hangers, that are portable and able to be folded up. I got them off of Amazon and a package of 12 for $13. They have ones that have clips for pants, if needed.
The struggle is real - there are often not enough hangers! Great tip.
I've seen in other videos that you can ask your room steward for more hangars, but I haven't tried it myself yet.
You can always get more hangers from your cabin steward. I never bring my own.
Ask your room steward for more hangers, they have access to dozens of them
I like to travel with a small bottle of febreeze to freshen a pair of pants or shirt
We have brought that with us as well - great tip!
Ty so much for your tips. You rock.
Thank you!
After you spray the wrinkle release spray hang your clothes and blast with your blow dryer.
Excellent tip!
Great idea! Thank you!
Thank you!
Helpful tips! Paying the balance owing on our first cruise together as a couple on the Celebrity Apex - Western Caribbean. January 2024 Getting excited!
Having a cruise to look forward to is so exciting! You will have to let us know how the Apex is - we have not been on that ship yet.
Good concise list. Everything you really need, nothing that you don’t.
Thank you so much! Some of these things didn't exist when we first started cruising but now that we have discovered them we don't know how we lived without them before!
@@DocksideTravel trust me, we had none of these items our first cruise. We had no idea what we were doing.😂 Now, thanks to researching, and watching channels like this one, we’re much more prepared these days! Makes the cruise more enjoyable.
I have everything you mentioned (except airtags) and will not cruise without. I would bring ear plugs and dramamine or motion sickness bracelet just in case.
Excellent suggestions!
I really miss my fruit/veggie smoothies when away so I travel with my mini portable blender
Now that is one we had not heard of before!
When we cruise we take a small magnetic white board and some markers that attach to the bathroom door. You can leave the stateroom attendant notes on something you might need than try and hang around to find the attendant. It’s also a nice way to say thank you if they do something special and leave a little extra cash attached to it.
Excellent tip! Where did you get your magnetic whiteboard?
@@DocksideTravel Amazon it’s $7.99. Whiteboard Magnetic Dry Wipe Board Self Adhesive for Any Smooth Surface with New Stain Resistant Technology,Home Kitchen Fridge Shopping List and Office Notice Board (12” X 8”)
These are great tips. I'm going to use some that you suggested. Your video was done so well! It was concise and to the point! A nine-minute video to discuss 20 products is impressive. I'll be subscribing to your channel!
Thank you for the kind words! Welcome to our channel!
I bring a plastic compression bag or two to put my dirty laundry in when packing to go home. Makes room in my luggage in case I end up purchasing something.
Excellent idea!
I enjoyed your easygoing banter. I bring everything you mentioned except the fan and phone cases. I bought some cases for my daughter for her first cruise and she was glad she had them. So I guess I will pick up a pair. Great video presentation.
Thank you so much! We really appreciate the kind words!
Insulated coffee cup. Pour your coffee then use it to hold your table at the buffet. Coffee still hot!
Excellent idea - we always struggle with finding a seat and picking up breakfast at the buffet! We are going to give this a try for sure!
I thought power adaptors were only allowed if they don’t have a mains lead - yours has a 5 foot cord (2:28). Am I wrong?
The power adapter we use was purchased on Amazon, and it is noted as being "cruise ship approved". It is not surge protected and we have used it on a number of cruises now without issue.
I used a 10 foot cord with CPAP machine. The closest outlet to our bed was in the dressing room (suite). (mine was not surge protected.)
All lines have different rules. Best to directly contact the line you’re sailing on to verify what is allowed.
You are not correct. They can have a cord, as long as they are non-surge protected. Just to be sure, I bought one on Amazon with a 15 foot cord to keep by the bed for C-pap, phones, other rechargeable devices, and made sure it said "cruise approved ".
I use nearly all of these things and just bought additional magnetic hooks Thank you and I just subscribed
Thank you! You can never have top many of the hooks!
I use them all plus I always bring an electric tea light to aid in those night time trips to the bathroom.
We are going to have to add the tea light to our packing list - stubbing a toe in the middle of the night is no fun!
I pack a small flashlight.
We also use the baggage holders when getting off. Just put your deb tags in them. remove bag tags.
Excellent tip - it completely slipped our minds in the video!
great info! Thanks. Just subscribed! (I also have a UA-cam channel) Jo knows adventure... :)
Awesome! Thank you! We will check out your channel!
The crew has a store of which we're not allowed to go but if you tell your crew cabin steward he can get you a lot of things that you need.
We saw one of the crew stores in Cozumel - it was tucked out of the way!
Great recommendations 👍
Thank you! Let us know if you have any that we missed!
thank you for getting to the point,
You bet!
Lol how much luggage are you taking?! Bringing everything but the kitchen sink.
LOL! Actually, we try to travel as efficiently as possible - that's why we pack it in there using cubes and compression bags. For cruises of a week or more we each take one regular sized suitcase and one carry on item. However, on shorter cruises Kris has gone with just a carry on! For us, these items just make life on board easier and more convenient. Thanks for watching!
I take just about everything on this list, and you would be surprised how little room they take up if you pack well. And in my opinion, they are so useful it's worth skipping an extra outfit or pair of shoes if necessary.
Great ideas ❤
Thank you! 😊
Thank you for your pointers.. almost like ours. Gday from Downunder.
Very cool! Some day we hope to cruise Australia & New Zealand...
@@DocksideTravel we have a group cruise Jan 2 2025 on the Celebrity Edge to the South Pacific
❤
Thanks!
Do you have a link for the electronics bag? I have one, but I like yours better. :)
Here is the electronics organizer we have: www.amazon.ca/OrgaWise-Electronics-Accessories-Three-Layer-Three-Layer-Grey/dp/B07T1QXP1V/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=3IV9PUBP3PNOD&keywords=orgawise%2Btravel%2Belectronics%2Borganizer&qid=1696165659&sprefix=orgawise%2Caps%2C90&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1
Another video of the same as the next
Thanks!
OMG ... you really go all out!
I am a light traveller, and I really don't need my whole house when on holidays. All of this is really overkill!
It's not only what you pack - it's how you pack it! Many of the items we bring help us pack better and more effectively, and generally do not take up much space. But we learned many cruises ago that its better to have it and not need it, rather than need it and not have it!
Some of us like our comforts and I have taken 16 of the things on this list. Let us do us. You do you, and be glad you are able to thrive more simply.
1. How do you get the bags vacuumed down to travel back home? I used to use ziplock bags for a lot of stuff. I like that they are clear. Havn't tried packing cubes, yet.
2. magnetic hooks. yes! I also got magnetic clips to hang things like papers and excursion tickets.
3. pop up hamper. I got a pack of 6 of these. Everyone got their own
4. extension/power card. Took a 10 foot one for my CPAP machine. not surge protected, of course.
5. power bank nah... don't have one of these. I don't use my phone like other people. I think I had to charge it once on a 9 day cruise. And i don't have any other electronic devices.
6. portable fan. considered it. but did not take. Did take a small noise maker (made for baby cribs) (charged before with left home)
7. apple air tags. well. i have a droid.....
8. water proof phone pouch. yes. We each had one and I pretested them before we went on the cruise. Just used a paper towel, a bowl of water and a weight. I got ones that were on the larger size and we also kept out credit card, cruise cards, pass port cards and a little cash in there as well.
9. Yes, i bought the plastic luggage tags. And I leave them on there all the time. I just put pertinent information on there. I also put a pieces of paper inside the luggage with all the information in case one got torn off. (That hasn't happened.)
10. ziplock bags. as stated above, i pack with them, and use them. I prefer the slider because it is faster.
11. stain remover pen. I took it. never used it. But you know what would have happened if I didn't have it!
12. downy wrinkle release. Too it. and followed directions. Just couldn't make it work. I had no idea you had to spray that much on though (going by your demo)
13. basic first aid kit. yes. I have sons. We go through lots of band aids and antibiotic ointment.
14. electronics organizer. My husband took care of this. It was nice having all the cords in the same place.
15. hanging toiletry bag/shoe organizer. yes. I had one of each.
16. beachbag/ back pack. yes, took along a huge mesh beach bag. We brought our own snorkel gear. Between being wet and sand. Perfect. My boys each had their own back packs for excursions, but it was also used as a carry on.
17. Towel clips. I also used the chair clips on our balcony. I liked to take towels out to sit on and that just made me feel better knowing the towels wouldn't go anywhere if someone wasn't careful. We have the pink flamingos.
18. reusable water bottle. We didn't take these because we bought 2 cases of bottle water for our rooms. MY husband did bring a reusable coffee mug, though. I get up earlier than him and i just filled it when i was walking around in the early morning. He always got up to hot coffee.
19. hand sanitizer. Not only does every back pack/beach bag/purse have hand sanitizer on it... I also brought wet wipes. We would use those when we sat down to eat.
20. lanyard and card holder - I purchased, but I found I didn't use it. Because it is also the room card... it's too hard to get out for me. But my husband used his. BTW, he had to replace his just as often as I did. They were always peeling (the room cards.)
Things I pack but my husband thinks it's overboard.
eye glass repair kit
dental repair kit
Paper napkins and small ziploc bags. Because the cloth napkins are non absorbent and I like to take fruit/muffins/cookies etc back to my cabin.
Great tips! We use the compression bags that you roll up to push the air out so no vacuum needed!
@@DocksideTravel They really are great. I used them, and was able to pack 2 weeks in Italy in just 1 carryon suitcase!
There are now compression bags that can use either a vacuum or a hand held pump. I didn’t use vacuum bags in the past because there was no way to compress for the return trip home. These were great for our last cruise to Alaska as they enabled me to bring bulky (read warm) wraps easily. I plan to use them again for our next cruise in May to Norway. The little pump fits easily into my carry on.