Top 10 things to bring for your stateroom

[mark_bert]

We don't have a Laptop or one of those plug in chargers for ipods. Do the rooms have ipod docks like some hotels (I know the Hyatt at the airport has them) ? I have a smallish dock, but would rather not bring it if I don't have to.

I believe the Disney website stated that the Magic will have iPod docks in every stateroom.

 

[mark_bert]

Oh my. This is why DH will NOT let me pack for him. He is very Pet Peve about this. I can pack the kids myself and the dog, but not him. He will wait until the last minute, I mean night before, to pack and it drives me crazy!!! Ughh. I wish he would just trust me.

Well, Sharen's husband trusted her... And look where it got him!

 

[erbrhenderson]

Our List: (Some are duplicate from others)
1) A small fan, for white noise, and to help circulate the cool air (with extension cord)
2) Power strip
3) Over the door shoe hanger/great out of the way storage
4) “POP~OPEN hamper/ either for dirty laundry or great storage, folds flat
5) Purex 3-1 Laundry sheets
6) Soft sided cooler
7) Travel alarm clock w/light
8) Around $20 in $1 bills for room service tips
9) Plastic disposable hangers/ the kind that department stores use, you can hang more clothes in the closet /storage. If the break oh well, I ask for 10-15 from Wal-Mart, and they gave them to me, when you leave the ship, just leave them for the next cruisers
10) Portable DVD player/with cords to hook into the TV for that down time with movies/cartoons (Disney of course) for all


Hope this helps

Robin & Angel "D"

PS...I bring my lap top on every cruise to down load my pics daily, it is very safe. you could buy a lock for about $20

Just wondering what kind of lock you use and what you lock it in. It's our first cruise and I am trying to decide if I should bring a lap top or not.

 

[jenvin]

Great thread, adding them all to my already long list

This helps a lot, less thinking for me to do!

Re: packing for DH - mine lets me make the list (and i put the quantity beside it) but then he has to follow it and choose what he wants to bring, then he checks them off the list, throws it all in a laundry basket, then I pack them. My kids do that too, every vacation they ask me for the list. It's remembering what to put on the list that is most of the work, although now I have a standard template to follow (excel spreadsheet, list of items on the first column with each person's name on the top columns and quantity underneath).

This time I'm planning to only bring my iPad to store pics. I have to test it out, and if I can connect it to an external hard drive I will bring that too. I usually bring my laptop but it has a short battery life and I need something to play movies on the long flight there for the kids (and I don't want to bring all our electronics, we'll have so many already as it is). Plus my iPad doubles as an ebook reader and games.

Thanks again for suggesting things to bring!

Jen

 

[poohj80]

For those who bring the over the door shoe organizer, which door do you hang it on? I was thinking the cabin door so it wouldn't get in the way in the bathrooms but not sure the door will close with the hooks.

Thanks!

 

[truck1]

For those who bring the over the door shoe organizer, which door do you hang it on? I was thinking the cabin door so it wouldn't get in the way in the bathrooms but not sure the door will close with the hooks.

Thanks!

You can use it on either. Some will use it for the bathroom, especially if they have contact solutions, cleaners, hairsrays etc, that could take up most if not all of the counter space. Others will use it on the main cabin door, to store cameras, sunglasses, important paperwork etc. Others will use 2. 1 on each. Its all personal preference. They really dont take up much space.

 

[Robin"D"]

Just wondering what kind of lock you use and what you lock it in. It's our first cruise and I am trying to decide if I should bring a lap top or not.

you can go to Bestbuy (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Targus+...rn6M8JOUlLjDtR0yY7Rx&cmp=RMX&id=1051384145329) or any other store that sells laptop accessories. If you look on the side and or back side or your laptop, you will see a keyhole type of hole, this is where the lock goes...

Hope this helps

Robin & Angel "D"

 

[STLUCIELADY]

Just got back from the 10 night Med cruise. Our in-room favorites are:

1. bottled water (empty bottles are great for refilling with any other drink you desire like the cucumber or lemon water in the rain forest room yuuummmmm!! Or even just a soft drink from the drink station. Makes it so portable.

2. travel power strip (folds up real small)

3. travel clock that illuminates

4. clothes pins that are clothes pins on one side and a hook on the other - great for keeping the curtains closed or hanging wet items. We brought 2 and that was fine for us.

5. Dawn or Palmolive dishwashing liquid. We brought 1.5 ozs for the 10 night and we used all of it. So many uses (spot treatment on clothes, clean shoes (some of the ports are very dirty), wash clothes or bathing suits in the sink etc) and it doesn't take up much room.

6. usb cords for charging everything and a dual usb wall plug. Saves an amazing amount of room.

7. small sensor night light. The rooms get amazingly dark and finding your way to the bathroom room can be an adventure.

8. post it notes, magnetic board to write on to leave notes and/or small magnets to post invitations, tickets, meetup etc

9. highlighters

10. some kind of decoration for the door (magnetic) or even just a bow, flag, balloon to hang on the fish holder outside the door. Makes it so easy to find your room and is just fun to come home to.

okay I mave two more. I just couldn't resist

11. dollar bills for when room service comes in the morning with coffee or late afternoon with a nice fruit and cheese platter. The same person almost always brings your food service if you tip in cash and they are always pleasant and much quicker about it.

12. ziploc bags. Keeps everything organized in a small space. Great for taking a few snacks on excursions with you. Or order room service the night before with sandwiches(dry, condiments on the side) and put in bags and store in the frig. Put the chips in ziplocs too. Add some cold bottled drinks from the frig to your bag and you can have a picnic anywhere especially if you are in a port where you have no interest in trying the local cuisine (or just don't trust the water or preparation).

 

[STLUCIELADY]

We're going on our first cruise and my wife and I are searching the boards for tip and tricks. Thanks for the great suggestions. My wife just bought some travel space bags for the clothes, as we'll be flying in from CA. (Magic -12/4/10) 2 adults, 2 kids. A checked bag for each and a carry on. Hopefully we have enough room, as we love our electronic devices.

Steve

We found the coleman bags to be the best! I actually threw the real space bags out mid way through the trip. They just were not as good. We flew from Orlando to Barcelona and then took an easyjet to Paris and Disneyland Paris and back and then a 10 night Med cruise. We did it all with just one carry on each. We even put our handbags in the carryon so easyjet would not charge for the handbag. They are super cheap but really strict on luggage. We could not have possibly done 8 countries in Europe and formal clothes for the cruise with a carryon if we didn't use the coleman bags. They are AWESOME! Have fun!

 

[TraciM]

The little travel size shampoo bottles dont hold enough for me. So instead of the full size bottles i put the soaps in to .9oz water bottle which is bigger than travel bottle but not big and bulky either.

I always bring a bar of soap to use then I can leave it and not have to carry it home.

 

[TraciM]

I would bring a highliter to markup my Navigator of the things I want to do. I do not like the idea of a board of the door to say where you are just for safety sake.
2. Febreeze
3. Singles (bills)
4. Wetnaps
5. Lintroller
6. Large baggies for wet clothing if they do not dry in time when you depart the ship
7. A night lite if needed for children
8. Purell - even though they have it all over the ship its nice to have it in the room as well
9. Small sandwich bags to take things off the boat while at port
10. Reusable water bottles

Hope this helps and have a Magical Cruise!

We had 2 boards (Target $1). One on the outside for the people we traveled with and one inside for the kids to write us messages. I did not want my kids putting out information for anyone to see.

 

[Chicogirl]

Bump

 

[poohj80]

We cruised last week and took the over the door shoe organizer for the first time - it was WONDERFUL! DD used the lowest pockets and we used the upper. It really helped declutter the cabin! We had some issues hanging over the door but were able to adjust to make it work.

 

[mommy_grrl]

These are all great ideas!
Now - I just need family back home to go shopping for me - I have a hard time finding febreeze samples, and since I'm in the UK the air freshener plug ins and power strips won't work (and I"m not bringing converters.)

Miss that Downy wrinkle release!

 

[papertraveller]

I think we're converted -- next cruise, we'll take an over-the-door hanger.

As to the other tips, the best from our experience:

1) clock you can see at night
2) highlighter
3) drinks - whatever your preference, it's worth taking on board
4) money for room service tips
5) tide-to-go stick
6) sense of humour

 

[Orlando Disney Guy]

For those of you interested, the trick for smuggling adult bevages on board: I drink a lot of bottled water at home/work. I save the bottles fill them with rum. When packing I find that they fit nicely inside my shoes. This does not take up any extra space and keeps your shoes from being bent up. I also take along a package of crystal light packets to mix in my drink!

I will never iron on a cruise ship again! No need too! Two words: SPRAY STARTCH! At night just before bed I will decide what I am wearing the next day lightly spray ithang it up and go to bed. Before I leave the cabin in the morning I will do the same thing to my dinner clothes! I have found this to be a HUGE time saver for me!

 

[svjenkins]

bump

 

[belle'ssister]

Most every "extra" that I bring on cruises has already been mentioned. My faves are:

power strip and/or extension cord
clear over the door shoe hanger
air freshener spray
hightlighter to mark Navigator activities
assorted size ziplock backs
decorations and dry erase board for door
$1 bills for room service tips

 

[5boyz]

We too are a family of 4 and found that we really needed:

1. power strip - with all of the electronic gadgets we have this was an absolute need to recharge things!
2. over the door shoe organizer (esp. on 7 day - not so much on 4 day) - this helped keep things like sunblock, hairspray, medicines, deodorants, toothpaste & brushes, etc organized and off of the limited space on top of the sinks.
3. whiteboard - my oldest DS was able to come and go from Ocean Quest as he pleased and this helped us to inform him of where Mom and Dad were at any given time - also allowed him to leave us messages like "Mom - stopped by and you weren't here - gone to drink station to get a soda - be right back"
4. Sunblock
5. Hairdryer - some will tell you that the one in the stateroom is fine - and for some it is - but I found that I really needed my "tornado"
6. One of those pop-up type laundry hampers comes in handy when on a 7 day cruise - for the shorter cruises we just re-used plastic bags from the gift shops for our dirty laundry.

After that - things that aren't necessary - but we were happy to have (but we drove down to Port Canaveral which made this easy)
1. Beer
2. Wine
3. Bottled water

I can't think of anything else.

You can bring beer and wine on the ship?

 

[wld4mky]

Yes you can