Best Cruise Tips I Actually Used

[lostatdisney]

I read through all the pages of cruise tips. It can be very overwhelming! These are the ones that I was very glad to use:

1. Highlighter for the Navigator. (I kind of wished I had three colors to use - one for family, one for kids, and one for adults.)

2. Power strip. We plugged it in on the desk/dresser and used it for iPods, hairdryer, etc.

3. Over the door bag. This was so great at getting rid of clutter!!!

4. Spa showers. They are so nice, and I loved going up there after running around a port all day!

5. One dollar bills for tipping. I think all we ever ordered was Mickey Bars!

 

[dizzi]

I used all of those except for the spa showers............
Tellme about them???

How do you egt in,

What makes them so special?

etc

 

[kcashner]

The showers in the locker room are wonderful. They are big. There are 2, and each has a different sort of shower head. One is like a waterfall, the other is a huge sprayer. Shampoo, shower get, and conditioner dispensers are on the walls. Great water pressure and flow, just totally delightful after a work out in the fitness center.

You don't have the privacy of your own bathroom, but they are totally lovely!

 

[camarks1234]

I 2nd all but the spa showers and only because I didn't try them either. I am doing that in Sept!

Also a nightlight in the bathroom was helpful.

 

[lostatdisney]

Just walking into the spa was so relaxing! I love the little tiles in the showers too. The wall is curved. There are only two, but they were always available when I was there.

 

[mmmears]

One question -- are the showers private? (Like, do they have a privacy door or curtain, or is it all out in the open?

 

[MelissaLG]

I'll step in and answer this one! I was on the same cruise as lostatdisney, and I also used the spa shower tip. Yes, there are two individual showers, each with a privacy curtain. I used them on several occasions. Funniest moment - we had rough seas and I was in the shower trying to shave my legs while standing on one leg! Not easy with the boat rocking! I was laughing (luckily was in there by myself so no one heard me laughing in the shower like an idiot).

Best tips for me also included the bathroom night light, highlighter for the navigator, and bringing Lysol wipes.

 

[dizzi]

What is the charge for the showers??

 

[Mich123]

Great tips! Thanks for the post!

 

[jtanddolly]

I have never been on a cruise so what is the "navigator" mentioned in #1 that you need highlighters for?

 

[castaway3]

The navigator is your daily "newspaper" it tells you everything going on what time, where to meet, what movies are playing, what time the shows are, what the kids are doing in their clubs it is brought to your room the night before so that you can plan your day..highlighters make is so much easier to plan you day.

 

[lostatdisney]

What is the charge for the showers??

There is no charge at all! And another nice thing - the towels are fluffier than the ones in the rooms!

 

[missjudit]

I have never been on a cruise so what is the "navigator" mentioned in #1 that you need highlighters for?

The Navigator is a newspaper that lists the day's activities and more. One is placed in your stateroom each evening. Different colored highlighters are used to mark activities each person might be interested in doing. Hope that helps.
Judi

 

[JOCAmom]

Thanks for the great tips. We are planning our first cruise for December of 2010 and can use all the tips we can get.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Don't forget to take a travel alarm clock with a light on it that you can see at night. The inside cabins are pitch black and it's nice to know what time it is when you wake up.

 

[msmith07101]

Don't forget to take a travel alarm clock with a light on it that you can see at night. The inside cabins are pitch black and it's nice to know what time it is when you wake up.

Yes...did not bring one and regretted it!! Woke up one "morning" thinking it must be time to get up. After stumbling around and checking the time..it was only 4:30!! Also, the over the door show organizer with clear pockets....just great for keeping all sorts of things. There is plenty of storage in the bathroom (we had a split bath), but I still kept pretty much everything in the OTD hanger.

 

[Dollar2]

Having our dress clothes pressed as soon as we got onboard was priceless.

 

[MelissaLG]

We took a travel-sized bottle of Downy Wrinkle releaser, and it saved us from having clothes pressed and/or ironing (with the exception of one dress shirt). That is one of the best cruise tips that I used.

Didn't take: a travel alarm clock, a power strip, or an over-the-door organizer and didn't miss them. (Which is a good thing 'cause I don't think we would have had room in our luggage for much more, LOL!)

 

[RichieGraciemom]

my best advice is to take everyone in your traveling party and go over their expectations before the cruise and then as mentioned highlight them . I am bringing a dry erase board for communications and a dollar store pop up hamper. I cant wait to shower in the spa and not actually hear my kids still calling my name even when i am in the shower!!!!sailing in three days

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

We brought a great big mesh laundry bag for the dirty clothes. I kept it in the corner and every night I picked up everyone's dirties and stuffed them in the bag (you think they could do it themselves ). Anyway, it saved me the embarassment of the stateroom hostess having to touch our dirty clothes and at the end I just stuffed the entire bag into a suitcase. I put the remaining clean clothes, souveniers, etc. into the other bag. Easy to do laundry when we got home.