Do I need to pack these things?

[TX000]

I'd rather not pack the following items if I can help it since they take up space in the suitcase, so please tell me if I need to bring:

1. alarm clock, the kind that can be read at night, since we have an inside cabin and will have no earthly idea when it's time to get up.

2. beach towels - we plan to go to the beach in Nassau or Paradise Island; can we take the beach towels from the ship?

3. body lotion

4. two-way radios - do they work in the middle of the ocean?

Thanks!!!

 

[raisin64]

1. They now have clocks in the room ( not sure if they light up)
they tick to loud so I put it away in the drawer.

2. Just make sure you bring them back. I know Castaway
you pick them up after you exit the ship

3. They provide lotion along with shampoo and conditioner
( its OK )

4. 2 ways work - you might get other 2 way radio signals
( we never used them )

 

[GenieDana]

1) I read here that you can request a wakeup call, just like at any hotel - except it is Micky Mouse on the line...

4) If you are using FRS radios, you might get stepped on because everone else is on your channels. I have a pair of 22-channel FRS, and they were totally unusable at DW because everyone was using them (If I were a language student - you hear it all). Even though there will be 100 times less people on the ship, I don't plan to bring mine.

I read that GMRS radios are the way to go if you must have radios (some brand savailable for under $50 a pair at Walmart - also check eBay). GMRS (and some FRS) have subcodes on the channels to give you more privacy. The thing you also have to consider is range (transmitter power) - 2 mile radios work 2 miles in IDEAL laboratory conditions (line-sight, temperature, humidity, etc.) In the real-world, ground-to-ground use expect less than 1 mile of range. On a steel ship, perhaps a lot less. Swing for the 5-mile range variety for better odds of functionality ($50 to $100 a pair).

Note-GMRS requires FCC licensing, but I seriously doubt many owners do so.

 

[sjm]

You can take towels when you go ashore, but they are tiny, not at all the size of beach towels. Next time I cruise on a Disney ship, I will bring beach towels with me.

sue

 

[eml]

I would definitely bring the clock and the two way radios. The Disney clock does not light up. I like to know what time it is when I wake up in the middle of the night.

Our low end no sub channel Cobra Clear Call 2-mile radios worked great. My daughter decided she wasn't that interested in the clubs after the second day and just wanted to go exploring on her own. She took one radio and checked in frequently. When we were doing something quiet, like a cooking demo., we told her to only push the noisy call button in case of an emergency, otherwise come see us in person. There was only one time that she was too broken up to hear clearly and had to change locations. We were always able to find an empty channel to use.

 

[eye R.N.]

This may sound weird, but I took our rattiest towels than threw them out as we did Non CC beach days. This left room to bring back the things we acquired on the trip.

I found a cheap thin clock that lights up at K-mart for about 10 bucks.

We found that the kids were not interested in two way radio's, the clubs have beepers if they need you. So we will be leaving those at home this time.

 

[mmouse37]

Even though they take up space....I usually bring along our own beach towels. My only gripe about DCL is their towels for the pool use and beach use are just two darn small!!! Or, for our family of five....I will bring one or two towels from home and purchase some new DCL beach towels onboard!!!

I always bring a small travel lite-up alarm clock as the clocks they now have in the rooms are pretty but too far away from the bed to read, especially at night. Got mine at Sharper Image and with a coupon I had only cost about $10 bucks. Has great big lite up numbers and can double as a flashlite!!

We found our teens wanted nothing to do with the two way radios (crimped their style!!!) and only brought them on one of our cruises. I wonder if it had anything to do with their dad trying to embarass them with the radios everytime they saw them with new friends of the opposite sex!!!!

MJ

 

[d'Isigny]

Great post - i'll offer my .02

1) if you need the 'glow' of an alarm clock...you might want to bring one. We used the 'mickey' wake up call - worked great! you will need to turn on a light to see the clock provided.

2) like another poster...we purchased some inexpensive beach towels and brought them with us. we left them in the room so we had extra room for things we bought.

3) the 'Minnie' packets of lotion was - OK. If you use something special...may want to bring it from home.

4) we found the 'walkie-talkies' - a must! Yes, at the parks you will hear other groups...even if you change channels. On the boat we did not have much 'chatter' or problems finding a clear channel. We were able to 'split-up' without being 'chained' to a 'meeting spot'. During the 'ressie-scramble' we were able to get everything taken care of - quickly.

 

[mcnuss]

1. Alarm clock, already addressed, the one in the room is pretty, but useless at night. Not sure what DCL was thinking bc this is definintely a case of "form over function" which is not congruent with the rest of the room design.

2. Beach towels - we plan to go to the beach in Nassau or Paradise Island; can we take the beach towels from the ship? I bought this big beach blanket thing whose name I cannot remember, they were all over the stores this past summer, it is blue and it is waterproof on one side. (Someone please help me, I am having a senior moment!!) Anyway, we took the regular towels from the ship (lots) and then this to the beach to sit on, and it was great.

3. body lotion - I thought the stuff in the room smelled too sweet and also I hated the little packets. It was really hard to open. ps: the shampoo comes in these little packets, too, and if we do the cruise again, I will fill small travel bottles. I really had trouble in the shower with those packets, and once got shampoo in my mouth as I struggled to open it with me teeth. BLECH.

4. two-way radios - do they work in the middle of the ocean? Teh ocean will have nothing to do with how well they work (not like a cell phone). We took ours and never used them! Several times we should have taken them and laughed at the fact that they were in the room, but for us they were not essential, we were almost always together. If, however, you have an older child, then I think that they are essential. We became friendly with a couple with a DD10.5, and she was allowed some freedom to be on her own, but only with the radio.

Hope this helps!