Favorite non-packing related cruise tips

[Tehanna]

I'm loving all the packing tips, but over the years I've really enjoyed tips that were not about packing. What are some of your favorites?

Here's one of mine:

If you're up late the night before disembarking, order a pot of coffee. It will still be plenty warm in the morning from the insulated carafe, and you can enjoy a nice cup of coffee on the veranda before breakfast.

 

[Geomom]

The snacks in the adult only Cove Cafe are free (unlike the coffee!). Grab the sweet treats in the afternoon and put in your room cooler for an evening treat. In the evening Cove Cafe has savory treats--olives, meats, cheeses, etc.

When we have an early port adventure, we stick the continental breakfast room service card out the night before. It ends up being both a wake up call and a quick breakfast/coffee while everyone is getting ready. Make sure you mark off how many of an item you want. Also have the tip ready to go before you go to sleep that night.

 

[Starwind]

In Cabanas at breakfast they have single serve boxes of a number of cereals. There are also some portable fruits, and at lunch at the pool deck QS single serve bags of potato chips.

Some of them can make a neat "feeling like a kid" snack one lazy afternoon or evening [we prefer eating the cereal dry].

Also, as I learned one day, should you happen to take a nap and sleep through lunch... they can make a suitable lunch replacement to tide you over till you get up on deck for something from the pool deck QS or until dinner or until room service can deliver.

Also, the cereal boxes can be taken off the ship in most ports as a snack for excursions since they are commercially packaged and factory sealed. [always check port rules re: if food can come off].

 

[bigAWL]

I like the room service idea. But on our early port adventure days, I usually go to Cabanas and brag an assortment of pastries, bagels, donuts, milk and juice to bring back to the cabin for my family to have breakfast in the room. I started this practice back in the days when the buffet had trays to put your plates on, but they took those away a few years back. Now I just ask a server for a tray, and they always find one for me.