Great unknown tips or secrets!

[tvguy]

That is true, unless you are a "heavy packer" like I am!!! I pack EVERYTHING I could possible want or need...and am glad to have it all at my disposal...just in case!!

Thank heavens I married a man who tolerates my need to "overpack"!

karen

I married an Air Force brat. She grew up learning to travel light and pack an entire household of stuff quickly because her dad often got orders on short notice (days) that they were moving. DW's record, 6 moves to 5 different states and 2 different countries in one year.

 

[Jen76b]

I don't remember if this was mentioned, but I suggest bringing a sweater for dinner and the shows.

I'm not normally cold natured, but my friend suggest I bring a sweater on my last cruise. I brought a light cardigan thinking I just needed something to cover my arms. Boy was I wrong! I was so cold at dinner and shivering during the shows. I've actually have been shopping for a sweater that I can use on my next cruise

 

[MrsScooby]

TVGuy,
The over-the-door shoe holder is not for shoes! It is for all of the small things that you leave on dressers, counters, etc. We keep hair brushes, tooth brushes/paste, sunscreen, etc in the pockets since we don't know which bathroom will be available and don't want anything stuck behind locked doors.

As a heavy packer, we always have everything available in the pockets. First aid kits, pens, paper, scissors, tape,........

I liked the over-the -door-shoe holder for organizational reasons. We use it for all the things above and more like...walkie talkies, sun glasses, hair ties, beeper, lanyards, KTTW cards, highlighters, pens etc. all the things I usually forget when I'm walking out the door. So many places to put things in the room, we waste time looking for them

 

[scrapperjill]

We also found the Over the door holder handy...for all those items mentioned and even more...like the kids disposable cameras and dollars for room service...just to name a couple.

I don't think packing duct tape was mentioned as a tip yet...but I guess it can come in handy for a variety of things.

 

[jdybnsn]

We had pirate costumes, and a few pirate related gifts for the kids delivered direct to the ship from a mail order company....not only did it save us packing costumes, but also it was a great surprise for the kids to have a parcel to open when they got into their room.

 

[Tarabra]

I don't remember if this was mentioned, but I suggest bringing a sweater for dinner and the shows.

I'm not normally cold natured, but my friend suggest I bring a sweater on my last cruise. I brought a light cardigan thinking I just needed something to cover my arms. Boy was I wrong! I was so cold at dinner and shivering during the shows. I've actually have been shopping for a sweater that I can use on my next cruise

Oh, that's weird. When did you cruise? We cruised in Aug. and it was just perfect as usual. I'm always freezing in restaurants, and I didn't even need my cardigan. I remember our '04 cruise it was freezing in the movie theatre but we didn't make it there in Aug. Maybe it just depends on what time of year you travel. I would definitely bring a sweater though just in case. I got 2 really nice holiday type (but not Christmasy) sweaters last Jan. Great time to buy.

 

[crisi]

Because the ship moves, the public bathroom stalls have doors on them that normally are shut - unlike land bathrooms where unoccupied stalls have open doors. So when you go into a bathroom, the doors will likely be shut - occupied or not.

IF the person inside has twisted the lock, there will be a little red indicator that the stall is occupied. Look for that.

But the real tip is - it seemed to take some people about five days to discover they need to lock the public stall doors. LOCK THE DOORS.

The secondary tip is - even if it isn't red, you may want to tap or peek under the stall door for feet. Some people don't catch on fast.

 

[Pluto 2]

The shirts on the SPF Website are Rated 40 - 50 UPF - and block over 97% of the sun's UV rays. They are also backed up by laboratory testing - take a look at the site if you have a chance - real interesting and a nice product!

i get sunburned very easy but i have never been sunburned under my clothes.
so who really needs this? do people actually get sunburned under clothes?

 

[birdmom]

If you do the dolphin encounter or swim, wear water shoes. The metal grade that you stand on can really hurt your feet!

 

[OurMsBrooks]

Here's another plug for the over-the-door shoebag. We loved having ours. Most particularly, it was a great place for all those things we would grab on the way out the door: the kids room keys on lanyards, sunglasses, navigators, etc. I don't know where others hang theirs, but we hung ours on the outside of the second bathroom door.

Another small item to pack if you have more than a couple people: suction hooks. Put some suction hooks up in the bathtub for bathing suits. We had five people, and this made it easier for all of our suits to dry.

Also, if you have a problem of any kind, TELL SOMEBODY. They will fix it, if possible. If you get home and you weren't happy about something, send a letter. DCL is remarkably good about trying to keep guests happy.

Finally, take advantage of the room service. A knock on the door with hot coffee, juice, and rolls is a great way to wake up in the morning, and cheese and crackers before dinner turns getting ready into an "event" to enjoy.

 

[renegade7]

 

[familycruiser]

Just wanted to know if there are hooks in the bathroom, on the door and also outside the bathroom at all. Thanks.

 

[michellebriana]

I find that 2 way radios are great! That way you can keep tabs on each other. Most have a huge range and they can charge in the room.

 

[alwayslisad]

I loved my shoe holder - my entire family thought it was so easy to find things. I did not need the duct tape - should have done the extension cord. Wish I had more places to hang wet swimsuits - did not find enough room to hang wet / damp things - since there were 4 of us in the room - the one spot in bathroom was always packed with swimsuits!@

 

[weloveDCL]

we go to the beach alot in the Summer.. how i deal with sand.. is a cheap paint brush in a ziploc.. let the sand dry and then brush it off.. put the paint brush back into the ziploc.. (I have a smaller one for my camera and camcorder jic..) which i also keep them in ziplocs too, when not in use.

if they quit making ziplocs, i'll have to re-evaluate my life.

 

[AQW]

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Another ziploc freak! My DH laughs so hard when my packing list for any trip starts with:

2.5gal ziplocs
1gal ziplocs
quart ziplocs

 

[tinytink]

Pack you bathing suits in your carry on so you can swim while waiting for the rest of your luggage to arrive in your room. The kids will thank you for doing that. We didn't know on our first cruise so the kids had to wait for our luggage to arrive.

 

[birkner]

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Another ziploc freak! My DH laughs so hard when my packing list for any trip starts with:

2.5gal ziplocs
1gal ziplocs
quart ziplocs

Same here!!! Ziplocs are the first thing I buy before clothes!!!

 

[scrapperjill]

Just wanted to know if there are hooks in the bathroom, on the door and also outside the bathroom at all. Thanks.

I believe there are some. I know there's one outside the bathroom on the wall (at least in the two staterooms we've been in there are. And I can't be for sure but I "THINK" there was one on the inside of the bathroom door (at least the one with the shower in it). There is also a clothes line in the shower.

 

[Sue (mom of 3 boys!)]

If you are going to charge ipods, batteries, DVD players, etc., do it when you are in the room. I remember a few posts where people we politely scolded for leaving them on with nobody there. I guess it's a fire hazzard. Just charge over night.

No need to pack door stoppers. Your stateroom host can get you some. This applies mostly to connecting rooms, but I suppose you could use it on a closet door that won't stay closed when the ship rocks.

Great thread