please help me pack lite, do I really need these things?

[Luv2Travel]

(1) I really need my coffee as soon as I get up in the morning - I like to drink it while I get ready. Do I need to bring a small coffee maker with me or should I just order room service for my coffee every morning? Does room service get it to the room quickly? Can I order room service for a specific time the night before?

(2) Do I really need to take a rolling cooler? We are going on the 4 night cruise to Nassau and I'm not sure what excursion we will go on. Maybe the dolphin encounter, but definitely to a beach. Do I need to take a lunch with me? Will I need a cooler for Castaway Cay? I have a desent size soft sided cooler that I carry (would hold lunch and a few drinks), will that work or be a pain to tote around? Do I really need a cooler for the room? Will the cooler ("fridge") in the room be good enough for keeping a container of lemonaide or something cool?

My apologies for all of the questions. I tend to tremendously overpack, and I'm trying to do much better for our first cruise. Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[Jrsy Boy]

Do I need to bring a small coffee maker with me or should I just order room service for my coffee every morning? Does room service get it to the room quickly? Can I order room service for a specific time the night before?

You will get a card in your stateroom when your host does turn-down which you can fill out for room service breakfast, including what time you want it delivered.

(2) Do I really need to take a rolling cooler? We are going on the 4 night cruise to Nassau and I'm not sure what excursion we will go on. Maybe the dolphin encounter, but definitely to a beach. Do I need to take a lunch with me? Will I need a cooler for Castaway Cay? I have a desent size soft sided cooler that I carry (would hold lunch and a few drinks), will that work or be a pain to tote around? Do I really need a cooler for the room? Will the cooler ("fridge") in the room be good enough for keeping a container of lemonaide or something cool?

I suppose it depends on what you intend to tote around. We just threw a couple of water bottles in a backpack or beach bag when we went ashore. We didn't store any drinks in our room because we knew we could just go up to Deck 9 if we got thirsty. Plus, we weren't in our room all that much.

 

[michelle9343]

I would not bring the coffee pot. You can have room sevice pre-set the night before. Coffee is also always availible on deck 9. Soft sided cooler is not need for CC everything is availible to you on CC.

 

[BrianD]

Also, deck 9 aft has free coffee all the time, so depending on where you stateroom is, you may be just a short walk from getting some first thing in the morning.

 

[Downrivermama]

Room service is very prompt! I ordered it for 8AM and they came at 7:50AM! Good thing I was dressed.

 

[vassello]

A soft-sided cooler is not needed for Castaway Cay unless you bring your own drinks. We carried a cooler with us because the men still had a case of beer they wanted to drink. Why pay for drinks on CC when we could bring our own? If you are into soft drinks, they are all free on the island and the boat so a cooler is not needed. We were trying to cut costs with the beer and froo froo drinks so we brought the cooler and our own drinks.

 

[milestogo]

We ordered breakfast via our doorhanger each night. It arrived hot and delicious every morning 10-15 min. prior to our delivery time. It came in a great decanter that we kept in our room and refilled during the day on deck 9. We, also brought several empty, screw top beverage container that we filled with milk, water and soda each day. We brought quite a few large empty baggies that we would fill with ice each day to keep in our in-room cooler. A foldable soft-sided cooler worked great for carrying to the ports. DCL told me that we could not bring a cooler on board, so I would call them and ask. We, also brought some stackable rubbermaid-like containers to put little snacks and food items in from room-service or fruit from deck 9, so our little girl always had food in the cooler. Good luck.

 

[kcashner]

We've sailed 14 times on the Magic without a cooler. I believer the rule is that you can have a softside cooler, hot a hard sided one unless it is needed for a medical reason. Personally, I wouldn't want to have to drag it around. Unless you are bringing beer like the previous poster, I can't see why you would want it on excursions. We usually take a 12 pack of DD's favorite soft drink because it isn't available on the ship. If she wants to take it on an excursion, she can throw a can in her bag. On CC, there is free soft drinks,etc...so no need to bring it. Or bring her can and get ice.

On other excursions, I travel as lite as possible.

Coffee--well detailed above. Room service will bring at whatever time you specify on the door hanger thingy. Don't bring coffee pot.

Pack what you think you'll need, then look at it critically and take half of it out. Add more $ in. (hee hee)

 

[disgal1]

I read this tip on disboards. I ordered coffee from room service right before going to sleep..delivered . Believe it or not it stayed hot for my must have first cup. I also ordered it for the am, but many times I was up way before my coffee came, and I am one that needs it as I roll out of bed.

Try it the first night see if it is ok. It sure worked for me!! I did bring little imitation creamers with me plus my flavored mini creamers. and my splenda.

We never used a cooler.

 

[Sue (mom of 3 boys!)]

My favorite morning ritual was rolling out of bed, washing my face, putting up my hair, throwing on my comfy shorts and strolling up to deck 9 for a coffee. I was usually up by 6:00, so it was almost like having the ship to myself. It was so peaceful. A few days, I took my book, plunked in a chair and relaxed like I had never relaxed before.

We took a small lunchbox (softsided) for times off the ship, filled a zip lock with ice, added water bottles, and were fine. I would not want to carry a big cooler when walking in the heat and trying to take pictures, sightsee, etc. We didn't spend much time off the ship though.

 

[Luv2Travel]

Thanks for all of the tips and suggestions, it really is a great help to ask those who've been there and done that before. I'm a compulsive overpacker and you've all made me feel better about leaving those things behind. Now if you could just help me with making decisions about clothing!

I read this tip on disboards. I ordered coffee from room service right before going to sleep..delivered . Believe it or not it stayed hot for my must have first cup. . . .Try it the first night see if it is ok. It sure worked for me!! I did bring little imitation creamers with me plus my flavored mini creamers. and my splenda.

I read that tip too and wondered if the coffee really stayed hot, thanks for another input on that. I'll definitely try that the first night. You and I sound a lot a like, I need it FIRST thing and I need my little imitation creamers!

 

[Luv2Travel]

On other excursions, I travel as lite as possible.

Pack what you think you'll need, then look at it critically and take half of it out. Add more $ in. (hee hee)

Very good tips. I'll try my best on the "take half of it out" part.

 

[momm2four]

I've read about people ordering coffee from room service before, but a question just popped into my head for the first time. Don't you have to pay extra for the coffee? I know that you have to pay for delivered sodas, but don't remember about getting coffee from room service.

Sue...I love the picture you just painted for me. I'm sitting here dreaming of being on deck nine with a book, a cup of coffee and a chocolate croissant. Just me and the other early birds. Sounds great to me!!!

Oct. "07 seems so far away.

Lori P.

 

[scrapperjill]

No extra costs involved in getting regular coffee from room service...Matter of fact the only "charged" coffee I remember seeing was in Cove cafe or the "speciality" coffees offered after dinner sometimes.

 

[Luv2Travel]

Sue...I love the picture you just painted for me. I'm sitting here dreaming of being on deck nine with a book, a cup of coffee and a chocolate croissant. Just me and the other early birds. Sounds great to me!!!

I totally agree!
Sue - have you posted any trip reports comparing your DCL cruises with your RCCL cruises? I'd love to know how you and your family liked RCCL compared to DCL. We've never cruised before, but I have a feeling if we ever cruise again after this DCL cruise in September, it'll have to be on another cruiseline like RCCL. Don't think I'll ever be able to find another good deal on DCL like I got this time. My kids think RCCL looks great with the rock climbing wall.

 

[christinou]

I also completely agree with Sue, nothing like strolling up to deck 9 getting a coffee, sitting and enjoying the scenery, there are always quite a few people on deck at that time. My oldest DD and I are more morning people than uyoungest DD and DH, so when we are on vacation it is always our ritual to have a special time together in the morning.....
We never brought a cooler, and never really needed one.

 

[Sue (mom of 3 boys!)]

Christine-Maybe we will run into each other up on deck in the AM .

Sue - have you posted any trip reports comparing your DCL cruises with your RCCL cruises? I'd love to know how you and your family liked RCCL compared to DCL....My kids think RCCL looks great with the rock climbing wall.

My kids have not cruised RCCL yet. We will be taking them in a few weeks. I will definitely post a comparison. They are looking forward to it-especially the rock wall, mini golf, and a pool area with a slide that older kids can use. I am looking forward to the trip, but nearly as much as our DCL trip next February ! DH has already said he thinks it won't compare, but we will go with open minds. I am sure there will be differences-positive and negative. How the boys like RCCL will definitely impact our future trips.