Weird/important stuff to bring on a cruise

[harleyquinn]

Hi all, planning for my first cruise in about 70 days and I’ve been watching waaaay too many YouTube videos of things I need to bring.

Do you all have any specific recommendations?

I got a hanging tolietry bag that I probably didn’t need. Do I need luggage tag holders? I saw an old thread that Disney uses the same sort of thing that airlines do so you don’t need them.

Are we allowed to have outlet expanders that are not extension cords or surge protectors? There is at least one that claims to be cruise line approved, but I’m not dropping $20 to have it be restricted.

I got some cabin door magnets and a pin trading hanging thing to put outside the door. I don’t want to do a fish extender. I have a card for the light switch and magnetic hooks to hang our lanyards on (funny story, I bought one on clearance from Disney shopping like 10 years ago in the hopes that I would get to use it some day!)

Anything else that is maybe more Disney specific or that a first timer would not think of even after watching hours of youtube?

 

[HeatherLassell]

You can do something like this

https://www.amazon.ca/Sabrent-4-Por...ocphy=9001182&hvtargid=pla-382102355910&psc=1

But like you said, nothing like an extension cord for plugging things in.

The hanging toiletry bag might be nice to have space wise.

I'm sure if you've been watching youtube videos of what to pack you're well prepared.

 

[elsawasajedi]

clothespins

 

[harleyquinn]

clothespins

For what? Bathing suits in the bathrooms (they have the cords like WDW right) and for the curtains?

 

[harleyquinn]

You can do something like this

https://www.amazon.ca/Sabrent-4-Por...ocphy=9001182&hvtargid=pla-382102355910&psc=1

But like you said, nothing like an extension cord for plugging things in.

The hanging toiletry bag might be nice to have space wise.

I'm sure if you've been watching youtube videos of what to pack you're well prepared.

Does it have to be usb only? I have one that has plugs and usb, but no surge protection.

 

[Marc D]

Do not believe the ‘cruise line approved’ marketing. Unless it is a USB hub, it will be confiscated. They will confiscate anything that has a regular electrical outlet if they find it since it is considered a fire hazard.

 

[harleyquinn]

Do not believe the ‘cruise line approved’ marketing. Unless it is a USB hub, it will be confiscated. They will confiscate anything that has a regular electrical outlet if they find it since it is considered a fire hazard.

Thank you so much! This really helps clarify and I already have one that will help. YouTube can be confusing since many videos generalize across different companies.

 

[mullysisters]

Hi. When people say that the ship will confiscate outlets with surge protectors or bottles of liquor in your luggage, do you mean all the luggage is searched. I'm not planning on bringing anything that is not allowed! Just picturing someone going through my luggage. Also do people go through a metal detector, are purses searched etc. at embarkation. Again, not trying to smuggle, just curious.

 

[HeatherLassell]

Hi. When people say that the ship will confiscate outlets with surge protectors or bottles of liquor in your luggage, do you mean all the luggage is searched. I'm not planning on bringing anything that is not allowed! Just picturing someone going through my luggage. Also do people go through a metal detector, are purses searched etc. at embarkation. Again, not trying to smuggle, just curious.

Bags go through x-ray and if they see something prohibited it will be removed from your bag and you can pick it up at the end of the cruise.

 

[mmouse37]

Both carry ons and checked luggage get x-rayed. Checked luggage behind the scenes and carry ons in the terminal.

I have been cruising DCL since 1998 (Maiden voyage of the Magic) and never brought a night light with me but someone in our FB group posted one they got on Amazon. I checked it out and bought it. Well, I have to say it really helped on my cruise last week. I was traveling with a friend and did not want to wake her when I visited the bathroom in the middle of the night. The cabin light switches are very close together and in the past, on several different times, I turned on the main cabin light instead of the bathroom light. The set of 2 night lights are motion activated and worked great. When I entered the bathroom it came on and stayed on for about 30 seconds. A simple wave turns it back on. No more accidentally turning on the overhead lights! I just placed it on the glass shelf in the bathroom.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MHVTHQS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

MJ

 

[harleyquinn]

Just to clarify, does anyone know if the usb hub HAS to have another usb plug or is it okay to have a standard plug? I find hubs that have wall plugs charge much much faster than one with a usb. Those are more like a splitter than a charger.

ETA Nevermind, found my answer, either kind is fine.

and yes, I definitely need motion sensor night lights!

 

[delo4]

I always bring 2 battery operated candles. One for the stateroom and 1 for the bathroom. I turn them on before we go to sleep and anyone visiting the restroom doesn’t have to turn on any lights. ( I don’t like the nightlight in the stateroom that is in the ceiling, its too bright for me.)

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

Just to clarify, does anyone know if the usb hub HAS to have another usb plug or is it okay to have a standard plug? I find hubs that have wall plugs charge much much faster than one with a usb. Those are more like a splitter than a charger.

ETA Nevermind, found my answer, either kind is fine.

and yes, I definitely need motion sensor night lights!

I have one that plugs into an outlet directly, then has a block with several USBs on it. That's what I always bring.

The other thing I always pack is a sharpie. It comes in handy.

 

[lklgoodman]

In case you don't already know, but Disney doesn't allow over the door organizers to be hung over the doors like some cruiselines. You can hang it from a hanger in the closet. They don't want it scratching the paint off the doors. I bring a white laundry bag to put our dirty white clothes in, black bag for dark clothes, and a blue one for other color items. That way I don't have to spend a ton of time after the cruise sorting everyone's dirty laundry. The bags fit nicely in the closets and all family members know where to put their dirty clothes instead of constantly asking me each day.

 

[lklgoodman]

And yes, they use the same kind of luggage tags as the airliners, so you don't need holders.

 

[Lillebelle]

In case you don't already know, but Disney doesn't allow over the door organizers to be hung over the doors like some cruiselines. You can hang it from a hanger in the closet. They don't want it scratching the paint off the doors. I bring a white laundry bag to put our dirty white clothes in, black bag for dark clothes, and a blue one for other color items. That way I don't have to spend a ton of time after the cruise sorting everyone's dirty laundry. The bags fit nicely in the closets and all family members know where to put their dirty clothes instead of constantly asking me each day.

Do you happen to have a link to the laundry bags you use? I finally remembered to get a laundry bag for our last cruise but it was a 'whatever Target happened to have' situation and they're kind of giant and unwieldy so I'd be interested in a better alternative.

 

[loislane]

Things we found handy:
An old Key to the World card to stick in the slot to activate the lights. We were on the Dream and there needed to be a card in the slot by the door to make the lights work. Rather than keep putting in and taking out one of our cruise keycards, we just brought an old one from a WDW trip and left that in the slot. Not sure every ship is like that.

Regarding the previous clothespin comment - they can come in handy for a lot of things including clipping your drapes closed if there is a gap and you don't want morning sun to wake you.

Other things we found handy - a lanyard for our keycards. I didn't mind wearing one and then I always knew where it was. Helpful if you don't want to carry a bag or don't have pockets.

A beach tote for your Castaway Cay day. We didn't bring one last time and I regretted not bringing one and some clothes to put on after snorkeling. We have our own snorkel gear this time so definitely bringing one.

A bathing suit cover up. It can be a long walk from your stateroom to the pool. I liked having a coverup dress on so I didn't just feel like I was wandering everywhere in just my bathing suit.

 

[bigAWL]

I don't have a laundry bag to recommend, but we use a pop-up mesh hamper similar to this one. Easy to toss in the day's dirty clothes, and then transfer to a suitcase when it fills up (or take to the laundry room).
https://www.amazon.ca/Collapsible-Laundry-Clothes-Durable-Handles/dp/B071GBHWYP/

 

[TestingH2O]

I have these laundry bags. Lights go in the white one and darks in the black one. It makes the whole process easy when I do wash either on board or at home because I don’t have to sort.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K6BY9MB/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_VB5H6VCJ1RM028QDCGEM?psc=1

 

[ladyofthetramp]

Pop up hamper keeps things tidy on longer cruises. Magnetic hooks to hang lanyards etc.