Weird/important stuff to bring on a cruise

[mousefan73]

I always pack extra strong hook magnets for inside the state room to hang the lanyards up right by the door. Some are even stronger they hold things like hats and small purses. I just read the post above and I will put a piece of paper between Magnet and door so won’t be damaged

 

[harleyquinn]

Those magnetic hooks damage the stateroom doors. Please, please, please bring a felt pad or some kind of other material to put in between the magnet and the door or you're going to damage the paint.

(I say this to appease my guilt of having not known this and just damaged the cabin door myself.)

Regarding the outlets, how much stuff are people plugging in? We have phones, tablets, a Nintendo Switch, a sound machine, and two power toothbrushes and we had more than enough outlets without extension cords or anything like that.

I didn’t think of bringing the switch. Good to know about the outlets. I won’t buy a second usb hub.

I decided we don’t need the hooks. I do have a couple of plastic magnet clips that I will probably bring instead. They can do double duty.

 

[anricat]

We like to go to the drinks stations outside of Cabanas to get cups of ice water or sodas and I use a carrier to bring them back to the room for everyone: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0754ZNJJH/

It folds up nice and flat on the bottom of the suitcase. They come as a two pack. I ended up buying the pack and then asking if anyone on our cruise group wanted to purchase the other one. I brought both with me and they handed me cash on the ship.

I used to use one of the paperboard Starbucks trays but they don't pack flat and once I had it get smashed in my bag and was unusable once onboard. Now with this baby I'm the envy of all the people at the drinks station trying to carry five drinks under their arms.

We also carry clothespins and suction cup hooks. That clothesline gets really full and the clothespins do allow for more items to hang. Then when that gets full, I hang items from suction cup hooks around the shower.

I also use a mesh shower caddy/organizer. Again, it packs up flat, so it doesn't take up a bunch of room and and if you travel with your own toiletries, there is limited real estate in the shower upon which to put items. The one I have is similar to this (I can't find my exact one offhand) but mine suctions to the wall. This is a similar concept though: https://www.amazon.com/MISSLO-Bathroom-Shower-Organizer-Rotatable/dp/B01NBA4BU9/

 

[Doingitagain]

OMG, this is so helpful. I keep adding to my Amazon cart...

Thank you all!

 

[Dug720]

OMG, this is so helpful. I keep adding to my Amazon cart...

Thank you all!

Just remember that any kind of hanging thing (shower caddy, shoe holder) will need to either suction cup to the wall, fit over existing hooks, or you'll need to use string or ribbon to fix it so that it can go on hooks. Nothing can be hung over the door.

Also nothing can be taped on the walls/ceiling/doors.

 

[squirk]

My opinion may be controversial, but you don't need 95% of the little knickknacks others recommend. Our first cruise, our bags were stuffed with all the extra stuff we saw online, and we didn't really need most of it. We pack light now and don't miss anything. If you have clothes, swimsuits, and basic toiletries, you have most of what you need to have a fantastic cruise. If anything, we might take a small nightlight and hanging organizer for the bathroom.

Generally speaking, we have been pushing towards the one-bag type of travel anyways. I have a carryon suitcase that has a permanent electronics bag with all my chargers/cords (including a plug with four USB outlets), a permanent toiletry bag with everything I need, and other basics I like to travel with (sanitizer, wipes, compact umbrella, laundry bag, and noise canceling headphones). All I need to do now is stuff the bag with the appropriate clothes for the trip, and we are on our way.

But, I get that others love to have every little convenience, and it's worth lugging it along for them. Just food for thought.

I agree with this. But I only learned it over time. As we cruised more and more, we gained the experience that allowed us to winnow things out.

I was just like the OP for my first cruise - researched like crazy and packed to the gills for every possible contingency. Every gadget, widget and doo-dad that was suggested on the boards.

Like Jon Snow, we knew nothing. So we opted to have things and not need them vs. need things and not have them.

And as I am about to take my seventh cruise, I am amazed at how much of that stuff we’ve phased out. We found either a.) we just didn’t use a lot of that stuff very much; or b.) the impact those things made on our cruise was minimal. In either case, they just weren’t worth packing.

In the end, we now just bring the “obvious” stuff. Hamper/laundry bags, toiletries and sunscreen (I agree - bring a lot; don’t buy that stuff on the ship), multi-USB wall adapter & cables. We did away with hooks, shoe organizers, highlighters for the Navigators (back when the print versions were the default), clothes-pins, nightlights, dry-erase boards, etc.

In no way am I criticizing what anybody else does or does not pack for their cruise. Just speaking to my personal experience.

@kps7795 - by all means, pack anything and everything you think you might need. The stuff my family winnowed out may not be the same things yours winnows out.

 

[DisneyDadWV]

Those magnetic hooks damage the stateroom doors. Please, please, please bring a felt pad or some kind of other material to put in between the magnet and the door or you're going to damage the paint.

(I say this to appease my guilt of having not known this and just damaged the cabin door myself.)

Regarding the outlets, how much stuff are people plugging in? We have phones, tablets, a Nintendo Switch, a sound machine, and two power toothbrushes and we had more than enough outlets without extension cords or anything like that.

Just curious - we have an electric Dohm sound machine. Is that good to bring, or does it need to be something with a USB port?

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I agree with this. But I only learned it over time. As we cruised more and more, we gained the experience that allowed us to winnow things out.

I was just like the OP for my first cruise - researched like crazy and packed to the gills for every possible contingency. Every gadget, widget and doo-dad that was suggested on the boards.

Like Jon Snow, we knew nothing. So we opted to have things and not need them vs. need things and not have them.

And as I am about to take my seventh cruise, I am amazed at how much of that stuff we’ve phased out. We found either a.) we just didn’t use a lot of that stuff very much; or b.) the impact those things made on our cruise was minimal. In either case, they just weren’t worth packing.

In the end, we now just bring the “obvious” stuff. Hamper/laundry bags, toiletries and sunscreen (I agree - bring a lot; don’t buy that stuff on the ship), multi-USB wall adapter & cables. We did away with hooks, shoe organizers, highlighters for the Navigators (back when the print versions were the default), clothes-pins, nightlights, dry-erase boards, etc.

In no way am I criticizing what anybody else does or does not pack for their cruise. Just speaking to my personal experience.

@kps7795 - by all means, pack anything and everything you think you might need. The stuff my family winnowed out may not be the same things yours windows out.

Every stateroom I've ever been in has a laundry bag in the closet already. What's the benefit of bringing your own?

We recently switched the whole family to the long-sleeve UV swim shirts so we've cut down our sunscreen needs to a single bottle for a full week, plus a face stick.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Just curious - we have an electric Dohm sound machine. Is that good to bring, or does it need to be something with a USB port?

Normal plugs onboard. That's the exact machine we used.

I don't understand the benefit of USB outlets everywhere. Every single thing I own is either a normal plug or USB-C at this point. USB-A is just about obsolete, so I fail to understand why everyone pushes so hard for hotels, airlines, etc. to include USB-A chargers.

 

[squirk]

Every stateroom I've ever been in has a laundry bag in the closet already. What's the benefit of bringing your own?

We recently switched the whole family to the long-sleeve UV swim shirts so we've cut down our sunscreen needs to a single bottle for a full week, plus a face stick.

We don't do laundry on the ship. When we know a set of clothes are "done" for the cruise, we put them in one of those giant blue Ziploc storage bags. When a bag is full, we roll it to get out all the air, and then pack the bag back in the suitcase. Makes packing on the final night a lot quicker.

Another one of those things we learned along the way. Originally, we brought too many clothes AND we brought laundry detergent and Bounce sheets, etc. We found that we didn't want to spend "ship time" in the laudromat, so we adapted.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

We don't do laundry on the ship. When we know a set of clothes are "done" for the cruise, we put them in one of those giant blue Ziploc storage bags. When a bag is full, we roll it to get out all the air, and then pack the bag back in the suitcase. Makes packing on the final night a lot quicker.

Another one of those things we learned along the way. Originally, we brought too many clothes AND we brought laundry detergent and Bounce sheets, etc. We found that we didn't want to spend "ship time" in the laudromat, so we adapted.

Ship water makes kind of stanky laundry anyways. We'll do it quick if we run out of underwear or something, but anything we wash onboard needs to be washed when we get home anyways.

 

[squirk]

Ship water makes kind of stanky laundry anyways. We'll do it quick if we run out of underwear or something, but anything we wash onboard needs to be washed when we get home anyways.

The Ziploc storage bags have the double seal, so once you close one up, no dirty laundry smell.

 

[TheMusterStation]

I love towel bands. We used to use towel clips, but they're so big and don't work well. Towel bands were awesome for the pool deck and at Castaway Cay.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I love towel bands. We used to use towel clips, but they're so big and don't work well. Towel bands were awesome for the pool deck and at Castaway Cay.

I've never had a towel blow away just looping the end through the bar on the back of the seat.

 

[Dug720]

I honestly don't even bother with a laundry bag or hamper. I slide my emptied suitcase under the bed and leave it open, then each day I fold what I wore and put that in the luggage. Makes that last day a LOT less hectic.

 

[mousefan73]

somebody mentioned suction cup hooks for the shower.. that is a great idea and now I need to get some. That clothes line is so annoying with swimwear that is wet and heavy.. everything slides to the middle anyways.. I will use them for bathing stuff.

 

[Dug720]

Tip for the swimwear and helping it dry faster... Grab an extra towel or two from the pool deck. Take off and rinse the bathing suit, lay one of the pool towels on the floor, roll the swimwear in the towel, then walk on the towel back and forth and then turn the towel 90 degrees and walk on it that way. Then the swimsuit is a - a lot less heavy and b - will dry a lot quicker than just leaving it dripping.

 

[Doingitagain]

Just curious - we have an electric Dohm sound machine. Is that good to bring, or does it need to be something with a USB port?

This was on the prohibited items list:

• The following electrical appliances will be collected for inspection by the Chief Electrician and if approved, will be returned for use onboard the ship.
  • Baby Monitors
  • Humidifiers
  • Portable fans
  • White Noise/Sleep Machine

https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/faq/prohibited-items/list/

We decided not to bring a nursery monitor for the adjoining room because of this, we will have the door open between the two rooms anyway, and it is one less thing to pack.

 

[HeatherLassell]

This was on the prohibited items list:

• The following electrical appliances will be collected for inspection by the Chief Electrician and if approved, will be returned for use onboard the ship.
  • Baby Monitors
  • Humidifiers
  • Portable fans
  • White Noise/Sleep Machine

https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/faq/prohibited-items/list/

We decided not to bring a nursery monitor for the adjoining room because of this, we will have the door open between the two rooms anyway, and it is one less thing to pack.

They're only inspected to be sure their cords are good and not frayed. I bring a portable fan on every cruise. I carry it onto the ship so that they can take it right away (and then my luggage isn't delayed getting to my room) and it's always in my room later that say with a little sticker saying it was inspected.

 

[naynay922]

YES! We try to pack lighter now and don't bring most of what we used to bring, but I do still want my sharpie. Hahaha!

I have reusable shopping bags that stay in my luggage. Use them for beach or pool tote, laundry bag, extra packing space on the way home, etc. They fold flat and take up almost no room. Tip--if I use one for a laundry bag, I often hang it on two hangers (each handle on a separate hanger so it hangs open in the closet). These go on every trip, not just cruises. So does the sharpie!

This is such a good idea!! Thank you!

Just curious - we have an electric Dohm sound machine. Is that good to bring, or does it need to be something with a USB port?

This is the sound machine I have used in the past. They will hold it and then leave it in the room after inspection. Lately, though, we have been traveling with a bluetooth speaker and playing a white noise sound downloaded on spotify. It’s alot easier for us and doubles for music in the room if we want it.