What one thing did you wish you packed, but didn't...

[bernee]

Hi All,

I have seen all sorts of messages and Web sites listing what to bring and not bring. I thought I would ask all you experts/repeat cruisers out there what one thing you wish you had packed (with you one the cruise), but didn't.

For example, I wish I had packed bubbles for the send off party. I wish I had packed four swimsuits instead of three.

Thanks!
Renee

 

[disneyholic family]

i wasn't missing anything, but i wish i'd left 3 quarters of the stuff we did take at home...
i'm going to try to pack VERY lightly this time around.....
or at least try....

 

[kshabare]

This next cruise I will not forget to bring my tube of aloe for sun burns. We went snorkeling and I had my hair back in a pony tail. My scalp was burned in the part. Had sunscreen everywhere else. p.s. don't forget lip balm for sun too.

Kim

 

[WDWLVR]

The one thing I didn't pack the first cruise and I've made sure to have ever since is a small bedside clock that can light up at night. I usually never sleep through the night and like to know what time it is when I get up in the middle of the night. They do have clocks in the rooms now but not one good for this purpose. We bought a small fold-up one by Timex that has worked great for us. Even has an alarm feature which I'm sure will be good on St. Thomas morning!

 

[eye R.N.]

For watching the late movie. I found the theater chilly.

 

[Mickeyhugger]

The inexpensiver dollar-store shoe organizer.

Actually, we DID plan to bring it, but it was about the only item we forgot to pack.

The 'little' clutter items (combs, jewelry, change, etc) was a real pain.

 

[disneyholic family]

eye R.N. --
when we pack for our summer trip to the states, i put a sweatshirt for each of us in the carry on bags....and then i carry it with me everywhere we go...
it seems that most places in the United States like to run a/c at arctic chill levels...
and the rest of us freeze to death when we visit...
i know that in WDW people always look at us strangely when, in the middle of july, we walk into a building and the first thing we do is put on our sweatshirts...

one year we got caught in newark airport for several hours and i had forgotten to pack the sweats...thank god a sport clothes store was open (i think nike) where they had all the sweatsuits on sale....i bought each of the kids a full suit (pants and sweatshirt)....whereupon, their lips finally changed from blue to pink...
there was another family in the business lounge in a similar predicament....the moment they saw my kids they jumped up, asked where i'd bought them, and zipped on over there to get a set for each of their kids..

meanwhile, all the local american kids were running around in shorts and tank tops....you get conditioned to that arctic chill a/c...

 

[bernee]

Great suggestions... I would not have thought of bringing something for sunburns or a sweater.

Keep those suggestions coming...

Thanks all.

Renee

 

[TheWog]

my wife needed to buy a sweatshirt as well. Air freshener, just in case. A little can will do. We brought an empty duffle bag to put dirty laundry in. It freed up space in the luggage for souveniers as well as gave us place to put the dirty clothes.

 

[kcashner]

Similar to your duffle idea, I have a totally collapsable "Totes" brand suitcase. It folds to smaller than a paperback book, and expands to a reasonable sized bag. I use it for dirty laundry. We put it in the closet to accumulate the dirties while on the cruise, and take it home well stuffed with dirties. At home, I just drop it in the laundry room.

I don't put the dry clean only stuff or anything else in there.....makes unpacking much easier and keeps room clutter in some order (although with a teen, cleanliness isn't next to Godliness, it's next to impossible!)

 

[webray]

forgot my swim shoes for our second cruise..really missed them on the adult beach.

Other than that..just wish I would have packed a whole lot less than I did.

 

[SweetSpot]

A mini medicine cabinet. We've had a kid get really sick on both cruises and I wasn't prepared on the first as well as I should have been. Now I bring cough, fever, stomach, allergy, you name it medicine I have it in case someone get sick again. Made having a very sick kid on the last night of much easier this year being handle it as I would have handled it at home.

Multi colored highlighters are also a must so you can color code the navigator for what everyone wants to do that day. Makes it easier not to miss something you really wanted to do.

 

[tammy bell]

Extension cord. My hair dryer has a large plug base and it did not fit. The hair dryers in the room are weak so I really missed my hair dryer.

 

[tvguy]

Travel light, we did and were fine.
After reading these boards for a while, though, I assume some folks are very picky about somethings. tammybell echos a complaint others have raised about bringing your hair dryer. My 13 year old DD with LONG THICK hair had no problem with the in cabin hair dryer, but others must be used to 5000 watt 500 mph hair dryers, because they find the in cabin unit weak.
If you are particular about coffee or soda or beer or wine, bring your own. We found all to be just fine, some folks appear to have a religious experience with their coffee, soad, beer and wine.

 

[d'Isigny]

LESS CLOTHES!!!
Plan to take items that mix-n-match well. with a 50lbs limit, we will really need to adjust our packing. Last year - it was a struggle to make sure we wore everything be brought at least once. I'd rather travel lighter and make a (GASP!) trip to the laundry - did you know that room service will deliver to the laundry areas?

An expanding duffle or a suitcase inside a suitcase is great way to get those extra purchases home...Also...it's much easier to pack on your last night.

 

[CM_Mom]

Another vote for LESS Clothes. Fewer shoes. Take the ones you really LIKE to wear for VACATION. Also instead of the extension cord we took a "power strip" and plugged it in on the desk. Was great for walkie talkie charger, curling irons, etc. Note that the outlet in the bathroom isn't powerful enough for curling irons.

Thanks to the boards, we took the shoe organizer, air freshner, and suction cup hooks and used all of them.

 

[hughiedeweylouie]

Double the pack less clothes idea. I packed 7 outfits for each of us plus an extra. And had different shoes for many outfits. On sea days you wear your bathing suit and a pair of shorts. Castaway Cay day--again just bathing suit and cover-up. You can play Bingo, do the games and in between pool time and not get changed. We had a huge duffle bag of clothes we did not wear to haul back home.
I WILL say this board's list did prepare me with the extras--extension cord, our own snorkle stuff, many disposable and underwater cameras, water bottles, etc.
Ann

 

[Nysie]

Kcashner- where did you get the collapsable bag? Thanks!!

 

[CM_Mom]

I believe DD said she got something like that at WalMart. I would definitely check out their luggage aisle. She also got a rolling collapsible duffel that holds 50 pounds worth of clothes but collapses reasonably flat so it can be stored in underbed storage. She was interested in something she could handle easily (rollers) and that would store in minimum space - crew quarters are TINY.

 

[ann-e-mator]

Absolutely positively, your own shampoo and condidtioner... For once, I left mine at home on our last cruise trying to cut down on stuff to pack...It was awful!!! In fact, it was the only thing on the cruise I was disappointed in... their personal size bottles didn't have nearly enough in them for medium length hair and the weather is brutal for drying out locks... bring your own for sure!