I'm going on a cruise, what should I bring?
1We’re going on a cruise soon and I’ve never been. It’s a short one, 4 nights to the Bahamas. When we vacation, we normally pack what we think we’ll need and say “Walmart will have whatever we forgot,” but in this case, we’ll be stuck on the boat. There’s a ton of websites out there that have lists of suggested items, but I can’t tell if they’re just trying to sell crap or if we’ll actually need it all.
So, I ask the community… On your first cruise, what did you bring (or forget to bring) that made your experience that much better?
- 7 comments, 2 replies
- Comment
Bring enough space for my gift. Hint: Cool coffee mugs or pint glasses.
I’ve never been on a cruise so I am not much help.
Most of what you read are pretty accurate as to what to bring given that if you have to buy any of those things on the ship, you will pay an arm and a leg. Its almost impossible to give you a list of everything you should take, but if you develop a list or have specific questions about items and whisper to me, I’ll say yea or nay to things on your list. Not an expert by any means, but with our 20th cruise coming in two week, we have a pretty good idea what to and what not to take.
Extra money.
You’ll spend noticeably more than you think.
Bring: A good multi-device phone charger with the USB cables you need, sunscreen, swimsuit, very obviously not-the-cruise-line’s towel that you can bring back to the cabin and not get dinged for failing to turn it in, hat with chin strap for windy conditions if you plan on going ashore (or hanging out on the pool deck), and prescription meds preferably in their pharmacy containers.
Don’t bring: It is important to carefully read the cruise line’s published list of prohibited items before you pack. Universally, they all seem to forbid power strips, particularly ones with a surge protector. You won’t find a water bottle to be very useful on board if you’re buying any beverage package. Don’t bring anything you can’t bring on board an aircraft (particularly anything knife-like), and no vaping or smoking stuff (check the cruise line’s rules, some allow smoking tobacco products on the uppermost deck outside).
Some sort of USB charging hub to charge all your phones and other gadgets.
Flip flops/hat/sunscreen/sun glasses
Sea sick patches or bracelets, just in case
Some things that we use a lot.
(Different cruise lines have different rules so make sure yours is compliant.)
There are many other things we’ve learned not to bring. (Towels, too many changes of clothing, etc.). There is a lot of good advice online and some bad so just look for a consensus among multiple sites and you’ll be fine.
@Willijs3
Good advice above on stuff to bring (magnetic hooks, beach/sun type stuff, USB charging hub etc)
Cash is great for small shops/purchases. Pay attention to ATM fees and exchange rates. Remember you will (probably) pay a flat fee each time you use one (ATM) so try to get a lump sum at one time (ie get $200 worth in local currency rather than 4 x $50 if that’s what you think you will spend)
In a lot of Caribbean countries you can use American dollars at a (frequently) favorable exchange rate. Be aware of what the exchange rate is if you plan to do this and practice the mental math to make it work.
AmEx and Discover are not as widely accepted as VISA or MasterCard in a lot of countries. Be sure to bring at least one of those last two. If you don’t travel often be sure to notify your cards you will be out of the country so as not to trigger a fraud alert and freeze your cards.
The HERE app is an offline (free) GPS app that allows you to download local maps to your phone to use if you don’t have data service. Be sure to download and install the maps before you go. Your phone should get a GPS signal for this, even if you’re not on a network.
Some Cruise lines have an on board app that allows you to text the people in your party without having to sign on for full blown wi-fi. It will also frequently have on-board GPS/directions and event scheduling, dinner menus, etc, available. We found this very handy when we went with our kids and grandkids a couple of years ago, to the point of even buying a cheap phone for our youngest granddaughter (think pay-as-you-go plan phone or even an old-ish one you have hanging around) who didn’t have one before. This gave us contact ability and let her take pics on the trip.
Make sure to notify the cruise line of any food issues. When we traveled with our daughter’s family, Royal Caribbean was extremely accommodating of their vegan dietary needs. They had fantastic meals every night.
Pay attention to the staff and crew you interact with. You will notice that they show up in a ton of different spots at all hours of the day and night. They work incredibly long hours. Be friendly and smile and acknowledge them and it will go a long way towards making the journey pleasant. (for both of you). Yes, you are paying their salary but that does not give you the right to be an asshole. I’ve gotten into amazing conversations with crew members by paying attention to the country ID on the name tag for people I notice in the dining room or the stateroom staff, etc. I try to learn to say thank you in whatever their native tongue is (thank you, Google) and use that when they do something for me. It’s amazing how such a small gesture can light up someone’s face!
Remember when you leave the ship that you will need whatever ID card they are using to ID you on your return.
Be aware of your surroundings. Don’t put yourself in a position where you are a target for petty crime. Look out for yourself and others in the group. In general violent crime is not as common as petty theft/pickpocketing. Don’t wear flashy jewelry, be discreet with your cash, keep your billfold in a front pocket, purse with a shoulder strap etc. Be alert and aware, but try not to be paranoid in new or different situations and environments.
Do a little research about your ports of call before you depart. This will help you to hone in on places you might want to visit – be they cathedrals, restaurants, museums, natural wonders, rum distilleries, etc. The cruise ship will have (generally overpriced) excursions available. It’s convenient if you don’t want to do all the planning and prep work on your own, but we’ve had great luck using tour guides we found online or local taxi/Uber drivers on many of our trips.
Try to get a chance to sample some of the local foods and drinks. Typically, local dishes are mostly made with indigenous products that are not always available at home.
Remember that you’re in an ex-british colony. Traffic will be the reverse of what you expect. Pay close attention when you cross the street so you don’t get clipped unexpectedly by traffic coming from the “wrong side”
Above and beyond all that, be sure to pack and bring your sense of wonder, curiosity, humanity, humility and people skills. By and large the cruisers on the ship are there to have a good time and will be friendly and engaging.
Remember the staff and folks ashore are not your servants nor there to mistreat. Be a good person and show them we are not the people they see on TV. Be respectful of local cultures, learn a few niceties in the local language (please, thank you, excuse me, do you speak English, etc). I’ve had some wonderful interactions with locals in places where I had only rudimentary local language skills and they spoke little English.
TL:DR Have fun
@chienfou “Mèsi.”
@therealjrn
