This post contains affiliate links to products on Amazon.com – please don’t feel that you must buy them here, but I wanted to show examples.

Power strip for additional plugs

This is one thing that truly shocked me as a major difference between ship’s cabins and hotel rooms…. there is only ONE plug in the room!  Definitely bring a power strip or plug extender as you will need it! Just make sure there is no surge protector as these are not allowed!

This is the one I have bought:  I like it because it is small and compact and has three plugs plus three USB ports!

Decorate your door

The hallways on a cruise ship run all the way from the very front to the very back of the ship… and every door looks exactly the same!  Yes, you know about where your cabin is… and you SHOULD remember your cabin number… but it is so much easier to be in your hallway and spot your door in a second!  We began decorating our doors a few years ago and now will always do it.  Plus, it’s fun!  I always create cute and brightly colored decorations that make me smile when I see them. Here are pictures of what we did last year.  Everything came from the dollar store so I didn’t feel bad throwing it all away at the end of the cruise.  Here is a video on how I made my Spring Door Decorations.

SUNSCREEN and bring LOTS of it!

The Caribbean sun is intense!  It is different from going to the beach in the US for a few hours…  The Caribbean sun is relentless and bounces off of the clear water.  So being on the Lido deck of a cruise ship is a bad place to be without sunscreen!  We normally pack one bottle of sunscreen per person for a seven-day cruise.  I prefer the spray on application instead of the cream, but the downfall is that they don’t seem to go as far.  Also, use a high SPF, I recommend 50-70.

It never fails that I will see women on the first formal night in their strapy dresses who are bright red and blistered from the sun.  That dress isn’t as cute on a lobster, I promise you!  And the men are worse!!!  They have the macho ‘I don’t sunburn’ mentality… but I have news for them… Yes, you will burn!!!

Also, aloe gel in case of a sunburn, because they are inevitable…  I always seem to miss a spot when applying sunscreen and burn there.

This is my preference on sunscreen:

HAT!

See above about the sun   Seriously, you need protection from the sun!

Bug repellent

If you are going into port and not going to sit on a beach, you may want to bring along some insect repellent!  Heading into the mountains of Jamaica or Belize? Yep, there are bugs in there!  And there is the real chance of Zika so it is better to be safe than sorry and bring some buggy spray.

Here is a good skin friendly, kid-friendly version:

Disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizer

4,000+ people = lots of germs!!!  There are many hand sanitizing stations on the ship but I always pack extra.  I keep a small bottle in the bathroom and another bottle in our port day backpack.  A small pack of wipes is great too if you want to give the surfaces of your cabin a quick wipe down or you never know when these little beauties will come in handy in port!!!

You can usually find these at the grocery store or dollar store, but here are some options as well:

Highlighter

Bring a highlighter to mark the activities on board that you don’t want to miss!  Each day I go through the list of activities and mark the ones I want to do, then I fold it and stick it in my pocket.  Some cruise lines also have an app (Carnival Hub) where you can bookmark these activities and set reminders.

Post-it notes or small dry erase board

Bring a pack of Post-it notes and a pen or small dry erase board with a marker for messages.  This is a great way to communicate with your cabin mates if you have decided to go off-line for your cruise!  Just write out a quick note on a post-it and stick it to the mirror letting the other person know where you are or where to meet you.  You can find small dry erase boards with magnets that will stick to the cabin walls.

These items can also usually be found at a dollar store, but here is an option:

Ziploc bags

These are great to put your cell phone/camera in while in port or to pack wet things in for the drive home.  Really these magical plastic bags have endless possibilities!!!

Binoculars

Bring a small pair of binoculars for looking off of the ship.  We have forgotten these before and the zoom on your camera will work, but it’s just not the same.  You can pick up a small, inexpensive pair and they will not take up much room in your bag.  This is one of those items that are not necessary but are nice to have.

Small first aid kit

I can’t tell you how many times this comes in handy!  Especially band-aids!  Someone is bound to get a small paper cut or slip and skin their knee.  More often than not, the band-aids get used for shoes rubbing on your feet…  I have even started putting preventative band-aids on the backs of my ankles to keep my shoes from rubbing if I know I will be doing a lot of walking.  There is even moleskin in our first aid kit in case a blister develops… and it has happened.

You can get a small basic first aid kit with almost everything you need in one pack.  Then you can just add any extras you think you may need.  Don’t forget to throw this into your bag when you go into port too!!!

Medications

Over-the-counter medications and also any prescriptions you may need.  I also recommend packing these items in a carry on as it may be late in the day before your checked bags arrive… or god forbid your bag is lost.

Medicines are VERY EXPENSIVE on board!! Once I developed a sinus infection and had some cold medicine but no cough drops.  They were $7 on board!  This would normally cost $2 in a drug store…  If they have it, it will be very highly priced.  But there are also some medicines you cannot find.

I like to bring the following: cold medicine, allergy medicine, Tylenol, ibuprofen, upset stomach medicine, diarrhea medicine, heartburn medicine and cough drops.  If you have small children, you may want to bring liquid children’s medicine as well.

Full bottles are not necessary.  I will get a pill box (you know, one of those that has a box for seven days of the week) and put each kind of medicine in each slot.  Just mark them so you remember what you have!  Here is a picture of what I bring.  The larger one is for my cabin and the smaller one goes in my port-day backpack.

Pop-up clothes hamper

I learned this one the hard way on our first cruise when I didn’t know what to do with dirty clothes for five people…  Putting them back in the suitcases was a hassle since they were under the bed.  We piled them in an empty closet but as it filled up we were afraid of an avalanche each time we dared to open the door.  So a pop-up hamper solves the problem!  They take up very little space in your suitcase and work beautifully as a place to store the dirty clothes.

We actually pack two: one for clothes and one for underwear.  Here is an example of the larger hamper we use:

Detergent for laundry

In case of wanting to do laundry. bring your own detergent pods, dryer sheets & quarters for machines.  They do sell these on the ships that have laundry facilities, but they will be very expensive.  Whenever we travel, I put two dryer sheets and two laundry pods into a ziplock bag just in case…  I have never used them, but I have them if I need them.

Tide pen or Shout wipes

It never fails that someone is going to spill or drop something on their clothing.  I keep a Tide pen in our first aid kit for this type of emergency.

Downy Wrinkle Releaser

This is great instead of ironing!  Now, you are not going to get those crisp lines that an iron provides, but it does a pretty good job of shaking out many of the wrinkles.  It works especially well on t-shirts and polo style shirts… not so well on dress shirts.  But it’s better than nothing!

Lightweight sweater or jacket

It can get chilly on deck at night, so packing a lightweight sweater is a good idea, even for the Caribbean.  And sometimes the dining room or theater can be a bit chilly too.

Clothespins

These are great for hanging wet swimsuits to dry on the line in the bathroom.  If you lay a swimsuit across the line, you can fit 2-3 pieces. But using clothespins, you can hang the entire family’s wet swimwear up to dry at the same time.

You can also use them to weigh down the corners of the shower curtain to prevent water from getting into the bathroom.

Towel clips for beach towels

It can get very windy on deck and a sudden gust can whip that towel into your face if you are on your lounger or can send the towel flying if you are using it to hold your space… for a few minutes while you take a dip in the pool, not for hours while you are enjoying another activity

BYOB (bring your own beverages)

Carnival allows one bottle of wine/champagne (750ml) per adult and soda (12 pack) per person in/with carry-on luggage.

Royal Caribbean allows one bottle of wine/champagne (750ml) per adult (limit two per stateroom).

Norwegian allows one bottle of wine/champagne (750ml) per adult (subject to a $15 corkage fee)

Large Cup

Large cup with a lid for water and/or coffee, the cups are very small on the ship.

Check out this one with a nautical theme to it:

Portable radio

While in port, you can listen to the local music.

Seasickness medicine

Sea Bands, Dramamine or ginger work well.  These are great to have ‘just in case’.  Even those who do not typically get seasick may feel a bit nauseous if the seas get rough.

Magnet hooks

Cabin walls are metal so extra hooks for storage are great!

Shoe Organizer

Over the door shoe hanger is great for the bathroom if you have lots of toiletries.  These have 24 pockets, so plenty of room to store everything which keeps the counters neat and clean!

Lanyard

I love having a lanyard for your sail & sign card.  It is harder to lose if it’s hanging around your neck!  And you don’t have to fish it out of your pocket when you need it.

Here is just an example.  We use what we like!  My oldest son is joining the Marines, so he has a USMC lanyard.  I am a huge Mickey Mouse fan, so you can guess what is on mine…  And if it does get lost, going to guest services and saying, “I lost my card with my Mickey Mouse lanyard’ is much quicker to locate than a plain black one.

Extras for your cameras

Extra memory cards and batteries for your camera/video camera.  If you are like me, I take LOTS of photos and video while on vacation.  A memory card can fill up quickly and your battery will drain.  It is a good idea to have extras!

I hope you find these tips helpful!  Be sure to check out our other posts for: what to do before your cruise; what to do once onboard; food, dinner & drinks; ports & excursions; shopping; tips & gratuities and activities not to miss on a Carnival cruise.

If you want all 101 Cruise Tips, click here:

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Thanks,

Alisa

EECC Travels

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