TINKERTOY ..... the 1 & only
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I have been on about 20 cruises so here's what I suggest based on my experiences:
Always pack your passport and cruise documents in your carry on bag ONLY.
The dress on ship is casual all day until 6:00PM, so take:
-swim wear (at least 2),
-shorts, tank tops and "T's"
-sandals,
-beach shoes,
-your snorkel equipment if you have it,
-sun glasses and sun screen,
-lotions,
-a cap or big hat for the sun,
-a book if you are a reader,
-your music player,
-sneakers and clothes to workout in if you like to use the gym,
-good walking shoes,
-your camera, extra batteries an charger and
-other personal toiletries including tooth paste, mouth wash or lotions.
Your cabin will have towels and soap provided, including pool and beach towels, and a hair dryer. It will also have a generic hair shampoo so you do not need to bring that unless you like a specific brand.
After 6:00 PM they request that you wear "sports or resort casual" attire. That's attire that you would expect a person to wear in a business office, (like a bank employee), shirt with a collar, slacks, skirt, blouse, etc. You can still wear shorts and swim wear in the pools and spas but not in public areas like dining rooms and restaurants, show rooms, bars, casino, etc. Don't over pack , take clothes that you can mix and match tops and bottoms and plan to wear each piece twice. If you are going to the Caribbean you will likely be in shorts and/or swim wear most of every day so evening clothes don't usually get much wear.
Your cruise will have a formal night or two when you can wear your best stuff and get pictures taken, and maybe meet the ship’s Captain. The formal nights are REQUESTED not required attire. You will not be denied entry to the main dining room if you decide not to dress up, as long as you are at least sports casual. But most people do dress up. A gown or party dress for women and a suit or tux for men. Some people dress up both formal nights, some don't. We always take the formal stuff off after dinner and a photo or two and go back to casual stuff.
- Its best to pack using soft-sided luggage because with space limited in your cabin it fits under the beds better if its not hard sided luggage.
- Pack using the vacuum clothing bags (about $20 for 3 at Target) so that you can get more in your bag AND so that if the TSA at the airport opens your bag they can see what's inside without rummaging through your things.
-Take a small carry-on bag for the last night of the cruise. On the last evening you will be required to put your luggage outside your cabin by about 2:00 AM so that they can start taking it down to the lower deck for offloading the next morning. So you will need a small bag for your toiletries and your clothes that you sleep in.
- If you are taking your cell phone, MP3 player or other item that needs to be plugged in take an extension cord as the plugs in the cabin are generally not in the best places and there are usually only one or two.
- Take a small bottle of hand sanitizer and/or hand-wipes. There are generally sanitizer dispensers at the entrances of restaurants, the buffets and dining room, but some times the are not there or not working. The sanitizer helps prevent the spread of the Norwalk Virus that sometimes occur on cruise ships.
-If you plan to get into the pools or hot tub as soon as you get on ship (they will be open), bring those clothes in your carry on bag; you other luggage may not get to your cabin until much later in the afternoon.
As far as how much cash to take, once you board the ship everything is cashless. When you check in at the pier to board the cruise ship the cruise line (all of them do this) will set up an on board tab for you and each person in your cabin. They will actually request that you complete a pre-cruise registration on line or by mail and give your credit card number for everything that you may buy on the ship. When you check in they will give you a "cruise card" (about the size of a credit card) that will serve as your pass to get off and on the ship, your room key, and your charge card for anything you buy on ship. They will add a gratuity (tip) charge to your on board account. That gratuity charge will be $10 per day per person and it covers your cabin steward, your waiter and assistant waiter, and the head waiter. In addition, each time you buy a drink (soft drink or alcoholic) on the ship they will automatically add a 15 percent gratuity to the tab which you sign. At the end of you cruise you pay your bill by the credit card you have provided, OR, you can arrange to pay your bill in cash.
If you plan to do some serious shopping in any of the port stops, like buying clothes and/or jewelry, you may need currency or just use a credit card. If you plan to buy small things, like maybe a "t" shirt, magnet, postcards, you can use cash. Some places you can buy small things with a credit card if its at least $10 to $20. In some ports you can find an ATM that will dispense local currency.
Whenever I do a 7 day cruise I usually take between $200 and $300 and rarely spend it all. |
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