MY VIRTUAL VACATIONS
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Destinations
    • Alaska Inside Passage
    • Arizona: Scottsdale and Sedona
    • Mid-Atlantic Region >
      • Baltimore, MD
      • National Harbor, MD
      • Philadelphia, PA
      • Richmond, VA
      • Washington D.C.
    • Bay Area, California
    • Florida >
      • Boca Raton
      • Fort Lauderdale
      • Key West >
        • Key West Excursions
      • Miami
      • Orlando
    • Bermuda
    • Eastern Caribbean
    • Western Caribbean
    • Bahamas
  • Ships
    • Celebrity Cruises >
      • Celebrity Cruises Fleet
      • Celebrity Equinox
      • Celebrity Reflection
      • Celebrity Solstice
      • Celebrity Summit
      • Celebrity Constellation
    • Crystal Cruises >
      • Crystal Cruises Fleet
    • Princess Cruises Fleet
    • Norwegian Cruise Line Fleet
  • Cabins
    • Celebrity Cabins >
      • Deluxe Staterooms
      • Sky Suite
      • Celebrity Suite
      • Royal Suite
      • Michael's Club
    • Crystal Cabins
    • Princess Cruises
    • Royal Caribbean Cabins
    • Holland America Cabins
  • Dining
    • Hotels and Restaurants
    • Celebrity Dining >
      • Celebrity Specialty Dining >
        • Luminae >
          • Luminae for Alaska on Celebrity Solstice
        • Ocean Liners/Murano
        • The Porch
        • Sushi on Five
        • Tuscan Grille
        • Cafe al Bacio & Gelateria
        • Lawn Club Grill
        • Blu
        • Silk Harvest
      • Menus
      • Celebrity Cruises Drink Packages
      • Celebrity Cruises Room Service
    • Crystal Dining
    • MSC Menus
    • Oceania Menus
    • Princess Dining
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity Entertainment >
      • Celebrity Cruises Canyon Ranch Spa Services
      • The Alcoves
      • Celebrity Today's
      • Celebrity Cruises for Kids
    • Crystal Entertainment
    • Princess Entertainment
    • Royal Caribbean Entertainment
    • Holland America Entertainment
  • Quick Tips
    • FAQs
    • What to Pack for a Cruise
    • Which Cabin is Best for Me?
    • Favorite Travel Products
    • Excursions
    • Cruising with Groups
    • Celebrations
    • Tipping
    • Beauty Tips
    • Quiz
    • Celebrity Cruises Luggage Valet Service
    • Travel Tip Tuesdays

Top 5 Tips...To Pack or Not to Pack

2/12/2016

0 Comments

 
You are so excited to go on your perfectly, virtually planned cruise vacation, but now you need to pack. Packing the right way can definitely make or break your cruise.  

my favorite 5 tips what to pack: 

​1.  Pack Shoes in XL (2-gallon size) Plastic Zipper Bags. Not only does this protect your clothes when packing for your trip, but provides a great place to store sandy or wet swimsuits and shoes for the trip home.
2.  Waterproof passport ID case for passports. I'm not a fan of carrying my passport off the ship when exploring, but I realize it's recommended. I make sure to keep it in a waterproof pouch to protect it from rain or any water activities that I may be doing. Depending on your style, look for a waterproof passport ID case with a neck or wrist strap for extra security and easy access. Also, don't forget to make 2 copies of your passports and important documents. Leave one copy at home with friend or family member, and bring the other with you to keep in your cabin whenever leaving the ship. 
Picture
3.  Small Bills and Coins. Easy to grab and always appreciated when tipping porters or even bartenders on your cruise or at a port. Most Caribbean islands use U.S. money and will accept it for small souvenirs. Some ships will even take coins in the arcade and for slot machines in the casino.
4.  Sweatshirt or sweater.  Yes! Even in the Caribbean, it can get chilly in the dining rooms, theater or late nights on deck. 
5.  ​Prepare in case of minor injuries/medical needs. You don’t want to leave the pool or beach for a small cut or headache. Bring along your own first-aid supplies and it will save you time and money. I always pack:
    • Band-Aids and Neosporin
    • Motrin and/or Tylenol
    • Cold medicine
    • Aloe gel for sunburns
    • Prone to seasickness? I carry along Bonine, SeaBands and ginger candy or supplements. (Confession...Yes, I wear SeaBands. I wear them from the moment I get up to when I go to sleep. My family laughs at my SeaBand "jewelry" on formal nights. But I don't get seasick, so I'm not changing a thing.) 
On the flip side, don’t waste valuable luggage weight and space on items not necessary to bring on a cruise. 

​My favorite 5 Tips what NOT to pack:

1.  Umbrella. Most cruise ships will provide an umbrella in your cabin. Feel free to bring them off of the ship in case of an unexpected tropical storm.

2.  Pool/Beach towels. They will always have an abundant supply of clean towels by the pool. Often, they will even provide you with towels to take off of the ship if visiting the beach. But don’t forget to bring them back, otherwise, you might find an unexpected charge on your statement.
Picture
​3.  Hair dryer. These are usually provided in the cabins, although check the cruise website if unsure. But if you like to bring your own, I'll bring an older one and then dispose of it before the trip home (great way to make room for extra souvenirs, too.)
4.  Shampoo, conditioner, and soap. Many people have distinct preferences (especially if you have treated hair), but the quality of toiletries that I find on cruise ships typically surpasses what you find in a hotel. They have wonderful brands, scents and are usually generously sized bottles. 
Picture
​5.  Too many clothes! Granted, I’m always the first to over pack. But when cruising, your cabin, drawer and closet space is typically very minimal. Take advantage of laundry service on board. Wear your favorite outfit in the beginning of the cruise and then get it cleaned to wear for another occasion.
​
Visit my FAQ section for additional favorite things to pack that are perfect for your cabin, as well as a helpful customizable packing chart.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    My Virtual Vacations Blog

    MyVirtualVacations

    About the Author

    ​Thanks for cruising by! ​ Along with creating this website and blog, I work in an office full-time and as a mom to two energetic teenage boys. With our family's busy work and school schedule, we look forward to traveling during holidays. Although it seems that our family can never agree on anything, we do when it comes to vacations. We typically travel on cruises or stay at luxury hotels. We enjoy upscale dining, beautiful decor, excellent service, and spacious accommodations. However, with a family including two teenage boys, we still need family friendly and comfortable. 
    ​Virtually escape and start planning your next luxurious cruise vacation on land or sea with My Virtual Vacations. ​Contact me for any specific questions or recommendations. And don't forget to keep checking back for the latest blog posts and information. There are always more family vacations in our future!
    JNachman Photography

    About the Photos

    Our beautiful photographs are creatively captured by my talented freelance husband/photographer located in Baltimore, MD. Click here to explore more of his work.

    Free Download!

    Picture

    Categories

    All
    Alaska
    Arizona
    Bay Area Calfornia
    Bermuda
    Caribbean And Bahamas
    Celebrity Cruises
    Cruise And Travel Tips
    Crystal Cruises
    Europe
    Fairmont Hotels
    Florida
    For Foodies
    Gaylord National Harbor
    Hilton
    Holland America
    Hyatt Hotels
    Iceland
    Kid Friendly Travel
    Kimpton
    Lago Mar Resort And Club
    Lord Baltimore Hotel
    Marriott Hotels
    Maryland
    Pennsylvania
    Princess Cruises
    Ritz Carlton Properties
    River Cruises
    Salamander Resort & Spa
    Scandinavia/Russia
    Seattle
    Sonesta
    Virginia
    Washington D.C.
    Wedding
    Wine & Spirits

    Join our group

    Picture

    Up Next...

    Time flies! The winter holidays are almost here. 

    We are still working on our holiday travel plans and throughout the chilly winter months. 

    As we are anxiously awaiting next winter's cruise to the ABC islands on Celebrity Cruises, we'd love to get another cruise on the books. 
    ​​If you have suggestions for My Virtual Vacations to visit, reach out to us on our Submission Form. We'd love to hear from you!

    Be in the know!

    Sign up for our email list and you'll receive a sneak peek when we have an update or new blog post. 

    RSS Feed

    My Virtual Vacations - Blog Directory OnToplist.com
    blog links
    blog links

Explore With Us

Our Blog
​
Destinations
​
Cruise Ships
​
Cruise Cabins
​Cruise Dining
Cruise Entertainment
​Quick Tips​​
​Let's Talk Cruising! 

Connect With Us

 Work With Us

Learn more!
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Destinations
    • Alaska Inside Passage
    • Arizona: Scottsdale and Sedona
    • Mid-Atlantic Region >
      • Baltimore, MD
      • National Harbor, MD
      • Philadelphia, PA
      • Richmond, VA
      • Washington D.C.
    • Bay Area, California
    • Florida >
      • Boca Raton
      • Fort Lauderdale
      • Key West >
        • Key West Excursions
      • Miami
      • Orlando
    • Bermuda
    • Eastern Caribbean
    • Western Caribbean
    • Bahamas
  • Ships
    • Celebrity Cruises >
      • Celebrity Cruises Fleet
      • Celebrity Equinox
      • Celebrity Reflection
      • Celebrity Solstice
      • Celebrity Summit
      • Celebrity Constellation
    • Crystal Cruises >
      • Crystal Cruises Fleet
    • Princess Cruises Fleet
    • Norwegian Cruise Line Fleet
  • Cabins
    • Celebrity Cabins >
      • Deluxe Staterooms
      • Sky Suite
      • Celebrity Suite
      • Royal Suite
      • Michael's Club
    • Crystal Cabins
    • Princess Cruises
    • Royal Caribbean Cabins
    • Holland America Cabins
  • Dining
    • Hotels and Restaurants
    • Celebrity Dining >
      • Celebrity Specialty Dining >
        • Luminae >
          • Luminae for Alaska on Celebrity Solstice
        • Ocean Liners/Murano
        • The Porch
        • Sushi on Five
        • Tuscan Grille
        • Cafe al Bacio & Gelateria
        • Lawn Club Grill
        • Blu
        • Silk Harvest
      • Menus
      • Celebrity Cruises Drink Packages
      • Celebrity Cruises Room Service
    • Crystal Dining
    • MSC Menus
    • Oceania Menus
    • Princess Dining
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity Entertainment >
      • Celebrity Cruises Canyon Ranch Spa Services
      • The Alcoves
      • Celebrity Today's
      • Celebrity Cruises for Kids
    • Crystal Entertainment
    • Princess Entertainment
    • Royal Caribbean Entertainment
    • Holland America Entertainment
  • Quick Tips
    • FAQs
    • What to Pack for a Cruise
    • Which Cabin is Best for Me?
    • Favorite Travel Products
    • Excursions
    • Cruising with Groups
    • Celebrations
    • Tipping
    • Beauty Tips
    • Quiz
    • Celebrity Cruises Luggage Valet Service
    • Travel Tip Tuesdays