What is needed for a cruise?

ILoveCoach

Flat Broke
Dec 22, 2005
511
0
I'm going on my first cruise next month for 4 days to the Bahamas, and I don't know what to bring! I would love to go shopping fo rthis trip, so what would I need to buy?

**One thing I desperately need is the perfect, laid-back, summer dress!!
 
check out Nordstroms.com....they have WONDERFUL dresses! Also, Anne taylor loft...and Anne taylor. Love fresh produce little dresses to wear to the beach, Jcrew has a great selection at the moment. I live in dresses so Im always looking...let us know what you find!! I would take a few nice dresses for the evening, and a few casual ones as well. Where in the Bahamas are you going?
 
One thing that I learned from going on cruises is that I way overpacked and way overdressed!!! Except for the evening dinner and shows which you can get as dressy as you want, the rest of the time it was very very casual and laid back! You will want to take comfortable shoes!
 
Yup, flip flops, lots of after sun moisturizer, tiny tiny bikini.. and, probably something warm and waterproof in case of any rain.
 
I can help ansser this one, I've been on about 25 cruises, and most recently was in the Bahamas last week on a 7 night where we stopped in Nassau.

General rule on cruises is bring half as much as you think you need and twice as much cash :smile: The most I ever pack is one suit case, a carry on and a backpack, that is even when I go for 2 weeks - it's so easy to overpack. Best items to bring are things that do not wrinkle easily.

Sometimes if you bring strickly carry-on luggage you can get off the ship first when you return. I've done that on short cruises.

Definitely comfortable shoes to walk in at ports, also if seas get rough you'd like a flat comfy pair of dress shoes, no one is looking at your feet if the seas get rough. Don't expect it to be rough but do prepare.

On a 4 nigher its mostly going to be a party crowd, not going to see many tuxes and gowns etc. Coctail dresses, and dressy pant suits are fine, and usually only needed maybe 1 or 2 nights, the other nights should be casual wear, usually no shorts in the dining room.

You only need a small purse for on-board, to carry your cruise card and some cash if you are off to the casino etc.

A tote or backpack is nice for ports and shopping - sometimes the cruiselines provide a tote.

A highlighter pen - so you can highlight the activities on the daily schedule for which you'd like to attend.

For a tasty treat to take home check out the Tortuga Rum store, its main operations are in Grand Cayman but they have one there - my favourite is the Pineapple one :smile: nice gift to bring home.

I've only been to Nassau, they had some nice shops not a lot for bags, Solomon's Mines was good though if you get a map or shop talk onboard maybe look that up.

The Atlantas Resort at Paradise Island is very cool, I had my favourite meal ever at a place called Bimini Road on the resort - there are also high end shops in the hotel, I just zipped by them.

If you are going to Freeport, I have no idea, haven't been there.

Here's a cut and paste from Celebrity Cruises' site, my line of choice, if you are on Carnival, Royal Carribean or another liine check out their website for a "planning for your cruise" section .. this is what Celebrity's site says:

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To better help you prepare for your vacation, here are some guidelines on what to pack. Keep in mind that 'relaxed elegance' are the bywords for dress onboard each of Celebrity Cruises' ships. And though your own taste, interests and destinations will determine what you pack, you'll need three types of clothing: casual shipboard attire or day wear, comfortable apparel for sightseeing and evening wear.

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What to Pack
Whether on the ship or in a port of call, stylish resort wear is fine for both men and women. For warmer climates, this includes walking shorts and polo shirts, swim suits and cover-ups, lightweight slacks or skirts, and a light sweater. When visiting cooler climates, casual clothing that can be easily layered for warmth or comfort is recommended, along with a raincoat or umbrella, waterproof hat and gloves.

On all Celebrity cruises, it's wise to bring along comfortable, rubber-soled shoes, hat, sunglasses and a good sunscreen. Remember to pack any prescription medications or other personal care items you'll need.
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Evening Attire
Evenings aboard Celebrity include three types of dress: formal, informal and casual.

Formal attire calls for an evening gown or cocktail dress for ladies and a tuxedo, dinner jacket or dark suit for gentlemen. Elegant, formal evenings include the Captain's Welcome Cocktail Party and Dinner, the Captain's Farewell Dinner, and a third or fourth "formal" night for those cruises sailing more than seven nights.

For your convenience, arrange for tailored, elegant formalwear to be delivered directly to your stateroom with Cruiseline Formalwear. With an elegant line of eveningwear for ladies and classic, stylish formalwear for men, you'll look as famous as you feel.

On informal nights, ladies may wear an informal dress or pants and blouse, while gentlemen may wear a jacket and tie with slacks. Casual nights call for casual, comfortable wear, so women may opt for a pantsuit or sporty outfit while gentlemen may choose a sport shirt and slacks.

The daily program, delivered to your stateroom and available at the Guest Relations Desk, will be your guide to the appropriate attire each evening. Dining in jeans, t-shirts, shorts, tank tops or swimsuits detracts from the overall ambience and is therefore not allowed in the main dining room after 6:00pm.

A casual dress code applies at all times onboard Celebrity Xpedition.
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Baggage Tips
Although there is no baggage limitation aboard the ship, for your own comfort, we recommend that you limit the number of pieces you bring. Guests with air arrangements booked through Celebrity Cruises are usually permitted two pieces of checked luggage (not including oversize bags and sports equipment) and a carry-on bag. Check with your air carrier for specific restrictions.

Bring an overnight bag for your last night at sea. Staff will collect your bags the night before you leave the ship, and you will need an overnight bag to carry your night clothes and toiletries.

Be sure to identify all your bags, including carry-ons. Use your Celebrity Cruises luggage tags, which should be filled out and affixed to each piece before you leave home.

Insure all luggage and valuables. Celebrity Cruises cannot be responsible for their loss or damage. Baggage protection, as well as a variety of other coverages designed to protect you during your cruise vacation,

Check to see that your tickets, boarding card and other documents are in order, and pack them in a bag that you carry with you. Your Embarkation Card and Celebrity Seapass Account application should be completed before you arrive at the pier.
 
LMAO! Thanks so much.. that info is all I needed!! I've never been on a cruise so I'm super excited. It's a carnival cruise, and I've heard good things, so I can't wait!
 
I'm so happy for your ILovecoach - you'll have a blast! Hope you post the details when you get back.

Love2Shop:

I really like the site Vacationstogo.com - its a brick and mortar agency here in Houston I've used several times but they have the best online database for sorting prices .. sometimes when you open a page for more info on a cruise they say "click here for additional discounts" and they email back prices they aren't allowed to post on the web, some of these have been fabulous.

Cheapest doesn't always mean least value - some of the best deals even on premium lines are when you book a "repositioning" cruise - its when a ship is chaging itineraries, such as from Alaska in the summer back to the Caribbean, or across the atlantic before and after the Europe summer season.

For short cruises, I love the short 2 - 5 nighters that Princess has every year when going to and from Alaska in the spring and fall. All their ships are gorgeous and have great deals from LA to Vancouver, sometimes with stops in San Francisco or Seattle. - I've done these a few times, especially if you can book close in.

Early season in Alaska is often great, lowest prices and best weather, can't beat that.. and over Memorial day you need to take one less vacation day :smile:

For the Caribbean, you can always find a deal, its tougher in prime winter escape months like February, and there are fewer ships there in the summer. If you can leave from a secondary port like Galveston or Tampa you can often get some of the best pricing - generally speaking you should never have to pay more than $100 per day per person for an inside cabin, and then decide how much more its worth to you to have a window or a balcony.

There also seem to be some very good deals doing the Mexican Riviera since more ships have moved to that route.

My recommended sites are :
www.vacationstogo.com
www.celebrity.com
www.princess.com
www.rccl.com

There is a great message board that you should check out, its immense and very active and people will answer any questions quickly.

www.cruisecritic.com

Also sign up for their newsletter and they send you some very good deals every week.

Final tip, remember you can call the cruise lines directly and ask all the questions you want :smile: often if there is a cruise I want to go on I'll book it directly with the cruise line, then later transfer it to a travel agency that may have a deal or promotion on it. I like to keep control as long as possible, makes it so much easier to ask questions and make changes to cabin, category etc. Ask about "guarantee" cabins, if you are a bit flexible you get the best prices this way, what it means you get a cabin in the category you chose or better (often better) but you don't get assigned your cabin number until close in.

Vista's cruise tips :smile: lol - did I mention I love Celebrity Cruises?

Happy cruise thoughts!
 
Ohhhhh I love the Bahamas! If you have time, go to the Greycliff cigar factory. I thought it was going to be so boring (I don't smoke) but it was well worth my time. Ohhh...and have fun looking at all the designer knock offs--and laughing at the women who actually buy them (I know, I'm cruel!)

I would have to reiterate what was said above. Pack half as much as you think and bring twice as much cash--especially if you like to drink. I went on a cruise for my 21st bday and it was wayyyyy more expenise that I thought it would be. Have fun!
 
AbsoluteFashionista said:
Ohhhhh I love the Bahamas! If you have time, go to the Greycliff cigar factory. I thought it was going to be so boring (I don't smoke) but it was well worth my time.

I went there on my recent trip to Bahamas, and I agree, it was facinating!!! We got to see people actually rolling the cigars.:biggrin: