Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Packing for Your Cruise: The Day Bag





After my first few cruises I finally got the hang of packing for a cruise, which is not to be confused with packing for a regular vacation...because it's not the same!


As I prepare for my 6th cruise, I'll do my best to give you my packing tips and tricks but the first thing I want to talk about is the day bag. 


So why do you need to pack a bag for your first day onboard?

  • When you arrive at the cruise terminal you'll give your luggage to a porter, who will be curbside waiting. 
    • The teal colored "magical express" looking tags you received in your cruise booklet go on your luggage at this time. This allows the porters to quickly locate where your luggage needs to go so it arrives at your stateroom in a timely manner.
  • You won't have access to your luggage until later in the afternoon, when it will "magically" arrive at your stateroom. 
  • Anything you'll need access to you should pack in a day bag to carry with you onboard. 
    • Medications, sunglasses, travel documents, etc. should all be carried on your person. 
    • You might want to consider packing a bathing suit and flip flops to hit the pools when you get onboard. The pools aren't usually too crowded during the boarding process so it's a good time to start getting your R&R by the pool! 
  • Your bag should be as small as possible-you'll have to carry this bag with you until your stateroom is ready which could be 2:00 pm or later. This means wherever you go, your bag goes; lunch, the pool, all around the ship, so pack just what you need on your person and travel light and lean so you can go exploring. 
    • There isn't a bell services desk onboard, it's not like arriving at WDW and leaving your luggage with the nice bellmen who will deliver it to your room later. You'll be responsible for whatever you carry onboard so pack wisely! 
So, what's in my day bag?
  • I use an old backpack from college. This is easy to carry and holds everything I need. 
    • My i-pad and/or laptop (I can't leave my clients hanging...even when i'm on the road i'm looking out for ya!) 
    • My i-pod
    • A Book/Nook/I-pad (something to read by the pool)
    • Sunglasses 
    • Bathing Suit and Cover Up
    • Large Ziploc bag (to put the wet bathing suit in if necessary)
    • My door magnets (I'm a dork and I can't wait till my luggage arrives to decorate, I need to start making myself at home as soon as possible!)
    • A small bag with any medications I may need, some antibacterial wipes and a few band-aids. 
    • A pen and my highlighters-have to start color coding that personal navigator! 
    • My travel documents (which all fit nicely into the DVC zippered travel bi-fold that I won onboard at one of the meetings!) 
    • *If this is your first cruise you'll want a lanyard to put your Key to the World Card in) if you've cruised before DCL will give you the appropriate colored lanyard at check-in.
The list looks long but most of that is in my backpack all the time anyway (well, except the bathing suit!) just keep in mind that you want to go lean and don't forget to pack the camera! 

Practical Planner Tip: If you are traveling with small children it would be wise to pack a bag for each of them with things to keep them busy at the port. There is a boarding process and you may be waiting in the terminal for a while. Port Canaveral has an area playing old Disney cartoons (coincidentally by the kids club registration) but that won't keep them busy for long. Considering coloring books, crayons or other activities to keep them busy. Older kids might want to start a cruise journal. Keep your autograph books and cameras handy as well, you never know who you might run into at the port! 

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