subject: Cruise Bargains: What to Pack and What to Leave Behind [print this page] Cruise Bargains: What to Pack and What to Leave Behind
Having picked up one of the excellent cruise bargains which are currently available, the next stage is to plan your packing. Start a list a couple of weeks before leaving and jot down the things you may need to get the very most from your discount cruise. If you forget something, chances are you will be able to buy it onboard, but you will pay for the convenience. Having booked one of the excellent discount cruise deals, try not to throw away the money saved on items you forgot to pack!
Cruise bargains often mean inside cabins which are compact and pitch-black at night. A plug-in night light in the bathroom is ideal for finding your way across the cabin without bruising your shins! To make the most of limited space in the bathroom, invest in a toilet bag which hangs up on the towel rail. Your toothpaste and toiletry items will all be readily available without taking up limited countertop or cupboard space. Take a travel pack of washing power if you are packing for a discount cruise which is longer than seven days. It is easy to rinse out swimwear and there is always a pull-out washing line in the shower cubicle.
All-inclusive cruise bargains are all about food, so resist the temptation to pack snacks or alcohol. You can order snacks such as cheese platters in your cabin 24/7 and alcohol is held by the cruise line when luggage is scanned and is returned to you at the end or your cruise, so carrying it with you is a waste of time. Resign yourself to the fact that some of the money saved by booking a discount cruise will be spent on bar bills.
An insulated drinks container is a boon for getting maximum value from your bargain cruise deal. You can top it up with coffee or cold drinks at the cafeteria and enjoy it during the afternoon on the sun deck, saving on pool bar bills.
Even discount cruise deals will have a number of formal nights, so pack suitable clothing so that you do not miss out on the Captain's gala cocktail party and formal evenings. It is great to sit in the lounge bars and watch other cruisers parade their finery. However it is not worth taking valuable heirloom jewellery on a bargain cruise. Every year jewellery is unaccountably lost, even from hand luggage, as it passes out of your hands and through the screening process. Such a loss can turn cruise bargains into very expensive trips which are remembered for all the wrong reasons. Instead, invest in cheap "travel jewelry". A flashy necklace and earrings made of cubic zirconia are hard even for professionals to tell apart from the real thing, and if lost they can easily be replaced without any heartache.
Finally, pack a folding bag inside your suitcase. You are bound to buy souvenirs to remember your discount cruise of a lifetime. Having a spare bag can also save on excess baggage fees if one suitcase is overweight when flying home. Simply put the excess weight items into your folding bag along with your handbag and call it your allowable hand luggage.
Once packed, you can really look forward to your bargain cruise. Bon Voyage!
