5 Things NOT to Pack for Your Cruise

Do an internet search for cruise packing list and what you find will be overwhelming. And not necessary. Do you need multiple outfits every day? Nope. There are also other things you don't need. Today we're talking about those things you really don't need to pack, including some of those things banned by cruise lines. 

1. Potential fire-creating materials.
Some items are pretty much standard no-no’s and banned by the cruise lines – candles and open flame items, irons (many ships have laundromats with irons and ironing boards for passenger use), kettles, coffee pots, and hotplates.  I've also seen blenders taken away. (Although years ago we took a juicer and had no problem. Today we probably couldn't get away with it.) And power strips? Good luck with that one. Power strips with surge protectors may be confiscated. Do you plan on taking a power strip without a surge protector? It still might be taken away. Personally I haven't seen a consistent power-strip policy enforced. Confiscated items are typically returned at the end of the cruise. Unless it is...

2. Hard alcohol.
While some cruise lines allow passengers to bring a limited amount of wine and champagne onboard, bringing hard alcohol and beer is not allowed. Whether it's in your carry-on or in your suitcase it'll be discovered and confiscated. Alcohol won't be returned at the end of the cruise - it will be discarded. Don't risk it.

However, alcohol purchased in port is allowed to be brought on the ship - but is not allowed to be consumed on the ship. It will be collected and stored until disembarkation. If alcohol is purchased in one of the onboard boutiques personnel in the shops will assist with the storage. No drinking those bottles until you get home, either.

3. Beach towels.
On most ships pool towels are provided on a shelf near the pool or are checked out by deck attendants. Pool towels can be taken off the ship to the beach or excursion as long as you return them. The ship has plenty of pool towels so save the valuable space in the suitcase for other items. (Just don't do what I did with my ship towel during a flood in Costa Maya. Click here to read that story.)

4. Hangers.
Your cabin will have hangers already in the closet when you arrive. If you need more, just ask your cabin steward for extras.

5. Expensive jewelry.
While our experiences in port have been safe ones it is important to be cautious. Be conservative in your jewelry so as not to draw attention to yourself. If wearing jewelry is your thing, stick to the cheap watches, bracelets, necklaces, and rings, particularly when in port.

What do you think? Is there something you saw on a packing list that you would never pack for a cruise?

The Friday 15

I know I say this a lot, but some day I'm going to run out of items to send off. But today's not that day. Seriously, how can I keep finding things to get rid of? And why do I embarrass myself by posting pictures of the junk I own used to own?

Button and Felt Flowers DIY Craft Project - Tutorial Tuesday

For today's Tutorial Tuesday we are using some felt scraps and buttons to make these cute little flowers.

For this project you will need:

*Buttons of assorted sizes and colors. (I used buttons from my collection but you can also buy bags of buttons of different sizes here.)

*Felt scraps

*Floral wrap

*Floral wire

*Scissors

*Flower template. You can download mine from here  and make it smaller/larger or create your own.

Disclosure: Deb's Days is a participant in affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to affiliated sites. This means that, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. Your purchase helps support my work in bringing you sewing and crafting content.

Looking for more craft ideas? Check out these projects!

You can find the step-by-step how to tutorial for the button and felt flowers craft project right here:

Sewing for Good Sunday

I really like the stitching with variegated thread. I need to use the thread more often. But I won't on this round of charity quilts. Why? Because quilting of all 12 quilts is now DONE. Yahoo! Next up, trimming the edges and trimming the excess batting. Yeah, another ugh step coming up.

5 Mistakes First-Time Cruisers Make and Tips to Avoid Them

As a first-time cruiser, you're going to make mistakes. And that's OK! But there are some mistakes you can avoid. Today we'll look at the five most common first-time cruiser mistakes and some tips to avoid them.

*Overpacking
When people start packing for a cruise they do so with their ideal cruise life in mind. They might see themselves starting their day by working out in the fitness room (need workout clothes), then grabbing some breakfast in the dining room (need daytime clothes), heading to the pool for a bit (need swimsuits), go on an excursion or do some shopping in port (need comfy clothes with comfy shoes), head back to the ship for dinner (need fancy dinner clothes), and then to the lounge for the show. It could result in four or five outfit changes per day. Repeat that day after day for the length of your voyage and you’ve got yourself a lot of luggage. Of course you wouldn’t want to wear the same thing twice – other cruisers would notice, right? But the reality is that once you are on the ship, you’re not going to care nearly as much as you thought you would. All those shoes you brought won’t be worn, you’ll wear those pants more than once, and you’ll find everyone else on the ship is doing the same thing.

TIP: Pack half as many clothes and twice as much money as you think you’ll need and you’ll be better prepared.

*Wind up with high cell phone bills
While cell phones can often be used on the ship at sea, high roaming charges may be incurred in international waters. Even if you have an international roaming plan, be aware that roaming rates at sea are a lot higher than regular international roaming rates.  For example, I pay 20 cents a minute for calls all around the world. But once at sea the cruise ship rate kicks in and charges me $5.99 a minute. That cost is set by the cruise line, not by my carrier.

TIPS: Keep your phone in airplane mode, particularly at sea. The alarm, clock, camera, and any stored or downloaded music, movies, games, and books will still be available. If you must use your phone, contact your cell carrier before leaving home as they can advise you on the best plans for voice and data while in port or at sea. Many a passenger has come home to an outrageous cell phone bill because they didn't understand how it worked on a cruise ship.

*Trying to do it all
Keeping a few thousand people busy on a ship requires a myriad of activities. Each day you will receive a copy of the ship’s version of a newsletter/newspaper with the scheduled activities and events. It’s the place to find out about everything happening around the ship. You’ll find trivia, games, and sports. Movies, dance classes, and arts and crafts. Seminars on the history of the region. Comedians, bands, and productions shows. Throw in meals and swimming and visiting with family and friends and you’ve got yourself a busy day. You may be wondering how you will fit it all in. You won’t.

TIPS: Mark the activities you’d like to attend then play it by ear. Balance your activities so you don’t go home needing a vacation from the vacation.

*Not paying attention to the time when in port
While on the ship you can somewhat release the need for a clock, but when in port timekeeping becomes crucial. Some ports are in a different time zone than the ship. Sometimes ships match the local time but sometimes they don’t. Cell phones on airplane mode may or may not display the ship's time, either. Before leaving confirm the time and keep on the ship’s time, not the port’s time. All aboard for passengers is usually 30 minutes before the ship’s departure. This time is listed in the daily paper, announced on the ship, and usually posted somewhere near the gangway.

TIP: Keep on the ship time, not the port time, and allow plenty of time to get back. The ship won’t wait for you to return if you made a mistake in timekeeping.

*Taking food off the ship
If you’re planning on grabbing some food from the ship to take into port for a picnic, forget about it. Fresh fruits and vegetables, meats and cheeses, nuts and seeds, and even baked goods aren’t allowed off the ship. Some ports won’t even allow a cup of coffee. Certain ports have dogs checking every single backpack, bag, and purse, just to be sure.

Black trash bags of confiscated foods

TIPS: If you want to take snacks they have to be prepackaged and sealed by the manufacturer. Granola and protein bars, prepackaged cheese and crackers, and small boxes of cereal are okay. If you are diabetic, plan accordingly.

Follow these tips and you'll be on your way to not looking like a first-timer.