5 Things to Keep in Your Cruise Carry-On

It may be obvious to keep your travel documents, money, electronics, and medication in your carry-on, but have you considered these other musts carry-on keepers when you're cruising?

1. Antibacterial hand cleaner and spray or wipes. When you get into your cabin you'll want to get things cleaned up a bit. While the cabin stewards work hard at prepping cabins for you, they can't always get to every single spot the former passengers may have touched. And what about the steward himself? While the supervisor keeps him out of cabins when he's really, really, sick, stewards do continue to work when they are a little bit sick. Start off with a clean cabin to help with those germs. And use that anti-bacterial hand cleaner generously as you move about the ship. Not every handrail and chair back was cleaned before you touched it.

2. Chargers for the electronics. When you drop off your luggage at the port the porters load it onto a cart. The luggage is then scanned to check for weapons, alcohol, and other prohibited items before being delivered to your cabin. This process takes time so your bags won't arrive at your cabin until the afternoon or evening. What if your phone is dying and you need to make last minute calls before the ship sails? Keep those chargers with you, just in case.

3. Medical devices. Sure, you could pack that CPAP in your checked luggage so you don't have to lug it onto the ship, but did you know your luggage might not arrive before bedtime? Sometimes tags fall off or aren't placed on the luggage at all. If you rely on your CPAP for a good night's sleep, you might not want to risk it. While you'll eventually get your luggage back, it'll most likely require a visit to the Passenger Services desk to track it down. Better safe than sorry on this one.

4. Swimsuit. Get in a swim or work on a tan before Muster Drill? Yes, please! Change into your swimsuit to start that relaxing vacation right away.

5. Anything else needed before dinner. Want to freshen up or change before dinner? Either pack those things in your carry-on or roll the dice and hope the luggage shows up in time. In most cases we've received our luggage before dinner but there have been a couple instances when we haven't seen it until afterwards.

What do you think? Is there anything else you'd add to the list?

The Friday 15

I think I can count the 12 kids quilts heading out the door towards my Friday 15. Add in a couple pictures and a hand towel and 15 things are gone again.

Chocolate Oatmeal No Bake Cookies Recipe - Tutorial Tuesday

Looking for a quick and easy cookie recipe? Take a look at my daughter's no-bake cookies. Chocolate, peanut butter, and oatmeal? Yum!

Looking for sewing and crafting projects? 
Click here to see all my tutorials!

For this recipe you will need:

• 2 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1/4 c. butter or margarine
• 1/3 c. cocoa
• 1/2 c. peanut butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3 c. quick cooking rolled oats
• 1/2 c. coconut

Want to watch the how-to video? It's right here:

Sewing for Good Sunday

I'm getting closer to jumping for joy. All the batting has been trimmed off, the quilt top edges are straightened up, and the backing is the right size for me to use as a binding. Yep, on all 12 quilts for the Quilts for Kids charity. All that is left is turning that backing into a binding and stitching it down. Whew, it's been a long process.

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?