[trip style = cruising]
Whether you're going on an intimate voyage to small isles or jumping on board a behemoth ship like Norwegian's Epic or Royal Caribbean's almost-launched Allure of the Seas, here are a few cruising essentials you may not have considered, aside from the regular suspects like hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, etc....
Cruising Essentials Hydrate Cruising the Caribbean can get hot and balmy, so regular hydration is your friend. Since the water from the tap in your cabin is gross, bring a reusable water bottle to stock up on the filtered water elsewhere on the ship. {Cost: $19.72}
Walk and Talk Although Royal Caribbean has developed an iphone app allowing families to communicate while on board, a pair of walkie-talkies will do the trick as well. {Cost: $19.99}
Cup o Joe Sometimes you want to bring your coffee to-go. Forget using multiple paper mugs from the ship's cafe, now you can bring your joe anywhere on board or off the ship responsibly, and keep it steamy at the same time. {Cost: $11}
Stylish Warmth This lightweight shawl will keep you warm when wind is blowing, or night temperatures drop, so you can enjoy a starry, romantic stroll along the top deck. {Cost: $295}
Bring It Use this perfectly sized, collapsable tote as a carry-on, pool bag, beach bag or carry-all while on your ocean voyage. And do it stylishly. {Cost: $198}
The Multitasker When you first arrive on board, it can take from 20 mins to 2 hours to get your luggage, and who wants to wait around for that? Assuming your bathing suit is packed in your tote, wear this oversized top on to the ship with leggings, slip on your suit and wear it again as a cover-up. Sailor stripes are a bonus. {Cost: $176}
PS - Zip loc bags can come in very handy while cruising. Among their uses, bring only necessary cash or credit cards with you into port, and if you don't want to leave your valuables on the beach, remove the air and stuff the bag and its contents into 'a secure' place in your bathing suit....
Related Content Reposition Me Royal Caribbean + DreamWorks = Smart Cruisin' with the Fam