So you've decided to take a cruise. You've packed a few Kramer shirts, a snappy pair of sunglasses, some natty deck shoes, and other cruisewear, but what else? Is there anything you might not have thought of?
The website wisegeek.com advises sea travelers to take a plastic picnic kit for snacking in the cabin, a highlighter to mark items on the daily calendars you don't want to miss, and "your favorite insulated drinking cup" to sip coffee or cocktails for those perambulations around the ship.
MaryAnn Kinnealey of Canton, who has taken more than 30 cruises over the years, suggested, "a lightweight jacket, a camera, and a radio, which always comes in handy."
Dennis Lyons of Lakeville, who was about to embark on a cruise to Bermuda, said he brought golf clubs. He had rented clubs at courses on previous trips, but preferred to have his own.
Michelle King of Pascoag, R.I., brought a bottle of hand sanitizer with her on her first cruise. "You can never be too careful," she said.
Rita Wilson of Lowell, an experienced cruiser, said she packs anti-nausea medicine and Imodium D. "I've never gotten seasick, but I've taken some rough cruises to Bermuda and have seen plenty who did. I take the anti-nausea medicine just in case."
She said she takes the anti-diarrhea medicine because she recently took a cruise on a ship on which many of the passengers caught a stomach bug.
But don't fret if you forget all the above. "I don't take anything special," said Lucy Lord of Westport as she waited for lunch to be served on the top deck of the Norwegian Majesty. "Anything I need I can get on the ship."
TOM LONG
