Pack your own shore lunch – Cruise tip

by Gadling Staff on

When you’re busy having fun in the sun during days ashore, why leave the beach or other destination, just to schlep to a restaurant and fork over a wad of cash for lunch? Instead, have your cruise ship make your lunch. Best of all, it doesn’t cost any extra!

Most cruises offer 24-hour room service. An hour or so before you’re ready to disembark, call in an order for a sandwich, chips, and fruit (or whatever suits your fancy). Just pack it in your beach bag, and head out for a carefree day of fun!

Pre-packing with individual freezer bags – Traveling with kids tip

by Gadling Staff on

The best idea that we’ve had about traveling with young children is to pre-pack each day’s clothes in plastic freezer bags and label them for each day. Include the entire outfit from underwear, to socks, to shirts, to shorts or pants or skirt.

This may require a little more pre-departure work, but it makes our vacations much less hectic when dressing the kids in the morning. Each child gets their bag and puts their clothes on, and out the door we go. This avoids pulling the suitcase apart and trying to find each neatly arranged article of clothing.

Bonus: It also helps ensure we don’t forget anything important at home.

Pack a swimsuit in your carry-on bag – Cruise tip

by Gadling Staff on

As soon as we board a cruise ship, my family and I have one thing on our minds: water! My kids head straight to the pool, and my husband and I head straight for the hot tub.

However, waiting on our swimsuits to arrive with our luggage can be a very unpredictable and lengthy ordeal, so we always pack them in a small carry-on bag.

Immediately after boarding, we go to the public restrooms and change. Before the boat leaves the dock, we’re all in our swimsuits, and our vacation is well underway.

Brush your teeth with bottled water – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

When traveling in certain countries, it’s important to drink bottled water in order to prevent illness, right?

What many people don’t realize is that they should also brush their teeth with bottled water. Even though the water from the tap is usually not swallowed when brushing, dangerous bacteria can still enter the mouth through contact.

Use a pocket-sized notebook for maps & notes – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

Don’t want to look like a lost tourist, consulting a giant map in a public place?

Before you leave home, buy a small pocket- or purse-sized notebook. Copy maps of each destination (break a city into smaller areas) and reduce them down to notebook size; glue them into your notebook, folding out if needed. Highlight important places, like your hotel, and include directions to/from airports or train stations.

It can also be used to write down anything you want/need to remember like addresses and memorable experiences. It keeps all your important information in one place and is small enough to carry everywhere.

Related: 5 tips for spicing up your travel journals, or how to get beyond “Today I ate breakfast at…”