Packing Tips: 5 Essentials We Always Take on River Cruises

We're sharing the five game-changing items that separate seasoned river cruisers from frustrated first-timers. Once you know what they are, you'll wonder how you ever traveled without them! (These are items we also pack for barge & expedition cruises, too.) 

These items will save you money, keep you connected, protect your belongings, and make you infinitely more comfortable on every trip.

• Learn how to eliminate expensive international roaming charges while staying connected in 135+ countries with our can’t-travel-without hotspot
• Discover the secret to ditching those awful corded headphones on excursions without looking like an obvious tourist target with this Bluetooth device
• Find out how to track your luggage and valuables with pinpoint accuracy wherever you travel with these popular trackers
• We'll also show you how to choose footwear that won't leave you hobbling after 20,000 steps on cobblestones
• And provide info about why the right compact weather protection beats anything the cruise lines provide

➡️SHOP THE ITEMS 🛒

These are the five essentials that we refuse to leave home without after years of river cruising, and – trust us – once you start packing these five essentials, you'll never go back to traveling the old way! 

For additional info, check out these episodes & info: 

• Top Things to Know About River Cruising, Part 1 & Part 2
• The Travel Hotspot We Love (& Why)

Thank you to our sponsor, Riverside Luxury Cruises. Find out more about our experience with this outstanding river cruise line, providing guests with the luxury of choice.

Chapters

• 1:35 River Cruises: 5 Packing Essentials Overview
• 2:56 1. Pocket Wi-Fi Hotspot that Allows You to Stay Connected While On Land
• 7:22 2. How to Stay Cordless & Untethered with Quietvox Devices
• 11:13 3. How to Track Your Luggage, Carry-Ons & Day Packs (It's Vital!)
• 14:27 4. Comfort for River Cruise Excursions
• 16:57 5. Staying Dry, Mobile & Agile on Tours & Free Time
• 19:16 What are Your Must-Pack River Cruise Essentials?

Transcript

Dan (00:34)

Welcome to Small Ship Cruise Talk.

Over the last two weeks, we've discussed our Mekong River cruise excursions. We talk a lot about river cruising but we're going to share exactly what we're taking on those excursions and the trips.

This kicks off our Packing Tips series. 

Today, we're going to talk about the five items that we always bring on a river cruise with us.

Mikkel (00:59)

And we didn't want to be click-baity with these. It's not like the essential lists we see that are the top 50 things that you think, "Those cannot possibly all be essential. Fifty things!" No, these are literally, literally the top five things that we always pack for river cruises. I'm so excited to share this with everybody because I actually cannot believe we haven't already discussed these things on Small Ship Cruise Talk. 

And it's literally, like I said, everything that we make sure we always have besides our passports. Passports actually is number one now that we're talking about this and saying it out loud because if you don't have your passport, you're not going anywhere on an international river cruise unless you're cruising on American Cruise Lines in the US. But that is neither here nor there, which we also have talked about on Small Ship Cruise Talk. I

Dan (01:49)

So number one is our Solis Skyroam. So that's for Wi-Fi. We go into more detail on what all of these things are and what we use them for so keep listening.

Number two is our Airfly, and of course you'll need Bluetooth headphones with those. 

A small travel and, number five, comfortable

Mikkel (02:11)

Let's get into the top five things in detail.

So number one, you said was the Solis by SIMO hotspot.

We bought this over a decade ago. I mean, this was something we purchased and have never looked back.

Dan (02:25)

Yeah, was close to 10 years ago, absolutely. And I think we're on our third one because they keep introducing new models. Yeah. ⁓

Mikkel (02:32)

They have new versions, yeah. And the other versions still work, but we love it so much and we know that we use it so much. OK, so devil's advocate, why not just use your phone on roaming? I'm going to tell you why. So, the need to enable our, we use Verizon, our Verizon phone plans on roaming is gone with this. And the problem with your phone being on roaming for international plans is that not only are you paying a daily fee, sometimes you can change your plan to be a monthly fee and you have to do what's good for you. 

But this works for us because it's a hotspot that not only fits in our pocket, but we have more predictable rates with a data plan, works in 135 plus countries. We've never been anywhere, it doesn't work. But also, you can connect multiple devices to one hotspot.

Dan (03:29)

That's a big thing if I have my iPad or if I need to jump on a meeting with my laptop, something like that.

Mikkel (03:32)

Mm-hmm.

Right. We're often working as we travel.

Travel hard, work hard. So we need to connect multiple devices. Also, on top of that, it works at the airport. If we land in Amsterdam, we want to be able to connect. Now, of course, you can connect to the Wi-Fi in the airport. You can connect to the Wi-Fi on the river cruise ship. We don't know a single river cruise that doesn't include Wi-Fi. 

We are talking about when you are in the ports every day. We're talking about when you're on a bus ride. We're talking about between the airport and your hotel when you're in that Uber or you're in that, you know, ride share or in a taxi and you want to be connected. This also eliminates the need for a SIM card.

I’m clumsy. I don't want to mess with my phone taking out a SIM card. Then I have to remember where I put the original SIM card. Then I have to get a SIM card for the country we're in. So we've never done that for that reason.

If you are watching on YouTube @Sometimes-Sailing, Dan and I are holding two of these. So Dan has the 5G Solis hotspot, and that is a little more advanced, but I don't love how it eats up data. Right? You agree? I'm unzippering the holder.

Dan (04:44)

Yeah. Yeah.

Mikkel (04:49)

OK, so Dan is comparing it to a Altoids tin, and it's not much bigger. So these really are truly pocket hotspots that fit in the comfort of your jeans pocket. And this small orange circle I'm holding is the Simo GO, I believe, hotspot that's brand new. We had the older version of this, and this one's my favorite. 

We use data plans. We've used day passes. And nine times out of 10, you can get it on sale. So there's a little bit of a discount. If you sign up for their emails, they're always running specials.

We have an extensive article about the pros and cons of the different devices and what you should know about this before committing to it, before purchasing it. Please use our links in the show descriptions for these. Our podcast is free, but we are affiliates for some, not all of these things. And that is how we keep our content complimentary. So we so appreciate your support. But like I said, we purchased this hotspot years ago because we love it and we have

rarely had a problem. If we've ever had a problem on the ground with our hotspot, it's really easy to connect to their chat. Their chat is 24 seven and the person on the other side is always helpful and has always resolved our issue. These start at ninety nine dollars and up for the device. And like I said, they work in one hundred and thirty five plus countries, including Asia. We've used this in Japan. We've used it in Iceland. We've used it all over Europe. We've used it in Southeast Asia.

It is a lifesaver. Again, data plans are needed, but you get used to what you need and purchase accordingly. And once you buy this device once, you rarely, if ever, need to upgrade your device. We only do it because we choose to. So that was number one. Number two.

Dan (06:40)

Number two is the AirFly. Now, what is the AirFly? It connects your Bluetooth headphones to the whatever device. So, let's say on river cruising, you've got the Vox. Yeah.

Mikkel (06:54)

Quietvox, the Quietvoxes that you see everybody walking around tours with a an audio device hanging around their neck on a lanyard and everybody is usually corded into their headphones. So it enables you to be cordless.

Dan (07:08)

Right, so you can use your AirPods or other Bluetooth headphones with this device and you don't need the cord. The headphones that come with the Quietvox devices or

Mikkel (07:20)

The single

Dan (07:22)

Yeah.

Horribly uncomfortable. And, for me, I like to tuck the Quietvox or the listening device in my pocket so I don't look like a tourist and I don't look like an easy target for pickpockets. So I like the AirPods and the AirFly because I can use my AirPods and then I just look like a normal person that's on vacation.

Mikkel (07:30)

Mm-hmm.

Yes. And as somebody, me, who loves photos, it totally irks me when we have take our Quietvox around our necks. So like Dan said, we just put the AirFly in and we can toss the Quietvox then in our pocket because it's cordless, again.

The reason people are hanging it around their neck is because their headphone is attached to it and they cannot not have it on their neck. They have to have it on their neck because of the cord. But the AirFly eliminates that, which means your photos are going to be better. Like Dan said, you're not a tourist target. So the AirFy is, I would say... What is this? Two inches by one inch, maybe?

Dan (08:06)

Right.

Mikkel (08:23)

If you're on YouTube, I'm holding this up. But if not, of course, we have a link in the show notes.

There's several versions of this. I believe there's four, but we have two different kinds. So Dan has the AirFly Pro 2. You can connect two headset devices to that. I have to be honest, we got that because we thought, oh maybe we would use it and we've never used to hook up two devices. I have the Airfly that you only hook up one device to it. So I hook up my AirPods to this and Dan and I both have AirPods, AirPods Pro.

And the other great thing about this little device that just goes into the headphone jack is that you can use it on the airplane so you don't have to trip on your own headphones or unhook your headphones when somebody in the middle or window seat, if you're on the aisle, needs to get out. You stay cordless on the TV set as well, which has been life-changing. 

I mean, look, these are first-world problems and we totally acknowledge that, these devices are made for that reason. Also, you get over 20 hours of battery life. They say you get 25 hours of battery life from this, and to be honest, I don't really know if that's true because I just can't believe it gets so much battery life. So every time we're by an outlet, I automatically charge it just out of habit. But I think that's another great thing, too. There's a little on and off switch on the side.

Once you set it up and pair it with your headphones, I've never had to re-pair it, have you?

Dan (09:49)

I think I have once, but really easy to use. For me, that's the biggest thing, especially when you're on a plane and it's dark and you don't want to turn on the lights you can just easily pair it, turn it on and you're good to go.

Mikkel (10:01)

Yeah, and there's a light indicator on this that shows if you are connected. And then also there's a volume button for up and down. Repeatedly, every time we are on an excursion and we have this - I've even had people ask me on an airplane - they say, "What is that? How do I get that?" So luckily, we're linking you in the show notes. Can't recommend this enough. I honestly can't believe that we didn't get these sooner, but I'm glad we have them now.

These start at $35 per device. It really depends on which one you buy. It depends on the day. Sometimes Amazon has sales on this or not. It's by a company called Twelve South, if you're curious.

Dan (10:37)

Yep.

Number three on the list is I think this is for any traveler, but we always have our AirTags in our luggage or in our backpack or pretty much anything that we want to keep track of.

For the non-Apple device users, the Tile would be the alternative.

But either way, you want to put these in your carry-ons, in your checked luggage especially in your day packs, anything like that. Anything that you need to be able to track - these are the devices for you. The other piece of this is so easy to use. You forget they're there, they're easy to change out the batteries. They'll let you know when the battery needs to be changed. So it's really a no-brainer.

Mikkel (11:20)

Totally a no-brainer. You can get a four-pack of these for less money than ever. They're $80 for a four-pack. And as Dan said, we stick this in every bag that we are taking with us. Now, full disclosure, we usually do carry on. So you're thinking, "Why do you need to put this in a carry on?" You just never know. Sometimes there's not enough room in the overhead compartments and we get on the plane and they're like, "We're gonna have to check that." 

And we feel more secure, would say, and safe, knowing that we have a tracker in our bags. You know, we've all seen stories that the only reason somebody knew where their luggage was that they did check was because an AirTag was on it. The way these work, if you're curious, is that they ping iPhones near it. So if you don't get an update in a while and you're in Europe, let's say, where maybe Android phones - non iPhones - are more common, that's why. But they're pretty accurate. 

We've landed on the ground when we've had to check our luggage and we know where it is at the airport because of these,

I carry around an expensive camera in my bag and I would never not have an Apple AirTag in it. And this is a bag that's on my body. And you just never know. I mean, we had a friend whose backpack was stolen from a Christmas market when he wasn't paying attention. He put the backpack with his camera gear on the floor.

This was a little bit before AirTags were sweeping the world. So he didn't have a tracker in it. And I can imagine he would have had a better chance of recovering it if there had been an air tag in it. I'm not saying these are 100% proof that you're going to get something back at all. We are not naive, but it does help immensely.

Dan (13:01)

A lot of times the thieves will just take the valuables and leave the bag. So you can recover at least the backpack or at least the bag and maybe your camera's gone, but all the rest of the stuff is there.

Mikkel (13:11)

Right, and you know, all we're saying is for a low investment, there's a really big ROI on investing in these little babies. They are amazing. We actually have eight or 10 of these that we rotate through bags. And when you're not using them, my father taught me, you can just open them and unscrew them, and you can take out the battery. And then when you're traveling again, you can screw them back in. And enables a device again and it links to the Find My app on iPhone so you can find the device. 

So I'm constantly changing the name of what bag I put this in. I'll say like, ⁓ Blue Longchamp bag or I'll put it in my green CabinZero bag and I'll change the name just so I know what Apple AirTag is in what bag.

Dan (13:52)

Number four: comfortable footwear. So it seems obvious, but it's not. You'll learn pretty quickly if your footwear is comfortable especially when you're walking on cobblestones in Europe and you've got 20,000 steps before lunch and it's like, uhhh, yeah. This is an essential part of travel.

Mikkel (14:14)

As a woman, I take a comfortable pair of day shoes. It honestly depends on the season. Sometimes it's a pair of sneakers. Other times it's a pair of like little booties during winter for Christmas Markets Cruises and such. So I generally take a comfortable pair of day shoes and then a comfortable pair of flats that I can wear at night on the cruise line.

Now, river cruises aren't fancy. I think that's a misconception if you've never been on a river cruise. Of course, you dress presentably for dinner, but not fancy. So you don't have to bring high heels or anything. But I'm holding up a pair of Fit Flops. Great brand. Flats, they're just black suede-like material. I also have these in silver. They match everything. I will admit, I did have to break them in. But once I did, they were great.

And also on that note, I would say bring Band-Aids. Sometimes you think that a pair of shoes, even sneakers, is so comfortable until you've walked 10 miles in them, just touring around by yourself, even. So bring your favorite kind of Band-Aids. Of course, you can stop at a convenience store depending on where you are. But like the Mekong River cruise, there was no convenience store to be found when we were in a big city.

If you're in Europe, it's obviously easier, but just pack Band-Aids. You have them at home just in case. As a man, what are your shoes that you like bringing for a river cruise, the essentials?

Dan (15:35)

I usually pack, like, a pair of desert boots or something like that. So...

Mikkel (15:40)

What's a "desert boot?"

Dan (15:41)

lower...

Mikkel (15:43)

Like a day-to-night shoe high top, almost?

Dan (15:46)

Yeah, kind of like a high top but they look more like a boot.

Mikkel (15:49)

Okay.

Dan (15:50)

like Clark's, they're pretty comfortable.

Mikkel (15:52)

It's a very European style.

Dan (15:54)

I'll do that, depending on season. And then obviously a pair of sneakers. Something light, like a pair of Nikes or something like that, like running shoe.

Mikkel (16:02)

Yeah, and I would keep in mind maybe how waterproof that shoe is or not if it's your day shoe because it can rain and there's nothing worse than a pair of wet socks you're walking around in all day.

Dan (16:12)

Yeah, and then you can always stop and get some insoles too. I've done that many times.

Mikkel (16:17)

Or yeah, and I've even packed insoles just in case.

Dan (16:20)

Yep.

Mikkel (16:21)

All right, so speaking of rain, the other thing that we always pack is a small travel umbrella. Now, I know what you're thinking: "Don't they have umbrellas on river cruise ships?" They do, but we've never ever seen an umbrella that is small. They're always like a little bit smaller than a golf umbrella, exactly. And

Dan (16:23)

Right. Right. The golf umbrellas.

Mikkel (16:44)

I don't want to carry that around all day. And sometimes it's not raining, but there's rain in the forecast. So you want to be prepared because you don't want to carry it in the rain. And this fits in our day packs, this little umbrella I'm holding. It's in a case, which is great. I would say that the good tip here is to get one that is in a case. I'm going to link everybody in the show notes to the ones that we have because if it's wet and if it stops raining, you want to be able to put your umbrella in a case in your bag that's not going to make everything wet.

Dan (17:15)

Right. So I carry one in my backpack that's a little bit bigger. But I also carry a smaller one in my day pack. So not two at a time, but ⁓ whatever size pack I have, I have two different size umbrellas.

Mikkel (17:22)

Yeah.

Right, and again, not revolutionary to give you the idea to pack an umbrella, but as an educational podcast for your small ship cruising, we will say that even though they have umbrellas on the ship, they are big. And the point here is that we want to be mobile and, can I say agile on the cobblestone roads with these umbrellas. So these enable us to do that.

Dan (17:52)

I would add to that too, for me, the ones on the ship, they have the big logo on it and it's like Viking is written across the side of the umbrella and you're just advertising that you're a tourist.

Mikkel (18:04)

Mm-hmm, because we are often with the group, but we are very often not with the group because we have awesome free time on all of these cruises.

Dan (18:12)

Yeah, especially in Europe and some of the other countries, pickpocketers are a very real thing that you have to keep in mind.

Mikkel (18:18)

And we're not always on the cruise when we're traveling for a cruise. We're doing a pre-cruise or post-cruise extension on our own. Sometimes the hotel we're at has umbrellas. Sometimes we're at an Airbnb and they don't have umbrellas. So just like we would pack an electrical outlet

Dan (18:25)

Right.

Mikkel (18:35)

that we don't need on the ship necessarily, you might need it surrounding your trip.

So I'm holding up all the items: our hot spot, our AirFly, my hands are full if you're watching on YouTube, our AirTag, our shoes, all these things. These were our top five. 

If you have any items that you love that you pack for every river cruise or every trip, like we said, this is the first Packing Tips episode of the series. We'd love to hear from you. Don't be shy, reach out. Any closing thoughts today?

Dan (19:09)

I love a good tip, especially travel stuff, so please send in your tips because if you know of a secret product that's going to make my life easier, I want to hear it.

Mikkel (19:19)

Cheers to that and we will speak to you next week. Thanks for joining in Small Ship Cruise Talk.