The Best Cruise Packing List – Not your average packing list. Important things to Remember to Bring on Your Cruise!
Cruising is so much fun – for my family it is one of THE best family vacations. The preparation for a cruise can be somewhat overwhelming. We have been fortunate to have gone on a number of cruises and have learned some good cruise packing tricks. We are going to share out best cruise packing tips with you today!
We absolutely love to cruise. We find that cruising makes a very easy vacation for everyone involved.
We have cruised with and without our kids. True, they are very different vacations, but either way, they have been some of our favorite trips of all time.
We have recently been on Princess Cruise Lines and traveled to Alaska and the Mediterranean. We have some great tips for packing for an Alaska cruise, as well as some other great tips for cruising to Alaska. We also have some good information if you are planning a Mediterranean cruise – be sure to check all of these articles out as well as our Mediterranean Cruise Packing List.
One of our favorite family-friendly cruise lines is Disney Cruise Lines. A Disney Cruise is great because it offers something for everyone in our group – ages 1 to 70-something! Disney knows how to do family vacations.
They bend over backward to make sure you and your family are having the time of their lives! There is something for everyone! Not sure which Disney Cruise Ship to book – this article may help on Choosing the Right Disney Ship – Disney Fantasy vs. Disney Magic.
I get asked all the time “what types of things should I pack for my cruise?” This cruise packing list is going to be your new best friend!
There are “standard” packing lists all over the web. This one isn’t going to have your usual shirts, shoes, dresses, bathing suits, etc. This cruise packing list has the “extras”…. some are space-saving and some are just those items that make your life easier on board.
Cruise Packing – Space Saving Items
Like I mentioned before, cruises have something for everyone. However, there is one thing that is lacking on a cruise – space!
Not space around the ship – these mega-ships are enormous and amazing! There have been ships that I have been on for a week that I haven’t seen the whole ship! What I am referring to are the staterooms.
The cruise industry has tried everything to maximize the space in the staterooms – some do it better than others (Princess and Disney do a pretty darn good job!) – but however you slice it, there just isn’t a lot of room.
- Shoe bag for bathroom – hang it on the back of the door and put your smaller toiletries in the pockets i.e. toothbrushes, toothpaste, razor, hairbrush, hairspray, mousse, etc.
- Sweater bag for closet – this is great for the kids clothes, t-shirts, shorts, underwear, etc.
- Soft sided luggage – pack in duffles or things that you can slide under the bed after you unpack.
- Tip: ask your cabin steward for extra hangers – you can hang a ton of stuff up, but there isn’t a lot of room in the drawers – hang your bulkier items and use the drawers for your smaller items.
Cruise Packing – SO Smart Items
Not one of the items below are “essential” by any means. They will just make your life easier on board!
- Plug power strip – there are usually on a few outlets – this will give you plenty of extra outlets to charge all of those important devices. Some people say that certain cruise lines will not allow them, however, I have never run into any issues.
- Clock – I have no clue why, but many of the ships do not have a clock in the room
- Landyard with a card plastic holder – this is great to carry your room key (you can buy them here on AMAZON before you go for WAY cheaper than if you get them on the ship!)
- Magnetic door sign – all of the doors look alike…. this will help you remember which is yours (I kinda love these magnetic white board sheets that you can leave messages for each other i.e. “Meet at breakfast at 10a.m.”
- Pillow case and fabric markers (Disney Cruise only – give this to the guest services desk when you get there and they will have all of the characters sign it and give it back to you the last day)
- Motion Sickness Bands – JIC (just in case). Also, I prefer Bonine over Dramamine – it makes me less drowsy
- Shampoo and conditioner – believe it or not, many do not provide these
- Nightlight – the room gets REALLY dark at night – put a nightlight in the bathroom
- Ziplock bags – we like our snacks! We will grab some stuff off the morning buffet and bring them off the ship when we are walking around. On Disney you can order PB&J sandwiches from room service and they will send you Uncrustables – these are GREAT to bring off the ship for a cheap and easy lunch. Also, we put our remote in a ziplock bag (I am a germaphobe)
- Soft-sided coolor – also to bring snacks off the ship – like I said, I like snacks
- Highlighter and Sharpie – don’t ask why, but we always use it
- Old hotel room key card – many of the cruises make you put your room key in a slot by the door to turn on the lights and the air conditioning. They are standard hotel room key size – if you have an extra you can just keep that on in there and then the room will still be cool when you come back from the hot sun!
- Ducktape – just like the highlighter, for some reason, we always use it
- Pack of sticky notes – great for leaving notes on the door or on the mirror to tell your family where you are (or maybe you prefer for them not to know!!)
- Clips – i.e. towel clips or clothes hangers – it gets really windy on the pool deck… these will keep your towel from flying away!
- Insulated cup with straw – I looooooveee these mugs!! They keep the ice from melting fast in the sun.
- Lysol Wipes – because I am a little clean crazy and like to do an extra wipe down cleaning.
- Hairdryer – this is a personal thing – I find the hairdryers in hotel rooms and cruise ships to be on the weaker side! If you are picky, bring your own!
- Poo-Pourri – trust me…your roommate will thank you!
- BUG SPRAY – the bugs on these beaches can be brutal!
- Travel Steamer – who wants to iron??
- Scout Beach Bag (I love the Pocket Rocket style) – Loooove this bag so much! They sand doesn’t stick to it. It has great pockets for everything you need. AND it zips shut!! It is our GO TO and best beach bag ever!!
- Inexpensive Inflatable Raft – you will find they are expensive to rent on the islands. Grab an inexpensive raft or two and leave them when you are done!
- Anti Chafing Gel or Baby Powder – if it is really hot out, you will thank me.
- Stain remover or Stain Wipes
UPDATED: I had some amazing suggestions from some of my readers that I am adding (thanks for all of the great ideas!)
- If you have a little one bring an inflatable tub – many of the ships don’t have bathtubs
- Pack a swim suit in your carry on – you may not get your bags until after dinner
- Plastic clothes pins – put them on the bottom of the shower curtain to keep it from blowing out
- Keep copies of all important information in your safe (passport, credit cards, etc.)
- Downy Wrinkle Release – many cruises don’t allow irons in the cabin and sending it out can be very expensive
- Plug Ins – to keep the room smelling fresh!
- Binoculars – to watch for dolphins!
- Collapsable hamper for your dirty clothes
- A case of water
- Wine! Many cruise lines will allow you to bring 1 bottle of wine per person. We brought screw top and would order appetizers and have happy hour on our balcony!
- Waterproof camera
- Inexpensive snorkel kit – you will probably pay less than renting it and you don’t have to worry about where it has been…..ewwww.
- Take a suction cup hook or two. You can hang you hat or cruise card etc near the door so you don’t forget to take them with you when you leave the cabin.
Are there other items that you have found to make your cruising experience better? I am always looking for new ideas!
We always bring a case of water. The cruise lines always provide a lot of tags to check luggage, so we just put one on a case of water.
Hi Starr – that is a great idea! I know when we go off the ship the cruise line charges a crazy amount for bottled water – GREAT addition!!!
I don’t know where your gateway port is but today, you are hard pressed to keep your clothes/luggage within the weight limits when you fly, to use it for A CASE of water, Instead, carry a large cup that can be for hot or cold beverages with own lid and straw attached (one of those collapsible straws is even better), then just fill it as needed. This is also GREAT when visiting parks or going on a tour, especially when combined with a shoulder strap cup holder…even your hands are free,
I’m not a big pop drinker so it never pays for me to buy the unlimited pop card for $40 so I bring along the small individual Crystal light (or whichever brand you prefer) packets and add them to my free glasses of water (or refillable bottle) when I want a change from plain water.
So smart!! Love this!! (and I assume from the “POP” wording you are also a Midwesterner!!
FYI If you do purchase the pop card (My family has bought one to share in the past) make sure you think twice about it. For $40 you get WATERED DOWN pop. I’m not joking. Every different line we’ve been on (4 of them now) has served watered down pop and they treat it like it’s marijuanna that’s just been legalized in Colorado. Everyone is trying to sell you it, but honestly, it’s just not worth it. Unless you are going to die without the pop (In which case I suggest you re evaluate your diet because pop is incredibly terrible for you) go the week or 10 days pop free. at the very least it’ll help you compensate weight wise for the unlimited food buffets 😀
On HAL ships, you get actual cans of whatever soft drink. They open them in front of you, so you know there is no way they are watered down.
Bring a small collapsible hamper. That way you don’t have to put your dirty clothes in spike on the floor, or back in your suitcase with your clean clothes!
A pile, not spike!
Got it! AND great suggestions!!!
Use a plastic bag instead (helps with the weight) and shower caps are the best to pack your shoes -never dirty your clothes…and put one of your favorite drying sheets inside to control odor).
In my opinion a collapsible hamper takes up valuable floor space. We slide an empty suitcase under the bed, pull it out toss in dirties and shove it back under. You could put a laundry bag in it if you’re worried about dirt or smell.
On the cruise I went on we brought wallflowers from bath and body works to plug into the bathroom and cabin, keeping the room smelling fresh(you could also bring glade plug ins or something similar). I also brought a few flameless candles for mood lighting/night light. When we were just relaxing in the cabin it was fun to light up the candles. I just wrapped mine in tissue paper and put them on top of everything I packed in case someone thought they were real I could quickly show them they were battery operated(since real candles are prohibited). Also, If you are a girly girl type, I would bring a pampering kit if you are not going to opt to pay for the spa. Some items in the kit could be : bubble bath, nail polish, nail polish remover & cotton pads, body scrub, your favorite lotion, a face mask of some sort. Also, there was a gym on my ship. If you are the workout type, don’t forget to bring a few sets of workout attire. Also, if you have them, binoculars are a fun addition because you never know if you will spot a whale, dolphins, or something interesting on the open ocean. There were multiple times on my cruise where families of dolphins would swim alongside the ship. Hopefully these tips add a little bit more fun to your cruise.
Kristen, GREAT suggestions! I love the binoculars! What a terrific idea.
Brought a wallflower on our last cruise and the steward unplugged it and laid it down. Everything the oil touched was ruined! Beware!
our cruise did not allow candles, fire hazard
For laundry – if you can find it – Purex 3-in-1 works great. They look like dryer sheets – but they have detergent in it – you put it in the washer – then in the dryer. They are flat and pack easy. They also have a STRONG smell, so put them in a plastic bag.
ALL of the laundry rooms have an iron & board in them. You can use those for free.
I have taken a Med Cruise. We went to: Rome & Naples, Italy // Mykonos & Athens, Greece // Ephesus & Istanbul, Turkey // Cairo & Alexandria, Egypt. That was in 2009.
Kelley – great suggestions!!! Thank you!
Awesome itinerary, especially when combined with post and pre cruising stays.
I am putting a group together for a mediterranean cruise for 2015, which is going to include a couple of vineyards (wine tasting) and a “cooking” day (lets find out how to do it the “local” way). The time will be around the 4th of July week (my b-day). Anyone interested, send me an email to GJORGE@ESSEXTRAVEL.COM & I will send you the details once all is ironed out…OH, AND anyone that calls in 15 cabins or more CRUISES FREE (yes, I put that in writing, no, you don’t have to hold 15 cabins off the bat although i recommended it since space will be limited, and yes, it is more than what cruise lines do-I also pay for taxes, port charges and passenger fees…it really covers 100% of what everyone in group pays for their cruising portion of package). It will also include free-bees, such as doc pouch, t-shirt and other goodies…that’s how I roll!!! & yes, this is the first time I use so else’s post (sorry, delete if you want, I am just too excited) – the agency’s only advertisement has been client-word-of-mouth since the 1940s.
I, too, love to take the Purex 3 sheets when we travel. When I realized I couldn’t get them at the store anymore I ordered some from Amazon, and use them just for travel!
Another easy tip, take a small empty spray bottle, just fill it with water and lightly spray your clothes on hangars before you go to bed….they’ll be almost wrinkle-free the next morning. Downy spray is good, but plain water works almost as good.
Many ships Do Not have public laundry rooms. Check with the cruise line you will be sailing on before you pack to confirm.
We went on an Alaskan cruise and I REALLY wish I had packed a bottle of Downy Wrinkle Release. Royal Caribean doesn’t allow irons in rooms and sending clothes out is expensive- plus, with so many photo ops, you want to look as unrumpled as possible!
Great idea! Thanks Danielle.
All cruise lines have laundry rooms fully equipped…including iron and ironing board. However and for the most part, you can do a lot just by hanging the frumpy clothes in the bathroom and steam it up for about 15min or so on the day you are going to use it…do it after lunch and leave it in the bathroom with door closed while you enjoy the day.
ROYAL CARIBEANfor one don’t.
Not true. Easy ship is different. Check the amenities.
We are going on a cruise for my mom’s birthday this summer! Super excited and thankful for your tips. None of us have ever been on a cruise so things like this are perfect for us novice cruisers. Have you ever been on a Mediterranean cruise? Check out our blog when you get a chance, you are a huge inspiration to us 🙂
Fivetimesfun.blogspot.com
xo,
P&T
Awwww…. thanks!!! Haven’t done the Mediterranean Cruise yet, but me and the hubby are thinking about it for next year! I will check out your blog for sure!!! Thanks for reading!
If you are going on a Disney cruise I have been on three of them. I always take formal wear for each night since they have photographers at least three stations every night. We always had a different outfit and bought the package for the photos and have all different kinds and different outfits. Also it is fun dressing up every night.
On most ships the walls in the cabins are metal — you can bring magnets and hang paperwork, photos of family, etc.
Plastic clothes pins – put them at the bottom of your shower curtain to keep it from “blowing” out of the shower.
In Case of Emergency contacts. Keep a copy in your cabin.
If you like to send postcards – bring pre-printed address labels. Saves time when writing out your postcards
Don’t forget your spare batteries for camera and/or phone. Chargers. If you are traveling out of the USA – a power adaptor.
GREAT suggestions, Kelley!!!!
Again always recommended…keep copies of your docs (passport, visas, insurance cards, green card and/or citizenship paper, as well as the list of credit cards you are taking with phone and last 4 digits of card only in separate bag(s). I like to have a couple of copies and put it inside the lining of a couple of pieces (like a carry-on and a dispatched piece). Trust me, you wouldn’t believe how awesome that is when you loose or have your wallet/document bag/purse suddenly “grow legs.”
This is a good suggestion any time you leave the country, not just for cruising. It’s also good to leave a copy of your important papers with someone at home, and you can either scan and email a copy to yourself or take a photo with your cell phone so you can access it from anywhere.
pack your swim suit in your carry on. you can’t usually get your luggage right away so this way you can change and enjoy the pool while you wait to sail off!
Excellent point – that is one we always do and I totally forgot!!! Good Call Sandy!!
Absolutely correct, I ALWAYSB recommend my clients to pack a swim suit and a light change of clothes. This is also great during those hair-raising times when your luggage is misplaced by the airlines. Whatever happens, you are covered while it catches up to you…and regardless of what happens, never let that ruin your vacation. Istead, challenge yourself and family to have an enjoyable adventure especially if due to an unexpected misfortune, and make it good…you’ll remember it forever!
Great ideas. Thanks. Makes me want to go on a cruise!
Me too!!
If you have a baby you must bring one of those inflatable duck tubs. The shower situation is no good for babies.
Great idea!!