It can become a bit overwhelming for someone who has yet to experience the brilliance and excitement of cruising as it presents a unique holiday experience, everything from food, entertainment, accommodation and new destinations are all right there. You unpack once and then all that is left is to relax and enjoy.
But what if you accidently forget something. You cant just pop down to the supermarket and pick up some more shampoo or head to the chemist for some headache tablets, although there is a small shop onboard that does sell these things in an emergency, let me tell you, it will be an expensive way to shop.
One of the most important things to remember is that your ships cabin is generally smaller than your average hotel room, and space may be limited. Do you need a large suitcase? how much can I take onboard? Will I be able to bring my favourite drink with me? How do I pack my medications?
Hopefully I can answer some of these questions here and I am working on a downloadable packing list for peace of mind which included the important items you may or may not have thought of.
The bulk of your items will be clothing. You might have a few special outfits to wear on formal evenings, or to dinner for that special occasion, sea days require very little effort, but shore days might involve a few different layers depending on the adventure you are about to take. I can suggest packing for all weather, as the sea can be unpredictable.
It also depends on how many days your cruise is and how many sea days will be included in that. Shorter cruises mean less items needed.
Another question I get asked often is will my suitcases fit under my bed.
short answer is it depends on the cruise line. I have sailed in P and O Australia, Carnival Australia, Princess and Royal Caribbean and have found that RCI and Carnival have large under bed areas that allow large hard cases to fit under. I even got my fold up mobility scooter under our Carnival Spirit bed.
Clothing Checklist
Casual Clothes
- T-shirts (at least 1 for every couple of days)
- Singlet Tops
- Shorts
- Long Pants
- Collared shirts for dinning room
- Underwear
- Swimmers and sea shirt
- Light Jackets or hoodie
- Belt
- Hat/Cap
- PJs
- Boardies or sports shorts
- Socks
- Sneakers
- Thongs or Jandals depending on your home or origin.
Formal clothes for Men
While some people do not worry about carrying formal where, if you like to get dressed up, this is the perfect opportunity.
- Dress shirt
- Dress pants
- Dress Shoes
- Blazer
- Belt
- Tie
Formal Clothes for Woman
- Evening gown or cocktail dress
- Dress pants
- Dress Blouse
- Shoes/ sandals
- jewellery
Personal Items
Here are some items you will need and others you may like to include some of these items to give you that stress free holiday.
- Boarding documents including COVID certificate and travel insurance docs
- Luggage tags
- Photo ID if sailing domestic and Passport of sailing international
- Copies of relevant documents incase of lose
- Photo of Covid test results or confirmation if PC test
- Emergency contact numbers
- Packing cubes
- Backpack (a light backpack is great for taking ashore)
- Prescription medications, preferably in original packaging
- Over the counter meds (Motion sickness, headache, band aids, antiseptic cream, taking these can save a small fortune onboard)
- Earplugs
- Phone charger
- Waterproof phone case
- Sunscreen
- Ziploc bags (so many uses)
- Camera and chargers
- travel adaptors. (most ships have at least 1 of the local power points but sometimes that is not enough)
- Reef Shoes
- Ipad and or hand held games for down time
- snorkelling gear
Board and card games can be found in the library of most ships. These are free to use and you can take them to your cabin or find a great spot on deck to play.
Toiletries
- Toothbrush and paste
- Floss
- Mouthwash
- Deodorant
- feminine hygiene products
- Makeup
- Hair straightener/ curling iron
- Shampoo/Conditioner (The lines do supply this, but as its usually a 2in1, it may not be the typye you like for your hair)
- Hair products
- glasses / contact lenses
- Lotion
- Wet wipes (cabin toilet paper is SUPER thin)
- Magnetic hooks or just good magnets (the walls and ceilings of a cruise ship are metal)
- Shoe organiser (hangs over the door for small items
- Alarm clock (said no one ever....Ok maybe if you need to get up for a shore excursion)
- Glen 20 or Boistos Eucalyptus spray (I always find it a great idea to give the vents, surfaces, and bathroom a quick spray, and lets face it, you are in a confided space for a number of days, smells escape)
- Post it notes (these are great for leaving notes on mirrors in your cabin for others to know where to meet, where you might be heading or just for reminders) .
Infants and toddlers
- Umbrella stroller
- Toys
- Bottles / water bottle
- Nappies and wipes
- Bottle warmer or thermos
It has been suggested by many to take swim nappies for the pool, these are a definite NO onboard. Children who are not toilet trained can not use the swimming facilities at all.
Also a good point to know is that cruise lines will provide a portable cot in your cabin, just let your cabin steward know ASAP and it is also a good idea to have this noted on the booking.
Other items to bring
- Wine/Champagne (a bottle or two is allowed on certain lines)
- Champagne stopper (because if you are like me, you cant finish a whole bottle of Moet in one sitting)
- Non alcoholic drinks ( some lines allow 12 cans , not bottles, per person, loosely packed in their carry on luggage) P and O Australia and Carnival Australia
- Lanyard (for holding your cruise card)
- Wrinkle spray (if you can find some, its rarer than hens teeth)
- refillable bottle
These items are either not needed or not allowed
- Hair dryer (one in every cabin, although these are not the best)
- Candles, or anything similar (a fire on a ship can be catastrophic)
- Towels (these are supplied, even if you are going ashore)
- Irons or steamers (once again fire hazards, and will be confiscated)
- Weapons ( common sense people)
Packing for a cruise is a bit different to that of other5 vacations, mainly as you are at sea and unable to duck to the supermarket and grab what you need. For this reason, you should be prepared for many different situations.
From hanging out at the pool, to formal nights, there could be any number of items you would normally use at home that would be handy.
Unless you are flying in, there are no weight limits, although you should be mindful of the incredible men and woman that will be handling your luggage.
In short, you can bring as much as you want. But whatever you bring, you will have to get to the ship, and back off again.
Liquids are ok, Unlike flying, if you have a favourite shampoo or conditioner, you dont have to put a small amount into a travel bottle. Take the whole bottle.
You also do not have to check backs for a cruise as long as they can fit into the xray machine at security. If you dont check bags in, remember you will have to take these with you until your cabin is ready. More often than not, that is pretty much straight away, but on occasion, it can be an hour or 2.
The most important think to take is your sense of enjoyment.
Cruising IMO is the greatest way to holiday.
Unpack once, relax and wake up in a new destination each day.
I hope this has helped you to decide what to and what not to pack.
and always remember
LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE
