40 essential things to bring on a cruise!

Packing for your cruise might be a little stress-inducing. There’s nothing worse than getting onboard your cruise ship and realizing you forgot something back home. Here are the 40 essential things you need for your cruise:

39. Passport and Vaccination Card
40. Extra Prescription Medication

[emcee]

Call me old school but I will be bringing a book, a real book to read. No need to charge and I love the feeling of holding a real book in my hands.

[roxijava_]

Nail file and nail clippers! I hate being stranded with a broken nail with sharp edges and getting it caught on EVERYTHING.

[dianemoizio]

Small travel umbrella for rain or shade from HOT sun.

[BeverlyFletcher-mz]

I bring sanitizer wipes. For cleaning cabin just in case they missed something.

[teresashelley]

Safety pins and mini sewing kit because I’m always having an issue. 🤣

[jackiegromacki]

I take a white and cream colored sunhat. I then take ribbon of several colors that match my outfits. I just change the ribbon, perfect match.

[monicab]

Instead of a pop up hamper I turned a king pillow case into a drawstring bag. I hang it on the hook that is usually in the bathroom. The nice thing about it is that when you go home you just pack it in one of your cubes. With the hamper, you have to figure out somewhere to put the dirty clothes in your suitcase.

[abigailgerlach]

Hint for jewelry: I bring one silver and one gold necklace, then add several enhancers I can change out as I feel the urge. I throw my rings/earrings in a prescription bottle. Easy to carry, easy to keep track of.

[ThestuffthatSaralikes]

First cruise in 11 days. With a 20 and 6 year olds. I found these waterproofing watch bands on Amazon that hold an AirTag. So you know where your littles are if you lose sight… just a little extra security to make me feel better…

[roxanneonthemove]

There are a good majority of the items you take on cruises that I do as well. Packing cubes that are most current used ones are compression packing cubes, you can either compress or leave as a standard packing cube. Use packing folders as well for clothes that we do not want wrinkles in such as dress shirts. We also take a power bank, using some ones reduce the weight you carry. I use to take a jewelry organizer but they can be bulky, now I just small “ziploc” bags (think little bags that the extra button on clothes come in) to separate my jewelry then place it in a snack size bag, I try to only bring a few pieces that can go with most outfits. My electronic go into a small make up bag that I toss chargers, adapters and the cords that are wrapped with gear ties or Velcro straps. Bringing a small power strip with no surge protection can increase your plug in capabilities. I rarely buy souvenirs, the only souvenir I buy now is a Christmas ornament or something I can make into an ornament, it takes very little room in the suitcase, I remember our trips every year when we decorate the tree and they don’t clutter up my house all year. I have taken reusable water bottles with us then really don’t use them, this a good one to remember if you use them at home on a regularly. I minimize toiletries to what I can’t do without. I have added my foundation and face moisturizer together that both a SPF rating in them, place them in the same container reduces an extra container. Even though I pack my own Shampoo & Conditioner, I have them packed the 3.4 oz bottles that I should be able to use for a month. Most of my toiletries fit in the 3-1-1 bag including make up. We use a pop up hamper only if there is no laundry service, only happen once on A Norwegian cruise ship. We try to get unlimited laundry service worth the price, less clothes to pack, have not had any major mishaps with laundry service. Definitely paid for itself when we had to spend an extra two weeks away from home when my husband had to go to the hospital in Sydney. Thought I was coming home with clean clothes but instead didn’t have to look for laundromat or pay by the piece at the hotel. I have a shoestring lanyard that has a badge holder clipped to it. Small and compact tucks into a small space in the suitcase. Luggage cruise tag holder are worth it. Just before we release our bag to the cruise crew we attach them, once we had to put our printed paper tags on the luggage in the rain and could barely make out our cabin number. Luckily they made it to us. I get motion sickness, I find that the patch works the best but the OTC med I use is Bonine, doesn’t seem to make me drowsy. Hand Sanitizer or if you can get them wipes, wipes are not classified as liquid so they do not need to be in your 3-1-1 bag. I always pack OTC meds such as Tylenol, Pepto Bismo or Imodium and cold medicine, they have these on board but are usually outrageous costly. Also pack sunscreen and bug repellent. Any other meds that may be needed for the region we are visiting. Always carry a first aid kit including some moleskin to prevent blisters otherwise bandaids always work. If going to someplace like the Caribbean, taking a bag that doubles as your personal bag as well as a beach bag works great. I also take a couple of several different sizes of Ziploc bags. Never know what you will need them for. I use Shout stain removers, they come in a towelette again doesn’t count as a liquid, I think they work better than Tide pens. I love looking at packing for cruises video. Amazing how many differences ideas & products that are out there to help with our packing.

[randy]

Bring hanging car "trees" air freshners. I hang one in the bathroom and one near the bed. I prefer strawberry scent.

[leighnisbett]

If you don't have wrinkle release for your clothes, you can use the shower as a steamer, while you are showering your wrinkles can be steamed in the bathroom, just hang the garment that you want wrinkle free away from the actual shower enclosure and as the bathroom fills with steam it removes the wrinkles from your clothes .

[bobbiwillmer]

I’m planning on a bringing a motion night light for the trips to the bathroom in the dark 😊

[Anaispr]

I take pictures of all my outfits before going so that I can make sure I pack exactly what I will use. I then just look at my pictures when I'm getting dressed.

I'm excited for my next cruise. We splurged on a suite so we have a living room, dining room, a hot tub in our balcony, and 1.5 bathrooms, along with butler service so I'll have them iron my clothing.

[darrelllundy]

I bring disposable toilet seat covers for when you use toilets in the common areas of the cruise ship

[MG-jvpe]

Instead of a pop up hamper - I bring a spray bottle of isopropyl alcohol to spray dirty clothes, especially underwear, running shorts & sports bras before putting them in the “dirty clothes cube”. It helps stop the bacterial growth on fabrics that cause them to stink

[cokeswigga]

I have totally used extra prescription meds. We were on a Caribbean cruise and got stuck on board for 5 extra days because of hurricane Irma. Having that extra medication ensured my personal health for the unplanned extra time

[EJones-ddrv]

Taken many cruises and instead of a pop up hamper use a trash bag (kitchen 10 gallon size for clothes and the small clear ones for underwear. ) This way your dirty clothes go directly into your suitcase without touching any clean items or your inside suitcase for that matter! During a cruise or any hotel trip, you can put the trash bags on the top shelves or floor of the closets or even in a suitcase or drawer without worry. Trash bags take up little room and no weight in your suitcases. When you get home and empty out your clothes, reuse the trash bag in your trash cans! Win-win. Also, either use wipes to clean cabin on first day. pack a plastic baggie and pop the remote in it for extra safety! Forget all the various toiletries and use the hotel or cruise line soaps, it is only for a week or two and save yourself packing shampoo, or hand soap! (Imagine being on alone episodes where the people go months without soap! ) Less is more. Remember you are going to have to lug your suitcase at some point either to your car or on a train or at an airport. Also, for women, find a pair of earrings, necklace, bracelet and maybe watch and two rings that match all your outfits. No one is remembering what your wear, trust me, and it is so easy for you once on trip. I used to pack with jewelry cases etc. but now am a lot wiser and do not need to deal with that. Also, agree with the color coordinating of outfits. At night, black slacks with several dressier but comfortable tops. Packing cubes a must!

[amykirby]

Small sewing kit, to be able to sew back on a button. Also a small tube of Stitch Witch to tack hems, etc.

[clararoberts]

I love all the extra tips here in comments! Thank you all ❤