packing tips for your cruise

9 Packing Tips For Your Cruise Vacation

packing tips for your cruisePacking Tips!

These packing tips and helpful hints will help you be prepared for your next Cruise Vacation.

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Depending on whether you are going into sunny destinations or cooler ports of call, you will most likely want to emphasis one type of clothing more… but “sometimes” mother nature can act in mysterious ways, so it is best to prepare well.

Packing Tips #1:  What to pack for your cruise:

First off, this many sound obvious but we’ll say it anyways, “always read your itinerary and information sent to you from the Cruiseline” (whether you have cruised once or five times before) as each cruise varies and your packing needs will change with it… For example, ties and jackets may not be required on some Cruise lines (particularly with some river cruises) while other lines may have 1 or 2 formal nights depending on the length of your sailing, theme, etc.

Packing Tips #2: The best packing tips no matter which cruise you are taking though, is packing comfortable, casual clothing for visiting and trekking ports of call or strolling the deck while being captivated by the scenery…

Packing Tips #3: Here is a short list of packing tips items you might want to bring with you no matter which Cruiseline you sail with:

  • Hat (or any kind of protection for your head you choose)
  • Sunglasses
  • Sunscreen
  • Comfortable walking shoes
  • Dressy shoes
  • Compact/small umbrella
  • feather or lightweight rain gear
  • Lightweight jacket/Sweatshirt/warm sweater/pullover
  • Toiletries like natural and medical remedies
  • Warm coat, gloves and water-resistant footwear (as needed for Alaska or cooler weather places)

 

Packing tips and St. Peters Basilica
A picture of St. Peters Basilica in the Vatican… not the best venue for short-shorts, a tank top & high heels!

Packing Tips #4: Consider packing/dressing respectfully when visiting places of worship and other religious sites where you could be denied entry if wearing clothing considered to be inappropriate, revealing or against policy.

Packing Tips #5: What to pack in your carry-on luggage:

We always suggest you pack lightly on embarkation day, as many times you will be carrying your items for several hours before you can enter your stateroom. But, with that said, some essential things to keep with you would be your travel documents including passport, ID, credit cards and insurance information. Keep “copies” of them in your stored luggage or do like we do, and take pictures of all the documents and store them in your phone.

Packing Tips #6:  Other items to consider for your carry- on:

  • All required medications-kept in their original labeled containers**
  • Essential Eye wear (contacts, prescription glasses, etc)
  • Travel documents
  • Valuables

 

Packing Tips #7: Here is a list of other “handy items” to consider packing:

1. Travel plugs and adapter for items needing an electrical outlet

2. Hand sanitizer

3. Chapstick with sun protection/sunscreen

4. Travel alarm clock

5. Travel flashlight

6. Travel calculator for working out the correct foreign money exchanges

7. Travel Journal (it’s amazing what you forget)

8. Travel mug

9.  Sewing kit including safety pins, buttons etc…. be sure to put it in your check bags though! 🙂

10. Binoculars

11. An extension cord if you have multiple items to charge as most Cruise ship rooms only have one electrical outlet

Great Packing Tips For You!

Packing Tips #8: If guest laundry is available onboard, bring travel size detergent and fabric softener rather then pay the high prices for it onboard. DO NOT use zip locks for detergent as it will likely end up in your luggage (experience talking here).

Packing Tips #9: This packing tips suggestion is excellent: Bring along pre-addressed labels for sending postcards to make it easy on you!  Who wants to be writing your address over & over while on vacation! 🙂

Well there you have it.  Lots of great packing tips for your next Cruise Vacation to ease the “I feel like I am missing something” feeling.

And speaking of missing things… If we missed any great packing tips you can think of to share, please feel free to add it below in our comments section for our readers… we know they’ll love your suggestions! 🙂

We appreciate you!

Nancy & Shawn
Your Trusted Cruise Experts!

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