Cruising is one of those things that you just need to take the plunge and do! Once you’ve done it, you’ll always want to do it again!! 🚢 🏖🌴
Perhaps you’ll want to take another trip on the same ship or different fleet, perhaps a different cruise line or you’ll love your experience so much so that you become a loyal cruiser with your preferred cruise line!
As cruise lovers, we’ve done multiple cruises, varying in lengths and fleet size and or classification. Personally, our packing list generally stays the same as far as the essentials are concerned with some possible variations due to the destinations/season.
Looking back to when we first decided to cruise, one of the biggest questions on our minds was “what do we pack?” / “Is there anything different from a regular vacation that we need?”
As there are so many types of cruises with a vast array of cruise lines, having a packing essentials list is always a great idea with room for additions as you go along.
For your convenience, we’ve included a downloadable essentials packing list to help you get started which you can edit and add to as needed.
cruise-packing-list_the-traveling-footprints.xlsx
Listed below are cruise essentials with their respective links so that you can easily purchase them on Amazon. We use all of these items every time and would not leave on vacation without them!
CRUISE PACKING ESSENTIALS 🚢
1. Carabiners
Purchase on Amazon – 10 pack Carabiners
We use the carabiners to hook & hang several things such as:
⁃ Headphone cases: This is exceptionally usefully when flying; you can hook it onto the back of the seat 💺 in-front of you.
⁃ Sachel / tote bag, small backpack: you can do the same as mentioned above
⁃ Water bottles
⁃ Shopping bags: You can hook all of your bags together and hang them from your backpack so that you’re hands free.
All in all, carabiners are great for so many things. We purchased the 10 pack from Amazon and have found use for majority of them!
2. Waterproof Phone Case
Purchase on Amazon – MPOW Case
The brands that we use are Travelon & MPOW.
Travelon: We’ve had the Travelon case for a few years now and absolutely love it! It has a built in floaty and lanyard so you never have to worry about your phone sinking in case you ever drop it in the water. Generally, we just hang it around our neck and the lanyard is long enough to comfortably be able to take pictures, video and make phone calls without any issues.
Every time, we’ve called a loved one while swimming in the ocean to share our view with them has always been a memorable and cherished experience!
MPOW: These cases are also quite useful, it really depends on your personal preference. They’re sleek, slim, light and great for storing your money, ship cards and cell phones. You see more and more cruisers walking around the ship and ports with these cases instead of just the simple lanyards with card sleeves.
With either or both of these cases, you won’t need to constantly be looking back at your bags on the beach wondering if they’re still there! Imagine the great photographs and videos you’ll take without worrying about your electronics getting wet!
3. Reusable Water Bottles / Thermos
Purchase on Amazon – Thermos Mug
Purchase on Amazon – Manna Water Bottle
Personally we prefer a 30-34 OZ water bottle with a strap so that you can hook on a carabiner and attach it anywhere as you’re on the go on port days. For example, you can hook it onto a backpack or crossbody bag. This is also very useful on ship days as well. You can fill up on your beverage of choice from the buffet and sip on your drink along the way. The same goes for the thermos.
All of you tea and coffee lovers! Note this one down! 🤪 The mugs are small and if like us, you like to take back a hot beverage to your room for a nightcap then this is definitely a need for you. You don’t have to worry about accidentally spilling anything and burning yourself! We see several people taking their water bottles and coffee mugs to the buffet and filling up on their beverages throughout the day so don’t feel odd about doing it!
We prefer the Thermos brand as it keeps our hot and cold beverages at their respective temperatures for 12 hours.
Remember, there are no restrictions on how many empty beverage vessels you can bring onboard.
4. Backpack
We love multipurpose items that we can use on our trips. Our backpacks serve as our carry-ons, purse, day bags while at the ports and also our beach bags! These come in various sizes; it really comes down to your personal preference.
We recommend a backpack that is light weight and zips completely. We use the TSA locks to attach and lock the bags zippers together when walking around and at the beach! This leaves you stress free!
5. Packing Cubes
Purchase on Amazon – Gonex Packing Cube Set
If you like to keep everything organized and or compartmentalized, then these will change the way you pack!
No matter what type of vacation you’re taking, you will never leave home without them again! We have two colours so that we can easily distinguish between his & hers! We’ve done the same for our toothbrush holders etc. Anyone that we’ve told or shown these packing cubes to, has always picked up a set for themselves and their family members.
There are so many on the market, after reading and watching hundreds of reviews, we decided on the Gonex brand as the reviews are great along with the price. It doesn’t brake the bank and we’re definitely about saving money where we can but still maintain quality.
These come in various sizes and sets. We purchased the set of 5 which comes with an XL, L, M and S size cube, along with a garment or shoe bag.
6. Cruise Luggage Tags
Purchase on Amazon – Cruise Luggage Tags
These luggage tags are different from your standard suitcase tags. They are clear and waterproof and house your cruise stateroom tags.
Generally you would print and staple the provided cruise tags to your luggage; however, if they accidentally get damaged or ripped off; the crew won’t know how to locate your baggage.
These do come in deferent sizes depending on the cruise line that you will be sailing with.
7. Power Strip
Purchase on Amazon – CyberPower
As there are just never enough outlets in a stateroom (normally 2), we always carry a power bar/strip with us as it’s a great essential.
You can plug everything in at one time and forget about it. We purchased the CyberPower wall outlet from Costco and it comes in a pack of 3, which includes two strips and the wall outlet. These are fantastic as they have USB ports as well!
8. Lanyard
Purchase on Amazon – 5 Pack Lanyards w/ Detachable Buckle + ID Card Holders
These are incredibly handy around the ship and while at port. As your ship card or sea pass serves as your room key, credit card and ID, you will need it with you at all times so you definitely want it easily accessible!
You’ll notice many passengers wearing these around the ship everywhere!
Pro Tip: Sea Passes that do not have a chip in them can be whole punched so that you can directly hook them onto your lanyard without having to use the plastic sleeve. Now you’re wondering if you need to travel with a whole punch? Certainly not; all you need to do is go to the customer service desk and they can assist you with your request. You can purchase them before leaving on your vacation or at the cruise port. They almost always have a massive variety to choose from and it will be charged to your sea pass account.
9. Ladies / Gents Money Pouch or Saddle/Crossbody Bag
These are valuable and handy items to have with you while traveling anywhere in the world!
Depending on where you are traveling, you can wear the money pouch under your clothing and other destinations, on top of your garments.
The crossbody bag is great and serves as a quick access point for your essentials when touring, sightseeing, commuting etc. Biggest plus is that it can be worn in several ways; front facing **, to your side and off one shoulder.
10. Portable Battery Pack
Purchase at Costco- PocketJuice
This is a definite must for us!
These are great for when you’re pool side and especially on port days. You’ll surely be taking lots of pictures and videos and you definitely don’t want your electronic device dying right when you need it most!
There are several of these on the market and we never travel without one. The two that we consistently use while at home or away, are the TP-LINK and PocketJuice. Both of these work really well and we’ve never had any issues with them. The PocketJuice is a little more cost efficient than the TP-LINK.
11. Downy Wrinkle Release Spray
Purchase on Amazon – Wrinkle Release Spray
You can’t stop your clothing from getting wrinkled in your luggage, so this is an amazing option that actually works!
We’ve done it! Keep in mind that there are no irons in the statements and you are not allowed to bring one onboard either.
The travel size bottles are exceptionally convenient as you can pack them into your carry-on as they fall within the liquid guidelines.
Our process: The day we board, we unpack and hang up all of the necessary clothing and put away our packing cubes in the drawers as everything is already organized in them. Spray any of the wrinkled items and before you know it, you’re clothing is ready to go!
Pro Tip: Spray and hang formal wear dresses behind the washroom door and the steam from the shower will further ensure your clothing is in perfect shape!
12. First Aid Kit
As a general rule of thumb, we never travel without a first aid kit.
The contents of this will vary based on your families needs and requirements. We have a dedicated clear quart size pouch that we can place in our carry-on.
This is one of those essentials that you don’t want to pack in your checked luggage in case it doesn’t arrive to your destination!
On a cruise ship, medications are generally more costly so you don’t want to put yourself in that situation.
13. Antibacterial Wipes / Hand Sanitizer
Purchase on Amazon – Disinfectant Wipes
This is pretty self explanatory. Clean and Disinfect your door handles, the phone, light switches, your hands etc.
You’ll notice several hand sanitizer stations all around the ship but it’s always convenient to have some on you during port days.
14. Passport / Travel Document Organizer
Purchase on Amazon – RFID Blocking Organizer
We’re all about organization and easy accessibility.
These serve our purpose perfectly! We place in our passports, itineraries, tickets, some currency, IDs and pretty anything of importance.
These are a few different ones that we use; most of them were purchased from Danier several years ago and we’ve gotten a lot of use out of them. We’ll generally use one or two of them. For example, the wide, white travel organizer will house all of the aforementioned and one of the small ones will be used as a wallet on the go. Again, it’s all about multipurpose! Save space and weight!
Now a days, you can purchase ones with RFID blocking.
15. Towel Clips
Purchase on Amazon – Towel Clips
With the ship constantly in motion, there is always a breeze on deck especially depending on which port you’re sailing out of.
These are a great way of insuring that your towel(s) don’t get blown away, hence saving you some hassle and stress as the ship towels are linked to your ship cards. Unreturned towels get charged to your account. Bonus use: no one else will take your chair!
There’s a vast variety of designs that you can purchase from animals, fish, drinks, flip flops, cartoon characters etc or simple multicoloured ones. It really comes down to your personal preference.
16. Scale !!!
Purchase on Amazon – Heys Luggage Scale
A very necessary and incredibly handy tool no matter where you’re travelling.
This is exceptionally useful when flying and needing to meet various weight restrictions especially when you’re bouncing around from city to city and country to country.
BONUS TIPS!
17. Sea Patches
Some people have sea or motion sickness. Hands down, this is the best remedy on the market!!!
Scopolamine patches can be purchased at your local drugstore. You’ll need to check with your pharmacy to inquire if you will be needing a physicians script/prescription for them. We know that in Toronto, you no longer need a prescription from a doctor but they are kept behind the pharmacist counter.
Each patch will last you 3 days and you alternate behind each ear. Keep in mind, this is not for everyone such a pregnant women.
18. Ear Planes
If like my spouse, you suffer from really bad ear pain / popping during take off and landing, these are for you!
They are available in most drugstores; make sure you don’t purchase the one for swimming by mistake as their packing is the same.
You just put them in before takeoff and remove them once you’re flight has landed. Each set is good for two takeoffs and landings.
We hope that all of these cruise essentials and tips will be great assets for you! We would love to hear your thoughts and learn of other items that you feel are essential to your cruising trip!
Until next time, keep dreaming, traveling, exploring and spreading your footprints.
📸 Thetravelingfootprints ♥️