14 Things To Pack For Your Cruise

Portable Fan

You may not think this is important, but you’ll thank us later for suggesting it. Cruise ship cabins can get a little stuffy at times and having a fan to move a little air at night can be a big help. Plus it can double as a white noise generator to help drown out sounds outside your cabin. Check it out here.

Hand Sanitizer

With several thousand people at close quarters and confined to a ship, there are going to be germs to avoid. Hand sanitizer used frequently can help you avoid getting sick if there is anything nasty around. This and washing your hands frequently can go a long way towards stopping the spread of things like norovirus.

Medicine Kit

This is another one you’ll thank us for after your cruise. Always take a kit with over the counter medicines for headaches, stomach issues, and minor cuts and scrapes. Include anything you might take on a regular basis so you won’t have to waste time and money in the ship’s infirmary for minor ailments.

Nightlight

Cruise ship cabins can get really dark at night, especially the inside rooms. For night time bathroom trips you’ll be glad you brought a nightlight to help you find your way. Here is a link to the one we use- it’s motion activated and can be put almost anywhere.

Poo-Pourri

Cruise ship bathrooms are famous for not being well ventilated so, once again, you’ll thank me later. Poo-Pourri is a spray that you can use to mask or eliminate odors that could otherwise be unpleasant. If you’ve never heard of it check it out here.

Magnetic Hooks

This may not sound like much of a tip, but believe me you will find them useful. Since your cruise ship cabin will have metal walls, these hooks are great for organizing anything that would normally just clutter the desk area in your room. They are especially great for hanging hats and damp bathing suits for example. We use this type and find them useful every time.

Waterproof Phone Pouch

If you are going to be in the water a lot on your cruise, one of these can be very useful. Not only can you keep your phone dry but you can also keep your identification and cash inside when you are at the beach or pool. We use ones similar to these.

Hat

This may seem like a no brainer, but I have seen enough sunburned heads to know it is worth mentioning. If you sail in hot places like the Caribbean the sun is likely to be a little more intense than you are used to. I’ll just say you need to protect your head and leave it at that.

Passport

If you’ve read my other posts, you know I feel that a passport is necessary for any travel outside the country. You may not need it to get on the cruise ship but you will absolutely need it to get home if anything leaves you stranded in a foreign port. Trust me, get the passport; it could save you in an emergency.

Sunscreen

Another no brainer. Unless you are not going to see the sun on your cruise you’ll need sunscreen for protection. Don’t wait until you are on the ship- if they have it it will be expensive. Be prepared with a good quality sunscreen like this one.

Aloe

Just in case your sunscreen does not cut it, take some aloe for potential sunburn. It’s great for soothing the skin in case of overexposure. Not much more to say; you can find it here.

Alarm Clock

You might wonder why you need this, but you’d be surprised at how many times we’ve seen people sleep right through breakfast and other morning activities because they had a little too much fun the night before. One of the issues is not being used to the late nights, and another is how dark a cruise ship cabin can be in the morning with all of the shades closed. Here is an example of an inexpensive alarm clock.

Downy Wrinkle Release

Here is a real travel pro tip. Downy Wrinkle Release is what many veteran travelers use to de-wrinkle clothes after they’ve been in the suitcase for a while. It’s easy to use and best of all it works. If you are worried about wrinkles this is a great solution

Cash

This is a word to the wise- be careful using credit cards in foreign ports. Instead bring cash unless you plan on making large purchases. We’ve all heard about the hazards of exchange rates, transaction fees, and fraud at times. Besides tipping on the ship, plan and budget for spending in ports and bring cash to cover it.

Conclusion

As always, you may find that all of these suggestions may not apply to you. But even if you find one or two items useful it can help make your cruise a little easier. We welcome your suggestions too- we are always looking for new ways to make our cruises smoother.