A couple of weeks ago, I was a guest on the Carnival Spirit cruise from Sydney to Melbourne — a journey taking 3 nights. I combined that trip with an extra 3 days/2 nights in Melbourne (since my boyfriend, although Australian, has never been!). As a total stickler for packing light, here is the list I came up with.
Oh, and I should probably mention this was my first ever cruise. Take a look at this initial list and then read my feedback post-trip at the end!
Packing for a cruise: what’s in my bag.
Packing for Carnival Cruise: 3 nights + 3 days/2 nights in Melbourne
Please note: All cruises are different and have different requirements when on board. The itinerary I was given mentioned 1 formal night on the ship, but the Carnival Spirit is a more casual experience overall than some expensive long-haul ships (like the Queen Mary — you’ll be reading more about this ship next week).
Outfit 1: Jeans, cute tank top
Outfit 2: Capri pants, black top
Outfit 3: Capri leggings, brown tunic
Formal: Black Exofficio wrap dress, black cami, black clutch purse, black shawl/scarf
Relaxing: 1 swimsuit, 1 infinity (100 ways) dress
Sleeping: PJ pants & tank (can work as gym gear *if* wanted)
Layers: 1 summer cardigan, 1 nicer wool cardigan
Statements: Big jewelry, extra blue scarf
Shoes: Black Tieks (everyday & formal), fold-up flip flops, super lightweight CMUK barefoot shoes
Undergarments: Enough undies for trip, 2 bras, 2 pairs of socks (plan to wear Tieks mostly)
Toiletries: My case includes tinted moisturizer, eye make-up, hair ties and SUN SCREEN! Everything transferred to small nalgene bottles and GoToobs.
Purse: collapsible, holds passport, wallet, chapsticks, sunglasses, etc.
Electronics: Macbook (I’m working, too) & iPad Mini (my iPhone is broken so I need to use the iPad to Instagram and such), camera, chargers
Extras: 1 belt, 1 tank, 1 stuffable bag, 1 small dirty clothes bag, 1 packing cube
This picture shows two things: 1) How small my backpack is before getting on the cruise! 2) I need to workout! This is the eBags Mother Lode TLS Weekender Convertible bag by the way.
Input from the Facebook Community
When I originally posted my packing list on the Facebook page, most people thought I had my bases covered, but I did get two key pieces of advice: a hat and a surge protector with multiple outlets.
Initially, I thought that the idea of a surge protector with multiple outlets would be useless, but I was wrong, people… I was so wrong! In the cabin, we only had one outlet between my boyfriend and I… and several devices (unfortunately, it wasn’t a complete holiday for us). We could have used an extra power point — although I have heard that bringing those items is frowned upon.
A hat was imperative! I had to purchase one on the boat. Bring a hat!
Further Thoughts After the Trip
I was actually quite happy with my packing list. I was able to easily mix and match my outfit to accommodate my further adventures in Melbourne (although it would have been nicer if it had not been so crazy hot there!). Overall, a successful light packing experience!
>> See our packing list for a cruise and all packing list posts here.
It all sounds (and looks) good. We normally take 2 travel adaptors (I have a two in one) which works out a bit lighter and less bulky than a plug bar, although we’ve maybe been lucky on the surge protector.