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Planning a cruise vacation and packing for it takes some organization.
Cruises leave from ports all over the world and cater to people of all ages and personalities. Plus, those ship cabins are not exactly the most spacious!
Here are a few tips for taking a cruise to make your time on the open seas as smooth as possible.
Planning Your Cruise Vacation
Depending on where and when you’re traveling, cruises can be one of the more affordable vacation options.
Before booking, there are some things you need to decide on:
- Where do you want to go?
- How long do you want to cruise for?
- What cruise liner will you choose?
- How many rooms will you need?
Choose the Right Cruise Line:
If you thought there was only one type of cruise (you know the kind I’m talking about), think again!
There are hundreds of different cruise line options for every kind of traveler and a wide range of budgets. There are luxury cruises, budget cruises, adventure cruises, river cruises, adult-only cruises, over-60 cruises, kid-focused cruises and so much more!
Choosing the right cruise line for your trip style is one of the most important parts of having an amazing cruise vacation.
Also, take into account the excursions and dining options before booking.
Book Excursions and Make Reservations Before You Go:
Before leaving, decide if any of the shore excursions are worthwhile.
CRUISE-OPERATED EXCURSIONS: While oftentimes pricier, you will be guaranteed to make it back to the ship on time and you won’t have to worry about getting lost in an unknown city. Plus, even if your cruise-operated excursion is running late, most cruise ships have a policy for waiting for you before they set sail.
INDEPENDENT EXCURSIONS: If you prefer, you can always book your own independent excursions or wing it, so think about this before spending the money. Just make sure that you plan to get back to the ship with plenty of time to spare as the ship will not wait for you if you are not part of a cruise-operated excursion.
If you see an excursion you want to go on, book as soon as possible before your cruise. The most popular excursions can sell out weeks in advance.
You may also have to book for restaurants and on-board entertainment and activities before you board because although you don’t pay for a ticket there may be a limited capacity at the shows or restaurants you want to visit.
You’re also going to want to check the cruise line policy for tipping, dress code, additional fees, etc before you go so there are no surprises when you’re on board.
Give Yourself Plenty of Time to Catch Your Cruise:
If you’re flying or driving to the port, give yourself enough time between arriving at the port destination and getting on the cruise to make sure you don’t miss the departure. You might even want to book a cheap hotel for a night or two and enjoy what the port city has to offer.
Consider traveling carry-on only so you don’t have to worry about any luggage getting lost and delaying you. We’ve heard that luggage nightmare before!
Packing Essentials for Organizing Tight Spaces
Unless you’re traveling on a luxury cruise, your cruise cabin will most likely be short on space so the less you bring, the less cramped it will feel.
You don’t need to pack much by way of clothing (except if you’re traveling on an Antarctica cruise, of course). Bring one or two swimsuits, a few cover-ups, clothing to wear on shore excursions as well as one nice outfit for dinner.
- For a complete cruise packing list, check out this post: How to Pack Light for a Cruise.
For organization, you can do the following:
- Use packing cubes that serve as under-the-bed storage and keep your clothing organized in your cabin.
- Keep your items organized in the bathroom with suction hooks that won’t damage the walls.
- Over-the-door shoe hangers are also good for toiletries, but some cruise lines have banned them so check the specifics before you go.
- An automatic shut-off power strip with USB outlets will keep your devices charged without needing many outlets.
- Use magnets to hold papers onto your cabin door. You can also bring magnetic hooks which you can use to hang up your towel or other items.
- If you can, choose a hanging toiletry bag, that way you don’t have to worry about balancing your toiletries on the tiny surfaces in the cruise ship bathroom.
Make sure you pack a carry-on bag with your essentials (like a swimsuit and sunscreen) as it can take a while for your luggage to be delivered to your room. Better yet, travel carry-on only, that way you’ll have all your things with you when you board the ship.
Eating and Drinking On Board
Food and drinks are one of the many aspects of cruises and often one of the main attractions. Here’s everything you need to know:
Cruise Food
Most cruises feature seated dinners and more casual options for breakfast and lunch.
You’ll have plenty of food on board, including seated meals, the buffet, and quick options like coffee and pastries or sushi and a variety of restaurants, some of which cost more.
Read up on dining options before you book to get the most for your money and to make sure that you will have options if you have dietary restrictions.
I also recommend bringing a few snacks in your bag to have for shore excursions. This could be crackers, tiny jars of peanut butter, or dried fruit and nuts.
- Take a look at our favorite travel snack options here: The Best Travel Snacks for Packing in a Carry-on.
Cruise Drinks
Complimentary drinks: Most major cruise lines will have some complimentary drinks like water, tea, coffee, lemonade, or fruit juice depending on your cruise line.
It’s best to research the specifics of your chosen cruise line.
Water: You may have to pay for bottled water but most cruise lines will bring you a jug of tap water at the restaurants if you ask. This water is perfect to drink.
There will also most likely be a water station somewhere on the boat where you can refill your reusable water bottle instead of relying on plastic cups or purchasing souvenir glasses. You can also opt for a collapsible water bottle to save space in your bag. Bring a travel mug and either tea, powdered drinks, or instant coffee to mix with hot water.
You can usually purchase bottles of water to be delivered to your room on arrival.
Drink packages: There are all sorts of drink packages offered on cruises from all-inclusive to soda packages. Research what is offered on your cruise and work out what you’re likely going to be drinking per day. A drink package may not be worth it unless you are planning on drinking a lot.
Bringing beverages on board: Different cruise lines allow you to bring different beverages with you on board.
For example, Royal Caribbean allows you to bring two 750ml bottles of wine or champagne and 12 standard cans of non-alcoholic beverages while on Norwegian Cruise Line, you can bring as much wine or champagne as you want but corkage fees apply and you aren’t allowed to bring any soda or water.
Alcohol: Alcohol is expensive on a cruise! But, there are a few places to get free drinks. For example at Ladies’ Night. Gamblers in the casino may also get free drinks after spending a certain amount and return customers may get a free drink voucher for their loyalty.
Medicine and Seasickness Prevention
Such a large ship shouldn’t be a problem when it comes to seasickness, but it depends on the season (winter has more rocky waves) and the type of ship.
You also have to consider if you’ll be taking a tender to shore, which can cause motion sickness.
Either way, you should come prepared with items like:
- Acupressure wristbands which press on the acupressure points on your wrist and apparently relieve nausea and vomiting.
- Medicine like Pepto Bismol.
- Ginger food products like ginger tea or biscuits.
- Aromatherapy and items like Tiger Balm which I find can stave off nausea.
- Ear plugs and an eye mask which can help you from feeling the movement when you’re trying to sleep.
- If you’re sensitive to seasickness, take a look at this post: How to Prevent Motion Sickness.
Random Cruise Packing List Additions
A few items can make the difference between a good cruise and a great one:
- You might not have considered a bathroom air freshener, which is important when you have many people sharing one tiny bathroom attached to a tiny room.
- A nightlight or flashlight can be useful if you don’t have a porthole.
- We used walkie-talkies to get in touch with each other during my first trip, but now my family picks a time and place to meet up.
- Ziploc bags are useful for everything from wet swimsuits to taking cereal back to your cabin.
- A laundry line can be hung in your cabin to dry clothes. If you’re planning on doing washing in your cabin we have a list of hand-washing essentials you may want to check out.
- For times without a charger, pack a power bank.
- I’ve also packed a small ID case for my driver’s license and cruise ship card that prevents me from needing to carry a full bag around the ship.
- For shore excursions, bring a day bag or travel purse. If you choose a bag with security features, it can also be used as a place to keep important documents like reservation printouts and passports when you’re out and about. Simply lock it up and attach it to the furniture in your room.
- For more small packing list additions take a look at this post: Travel Like MacGyver: Items to Pack That Solve Problems.
Extra Resources and Tips for Taking a Cruise
If you’ve booked your cruise and are ready to get packing we’ve got some posts that you may find helpful:
- 5 Things I Learned Overpacking for a Cruise
- She Cruises; He Cruises: Are they packing for the same boat? (Packing for a Transatlantic Cruise)
- Female Packing Guide for a 3 Night Cruise on the Carnival Spirit
- Ultimate Female Packing List for an Antarctica Cruise
Do you have any additional tips for taking a cruise? Let us know in the comments below.
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Check if your boat will have a laundry room. It can cut down on packing and reduce or avoid a laundry hanging in your room. I was on a 600 passenger boat and it had a nice little laundry room where we did a couple of loads of laundry for a group of 6 and it made the 10 day trip that much nicer.
For those who like a hot drink before bed… take a small thermos flask and fill with hot water to take back to your cabin after dinner. Keep a stash of tea bags, coffee and sugar sachets in your room. For those who need milk maybe a second flask is an idea.
Enjoyed your post, we have been on 29 cruises which include 3 on the Paradise and every one of your tips are “spot on”. One of the comments about bringing your own teabags is also something we do as now you have to pay for gourmet tea. Tanks so much for taking the time to post!