Cruising the high seas with family and friends can be the ultimate unplugged vacation. You may think you already know the basics of cruise packing, but we have a few must-haves you might have forgotten to add to your suitcase. Keryn Means of WalkingOnTravels.com is here to help you avoid that slap on the wrist from the cruise cops so you can become the hero of your vacation.

Packing for a cruise is exciting and nerve-wrecking all at once. Your cruise vacation is booked! You can’t wait to get onboard, but there is so much to think about when you are going to be on a floating hotel, without easy access to all of your essentials. Oh sure, you know you need clothes, sunscreen, bug spray, cute outfits for fancy dinner night, and your toothbrush. What about those not-so-well-known items that you only discover you wish you had on the boat after your first day?

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We are breaking down the things you definitely want to pack for a cruise, and a few things you just can’t bring onboard without getting slapped by the cruise police. After all, there are some dos and don’t in cruise travel and you want to be one of the pros, even if it is your first time.

Do Pack

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Clorox Wipes

Norovirus is a real thing and it is most prevalent on cruise ships. As soon as you enter your cruise cabin, wipe down the phone, TV remote, door handles and bathroom with a few Clorox wipes. Yes, your room was cleaned before you entered, but it’s better to be safe than bent over the toilet your entire trip. Keep antibacterial soap in your bag and use the hand sanitizer around the ship. It is there for your safety.

Small Air Freshener

Cruise cabins are small. Even when you book a suite, you are still in close proximity with your friends and family, and that tiny bathroom doesn’t have a window. Do everyone a favor and pack a tiny air freshener. Quietly put it on top of the toilet or on the counter next to it. Everyone will thank you.

Snacks

Cruises are notorious for overfeeding people, but the one place you won’t find food is in your cabin. Sometimes you just want some chips, M&Ms or nuts while you enjoy a glass of wine on your balcony. Pack a few snacks to enjoy in your room so you don’t always have to run up to the buffet to eat with everyone else.

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Water Bottle

You will see plenty of people boarding the boat with cases of water (if the cruise line allows) or spending hundreds of dollars on bottled water that the cruise line sells. Not only is this a waste of money, but it is also horrible for the environment. Bring your favorite water bottle with you that can keep your beverage cool all day (we love HydroFlask and Swell bottles). The cruise water at the buffet is perfectly safe to drink. If you don’t like the taste, throw a lemon or a few strawberries into it. Not only will it taste great, but you will create instant detox water.

Towel Clips

Every time I’m on a cruise I kick myself for not bringing towel clips. If the wind is whipping up, your carefully placed towel on your lounge chair will blow all over the place. Towel clips are what separate the pro-cruisers from the newbies. Fake it and join the cool kids with your towel clips.

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eReader

Cruises are the best excuse to sit back in a lounge chair, work on your tan and plow through a few good books. What you don’t want to do is pack several pounds of books in your bag. It’s heavy and inconvenient. Unless you are a frequent cruiser who plans on donating your books to the cruise library so you don’t have to take them home, bring your eReader. Load it up with your favorite beach reads and go to town. If you run out, grab Wi-Fi for a day to buy a few more. It will be worth it. Send an email to the family back home to make them jealous to get your money’s worth from that Wi-Fi, too.

Lanyards for Keycards

When you are running around the ship with a keycard in your pocket, you risk losing your keycard, which has charging privileges linked to it. Don’t take the risk, especially if you have kids traveling with you. Bring a lanyard from an old conference or buy one before you depart to put your cruise cabin keycard into. You can buy lanyards onboard, but they will be pricey.

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Magnet Hooks

There are never enough hooks in your cabin. Ever. Pack a few magnetic hooks to put on the wall or bathroom door (many are metal) and you will be good to go.

USB Wall Charger Plug

Now, you can’t pack a lot of outlet extenders, but what you can pack is a USB wall charger that allows you to charge more than one device at a time. This is a godsend when you have phones, tablets and camera batteries you want to charge and only two outlets in your cabin.

Don’t Pack

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Power Strip

Unless it is medically necessary, you will not be allowed to have a power strip or extension cord in your room. This is particularly annoying if you travel with a lot of electronics. Cruise cabins, especially older ships, do not have a lot of outlets. I have snuck a power strip onto one cruise line, but more often than not it gets confiscated. Do yourself a favor and bring a USB Wall Charger instead.

Candles

Fire is a big issue (and major fear) on a ship as you can images. So, candles are a big no-no and something you would think people wouldn’t pack. However, if you buy a candle at port, be prepared to hand it over when you get back onboard. You can pick it up when you dock at your final port of disembarkation.

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Coffee Makers, Waffle Machines, and Other Appliances

Seriously, if you need to bring these, you need to learn how to cruise better. Let the staff take care of you. Anything that is going to suck up a lot of electricity is a big no-no, not to mention a packing nightmare. Leave the juicer at home. Even a hairdryer can be banned on some cruise lines. Clothing irons are generally in your cabin. A small travel clothing steamer is sometimes allowed, but check with your cruise line before you pack it.

Excessive Amounts of Alcohol

While some cruise lines allow you to bring one bottle of wine onboard, others won’t allow you to bring any and will physically take it out of your checked bags and write you a nice little note telling you how to pick it up at the end of your trip. If you are allowed to bring one bottle onboard, but it is over the size limit, they will take it too. Read the rules very carefully, and when in doubt, call the cruise line. Remember, alcohol is a huge money maker for the cruise lines. They want you to buy their booze, not bring your own.

Keryn Means of Walking On Travels

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