Clothing: pack for three different trips at once
A cruise is really three dress codes sharing one suitcase. Daytime is casual: shorts, sundresses, t-shirts, and good walking shoes for port days, because you will walk far more than you expect. Evenings in the main dining room are "smart casual" on most lines, which means slacks or a casual dress rather than gym clothes. Then there are one or two formal or "dress-up" nights per week, which can be anything from a cocktail dress and a collared shirt to a full suit, depending on how festive you feel. If you want the full rundown by cruise line, I cover it in detail in my guide to what to wear on a cruise.
Two clothing tips that save my travelers every time. First, bring a light jacket or wrap even for the Caribbean, because the dining rooms and theaters run cold. Second, pack one outfit more than you think you need for sea days, since the pool-to-lunch-to-trivia rhythm goes through clothes quickly.
The non-obvious items experienced cruisers never skip
These are the items that make people say "I wish someone had told me" on day two.
- A power strip or USB hub without surge protection. Most cabins have only one or two outlets, often in the wrong place. Surge-protected strips are banned on nearly every cruise line and will be confiscated at screening, so buy a cruise-approved, non-surge model.
- Magnetic hooks. Cabin walls and ceilings are steel. A handful of strong magnetic hooks gives you hanging space for hats, lanyards, wet swimsuits, and bags in a room with almost no storage.
- A lanyard for your cruise card. Your key card is your room key, your ID, and your wallet onboard. A lanyard with a clear sleeve keeps it on you at the pool and the buffet.
- Motion sickness remedies. Bring them even if you have never been seasick. Ginger chews, acupressure bands, or meclizine take almost no space, and the one night the ship rolls is not the night to discover the onboard shop is closed.
- A reusable water bottle. Bar sodas and bottled water add up fast. Fill up at the buffet station before every port day.
- Sunscreen and aloe. Onboard shops charge resort prices. Sea-day sun bounces off the water and burns faster than beach sun.
- Small over-the-counter kit. Pain reliever, antacids, bandages, and anti-diarrheal. The medical center charges a consultation fee for things a dollar-store kit handles.
- Zip-top bags or a wet bag. For damp swimsuits on the last morning, when everything must be packed the night before.
- A highlighter. Old-school, but circling the daily schedule each evening is still the easiest way to plan a sea day.
[NEEDS-CHRISTINE: the one item she personally never sails without, and the story of a guest who forgot it]
What NOT to bring on a cruise
Security screens every bag, and some common items will be held until the end of the sailing. Leave these at home:
- Surge-protected power strips and extension cords
- Clothes irons and steamers (fire risk; ships have laundry and pressing services)
- Candles and incense
- Alcohol beyond the allowed limit. Most major lines let each adult carry on one bottle of wine or champagne; hard liquor in luggage is confiscated and returned on the last night
- Drones, in most cases, and CBD products, which are banned even where legal on land because ships follow federal rules
- Your entire jewelry box. Cabin safes are small, and you will wear less of it than you think
Also skip the beach towels. Every major line provides pool and port towels onboard.
Packing by cruise type: a quick adjustment guide
The list above covers a warm-weather Caribbean or Bahamas sailing, which is where most of my first-time cruiser groups go. Adjust from there. For Alaska or northern Europe, swap half the shorts for layers: a waterproof shell, a fleece, gloves, and binoculars for glacier days. For Greece and the Mediterranean, add modest clothing that covers shoulders and knees for churches and mosques, plus your most comfortable shoes, because ancient ports mean cobblestones and hills. For a short 3-to-4-night sailing, resist the urge to pack like it is a week; one dressier outfit is plenty.
[NEEDS-CHRISTINE: what she tells her Greece/Turkey/Egypt group to pack differently than her Caribbean groups]
If this is your first sailing, packing is honestly the easy part. Choosing the right ship, cabin, and itinerary is where people make expensive mistakes, and that is the part I handle for free. My first-time cruiser service walks you through every step from deposit to sail-away, and suppliers pay my commission, so you never pay me a planning fee.
Cruise packing list FAQ
What do most people forget to pack for a cruise?
The most-forgotten items are sunscreen, a power strip without surge protection, motion sickness remedies, and a dressy outfit for formal night. Forgetting medications is the most serious one, since ships cannot refill most prescriptions.
Can I do laundry on a cruise ship?
Most large ships offer paid laundry service by the bag, and some lines have self-service launderettes. For a 7-night cruise, most travelers can skip laundry entirely by packing one outfit per day plus two spares.
How many bags can I bring on a cruise?
Cruise lines are far more relaxed than airlines. Most allow two suitcases per person plus a carry-on, with no weight fees. Your real limit is cabin storage, which is tight, so one suitcase per person is the comfortable amount.
Do I need cash on a cruise?
Onboard, no. Your cruise card or wristband charges everything to your account. Bring some cash for porters at the terminal, small purchases in port, and tips for tour guides on shore excursions.
