Veteran cruisers know how to pack. I know a couple in the UK with a closet specifically designated for cruise wear. Let us think about items you don’t immediately think about that make sense to pack before you sail.
- Extra glasses. This includes both reading glasses and sunglasses. These can get lost, misplaced or stepped on. It saves the hassle of needing to buy another pair in a tourist town.
- Sun hat/rain hat. You might not wear a hat in your regular life back home, but if you are going to Greece and will be touring ruins every day for hours at a time, you will want a hat. If your port departure city has a Primark, it might be easier to buy one at the start of your trip and give it away at the end of your voyage.
- Charging cables for phone and tablet. You are bringing your electronics. Plan on also packing the charging plugs that connect to a wall outlet. This is in case your cabin does not have USB charging ports. This saves the hassle of buying or borrowing one.
- A few extra days of prescription drugs. You have your connections planned in advance. Sometimes weather creates a problem or flights get delayed. You want peace of mind, knowing your medications are on hand.
- A collapsible piece of luggage. My wife and I enjoy shopping. We find stuff we want to bring home. You can get some absurdly cheap prices on duty free liquor in the Caribbean. You will need to pack it somehow for the flight home. The extra piece of luggage yields more room in your checked luggage.
- Hooded windbreaker. You might not see the need if you are leaving a sunny climate or sailing to a tropical island. We did not expect rain in Bordeaux, but it was coming down in sheets when we walked off the ship! The ship will sell logoed jackets. They will be fully priced.
- If you are like us, you will find great wine ashore. You will want to bring a couple of bottles back. One might be enjoyed in the dining room. The other might be enjoyed on your balcony at sunset. The ship should have already provided wineglasses. Having a corkscrew on hand lets you enjoy the wine immediately. No waiting to spoil the moment.
- Small flashlight. This can be handy when you need to find your way around your cabin at night and do not want to wake your partner. This is even more useful if you booked an inside cabin.
- Boxed chocolates as gifts. We sail the same line and their ships again and again. We expect to run into crew members we met on previous voyages. Handing them a small gift is a nice gesture.
- Set of magnets. My wife came up with this idea. The walls of your cabin are likely steel covered with vinyl wallpaper. The magnets allow you to post shore excursion tickets, formal dinner or party invitations and those notes you write to yourself. This is much better than leaving loose papers on the desk.
- Note cards and envelopes. Yes, you can call cabin to cabin. Yes, the phones take messages. Everyone is outside their cabin most of the time! Not everyone notices the blinking message light. Cabins usually have a slot behind the room number in the corridor. This is where they slide the daily program and other ship communications. Use the cards and envelopes to invite friends for drinks or dinner.
- Small tote bag. You will be heading ashore. You will have stuff you want to carry. This might include your windbreaker and sunglasses. The bag is a useful size, not too big or too small.
- Copies of ID pages from your passports. If you are like us, you will lock your passport in the room safe with your car keys. Your ship ID is needed to get back onboard. Sometimes you need to carry proof of identification when on shore. The passport copies can come in handy.
- Local currency. Most places you visit will take credit cards or allow you to use your virtual wallet. Assume taxis will not. Crafts markets probably prefer cash too. If you don’t have local currency, bring dollars or euro.
- Copies of the front and back of your credit cards. What would you do if your wallet was stolen? You would report your credit cards missing. How do you do that? Isn’t the “Lost or stolen” phone number on the back of each card? This gets locked in the safe too. FYI: You do not need to carry all your credit cards ashore. One or two should do.
- List of your passwords. Yes, this should be loaded onto your phone. You cannot be sure your phone will be working 100% of the time. What about the apps or websites not on your phone. I bring this too, carried inside my jacket pocket. It gets locked in the safe.
- US currency. It tends to be accepted worldwide, but I bring it for a reason other than shopping. Bring small bills for tipping. At the end of the voyage, we still hand out white envelopes in addition to the tipping automatically added to our bill. The Purser’s Office can probably make change, but this makes it easier. We lock the cash in the room safe with everything else.
These are little items that turn out to be very useful when you are on a cruise!
Editor’s Notes:
If you’d like to get a cruise quote and book a cruise see Browse Cruise Ships and Cruise Lines
CruiseCompete and its member travel advisors provide many curated cruise and land deals, offers and amenities on over 50 cruise lines with over 500 cruise ships sailing all around the world.
Also see Shore Excursions – Ports, Day & Weekend Trips
Cover photo: St Lucia © Dennis Cox / Photo Explorer Productions, All Rights Reserved
