Veteran cruisers love to give advice to new cruisers about what to pack and what to leave behind at home. As a cruiser myself, I have found that no matter how much I pack I never seem to wear half of what I bring. When packing for an upcoming cruise, I try to remember those things that during my cruise I wish I had packed. These are, of course, things in addition to necessities such as your clothing.
- Cruise paperwork, passport, money – must haves!
- Bathing suit, comfortable shoes, pajamas
- Camera, video camera, and charger. Charge these up before your trip
- Charger for my iPhone
- Sunblock: If I don’t pack this in my checked luggage, I try to buy it before boarding the ship so I don’t forget
- Toothpaste: Inevitably we run out of toothpaste so I try to pack extra
- Prescriptions
- Eyeglasses, contacts, and saline: Yes, I forgot my eyeglasses once and was miserable because I couldn’t see anything once I took my contacts out.
- Clothespins: I’ve mentioned these before, but they are great for hanging up wet bathing suits, gym clothes, and notes around your cabin
- Gifts for the crew: This is something I like to do and maybe others will disagree, but I still like doing it. I bring little gifts from where I live and give them to the cabin attendant and other staff members. I try to make the time to get to know them and since I know they work incredibly hard and are away from their families, a little gift in addition to my tip is the least I can do.
- My Kindle or iPad: I admit that I can’t leave home without all of my technology! However, laying out by the pool or on a beach is the perfect place to catch up on reading. Load up books before you go so you can relax and read at your leisure.
What’s on your cruise must pack list?