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Of course, any of the other items you’ll need for the day like diapers, wipes and a change of clothes should be packed in your embarkation day bag as well. You’ll want to bring a cruise ship carry on bag for those first few hours on the ship, as your luggage may only be delivered to your cabin several hours after you board. A cruise carry on bag is essential for the first day of your cruise, when it can take several hours for your luggage to be delivered to your cabin. You’ll want to make sure that you have everything you need to enjoy your embarkation day, as well as important items such as medications, valuables and children’s items. You'd think your Caribbean cruise packing list would write itself — T-shirts, swimsuits, flip flops, done. However, once you start to think about spending a week or even just a weekend at sea, you'll suddenly find yourself with questions.
Miscellaneous items to pack for your cruise
Make sure to be prepared for possible motion sickness on a cruise. While we all hope not to get seasick, seasickness medication or prevention should be on your cruise packing list just in case. You’ll be able to fill your coffee mug at the cruise ship buffet or cafe, and enjoy a big cup at any time of day. One of the things that first time cruisers often forget, is to pack an embarkation day carry on bag.
Open Edit Strappy Midi Dress
The cruise line will send you designated luggage tags, too; add those onto your luggage before embarking the ship. A daypack and/or beach bag is essential for toting items while in port, as well as whatever purse you want to use on board in the evenings. Keep in mind that ships are equipped with gyms and outdoor tracks, fitness classes abound, and many ports welcome runners, kayakers, bikers, and other active types. There’s no need to skip out on your fitness regime if you don’t want to, so bring along your activewear, too. As for any trip, don’t leave home without your underwear, socks (both athletic and dress socks), and bras/undershirts as the base for any day’s dress. You’ll want comfy pajamas to cozy up in after a long day spent exploring in port, too.
Travel gear
Of course, how much you’ll bring depends on how many days you’ll be at sea. Also remember that public areas on cruise ships are notoriously chilly due to the air conditioning. Therefore it is worth having a pashmina, dressy cardigan or jacket with you for wearing at night on a cruise.
Since the Caribbean weather is quite warm most of the year, plan on light clothing during the day, like shorts and a t-shirts or tank top, or a light sundress. Winter months (January, February, March) tend to be a little bit cooler, so plan accordingly. Cruise ship showers are notoriously cramped and often lack functional amenities.
Things to Consider When Making Your Cruise Packing List
In addition to clothes, you need to pack a few other items with you to make your cruise go smoothly. This includes everything from your boarding documents to your toothbrush. While we cover all the items in detail below, you can click the image (or click this link) to download the printable PDF. In other words, when it comes to packing for a cruise, nobody has the expertise — and the experience — that we do.
Pharmaceutical Items
Again, I pack a cruise capsule wardrobe where everything is interchangeable. For a 4 day cruise this will normally 4 outfits along with my embarkation day outfit. On a 5 night cruise you can expect there to be only 1 formal night so you don’t have to worry too much about packing lots of formal outfits. On these days I use day to night transition pieces such as a smart casual blouse or nice Maxi dress, that I can wear to dinner one night and then use during the day the next day. There are a couple of things that many new cruisers don’t realize are absolute no-no’s on a cruise. Travel size disinfecting wipes are great for a quick cabin disinfection on the first day of your cruise.
What to Bring on a 5 Day Cruise
They help keep cruise outfits organized and stay mostly wrinkle-free. Use packing cubes or compression bags to maximize space and keep your belongings organized. When it's time to hit the town at night, add some accessories to soften this look like dainty jewelry, colorful slip-on shoes, a Panama hat and a handbag.
From what clothes to pack for a cruise, to all the must-have cruise accessories you’ll use for years to come. If that’s not powerful enough for you, consider bringing a small quality blowdryer. You might find that your cruise clothing gets a bit wrinkled as you unpack.
On beachy cruises, you'll want a beach bag, sand toys for the kids and perhaps your own snorkeling gear. Wet bags (or even plastic zip-top bags) will keep your wet stuff from leaking onto everything on your way back to the ship. You can sweeten your cabin bathroom by bringing a bathroom spray to mask unpleasant odors. A small inflatable kiddie pool or tub packs down small and can be used to give your little one a bath. Unless you buy an unlimited streaming internet package, don’t waste your expensive onboard internet minutes trying to download anything…it’s nearly impossible anyway. It’s been decades and hundreds of cruises since I packed for my first cruise.
We've listed 103 essentials you should always pack for any cruise vacation. Follow our cruise packing list to avoid packing mistakes and be prepared for anything on your next sailing. Angeline and I went snorkeling in Grand Cayman once and I was so disappointed when I realized that I had forgotten our waterproof camera at home! It’s so much fun to be able to take photos not only under water, but just while you’re on the beach or splashing in the waves! You can also purchase a waterproof phone case or a waterproof camera bag, which will cost you less than a camera. If the weather is hot and sunny and you plan to be by the pool, don’t forget to bring sunscreen in your carry on bag.
I packed for a 7-day cruise with just a carry-on suitcase and backpack - Cruise Blog
I packed for a 7-day cruise with just a carry-on suitcase and backpack.
Posted: Thu, 14 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Another advantage of using little bags – I can roll them up and stuff each one inside my shoes and save a ton of space. Hair products (travel size hair spray, mousse and conditioner) in yet another freezer bag. I can see where every item is without having to rummage around to find the right item.
Consider purchasing a few so you can bring them with you on shore excursions and pack them in your cruise port day bag. In this post will I’ll share a thorough cruise carry on packing list, as well as some recommendations for best cruise carry on luggage and travel essentials. This article was updated recently to share the best and most recent recommendations.
Don’t fly without locking your locking your luggage with a TSA approved lock. You can also lock valuable items like laptops and luxury bags in locked luggage to keep your items secure in your cruise cabin. These cruise packing hacks will save space in your luggage, stay organized educe wrinkles in clothing. The cruise ship will provide you with towels that you can use on the lido deck as well as in cruise ports. However, they can be heavy and take time to dry when they get wet. Not only are they probably my favorite cruise accessory, but they are so useful!
First-time cruisers don't realize all the cruise ship cabin hacks they can employ to enhance their onboard accommodations. Some folks prefer to bring a lanyard to keep their cruise room key card close at hand. It's easy to fill a carry-on with footwear alone when packing for a cruise. The must-have basic is a comfortable pair of travel shoes for the flight, ship and walking in port. The adventures in store on a Royal Caribbean cruise run the gamut, and this packing list will have you ready for anything. If you realize you could use more of one item or another when you’re on board, you can also head to the shops and vending kiosks on the ships for clothing, bags, personal essentials and more.
The sun really reflects off the water and its very easy to burn before you know it. I love lip balm, but I know this is a must-have packing item that many people forget. When you arrive at your cruise ship, you’ll hand your luggage over to porters before you enter the cruise port terminal for boarding your ship. Your luggage will be handled safely, so don’t worry, and will be delivered straight to your ship.