How to Pack for ANY Cruise

How to Pack for ANY Cruise

by Paul Motter

Every week someone in our forums will ask "I am taking a cruise to [fill in the blank]. How should I pack?"



Every week we get the same question, and we have answered it hundreds of times almost exactly the same way. You can fill in the blanks above with Alaska, Greece, South America, the Baltic Sea or any place ships or river boats can sail. You can also specify any date when ships normally cruise to these regions. In every case, with only slight variations, our reply remains the same. I will reveal that in just a minute.

Read more: How to Pack for ANY Cruise

[Dave Beers]

One thing we take along are compact umbrellas, and I mean the ones that collapse down to about a 1" to 2" diameter and are around 8" long. They expand into fully functional umbrellas yet take up very little space. One can stuff them in shoes for packing. Easy to carry along while ashore too. These are great in Alaska and Europe.

[mimys]

I think better is to take a raincoat. If is wind is possible to "fly" with umbrellas

[TLCMTravels]

Though most of us know how we should pack. It seems we still bring to much.
I have it down to a science. But still bring items I don't wear.
But they are they if I need them.

[Lakers Fan]

We carry ponchos .On our last cruise we encountered a bit of rainy weather on our shore excursions and were fortunate to have our ponchos to wear.

[blbuenger]

My husband and I are cruising the Mediterranean the end of october. Could anyone advise on what to pack for an 11 night cruise, most specifically, what to wear while in port?

[Stennsan]

Great packing guide.

We over packed for our first cruise. We trimmed it down a lot for the second and we still had way too much. This time, we're going with a single suitcase and a carry-on each. No sense paying baggage fees for stuff we don't use.

[bonnyprincecharlie]

Headphones seems to be obvious you probably have them attached to all types of devices and you will probably bring them with you, I found that
I needed them in the gym when I exercised and fortunately I had packed them,

[mariuskyu]

Your guide seems pretty great. I`m assuming some of the tips could apply for a cruise to nowhere NYC that will last three days? I`m planning one real soon and I`m trying to do a little research...

[LilyP77]

I've taken too many trips where I unpacked unused clothes afterwards, so I try to be really strict with myself!

For warm clothing on most trips, I stick with a really good quality waterproof & breathable jacket for both wind/rain. I buy nice looking ones that are a bit dressier if I can, although these tend to be more pricey. For my warm layer (for women) I now bring a thin wool cardigan. Again, I buy a rather expensive one and in a neutral color that I can wear casually or dress it up with a scarf. These work so great and are very warm. A fleece in addition to this for more casual wear is a lightweight addition that should be enough layers for most destinations. I highly recommend the LLBean Fitness Fleece, which I've purchased many of over the years. Stretchy, warm, zip pockets, perfect!

This was a great article. I've become overwhelmed with packing advice at this point, but I liked the simple advice in this article which has helped me think through how to pack stuff really tightly and efficiently.

[ThomasCruise]

•Laundry Bags - So you can keep your dirty clothes separate and keep your luggage clean during the trip home!

•If swimming, bring Large, Re-sealable Waterproof Bags (for carrying wet clothes) - Bring one with you to carry or temporarily store your wet clothes or towels when shipping after a dip.

•Mini Sewing Kit - Be ready for wardrobe mini-emergencies with a compact sewing kit.

•Febreze Travel Size - Strong food smells or smoke from cigarette smokers will cling to your clothes. A quick spray of Febreze before dropping your clothes in the laundry bag will help keep your cabin and luggage smelling as fresh as possible.

•Stain Remover - Don't let the stains set in, dab it with a stain stick to give you a better chance at washing the stain out when you get home!

[anusarma]

Great packing list. I don’t think you will go wrong if you stick to these suggestions. We take a load of ziplock bags with us because they are essential for so many little things. Also, duct tape – don’t take the whole roll but just a small amount wrapped around a pen or a piece of cardboard. It fixes tears in your luggage, holds together broken sunglasses etc until you can get things properly fixed. A lightweight, foldable shoe organizer or something to hang from the hook on the back of the door is also a good idea.

[ridealot58]

buy the samsonite tote a ton (amazon 20 bucks!!!!)
you husband can get straight from the dry cleaners
4 sport jackets
8-10 dress shirts
8-10 tee shirts - in port
4 - 5 ties
3 belts
all the socks he owns
and amazingly have room left
thats how i pack i pick it up at the cleaners straight into bag and leave in the morning

[Simpsonvic]

If you’re hitting the Caribbean or Bermuda, chances are you’ll get more sun than you’re used to. And while a good sunscreen can keep you from getting burned, aloe vera will give you some relief if you do.So when you’re thinking about what to pack for a cruise, remember to buy the sunscreen and after-sun lotion at home—you could end up paying a markup on many ships.

[AddyVog]

Thumbs up. How many cruise have you been on?SimsonVic