What to Pack When You Go On a Cruise

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My family recently went on a Liberty of the Seas cruise and we loved it. We had such an amazing time that we went ahead and planned our next cruise. Since this was our first cruise before we packed, we did a lot of research. We knew that we needed to bring main essentials such as swimsuits, shorts, shirts and regular toiletries but it wasn’t until we actually experienced the cruise that we realized exactly what we needed to bring. I have come up with a helpful list of what to pack when you go on a cruise.

On this cruise, our party consisted of 3 little girls, my husband and myself. In addition, our cruise was for 7 days in the month of March. We kept it simple and did not go on any excursions, but instead went shopping at the ports and hung out at the pool. I have broken down the list by different categories and I have also linked certain items to Amazon to make it easier for you to shop for these much-needed items.

POOL TIME:

• 3 swimsuits/trunks – My husband prefers the Hybrid Swim Shorts since they dry fast and are stylish.
• Aerosol Sunblock– I brought the lotion sunblock and regretted every minute of it. Since most of your time will be outside, I suggest you bring 2-3 bottles to be safe.
• Aloe Vera
• Books- Even though the cruise ship has a great library, bring a book. My 2 favorites are The Shack and anything by Chevy Stevens.
• Baseball Cap
• Pool Bag
• Journal & Pen
• Sandals, flip flops, pool shoes
• Stainless Steel Cup– this is perfect to fill water up with. You can fill your cups at the pool bar
• Sunglasses
• Lip Moisturizer
• Beach towel chair clips
• Swimsuit cover up

EXCURSIONS/WHILE AT PORT:

• Backpack with compartments
• Ziplock bags–  These are a must so that you can pack snacks in such as cookies from the Windjammer or room service. 
• Umbrella or ponchos
• Bug Spray 
• Walking shoes– Of course, this will be based on what you end up doing. We hung out and simply shopped at the ports, but I still wore my tennis shoes.

CLOTHES:

• Shorts, pants- If you are going for 7 days, pack at least 4 or 5 pairs.
• Shirts- If you are going for 7 days, pack at least 4 or 5 shirts.
• Tank Tops- Since these are thin, I would pack at least 5.
• Formal Wear- The number of formal wear outfits is determined on how many formal days there are on the ship. If there are 4 formal days, I would pack 2-3 formal outfits.
• Sandals, dress shoes
• Socks- at least enough for everyday
• Undies- always pack extra
• Spanx 
• Light jacket- It tends to get cool at night around the ship.

TOILETRIES:

• Shampoo & Conditioner– We were on Floor 3 and shampoo is provided but the conditioner was not. Since we were in the pool every day, we were washing our hair at least once a day, so I am thankful that we brought both. At the end of our trip, I threw the remaining shampoo away. We used ALL of the hair conditioner.
• Grocery bags- There is not a trash can in the bathroom, instead there is a small trash holder under the sink. The grocery bags are perfect to line the trash holder.
• Lotion
• Standard hair products such as hairspray, mousse, ponytails, etc..
• Woolite– This is perfect to wash your swimsuits or undies if necessary.
• Disposable Razor– I prefer to pack a disposable razor so I can throw it away after the trip and not have to pack it to take back home.
• Disposable Toothbrushes and Travel Size Toothpaste– Once again, I like to toss my toothbrush after the trip is over and not bring it back home.
• Medicine Cabinet- When I say ‘Medicine Cabinet’, I am not exaggerating. Pack a separate medicine bag that will fit medicines that will treat any type of ailment. From diarrhea medicine to allergy medicine to prescription medicine that you may not have used all of to cough medicine to anything and everything. The cruise doctor is pricey and over the counter medicine is even more ridiculous in cost.
• Makeup
• Sanitary Napkins- Ladies, you never know what can happen so be ready. You don’t want to pay an arm and a leg for sanitary napkins while on the ship.
• Deodorant

MISC:

• Jewelry
• Sea-Band– These are great.
• Lanyard– They sell lanyards on the boat, but they are pricey. Don’t forget you can have Customer Service on Deck 5 punch a hole in your lanyard, so you can attach it to your lanyard.
• Gum/ Mints
• Camera
• Camera Charger
• Phone Charger— When I am on the cruise I always have my phone with me. I take a lot of pictures so I always want to make sure that my phone and my families phone is charged. This portable charger is a must-have.
• Door Decorations– It is so fun to decorate your outside door. In addition, when you decorate your door, it makes it a lot easier to find your room after a very long day. I love these magnet decorations.
• Durable Suitcase on Wheels– After the cruise is over if you decide to carry your own luggage, a suitcase with wheels makes it easier to move around while in line and walking the exit plank.

When you pack for a cruise, your goal is to pack light since you may not have a  lot of storage in your room. If you pack smart, then you can bring more items, but make sure to leave room in your suitcase for any souvenirs that you may bring home. In addition, when you pack, make sure you pack as if you will be stuck on an island for the next 7 days. You won’t be able to run to the local grocer to pick up something that you may have forgotten but instead, you will have to pay high dollar for items that would normally cost a much lower price.

If you have been on a cruise and see that I left something off of the list, please feel free to add anything that I missed in the Comments section. Also, take a look at these other cruise related posts that you will hopefully find helpful: What to Teach Your Kids Before Going on a Cruise and What You Need to Know Before Boarding the Liberty of the Seas.

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