Pack Smarter, Not Harder: The Ultimate Cruise Packing Guide

Packing for a cruise vacation is a little different than packing for a regular trip. Unlike a road trip or a hotel stay, you’ll be out at sea for days at a time, and you won’t always have access to a store for last-minute items. That means being prepared and packing efficiently can make a big difference in how stress-free and enjoyable your cruise experience will be. To help you get started, here is a comprehensive cruise packing list.

Whether you’re sailing with Disney Cruise Line, Virgin Voyages, Royal Caribbean, or Norwegian, these cruise packing tips will help you pack like a pro. From essential items to smart space-saving hacks, we’ve got everything covered so you can relax, unwind, and fully enjoy your time at sea. Remember to refer back to this cruise packing list to ensure you have all the essentials.

Must-Have Cruise Packing Essentials

🛂 Travel Documents & IDs: First things first—you can’t board without them! Bring your passport, cruise documents, government-issued ID, any required visas, and health information (like vaccination cards). We recommend making digital and paper copies and storing them in separate bags for backup.

🎒 Carry-On Bag with Essentials: When you board the ship, your checked luggage may take several hours to be delivered to your stateroom. Pack a carry-on with everything you need for the first few hours, including swimsuits, sunscreen, medications, chargers, and anything valuable. Some cruise lines do allow adults to bring on alcoholic beverages and those need to be in your carry on also.

🧦👟 Comfortable Shoes: Cruises involve a lot of walking. Bring flip-flops or slides for the pool, sneakers for shore excursions, and a pair of dress shoes or sandals for formal dinners or specialty dining. Don’t forget the socks! If your cruise line has options for ice skating or rock climbing, you will need socks.

💼 Cruise Lanyard with Card Holder: Your keycard onboard is your room key or cruise card. A lanyard makes it easy to carry and access this without fumbling through your bag.

Cruise Packing Hacks to Save Space (and Stress)

🧲 Magnetic Hooks: Did you know cruise staterooms have metal walls? Bring a few strong magnetic hooks to hang swimsuits, hats, bags, and accessories. It’s a space-saver and helps keep things organized.

💧 Drink Carrier: Whether you are on Disney Cruise where drinks are included or on a cruise line with a drink package, you need a way to carry the drinks around. This carrier has received the most comments when we are sailing. We recommend it to everyone. People have tried to buy it from us on the cruise. (We do receive a small commission if you purchase it from the link.)

🛏️ Packing Cubes: Keep your clothing organized by day or activity with packing cubes. It also makes it easier to unpack and repack during your trip.

👗Wrinkle Release Spray: Since irons and steamers are not allowed, a small bottle of wrinkle release spray is perfect to keep your clothes looking fresh.

What NOT to Pack on a Cruise

🚫 Over-the-Door Organizers: Although once a favorite cruise hack, these are now banned by many cruise lines because they can damage cabin doors.

🚫 Surge-Protected Power Strips: Cruise lines prohibit surge protectors due to fire hazards. Stick to non-surge protected versions labeled as cruise-approved.

🚫 Irons or Steamers: These items are not permitted on board for safety reasons. If you need your formal clothes touched up, some ships offer pressing services for a small fee.

🚫 Drones: Many cruise lines have banned drones both onboard and during excursions.

Final Tip: Pack Light & Leave Room for Souvenirs!

Cruise cabins offer limited storage space, so don’t overpack. Plan your outfits by day or activity and resist the urge to bring “just in case” items. You’ll also want room for souvenirs like ship-exclusive merchandise, local artisan goods from ports, and photo keepsakes.

We have been known to cruise for 5 nights with just book bags. 🙂

Get ready to sail with confidence, knowing you’ve packed everything you need (and nothing you don’t) for the vacation of a lifetime!