Cruise travel is a culture for many, but when you aren’t a seasoned cruiser, you may just want to know what to pack on your cruise. After a bit of research, asking pro-cruiser friends, and taking my first cruise, these are the things I am so glad I did pack, or wish I had remembered to add to my cruise packing list.
Clorox wipes
Nora virus is no joke. No matter how clean the crew claims the ship is, packing a small pack of Clorox or antibacterial wipes is not a bad idea. As soon as you enter your room, wipe down the TV remote, door handles, bathroom surfaces, and anything else that may carry germs. And always, always wash your hands and use the antibacterial soap offered on the ship.
Small plug-in air fresheneR
Cruise cabins can get stuffy and start to smell, especially if you are headed to a tropical climate. Buy a small, plugin air freshener with a simple scent when you are packing for a cruise. Even if you have a balcony and leave the door open, your air freshener can make a huge difference to your cruise experience.
Air freshener for bathroom
Cruise ship bathrooms are small. This is an understatement. I don’t care what size your room is you will want to buy a small bottle of air freshener to pack for a cruise. The last thing you want is bathroom smells to leak into your room, or for your family and friends to have to hold their breath when they use the restroom after you. It’s not fun to talk about, but trust me. Pack an air freshener spray for your cruise.
Power Strip
Cruise ships are not outlet friendly. Pack a power strip to use in one outlet, which will leave one more outlet for the plug in air freshener you added to your cruise packing list.
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Snacks
Not all cruise food is created equal. Your cruise packing list should include a few healthy snacks, as well as a bit of junk food, like M&Ms and a soda or two if you have a sweet tooth. Some people even pack an extra suitcase full of soda, water, and snacks so they don’t have to spend the extra money on the boat snacks that aren’t included in the cruise dining plan.
Water bottle
Water is essential on a cruise ship. Make sure you put your favorite water bottle on your cruise packing list, as well as picking up a few bottles of water at a shop near port before you board. The water on board doesn’t always taste great, so ask your waiters for lemons, or grab a few from the buffet dining hall. Hydroflask is my favorite water bottle to pack, mainly because it keeps cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot. When you are traveling to warm destinations, cold drinks can be a lifesaver.
Tide Pen and Tide Pods
Some cruise ships have a small laundry room where you can do your own laundry. Tide Pods and dryer sheets are small and easy to pack. Wash your swimsuit every few days, and those sweaty clothes that are stinking up your room. If your cruise ship doesn’t have a laundry room, and you don’t want to pay for the ship laundry service, make sure you add a Tide Pen to your cruise packing list to prevent any accidental stains from setting in before you get home.
We had juice and Gatorade confiscated upon boarding our last cruise. We were traveling with a teen with diabetes and needed those for him. I had to fight to get it back. Some cruise lines have limits to how much liquid per passenger you can bring in. They x-ray all bags. Be careful about checking this before packing water, soda or juice.
Oh wow! Definitely good to know and I’m so sorry you had to fight to get back something your son needed!!!
Great useful tips to travel in cruise. As I always carry natural antibacterial wipes in my travel bag, here I got new tips to upgrade my bag with these useful things. Thanks for sharing.