I would consider myself an avid cruiser. I enjoy the concept of one “hotel” stay with different destinations every morning. Depending on your travel preference, there are many different cruise line companies to choose from. If you are wondering which company is best for your travels, check out my pro and con lists for the different cruise lines here.

This is everything I would pack:

Clothing

• 2+ swimsuits
• one swimsuit cover up
• one “fancy” dress
• pajamas
• extra t-shirt
• # amount of tops & bottoms (the amount of days, plus one)
• slip on sandals
• comfort walking shoes
• Undergarments (one extra)

Toiletry Bag

• soap bar
• toothbrush and toothpaste
• tweezers
• nail file
• deodorant
• razor
• sunscreen
• aloe vera
• first aid
  • Neosporin
  • Band-Aids
  • Medicine
    • Pain Reliever (Tylenol and/or Ibuprofen)
    • Tums/Heartburn
    • Allergy
  • eye drops
• Tide pen
• Wrinkle spray
• baby powder or body powder
  • This doubles up as dry shampoo and “anti-chafe” powder

Unusual Items

• Sticky notes and pens/ walkie talkies
  • This will help you communicate with the rest of your party whenever separated. Most cruise lines have some type of messaging if you have purchased an internet package, however.
• Compressed sponge and small bottle of dish soap
  • Sometimes you just need to reuse dishes that you have brought back to your room.
• Poncho
  • You never know when it will rain while on the ocean
• Disinfecting supplies
  • I will bring Lysol wipes and travel Lysol spray. The crew do so much between the time guests get off and new guests come on so I like the extra comfort of wiping down my surfaces.
• lanyard and a badge holder
  • You can find a family set at the dollar store. You need to have your cruise card on you at all times.
• Magnetic clips and hooks
  • The dollar store has a set of clips that I use and the hooks, I bought off of Amazon. The walls are magnetic and can be used to hold different objects and papers so you don’t lose them.
• Clothespins or towel clips
  • You could use either to hold down your towel at the pool and both can be bought at the dollar store. I personally use the clothespins because it is something that I already have laying around and there are more in one pack. If you want to hang your swimsuit up, do some laundry, and clip your towels down at the same time.
• Drink mixes
  • I, personally, do not get the drink packages. Common drinks are already included in the complimentary package. These include lemonade, simple coffee, water, juice, and hot chocolate. Bringing these drink mixes will give you an alternative without costing an “arm and a leg”.
• “Bingo” dabber
  • This is a preference as well. The bingo scene on a cruise ship is no joke. You only have to be 18 (don’t quote me) to gamble in international waters. Most cruise lines have a package to include a dabber, however, this will be beneficial if you split up your bingo cards between friends or you just want to get a simple card package.

Everyone is different and some of these items seem completely crazy, however, they have been used frequently by myself and my family members. I would love to know if any of these items have helped you on your cruise.