Cruise Packing List

We suggest that you print and use our checkable, FREE Cruise Packing List PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION. It contains a checklist of many of the common must-have items for taking on a cruise vacation, in an easy-to-use printable format...yours for free! It is recommended that you print one cruise packing list for each person traveling, that way it's easier to keep up with each item for each person. Bear in mind that this list is not meant to be all-inclusive. There are also blank rows at the bottom of the list categories, where you can write in extras that you think of.

Below is the exact same list, but for web viewing only:

TRAVEL NECESSITIES

Passports
Photo ID
Cruise Documentation
Cash (Don't forget to bring plenty 1's and 5's for tipping & buying items at ports)
Credit/Debit Cards
Wallets & Purses
Hotel Confirmation Information
Motion Sickness Medicine (if you think you may need it)
Prescription & Other Medicines
Luggage
Airline Tickets
Rental Car Documentation

CLOTHING ITEMS

Outerwear (as needed – even on tropical cruises, it can get cool sometimes)
Comfortable Walking Shoes
Other Shoes As Needed (don't forget Formal Night Shoes!)
Prescription Glasses
Jewelry
Pants/Shorts for daily casual wear (to pack lighter, remember they can be re-worn!)
Tops/Shirts for daily casual wear (again, these can be used more than once!)
Belts
Formal Wear as needed for Formal Dinners
Swimsuits (bring an extra large t-shirt for wearing over swimsuit around ship)
Water Shoes/Sandals (for wearing to/from pool and on water related excursions)
Hats (you may want one to avoid sunburn while at tropical ports)
Undergarments
Workout Clothing

TOILETRIES

Q-Tips or equivalent
Shampoo
Razor
Toothbrush
Soap
Hairbrushes/Combs
Fingernail/Toenail Clips
Makeup
Feminine Items
Toilet Paper “To Go” pack (there are no guarantees in bathrooms at ports!!)
Curling Iron
Straightener
Sunscreen
Solarcaine or equivalent (in case that sunscreen doesn't work!)

ELECTRONICS

Cellphone
Cellphone Charger
Camera & Film/Memory Card
Video Camera & Tapes/DVD's
Batteries
Small Alarm Clock (if desired)
Nintendo GameBoy or equivalent for kids
MP3 players
Laptop Computer (many ships offer wireless internet in your cabin for a fee)

EXTRAS

Fanny Pack (great for hauling personal items around – especially in port)
Buy Fanny Packs at our Cruise Gear Shop
Neck Lanyard (attach your Sea Pass card to this for use on ship – no wallet needed)
Buy Neck Lanyards at our Cruise Gear Shop
Beach Bag (also good for carrying souvenirs back to ship)

Click here for PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION

Remember that the rules can change frequently -- make sure your airline/cruise line, etc. does not have problems with your carrying any of these items on board.

We also recommend that you begin to pack several days before your vacation, to help avoid forgetting items due to last-minute packing. Keep your cruise packing list in a handy place, to check items off as you go. Start by packing items that you know you won't need until your trip, to avoid re-packing, and work from there.

You may also want to consider bringing your own case of water on board, for example in 12- or 16-ounce bottles. If the case comes shrinkwrapped in plastic, you can stick one of your luggage tags right on the plastic and send it through checked luggage! Bear in mind that there is no guarantee the cruise line will let this go through, they may keep the water. But we have had no trouble doing this, and it's a great way to have water handy for excursions, without paying the high cost for a bottle of water onboard the ship.

If you plan on participating in an excursion that requires specialized gear, such as snorkeling, diving or golf excursions, you may want to bring your own gear. Bear in mind that the equipment provided to you by tour operators is only rental-quality, and you don't want to blow a once-in-a lifetime excursion with crummy gear. Just be realistic in what you can carry -- for instance, if you're a scuba diver and want to carry your own equipment, it's not necessary to bring your scuba tank too. Those are in common supply everywhere, and are a logistical nightmare to travel with.

Another item we love having aboard with us is our laptop computer. If you bring yours, we highly recommend you carry it aboard instead of checking it with your other luggage. A laptop bag with a shoulder strap makes this an easy task. Our laptop bag has lots of places to store things, so it's also perfect for carrying passports, money, wallets, purses, jewelry, etc...all the things you'd rather keep near and dear when boarding and leaving the ship. Once onboard, it's easy to purchase a 'block' of internet minutes for your laptop. If your laptop has a wireless (Wi-Fi) card -- and most now do -- you may be surprised to find that many ships now offer Wi-Fi in public areas througout the ship, so there's no need to be chained to a particular area. In fact, we make no guarantees here, but on most occasions we've even been able to hit the wireless connection from our stateroom! Another reason we enjoy having our laptop is the ability to view our digital pictures. It's nice to come in after a full day of play, get comfortable and enjoy the convenience of looking through the day's photos in our stateroom.

Before you leave home, go over your cruise packing list one last time to be certain that everything you need is loaded.

Help us build a better cruise packing list! Submit your suggestions to kim@kimscruisetips.com.

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