How to Pack for a Cruise

Packing for a cruise is not quite like packing for a hotel stay. You unpack once, which is a pleasure, but you also need clothes for sunny decks, windy evenings, shore excursions and perhaps a dressier dinner, all in a cabin with limited storage. A little planning means you board relaxed rather than discovering on day two that your swimsuit is still at home.

Start with your cruise line's rules

Every cruise line publishes guidance on dress codes, luggage and items that are not allowed on board. Read it before you buy anything. Commonly restricted items include clothes irons, some types of extension leads and surge protectors, candles and anything with an open flame. Rules on drinks brought from home vary widely. Checking the official list takes a few minutes and saves an awkward conversation at security.

Documents and money

Put these in one folder that stays with you, never in checked luggage:

• Passports or the identification your itinerary requires, with plenty of validity left.
• Any visas needed for the ports you will visit.
• Boarding documents, luggage tags and your check-in time.
• Travel insurance details and an emergency contact list.
• A payment card and a small amount of local currency for ports.

Take photos of key documents and store them somewhere you can reach from your phone.

Pack an embarkation-day bag

On many ships, your main suitcase is collected at the terminal and delivered to your cabin later in the day. Pack a small carry-on with everything you need until it arrives:

• Documents folder and phone charger.
• Any medication you take, in its original packaging.
• Swimwear, sunscreen and sunglasses if you want to use the pool straight away.
• A change of top and a light layer for the evening.
• Toiletries you would not want to be without for a few hours.

Clothes: think in situations, not days

Instead of planning an outfit for every day, plan for the kinds of situations you will be in. Most cruise wardrobes cover four or five.

Stick to a small colour palette so that every top works with every bottom. Many ships have self-service launderettes or a laundry service, so you do not need a fresh outfit for every single day.

Health and comfort

Bring enough of any prescription medication for the whole trip plus a few extra days, in your hand luggage. If you are prone to motion sickness, talk to a pharmacist or your doctor before you travel about options that suit you. A small kit with plasters, pain relief you already use, after-sun lotion and hand sanitiser covers most minor complaints. A refillable water bottle is useful both on board and ashore.

Small things that make a cabin work

• Magnetic hooks: many cabin walls are metal, and hooks give you extra hanging space. Check that your line permits them.
• A hanging toiletry bag: cabin bathrooms usually have little shelf space.
• A lanyard for your cabin card, so it does not get lost in pockets.
• A power bank for long shore days.
• A dry bag for beach days and boat transfers.
• Earplugs and an eye mask if you are a light sleeper.

Travelling as a family or group

Give each person their own small bag with swimwear and a change of clothes for the first day. Pack a few quiet games or books for children for sea days and long transfers. If you are cruising with a big group of relatives, agree on a meeting point on board and a shared message thread, much like you would for a family reunion. For a sense of how group outings work in a popular Mediterranean port, see our piece on family travel and group activities in Taormina.

A last check before you close the case

1. Documents folder in your hand luggage.
2. Medication in your hand luggage.
3. Luggage tags filled in and attached.
4. Embarkation bag packed.
5. Restricted items left at home.
6. Room in the suitcase for anything you bring back.

Leave a little space in your case. You will almost certainly come home with more than you took.