Cruise Packing Tips

Packing tips for cruise vacations.

Cruise Packing Tips - Check out our great cruise tips and packing ideas for your cruise vacation. How to have everything you need and still be able to sleep in your cabin.

Packing for a cruise and tips for cruising enjoyment.

cruise ship

Tips for cruises - no matter where in the world you're going.

On a cruise vacation you can experience a variety of climates and weather conditions. Whether your cruise is to Alaska or the steamy Caribbean Islands you'll pack very similar things. It's just the quantities that'll change.

Before we go any further, Congratulations!... our traveling lifestyle began with a cruise in 1989. We loved so many things about it that we've never stopped traveling. What we liked the best about a cruise was the different places we were able to visit during one vacation. We saw just enough of each place to decide if we wanted to go back there in the future. We've revisited many of our cruise destinations in our travels.

We follow two rules when packing for any Vacation and they are:

~ Travel Light ~

~ Comfortable Attire Only ~

Reminder

Most cruise ships have a small store on-board that carries essential drug store items. Making use of laundry and dry cleaning services means you can travel light and still have everything you need.

Packing in three complimentary colors makes it easy to mix and match a few pieces into dozens of outfits. Try - black/cream/red or blue/green/copper, or maybe, taupe/green/black or how about pink/white/burgundy I know, khaki/copper/black... or whatever floats your boat. Sometimes you can find a good color combination by choosing a patterned piece you adore and selecting three colors from it. That way you're sure that everything goes with your favourite item.

While you're going over our cruise packing tips wear those new shoes that you plan to take on vacation.

Cruise Packing Tips and Checklists

Check your travel itinerary for formal nights or other events (masquerade ball, theme night, etc.) so that you can add special items to your list.
Coordinate your outfits so that each item can be worn with at least 2 other pieces of clothing.

cruise ship

Use easy care fabrics that will be comfortable while you explore your destinations. Cotton, rayon, hemp and bamboo are most comfortable in the tropics and for temperate climates, layers of clothing with soft fabrics next to your skin under polar fleece, wool and wind resistant layers depending on conditions. Layers are great for all day excursions, just add or remove them as the weather changes throughout the day.
Pack fewer items and take advantage of the ship's laundry and dry cleaning service.
In order to be able to pack appropriate cruise attire for all aspects of your vacation, book tours and special events in advance.
Sometimes an overnight stay is necessary when you're traveling to the ship. In a giant zip lock bag, pack each outfit you'll need while you're traveling, include undergarments and accessories. Another bag can carry a toothbrush, night clothes and all toiletries and medications you'll need while traveling.
These bags go on the very top of your luggage, they'll be the last things you pack.
When you're ready for a change of clothes everything you need should be handy and no tearing through your carefully packed luggage will be required.
Soft luggage (duffels) can be unpacked, rolled up and stowed out of the way in the sometimes tiny cabins aboard ship.
While many cruises host a captain's dinner or other event at which formal cruise attire is required, a suit will work just as well as a tux. If he has a tux and is comfortable wearing it, include it on his cruise packing list along with all the accoutrements.
For the girls, pack one formal outfit with all the accessories ~ jewelry, belt, handbag, shoes, stockings, hair accessories.
Comfortable walking shoes are a must if you intend to do any exploring.