The Taste Trekker

Firstly, it is important to know how bringing luggage on board a cruise ship works. You’ll have the following:

• Carry-on Luggage: You keep this with you whilst boarding
• Checked Luggage: These get taken at the port and arrives at your cabin later in the day

Anything you reckon you may require in the first few hours of being on the ship, we would recommend putting it into your carry-on luggage. It is also good to know that the amount of luggage you bring is usually as much as you can carry/wheel. For example, for the 2 of us for a 1 week cruise, we would take 2 checked suitcases, a backpack each carrying essentials, and a bag for our shoes. Whereas on a 2-week cruise, we will have 2 suitcases, backpacks and up to 3 bags carrying shoes, food & drink, etc.

Carry On Essentials:

As you won’t see your suitcase for a few hours, it is important to pack the crucial things you may need into your carry-on luggage.

• Passport
• Boarding Pass & Relevant Documents
• Copy of Travel Insurance
• Any Prescription Meds You Need
• Phone + Charger (or Powerbank)
• Refillable Water Bottle
• Swimwear If You Plan On Swimming
• Deodorant and Essential Toiletries
• Reading Materials (Books/Kindle, etc.)
• Spending Money (If You Are Taking Cash, Such as Euros)

Checked Luggage Essentials:

Pack these in your main checked luggage:

• Underwear (I take 1 per day, plus 1 extra every 3 days)
• Socks (Same as above)
• Pajamas
• T-Shirts
• Trousers
• Shorts
• Evening Wear (Polo shirts and trousers/dresses)
• Formal Wear for Black Tie Nights (suits/dresses)
• Comfortable Shoes
• Flip Flops/Sandals
• Swimwear
• Toiletries (Full List Down Below)
• Entertainment, Games, Books, etc
• Jewellery, Watches, Belts, etc
• First Aid Kit/Medicine (Full List Down Below)
• Pac-A-Mac
• Hats/Gloves/Scarves Depending on Season

Toiletries

Most ships include the basics in the cabin, such as hair shampoo and body lotion, but personally, we prefer to take our own. Here is an example list of what to bring:

• Toothbrush & Toothpaste
• Shampoo & Conditioner
• Body Wash
• Razor/Shaving
• Hairbrush
• Deodorant/Perfume/Aftershave
• Suncream
• Moisterisers
• Makeup

Medicines

Now this is one that we ALWAYS pack for, but some people don’t. If you require medication to help with diarrhoea, or something else, some cruises will charge to see you, and most will charge you for the relevant medication, so we always make sure we have medicine to cover most cases.

• Paracetemol
• Ibuprofen
• Allergen Medicines
• Imodium Tablets (For Diarrhoea)
• Cold & Flu Tablets
• Cough Medicine/Sweets
• Laxatives (For Constipation)
• Any Prescription Meds
• Sudocrem
• Seasickness Tablets (or Bands)
• Bandages/Plasters/Blister Plasters

Extras:

Here are some additional things you may want to bring

• Bingo Dabber – If you plan on playing Bingo on board, bring some of these!
• Magnetic Hooks – The cabin walls are made from metal, use these to hang up coats, headphones, scarves etc
• Highlighter – If you want to highlight activities in the day’s daily magazine
• Towel Clips – If you plan on using the pool loungers, hold your beach towel in place
• Alcohol – Some cruise ships allow you an allowance to bring on board the ship, check this before boarding!
• Food & Soft Drink – Perishable food cannot be bought on, but snacks like chocolate, crisps & biscuits are fine. You can also carry on an unlimited amount of soft drinks (as long as you can carry it!)

Have I missed something? Is there something that you ALWAYS bring on a cruise with you? Let me know in the comments down below, or on any Facebook posts that you see this link advertised, and we’ll make sure to add your stuff to this list to make it the best Cruise Packing List!