Cruise Packing List: What to Bring (and What’s Banned)
A practical cruise packing list: the embarkation-day carry-on, dress codes and formal nights, motion-sickness remedies, port-day gear — and the items (like surge protectors) that cruise lines ban.
Quick answer
A cruise packing list needs a few things a normal trip doesn’t: formal/smart-casual outfits for dinners, a lanyard for your key card, motion-sickness remedies, a day bag for port stops, and everything for embarkation day in your carry-on (checked bags can arrive at your cabin hours later). Pack layers — ships are heavily air-conditioned.
Cruises have their own packing quirks, and getting them wrong is annoying in ways a land trip isn’t — you can’t nip to a shop mid-ocean. Here’s a practical, cruise-specific list.
Cruise-specific essentials people forget
- Embarkation-day carry-on: your checked bags are delivered to your cabin later, sometimes hours later. Keep swimwear, medication, documents, and a change of clothes on you.
- A lanyard for your key/room card — you’ll use it constantly.
- Motion-sickness remedies (tablets, bands, or ginger), even if you don’t usually need them.
- A small day bag for port excursions.
- A power strip without surge protection if allowed by your line (cabins have few outlets — but many lines ban surge protectors, so check).
- Cash in small bills for port tips and local markets.
Clothing — including the dress codes
Cruises usually have a mix of casual days and one or two “formal” or “smart” evenings. Pack accordingly:
- Daywear: comfortable, layered — ships are cold with air-con, decks are warm and windy.
- Evening smart-casual for most dinners.
- One or two dressier outfits for formal nights (check your line’s specific dress code).
- Swimwear (two sets, so one can dry), a cover-up, and flip-flops for the pool deck.
- Comfortable walking shoes for port days.
- A light jacket or wrap for breezy evenings on deck.
Documents and health
- Passport plus any visas for your ports; copies stored separately.
- Cruise boarding documents, printed if your line requires.
- Medication in original packaging, plus extra for delays; the ship’s shop won’t stock your prescription.
- Sunscreen (pricey onboard), plus after-sun and any personal first-aid basics.
Handy extras
- A reusable water bottle, magnetic hooks (many cabin walls are metal — great for organising), and a highlighter for the daily programme.
- Sea-sickness aside, an over-the-counter stomach remedy is worth having.
- Downloaded entertainment — onboard Wi-Fi is often slow and expensive.
What to leave home
Surge-protected power strips (commonly banned), an iron (usually prohibited in cabins for fire safety — use the ship’s laundry/press service), and more formalwear than the itinerary actually calls for. Check your specific cruise line’s rules before packing electricals.