Cruise Packing List
This cruise packing list is written around how a cruise actually runs: you hand your bags to a porter at the terminal, you may not see them again until the evening, your cabin has one or two outlets, and every port day has a hard "all aboard" time. Pack for that and the rest is ordinary travel. We run a cruise port schedule site, so the port-specific advice below comes from the ports we cover, from Alaska to the Caribbean.
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Documents and money
- Passport, or for closed-loop US sailings a birth certificate plus photo ID. A passport is safer if you ever need to fly home from a foreign port.
- Boarding pass and check-in confirmation from the line's app, plus a printed copy in case your phone dies at the terminal.
- Credit card linked to your onboard account, and small bills for tips and taxis ashore.
- Travel insurance details and your doctor's prescriptions, kept with your medications.
Embarkation day carry-on
Checked bags can take until 6 or 7 pm to reach your cabin. Anything you need before then goes in your carry-on: documents, all medications, a swimsuit, sunscreen, phone charger, and a change of clothes for dinner. Put your printed luggage tags on the checked bags before you reach the terminal; a clear tag holder with a steel loop keeps them from tearing off on the porter carts.
Cabin essentials
A standard cabin has a desk, a small closet and one or two outlets. Three small items make the biggest difference:
- Non-surge power strip, 3 AC + 2 USB. Cabins have one or two outlets, and lines confiscate surge protectors. This one has no surge circuit. Do not bring a strip that says "surge protector" anywhere on it; security will take it.
- Magnetic hooks (20 pack). Cabin walls are steel. Hooks hold lanyards, hats and wet swimwear with no tape or nails.
- Waterproof lanyard with card holder. Your cabin card is your room key, ID and wallet on board. A lanyard keeps it out of pool bags.
Also useful: a night light (cabins are completely dark), a reusable water bottle, and a few zip bags for wet swimwear on the last day.
Clothes
Plan one daytime outfit per day, two or three dinner outfits you can repeat, and one dressier outfit for the formal or "evening chic" nights most lines still hold once or twice a week. Pack a light sweater even for the Caribbean, since dining rooms and theaters run cold. Comfortable walking shoes matter more than you expect: many ports are a 10 to 20 minute walk from the pier to town.
What to pack for your ports
Caribbean, Bahamas, Mexico and Hawaii
- Blue Lizard mineral sunscreen SPF 50. Zinc-based with no oxybenzone or octinoxate, which some Caribbean and Hawaii beaches ban.
- SEEKWAY quick-dry water shoes. Coral, sea urchins and hot sand. They also dry by dinner and pack flat.
- Earth Pak roll-top dry bag. Keeps the towel, phone and passport copy dry on catamaran and kayak excursions.
- Lamicall waterproof phone pouch. For tender boats, beach days and snorkel stops. Test it with a tissue in the sink before you sail.
Check the port's schedule before you plan a beach day. On busy days four or five ships can be in at once and the closest beaches fill fast. Our port schedules show how many ships are due each day.
Alaska and the Pacific Northwest
- Columbia Arcadia II rain jacket (women's). Southeast Alaska is wet even in July. It packs into its own pocket.
- Columbia Watertight II rain jacket (men's). Southeast Alaska is wet even in July. It packs into its own pocket.
- Nikon Aculon A30 10x25 binoculars. Glaciers, whales and eagles are often a mile off the rail. Small enough for a coat pocket.
Pack layers rather than one heavy coat: a fleece, a warm hat and gloves for glacier viewing from the deck, and shoes that cope with wet boardwalks in Ketchikan and Juneau.
Bermuda, New England and Canada
These are walking ports. A packable daypack folds into your suitcase and carries water, a layer and souvenirs ashore. Fall sailings to Canada can be cold on deck, so bring a jacket.
Health
Bring every prescription in its original packaging, plus a few days extra in case of delays. Pack basic cold and stomach medicine; the ship's shop sells them at a markup. If you worry about motion, Sea-Band wristbands are drug-free; talk to your doctor about patches or tablets if you know you get seasick.
What not to pack
- Surge protectors and extension cords with surge protection
- Clothes irons and steamers (use the ship's laundry service or a wrinkle-release spray)
- Candles, incense and anything with an open flame
- Drones, on most lines; check your line's policy before bringing one
- More alcohol than your line allows; it gets held until the end of the cruise
Frequently asked questions
Can I bring a power strip on a cruise?
Yes, as long as it has no surge protector. Royal Caribbean, Carnival, NCL, Princess and Celebrity all list surge-protected strips as prohibited because of fire risk on ships. A non-surge strip or a USB charging hub is allowed.
What should I pack in my carry-on for embarkation day?
Passport or birth certificate and ID, boarding documents, medications, a swimsuit, sunscreen and a change of clothes. Checked bags can reach your cabin as late as 6 or 7 pm, and the pool is open from the afternoon.
Do I need a passport for a cruise?
On a closed-loop cruise that starts and ends at the same US port, US citizens can usually travel with a birth certificate plus government photo ID. A passport is still the safer choice: if you miss the ship or need to fly home from a foreign port, you need one.
What is not allowed on a cruise ship?
Surge protectors, clothes irons and steamers, candles, hot plates, drones (on most lines), weapons including many knives, and alcohol beyond the line's allowance. Each line publishes its own list; check it before you pack.
How many outfits do I need for a 7-night cruise?
Plan one daytime outfit per sea and port day, two or three dinner outfits you can repeat, and one formal or "evening chic" outfit for the dressy nights. Many ships have self-service laundry or a fixed-price laundry bag, so you can pack less.
Are magnetic hooks allowed on cruise ships?
Yes. Cabin walls and ceilings are steel, so magnetic hooks are one of the most common cruise packing tips. Avoid placing magnets on the cabin safe, TV, or anything electronic.
What should I pack for an Alaska cruise?
Layers rather than one heavy coat: a waterproof shell, a fleece or light down layer, a warm hat, and waterproof shoes. Juneau and Ketchikan get rain on most summer days. Binoculars matter more in Alaska than anywhere else, since glaciers and wildlife are often far from the ship.
What sunscreen should I bring to the Caribbean or Hawaii?
A mineral sunscreen based on zinc oxide. Hawaii and the US Virgin Islands ban sunscreens with oxybenzone and octinoxate, and several snorkel tours ask for reef-safe sunscreen only.
Do I need sea sickness medicine on a cruise?
Most people feel little movement on large modern ships, but open-ocean days and tender boats can be rough. Pack acupressure bands or ask your doctor about medicine or patches before you go; the ship sells some, at a markup.
Should I bring a lanyard for my cruise card?
It is optional but useful. The card opens your cabin, pays for everything on board and gets you off and on the ship in port. A lanyard or card holder stops it getting lost in a pool bag.
How do cruise luggage tags work?
Your line emails printable luggage tags with your deck and cabin number. Porters take your bags at the terminal and deliver them to your cabin later that day. A clear holder with a strong loop stops paper tags tearing off.
Can I bring my own wine or water on a cruise?
Most lines allow one or two bottles of wine per adult at embarkation, sometimes with a corkage fee if you drink it in a restaurant. Policies on bottled water and soft drinks differ by line; Carnival allows a small amount of canned soft drinks, others allow none.
What should I bring for shore days?
A small bag, your cruise card, photo ID, some cash in small bills, water, sunscreen and your phone in a waterproof pouch if you will be near water. Note the "all aboard" time, which is usually 30 to 60 minutes before departure.