When packing for a cruise, consider the ports of call and activities, and don’t forget personal items like pajamas and bathing suits. Bring useful items like a picnic kit, reading light, and power bar. Remember gadgets, necessities like passports and medications, and emergency phone numbers. Use a checklist and pack lightly.
Traveling on a cruise can be a fun and exciting experience, but it’s different from many other types of travel. The nature of being at sea for extended periods of time can mean you don’t necessarily always have access to a shop if you need to pick up something you’ve forgotten. Much of what you decide to take on a cruise will be determined by where you’re going, but in almost all cases, some items are commonly forgotten and others overlooked.
Start with personal items. Things that are often missing from your suitcase include nighttime items like pajamas, bathrobes, and slippers. Depending on the season, you may need a jacket or sweater or even gloves. Don’t forget your bathing suits, hats and a belt. If you love your hair dryer, you’d better bring one; the one on the ship probably won’t be as powerful.
When choosing clothes for cruise travel, take a few moments to consider the ports of call you will be visiting and imagine the activities. If it’s going to be buggy in one of these ports, don’t forget to add DEET with your toiletries. Also pack a small med kit of adhesive bandages, antacids, and aspirin. You can bring them on board, but if you need them, you’ll appreciate having them on hand.
Bring some useful items with you. A plastic picnic kit is a very useful thing to pack, not only for a real picnic, but also for a snack in the cabin. A little reading light is nice at night, and cabins tend to be dark during the day, so a bright digital alarm clock will let you know quickly if you’ve overslept. To plug them in, you might want to bring a power bar and extension cord; there can be only one socket in the cabin and one in the bathroom.
A highlighter will allow you to highlight items on your daily events calendar that you don’t want to miss, and the tape will ensure that it stays on the door where it can’t be buried by clothes and towels. A spray bottle will keep you cool, along with sunscreen, and a backpack is great for throwing things on the go. You may also wish to bring an extra duffel bag for purchased items.
Your favorite thermo mug is as good for cocktails as it is for coffee, and a small percolator with your brand of coffee will not only be convenient, it will probably taste better than the ship’s drink. Sodas and alcohol are expensive on cruise travel, so if both are important to you, consider bringing some. Check in advance with your cruise line to find out their policies on carrying liquids, especially alcohol, on board.
While sipping your drink on the deck, you’ll need some binoculars for dolphin watching. They will also allow you to people watch at the other end of the vessel. If you are catching a flight to the departure pier, please bring a carry-on bag with a change of clothes in case your bags arrive at the boat late.
Don’t forget your gadgets: cruises are made for cameras. Disposable underwater cameras are available ashore for a fraction of the price they are sold for aboard ship. While you get ready, you can grab an inexpensive solar-powered pocket calculator, handy for calculating exchange rates as you pick up souvenirs.
If you want your PDA, laptop or MP3 player, don’t forget the extra batteries and headphones. Remove all pictures from your digital camera so that flash memory is free, and bring any extra memory cards and your charger with you. Your cell phone and its charger also have to make the trip.
Remember to pack your necessities. If you travel outside the country, don’t forget your passport, ID, reservation and tickets. Maps and a phrase book can also be invaluable. Traveler’s checks are much safer than cash, but small bills are fine for tipping.
If you have a food or drug allergy, make sure someone with you knows about it, although wearing a medical necklace or bracelet is safer. Don’t forget any vitamins, medications, or other oral regimens, and make sure you have enough to last you on your trip. Carry something in your wallet that lists the medications you’re on, if any, and refill prescriptions early.
Bring emergency phone numbers that may not be in your cell phone address book, especially that of your doctor. Eyeglasses, contact lenses and spare parts, solutions and sunglasses are other often forgotten items. An emergency flashlight is also a good idea. Should the electricity go out for any reason, you will still be able to make your way around the ship.
Working from a categorized checklist is the best way to ensure nothing important is left behind. If you start your list early, even weeks ahead of time, you can add to it as you think things through. This will make it much easier to pack when the time comes and you can start your journey stress-free.
The one thing people always claim to pack when traveling on a cruise is clothes. Think about what you will wear and pack lightly. You will still need to remove some of them to make room for the coffee pot.
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