Packing for a cruise can be fiendishly tricky. Cruise ship staterooms are often smaller than hotel rooms — and, if you forget to pack certain items, you could struggle to buy them either on the ship or in a foreign country. So, how should you pack?
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Opt for a carry-on bag
This is advised largely because it could take a long time for your stateroom on the cruise ship to be ready for you. Hence, you should make sure you will be capable of accessing any necessitates from your luggage while you are waiting.
Examples of carry-on bags include backpacks and small rolling bags, while examples of those above-mentioned necessitates could include sunscreen, medications, and a bottle of water.
Plan which clothes you will wear
This will save time and space, with cruise expert Jane McDonald having explained in words quoted by the Express that she always “separates the clothes into day and evening wear”.
She added: “That way, you’ll know exactly what you’re packing for each day so you won’t end up taking too much or worse, the wrong things.”
Pack a book, but not more than one
While a cruise would present you with an ideal opportunity to sit back and relax with a good book, you should make sure it is just a book — rather than multiple books — you pack. That’s because you probably won’t have too much trouble finding a library on the cruise ship.
See which items could do double duty on your cruise
For example, despite the above recommendation that you bring a book, it can actually be a good idea to instead pack a Kindle in place of a printed book.
That’s because, naturally, the Kindle would give you quick access to a much wider range of books while taking up probably less room than a single printed book in your bag.
Set to cruise internationally? Have some of each country’s currency on hand
It’s possible to book Cunard cruises that would take you to various territories worldwide. However, you should keep in mind that some countries you visit may insist on you only spending with them in their own currency.
For this reason, you should have some money suitably converted before you start cruising.
Think twice about packing a power strip
U.S. News & World Report warns: “Many cruise lines do not permit power strips as they present a fire hazard, while others allow them as long as they are non-surge-protected.”
It would therefore be advisable for you to omit a power strip from your bag in favor of a USB charging block instead. Still, you might not even need that if the electronic devices you pack each have a charging port.
Be careful what liquor you pack, if any
Though many cruise lines permit guests to bring a limited amount of wine or Champagne on board, this is not possible with hard liquor.
Your chosen cruise ship could, however, have a wide range of bars where people of age would be able to purchase cocktails.
