Packing for a cruise may seem daunting. From casual to dressy outfits, you’ll need diverse attire for an array of activities. But don’t go overboard. Staterooms are small with limited storage for a family. Believe it or not, you can bring everything you’ll need for a warm or chilly cruise in a carry-on bag plus a backpack for daily essentials and shore excursions. Follow this family cruise packing list to travel light and have everything you need on a cruise vacation.
Everything You Need: Family Cruise Packing List
1. How to Pack Efficiently
2. Ultra-Light Packing Cubes and Carry-on Luggage
3. Personal Items to Pack
4. Things to Bring in a Backpack or Shoulder Bag
5. How to Pack a Carry-On Bag for Tropical Cruises
6. Cruise Packing List for Alaska
7. Toiletries (in travel size bottles)
8. Basic Electronics
9. Essentials for Daily Ship Activities and Sea Days
10. Things You’ll Need for Port Days
11. Formal Night Attire
12. Cruise Packing List: Miscellaneous Handy Items
Printable Packing List
Whether packing for the balmy Caribbean or brisk Alaska, it’s possible to fit everything in carry-on luggage. With 20-plus years of sailing, my family of five has fine-tuned our cruise packing list. Each person brings one carry-on and one backpack or shoulder bag for personal items. I pack a small cross-body purse to use in ports.
For the flight to the cruise ship, we wear sneakers and a light jacket. This way, we don’t have to pack bulky items. This has worked for us on short and longer cruises with Carnival, Princess, Royal Caribbean, and Disney cruise lines.
The key to packing efficiently for a cruise ship is to plan in advance what you’ll wear and need for activities onboard and in ports. Nothing extra. Try it, it’s liberating! Besides, onboard shops sell an array of products in case you forget or need something. Not only that, most cruise ships sell popular items like hats and t-shirts for port days. Ditto for costume jewelry and evening purses for formal nights.
Plus, you can shop good deals in ports. I bought a hat in Mexico and a cool beach bag in Aruba that I still use years later. So if there is anything you do forget, you can always buy it later.
1. How to Pack Efficiently
We pack clothes and toiletries in our carry-on luggage. On most cruise lines, each adult can bring one bottle of wine onboard. (Bring a corkscrew that doesn’t have a small knife.) We pack a bottle or two of wine (purchased in the departure port city) in our carry-on luggage, which goes through security at the cruise terminal. Meanwhile, we walk onto the ship with our backpacks. These contain our bathing suits, electronics, sunglasses, and anything we need before the luggage is delivered to our cabin. This way we can enjoy the lunch buffet and welcome aboard activities right away. (One thing we never travel with is expensive jewelry.)
For many reasons, cruising is the easiest way to travel with kids. The hardest part is choosing the best cruise for your family. A family cruise planning guide can help you narrow down your options.
A cruise packing list helps you assemble the right gear for sailing from a Greek island hopping cruise to adventures in Alaska.
2. Ultra-Light Packing Cubes and Carry-on Luggage
At the top of my cruise packing list is ultra-light mesh packing cubes from Amazon.com.
We roll our clothes in the cubes, which keep everything organized. Shirts go in one cube, pants in another. Lingerie and other items in the smaller cubes.
3. Personal Items to Bring
- Passport
- Driver license
- Credit/debit cards and cash
- Health Insurance Cards
- Sunglasses
4. Things to Bring in a Backpack or Shoulder Bag
- Cell phone
- iPad and/or laptop
- Camera
- Waterproof camera
- Waterproof case for cell phone
- Medicine
- Kleenex
- Hand sanitizer
- Dramamine for motion sickness
5. How to Pack a Carry-On Bag for Tropical Cruises
- Bathing suits (two)
- Swim cover-up (one)
- Sundresses and/skirts
- Shorts
- Capri pants
- Long pants
- Tank tops
- T-shirts
- Slip-resistant flip-flops
- Dressy shoes (one pair)
- Sandals (one or two pairs)
6. Cruise Packing List for Alaska
- Cruises take place in summer months, so it’s not as cold as you may think.
- Long pants
- Capri pants
- Shorts (optional)
- Bathing suits (optional)
- Swim cover-up (optional)
- T-shirts
- Sweatshirt
- Windbreaker (one)
- Warm but not heavy jacket (one)
- Sneakers
- Dressy shoes (one pair)
7. Toiletries (in travel size bottles)
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Dry shampoo
- Hair products
- Shower cap
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Make-up (just the essentials)
- Sunscreen
- Aloe Vera lotion
- Moisturizer
- Razors
8. Basic Electronics
- Cell phone (and waterproof case)
- Camera (water camera for tropical cruise vacations)
- GoPro
- iPad or laptop (optional)
- Chargers
- Mini power strip
9. Essentials for Daily Onboard Activities and Sea Days
- Small day pack or beach bag to hold daily items
- Bathing suit (for tropical cruises)
- Bathing suit cover-up
- Sweatshirt (for Alaska cruise)
- Windbreaker
- Slip-resistant flip-flops
- Sneakers (for the gym and other activities)
- Workout clothes
- Hat
- Sunscreen
- Water bottle
10. What You’ll Need for Port Days
- Your Ship (cruise ID) Card to exit and enter the ship
- Passport (inquire with cruise line its policy)
- Backpack or beach bag
- Sneakers or good walking shoes
- Cash and credit cards
- Plastic bags for wet clothing
- Cell phone dry pouch
- Hat
- Windbreaker or sweatshirt for cooler days
- Camera
11. Formal Night Attire
- Cocktail dresses (two)
- Cardigan or shawl
- Dressy shoes or sandals
- Small evening purse
- Jewelry
- Sport jacket for men
- Collared shirt
- Trousers for men
12. Cruise Packing List: Miscellaneous Handy Items
- Small sewing kit
- Small first aid kit
- Compact nail file kit
- Plastic baggies for wet clothes or souvenirs
- Mini packets of laundry detergent
- Laundry bag (optional)
Printable Packing List — Download here.
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