• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Traveling Dad

TravelingMom

Traveling tips, deals, info from moms and families

  • Book a Trip
  • Destinations
  • Disney
    • Disneyland
    • Walt Disney World
    • Disney Worldwide
    • Disney Cruise
  • Tips & Products
  • Free Fun
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Our Writers
    • Ask a Traveling Mom
  • Search

Mobile Menu

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Book a Trip
  • Destinations
  • Disney
    • Disneyland
    • Walt Disney World
    • Disney Worldwide
    • Disney Cruise
  • Tips & Products
  • Free Fun
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Our Writers
    • Ask a Traveling Mom
  • Search
  • Traveling Dad
  • Media Kit
  • Write for TravelingMom
  • TMOM Travel Writers
  • Ask Us!
  • Privacy & Terms
  • Site Admin
You are here: Home / Packing / The Ultimate Family Cruise Packing List — with Free Printable!

The Ultimate Family Cruise Packing List — with Free Printable!

October 9, 2019 //  by Mimi Slawoff//  Leave a Comment

Facebook10TweetPin21LinkedInShares31

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.

Following a cruise packing list for efficient packing
With mindful packing, one carry-on bag and backpack per person is all you need for a family cruise. Photo Credit: Flickr

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

an efficient cruise packing list begins with carry-on bags
Traveling with carry-on bags helps keep a stateroom clutter-free. Photo Credit: Mimi Slawoff

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

This is the perfect "less is more" complete guide to packing for a cruise! Get the free printable list on what to pack and tips on what to leave behind from a pro cruiser. #TMOM #Cruise #Packing #PackingList | TravelingMom | Cruising Tips
Photo Credit: Steve Mason from Photo Images

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

Traveling with just a carry-on is possible even for an Alaska cruise
Long pants, T-shirts, sweatshirts, and sneakers are perfect attire for shore excursions in Alaska. Photo Credit: Mimi Slawoff
  • 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

cruise packing list includes formal wear attire
Long or short, a simple black dress doubles as formal night and evening show or club attire. Photo Credit: Mimi Slawoff
  • 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.

 

 

We’ve been there and we want to help you get there too.

Sign up for our weekly newsletters!
Facebook10TweetPin21LinkedInShares31

Category: Family Cruises, Packing

You May Also Like

  • The Ultimate Family Camping Packing List
  • There are plenty of opportunities for kids to ski free in Colorado!
    The Ultimate Family Ski Trip Packing List
  • If you're planning a beach vacation, this is your ultimate guide to having the best family vacation on the sand! Find out how to choose a beach resort hotel or beach house rental, what to pack, taking babies and toddlers, what to do on rainy days, beachside activities and even meal and snack ideas for budget travel.
    The Ultimate Family Beach Vacation Packing List
  • Carnival Horizon
    Carnival Horizon: Perfect Fit for a Family Cruise?
  • Essential Patagonia Packing List | Bucket List Adventure
Previous Post: «Halloween at Hersheypark advertised at Hershey's Chocolate World. Hersheypark in the Dark 2019: A Guide to Halloween at Hersheypark
Next Post: 40+ Great Gift Ideas for the Disney-Lover on Your List Disney balloons»

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Trending Posts

Off Season at Walt Disney World: Does it Really Exist?
2828

Off Season at Disney World: Does it REALLY Exist?

2050

Getting To, From and Around Disney World: Essential Transportation Guide

The Tree of Life at Animal Kingdom night show.
1459

Disney’s Animal Kingdom After Dark: Complete Guide for Families

death valley
905

7 National Parks a Road Trip Away from LA

646

Places to Explore near Garner State Park

Footer

Categories

  • Media Kit
  • Write for TravelingMom
  • TMOM Travel Writers
  • Ask Us!
  • Privacy & Terms
  • Site Admin

Copyright © 2019 Traveling Mom · All Rights Reserved · Powered by BizBudding Inc.